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Game On
Ella Davies didn’t trade her life in England for a year in Nashville to let anything—or anyone—throw her off her game. She only has one to prove herself on her new school’s elite cheer squad.
What she hadn’t planned for was meeting a gorgeous stranger on her first evening in America.
Hudson Fox is Whitland’s prized possession, a star quarterback who’s never lacked admirers. But this year, he's sworn off temptation—especially the new English cheerleader who’s proving impossible to ignore.
When Ella and Hudson are forced to spend more time together, their "just one night" pact soon shatters.
Until tumbling from the pyramid becomes the least of Ella’s worries. Because instead of hitting the mat, she's falling hard for the quarterback. . .
What she hadn’t planned for was meeting a gorgeous stranger on her first evening in America.
Hudson Fox is Whitland’s prized possession, a star quarterback who’s never lacked admirers. But this year, he's sworn off temptation—especially the new English cheerleader who’s proving impossible to ignore.
When Ella and Hudson are forced to spend more time together, their "just one night" pact soon shatters.
Until tumbling from the pyramid becomes the least of Ella’s worries. Because instead of hitting the mat, she's falling hard for the quarterback. . .
336 pages, Paperback
Published September 9, 2025
132 people are currently reading
20744 people want to read
About the author
Ki Stephens
12 books1,373 followersKi Stephens is a romance enthusiast who finds comfort in the happily-ever-after . . . with just a little bit of angst along the way. She has a special interest in works that include neurodivergent characters like herself. When she’s not daydreaming about books, Ki enjoys working with kids, creating art in her backyard studio, and spending loads of time with her baby girl, her husband, and their three pets.
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July 5, 2025pre-read:
reading another book from my arcs shelf!! another sports romance because why not?! the description of this book sound really good and i hope that i’ll end up enjoying it because if i don’t, it might put me into a slump 🫠
reading another book from my arcs shelf!! another sports romance because why not?! the description of this book sound really good and i hope that i’ll end up enjoying it because if i don’t, it might put me into a slump 🫠
June 25, 2025
This novel was extremely cute and a memorable romance! This is a college sports romance that comes with spice. It made me feel lighthearted, hopeful and emotional. It also made me laugh! This is a medium paced read, where the female main character is a cheerleader and the male main character is a quarterback. This book is character driven, captivating and is easy to read. What I loved about this book is that I could feel the chemistry between the main characters! What starts off as just a fun time, with no strings attached, turns into something more! They start off as friends, then become lovers. This is a very slow burn romance, but it is a very fun read! I really loved how these two opposites came together, even with all the tension and banter between them!
“Game On” centers around the two main characters, Ella and Hudson. Ella moves from England and meets a good looking man named Hudson. She is not looking for a relationship, because she had a previous breakup. As she focuses on her cheering, Hudson just keeps showing up around her. Hudson is known for being in control and nothing will be stepping in his way, with him being a football player. However, things change and they start to become friends, then even more! As the story comes to an end, we learn more about the main characters and see if they end happily ever after or if their individual sports become more important. Overall, I give this book a 3.5 out of 5 stars!
I think fans of reading college sports romance stories with some spice to it, would really enjoy this book! The content warnings include sexual content, alcoholism, fire injury, mental illness and abandonment.
Thank you to NetGalley, author Ki Stephens and St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin for this electronic arc of this book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
This book is expected to be published on September 9, 2025!
“Game On” centers around the two main characters, Ella and Hudson. Ella moves from England and meets a good looking man named Hudson. She is not looking for a relationship, because she had a previous breakup. As she focuses on her cheering, Hudson just keeps showing up around her. Hudson is known for being in control and nothing will be stepping in his way, with him being a football player. However, things change and they start to become friends, then even more! As the story comes to an end, we learn more about the main characters and see if they end happily ever after or if their individual sports become more important. Overall, I give this book a 3.5 out of 5 stars!
I think fans of reading college sports romance stories with some spice to it, would really enjoy this book! The content warnings include sexual content, alcoholism, fire injury, mental illness and abandonment.
Thank you to NetGalley, author Ki Stephens and St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin for this electronic arc of this book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
This book is expected to be published on September 9, 2025!
September 11, 2025
I mean it was cute but nothing special.
The inner monologue was fine but the dialogue needed more finesse. There was no flow and the lines felt like I’ve read it all before yk? There was nothing original here which is really disappointing to say especially given how I enjoyed Ki’s debut novel. I was truly excited and maybe expecting quite a lot from this book but it under delivered.
The romance and chemistry were nice but nothing stood out to me. I wouldn’t say it was bad at all, just not exactly great either.
So basically good but forgettable. I had fun while it lasted.
ೃ⁀➷ Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC! ♥︎
The inner monologue was fine but the dialogue needed more finesse. There was no flow and the lines felt like I’ve read it all before yk? There was nothing original here which is really disappointing to say especially given how I enjoyed Ki’s debut novel. I was truly excited and maybe expecting quite a lot from this book but it under delivered.
The romance and chemistry were nice but nothing stood out to me. I wouldn’t say it was bad at all, just not exactly great either.
So basically good but forgettable. I had fun while it lasted.
ೃ⁀➷ Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC! ♥︎
March 17, 2025
3.5 ˖⁺‧✮
she’s an exchange cheer student from the UK and he’s an athlete at her new university. i can definitely recommend this book for fans of sport romances since it’s probably one of my favorite books in this category. if you have been following me for some you i could have noticed that i am not such a huge fan of sports in books, and i mostly read these books from the already known authors, however, this one was truly great.
i want to start my review with talking about chemistry and tension between main characters because it was soooo good. i can’t remember when was the last time i read a romance with such developed tension. also!!! i’d definitely say to avoid this book if you don’t like spice because this book is filled with those scenes. i wouldn’t classify them as super intense or hot but the chemistry was truly unique.
moving to the storyline. the book definitely follows an interesting plot since i finally got to see a professional cheerleader and an athlete. however, here comes something i didn’t enjoy as much. the moment of him finding out something at the end was so unnecessary. he has only found out about this news and of course he didn’t tell her but the moment was overly dramatic. why was she so angry for no reason?
the end was sweet and predictable but i’m definitely not complaining!
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the copy of the book.
she’s an exchange cheer student from the UK and he’s an athlete at her new university. i can definitely recommend this book for fans of sport romances since it’s probably one of my favorite books in this category. if you have been following me for some you i could have noticed that i am not such a huge fan of sports in books, and i mostly read these books from the already known authors, however, this one was truly great.
i want to start my review with talking about chemistry and tension between main characters because it was soooo good. i can’t remember when was the last time i read a romance with such developed tension. also!!! i’d definitely say to avoid this book if you don’t like spice because this book is filled with those scenes. i wouldn’t classify them as super intense or hot but the chemistry was truly unique.
moving to the storyline. the book definitely follows an interesting plot since i finally got to see a professional cheerleader and an athlete. however, here comes something i didn’t enjoy as much. the moment of him finding out something at the end was so unnecessary. he has only found out about this news and of course he didn’t tell her but the moment was overly dramatic. why was she so angry for no reason?
the end was sweet and predictable but i’m definitely not complaining!
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the copy of the book.
