"End Game" by Monica Murphy offers a charming sports romance sprinkled with sharp wit. The story features an irresistible forbidden love affair, seasoned with humor and just enough emotional intensity to captivate. In this first installment of the Kings of Campus series, a new transfer student and a charming football player find themselves irresistibly drawn to each other. Lovers of sports romances, particularly those with a football twist, will find "End Game" as exciting as a game-winning touchdown.

"End Game" marked my first encounter with Monica Murphy's work. The story placed the reader into the lives of Everleigh and Nico. Everleigh, a new transfer to UC Santa Mira, was eager to dive into college life. Yet, an unexpected twist in her housing situation threatened to quell her enthusiasm. Desperate for a place to stay, her luck seemed to run dry—until she stumbled upon a conversation between three guys in need of a roommate. Seizing the opportunity, she positioned herself as the prime candidate for the room, unaware that she was about to share a home with the campus's star football players.

Initially, Nico Valente was reluctant to have Everleigh join him and his two roommates. Despite his reservations, he gave in, and before long, Everleigh had moved in and was sharing their living space.

Nico and Everleigh experienced an immediate spark between them, their chemistry undeniable as it crackled throughout their story. Nico, however, wasn't looking for commitment; he enjoyed the variety of playing the field. Everleigh, on the other hand, approached with caution, still nursing the scars left by a past love. And just when things couldn't get more tangled, their living situation added another layer of complexity.

Watching the player fall hopelessly in love with his roommate was entertaining. Nico struggled to convey his true feelings to Everleigh, who had built numerous walls around her heart, and he was uncertain of her feelings in return. Everleigh's vacillating behavior was frustrating at times, but then I had to remind myself that these characters were barely out of their teenage years.

The dynamic between Everleigh and her roommates really brought the story to life. It was a pleasure delving into the lives of the secondary characters, especially Coop, who stood out as my favorite. His maturity surpassed that of his peers, and I'm particularly excited to see his story unfold.

The 'Kings of Campus' series starts off on a fairly good note, and I'm eager to dive into more of Ms. Murphy's work. With the first book setting a promising pace, it's clear that this series has a lot to offer.

End Game is a great start to the Kings of Campus series! From time to time, I like reading college romances and Monica Murphy is just so great and bringing out the feels of college love and angst. Everleigh is my kind of girl--cautious, low-key, and isn't a privileged brat. She's scrapping by on her own, needing new living arrangements to attend college. She ends up eavesdropping on a jock convo (she doesn't know they're pdopular college jocks) about needing a roommate and has no shame offering to be their roommate. Living with 3 dudes is not going to be a cakewalk, especially when she's crushing on Nico, but being crushed on by Frank. Ever and Nico try to play it cool, but they cannot deny the attraction and have close calls. I appreciate Nico finally realizing his flaws as a ladies' man, and taking his time to woo Ever. I can't wait for the next book!

End Game by Monica Murphy is the start of the Kings of Campus Series. This is Everleigh and Nico‘s story.
 
Everleigh transfers to the UC Santa Mira to finally have a great college experience but when her living arrangement falls through on her first day, it doesn’t look promising. She is determined to make it somehow work and becomes the roommate of three football players. I always love roommate stories, and this was such a good one. Everleigh is such a good person, and she totally deserves to find her own happily ever after.
 
Nico is living and breathing football and that’s his main focus and why he doesn’t want a relationship. He was burned in the past and is totally fine with being popular and a player. At first Nico was the typical college jock but there was so much more to him, and I loved discovering that and I definitely fell in love with him as well.
 
This book has all the new adult and college vibes and it’s exactly what I hoped for. I loved seeing the friendships and roommate dynamic and Everleigh and Nico slowly became more. The romance was the perfect mixture of sweet and tender moments and some more spicy ones. It was the little things in this story that made it amazing, and I hope a lot of the other characters also get a book.
 
Overall, if you also like college sports romances, this is a must-read. 4,5 stars.
 
(ARC kindly provided in exchange for a review.)

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️

Right off the bat, I knew that this was gonna be a 5 ⭐️ read. I just could not stop reading Nico and Everleigh’s story. The chemistry and tension between the two was insane. Their romance burned slowly. It was a push and pull game. I was on the edge of my seat every time I turn to the next page. I also adored the friendship in this book. It warmed my heart on how nice and caring they were to Everleigh. They also added some hilarious and entertaining scenes to the story. I cannot wait to read their stories in the future 😆.

Overall, End Game was a great read. I definitely recommend it as you’re next sports romance read 🙌🏻.

