Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for an ARC of this book. This is the third book in a series I do believe like you can read it without reading the others that’s what I did and I was still able to enjoy this book, but I believe you would have a better experience starting it from the beginning because this is an in interconnected series so the characters do overlap. This is a fun football romance where the female main character, Fi, and the male main character, Dex, have an opposites attract romance! Dex has wanted Fi for a while but didn’t act on anything because she is his best friend's sister-in-law. Their paths cross years later and one thing leads to another. They start to like this little vibe they have going on, but at the same time they’re not sharing this information with others. I enjoyed watching Dex and Fi build something. This does have like a third act breakup which I absolutely hate when that happens, but a good part is it doesn’t last long in this book. They kind of work things out really quickly. I enjoyed how everything played out in the end. You’ll have to read to see how that is, but I really enjoyed this book.

There are a lot of things in Romance novels that don't really do it for me. Not to the level of DNFing the book mind you. More like just a whole lot of "meh", take it or leave it on my part. Things like bearded MMCs, MMCs who play sports, MMCs who are virgins, and FMCs who are Tinkerbell sized.

So, why would I go to the trouble of reading a novel that has ALL of these elements? Because it's written by Kristen Callihan, and everything she writes I have loved with my whole heart.

Seriously, this woman has written a Romantasy series, a Rock Star Romance series, and now her Sports Romance series which is being rereleased (plus a new novel on the way), and I am telling you Every. Single. Book. Slaps! I don't know how one author can be so good in so many sub-genres, but she absolutely is!

In THE GAME PLAN, Ethan (Dex) and Fiona (Fi) are couple goals for sure. Dex in particular is a wonderful, big bear of a man--written with such a perfect balance of extreme competence in life and deep vulnerability. with Fi. Yet, despite the strength of their feelings, outside forces, in the form of friends, family, and fame, are constantly tearing down the protective walls they try to put up around their relationship, making this a delicious page turner of a book.

Like most series, it is great to read them in order but you can also read this one as a stand alone and still really enjoy it.

Overall a solid read for me and my first Kristen Callihan book. I LOVED MMC Dex - quiet, tatted center for an NFL team. The FMC Fi wasn't it for me - the dichotomy in her character development was off for me. I liked her well enough, she just didn't feel like the girl for Des and I didn't love her as much as I loved Dex. Anyway - they have been in the same circle for a bit (she's his best buddy's SIL) and they finally get in proximity and Dex makes his move. Fi was pretty hard headed about the whole relationship - Dex tries to work through their long distance relationship and her push back. There's a bit of a scuff up in the middle of the book regarding him being a 24 year old virgin that just didn't sit with me either - maybe it was just the way it played out. I'm def going back to read the first two books - because those side characters were a big hit with me and I want to learn more of their stories. Thanks to netgalley for the chance to ARC read this book.

I absolutely adored "The Game Plan" by Kristen Callihan! This book masterfully delivers a satisfying balance of steamy romance and an engaging plot. Ethan's character is incredibly captivating and sure to leave a lasting impression, while Fiona shines with her strength and resilience. The brief periods of separation between the characters didn't diminish my enjoyment one bit. For anyone looking for a spicy, feel-good read with a football twist, this book is exactly what you need.

A great read, the story of Dex and Fi. A hockey romance. I liked both characters and wanted everything to work out for them.

I've heard so many good things about this book that when I saw it was going to be republished, it was my sign to finally pick this up. I am so glad I did because this was fantastic!

Dex is the perfect book boyfriend. He is my type for sure! He's shy, sweet and good at sports. He's a virgin hero too which is another trope that's like catnip to me. I liked his reasoning for not being a man ho even though he could. I also really liked Fiona. She's a great heroine too. The romance between them was chef's kiss. Callihan writes them perfectly. How gone for Fiona Dex is and all the pining. It's good y'all. Fiona is on the fence about Dex because they live in different cities and she's not into professional athletes but Dex gets through her defenses. These two were like ying and yang. Just the perfect couple!

The chemistry here is hot and intense. The pining I mentioned before, phew does that make the steamy scenes even hotter! You will need a fan or a cold beverage, or heck both.

Would highly recommend!

The Game Plan by Kristen Callihan ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

If you’re looking for a fun football romance series, the Game On series checks the boxes. One thing I appreciate about this series is that it follows this group of players through time so while they are interconnected standalones, they take place across the years. For example Book 1 and Book 2 are college football but Book 3 was pro football. With that in mind, I’d recommend reading these in order though you don’t have to but other characters pop up frequently across books.