April 22, 2025
if you need a quick, fun, cute, easy romance read, then pick this up! i was not expecting to binge this at all considering i thought conditions of will was going to put me in a slump after i finished it, and honestly i think it would've if i had picked up basically any other book. this was no brain power, it was fast-paced and one of those books where the writing has you not even realizing that so many pages are going by. like, i swear i was at 40% then before i knew it bam i was nearly finished.
with all of that being said, this isn't anything special. it is a little instalove-y and the romance moved too fast for me to really get super connected or emotionally invested in it. but i did like the characters and like i said the book did what it needed to do. will def be reading more ki stephens after this!
thank you to netgalley & st martins press for the arc! all opinions are my own <3
pre-read:
got this arc while i was reading conditions of will and i just knew i had to start it straight after bc i! love! this! cover!
with all of that being said, this isn't anything special. it is a little instalove-y and the romance moved too fast for me to really get super connected or emotionally invested in it. but i did like the characters and like i said the book did what it needed to do. will def be reading more ki stephens after this!
thank you to netgalley & st martins press for the arc! all opinions are my own <3
pre-read:
got this arc while i was reading conditions of will and i just knew i had to start it straight after bc i! love! this! cover!
April 19, 2025
3.5⭐
U know this wasn't that bad after all, just not enough drama. Usually I don't go for one night stand kinda books *except if it was accidental pregnancy which this book is not don't worry 😅*. The first half of the book was really slow and I got bored but it got better after the 65% mark
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕮𝖑𝖔𝖘𝖊𝖉 𝕯𝖔𝖔𝖗 𝕸𝖔𝖉𝖎𝖋𝖎𝖈𝖆𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓𝖘˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
SKIP CHAPTER: 3, 20, 22, 23, 32, 35
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕻𝖗𝖊-𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖉˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
My first sports romance in a while 🫶🏻 thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC 💕
Find my review on Instagram
U know this wasn't that bad after all, just not enough drama. Usually I don't go for one night stand kinda books *except if it was accidental pregnancy which this book is not don't worry 😅*. The first half of the book was really slow and I got bored but it got better after the 65% mark
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕮𝖑𝖔𝖘𝖊𝖉 𝕯𝖔𝖔𝖗 𝕸𝖔𝖉𝖎𝖋𝖎𝖈𝖆𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓𝖘˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
SKIP CHAPTER: 3, 20, 22, 23, 32, 35
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕻𝖗𝖊-𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖉˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
My first sports romance in a while 🫶🏻 thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC 💕
Find my review on Instagram
September 5, 2025
✦ ✦ ✦ ✧ ✧
>> arc review
release: sep 9, 2025
format: audio 🎧
pov: dual
Game On by Ki Stephens was the perfect study-abroad college romance with a relatively unique plot.
˚₊ ⟢┊Tropes📚┊⊹࣪⋆
✔️One night stand
✔️Quarterback x Cheerleader
✔️Forbidden
✔️Study abroad
✔️Found family
˚₊ ⟢┊my thoughts 🧁┊⊹࣪⋆
I liked that that this book broke away from the status quo. Almost always, it's an American student studying abroad in a foreign country. This book follows an English student studying at Oxford, who decides to study abroad at a college in Nashville, Tennessee. It was unique to see Ella's perspective navigating an unfamiliar world that seems all too familiar to me.
I do admit, I had a hard time pushing through the middle. The beginning was so strong but that momentum definitely slowed down towards to the middle. The ending is what I have some complicated feelings on. First off, if there isn't going to be a full third-act breakup, then there at least needs to be a third-act conflict to keep me on the edge of my seat.
Besides some of the pacing issues, this book was very fun and cute. The plot felt fresh and new and that's the biggest plus in my eyes.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this Arc in exchange for an honest review.
Publication Date: September 9, 2025
----------------------
💚🏈pre-read: 🏈💚
Another day, another sports romance. Hopefully this ARC is a good as it sounds 🤞
>> arc review
release: sep 9, 2025
format: audio 🎧
pov: dual
Game On by Ki Stephens was the perfect study-abroad college romance with a relatively unique plot.
˚₊ ⟢┊Tropes📚┊⊹࣪⋆
✔️One night stand
✔️Quarterback x Cheerleader
✔️Forbidden
✔️Study abroad
✔️Found family
˚₊ ⟢┊my thoughts 🧁┊⊹࣪⋆
I liked that that this book broke away from the status quo. Almost always, it's an American student studying abroad in a foreign country. This book follows an English student studying at Oxford, who decides to study abroad at a college in Nashville, Tennessee. It was unique to see Ella's perspective navigating an unfamiliar world that seems all too familiar to me.
I do admit, I had a hard time pushing through the middle. The beginning was so strong but that momentum definitely slowed down towards to the middle. The ending is what I have some complicated feelings on. First off, if there isn't going to be a full third-act breakup, then there at least needs to be a third-act conflict to keep me on the edge of my seat.
Besides some of the pacing issues, this book was very fun and cute. The plot felt fresh and new and that's the biggest plus in my eyes.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this Arc in exchange for an honest review.
Publication Date: September 9, 2025
----------------------
💚🏈pre-read: 🏈💚
Another day, another sports romance. Hopefully this ARC is a good as it sounds 🤞
July 2, 2025
2.5 ⭐
Ella moves from England to Nashville to join an elite school’s cheerleading team. Even though her boyfriend moves with her, he dumps her right away. Trying to distract herself, Ella agrees to a one-night stand with a stranger on her very first day in a new country. Later, the two keep running into each other, and both realize that one night wasn’t nearly enough.
I really enjoy the Coastal University series, so I had certain expectations going into this book—but unfortunately, they weren’t met. I didn’t like the FMC. First, she gets upset with Hudson because she’s not his first one-night stand. Then she’s angry that he’s ignoring her, and so on. Her behavior felt emotionally immature throughout. I liked Hudson more, but honestly, he lacked individuality. I didn’t feel any chemistry between the characters.
Even though this book wasn’t for me, I’ll still be looking forward to the author’s future releases!
𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬:
✓one night stand
✓college sports romance
✓friends with benefits
✓ black cat MMC & FMC
✓MMC with OCD
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press (St. Martin's Griffin) for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Ella moves from England to Nashville to join an elite school’s cheerleading team. Even though her boyfriend moves with her, he dumps her right away. Trying to distract herself, Ella agrees to a one-night stand with a stranger on her very first day in a new country. Later, the two keep running into each other, and both realize that one night wasn’t nearly enough.
I really enjoy the Coastal University series, so I had certain expectations going into this book—but unfortunately, they weren’t met. I didn’t like the FMC. First, she gets upset with Hudson because she’s not his first one-night stand. Then she’s angry that he’s ignoring her, and so on. Her behavior felt emotionally immature throughout. I liked Hudson more, but honestly, he lacked individuality. I didn’t feel any chemistry between the characters.
Even though this book wasn’t for me, I’ll still be looking forward to the author’s future releases!
𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬:
✓one night stand
✓college sports romance
✓friends with benefits
✓ black cat MMC & FMC
✓MMC with OCD
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press (St. Martin's Griffin) for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
March 17, 2025
I didn’t hate this book but I didn’t love it either
It was probably the most unrealistic book I’ve ever read and I read shit with dragons
A British cheerleader studying in Oxford doing a year abroad to study in Nashville who is ostracized by her working class made good parents who never wanted her meets bad boy, turned good boy, who was rich boy, turned poor boy and is secretly a nerd who is also the football quarterback who wins sec championships and who’s father was a nfl star but abandoned them
Yeah ok…
The only saving grace is the MMC, who if you ignore the silliness of throwing trope spaghetti against the wall, is sweet to the FMC even if, and especially when she doesn’t deserve it.
It was probably the most unrealistic book I’ve ever read and I read shit with dragons
A British cheerleader studying in Oxford doing a year abroad to study in Nashville who is ostracized by her working class made good parents who never wanted her meets bad boy, turned good boy, who was rich boy, turned poor boy and is secretly a nerd who is also the football quarterback who wins sec championships and who’s father was a nfl star but abandoned them
Yeah ok…
The only saving grace is the MMC, who if you ignore the silliness of throwing trope spaghetti against the wall, is sweet to the FMC even if, and especially when she doesn’t deserve it.
