Member Reviews
Cam and Olivia meet in a bar. His friends/hockey teammates bet him first that he can't get a date with her and then that he can't get her to keep seeing him for 2 months without falling in love with her. Olivia is more interested in seeing if the hockey player will help with her non-profit. They both realize they enjoy spending time with each other, and fun dates keep happening. Sweet, steamy, and just the right amount of hockey thrown in as the Aces make a run for the Stanley Cup. I read this as a stand-alone, but I think those who have read the series will enjoy the last chapter as a fitting conclusion.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Game On is the eighth...and final book...of the Aces Hockey series by author Kelly Jamieson. Each book in the Aces Hockey series can be read as a stand alone. However, I strongly recommend reading the entire series because the characters reappear in each book. I have had my ARC of Game On for awhile now, but held off reading it because I dreaded the fact that this series was ending. With that being said, I finally read it and have to admit that Kelly Jamieson exceeded my expectations once again, and gave the fans the perfect ending to an amazing series.
Cam Brickley...aka Brick... is the one player on the Chicago Aces team that has no interest in a permanent relationship. He is also the one person on the team that does not shy away from a bet. One night, while hanging out with his fellow teammates, he is challenged with a bet that he cannot date a woman for two months without falling in love...and that means getting the woman at the bar to agree to go out with him. Cam accepts the bet because he knows without a doubt that he will definitely win in the end.
Olivia Lockwood could have followed in the footsteps of her siblings and went to work for her father at the extremely successful family business, Lockwood Industries, but she knew in her heart that she would not be happy. Three years ago, Olivia started the nonprofit Move On Chicago, which is a charity dedicated to keeping children active and healthy...something she truly believes in. Her only problem is not having a well known spokesperson to help generate publicity and donations. All of that begins to change while she is out with her coworkers one night, and a man tries hitting on her with some really lame pickup lines. The man just happens to be a NHL player with the Chicago Aces...a man that could possibly be the solution to finding a spokesperson for Move On Chicago.
Game On captured my attention from the very first page until the very last. This is a story about two people not looking for love, but they do serve a purpose to one another. Cam wants to date Olivia to prove he can win the bet with his teammates, and Olivia needs a spokesperson for her charity. Of course, neither are aware of the other's motives, so what could possibly go wrong?
One thing I love about reading a book by Kelly Jamieson is the fact that her characters are always complex and often misunderstood. Outside appearances are just that, because as the story unfolds, the true characters are revealed. This is a story about two people, both troubled to some extent (but for different reasons), and both determined to succeed. I absolutely love the humor spread throughout this book, especially the mishaps Cam and Olivia encounter on their first few dates. From the witty banter, to the serious issues, this book has it all!
Game On is truly the perfect ending to the series! Through the eight books in the Aces Hockey series, the readers have gotten to know and love the members of the team...flaws and all. The men on the team are more than just teammates after a common goal...they are true friends that are there for one another through thick and thin. Although I am sad to see this series end, Kelly Jamieson has given the readers plenty of laughter and tears along the way. She has shown us the true meaning of friendship and love...and that family is not only people that are related by blood.
I would like to thank Random House Publishing-Loveswept, Kelly Jamieson and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review an ARC of Game On. My views are my own, and are in no way influenced by anyone else.
As a hockey fan, I had to pick up a hockey-centric sports romance. The main characters Olivia and Cam were great fun and they found themselves in some pretty hilarious situations, but I wanted more from the characters: depth, development and background, but it just wasn't there.
Jamieson tried to go for a hat trick with Game On: heart, humor and heat. And while she delivers delivers humor and heat (seriously, it's a whole lot of sexy . . .) in spades, the heart was overshadowed. Don't get me wrong, I've nothing against a racy read, but it needs the heart, emotions, character development, and storyline to back it up and not just debauchery. Or at least be labeled under erotic romance rather than contemporary romance so readers know what to expect.
