I didn't realize this was a re-read for me until I was halfway through the first chapter. Apparently, Kristen Callihan's Game On series is being re-released with new covers and two additional chapters that flesh out the story some more, especially what felt like insta-love on Dex's end, but in truth, was brewing for a few years.

I immediately recognized Dex's character. He's sweet, thoughtful, kind and everyone loves a virgin hero! I wasn't that big of a fan of Fiona, though. She's a bit flighty and plays with Dex's feelings, in my opinion.

I really liked the first half of this book, but then I got a little bored. I found myself skimming and I don't really feel like I missed anything. Neither character feels well developed and their issues seem a little forced. It's also a bit obvious that this book was written over a decade ago, with some references that feel a bit dated (for example, grown men being grossed out by women's periods).

All in all, this was an okay book, with good spice, but it just didn't hit for me. And, I actually like the original cover better!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for my review.

This was a lot of fun! I didn't read it when it came out the first time so I really enjoyed finding a new to me sports romance author

Ahhhh Dex and Fi I absolutely adore yall! The Game Plan is the third installment of Kristen Callihan’s Game On series and by far my favorite!

Fiona and Dex are visiting Gray and Ivy and Baby Leo during Gray and Dex’s bi weeks. After years of pining for Fiona, Dex is ready to make his move. He’s ready to give everything to Fiona (including his virginity) and love and protect her forever. Thing is Fiona doesn’t date athletes, doesn’t do long distance relationships, and isn’t ready for anything serious. But Dex makes her want to try.

Ugh these two! Dex is the golden retriever who’s been in love with Fiona for literal years and it shows. The man absolute adores her and worships the ground she walks on. Fi is a fun and creative type of person but has huge insecurities about her purpose in life and where her career is going. I loved the way Fiona grew and finally felt confident and was proud of herself.

These two definitely go through some emotional moments so prepare yourself. I teared up so many times but the author does give us our HEA in the end. This is my favorite book of my favorite sports romance series so definitely give it a shot if you are into that, you won’t regret it! Thank you to Canary Street Press for this gifted eARC via NetGalley!

Being a fan of this series, I was thrilled to dive into the third book and learn more about Ethan “Dex” Dexter, the unassuming powerhouse of a man! The football team has a great dynamic among friends and players, making their connections fun and supportive. I enjoy it when that happens.

Fiona is a lively woman who is part of the team/friend group through her sister Ivy, who is with Grey. Dex has a crush on her from a distance because he knows he can’t have her. After trying to avoid their chemistry for a while, he finally musters the courage to express his feelings for her. There were some really cute (and a bit steamy) surprises in his character that made me smile, and I loved how Fiona connected with him. These pages are packed with emotions, the good and the bad, and the spicy connection and steamy scenes balance them out perfectly. Even though they had many hurdles to conquer, I was happy with the path they took to reach their forever and the satisfying conclusion that unfolded.

I do recommend reading this series in order for the best experience, and I can't wait for more from this talented author. I was fortunate to receive my ARC from Netgalley. I thank HarperCollins publishing and the author for my copy, and happily leave my thoughts.

The Game Plan is opposites attract done right. Fiona is exuberant and full of life, while Ethan is quiet and sincere. They cross paths again at Fiona’s sister and Ethan’s college football buddy’s townhouse while on vacation, and their chemistry is potent and sparkling right from the start.

One of my favorite things to read in a romance is all the messy, emotional work that goes into a relationship. While Fiona and Ethan feel that spark early on and don’t hesitate to act on it, I wouldn’t say their relationship is instantly perfect or easy. Instead, we see them face multiple problems, including long distance and unwanted media attention, and the pain and hesitations and doubts that it causes them. But what we also see is them choosing each other—constantly and consistently.

This was a cute, sweet and classic sports romance that was both fun and easy for me to pick up whenever I had a spare moment!

The instalove was a little weird for me. I didn’t fully buy these 2 falling for each other but whatever works I guess. The spice was hot as hell though so that kept me interested.

I was pleasantly surprised by how refreshing these two characters were. They were funny and a bit odd.

However, as the book went on some of the behaviors began to feel less aligned with the initial portrayals & more stereotypical than the initial spin on the tropes I observed earlier in the story.

I completed it to see how their story ended, but i did lose interest along the way because of the disparities between the beginning and the end.

Thank you #NetGalley for this ARC — which I suppose is a re-release or rebranding of the initial book.

Thanks to netgalley and publisher for this arc.

This book started off so strong and for everything except last bit it was going to be an easy 4/5 star but that changed with the ending arc that really pissed me off was toxic and ruined him for me... he started off so amazing ugh

This book just started and the couple are already making out. I just dont know what to do with this insta lust feeling. It has to be a dnf for me sorry.

Thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Game Plan is the third in a series about a group of football players and their romantic adventures. I have not read any of the previous books and I didn’t feel lost because of it. I do plan on reading the previous books as those characters are still involved.