✨ 𝗔𝗥𝗖 𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪 ✨

𝗘𝗻𝗱 𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗯𝘆 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮 𝗠𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗵𝘆
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲:
🏈 college football
💙 roommates to lovers
🏈 forced proximity
💙 grumpy/sunshine
🏈 reformed playboy
💙 open door romance
🏈 dual POV

𝗕𝗟𝗨𝗥𝗕: Everleigh has just been dealt the worst luck ever. Her room has unfortunately fell through since she just transferred to Santa Mira & is now attending a new college homeless. Her luck seems to get a bit better when she overhears a couple of football players talking about renting out a bedroom in their house. It takes some convincing & bargaining, but Everleigh is now the only female roommate with three male football players. Everleigh is instantly attracted to Nico, but Nico has a playboy reputation for himself. Everleigh also knows it wouldn’t be smart to get involved with one of her roommates. Is that enough of an excuse to fight the connection that is clearly happening between them though?

𝗠𝗬 𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛𝗧𝗦: It’s football season babyyyyy & this was the perfect sweet & spicy romance to start out the season with! Everleigh is so sweet & turns these football player’s lives around when she enters the house. She cooks for them, cleans up after them, teaches them yoga, & brings out the best in them. Nico is your typical playboy hot shot football star. That is, until Everleigh rejects him. That is when Nico starts turning himself around & truly realizes what he wants in his life. Everleigh brings out Nico’s sweet side & I am so glad that they were able to put aside their differences & accept each other for who they truly are!

this was very cute & immediately gave off new girl vibes - college sports romance/forced proximity/roommates tropes all made for a good mash up here.

I love a reformed playboy but Nico was a bit too arrogant/annoying at some points that it was hard to get past - I didn’t love the miscommunication from everleigh’s side as well, but I did love the found family aspect overall and I’m interested to see where else the series will go!

I have been on a Monica Murphy kick recently after binging the Lancaster Prep books and any spin-offs they had. I had mixed emotions and felt reading End Game was a refreshing book to start so I could grasp whether Murphy’s books are for me. Had I read too many Lancaster books at once or were they not my cup of tea?
End Game was a college romance which focused on football.
Everleigh is prepared for the full college experience but her plans are thwarted when her living arrangements fall through. She’s in a new town, alone with no one she knows around her and she’s starting to stress about what happens next. After overhearing a group of guys discussing how they need another roommate she doesn’t overthink it and jumps at the opportunity, pleading her case to these strangers out of sheer desperation to make her next chapter a success. Two out of three roommates become smitten with Everleigh, but broody and grumpy Nico is still uncertain about her but things will definitely change between them.
This book was super easy to read. There were no emotionally overwhelming plot points that were tough to read. It was pretty relaxed and uneventful honestly. Now, I’m all for a laid back read but once it becomes boring I mentally check out or start skimming pages. I didn’t feel connected to the characters, they weren’t very deep. Nothing happened with the plot. She overhears a conversation, finds a place to live, makes friends and then begins a relationship with Nico. Apart from that, not much happens.
Unfortunately, it fell flat for me. It didn’t keep my attention throughout and I wasn’t rooting for the success of the characters.
Thank you for the eARC though!

This book started off really cute and the premise of the story gave me New Girl vibes (which I loved). I really enjoyed the side characters and roommates, and I liked them a lot more than Nico (sorry sir, hehe). I’m soooo ready for Sienna and Gavin’s story, although I almost want better for her than Gavin so I’m hoping his redemption arc is top tier.

the mmc was a little annoying to me and I didn’t really see the appeal of his character and why he was desirable, other than being hot. I also didn’t love how quick these two went from dating to being in love, but I’m also not a fan of the insta love trope so this could totally be just me.

thank you Valentine PR for an arc in exchange for a honest review!

Thank you to Valentine PR, Netgalley, the publishers and the author Monica Murphy for letting me read & review this advanced copy. This is the first book in Monica Murphys new sports romance series called Kings Of Campus that releases Tuesday September 17th 2024. End Game has the perfect book tropes; which are Football Romance, Reformed Playboy, Enemies to Lovers ,Sports Romance, Friends to Lovers, Roommates and Forced Proximity. Everleigh is the female main character who wanted a real college experience and decides to transfer to the university UC Santa Mira. Right upon arriving at the college she finds out her on campus housing was cancelled with no back up plan. Everleigh ends up friending a group of football guys who have an open room, which she accepts the offer. One of the roommates Nico is a senior at the university who is now one of Everleigh's roommates but doesn't get along with her. He thinks she would be a distraction. This was a amazing five star romance read that I loved every second of.

I am a fan of Monica Murphy’s books, so I was excited to start the first book in the “Kings of Campus series!

