This book is pure serotonin. Ella is everything you want in a rom-com heroine: bold, independent, and just messy enough to make you root for her. And Hudson is a classic broody quarterback with a soft center. Their chemistry snaps from page one, and the “just fun, no strings” pact added the emotional ticking time bomb I crave in my romance reads.

What makes this story stand out is how effortless it feels. The writing is sharp and modern without trying too hard, the spice hits when it needs to, and the stakes stay light but engaging. It’s the kind of book you finish in one sitting with a stupid grin on your face. Ki Stephens nails the balance between sexy and sweet, and if you’re craving a college romance with charm, heat, and two leads who absolutely shouldn’t fall for each other but 100% do, this one’s a must-read.

1.5⭐️ (half a star for Sourdough, because at least he made sense.)
1.5🌶️

So I picked this up thinking it’d be a fun, kinda spicy college sports romance. The premise sounded promising—new girl, football player, opposites attract, maybe some fun cheerleading drama? It could’ve been interesting! But yeah… it just wasn’t.

Right off the bat, Chapter 1 throws literally everything at you: we’re at a cheer comp, then suddenly there’s a breakup, she’s moving across the world, then she meets a random guy at a bar and boom—hookup. There’s no time to process anything. It felt like the book was in a rush to get somewhere but didn’t know where that was.

And then we meet Hudson. Oh boy. Where do I even start?

This man is confusing on every possible level. His entire life goal is to become a classics teacher. Like… ancient philosophy and Greek tragedy type beat. And that’s apparently his whole identity. Ella should’ve sprinted away the moment he brought that up, because wow. Bro said, “I’d like to live in permanent debt and maybe recite Homer to disinterested freshmen for a living.”

But okay, that alone wouldn’t be weird. What makes it weirder is that he’s also the starting quarterback of a competitive “Southern Ivy” football team… while claiming to hate the spotlight?? He doesn’t even seem to like football! Like sir, you are literally the face of the most high-profile team on campus. If you want to be lowkey, go run track or something. And THEN we find out he used to be a competitive cheerleader for six years??? And only switched back to football junior year of high school—after his dad dipped?

And somehow that path magically landed him QB1 status at an elite school? With zero explanation of how that would actually work? Be serious. Competitive cheer is intense and valid, but you don’t just slide into being a top college quarterback after that kind of break. It felt like the author just slapped traits onto him like “cheer boy + football bro + philosopher king = Hudson!” without ever making them make sense together.

Also, the way he hypes up doing a roundoff like it’s a life achievement? Dude, that’s Cheer 101. If you can do a cartwheel, you can do a roundoff. Why was he acting like he deserved a medal?

It all felt so disconnected and unrealistic. Honestly, I was rooting for him to get benched by someone who actually wanted to be there. If your protagonist’s personality is “conflicted and broody,” at least make the logic of their life track.

Anyway. The romance? Flat. Like really flat. There’s supposed to be this instant lust thing between him and Ella, but there’s no chemistry. Their first conversation is so awkward I had to reread it just to confirm how weird it was. She’s like, “You liked that, did you?” two minutes into talking to him, and then asks for his driver’s license so she can take a pic of it. Girl. You don’t even know his name yet.

And somehow this interaction leads to them going home together?? Even the open-door scenes didn’t do it for me. They get interrupted by a cat at one point and just… go with it? It killed whatever weak vibe they had going. Like sure, “Sourdough” (the cat) was cute and honestly probably the best character in the book, but still.

Ella herself was also kind of hard to root for. She came off bratty and reactive a lot of the time. Like she’s 22 but acts 17 in half her decisions. Her ex Jamie keeps popping up and you think it’s going somewhere interesting—maybe some drama, maybe tension—but then… nothing happens with him either. So many setups just went nowhere.

Also: why is Ella even British? Besides the occasional “quite” or “bloody,” her voice reads like any other generic American character. It felt like the author just gave her an accent for ✨quirk✨ and then didn’t do anything with it.

And don’t get me started on the pacing. Time skips everywhere. We jump weeks at a time within the first six chapters, and everything important just kind of gets glossed over. Like her five-year relationship ending? Barely processed. She’s just... fine with it. All the emotional weight just isn’t there.

And the telling, not showing? Yikes. Chapter 15 has Hudson literally psychoanalyzing himself out loud to the reader. Like, why are you giving us your entire emotional thesis?? Just show us that through your behavior, your hesitation, something. Don’t spoon-feed it to us. It kills the vibe completely.

By the time I hit 35%, I was skimming. By 50%, I was heavy-skimming. I kept wondering when something was going to actually happen, but everything just stayed surface-level. And the banter? Felt like AI wrote it. No flow, no spark, just awkward lines that didn’t feel human.

