I had the chance to read an e-ARC of The Hot Shot by Kristen Callihan, and I absolutely loved it. This was such an easy, engaging read with sharp banter and characters that pulled me right in.

Finn and Chester’s dynamic was fantastic. While their relationship had hints of “insta-love,” the author did a great job letting readers see the foundation of their friendship and slow build into something deeper. Their back-and-forth had me laughing out loud more than once, and the chemistry between them felt natural and fun. The spicy scenes didn’t feel out of place—they really added to the story and highlighted the growing connection between the two.

I also enjoyed the side characters, who weren’t just background noise but actually added color and warmth to the story. The pacing was perfect—I flew through this one in no time, and it left me with a big smile on my face.

Overall, The Hot Shot is a fun, heartfelt, and well-written romance that balances humor, heat, and heart. Highly recommend if you’re looking for something that will make you laugh, swoon, and stay up way too late turning the pages.

Thank you to the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this early!

I really enjoyed this book…the main characters were fabulous and I’m a sucker for a good football romance. Can’t wait for the next book! Thank you for the chance to read and share my thoughts ❤️

Major Callahan fan, so this is an easy review to write! Finn and Chess are adorable and I love their instant chemistry. A nude photoshoot is an epic way for two people to meet, so that was a fun first act. Chess is an unconventional choice for a professional football player, but the two just worked. Really liked their development and that there weren't bad guys in this story. All of Kristen Callihan's romances have the best tension and spice--Finn's book in the series did not disappoint.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin for this ARC.

Mein Leseerlebnis

Zu meiner ursprünglichen Buchrezension (September 2020) geht es hier: The Hot Shot (Trotz allem du) - Kristen Callihan [ich liebe es].

Mittlerweile sind ein paar Jahre vergangen und mir hat die football romance auch nach dieser Zeit immer noch gut gefallen. Der Humor, der Verlauf von Freundschaft zu Beziehung und die Charaktere fand ich immer noch überzeugend und gut.

Es gibt im Buch zwei Szenen, die man heute vielleicht etwas anders schreiben würde, insgesamt fand ich die Liebesgeschichte aber unterhaltsam und emotional berührend. Als ganz so toll und überzeugend wie vor ein paar Jahren noch würde ich "The Hot shot" heute (September 2025) allerdings nicht mehr beschreiben.

Der neue Epilog ist ganz nett, deswegen muss man meiner Meinung nach aber keine neue Ausgabe kaufen, wenn man schon eine alte hat.

🖤🖤🖤🖤

PS: Das neue Buchcover finde ich nur ok und nicht so gut wie das alte. Und das sage ich als jemand, der die für das Genre typische halbnackte-Männer-Buchcover nicht unbedingt braucht. Das alte Cover greift aber tatsächlich eine nicht unwichtige Szene aus dem Buch auf und daher mag ich es.

PPS: Ich plane auch die anderen Teile der Buchreihe bald noch einmal zu lesen und bin gespannt zu sehen, wie sie mir gefallen werden.

Für wen?

Wer unterhaltsame, locker geschriebene sports romance Bücher mag und Lust auf vielschichtige Charaktere und eine frische Geschichte hat, dem kann ich den Liebesroman empfehlen.

The review will be published on the book blog Liebesromane lesen on the 19th of November, 2025 (https://www.liebesromanelesen.de).

The Hot Shot was such a fun, addictive read! I honestly couldn’t put it down once I started. The chemistry between the leads is fantastic, and the witty banter had me smiling the whole way through. Kristen Callihan has a great way of making the dialogue feel natural and playful, which really made the characters come alive.

I also appreciated how the romance developed—it wasn’t rushed, and the mix of humor, tenderness, and tension kept me hooked. It’s the kind of book that makes you feel invested in both characters as individuals as well as in their relationship.

Overall, this was a thoroughly enjoyable read. If you love sports romance with sharp humor and heart, this one is definitely worth picking up!

After finishing the third book in the Game On series, The Game Plan, I could not wait to see what the next installment would bring. So when I found out about the release of book four, The Hot Shot, I was beyond excited. I have recently become a big fan of sports romance, and I was thrilled to dive into another one. I am happy to say I was not disappointed.