Everleigh is looking for somewhere to stay during college, and needs to find a place fast. When she hears 3 guys say they are looking for a roommate, she jumps at the opportunity. However, when she moves in, she realizes the are all football player, and she might be developing feelings for one of them.

Some of the tropes in the book include;

Forced Proximity
Roommates to Lovers
Grumpy Sunshine
Found Family
College Football Romance

Overall, I enjoyed this book. Everleigh and Nico’s romance was super cute, and had me swooning. I had such angst, especially during the slow burn scenes! I love a good football romance, especially during the fall time. I definitely recommend this book to any romance lover, especially if you are a fan of the show New Girl, as it had similar vibes! Great read, and I cannot wait to continue the series!

Thank you to Monica, NetGalley and VPR for the ARC!

This is an entertaining college slow-burn romance that skillfully explores the characters' evolving relationship within the dynamics of shared living. With relatable characters and an engaging plot, this book sets an exciting foundation for the series. I enjoyed the authentic portrayal of young love and the interactions with intriguing side characters. It's a quick read that leaves me eager for the next installment to see where these characters' journeys lead.

𝔸ℝℂ ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨 🏈

𝙀𝙣𝙙 𝙂𝙖𝙢𝙚 by 𝙈𝙤𝙣𝙞𝙘𝙖 𝙈𝙪𝙧𝙥𝙝𝙮
🌟🌟🌟✨ (3.5/5)

This book was a fun, light-hearted college romance that I surprisingly enjoyed more than I expected, considering it borders on YA/New Adult, which usually isn’t my jam. But this one was pretty cute!

The chemistry between Ever and Nico was great, and I loved the slow burn between them, especially in the first half of the book. The sweet moments mixed with classic college football vibes made it an enjoyable read. Plus, the spice? It definitely showed up at the right moments, adding just the right amount of heat to the story.

However, while the first half had me hooked, the second half felt a little rushed. The pacing sped up, and some key moments could have been drawn out more to really give the romance a solid finish. I also felt like the character development was a bit lacking, like there were pieces missing that could’ve helped us understand Ever and Nico better as individuals. It would've been great to see their growth a bit more fully explored.

Overall, though, it’s got all the fun elements of a sweet, slightly spicy football romance that’s perfect for a casual, feel-good read. If you’re into slow burns with a sprinkle of spice, this might be a fun pick for you!

Thank you @netgalley and @valentine_pr_ for the arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

#Review: *End Game* - ARC - Monica Murphy [18+]
4.9/5✨
2.5/5🌶️

I'm always excited to read anything written by Monica Murphy🥰. Super grateful to be part of her permanent ARC team💖. Thank you so, so much for this opportunity!🤗

Everleigh just transferred at UC Santa Mira. She is followed by bad luck by losing her rental and, later on, by being robbed. She needs to find a new place to stay, with a decent price too. By mistake she hears the conversation of some boys from a cafe, who were searching for a new roommate. That's how Everleigh ends up sharing an apartment with these guys.

Without knowing, Everleigh is now staying with a couple of most wanted boys from school. They are part of the football team and many girls would die to be in Ever's place. Among her roommates is one boy which steals her attention and his name is Nico. The attraction is mutual, but Ever promised to herself she won't date too soon after her last boyfriend.

The journey of these two was so much fun to follow. Even though the sparks were obvious from the beginning, Ever is not letting her guard down easy, especially knowing Nico's reputation. I also loved the others players from the team🥰. Cooper, Dollar and Gavin were hilarious and made this whole book so much better. Cooper's sister, Sienna was also interesting to follow, because she was so raw and straight forward in her relationship with the boys, being in their presence for a long time.

Everything about this book was so good from my point of view! Give me a sports romance and written by Monica and it's a winner. I'm curious about the stories of the other football players, because there are some really interesting things happening there🤭.

✨Tropes:
#SportsRomance
#StrangersToLovers
#Roommates
#ForcedProximity
#Athlete
#BandOfBrothers
#AmericanFootball
#LoveAtFirstSight

First in the new series King of Campus and what a way to start.
Everleigh is a transfer student and suddenly finds herself homeless. She over hears a group of guys saying that they have a room to rent. What does she have to lose? She takes a chance and conveniences the guys that they should rent to the room to her.

She finds a group of good guys that has become more than friends, she finds a solid family. Living the full college experience, we watch as Nico and Ever fight the strong pull to each other but fate has something else in store for them.
Once you start, you won’t be able to stop. Find a place that you won’t be interrupted, you’re gonna need it.
ARC for this honest review.

This was the first book I’ve read by this author and I enjoyed it!