September 17, 2025
5☆
ki never fails me. she continues to deliver and continues to give me books, and book boyfriends, that i fall in love with.
. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.
this story really captivated me. the progression of their love felt real. nothing felt forced and that’s the simple beauty of it all.
hudson had me in the palm of his hand from the very beginning. from the first moment we met his character, i knew that i was going to adore him. however, the length to which i do adore him, is beyond even me. his character is strong, so damn smart, so earnest and giving. he’s caring. he gives more than he takes.
seeing the struggles he deals with, i want to say ocd, but it was never actually named or clarified, broke my heart. i can’t imagine the guilt he’s lived with and having to perform the same routine each night. his strength is admirable.
and my baby, ella. i see so much of myself in her. the fear of disappointment and never feeling like you’re doing enough, especially for those who mean the most. feeling alone in moments where you’re surrounded by others. i am so proud of her and so happy she has found her family within her friends at oxford, but also whitland.
she is beautiful inside and out. one of the most relatable characters i have had the pleasure of reading about. i adore her to bits and pieces.
── .✦
the two of them together, utter perfection. seeing these two get their happy ending made me so happy. to see them move to england together and attend oxford and bring sour with them, truly warmed my heart. i love that ella has found a family within hudson’s.
also, did i fail to mention he’s a cat daddy?! if that doesn’t scream husband material then i don’t know what does.
i am so excited for the next book in this series (if there will be one). fingers crossed it’s levi.
ki never fails me. she continues to deliver and continues to give me books, and book boyfriends, that i fall in love with.
. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.
this story really captivated me. the progression of their love felt real. nothing felt forced and that’s the simple beauty of it all.
hudson had me in the palm of his hand from the very beginning. from the first moment we met his character, i knew that i was going to adore him. however, the length to which i do adore him, is beyond even me. his character is strong, so damn smart, so earnest and giving. he’s caring. he gives more than he takes.
seeing the struggles he deals with, i want to say ocd, but it was never actually named or clarified, broke my heart. i can’t imagine the guilt he’s lived with and having to perform the same routine each night. his strength is admirable.
and my baby, ella. i see so much of myself in her. the fear of disappointment and never feeling like you’re doing enough, especially for those who mean the most. feeling alone in moments where you’re surrounded by others. i am so proud of her and so happy she has found her family within her friends at oxford, but also whitland.
she is beautiful inside and out. one of the most relatable characters i have had the pleasure of reading about. i adore her to bits and pieces.
── .✦
the two of them together, utter perfection. seeing these two get their happy ending made me so happy. to see them move to england together and attend oxford and bring sour with them, truly warmed my heart. i love that ella has found a family within hudson’s.
also, did i fail to mention he’s a cat daddy?! if that doesn’t scream husband material then i don’t know what does.
i am so excited for the next book in this series (if there will be one). fingers crossed it’s levi.
May 1, 2025
this was a fun and cute sports college romance!
if you loved fast paced and instant attraction then this book will be for you. ella and hudson’s chemistry felt very organic and they fit together like puzzle pieces. they completed one another!! no third act breakup for those who want to know and the ocd representation was done so well 🥹
thank you ki stephens and her team for an arc 💌
if you loved fast paced and instant attraction then this book will be for you. ella and hudson’s chemistry felt very organic and they fit together like puzzle pieces. they completed one another!! no third act breakup for those who want to know and the ocd representation was done so well 🥹
thank you ki stephens and her team for an arc 💌
Want to read
August 22, 2025𝐩𝐫𝐞-𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝:
𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 (𝘥𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘭-𝘢𝘳𝘤) 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸!
football quarterback x cheerleader you say?.. sign me UPP. i’m gonna eat this up fs
𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 (𝘥𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘭-𝘢𝘳𝘤) 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸!
football quarterback x cheerleader you say?.. sign me UPP. i’m gonna eat this up fs
September 11, 2025
“I’m drawn to you in a way I can’t explain.”
Thank you St. Martin’s Press & Raincoast Books for the ARCs. All opinions are my own.
✦ tropes & stuff:
🏫 college sports
✨ only one night
🏈 British cheerleader x star quarterback
🔗 forced proximity
🫶🏼 friendships & found family
💞 dual 1st person pov
•┈••✦ review ✦••┈•
🎧 audio/ebook | ⭐️: 4 | 🌶️: 3 |
I always enjoy a cute college sports romance, and this is exactly that.
These two had an immediate connection (and one night stand), but then would not take things further due to being on the football team + cheer squad, and their respective past baggage.
Over time, their attraction & connection is just something they can’t deny 😍
I loved the dynamic between Ella & Hudson, how they met & how their relationship evolved over time. Their friends were all super fun side characters, bringing all the found family vibes I love in a sports romance.
Unfortunately the lack of editing in this one was distracting. I KNOW I read an arc, which isn’t the final version, but I also know this was previously indie published so HAS been edited to some degree at least.
There were so many errors, not just in spelling but parts that didn’t make sense at all.
It’s possible that these have been fixed before publishing, but I’m unsure and they did affect my reading experience.
📖 Game On by Ki Stephens
🏈📣 : sports romance
*Connect with Me*
🤍 Instagram 🤍 Blog 🤍
Thank you St. Martin’s Press & Raincoast Books for the ARCs. All opinions are my own.
✦ tropes & stuff:
🏫 college sports
✨ only one night
🏈 British cheerleader x star quarterback
🔗 forced proximity
🫶🏼 friendships & found family
💞 dual 1st person pov
•┈••✦ review ✦••┈•
🎧 audio/ebook | ⭐️: 4 | 🌶️: 3 |
I always enjoy a cute college sports romance, and this is exactly that.
These two had an immediate connection (and one night stand), but then would not take things further due to being on the football team + cheer squad, and their respective past baggage.
Over time, their attraction & connection is just something they can’t deny 😍
I loved the dynamic between Ella & Hudson, how they met & how their relationship evolved over time. Their friends were all super fun side characters, bringing all the found family vibes I love in a sports romance.
Unfortunately the lack of editing in this one was distracting. I KNOW I read an arc, which isn’t the final version, but I also know this was previously indie published so HAS been edited to some degree at least.
There were so many errors, not just in spelling but parts that didn’t make sense at all.
It’s possible that these have been fixed before publishing, but I’m unsure and they did affect my reading experience.
📖 Game On by Ki Stephens
🏈📣 : sports romance
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March 29, 2025
honestly this was a really cute college romance!
i cheered in high school so i really enjoyed the cheer aspect of it. the competitions and excitement was captured SO well! ella & hudson were super cute & i liked watching their relationship grow. i personally struggled some with a few moments bc it just felt so juvenile & i was rolling my eyessssss but ya know sometimes those college romances just don't hit like they used to LOL. i would recommend this book if you're looking for a fun cheer romance that's full of longing and all the college feels!!!
thank you smp romance & netgalley for the arc! this is my honest review.
i cheered in high school so i really enjoyed the cheer aspect of it. the competitions and excitement was captured SO well! ella & hudson were super cute & i liked watching their relationship grow. i personally struggled some with a few moments bc it just felt so juvenile & i was rolling my eyessssss but ya know sometimes those college romances just don't hit like they used to LOL. i would recommend this book if you're looking for a fun cheer romance that's full of longing and all the college feels!!!
thank you smp romance & netgalley for the arc! this is my honest review.
August 3, 2025
She's an exchange cheerleading student from England and he's a football player at her new university. And guess what? Cheerleaders and football players aren't supposed to date. What could possibly go wrong?
This was such a quick, engaging and easy read. I was literally flying through this book. The pacing is super fast and the writing is easy to follow. Before I knew it, I was already over the halfway point.