I did not know there were eight previous books to the Aces Hockey series that stated it could be read together or separately, but at times the characters and dialogue were overwhelming without the context of the previous books. So it probably would have been best to start at the beginning to fully appreciate the characters and the series.
2.5 - 3 stars
This was my first time reading a book by Kelly Jamieson and I must say I loved it! I'm a sucker for hockey romances and saw the blurb on this one and thought it might be fun and I was right.
Cam Brickley is a hockey player. He is known as a playboy and loves to make bets with his friends about anything. When his fellow hockey friends bet him that he couldn't date the same person for 2 months in a row and not fall in love with her, he easily takes that bet. The hot blonde sitting at the bar is just the person that his friends pick.
Olivia Lockwood, aka hot blonde, comes from a family of lots of money. Too bad she wants to make it on her own and not work for the family business. Olivia started a charity that helps underprivileged children keep active because of her problems in her youth. When Cam Brickley hits on her at a bar instead of blowing him off she plays along. He wouldn't be interested in her because of her money and family connections and he may be just the perfect choice to be a spokesperson for her charity.
What these two didn't realize is that they were both using each other to get something they each wanted. Funny how their original plans got blown out of the water because both of them ended up wanting more from their arrangement than they first intended. I just adored these two. Olivia doesn't want to be the rich princess and wants to do something good in her life. Cam never wanted a real relationship because of things from his past but Olivia quickly changes those thoughts. Together these two were fun, flirty and down right sexy. I loved every part of this story and would highly recommend it.
Breaking the rules is his favorite past time. A heartbreaker with a bad boy image and lustful good looks, Cam has never met a challenge he can't conquer. Until Olivia. Olivia wants to matter. Her sole purpose in life is to be more than a dollar sign people hope to acquire. When Cam crosses her path, she hopes he's the one who can see beyond the money into the wounded heart underneath. Could this be real or a fantasy too good to be true? Jamieson can break a heart, tempt a soul and win a smile in one sitting. Game On is the perfect example of why she's a MUST HAVE on my Ereader.
Cam and Olivia meet by chance. Cam, as usual, takes a bet placed with his teammates to get a date with her. Olivia is a bit resistant but then decides to give him a chance. Their first date - a disaster. Their second date, not much better. They each do not want a relationship and have no issue with playing along for 2 months for Cam to win his bet with some of his teammates. I won't say what exactly happens between these two since their journey was really interesting.
Kelly Jamieson did a great job of making each of these characters easy to relate to and not annoying at all. I appreciated how big of a role hockey played in this book. It helped to cement these 2 into the series, as other characters from the other 7 books may several appearances in this. It flowed well and was a pretty quick read.
Wanted more at the end of this book and was sad to see it end.
I received an ARC from NetGalley for my honest review.
Due to a bet with his teammates, Cam needs to date Olivia for two months without falling in love. Olivia is charmed by Cam, but she doesn't want to start a relationship with him. Olivia agrees to a first date in order to charm Cam into being a star power for her non-profit organization. Neither one wants a serious relationship, but they might be swept away into a HEA. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. This is my honest and voluntarily given review. This book has a nice and sometimes amusing romance between the two main characters. Their first couple of dates could have been disastrous, but they make the best of it and give the reader amusing moments. Even though I prefer leaving the bedroom scenes behind the bedroom door, I enjoyed reading this book. This book has a lot of steam and numerous f-bombs dropped in it. There is a nice romance between the two main characters. Since it is the last book in the series, characters from previous books are caught up with at the end of the book, but this book can be enjoyed as a standalone book. I have only read the last two books in this series but plan on going back and reading the series from the beginning.
The end of an era...but the beginning of everything else.
Brick finally gets his story in Game On. Not one for love,relationships, or anything past a few "dates", he finds himself in the unmarked lands of relationshipville. Not exactly a voluntary trip either but a bet is a bet.
Come cheer on the Aces for the final installment of the series. Fight for the Cup, love, and not having to handle nasty jockstrap.
Game On : An Aces Hockey Novel
By: Kelly Jamieson
📚💕⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💕📚
Can two people afraid of love find it?
