I loved The Game Plan! Dex had me swooning and kicking my feet the whole time. This book was entertaining, spicy, and well-written. Both characters grow and evolve through the book, which was nice to see.

I did not read the other books in the series first, so maybe some character relationships would've been more clear. I didn't feel like I was missing too much though - it was still easy to follow. I would recommend this book and Kristen Callihan!

First things first.....full disclosure, I have NOT read books one and two in the Game On series yet. I know, I know.....what is wrong with me? But NetGalley was kind enough to grant me a copy of The Game Plan so I jumped in to the series starting with this book and I'm so glad that I did! The Game Plan is funny, emotional, sexy, and swoony. With great characters, multiple settings, and great storyline, this is a must-read story.

I loved the characters in this book. Ethan "Dex" Dexter is a gentle giant. An NFL center, Dex is quiet, reserved, loveable, and a complete teddy bear. He exudes power and strength while being a man of few words. This sexy man is heavily bearded, heavily muscled, and has long flowing locks of hair. Oh, and did I mention he's a virgin? <gasp!> Total swoon! Fiona "Fi" Mackenzie is the younger sister of Dex's best friend's wife. The first time he saw her he fell head over heels for her but he stood in the shadows for years before he was able to make his move. Fi is the light to his darkness. She's bright and shiny, outgoing, flighty, and a ball of fun. In other words, the complete opposite of Dex. But you know what they say about opposites! These two have chemistry in spades! I loved watching their relationship develop and strengthen. It wasn't easy and there were many bumps and roadblocks they needed to get past, but they do find their happily ever after.

The Game Plan is full of emotional angst and sexy times. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll fall in love with these complex, multifaceted characters. Don't sleep on this one! 4.5 stars

This was a quick read for me, but I wouldn’t say it was the best. It was just okay. The author is a very good writer, that much is obvious. She writes in a way that feels conversational and easy.

With that said it felt a little forced. Perhaps because I didn’t read the first two books in the series that I didn’t feel all that invested in the characters. The FMC despite her claims that she never felt attraction to the MMC fell super fast, and at the end despite being super levelheaded the entire time has a meltdown. A major one, and the FMC is like, no biggie, let me get you some gumbo.

I find a lot of romance books to be character driven or plot driven. I think it’s difficult to do both, and it felt like the author was trying to accomplish just that. The FMC needed to feel confident about herself, and not view herself as flighty. The MMC needed to show emotion, but the plot to get them there felt off to me. Things felt thrown in haphazardly.

I would probably recommend this to anyone seeking a light summer read. It’s easy enough to follow. It was good; it just wasn’t my favorite.

Thank you to NetGalley, Kristen Bailey, and Harlequin Trade Publishing for a free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I’ll be honest and say that this book is not one I would have ordinarily picked up. While I appreciate a good contemporary romance, I tend not to be overly invested in sports romances or anything that revolves around characters in the public eye (actors, rock stars, pro athletes, etc.). There are exceptions to every rule, though, and I found myself intrigued by both the cover and the blurb for this one.

Kristen Callihan is an entirely new-to-me author and I knew nothing about this series before requesting this book on Netgalley ahead of its trad publishing rerelease. Having no knowledge of the first two books in the series, there were definitely moments where I felt like I was missing something. Even so, this book was extremely readable and usually did a good job at filling in the blanks enough to avoid prolonged confusion. I’m sure that reading the series in order would enhance it in some ways, but it certainly wasn’t necessary to understand or appreciate this work on its own.

While I can honestly say that I appreciated the novel as a whole, I have to be honest and say that many elements just didn’t land for me. Both of the MCs feel like they’re leaning mostly on cliches, especially in the early chapters of the book. The rampant preoccupation with sex felt unrealistic, even a little campy at times (and I say this as a reader who is in no way averse to “spice”—I’m all for people embracing their sexuality as long as they’re not hurting anybody else, but seriously, the notion that these characters are just walking around preoccupied by thoughts of sex for multiple consecutive chapters just felt silly to me).