I loved seeing Ever and Nico’s relationship develop and their chemistry was just 🤌🏻✨ I also loved seeing the dynamic between her and the roommates. It definitely gave me New Girl vibes and that’s one of my favorite shows 💗

It’s a sports romance, easy to read and fast paced. I’m excited for the next book in the series~

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc 🫶🏻

🏈 football player
🏈 Friends to lovers
🏈 Close Proximity
🏈 Opposites attract
🏈 Roommates
🏈 College romance

Everleigh finds herself in a pickle right before school starts losing her apartment and needing a place to stay. She somehow falls into a perfect situation with the football team. These two had a lot of push and pull throughout the entire book. They don't like each other, they can't like each other, they do, they don't and so on. Unfortunately this one just fell flat for me. I struggled to connect to either MC and both felt very immature in their behavior throughout the entire book.

Thank you netgalley and Monica for this ARC

I loved this one. I loved Everleigh and Nico. I liked that these two didn’t just jump into something immediately just because they were attracted to each other. They were roommates and weighed the consequences. They were also friends.
Of course their attraction is too strong to deny. I loved each of the roommates and Sienna and the guy she’s crushing on. I can’t wait for the next book.
Must read

This was a good but not great read for me. It was an intro to a new series. So I enjoyed being able to learn about the "world" and get introduced to all of the characters that I am sure will be the main focal points for future books. I think my challenge was not a lot HAPPENED in this one. I got a little frustrated with the back and forth between Nico and Everleigh. I get a slow burn but this one gave me some whiplash. I felt that there was a lot of lead up and then when everything happened I had almost lost interest if that makes sense? We got hints of their past but not enough to where I really felt like I knew much about Nico and Ever.

Everleigh has hit rock bottom. She fought tooth and nail to get to school. Now she is here to find out she has nowhere to live and her car has gotten broken into. Somehow she has now found herself living with 3 football stars. She has never lived with guys and now she is living with 3 rockstars at their school. She has agreed to help them with their meals. She wants to make sure her main focus is school. But she can't stop thinking about her roommate Nico. The ladies man. He will be sweet to her and then not. He pays attention to her and then it is like she is a ghost. There is a living breathing thing happening between them, but she can't acknowledge it. They live together for goodness sake. She is a relationship girl, and he clearly isn't. But then things start to escalate, and when they kiss it's like she sees stars. When he comes on too strong though, she is reminded of his history. What happens now? Will they go back to being roommates only? Or will they explore what could be between them?

Nico has one thing on his mind. Football. Yes he is a ladies man. And yes he loves that part of his life. But this is his future he is talking about. He doesn't have time for a relationship. He doesn't have time for distractions in general which is why he is frustrated when he gets another roommate. A girl roommate who is a stranger to him and the guys. Yet she doesn't seem starstruck. She seems kind of at ease. He is annoyed by how cute she is though. And how he finds himself thinking about her a lot. She keeps giving him the cold shoulder but he is wondering what they could be like together. When they kiss he knows it would be worth it. He is sticking to no relationships though. He doesn't need that in his life right? Or is he wrong and maybe he has lost out on a chance before he even had one?

Overall this was a pretty quick read for me but again challenges were a lacking plot, whiplash with kind of surface level characters and too slow of a burn for me. I am hoping that book 2 is about Gavin and Sienna. I mean what happened that night between them to make things be where they are now??

Thank you to Valentine PR, NetGalley and Monica for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Loved this book! Great start to a new series. Huge fan of sports romances. End Game was perfect and had me glued to my kindle. Everleigh and Nico have this push and pull to one another. The chemistry is there but something keeps holding them back. When Ever and Nico give in they have intense chemistry. I loved all the secondary characters and can’t wait to get the next book in this series! Must Read!

"This is a crazy idea," I announce the moment I shut the bedroom door.
"What's so crazy about it?" Cooper leans against the wall, crossing his bulky arms. "She seems nice enough."
"But do you really think we should rent the room to a girl?"
I sound like an a**hole. I feel like one for even saying it, but damn. I've never lived with a woman before, beyond a relative, and that doesn't count.

Nico was more than reluctant to have Everleigh move in with him and his teammates/roommates. He didn't think it was a good idea. Once she is living with them and he finds out how wonderful she is, he is definitely concerned. She's smart, beautiful, funny and runs away from him every chance she gets. That is not a reaction he is used to.

Everleigh knew she was lucky to find this room to rent. Even though the guys were a little intimidating - they were really great. She is resisting her constant attraction to Nico. He's a player and not just a football player. She doesn't need that drama in her life. So keeping her distance is the best plan.

Monica Murphy builds a whole new, fun, exciting world of college football players. I love her sports romance stories!