With The Game Plan, I had a few small issues that kept me from giving it a full five stars. I am glad to say that was not the case here. This book was a page-turner from start to finish, and I adored this couple more than any I have read in a long time. Without giving too much away, I will just mention that topics like pregnancy loss and fertility struggles are written about with real care and compassion, which added even more depth to the story.

Overall, I absolutely loved this book. There are a couple of side characters I would really like to see get their own stories, and the epilogue was one of the most satisfying ones I have read in a while. My only complaint is that I wish there had been even more.

**I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

The Hot Shot is a delightful friends-to-lovers romance featuring a charming quarterback and a creative photographer. It delivers exactly what you’d hope for—sweet, swoon-worthy moments and feel-good vibes. It’s the perfect lighthearted romance to cleanse your palate and leave you smiling. Chester and Finn’s relationship unfolds beautifully, with surprising depth and emotional growth. I also love how each book continues to expand on characters we’ve already met, making the series feel even more connected and satisfying.

Hot Shot was such a fun, swoony, and heartfelt romance! Kristen Callihan nails the perfect mix of banter, chemistry, and emotional depth. I absolutely adored Finn and Chess. Finn is charming, cocky (football player), and surprisingly sweet, while Chess is smart, independent, and so easy to root for. Their friendship-to-lovers journey felt natural and real, and the slow burn tension had me hooked.

There were beautifully written vulnerable moments that made their connection feel so genuine. It’s not just a romance novel. It’s about trust, growth, and finding someone who gets you.

Hot Shot is a spicy and swoony sports romance and I loved it!

This was the perfect pick-me-up book. I was giggling and kicking my feet the whole time reading this. It was so sweet & sexy.

Chess and Finn will steal your heart. They embody everything I love in a romcom couple. The passion, emotion and friendship between them made me swoon so hard. The getting to know each other phase was one of my favorite parts about this book. I felt the conflict made sense and was believable. I like how the conflict was resolved too, though Callihan did make me sweat over it. Chess and Finn were inevitable and the journey getting to their HEA was magical.

A swoony sports romance that you won't want to put down.

Oh my word....If you are looking for your next book boyfriend, look no further than Finn Mannus because Lordy, Lordy, this man will make you fall head over heels for him immediately! We're talking shoot-to-the-top-of-your-book-boyfriend list! Kristen Callihan gives readers everything they are hoping for in the next installment of her Game On series. While it is part of a series, this story reads as a complete standalone.

The Hot Shot is Finnegan "Finn" Mannus and Chester "Chess" Copper's story, and it is super swoony and sexy, so be prepared to fall instantly. Even though they have a rough first meeting, these two quickly become friends, but their battle to stay that way doesn't last long. While their story is a slow burn of sorts, the buildup is so beautiful that readers will rejoice when these two finally give in to their true feelings. Finn and Chess are magnetic together---their attraction and feelings are heartfelt and beautifully written. Callihan makes her readers fall right alongside these two as the story progresses. Their bedroom scenes are insanely hot and sex,y so be prepared to find a way to cool yourself off!

Hot Shot is a funny, sexy, and emotional story that readers will absolutely adore. It's beautifully written, and the story is perfectly executed. It grabbed my attention from the very first page and didn't let go until I finished the very last one. Not only are the primary characters amazing, but the secondary ones are as well. You could sense the bond of brotherhood between all of Finn's football teammates/friends and the mutual love and respect between Chess and her best friend, James. Be prepared to shed a few tears at the more emotional aspects of the story because you will most definitely cry! But, with a beautiful HEA, you will be left smiling and fulfilled by this incredible story. Do yourself a favor and grab this incredible story---it's absolutely worth the read!

The Hot Shot is such a fun friends-to-lovers romance between a hot quarterback and an artsy photographer. It’s exactly what you want it to be—sweet, swoony, and full of lines like “you are my fate.” A perfect romance palette cleanser that will leave you smiling.

Who knew a nude charity calendar would lead to love.
This is a book you won’t want to put down.

Chess, a talented photographer, clashes the moment she meets the hot shot QB Finn at a photo shoot. Realizing the draw between the two they decide to be friends and after an unfortunate event Chess finds herself as Finn’s new roommate. Their relationship grows and puts them both in a position they have never been in before, can they juggle their careers and their personal life.