I’m thrilled to say that both Dex and Fi get more well-rounded as the book evolves. I do think that the characters read a bit older than they’re actually intended to be. Dex is 24 and new to the NFL. Fi is 21 and already competing for a pretty significant promotion. She’s also apparently had time to establish a long history of flightiness and failed relationships despite being fresh out of college. Before their ages were explicitly stated, I thought they were both closer to the 27-30 range, as well as thinking they were the same age (didn’t actually realize that Dex is 3 years older than Fi until just before the end of the book).

I don’t want to spoil any big moments of the plot, so I’ll be deliberately vague and say that for me, there was too much drama on too many different fronts. A lot of it was either overblown or underdeveloped, and too much of it resolved in ways that felt dismissive, inadequate, etc. In some ways, this book felt like an attempt to weave several different plots into one cohesive novel, and while there were definitely some high points, they definitely did not all succeed—some because they weren’t given the time and attention they needed to really play out and others because they just weren’t necessary in the first place.

Some aspects of the story did resonate more with me. Dex’s trauma around sex and relationships, Fi’s internal dilemma between wanting a partner and wanting to be content on her own, the emotional maturity of many of the characters, and the way that Dex genuinely sees, understands, and appreciates Fiona just as she is all struck me as real and relatable. I think the conflict between the two MCs is, for most of the novel, one of the more grounding and realistic elements. Their relationship isn’t perfect (I personally found some of the third act events particularly frustrating), but I do think it’s successful overall, and that does feel like the most important thing for a romance novel.

I’m not sure that I’ll return to this series or to this book in particular, but I’d be interested to read some of this author’s other works. Dex and Fi as characters were both very enjoyable and effective in my opinion, so I’d be curious to see if a narrative from this author more in line with my usual tastes hit different.

4.25 ⭐️

The Game Plan is the third installment in Kristen Callihan’s Game On series, and it delivers a satisfying mix of steam, sincerity, and slow-burn romance. This time, the spotlight is on the quiet, bearded, and unexpectedly swoony NFL player, Ethan “Dex” Dexter, and the strong-willed Ivy Mackenzie—two characters who don’t just spark, they smolder.

Callihan’s greatest strength lies in her characters. Ethan is a refreshing male lead: introverted, emotionally intelligent, and respectful without losing his edge. Ivy, with her boldness and vulnerability, makes a perfect match. Their chemistry is electric, but the real charm is in how gently their relationship unfolds. The emotional beats feel earned, not rushed.

The story explores themes of identity, long-distance challenges, and choosing vulnerability in a world that demands masks—especially for public figures like Ethan. The conflict is grounded and relatable, though a few plot moments lean into melodrama and could have used more nuance.

Callihan’s dialogue is sharp, occasionally laugh-out-loud funny, and always authentic. While the pacing drags slightly in the middle, the payoff is worth the wait.

Overall, The Game Plan is more than just a sports romance—it’s a tender exploration of love, trust, and learning to let someone in. A great choice for readers who enjoy character-rich contemporary romance with a healthy dose of heat.

The first book I’ve read by this author and I wasn’t disappointed. I loved the chemistry between the two main characters. The perfect amount of spice. I love sports romances and this was nice to have one centered around football.

4 ⭐️
Tropes: football / sports romance, best friends sister-in-law, opposites attract, coaching romance

This is the third book in the Game On series by Kristen Callihan and now I fear I need to backtrack and read the first two - it did read great as a standalone though but if you start with the first you’ll have cameos of the couple from the previous books. This was my first football romance and first book by the author and I really enjoyed it!

Ethan Dexter is a professional football player who always plays it save, keeps to himself whenever possible and just moves through the motions. Fiona or Fi Mackenzie is a free spirit that hasn’t quite found her footing and purpose in life - moving from one job to the next and searching for her true passion. They met at Fi’s sister Ivy’s Christmas party which happened to be Ethan’s best friend’s girlfriend. Ethan was enamored with Fi and from the moment they met she was his “the one that got away” because he played it safe not wanting to rock any boats…but he promised himself that one day he will make his play and that was all part of his game plan to get Fiona Mackenzie to be his.

Years later her got another chance and he ran with it.