Oh my what a sweet bitter sweet goodbye to the Aces Hockey team. I could easily read them for years and years.
I am a huge fan of this author. She writes with so much intensity and emotion pulled from each book it’s felt page after page. Some are quick witted story lines that are so perfect and lets you believe you have a front row seat. So being able to read this love story didn’t disappoint. The authors ability to have two separate individuals struggling in their everyday life and try to navigate someone else’s thoughts, needs and desires was intense and gives all the fills.
Cam Brickley and his pro hockey teammates bet on everything: who can win five faceoffs in a row, who can do forty pushups in less than a minute, who can eat a ghost pepper without puking. But when his buddies bet him he can’t date the same woman—like, say, the hot blonde over at the bar—for two months and not fall in love, he’ll take that bet all day. Then he’ll laugh all the way to the hockey arena, where they’ll be washing his jock straps for the rest of the season, because Cam’s never giving up his bachelor lifestyle.
Olivia Lockwood, heiress to the Lockwood Industries fortune, is used to people using her for her money and family connections. When Cam Brickley hits on her in a club, Olivia’s first instinct is to brush him off. But he couldn’t be using her for her money, since he has more than enough of his own. Cam’s gorgeous and built, and it would be no hardship to go out with him . . . besides, he’d be the perfect spokesperson for the children’s charity she works with. Maybe it’s time for her to start using people.
Cam and Olivia are both in it for something. What they don’t know yet is that they’re playing for keeps.
I really enjoyed this book and it kept me engrossed throughout. I really loved the characters and the way they interacted with each other. This is a fun, hot, romantic must read book and I would definitely recommend this book to anyone.
This book has everything I love in a book. Then you add that it's beautifully written and believable. It is easily a five star read. Written in dual POV my personal favorite this story flows so incredibly well that the next thing you know your 80% into the book and loving every second of it. The believable way the characters interact is perfect. Run, Hop, Jump or use your (1 click) finger to do whatever you have to do and get this amazing book. It'll break your heart, you'll want to scream with frustration and it'll let you discover that love just might conquer all. The chemistry is steamy and sweet and oh so romantic.
Thanks Netgally for letting me read and review.📚💕
While this started out in a somewhat predictable fashion, I was pleasantly surprised by the outcome (avoiding spoilers here)!
Cam has a cocky confidence but Olivia has a quick wit and provides many snappy comebacks for Cam’s comments. Watching the dynamics between them is entertaining!
Both Cam and Olivia had emotional baggage to be dealt with. It was enjoyable to see how both characters grew individually as a result of their relationship.
Thank you NetGalley for providing an advance reader copy of this book. This is my honest opinion.
This was a bittersweet read for me. I had come into the Aces Hockey series late in the series (Slap Shot). But, I enjoyed the series from that point on. I got to see Hallsy, Chaser, and Nick get their HEA’s. I was left wondering who was going to be the next one to fall. When I saw that it was Brick, I went “Yes!!” I liked his character and couldn’t wait to see who he fell in love with.
I thought that the bet that Brick made with his teammates was immature. I didn’t like that he could potentially be playing with someone’s feelings. So, I was a little “eh” when he went on the first couple of dates with her. I figured that everything that happened on those dates was karma for the bet. Then Brick did something that surprised me. He told Olivia about the bet. He did it early on in the book. I thought it was awesome. Olivia did react the way I figured she would (who wouldn’t have). Then, in another move that surprised me, she decided to help Brick win the bet. I was like “no way“.
Let’s talk about the first two dates they had. I thought that the location of the first one was original and made me wonder if there is such a thing. It is a great way of getting to know someone. Take them and play a board game. I did feel bad for Olivia and Brick after the date. I have been on a lot of dates Not lately, though. Been in a relationship for 15 years. I have never had someone get sick at the end of the date. I also have never gotten sick at the end of a date. I am glad that Olivia did the right thing and let Brick stay at her condo. Poor guy would have been puking all over the Uber home. The second date went about as well as the first. A walking tour of Chicago and then dinner. What happens. Brick somehow ends up cracking his head on the floor and then Olivia dumps her drink in his crotch. For the record, I have had the drink dumping happen to me. Poor Brick…lol. The ribbing he took from the guys the next day made me die laughing in bed.