As for this book, I found it to be a perfect palate cleanser. If you’re looking for deep emotional connection and well-developed relationships, this wasn’t that. But if you’re looking for entertaining, lovable characters, a break from reality, and spice, this met the mark.

I really enjoyed the MMC - he was broody, tattooed, and gruff. The FMC was fun and interesting. While I didn’t necessarily think they worked through much together in a way that really developed them, I still enjoyed seeing their progression.

Tropes: opposites attract, bearded, tattooed MMC, football romance, long distance

This is such a good book and series! I first read this book in like 2016 and the reread with the edits/updates/new cover was just as enjoyable as the first time! Dex is the epitome of practically perfect big burly football player MMC. Fi is a beautiful soul of an FMC I just adore her! Virgin Hero MMC can be a hard trope to tackle and do justice but let me tell you right now this man bun wearing, mountain of a man will have you sighing and swooning over his journey. I forgot how good this series was and how much I enjoyed it! Now I want to reread them all over again and again :)

This book was such a fun mix: spice, football, a vibrant friend group, and a sweet romance. Fiona is bold, lively, and used to keeping things light, but Ethan makes her question that. Ethan, a quiet NFL star, has had eyes only for Fiona for years. When they end up in the same place for a week, their fling quickly turns into something deeper. Some parts felt a little rushed, and I wished there had been more time spent on their emotional connection. Still, it's a great pick for anyone wanting a football romance that does not require reading the whole series.

I didn't dislike this story, but felt it had too little to root for. The stakes are low for two wealthy and privileged young people. They can each walk away from jobs or move across the country with few barriers, so the conflict in their relationship feels fabricated. "The Game Plan" lacks meaningful depth or a significant plot.

Both Fiona and Ethan undergo some good personal growth throughout the story, which has a very condensed timeline. Fiona seemed especially young and immature, and Ethan's issues lack any significant backstory. I also had some trouble determining the timeline of their past run-ins and experiences - something about their ages during the story didn't add up.

This title may appeal more to college-age readers seeking an easy romance with less plot and more drama and explicit content. "The Game Plan is the third title in the Game On series, but reads well as a standalone.

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

One of the best books I've read in a long while. I loved the build up and character development so much. Held my attention and I'll be looking for more work by this author!

I actually really liked this book. This book is about two people with different backgrounds who try to make their relationship work when one of them is in the public eye. You have real character development and back and forth heartbreak. The steamy scenes are pretty steamy and about 95% of the book has these moments. I would recommend to people who love smut and sports romance.

In this sports romance we have an MMc who falls first for our FMC and even though he wants forever, she's not sure what her plans are.

📚✨ ARC REVIEW ✨📚
The Game Plan by @kristen_callihan
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 (4.5/5 stars)

Thank you to Kristen Callihan and NetGalley for providing a free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Ethan "Dex" Dexter has wanted Fiona, his best friend Gray's sister-in-law, since the moment he saw her two years ago. Quiet and reserved, Dex isn't used to taking what he wants... until now.

Fiona is his opposite in every way: bold, bubbly, snarky—a real-life Tinker Bell who makes no secret of her dislike for football players like Dex. But when they reconnect at a nightclub, the chemistry between them is electric.

Despite the distance (she’s in New York, he’s in New Orleans), they can’t seem to stay away from each other. When a matchmaking service offers a $1 million bounty to the woman who can take Dex's virginity (not knowing Fiona already has), it puts their fragile connection to the test.

I loved this book. Dex and Fiona’s story reminded me so much of my own long-distance relationship with my husband — one where we knew each other for years, then finally connected and fell fast, hard, and deep. Every visit got harder to leave, and that ache was written so beautifully here.

Dex is my favorite kind of MMC - reserved, smart, sensitive, lives in his head (basically my husband). He channels his aggression through football... until Fiona’s threatened. Then the Hulk emerges. I loved how she gave him space to be all versions of himself.

Fiona was such a complex heroine. She fears abandonment, sees herself as the “flake” in her family, and constantly chases new dreams. Her relationship with Dex didn’t complete her; it revealed her.

The cherry on top? They are incredibly sexy together. Dex’s dirty mouth + piercings = 🥵. Let’s just say I was fanning myself more than once.

