⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)

I loved this book! Play It Off had the perfect mix of romance, tension, and emotional depth. Sienna and Gavin had undeniable chemistry, and the brother’s best friend trope? Always a win. I was hooked from the first page—there was just enough angst to keep me flipping pages, but not so much it dragged the story down. Their push-and-pull dynamic felt real and addictive, and both characters were easy to root for. If you love sports romance, forbidden vibes, and characters who really try to resist each other (but fail beautifully), this one’s a must-read!

4.5 stars
The second book in the series didn’t disappoint. It was full of angst. That is one of my favorite things in a book. The chemistry between Gavin and Sienna was off the charts. I am so glad we got their story. Must read!

Omggg I need to say: Monica Murphy is one of my favorite writers.

I was on a reading slump for more than a month and oh god, this book took me from it. I read this in like 2 days (because I had to work other way I would have finished in one sitting).

It was really addictive and ai always wanted more and more.

Well sometimes Gavin irritated me but okay I also fell in love with him at the end. Sienna is so cuteee, her personality is so… addicting, attractive, I don’t, she is just so sweet and I think she deserves the world.

But I’m sad because I want so much to read more about them. And I wanted to see if she did that ONE dream, because girl I feel you.

For me it was an cute and funny romance, with a pleasing plot and some irritating characters (like to men that we know right?!).
If you are, like me, in a reading slump, I think this is perfect. Super easy and fast to read, and when you finish one chapter you will want more!!

4⭐ 4🌶️

I actually like this one more than the first book in the series. I felt that I connected with the characters in this novel much more than the first book. I really felt deeply about the family issues that both characters had, but both issues were so different. I think the way these family issues interconnected with the relationship between the two MC's was just fabulous to read. I think the author did a great job of using this to both build the character's depth and to build the relationship. Bring on the next one!!

Big thanks to NetGalley and Monica Murphy for a copy of this book. This book is my honest opinion.

this one gave me all the angsty, slow-burn goodness I was hoping for!

This is one of those stories where you know they’re meant to be together, but watching them finally figure it out is half the fun.

What I also loved was the messy, realness of it all. You can feel their history and all the unresolved feelings simmering just under the surface, and it makes every interaction between them feel loaded.

Thank you ValentinePR for my gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.


I half read this and half listened. I really enjoyed both narrators for this!

This is the second in the series but can be read as a standalone.

This was a fun brothers best friend sports romance. I’m glad we got a peek into the past when it comes to second chance romances. I’m curious what the first book in the series was about it and what the next book will be. The two characters had good chemistry, but they got into a relationship kind of quickly so there wasn’t as much tension throughout.

Overall I really liked this one and will continue reading the series!

I have always been a fan of Monica Murphy’s and how she writes her books and interconnects her series. This book is no different and I did like this book.

We saw a little of this couple in her first book in this series “End Game”, which I absolutely loved. I just feel as though what I thought or understood to be happening between these two was EXTREMELY different than what was actually happening and I will blame myself on that one! I think if I didn’t go into this book with an idea what was going to happen and just went in blind, I feel as though the book would have made more sense and I would have loved it more than I did!

With that being said, I still want to read the rest of this series. I truly love the characters and the path that it is going! I can’t wait for the next one!

Book 2 in the Kings of Campus series can be read as a standalone but It is truly so much fun to be a part of these characters lives that you should be the first book!

Gavin, star QB with a father that never sees his amazing abilities. Gavin is loyal to his team and so infatuated with a certain girl. Sienna is always around because her brother is Coop, another star on the football team. She's been in love with Gavin for what feels like forever. Their story is unique and I love the development of their relationship. Not to be missed!

Second chance romance with tension, banter, slow burn, college life, and quiet intimacy. Loved every bit of this sports romance. 🏈

🎓 College Romance
🔥 Slow Burn
😤 Mutual Pining
🛑 Off Limits
🙅‍♂️Brother’s Best Friend
💬 Flirty Banter
👀 Secret History
⏳ Forced Proximity
💕 Second Chance

I was anxiously waiting for Gavin & Sienna's story. This book is so good, the banter and the angst were just perfect.

Sienna is so relatable, she is sweet and spicy at the same time, and she loves fiercely the people around her!
I loved her since book one.

Gavin has so many layers when you see why he acts so closed up to love and the people around him, it will break your heart. He fought so hard to deny his feelings for Sienna that for one moment I was scared.
When he let himself accept his feelings for Sienna it was beautiful.

Sienna & Gavin’s relationship was explosive, filled with sexual tension, banter, and an undeniable chemistry.

The plot, the characters, and the spice were well executed. Loved this one, and I can not wait for the next one.

Add this one to your TBR, you will not regret it!

This is the second book in the Kings of Campus series. This time we have Sienna and Gavin. Now Gavin is the quarterback. He’s a nice guy with a crush on his friend’s sister. There are those unspoken rules that if we play together you don’t play with my sister. This is true in so many books. Gavin is generally a very nice guy, he has some issues with his family but his friends all support and care for him. He is not sure he is capable of a happy and healthy relationship because of his father. Sienna has always had a crush on Gavin. She has been pining for him a long time. This book was a slow burn with lots on longing and sighing on both sides. When they finally get together you couldn’t help but wish them happiness they were just stinking cute. This was another amazing book in a great series.

There's a powerful attraction between Gavin and Sienna and after one night of exploration two years ago they've been avoiding each other ever since. Now, they decide to try and be friends, but that pesky chemistry is still there. A solid sports romance with a crew (or team) of friends, college setting, and the usual late teens early twenties angst as they try to figure out who and what they want to be.