“I’d taken one look at her in that club and wanted her to touch me, to fucking see me, more than my next breath. I’ve wanted that from the moment I laid eyes on her two years ago”

Once the flood gates opened he wasn’t going to let her go again. Just like he always imagined she was intoxicating but she was better than all of his made up fantasies.

“I shouldn’t have touched, much less kissed, Fi. Because I can’t stop replaying it in my mind. I know what she tastes like now. She tastes like addiction.”

Except now that they let each other in, they were faced with having to make a long distance relationship work with stolen moments whenever they could fit them in but when they did, it was explosive and perfect… Their relationship was hard but they made it work because it was worth the time apart. The chemistry between them was off the charts, and they were perfect for each other in and out of the bedroom. I adored them together and how they were each other’s safe harbor.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Canary Press for the E-ARC of this title!!!!

I love this series! Read this one if you like
-Football romance
- Brothers BFF
- Insta-love
- Virgin MMC
- Sweet and sexy
- Baby whisperer
- Opposites attract

Dex and Fiona are opposites in every way. Dex is a broody, burly tree trunk of a man. Fiona is petite and Tinker Bell like. She's also extremely flighty and unfiltered.
One kiss, a beard, and they are done for. I had a hard time believing it was possible that Dex was the replica of a nun. Everything about him oozes sex appeal and come hither and break my back.

While I adore this author and this series, this one was missing something for me. I would still recommend it as a standalone and more enthusiastically as a series.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and Canary Street Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. 

Have been a massive fan of Kristen Callihan since I read "Make It Sweet". I adored this book. I love Ethan Dexter as the MMC, as he's just a giant teddy bear. Dexter is an NFL player who harbors a secret crush on Fiona Mackenzie (FMC).  There have been moments throughout this entire book where I found myself melting or swooning, kicking my feet. Calilhans' writing his both entertaining, sexy, and sweet, and she puts so much love into these characters. 


Read if you like: 
- He falls first 
- Long distance
- Dual POV

Thanks to harlequin trade publishing / canary street press & NetGalley for this arc!

I have read all of Kristen Callihans books and loved them, so I was absolutely thrilled to receive the arc for The Game Plan. I was not disappointed!

I loved following the story of Dexter and Fiona’s relationship. Such instalove. Highly recommend and can’t wait for the physical copy to come out!

I’ve read Kristen Callihan’s The Game Plan several times and even listened to it on audiobook, but that was years ago. With a new cover releasing soon and some updates—“FaceTime instead of Skype”, and more of Dex’s perspective—I thought it would be an excellent time to re-read. And since it had been a while, it was as if I was reading it for the first time. I love that feeling! Though Dex is a 24-year-old virginia. He’s a football player with tattoos and gives off vibes that contradict. But he focuses on his best friend’s little sister, Fiona.

Fiona is a force to be reckoned with. Though others see a flighty person who can’t stick to one thing or make a decision, Dex doesn’t. He’s drawn to her energy and ability to bring joy to every situation. The predicament is that they live apart, and rumors begin to spread about Dex’s virginity.

Reading The Game Plan brought all the feels right back. I loved it even more! Don’t be fooled by the adorable cover; it has several steamy scenes. There’s a size difference in more ways than one. Dex has piercings in multiple places and likes a bit of pain—this is good stuff.

There’s something quietly compelling about this story that hooked me early on. The characters aren’t loud or flashy—they’re real, flawed, and their chemistry unfolds in moments that feel lived-in rather than scripted. Watching their relationship grow felt like watching a spark catch flame, slow but steady.

I loved how the story allowed the connection to build naturally instead of rushing into big dramatic moments. When the characters finally crossed that line, it felt earned and deeply satisfying, not forced or overplayed.

While there were parts that didn’t fully resonate with me, those moments were brief and didn’t overshadow the heart of the story. What stayed with me was the genuine emotion and how well the characters’ growth was handled throughout.

This story gave me a quiet kind of joy—the kind that lingers after the last page. I’m eager to see more from these characters or the world they inhabit.

