𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: ★★★
𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐞: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

“𝖨 𝗐𝗈𝗇’𝗍 𝖺𝗅𝗅𝗈𝗐 𝗆𝗒 𝗅𝗂𝖿𝖾 𝗍𝗈 𝖻𝖾 𝖽𝖾𝗋𝖺𝗂𝗅𝖾𝖽 𝖻𝗒 𝖺 𝗆𝖺𝗇.”

𝐌𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬

I found this a really sweet all round romance with a little sprinkle of sports and athletic energy.

I was expecting it to focus more on football but there is more about cheerleading which I actually really liked as it was a little different.

The first part of the book didn’t grip me like I’d hoped it would, it felt a little rushed and I couldn’t connect to the two main characters straight away. I also felt that it was trying to convey a ‘forbidden’ element that just didn’t deliver as the stakes were too low.

Once I did connect with it, though, it was a really enjoyable experience. I loved watching them develop and work through their issues together and although pretty lows stakes and minimal drama it just felt like a cozy, cute atmosphere of friends enjoying college life.

There are some pretty hot scenes which did have a great amount of chemistry and I particularly liked that the fmc takes control in some of those moments.

It’s faced paced and easy to read so I gobbled this story up pretty sharpish, which makes it perfectly bingeable, however this quickness does make it trickier to connect with all the characters.

A super sweet and cute read for lovers of sports and insta-love romances.

𝐓𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞: 5 hours 29 minutes

“𝖨 𝗅𝗈𝗏𝖾 𝗒𝗈𝗎. 𝖠𝗅𝗅 𝗈𝖿 𝗒𝗈𝗎. 𝖳𝗁𝖾 𝗉𝖺𝗋𝗍𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝖺𝗋𝖾 𝗆𝖾𝗌𝗌𝗒 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗉𝖺𝗋𝗍𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝖺𝗋𝖾 𝗉𝖾𝗋𝖿𝖾𝖼𝗍𝗅𝗒 𝗉𝗎𝗍 𝗍𝗈𝗀𝖾𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋. 𝖨 𝗐𝖺𝗇𝗍 𝖺𝗅𝗅 𝗈𝖿 𝗂𝗍.”

This book is pure sunshine with a shot of adrenaline. I loved how electric Ella and Hudson’s chemistry was from the first moment, but what really pulled me in was the emotional depth that grew behind all the heat and banter. The writing felt fresh and full of energy, and the cheer and football dynamics gave everything that perfect blend of tension and tenderness. I couldn’t get enough of them.

This college sports romance starts as a one night stand but with some close proximity develops into something more.

Ella has just arrived from England, fresh from a break up, and goes out with her new college roommates. She meets Hudson and one hot night together ensues. They soon find out she’s on the cheer team and he plays football so they’ll be seeing each other often.

I enjoyed them getting to know each other, kind of a slow burn type thing but when the steam hits, it’s oh so hot. I loved how he had a cheer background and was able to support her with that.

Overall it’s a sweet, easy read that gives you the goosebumps. Thank you @kistephs and @netgalley for the e-ARC of this story. Another enjoyable read.

4.5⭐️

Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for this early proof of this book!!! This was the one of the cutest books I've read in a long time and I can't wait to read more of the author's books in the future. The characters were the best and the romance was amazing too

Ella has traded her life in England, for a year in Nashville, with the opportunity to join her new school’s elite cheer squad.
She didn’t plan on meeting Whitland’s star quarterback, Hudson Fox, on her first night in America, who’s coincidentally also trying to avoid distractions this year.
As a one-night-stand proves not to be enough for these two, loyalties are tested, and they begin to wonder if the future might not play out as originally planned.
This was a really cute college romance (with a fair amount of spice 🌶️), and I liked the fact that Hudson wasn’t ALL about the football - ultimately the sport took a backseat to his studies, which was refreshing!
The author clearly knew a lot about cheerleading, so I definitely learned something new, however I did get a little confused by some of the terminology.
It was a pretty light-hearted storyline, I really liked the characters, and I gelled with the author’s writing style so I’ll probably read more from her in the future 🫶🏼

Firstly, thank you for Netgalley for an e-arc of this book. All opinions will be my own.