I thoroughly enjoyed Gavin and Sienna's story. Sienna and Gavin have had feelings for one other for years but have tried to deny them. These two do everything they can to avoid each other, but considering that they share a group of friends and her brother is Gavin's best friend, it's nearly impossible to avoid each other. Because of its fast pacing, the story is quick and entertaining to read. I absolutely adore Monica Murphy's books. She has a way of capturing your attention right away, and you are unable to put it down until the very end. I'm excited to see what happens next in this series!

Thank you to Monica Murphy & NetGalley for this e-ARC.

Gavin and Sienna’s push, and pull will have you on the edge of your seat devouring every little morsel they give you. Sienna has been crushing on Gavin for years and her freshman year she thinks they have finally figured things out and can be together, but she is so wrong. Gavin isn’t a bad guy with his back and forth with Sienna, it’s just he has a lot on his plate and the pressures are building up. While that’s not a full-on excuse for his choices I still understood why he would make them in those moments. Sienna is such a great character and my heart hurt for her because she loved him with all she had and at times she felt like that wasn’t enough, but the way things happen in the end made me so happy that these two have stuck with me for a while after reading and I don’t see them escaping my head any time soon.

When reading this book I felt like I was reading about my favorite show growing up called Dawson’s Creek. Especially with all the angst, forbidden romance, best friends aspect, and close friend group. I love how Sienna is this fun loving girl full of so much sunshine and joy. She’s not afraid to be her authentic self! She has a knack for motivating people, making them feel included, and having so much loyalty to her brother and the football guys. Then there’s Gavin who is the beautiful god like man that would anything for his best friends, team, and Sienna. I find it interesting these two can be so supportive and confident for each other, but the minute they let their feelings for each other out they share a lot of similar insecurities. Yet when it comes down to it in the end they can strip away their defenses and be honest to a fault with each other. I throughly enjoyed this love story and felt it very refreshing!

Need a fantastic brothers best friend forbidden sports romance? Yes, well you get just that in this book the second in the Kings of Campus series. This is the story of Gavin and Sienna. Two people that have hidden an attraction from one another simply due to the fact that Gavin has not only been friends with her brother for years but they play on the same team. Yeah complicated is what they have trying to avoid for years.
This story is filled with the drama you would expect from their predicament and so much more. They are just two people dealing with their attraction, no they are dealing with things that will set them up for their futures. How they handle their budding and serious attraction for one another is just a first step. Will they be a one and done or are they harboring something long term and meaningful? If you have read any of Monica’s books you know the answer to that. This book has it all in spades and is seamlessly written to combine scenes from the first book so that the time lines blend and you knot only get their story but the stories of the characters in the firs book. Now that is what makes this book amazing to read. Because if you haven’t read book one, you still get a taste of the dynamic and drama from the first blended just right. Now, the only thing that I need is the release date for the next book!

Play it Off is the second book in the Kings of Campus series, but it can be read as a standalone.

Sienna and Gavin had known each other for years, and they’d both secretly liked each other. But she was his best friend’s sister, so he thought she was off limits.

These two couldn’t fight their feelings for long. And they had great chemistry.

I didn’t like Gavin all that much, at first. I mean, his decisions were…they were something. But seeing that he’s in college, I guess the way he acted made sense.

This was cute, spicy, angsty, and a great addition to the series. I can’t wait for the next book.

Monica knows how to write easy to read college romances.

- Sports Romance (football)
- College Setting
- Best Friend’s Sister
- Secret Relationship
- He Falls First

Sienna knows she shouldn’t crush on her brother’s team mate. But when she met Gav, all logic thoughts went out the window. He’s not just good looking, but also treats her with respect & finds herself being friendly with him instantly.

Gav knows he can’t want his best mates sister. But he can’t deny the instant attraction there. And one drunken night, he foolishly acts on it even though he knows he isn’t ready to give her what she deserves. This explodes and they find themselves ignoring each other for a year. Till Gav makes the effort to reach out & restart their friendship.

But all he finds is hidden feelings he can’t seem to forget. And even though they know they need to resist - they find themselves tangled in each other more than they ever anticipated.

4/5 stars with 3/5 steam.

My only negative is I wish it was longer!! I wanted more angst from Gav on his family life. Especially being a son of wealthy parents who don’t seem to put effort in to getting to know their son. I wanted to see Sienna give Gav’s dad a piece of her mind!

Play It Off by Monica Murphy is a sweet and steamy college sports romance that delivers all the swoony moments fans of the genre crave. The story follows Sienna and Gavin, whose complicated history and undeniable chemistry create a tension-filled romance that keeps you turning the pages.

What I enjoyed most was the authentic portrayal of a secret crush evolving into something more meaningful, set against the backdrop of college football and close-knit friendships. Monica Murphy captures the emotional ups and downs of young love with warmth and humor, and the banter between Sienna and Gavin feels natural and engaging. The story moves at a fast pace, making it a quick and enjoyable read.

While some plot elements felt familiar and the characters didn’t always fully resonate with me, the overall execution and heartfelt moments made up for it. The blend of sports drama, romantic tension, and personal growth creates a satisfying story that fans of contemporary college romance will appreciate.

Overall, Play It Off is a solid four-star read for anyone looking for a sweet, sexy romance with strong chemistry and emotional depth. It’s a fun addition to the Kings of Campus series and a great pick for readers who enjoy slow-burn romances set in the world of college athletics.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Another sports romance by Monica Murphy for me to obsess over! I loved Sienna and Gavin’s story!! They fought their feelings off for so long (forbidden romance, brother’s best friend)!! Gavin was an absolute dream!! Sienna has such a fun personality. I also liked that we saw glimpses of Everleigh and Nico’s stories overlapping with Sienna and Gavin’s.