I'm not usually a sports romance girlie, but the premise of this sounded too good to not give it a go. And I'm glad I did because I ended up really enjoying this! It is not just your typical fluffy sports romance. The characters in this story had a lot of depth and struggles of their own, which made for a lot of development throughout the story.
Although the story is very character-driven, the plot is still very much present. It provided a surprising amount of insight into cheerleading and the stunts and competitions that go with it. This is what gave the storyline a bit more structure. At some points, the plot was a bit predictable though. I guessed the major event that happens in the book very early on, but that didn't make it any less enjoyable to me.
Ella and Hudson were very likeable characters, both individually and together. Their chemistry was undeniable and I loved how their story together progressed. And the tension? It was there, it was palpable and it was GOOD! The side characters made for the perfect found family and the best banter.
The only thing that I am still a bit confused about is the situation with Ella's parents. This was only briefly touched upon a few times, while I think there could be much more to it. I wish there would've been a bit more of a conclusion on that part of the story.
Anyway, highly recommend picking this one up when it comes out if you love a good sports romance!
Thank you Evermore for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
This was such a quick, engaging and easy read. I was literally flying through this book. The pacing is super fast and the writing is easy to follow. Before I knew it, I was already over the halfway point.
I'm not usually a sports romance girlie, but the premise of this sounded too good to not give it a go. And I'm glad I did because I ended up really enjoying this! It is not just your typical fluffy sports romance. The characters in this story had a lot of depth and struggles of their own, which made for a lot of development throughout the story.
Although the story is very character-driven, the plot is still very much present. It provided a surprising amount of insight into cheerleading and the stunts and competitions that go with it. This is what gave the storyline a bit more structure. At some points, the plot was a bit predictable though. I guessed the major event that happens in the book very early on, but that didn't make it any less enjoyable to me.
Ella and Hudson were very likeable characters, both individually and together. Their chemistry was undeniable and I loved how their story together progressed. And the tension? It was there, it was palpable and it was GOOD! The side characters made for the perfect found family and the best banter.
The only thing that I am still a bit confused about is the situation with Ella's parents. This was only briefly touched upon a few times, while I think there could be much more to it. I wish there would've been a bit more of a conclusion on that part of the story.
Anyway, highly recommend picking this one up when it comes out if you love a good sports romance!
Thank you Evermore for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
April 17, 2025
5 stars !!!!! arc review <3
thank you netgalley, st martin and ki stephens for the arc in exchange for an honest review !
⁀➴ tropes
one night stand
black cat couple
ocd representation
no fraternization rule
southern boy x english girl
⁀➴ plot
imagine meeting the love of your life at a bar in nashville. that’s how hudson and ella met ! right place and right time but it was about to happen either way because he’s the quaterback at whitland’s team and she’s the new cheerleader who just moved from oxford !
so what happens when they have a one night stand even though there’s a no fraternization rule between football players and the cheer squad? will they play it safe or let the cards fall? read game on this summer and find out !!
⁀➴ characters
ᯓ★ ella davies
please meet ella “darling” davies girl !!!! she had her life completely turned upside down in just a few months, going from a five year relationship to being alone in a new city… who am i kidding, an entire new continent to her.
she knows no one and the only support she thought she had decided to drop her like she was nothing to him. i’d have murdered jamie if my boyfriend had treated me like that !
what this girl went through… i wouldn’t be this brave and survive but i gotta say that she impressed me !!!! she moved on and got to do what she most wanted, be the new cheerleader and join daytona !!! maybe not in a way she thought would happen… but she did it !
ᯓ★ hudson fox
please meet hudson “wild card” fox ! it’s his senior year which means his last year playing football because he doesn’t see himself going pro anymore so it’ll be a chill nerdy school year for him without distractions… as if !
never in a billion years i’d guess he was into cheer in the past but it was the best thing to happen, it was so fun to see him coming back to the sport and just having the best time of his life :,)
he also went through a lot during his life, besides having a terrible dad figure and what happened to his childhood house, he has ocd which a lot of people don’t understand and don’t even make an effort to be there for him.
i really thought hayes (from close call) was the most confusing character until i met this guy ! but jokes aside, there’s an understandable reason for his actions but don’t worry, at one point the hot and cold find its balance.
ᯓ★ ellahudson
i’m really proud of ella !!! even after everything she learned to trust hudson and be vulnerable with him and he did the same. despite what some girls have said about how he never opens up, he got to be vulnerable with her and that’s how they build their relationship.
i loved how hudson treated her, especially by asking what she needed at the time and when she realized that her past relationship wasn’t a good one he made sure that theirs was for legit.
both of them had every single reason to not want to be in a relationship especially because of their parents and past relationships but they committed to each other and made it work !!!
she made sure to show that his ocd wasn’t a burden just by realizing how uneasy he gets around fire and doing something so simple as doing his night routine, an effort that no one has ever done before for him which shows how well the ocd representations was portrayed :,)
him joining the cheer squad and daytona was everything to me !!!!! the drive ins nights were so sweet !!!! them knowing each other so well that they know when the other is bullshitting !!!!! PLEASE HALLOWEEN???? HELLO???? (i believe in levi supremacy.)
ellahudson have their moments and the letter moment wasn’t their best lol but the love confession???? i think about it daily !!!! okay can we also add “that’s my girl” and “darlin” to the equation? i’m obsessed !
⁀➴ side characters
i loved the cheer squad !!!!! of course ella will have her friends from oxford but ash, gabi and sammy?? lovely people !!!! ash was such a supportive friend and cheer partner :( literally wasn’t expecting his character arc but injuries happen and i’d say that he was an amazing side coach for the new duo in town !
and i need to get something out of my chest… i hated claire at the beginning, i get that she wanted to get her spot secured but she was so mean to ella. i gasped when i realized that things were changing but i’m glad they did because she’s such a misunderstood character, i’d love to see her redemption arc !!!
since we’re talking about claire, can i talk about her and levi? WHAT’S GOING ON?????? WHAT HAPPENED?????
please i need a sequel, i’ll beg on my knees. i need to understand what levi has with sammy and what went down between him and claire ! PLEASE. gotta see more of sourdough with his parents as well so please we want a sequel !
levi and hudson have such a beautiful friendship, full of laughs and support, so it would mean everything to me to see more of it !!!!! like come on, the guy was literally cupid !!!!
i think levihudson stole my heart and now i’m in love with them ! i was always laughing when they were together, how come two characters can be that funny?? gotta love texas !
⁀➴ thoughts
in my honest opinion, ellahudson was always right person at the right time but they were too much into their heads to realize it sooner but it’s okay !! i wondered if hudson would come back to cheer but i really wasn’t expecting ash getting injured for it to happen lol
talking about cheer, i love the whole sports aspects !!!! when you read the blurb you don’t expect that much information about cheer but it was so much fun !!! i’m glad the book had more focus on the cheerleaders and their competitions than the football players (who i also love)
by this point ki has published a couple of books and none of them have one night stand right at the beginning and guess what… i always wanted this trope to happen and here we are !!!!! she did it so well i’m proud !
*ೃ༄ pre-read
I LITERALLY GOT THE ARC THIS AFTERNOON AND JUST PRE-ORDERED THE SPRAYED EDGES NOBODY IS GONNA RUIN MY DAY
thank you netgalley, st martin and ki stephens for the arc in exchange for an honest review !
⁀➴ tropes
one night stand
black cat couple
ocd representation
no fraternization rule
southern boy x english girl
⁀➴ plot
imagine meeting the love of your life at a bar in nashville. that’s how hudson and ella met ! right place and right time but it was about to happen either way because he’s the quaterback at whitland’s team and she’s the new cheerleader who just moved from oxford !
so what happens when they have a one night stand even though there’s a no fraternization rule between football players and the cheer squad? will they play it safe or let the cards fall? read game on this summer and find out !!