Honestly, I’m still trying to figure out how this got traditionally published. It read like fanfiction with info dumps and inconsistent characters, and the sports stuff was just so poorly researched it made it hard to take any of it seriously. Like if you're gonna write sports romance, please at least Google what happens during kickoff.

This felt like a book trying to cash in on the sports romance trend without doing the homework. Characters were inconsistent, the pacing was chaotic, the romance fell flat, and the sports stuff was just plain inaccurate. The only character I liked was the cat—Sourdough, absolute icon.

This was super cute! I have loved past things from this author and this did not disappoint! I appreciate both FMC and MMC being able to both work through their own thoughts and working on being together. I do wish we had more resolution for the FMCs personal life back at home but I think it would have taken too much time at the same time. Thanks net galley!

A solid 3.5 stars that shifts into a delightful 4 star read soon quickly you don't even notice and that makes me ashame to have ever seen this as a 3.5!

I'm a huge fan of sports romances and I've always enjoyed a good football star + cheerleader love story dating back to my early hopeless romantic phase of middle school into early college.

Hudson and Ella are loveable, strong yet healing individuals who are intriguing characters separate and together. Their individual pasts are so different but have common threads that make their chemistry natural and believable.

The plot is somewhat predicable but isn't that what you want in a warm cuddly sports romance? Predictable but never boring and never annoying.

The backdrop of a Nashville university, differing family dynamics, trauma and the journey to recognizing feelings fits perfectly into the sports romance genre and the established rank of authors among that of Elle Kennedy, Ali Hazelwood and Liz Tomford.

Definitely enjoyed Ki Stephens has a knack for this and Game On should definitely be added to your TBR with the intention to read sooner rather than later!!!

“Sometimes,” I say roughly, “we have to break the rules if we want to win the game.”

4⭐️/🌶️.5

Something about Ki’s books just feel like home and this was no exception.
Ella Davies was the girl who had it all, an Oxford education, lifelong friends, and a childhood sweetheart she was going to travel abroad with. Then she had nothing. Her bf dumped her, she left her friends, and she had to find her footing in Nashville, alone.
Hudson Fox, the handsome quarterback that longs for normality after his NFL father walked out. A simple life without expectations and one that is his alone.
Hudson and Ella found everything they didn’t know they needed in each other. This was such a unique sports romance plot that reminded me of Icebreaker x Hannah Grace in all the best ways. I loved the independence each character found while also appreciating the other. I also LOVE when the FMC is headstrong and doesn’t beat around the bush, which is exactly what El did with Hudson and he loved every second of those mind battles. They learned and grew around each other without changing who they truly were and isn’t that what we all went out of a relationship?
My only qualms are that I’m 1) MESSY at heart and was hoping for a more dramatic encounter between Jamie (El’s ex) and Hudson; and 2) some of the chapters felt like they ended abruptly. We’d be in the moment and then next chapter were two weeks down the road. Or back in Nashville from Texas when we were just in Hudson’s childhood home. It didn’t hurt the story, but left me wanting a bit more. Otherwise, 10/10 no notes!
Hoping for a book 2 of Levi and Claire!!

This story was such a perfect blend of tension, fun, and slow-burning feelings that I couldn’t stop smiling the whole way through. There’s something so addictive about a no-strings-attached setup that you know is about to go up in flames, and watching Ella and Hudson try so hard to keep things casual while falling harder with every stolen glance had me absolutely hooked. The writing has an effortless rhythm, packed with wit and heart, and the whole story has that cozy, feel-good pulse I never want to leave. It was fun, heartfelt, and every bit as swoony as I hoped.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced copy!

Game On follows Ella, a college level cheerleader who is going from London to Nashville to study abroad. Her boyfriend, Jamie, breaks up with her right before they are set to leave. When she goes out with her new roommates, she meets football star Hudsom. Their relationship was very insta, and moved from one night stand, to friends, to kinda secret dating. Unfortunately, this fast pace relationship doesn’t really do it for me. The book was also more vibes than plot, and I found myself kinda bored and skimming throughout.

Game On is a college sports romance following Hudson, the star quarterback at Whitland, and Ella, the new cheerleader. The plot and the romance in this book all felt like they happened in a rush, and it was hard to really settle in and connect to anything. There is a lot of description about cheerleading and the stunts that probably could have been taken out so that this story could have more to it. After reading, I just wish there had been more. More drama with the ex or just more of a build-up between the two MCs. I really wanted to love this, but it only ended up being fine. Just not for me, unfortunately.
If you are looking for a quick and easy read with a sports romance (football x cheer), lots of side characters, and fast-paced, check this out!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC!

If you love sports romance, this book is for you! This was such a light, fun and steamy read! I absolutely love how these two come together, and I loveeee the no strings attached because come on, there are ALWAYS strings! The chemistry and tension between the two main characters was absolutely delicious and I was LIVING for it! I will say it did feel a bit insta-loveish, so if you aren’t a fan, read at your own risk!