This was a fun Sports College Romance. Ella and Hudson were such a good match with the immediate banter, chemistry and their shared drive to be great at their sport. While I enjoyed the football parts, the cheerleading sections of this book really stood out to me. I love how supportive Hudson was of Ella's cheerleading and life as well.
There were interesting talks about compulsive behaviours that Hudson has and I love that his friend group and Ella did not shame him for them (as an ex girlfriend of his did), but worked to understand and support him.
I wish there had been 50 more pages towards the end, as it was a bit rushed, but that didn't take away from the enjoyment.
Overall, an easy read with loveable found family.

DNF

I really loved the cover and concept for this one (I’m a sucker for a sports romance, especially cheerleading) but this one fell flat for me.

The dialogue felt stilted and unrealistic, and the plot was scenes strung together without any real transition.

Thank you to Penguin for ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Firstly, thank you so much for the review copy!

This was the first book I’d read from Ki Stephens but I thoroughly enjoyed it and am looking forward to reading more of her work!

As someone who is British, I can sometimes find the depiction of British characters a bit cringy and playing too hard into stereotypes, however this wasn’t the case at all in Game On.

I really loved this book and found it to be a heart warming, realistic and easy read. I would 100% recommend this book for anyone looking for a feel-good book!

SPICE: 0.5🌶

BOOK TROPE:
🏈 College romance
🏈 Slow burn
🏈 Instant attraction
🏈 Predictable plot


Game On by Ki Stephens was a cute college romance that had its sweet moments.
While I enjoyed the overall vibe of the story, it felt quite predictable, which is why I’m giving it 3 stars.

There were parts that left me wanting more explanation or depth, but it was still a decent and easy read for when you're in the mood for something light and familiar.

Thank you to NetGalley for selecting me to receive a copy of Game On by Ki Stephens to review. I promise that this review is unbiased and reflects my own opinions of the book.

Ella is a cheerleader from Oxford University- England and is on a year abroad program as she moved to Whitland University - Nashville, USA. She meets football star Hudson on her first night and they both hit it off and have a one night stand. However, there’s a strict No Fraternisation rule between football players and cheerleaders.

I rated this book 4 stars⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. The spice within this book hit! I thoroughly enjoyed the chemistry and tension between the two main characters. At times I did experience a bit of whiplash as they move move through the course of their relationship, one minute they’re not friends and aren’t speaking and the next they’re all over eachother! There were parts which had me giggling and kicking my feet. I found several parts incredibly comical and thoroughly enjoyed which made the book go up in my estimations. The spice was brilliant! I love love love how it was written and found it incredibly descriptive!

There’s quite a few tropes covered within that will appeal to most readers such as forbidden romance. I recommend as a great feel good read where there’s plenty of tension between the two main characters.

Available on 14th August 2025. This one you don’t want to miss!

This is a proper romance, complete with arguments, friends in common and slow discoveries of who people are. Ella is great, fun, sexy and a little bit a fish out of water as she arrives to cheer at Top US university, She is recently dumped and just wants to have a n amazing year in the States. Hudson is also an attractive and 3D character who appeals and who I wanted to know more about, The backdrop of university high level cheerleading was well told, it was the central focus holding the plot together and really made this an active and engaging romance. Some well told sexy time didn’t hurt either.

Ella is an Oxford student and cheerleader who is on exchange in the USA. Hudson is a quarterback . Each character has a bad relationship with thier parents. The book is about found family and an easy to read sports romance.

Game On had all the classic high school romance vibes—an English transfer student, a charming American quarterback, and the cheerleader/jock dynamic. It was cute in parts, but overall, it just didn’t fully hit for me.

I really struggled to connect with Ella. While Hudson showed real growth throughout the story, she kind of stayed in the same place, and that made their relationship feel a little unbalanced. Hudson actually ended up being the more interesting character, which I didn’t expect going in.

Weirdly enough, it was the side characters that stood out the most. I found myself way more invested in them than the main couple, and if there’s a second book focusing on any of them, I’d definitely give it a shot.