I totally forgot how great Kristen Callihan's books are. I found the balance of banter and spice and longing and romance to be spot on in this book. I read with my eyes but think that this would read well on audio. While I was a little frustrated at times about the third act drama, I thought that Dex and Fiona's romance was just what I needed on a long flight home. He's her brother in law's bestie. She is the younger sister that he's watched for years. Their insta love is not quite so insta as it seems. So much fun.

This is a rerelease of a story that I loved the first time around so I was curious if I it would resonate with where I'm at in my life now. Happy to report it did, just a little differently. I've noticed the older I get, the less I can put up with in books, i.e. miscommunication, blowing things up that can be solved with a simple conversation, etc. Of course I give leeway when the characters are in their early twenties, because we were all dumb in our early twenties. Everything seems so dire and immediate and high stakes. But give me a man like Ethan Dexter. A young man known to be a calm presence. A quiet man that doesn't talk just to hear himself. But we get a view in his head when he is around Fiona, his best friend's sister in law. And it's not quiet. It's loud. He's always wanted her since he first saw her and saw her being herself. So he waited until the time was right and when he has an opportunity to all but dare her into touching his beard, which turns into more touching, public touching in a bar, which turns into kissing, and more kissing and turns into a very, very hot scene. Have i mentioned that he's good with babies? And he's a virgin.
And Fiona, oh Fiona. She doesn't know what she wants. Which is why I identified with her so much when I first read this story. And still. It's hard to live your life when you know you aren't doing what you actually want to do, that you are flailing around trying to find something that fits your personality and actually pays enough to survive in this absolutely messed up capitalist system. But then she kisses Ethan, and he's very clear about what he wants with her...everything. And she realizes that she wants him. One thing she is sure of, is him. And the book is about how they struggle through being in a long distance relationship, and the answer is remote work. Working remotely is the answer to everything. Because it allows you to go where you are needed. It allows you to have an actual life.
I cry a lot when I read books like this. Because it has everything I don't, but want so badly. I want my own Ethan. I want to find work I can do from anywhere that I actually enjoy and that pays me enough money so I don't worry all the fucking time, But I don't have that. I doubt I ever will.

Fi and Dex’s story is my favorite in the entire series. It’s very sweet and tender! Like all Kristen Callahan stories though, there is a lot of dark obstacles in their paths. I can’t ever get through one of her books without crying and this one was not any different. I would recommend this book 100 times over though.

I loved this book! The characters were flawed but they worked through their respective troubles together. The breakup was not really a breakup and I loved that. Too many times there is a breakup for the sake of being one, but Dex and Fiona knew each other too well for that.

I seriously love this series—but Fiona and Dex? They might be my favorite yet. These two are just so damn lovable, and their story had me hooked from the jump. The banter, the chemistry, the tension—ugh, it was everything.

I won’t spoil anything, but this book covers a lot of ground. It’s messy in a real, human way, but also soft and swoony and just so satisfying. I laughed, I got choked up, I highlighted like a maniac.

If you’ve been reading the series, you’re gonna love this one. And if you haven’t started yet—go fix that immediately. I highly recommend it.

The focus was almost entirely on the sexual relationship, and the characters never really developed any depth. It just didn’t work for me.

Talk about a yummy Golden Retriever MMC! I swooned for Dex.
If I *had* to pick a flaw, it's that his body doesn't fit an NFL center, but I know most readers won't recognize that fact (what can I say, I'm a die-hard football girlie).

Some of my favorite tropes in here: he falls first, semi-second chance, golden retriever MMC, only has eyes for her, etc.

The Game Plan is a steamy beach read, great for just lounging around the pool!

I enjoyed Dex's complexity and demeanor, and the way he cared for Fiona.

I would completely read more on Dex and Fi - one of the cutest book couples I've read in a while.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

A New York girl meets a football player while they’re both staying with family in San Francisco and the chemistry immediately takes off. This book is spicy from the very beginning, but it’s also packed with the right amount of chaos. They’re together pretty early in the book, but have to fight to be together. Even when the small problems started piling up toward the end, I couldn’t stop reading. I actually stayed up past midnight just to finish it because I had to know how it all ended.