I really enjoyed this book. It was flirty, but also stayed true to the plot and problems addressed. I liked how even the side characters were fleshed out!

This book is titled "Game On" and it was written by Ki Stephens and it is scheduled to be released on September 9, 2025. This book has a female main character who is a cheerleader and a male main character who is a star football quarterback. This book was a quick, cute and spicy read.

This book was too cute! Hudson and Ella's relationship are a literal match made in heaven. This book will have you addicted and glued to the page

While I didn't feel strongly about this book in either way, I'm happy to say it was decently written and easy to read, with an engaging premise and a slightly different take on the college sports romance genre.

I think that it wasn't really a hit for me because I wasn't really the target audience. This would be a great read for someone just getting into the new adult genre or wanting to give sports romance a try, and I'd happily recommend it to them. The audience for this surely exists, it just sadly isn't me.

Unfortunately, I had to DNF this book. While it started pretty good, I just felt that the book was not grabbing my attention. I downloaded this book on May 01, 2025, and only got about 35% of the way through by the end of the month, and I usually finish multiple books in that time. I did want to love this book, but the main character, Ella, was not that relatable to me. I honestly did not like that she got out of a five year relationship, said she didn't want to be with other boys, but then think of Hudson every other paragraph. While the writing and story building was good, I found myself skimming more of the story than I was actually reading. The one piece of the story I was really interested in was Hudson's backstory and why he was thinking of fires and trauma with his parents. However, I couldn't finish the book to find that out.
I mean no ill-intention to the author or publisher of this book. I did go into it with good intentions to finish and post multiple reviews, but the story did not capture my attention enough for me to power through.

3.5 stars!
Game On was a fun college sports romance with some fresh elements, especially the focus on cheerleading as a serious sport. I liked how the story showed the pressure and intensity of competing at that level, it gave the book a different vibe than other sports books!

Hudson was a great MMC. He’s a soft southern guy with real emotional depth, and the OCD rep felt true to the story. His love for his cats (cat dad!!).

Their one night stand kicks things off, but the no-strings setup turns into something deeper. The chemistry is there, though I found the middle of the book dragged a bit with too much back and forth. Still, the story had enough charm to keep me reading. Recommend if you like college sports romance!

This book was fun at first but the longer I went on the more I realised that it was telling me a lot and not letting me figure out the story. It was repetitive in every day tasks and didn’t need to be.

This book is the perfect mix of high spice, low stakes, and swoony college romance—with just the right amount of angst to keep you hooked.

Ella Davies is starting over. After leaving Oxford and dumping her very mediocre ex, she’s determined to make her mark on Whitland University’s elite cheer squad. Love? Not on the agenda.

Hudson Fox is the guy at Whitland. Star quarterback. Control freak. Football-obsessed. He’s focused on winning championships—not catching feelings.

When these two strike up a no-strings-attached fling, it’s supposed to be a fun distraction. But sparks fly, walls fall, and suddenly they’re breaking all the rules they made for themselves.

✨ Why you’ll love this:
• Grumpy x sunshine vibes in a college setting
• A British cheerleader + All-American quarterback = explosive chemistry
• Banter, tension, and plenty of steam
• Found family moments and emotional depth beneath the surface
• A love story that feels like Friday night lights meets Bring It On—with a British twist

If you’re looking for a sports romance that’s sweet, spicy, and just plain fun, this one’s for you. Perfect for fans of Elle Kennedy, Hannah Grace, and readers who love seeing two people try (and fail) to keep it casual.

I had to DNF this book because I did not realize that it would be an instant attraction type story with smut in the first 20 pages of the story. That kind of storytelling just isn't for me, even if others personally enjoy it.

I would much rather read a story I know I am going to enjoy, like many would. It's a good cover and interesting concept for the plot, but the beginning through me entirely against it.

Unfortunately, this book missed the mark for me. It felt like a pretty "cookie-cutter" version of a sports romance, and nothing really stood out to make it memorable. The spice was nice, and the romance was okay, but overall, it didn’t leave a lasting impression.

The plot kept me engaged enough to finish it, but a few days later, I honestly can't recall much about it. It wasn’t a bad read by any means—it just didn’t bring anything fresh or unique to the genre for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for the digital ARC of Game On by Ki Stephens.

Unfortunately, this one didn’t quite work for me. The main character felt flat, with little to no emotional growth or development throughout the story. I struggled to connect with the romance, there just wasn’t any real chemistry between her and Hudson. In fact, the only dynamic that felt remotely engaging was with Ash.

The dialogue came off awkward in places, and the pacing was tough to follow. There were constant time jumps that made the narrative feel disjointed, which really pulled me out of the story. More than anything, I found it relied too heavily on telling rather than showing, which made the emotions feel unearned.

Overall, this just wasn’t a hit for me,but I hope it finds its audience.