The banter is so good. Each snarky remark has me begging for more. Finn also knows EXACTLY what to do.

Huge thanks to Kristin Callihan and team for the ARC of the rerelease on this book for my honest opinion.

Wow, I loved this book so much! I got it as an ARC on Netgalley for it's re-release. I loved the tension between the characters. I also liked to see the the parallel Dex and Fiona's story from the Game Plan playing out at the same time. This book talked about some serious topics and really surprised me with the arc of the charaters and where the plot went. It was refreshing, spicy, and fun!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! I didn't realize this book actually came out in 2017 and the ARC is for a new cover design but oh well!

Unfortunately, this book really read 2017 to me. I felt like the writing style was really immature and the story/characters had very little substance. The premise from the beginning was a bit iffy to me, but I felt a disconnect with the book and the romance throughout the rest of the book.

I always enjoy what I read by Kristen and this was no different! The relationship between Chester and Finn develops so beautifully and I love the depth that their relationship reaches. I love that each book builds on the characters we got to know in the book before!

As a fan of this author's sports reads, I grabbed this one, and settled in. The banter between these two is sassy and snarky, quick little jabs, just to annoy! It was entertaining to see these opposite personalities work around the obvious chemistry they have, and keep their distances from each other. Only I had a huge case of déjà vu, as I got more and more into the story. Then I realized - I'd read Finn and Chess before!! This is a re-release from 2017, and just as fun as the first time I finished it!!

It was easy to connect with the team and this couple. The pages turned themselves as I became more and more attached to the storyline, and the friendship journey Chess and Finn were taking, to get to their HEA. I really enjoyed this one, and recommend reading this author and series.

I appreciate my ARC, provided by Netgalley (thank you), and my thoughts are my own.

3.5⭐ (edits will be posted on my bookstagram at a later time)

Thank you to HTP Hive for an e-ARC of this book.

Oh my goodness! I was reading this book and it felt so familiar to me, and I didn't realize that I read ALL of Kristen Callihan's game on series when I was younger in 2017 after I fell in love with Sports Romances. It is so amazing to see her get her (re-published) flowers at this time, and I love these new covers!

This book is about Chess and Finn, and they have an adorable meet cute. I needed a fun, cute, and quick read and this absolutely delivered!! It was clear from their first interaction that this was going to be an "enemies-to-lovers" but I'd like to think it was more like "annoyed-to-lovers", which is fine, because their banter had me giggling all the same. I think what I enjoy most about sports romances is the bromances or friendships the teammates have with each other and this team was constantly on each others' cases, but it was adorable 🥹

Chess and Finn were definitely opposites, but it added more to their relationship BUT what really topped it off for me was that they became friends first and because of that, their tension and chemistry was more natural. I love Kristen's writing and I'm happy to be reacquainted with it again. I'm excited to go back and reread the series again!

Thanks to harlequin trade publishing and NetGalley for this arc. I’ve been lucky to arc read all the books in this series and have loved them all!

Her writing is so good and the characters and storylines are always so well developed. I recommend 💜

Thank you Harlequin and Kristen Callihan for the advanced opportunity to read and review The Hot Shot.

Tropes:
- sport romance
- he falls first
- friends to lovers
- roommates
- opposites attract

I’m a huge sports romance fan, especially when they involve football, so I had high hopes for this one. And it lived up to expectations in most categories.

The Hot Shot is centered around a hot shot football player and a quirky photographer that meet at a shoot. This is definitely a slow burn but I loved that the banter and chemistry was evident from the beginning. I also loved the emotional depth behind the main characters feelings and attraction.

The only thing that didn’t really work for me is the third act breakup. But that’s a personal preference.

Would still recommend this one for sports romance fans / those that love a good slow burn.

Never judge a book by its cover unless you’re scrolling NetGalley late at night and the cover is really pretty. Thankfully this book lived up to the pretty cover.

I’m not typically big on slow burns but this one was SO well done. Finn’s pining was swoon worthy and when they finally did go for it 🥵🥵

I did dock a star because the pacing felt a bit off. I felt like the first solid chunk of the book covered such a short period of time and then things started happening rapid fire. I think the events could have been spread more evenly. With that being said I loved Chess & Finn and would definitely recommend this book to any sports romance fan!