Dex and Fiona are acquaintances since her sister is married to his best friend and they quickly fall in love over a week vacation. Well Dex, a 24 year old virgin has always been in love, Fiona is the one who truly falls. Dex’s virginity and Fi’s unfulfilling work life are the main issues. I really enjoyed how open the two were with each other and how openly they both communicated. There is some miscommunication thrown in there at the end but ultimately this was a sweet and spicy story about finding love and acceptance.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kristen Callihan for the ARC!

This was my first time reading something from Callihan, and now I want to read the rest of the series! Fiona and Ethan were perfect together. I loved how they communicated about everything. Personally, I dislike the miscommunication trope, so their constant transparency made my soul sing. And for that reason, and many others, Ethan Dexter is a man amongst boys! This is totally going to be a re-read!

4.5 ✨ Ethan Dexter is in a league of his own. The pining — dear lord. This wasn’t a slow burn, but getting the girl and keeping her? Those are two very different things. Dex is a man obsessed, and I’m such a sucker for a guy so gone for a girl that he’s willing to wait years for his chance. I absolutely ate it up.
Sure, there were a few cringey moments — but I simply didn’t care. This is definitely a re-read for me, and if my TBR wasn’t so long, I’d start it again right now.

✨ Thanks NetGalley and Kristen Callihan for the E-ARC. Revised version out July 29th 2025✨

Callahan has created a dynamic college sports series and The Game Plan’s success is due to the familiarity of the cast of characters. There is spice and a little bit of sports. If you have read this previously, the new bonus material is not worth a repurchase. The two epilogues are short and don’t offer anymore insight than the original publication.

On one hand, I think it's very cool that this series is getting new life in print, with updated marketing a fresh look. But ... for readers expecting to get a new Tessa Bailey or Fallon Ballard -- because that's what it looks like and how it's being sold! -- there's going to be some real disappointment, as there was for me. While the spice (hell, the SMUT) level is high, I didn't find this book to be particularly emotionally connective or funny. It's an erotic paperback, nothing more.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Tropes: opposites attract, football romance, slow burn
Spice Level: 🔥🔥🔥

This story follows Ethan “Dex” Dexter, a quiet, tattooed, virgin NFL center, and Fiona “Fi” Mackenzie, his best friend’s sister and a total firecracker. They’ve always had chemistry simmering under the surface, but neither thought the time was right—until now.

Dex is the slow-burn type of hero: rugged and emotionally reserved, with that unexpected tenderness that sneaks up on you. Fi? She’s bubbly, bold, and totally unfiltered. Watching him court her was sweet and even made me root for every touch and look. The football backdrop is well done—not too heavy, just enough to show Dex’s world without overshadowing their romance

But—and it's a “but”—the insta-love was super quick and didn't feel plausible. Fi never looked twice at Dex before, and now she is head over heels in the blink of an eye? Also, the plot twist near the end felt a bit over the top and messy.

Still, Dex’s journey was compelling: the way he cared for Fi, how he respected her despite his own scars, and how he made simple love feel like a quiet, powerful victory. And seeing their dynamic play out with the rest of the crew from the series gave it that cozy, found‑family vibe I love .

If you’re in the mood for a warm, emotional sports romance with a patient hero and a sweet, if not occasionally predictable, love story, this one won't disappoint.

I didn’t expect to fall for a quiet, tattooed, bearded NFL virgin, but here we are. Ethan Dexter is lowkey the sweetest man alive, and I loved how patient and respectful he was. Fiona was funny, real, and didn’t put up with nonsense, which made their chemistry even better. The “beard dare” moment was hilarious and kicked off their relationship in the most chaotic (but hot) way. This was such a comforting sports romance with a little angst and a lot of heart. Not lifechanging, but definitely one I’d recommend when you want to smile and swoon a little. Game on. 🖤🏈

This is a spicy romance about a best friend’s sister-in-law and her brother-in-law’s best friend. The MMC is a NFL player. The FMC has always sworn she would never date a professional athlete.

These sparks between these two just fly off the pages. Decks and the way he calmed the baby. Swoon worthy.
I throughly enjoyed the whole cast of characters, besides Fiona’s coworkers.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the electronic copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

The Game Plan brings the heat and angst and will be just what you were looking for if you wanted an emotional, steamy sports romance that has you glued to its pages. I really liked Fiona and Ethan’s story which explored topics that I personally haven’t seen covered in romance novels as yet. The stressors on their relationship are a lot more serious than the oft hated miscommunication tropes (although there is a bit of that at one point but it’s pretty quick). And there is plenty of pining which hooks me every damn time. I had a lot of fun rooting for this couple and I think fans of sporty rom coms (with plenty of on page action) will too.

Let me start by saying, this book was HOT. This is the third book in a series, but the first I've read, and I'm enthralled by this football romance! Plus the extra content at the end was such a treat, a look into early moments with the two that are mentioned briefly in the book. I adored Dex and Fiona; I found their relationship to be very believable throughout. The pair grow closer but remain long-distance, so it was interesting to explore how they navigated their budding relationship. And there's a backdrop of increasing media attention, which is a theme I'm always intrigued by when a romance involves a celebrity of some sort.

Thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC!

I really enjoyed this book! I can’t wait to read more from the author! The fmc and mmc was so amazing, and there romance was so cute!!!