I really loved this book and thanks to Ki and NetGalley for allowing me to read this as an ARC!
I feel this book was really well written. It’s what I would describe as a pallet cleanser. Something very easy to read, easy to follow but also really happy, cosy and enjoyable. Sometimes we want something that’s easy going and not difficult to read. That’s exactly what this book was.
I loved how there was drama immediately so I think it will get the reader hooked fairly fast. It was also very fast paced. Exploring the drama of that section whilst also moving on fairly quickly. Again it’s perfect to read as a little pallet cleanser.
I really enjoyed Hudson as a character. He didn’t give the same old ‘jock’ mentality. He had lots of layers to his personality and was good to see that.
Same as Ella it was really nice for her to find her own.
Together I adored them! They had so much instant chemistry. I’m glad how we watched them progress gradually to enemies fighting a connection, to friends, to friends with benefits then a relationship. The epilogue was perfect.
Glad they didn’t drown on about Jamie too much, boy GOODBYE
Honourable mention to the side characters. Levi gives such golden retriever energy! I loved him. I think the author set up for a 2nd book with 2 of the side characters which I won’t mention but I’d love if they did!

4*

Thank you to Ki Stephens, Penguin Books and NetGalley for an advanced copy of Game On in exchange for an honest review.

This book was everything I expected and more! Game On follows the story of college football player Hudson Fox and cheerleader Ella Davies, who has moved across to Whitland University in Nashville for a study abroad year, through one academic year.

I really enjoyed reading the individual character development for each main character, Ella moving on from her ex-boyfriend and Hudson continuing to come to terms with his father leaving his family.

I felt like the British representation in the book was accurate and not overly pushed, as in some books that I have read recently. And the epilogue was a perfect ending to a super sweet story!

I have already downloaded The Trade by Ki Stephens and am super excited to read it!

Thank you again!

Such an easy read.
College football/cheerleader romance with some twists and turns along the way. Loved Ella and Hudson from the beginning. Would definitely recommend!

This was such a cute college romance between a cheerleader from England and an Athlete at her university in America. This was such an easy read, i sat and finished it in one sitting and really enjoyed it!

Wonderful book about stepping out of your comfort zone to find yourself! I loved the accuracies with regards to the vastly different locations and the overall pace of the book. Ella and Hudson were amazing. No miscommunication, just a wonderfully sweet tale of learning to take what you want. I loved the journey of Hudson and Ella and whilst some tropes were evident the ending wasn't outwardly predictable. Some parts felt a tiny bit easy for the main couple but this certainly did not take away from my overall love of the story and character arcs.

I had much higher hopes for this book than the two previous ones I was reading because I love college romances and the chemistry between Hudson and Ella seemed clear from the beginning. Unfortunately, the book lapsed into a kind of repetitive stasis from the moment the two main characters agreed to their arrangement, and it honestly didn’t feel like there was anything carrying the story forward. There were a lot of elements that felt predictable, like the partner change for Ella’s cheer competition, and the banter between Ella and Hudson just kind of disappeared. I was intrigued by Hudson’s paranoia around fires and checking his house and I was keen to see that get explored, and then it never was. Unfortunately the book really just meandered its way through so it’s a no from me.

Thank you to evermore and Ki Stephens for the early review copy of Game On, it was such a pleasure to read!

2025 Read: #37
Rating: 5 ⭐
Releases: August 14th

THE BLURB 📖
**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 goal: 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 shatters. Soon, tumbling from the pyramid becomes the least of Ella’s worries. Because instead of hitting the mat, she's falling hard for the quarterback. . .

MY THOUGHTS 💭
✨ Y’all I love love LOVED this, it was such a fun read!
✨ Ella and Hudson are EVERYTHING!
✨ He’s a quarterback and a history buff AND a former cheerleader!!
✨ I loved the exchange aspect of the story
✨ The cats name is SOURDOUGH, how precious
✨ All of their friends are so much fun!
✨ I grew up watching my sister do cheerleading so it was fun to imagine the routines