⁀➴ characters
ᯓ★ ella davies
please meet ella “darling” davies girl !!!! she had her life completely turned upside down in just a few months, going from a five year relationship to being alone in a new city… who am i kidding, an entire new continent to her.
she knows no one and the only support she thought she had decided to drop her like she was nothing to him. i’d have murdered jamie if my boyfriend had treated me like that !
what this girl went through… i wouldn’t be this brave and survive but i gotta say that she impressed me !!!! she moved on and got to do what she most wanted, be the new cheerleader and join daytona !!! maybe not in a way she thought would happen… but she did it !
ᯓ★ hudson fox
please meet hudson “wild card” fox ! it’s his senior year which means his last year playing football because he doesn’t see himself going pro anymore so it’ll be a chill nerdy school year for him without distractions… as if !
never in a billion years i’d guess he was into cheer in the past but it was the best thing to happen, it was so fun to see him coming back to the sport and just having the best time of his life :,)
he also went through a lot during his life, besides having a terrible dad figure and what happened to his childhood house, he has ocd which a lot of people don’t understand and don’t even make an effort to be there for him.
i really thought hayes (from close call) was the most confusing character until i met this guy ! but jokes aside, there’s an understandable reason for his actions but don’t worry, at one point the hot and cold find its balance.
ᯓ★ ellahudson
i’m really proud of ella !!! even after everything she learned to trust hudson and be vulnerable with him and he did the same. despite what some girls have said about how he never opens up, he got to be vulnerable with her and that’s how they build their relationship.
i loved how hudson treated her, especially by asking what she needed at the time and when she realized that her past relationship wasn’t a good one he made sure that theirs was for legit.
both of them had every single reason to not want to be in a relationship especially because of their parents and past relationships but they committed to each other and made it work !!!
she made sure to show that his ocd wasn’t a burden just by realizing how uneasy he gets around fire and doing something so simple as doing his night routine, an effort that no one has ever done before for him which shows how well the ocd representations was portrayed :,)
him joining the cheer squad and daytona was everything to me !!!!! the drive ins nights were so sweet !!!! them knowing each other so well that they know when the other is bullshitting !!!!! PLEASE HALLOWEEN???? HELLO???? (i believe in levi supremacy.)
ellahudson have their moments and the letter moment wasn’t their best lol but the love confession???? i think about it daily !!!! okay can we also add “that’s my girl” and “darlin” to the equation? i’m obsessed !
⁀➴ side characters
i loved the cheer squad !!!!! of course ella will have her friends from oxford but ash, gabi and sammy?? lovely people !!!! ash was such a supportive friend and cheer partner :( literally wasn’t expecting his character arc but injuries happen and i’d say that he was an amazing side coach for the new duo in town !
and i need to get something out of my chest… i hated claire at the beginning, i get that she wanted to get her spot secured but she was so mean to ella. i gasped when i realized that things were changing but i’m glad they did because she’s such a misunderstood character, i’d love to see her redemption arc !!!
since we’re talking about claire, can i talk about her and levi? WHAT’S GOING ON?????? WHAT HAPPENED?????
please i need a sequel, i’ll beg on my knees. i need to understand what levi has with sammy and what went down between him and claire ! PLEASE. gotta see more of sourdough with his parents as well so please we want a sequel !
levi and hudson have such a beautiful friendship, full of laughs and support, so it would mean everything to me to see more of it !!!!! like come on, the guy was literally cupid !!!!
i think levihudson stole my heart and now i’m in love with them ! i was always laughing when they were together, how come two characters can be that funny?? gotta love texas !
⁀➴ thoughts
in my honest opinion, ellahudson was always right person at the right time but they were too much into their heads to realize it sooner but it’s okay !! i wondered if hudson would come back to cheer but i really wasn’t expecting ash getting injured for it to happen lol
talking about cheer, i love the whole sports aspects !!!! when you read the blurb you don’t expect that much information about cheer but it was so much fun !!! i’m glad the book had more focus on the cheerleaders and their competitions than the football players (who i also love)
by this point ki has published a couple of books and none of them have one night stand right at the beginning and guess what… i always wanted this trope to happen and here we are !!!!! she did it so well i’m proud !
*ೃ༄ pre-read
I LITERALLY GOT THE ARC THIS AFTERNOON AND JUST PRE-ORDERED THE SPRAYED EDGES NOBODY IS GONNA RUIN MY DAY
May 27, 2025
I read this book as an ARC and honestly, it was so entertaining. I really liked the characters and their depth, it was fast paced, exciting and gave everything a college romance should. There were even a few surprise twists in this book I didn't anticipate so it kept my attention. I flew through this in 2 days (ok mostly 1 day). 4.5 Stars
June 25, 2025
finally got to finish this masterpiece and let me just say ki just knows how to write books that make me absolutely obsessed.
game on follows ella who is spending a year in nashville from England for cheerleading, and hudson who’s the star quarterback at the college. These two have a one night stand unbeknownst to one another their respective roles at the college. So when the penny finally drops they have to decide if they want to pretend that night never happened, acknowledge one another or just decide to try to stay as far from the other as possible.
But alas, in the cutesy world of romance one night is never just ONE NIGHT, and when these two spend more time with one another the connection they already formed grows. I don’t want to give too many spoilers as the book won’t be out still for a bit but just know this is some of ki’s best work. I absolutely adored both ella and hudson, the friendship they formed, I loved the way ki just showcased a relationship forming in its different stages, yes it started off with physical but you could tell how much ella and hudson truly cared for one another.
Game on gives you that college romance we all adore, reformed playboy, the tension, the should we shouldn’t we, found family, but also as always with a ki book it touches on real subjects and has the emotional vulnerability with the characters.
Super proud of bestie ki on her first traditionally published book, preorder it rn like RIGHT NOW. RIGHTTTTTTT NEOWWWWW.
game on follows ella who is spending a year in nashville from England for cheerleading, and hudson who’s the star quarterback at the college. These two have a one night stand unbeknownst to one another their respective roles at the college. So when the penny finally drops they have to decide if they want to pretend that night never happened, acknowledge one another or just decide to try to stay as far from the other as possible.
But alas, in the cutesy world of romance one night is never just ONE NIGHT, and when these two spend more time with one another the connection they already formed grows. I don’t want to give too many spoilers as the book won’t be out still for a bit but just know this is some of ki’s best work. I absolutely adored both ella and hudson, the friendship they formed, I loved the way ki just showcased a relationship forming in its different stages, yes it started off with physical but you could tell how much ella and hudson truly cared for one another.
Game on gives you that college romance we all adore, reformed playboy, the tension, the should we shouldn’t we, found family, but also as always with a ki book it touches on real subjects and has the emotional vulnerability with the characters.
Super proud of bestie ki on her first traditionally published book, preorder it rn like RIGHT NOW. RIGHTTTTTTT NEOWWWWW.
September 10, 2025
Your next sports romance obsession! ��
Reading this book felt exactly like watching a nostalgic, early-2000’s college romcom movie, and I ate up every second of it! Ki always knows how to captivate me with her characters and stories, and this book was no different 🫶🏼
I had a feeling I would love Hudson & Ella from the moment I met them, and I was right! The way they tried to ignore their obvious connection yet failed and couldn’t stay away from each other was just so much fun to witness. They also develop a strong, slowburn-ish friendship going beyond their physical chemistry despite themselves which I also really loved — especially as they open up to one another in a way they haven’t really been able to with anyone else in the past 🥺 I admired Ella as she really came into herself during her journey away from home and went after what she wanted, and Hudson being the one to stand by and found peace in watching her shine was everything. Two people who claim to be “just friends” yet will do anything for each other and drop everything to be what the other needs is always gonna do it for me!