For fans of:
🧲 Opposites attract
✈️ Long-distance romance
🏈 Sports romance
🕊️ Virgin hero
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Brother’s sister-in-law

#TheGamePlan #KristenCallihan #ARCReview #SportsRomance #OppositesAttract #BookishLove #VirginHero #LongDistanceLove #RomanceBooks #FootballRomance #RomanceReaders #InstaBookReview #SpicyReads #ContemporaryRomance #BookstagramRecs #NetGalleyARC

*I received a copy of this book as an ARC. This review and thoughts are mine alone.*

Rating: 5⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️


Dex and Fi are instalove goals.


Fi fell so hard and fast for him. Which isn’t usually something I enjoy, but this worked somehow. I immediately felt like I was being brought into a story with people who I knew and had genuine friendships with, and that’s a hard off to the author who sucks you right in.



*This is a re-print and re-cover of a previously released book

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for access to the ARC in exchange for this honest review!

If you love a cinnamon roll hero in a tattooed, bearded, man-bun-wearing NFL body, The Game Plan will steal your heart and definitely raise your temperature.

Ethan Dexter is quiet, intense, and saving himself for one woman: the bold and outspoken Fiona Mackenzie. What starts as a dare and a kiss turns into a week of unexpected chemistry, laugh-out-loud moments, and a deep, emotional connection that neither of them saw coming.

The spice level is sky-high. Dex’s inexperience adds such a vulnerable and sweet twist to the steamy scenes. Fiona brings the fire, and together they have the kind of dynamic that is both heart-melting and seriously hot.

This book had me swooning, blushing, and completely hooked. If you're into sports romance with heart, humor, and heat, you need this on your TBR.

Sports Romance with an exuberant witty sarcastic female and a complete smitten sexy lumberjack footballer . We can't go wrong with this. The chemistry between these two characters made my kindle start smoking! I love he falls first romance and this was done to perfection. I am a huge sucker for long distance relationships - I think because it forces communications between the two characters. I love those they almost instantly became each other's support system and really they knew they weren't going to be happy with out each other.
At heart a romance it also had a huge coming of age component which I loved. Fiona really had to overcome her insecurities with her job and follow her true path before she could commit to Ethan.
While this book can be read as a stand alone I would have loved to have read the series in order. I really like the relationship between guys and i love how they are each finding their love.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing the ARC.

I had a rough time with this book. A lot of it can be linked back to the fact that Ethan and Fiona have so little chemistry and that their story is a bit unbelievable right from the get go.

There was absolutely no lead up to them starting out their intimate relationship. It basically goes from Ethan announcing that he wants Fiona to them practically mauling each other at a club. It would have been nice to have had a bit more substance to the start of their relationship, and not just having them fall head first into a sexual relation right off the bat.

Also, the writing and the characterizations were just dry. There was nothing that made them appealing or enticing, and as a a result, the on page relationship suffered greatly. It came across as very disjointed and messy, and not at all interesting.

Not the book (or book series) for me.

Huge thanks to Harper Collins Publishing and NetGalley for the advanced review copy for the rerelease! 🩷

3.5 Stars ⭐️

This is my favorite of the series for sure! Dex has had my eye since the beginning, and after him taking care of everyone else he deserved his own happy ending. I really enjoyed the beginning of this book. Dex and Fi had great chemistry and the buildup was delightful! After a while though I felt like the story started meandering, with the chemistry getting lost along the way. There were multiple big “dramas” keeping Dex and Fi from being settled and happy, and it felt a bit repetitive towards the end. There is also a brief spot in the end where Dex does something totally out of character that gave me a bit of whiplash.

Overall this wasn’t bad! It’s a sweet and sexy football romance, and I think a lot of people will love it. 🩷

This book was a fun mix! A stoic football player, a brighter than the sun FMC, a great friend group, and lots of spice all in one fun story.

Fiona is a larger than life personality in a smaller than average body. She’d opinionated, persistent, and goes for what she wants in life. Up until now, she’s wanted easy and carefree. But after seeing Ethan Dexter through a new lens, she’s not sure about having just a fling.

Ethan Dexter is an inexperienced NFL star looking for something serious. When Fiona Mackenzie walked into his life years ago, she shocked him into her world of vivid color. He’s spent the last few years pining after her and her only.

When they both end up in the same place for a week, and Fiona is looking for a safe place to land, sparks start to fly between the two! A week of hooking up quickly becomes a serious bond. With the help of their friends, hilarity ensues, the two work through their challenges, and fall in love.

This is a perfect book for someone looking to get into a football romance but isn’t too attached to starting at book one of a series (or you can go read the two before this one)! If you like instalust, meddling friends, and a love story where the characters actually have to work through their differences, this is a fun one!