Review: The Game Changer by Lana Ferguson
Thank you Berkley Romance for my copy! All thoughts are my own.
One of the series I read when I first really got into Romance is the Off Campus series by Elle Kennedy. It was pure fun and brain candy, but definitely written from the male gaze. It has such a following though and I think fans of that series will love this book. It’s like grown up off campus. It’s super tropey but just so fun and easy to read. It has a bit more sophisticated writing and adult characters yet keeps the hockey romance deliciousness.
Synopsis:
“When a very public breakup becomes a PR nightmare for Ian Chase's team, he hopes to focus on his game, but that suddenly seem less likely than a hat trick. With his career and the team’s image in jeopardy, Ian is surprised to find a solution through none other than Delilah Baker, his best friend and teammate's little sister…who isn’t so little anymore.
Delilah Baker is known as “the darling of baking” on her local cable show, and being in the public eye is her bread and butter. But with her numbers dwindling and her producers turning up the heat, Delilah offers up the half-baked idea to collaborate with her brother’s team to entice the hockey fans of Boston to tune in to her show. Delilah thinks it will be a piece of cake—until the team sends Ian Chase, her brother’s best friend and the object of a decade-long crush that she’s never quite gotten over.
Delilah's and Ian’s teams think it’s a true win-win situation—gaining higher numbers for Delilah’s show and casting Ian in a more positive light. And viewers are eating them up like a cupcake, sparking the idea to play up their relationship for the goal of good press. With more than just their careers on thin ice, the line between what’s real and what’s for show begins to blur, but one thing’s for certain: This PR stunt will either be a total game changer—or leave them both totally pucked.” —NetGalley
What I Liked:
The Tropes—Brother’s best friend, fake dating, celebrity/pro athlete! So. Much. Fun. And the tension was so good! I’ve been missing that in my romances lately.
The Pacing—I thought everything was very well paced and happened at an appropriate time! The tension was so so good and I loved how their was no third act break up. It made total sense!!!
How Fun and Entertaining It Is—I just gobbled this book up. It was very spicy, very fun, very swoony, and so much fun to read. It has a lot of depth to it while still remaining utterly entertaining.
What Didn’t Work:
Not much! I really had the best time reading this book.
Character Authenticity: 4/5 Spice Rating: 3.5/5 Overall Rating: 4/5
Content Warnings:
emotional abuse, panic attack, death of a parent, toxic relationship with a parent, gaslighting