I also just have to add that Hudson & Ella both being athletes dedicated to their respective sports was another fun element to this story that I enjoyed so much! I feel like I don’t see this often enough in my sports romances so getting to immerse myself further into this world in this way made the entire reading experience even more delightful 😌
If you can’t already tell, I ADORE Hudson & Ella so much! I loved every bit of their spicy yet soft and sweet story, and I just know other readers will too. And lastly, I just have to say that as a person who’s read & loved Ki’s books for a long time now, I’m so beyond freaking happy for her and proud of her trad debut 🥹 If you haven’t had the privilege of reading Ki’s books yet, please take this as your sign!
Thank you so much to Ki Stephens & her team, St. Martin’s Griffin, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book! 💙
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
such a delightful & fun sports romance where they're both athletes!! loved this so much, and i couldn't be happier and prouder of ki for her trad debut :,)
Reading this book felt exactly like watching a nostalgic, early-2000’s college romcom movie, and I ate up every second of it! Ki always knows how to captivate me with her characters and stories, and this book was no different 🫶🏼
I had a feeling I would love Hudson & Ella from the moment I met them, and I was right! The way they tried to ignore their obvious connection yet failed and couldn’t stay away from each other was just so much fun to witness. They also develop a strong, slowburn-ish friendship going beyond their physical chemistry despite themselves which I also really loved — especially as they open up to one another in a way they haven’t really been able to with anyone else in the past 🥺 I admired Ella as she really came into herself during her journey away from home and went after what she wanted, and Hudson being the one to stand by and found peace in watching her shine was everything. Two people who claim to be “just friends” yet will do anything for each other and drop everything to be what the other needs is always gonna do it for me!
I also just have to add that Hudson & Ella both being athletes dedicated to their respective sports was another fun element to this story that I enjoyed so much! I feel like I don’t see this often enough in my sports romances so getting to immerse myself further into this world in this way made the entire reading experience even more delightful 😌
If you can’t already tell, I ADORE Hudson & Ella so much! I loved every bit of their spicy yet soft and sweet story, and I just know other readers will too. And lastly, I just have to say that as a person who’s read & loved Ki’s books for a long time now, I’m so beyond freaking happy for her and proud of her trad debut 🥹 If you haven’t had the privilege of reading Ki’s books yet, please take this as your sign!
Thank you so much to Ki Stephens & her team, St. Martin’s Griffin, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book! 💙
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
such a delightful & fun sports romance where they're both athletes!! loved this so much, and i couldn't be happier and prouder of ki for her trad debut :,)
August 23, 2025
If I could give this book a million stars, I would, I loved everything about it. The author managed to create very relatable characters with incredible tension and chemistry.
Ella was just adorable. I immediately connected with her. She leaves Oxford for a year of school and arrives in Nashville. She's so ambitious and has a natural, raw talent for cheerleading. I loved her friendship with Gabi, who was immediately welcoming. And Hudson will help her regain confidence in herself and her athletic abilities. I could see myself in her with her need to constantly be in control and making sure every step is calculated so she doesn't get hurt again.
Ella, I need the exact prayer you said to have a man like Hudson because DAMN, he was so caring. And he's A PERFECT CAT DADDY. I found him so gentle and kind, with his fear of revealing his dark secrets, his way of analyzing everything but he gradually came out of his shell. He melted my heart when he talked about his past and his desire to support Ella in her dreams.
They're both huge overthinkers, which is why they sometimes have trouble opening up to each other. But after getting to know each other a little better, they're a perfect match. The relationship was beautiful, playful, and tender. The final declarations almost brought tears to my eyes, they were so emotional.
The cheerleading is super well-detailed and dealt with in depth: it's not a facade. Even though I don't know anything about it and I'm not a fan of college romance, I loved it from beginning to end. There were challenges, competitions and things that didn't quite go as planned. Now I need a book about Levi, he was SO funny.
Ella was just adorable. I immediately connected with her. She leaves Oxford for a year of school and arrives in Nashville. She's so ambitious and has a natural, raw talent for cheerleading. I loved her friendship with Gabi, who was immediately welcoming. And Hudson will help her regain confidence in herself and her athletic abilities. I could see myself in her with her need to constantly be in control and making sure every step is calculated so she doesn't get hurt again.
Ella, I need the exact prayer you said to have a man like Hudson because DAMN, he was so caring. And he's A PERFECT CAT DADDY. I found him so gentle and kind, with his fear of revealing his dark secrets, his way of analyzing everything but he gradually came out of his shell. He melted my heart when he talked about his past and his desire to support Ella in her dreams.
They're both huge overthinkers, which is why they sometimes have trouble opening up to each other. But after getting to know each other a little better, they're a perfect match. The relationship was beautiful, playful, and tender. The final declarations almost brought tears to my eyes, they were so emotional.
The cheerleading is super well-detailed and dealt with in depth: it's not a facade. Even though I don't know anything about it and I'm not a fan of college romance, I loved it from beginning to end. There were challenges, competitions and things that didn't quite go as planned. Now I need a book about Levi, he was SO funny.
August 12, 2025
Game On hits the ground running as readers are thrust into the story with Ella leaving Oxford on an exchange program to Nashville for cheer amid a breakup with her longtime boyfriend.
I’m not exactly sure why Stephens felt the need to characterize Ella as freshly out of a breakup. It didn’t add anything significant or worthwhile to the story other than unnecessary drama near the end of the novel that was resolved quickly.
One of the reasons I rated Game On three stars is because there was too much detailed information about cheer and football. I skimmed through too many pages of the technicalities of cheer and football. A cursory overview of these scenes would have sufficed.
The chemistry between Ella and Hudson was good. It wasn’t explosive nor was it overly exciting. However, I will say that there were a couple of spicy scenes that were well done.
Spice level: 🌶️🌶️
There was what I thought was going to be drama with Ella, Hudson, and another character, but that turned out to be something completely different and more compelling than Ella and Hudson’s story. If there’s a second novel, I could be convinced to read it if it’s about a certain character.
Overall, Game On was fine. There wasn’t anything great about it, but there wasn’t anything egregious about it either.
*** I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I’m not exactly sure why Stephens felt the need to characterize Ella as freshly out of a breakup. It didn’t add anything significant or worthwhile to the story other than unnecessary drama near the end of the novel that was resolved quickly.
One of the reasons I rated Game On three stars is because there was too much detailed information about cheer and football. I skimmed through too many pages of the technicalities of cheer and football. A cursory overview of these scenes would have sufficed.
The chemistry between Ella and Hudson was good. It wasn’t explosive nor was it overly exciting. However, I will say that there were a couple of spicy scenes that were well done.
Spice level: 🌶️🌶️
There was what I thought was going to be drama with Ella, Hudson, and another character, but that turned out to be something completely different and more compelling than Ella and Hudson’s story. If there’s a second novel, I could be convinced to read it if it’s about a certain character.
Overall, Game On was fine. There wasn’t anything great about it, but there wasn’t anything egregious about it either.
*** I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
September 12, 2025
Perfect for fans of Icebreaker by Hannah Grace and Collide by Bal Khabra ✨
This book is a quintessential messy college romance. Features two protagonists who are both insistent that they are in no way looking for a relationship. But a one-time hook-up quickly evolves into more as these two couldn't stay out of each other's orbit even if they wanted to.
While both Ellie and Hudson were compelling in their own way, there was something that stopped me from fully falling in love with them as characters, hence why I can't quite give them four stars. Still, I enjoyed this book overall. I have read a few of this author's previous works, and I think she's probably one of those authors you either love or hate, and personally, I lean toward love.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Griffin for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
This book is a quintessential messy college romance. Features two protagonists who are both insistent that they are in no way looking for a relationship. But a one-time hook-up quickly evolves into more as these two couldn't stay out of each other's orbit even if they wanted to.
While both Ellie and Hudson were compelling in their own way, there was something that stopped me from fully falling in love with them as characters, hence why I can't quite give them four stars. Still, I enjoyed this book overall. I have read a few of this author's previous works, and I think she's probably one of those authors you either love or hate, and personally, I lean toward love.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Griffin for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
September 11, 2025
This was cute!! This book really throws you right into the story with almost no build up. Ella and her long term boyfriend break up, leaving her traveling alone to America. Enter: Hudson. This book really was all vibes and no plot and that’s fine, but it was really hard to stay interested. The romance felt very insta love to me and I felt like I never really got to know the characters. It was a lot of telling and not showing. I also felt like Ella and Hudson went back and forth with each other so much for no reason 😭 very much felt like whiplash. It was fast paced and cute, but like I said, it was so much tell no show that I felt very removed from the story. There were a few things that seemed thrown into the story for the sake of drama but didn’t actually provide any depth to the plot, like Ella and Jamie breaking up or Claire’s beef with Ella. It was all thrown into the story but never actually added to the story. It was a fun, fast paced time and the romance was sweet, it just missed the mark overall for me. Thank you to the publisher for the arc!
August 10, 2025
This one is more of a 3.5 rounded up. While I enjoyed the characters and the story, I found some aspects lacking. The story is set in Nashville which was really fun for me since I lived there for two years, so the locations mentioned were very familiar and made me smile. What I didn’t love is the backstory for our FMC, which leads to the majority of the conflict presented. The recent breakup didn’t seem to bother her all that much, except for some internal dialogue. With her ex being occasionally mentioned throughout the rest of the book and providing some conflict, I just feel that dynamic wasn’t authentic. Overall, it’s a good sports romance and I would recommend it if you’re looking for something light.
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted arc
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted arc
March 26, 2025
Just finished reading Game On by Ki Stephens, and wow, what a ride!
— My rating: 5/5 ⭐️
I just finished reading Game On by Ki Stephens, and I absolutely loved it! This book was such an enjoyable ride from start to finish, and I couldn’t put it down. Huge thanks to NetGalley & St. Martin’s Press for the early copy!
The story centers around Ella, an ambitious English cheerleader, and Hudson, the irresistible quarterback who’s sworn off distractions. The chemistry between these two was crazy and intense—I mean, the tension between them practically leapt off the page! Their "just one night" pact is anything but simple, and I loved how their relationship slowly built, leading to some incredibly steamy and hot moments.
Reading Game On felt like I was re-reading Icebreaker, but with a football player and cheerleader twist! The dynamic between Ella and Hudson reminded me of the Icebreaker trope where the girl’s partner gets injured before a major competition, and she has to rely on him for support. In this case, Hudson, who was an ex-cheerleader before switching to football, steps in to help Ella train and face a big cheerleading competition. The moments of them practicing together were so cute and added so much depth to their connection!
This book was such an easy read, with just the right mix of cheesy romance and fiery passion. The spicy scenes? 🔥 Absolutely on point. But what really kept me hooked was how the emotional depth between Ella and Hudson unfolded. Both characters had their own personal struggles and growth, which made their connection feel so much more real and powerful.
I’m so glad I got the chance to read this early—Game On has everything I want in a romance: drama, heart, and heat. If you’re in the mood for a fun, steamy, and heartfelt read, you won’t want to miss this one when it releases on September 9th, 2025!
— My rating: 5/5 ⭐️
I just finished reading Game On by Ki Stephens, and I absolutely loved it! This book was such an enjoyable ride from start to finish, and I couldn’t put it down. Huge thanks to NetGalley & St. Martin’s Press for the early copy!
The story centers around Ella, an ambitious English cheerleader, and Hudson, the irresistible quarterback who’s sworn off distractions. The chemistry between these two was crazy and intense—I mean, the tension between them practically leapt off the page! Their "just one night" pact is anything but simple, and I loved how their relationship slowly built, leading to some incredibly steamy and hot moments.
Reading Game On felt like I was re-reading Icebreaker, but with a football player and cheerleader twist! The dynamic between Ella and Hudson reminded me of the Icebreaker trope where the girl’s partner gets injured before a major competition, and she has to rely on him for support. In this case, Hudson, who was an ex-cheerleader before switching to football, steps in to help Ella train and face a big cheerleading competition. The moments of them practicing together were so cute and added so much depth to their connection!
This book was such an easy read, with just the right mix of cheesy romance and fiery passion. The spicy scenes? 🔥 Absolutely on point. But what really kept me hooked was how the emotional depth between Ella and Hudson unfolded. Both characters had their own personal struggles and growth, which made their connection feel so much more real and powerful.
I’m so glad I got the chance to read this early—Game On has everything I want in a romance: drama, heart, and heat. If you’re in the mood for a fun, steamy, and heartfelt read, you won’t want to miss this one when it releases on September 9th, 2025!
May 8, 2025
2.5⭐️
This fell flat for me. I was hopeful because I love a college sports romance but the characters didn't work for me at all.
We have Ella Davies, who transfers to college in Nashville from Oxford to be on the school's cheer squad. Her boyfriend dumps her and she had a one-night stand on her first night in Nashville with our MMC, Hudson. Everything is fine and dandy until the next morning, when she finds out he has a bit of a playboy reputation on campus. And she gets mad at him for this?! Like immediately is like 'this was a mistake' and insults him. She then leaves in a judgemental huff
THEN like three weeks later Ella tries talking to him by starting off saying "I'm over my jet lag now, and feel a bit more like myself". That doesn't sound like an apology to me? She's annoyed with him because he's been awkwardly avoiding her. Again she told him to his face that she used him as a rebound and then got mad when she realized he had had one night stands before. She never really stopped being insufferable after this
Hudson for his part also sort of sucked? He's the teams QB even though his focus is school, but he sort of seems to hate football? And also all of his friends. Every time his roommate/best friend tries to hang out with him he gets annoyed and acted like he was doing him a favour.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishing team for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This fell flat for me. I was hopeful because I love a college sports romance but the characters didn't work for me at all.
We have Ella Davies, who transfers to college in Nashville from Oxford to be on the school's cheer squad. Her boyfriend dumps her and she had a one-night stand on her first night in Nashville with our MMC, Hudson. Everything is fine and dandy until the next morning, when she finds out he has a bit of a playboy reputation on campus. And she gets mad at him for this?! Like immediately is like 'this was a mistake' and insults him. She then leaves in a judgemental huff
THEN like three weeks later Ella tries talking to him by starting off saying "I'm over my jet lag now, and feel a bit more like myself". That doesn't sound like an apology to me? She's annoyed with him because he's been awkwardly avoiding her. Again she told him to his face that she used him as a rebound and then got mad when she realized he had had one night stands before. She never really stopped being insufferable after this
Hudson for his part also sort of sucked? He's the teams QB even though his focus is school, but he sort of seems to hate football? And also all of his friends. Every time his roommate/best friend tries to hang out with him he gets annoyed and acted like he was doing him a favour.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishing team for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 17, 2025
Firstly, thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Random House for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I’m so sorry, but this wasn’t for me at all. Everything went so quickly in the beginning with immediate lust but no chemistry?
I found that the characters felt flat, I didn’t feel anything between Ella and Hudson and couldn’t find myself caring for their relationship or goals. Their hesitation in starting a relationship makes sense. I did like Ella and her determination.
The dialogue didn’t feel real or natural to me, and the pacing in some scenes was so fast! I also couldn’t find any connection to the side characters or the friendships. I really struggled to keep picking it up.
I liked sourdough, it is a great name for a cat.
I really appreciate the opportunity to read this early, but just unfortunately wasn’t my cup of tea.
I’m so sorry, but this wasn’t for me at all. Everything went so quickly in the beginning with immediate lust but no chemistry?
I found that the characters felt flat, I didn’t feel anything between Ella and Hudson and couldn’t find myself caring for their relationship or goals. Their hesitation in starting a relationship makes sense. I did like Ella and her determination.
The dialogue didn’t feel real or natural to me, and the pacing in some scenes was so fast! I also couldn’t find any connection to the side characters or the friendships. I really struggled to keep picking it up.
I liked sourdough, it is a great name for a cat.
I really appreciate the opportunity to read this early, but just unfortunately wasn’t my cup of tea.
January 2, 2025
whatever ki writes>>>>>> f masterpiece
September 1, 2025
I love a good sports romance, and I was initially pulled towards this story because of its cute cover and the fact that one of the sports was cheerleading. I had never read a book where the main sport was cheerleading, so I wanted to see how this differed from football romances.
I enjoyed how cheerleading definitely stole the show, compared to the football team that was also present, and how Hudson even had a background in cheer, which became crucial later in the story. I loved that, even as much as she denied it, she trusted Hudson on such a deep level that he made the perfect partner for her on the mat.
Off the mat, these two were fun to watch as well. I enjoyed watching them try to grapple with their feelings, constantly reassessing what their “deal” would be. Going from a one-night stand, to friends with benefits, to partners in a competition, to lovers was a unique journey I enjoyed watching play out. I did enjoy the spicy times in this one as well, especially Hudson’s use of the “baby” as a term of endearment.
Where the book fell a little flat for me was I was not invested in any of the characters. I felt their individual backgrounds were really not explored much, when there were some complicated things that definitely could have been worked through on page. I also felt that there were large jumps in time that weren’t clear until someone noted “I transferred 6 months ago” or something along those lines. Lastly, I didn’t feel that there was really anything really at stake or no pending big event until we got to the 50% mark in the book. For the first half, I didn’t really know where the story was going to go.
This ultimately was not a great fit for me, but it may be perfect for you!
Thank you to NetGalley, SMP, and Ki Stephens for the opportunity to read this book. The thoughts and opinions expressed above are honest and my own.
I enjoyed how cheerleading definitely stole the show, compared to the football team that was also present, and how Hudson even had a background in cheer, which became crucial later in the story. I loved that, even as much as she denied it, she trusted Hudson on such a deep level that he made the perfect partner for her on the mat.
Off the mat, these two were fun to watch as well. I enjoyed watching them try to grapple with their feelings, constantly reassessing what their “deal” would be. Going from a one-night stand, to friends with benefits, to partners in a competition, to lovers was a unique journey I enjoyed watching play out. I did enjoy the spicy times in this one as well, especially Hudson’s use of the “baby” as a term of endearment.
Where the book fell a little flat for me was I was not invested in any of the characters. I felt their individual backgrounds were really not explored much, when there were some complicated things that definitely could have been worked through on page. I also felt that there were large jumps in time that weren’t clear until someone noted “I transferred 6 months ago” or something along those lines. Lastly, I didn’t feel that there was really anything really at stake or no pending big event until we got to the 50% mark in the book. For the first half, I didn’t really know where the story was going to go.
This ultimately was not a great fit for me, but it may be perfect for you!
Thank you to NetGalley, SMP, and Ki Stephens for the opportunity to read this book. The thoughts and opinions expressed above are honest and my own.
March 2, 2025
Thanks to penguin( evermore) on netgallery for giving me the arc!! thank you for approving me - this is an honest review ( I still can’t believe I was given the opportunity to read this book early !!
I devoured this in one day !! ( it was so easy to read and so fun too. I love the mix of cheerleading and American football. I love how it’s not your usual cheerleader x quarterback . IN FACT ITS SO DIFFERENT!! In many ways .
This is my first ki Stephen’s book - before this her other latest book ( currently published ofc as of their review ) high hopes - also has me intrigued . This was the perfect book as my first book by ki Stephen’s
I RARELY READ AMERICAN FOOTBALL ROMANCE im obviously more of a hockey romance girlie but ofc when I saw the beautiful cover of this book & saw it was available to request in NetGalley ( I had to request) I had to put in my interest anyway .
I want to start off by saying how pretty and beautiful the cover is ( it is so beautiful) like especially the uk cover I love that we have the purple colour on the font instead of the yellow one the us has !!
A us ( southern) quarterback x British cheerleader ( who is currently in the us for one year ). An mmc who … may or may not have in the past done cheer himself ( you need to read to find out . As a brit I love seeing British fmcs in books and it’s rare to see ).
One thing about this book is ( THAT the CHEerleaders and American football players aren’t meant to even fuck
Let alone date !! So this has some “forbidden aspect to some degree” . Not really but kinda
This book is fwb like DEEP END WAS ( however it has the emotional interactions and intimacy that that book missed . no hate to deep end ) I love Ali so much !! I really love ELLA AND HUDSON ALOT !!
I love the friendships in this book I love how Ella and ash are friends the same way Ella and gabi and Sammy are friends . I just love the friendships in books . I love Levi and Hudson’s friendship .
I have a prediction because idk if ki Stephens is planning on writing a second book but maybe it will be a book between Levi and Claire ??? Maybe . Kinda idk though .
This has a 3rd act breakup . We all know how much I’m not a fan of those but this one didn’t make me too mad . It actually kinda made sense and felt more like a i need time to think about things and then we can talk about it more than an actual breakup so
I devoured this in one day !! ( it was so easy to read and so fun too. I love the mix of cheerleading and American football. I love how it’s not your usual cheerleader x quarterback . IN FACT ITS SO DIFFERENT!! In many ways .
This is my first ki Stephen’s book - before this her other latest book ( currently published ofc as of their review ) high hopes - also has me intrigued . This was the perfect book as my first book by ki Stephen’s
I RARELY READ AMERICAN FOOTBALL ROMANCE im obviously more of a hockey romance girlie but ofc when I saw the beautiful cover of this book & saw it was available to request in NetGalley ( I had to request) I had to put in my interest anyway .
I want to start off by saying how pretty and beautiful the cover is ( it is so beautiful) like especially the uk cover I love that we have the purple colour on the font instead of the yellow one the us has !!
A us ( southern) quarterback x British cheerleader ( who is currently in the us for one year ). An mmc who … may or may not have in the past done cheer himself ( you need to read to find out . As a brit I love seeing British fmcs in books and it’s rare to see ).
One thing about this book is ( THAT the CHEerleaders and American football players aren’t meant to even fuck
Let alone date !! So this has some “forbidden aspect to some degree” . Not really but kinda
This book is fwb like DEEP END WAS ( however it has the emotional interactions and intimacy that that book missed . no hate to deep end ) I love Ali so much !! I really love ELLA AND HUDSON ALOT !!
I love the friendships in this book I love how Ella and ash are friends the same way Ella and gabi and Sammy are friends . I just love the friendships in books . I love Levi and Hudson’s friendship .
I have a prediction because idk if ki Stephens is planning on writing a second book but maybe it will be a book between Levi and Claire ??? Maybe . Kinda idk though .
This has a 3rd act breakup . We all know how much I’m not a fan of those but this one didn’t make me too mad . It actually kinda made sense and felt more like a i need time to think about things and then we can talk about it more than an actual breakup so
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