I liked Olivia but she did get kind of annoying after a while. She kept bringing up that she never felt that she measured up to her brother and sister. Which caused issues with her self confidence. While I understood it hurt, it did get old after a while. I did think that her work at her nonprofit was fascinating. I wish that it was featured a bit more than a couple of scenes at her office and the celebrity appearance Brick made.
I liked Brick. I liked that he was honest with Olivia. I liked that he made sure she knew that feelings were out of the question for him. I liked that he was a goofball. But he did annoy me towards the end of the book. He handled the situation with Olivia badly. I do wish that the Ashley substory was explained earlier in the book. Because, until it was, Brick looked like a huge jerk. After that explanation, I went “Well, no wonder he didn’t seriously date anyone.” I wouldn’t have if I had been put through that.
The sexual attraction and chemistry that Olivia and Brick had. It was off the charts hot. I loved that the author kept amping it up. I also liked that Olivia and Brick didn’t have sex right away. So, when they did, that first sex scene was smoking hot.
Speaking of sex scenes, the author kept the heat on with them. I loved it. I loved that Olivia was a bit wilder than the other girls in bed. Plus the lingerie she wore. Fantastic!!
The end of the book was bittersweet. I am not going to get into it but I had tears in my eyes. The author did a great job of bringing each character in the previous books and highlighting them. What got me was what Nick said to his brother Aleks. I was also sad that this was going to be the last book in this series.
This book appears to be the last book in the Aces series. I would suggest reading from the beginning though it is a standalone book there are a lot of other couples that get introduced from previous books that can make it confusing.
That being said I loved the banter between these two characters. Cam is cocky, but very charming. He is known to never back down from a dare and when he bets he can snag a date with the beautiful blonde across the bar, he doesn't back down.
Olivia can't believe this gorgeous guy is hitting on her, and with horrible pickup lines no less. To find out he is a well known hockey player decides for her, he can be a spokesperson for her charity. Little did they know that the chemistry between them would be super hot even with a few blunders. Innuendos to make you blush, heat to make you sizzle and everything in between!
4 1/2 stars
Cam is the last single man in his group of hockey players on his NHL team Chicago Aces. He doesn't believe in love or dating a woman long term. Never one to turn down a bet of date a woman for two months and don't fall in love, its on with Olivia. Olivia and Cam were cute together as they both fought falling in love with one another.
Their first few dates are hilarious. I literally snort laughed reading the craziness that Jamieson thought up. I was so sad that this is the last in the Aces series, but at least the reader got to see all the past couples
Cam is an NHL player for the Chicago Aces and is also a player with the ladies. So when his teammates bet him that he can’t date the blond at the bar for 2 months without falling in love ... well, he can’t pass up an easy win. After Olivia goes on a couple of dates with Cam, she finds out about the bet and agrees to play along, so that Can can win.
I loved this book! This is the best one in the series. There first date was sooo funny, I was rolling on the floor laughing. I could just feel the chemistry between Cam and Olivia burn up the pages. The banter between them just seemed so realistic. I also really enjoyed the history lesson on the Stanley Cup and Chicago. The only negative was .... having to say goodbye to the Chicago Aces Series! Not only do I highly recommend this book, I also recommend the whole series.
I have read many of Ms Jamison’s books, but I didn’t know she was from Winnipeg. Now I know why a lot of her players were Canadian and she referenced a lot of Canadian cities. Being a fellow Manitoban, it makes me proud!
I received an ARC courtesy of Random House - Loveswept through NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.
Sporty, Sexy, and Sweet!
Game On is a passionate, lighthearted RomCom about the focused, determined Olivia who has no problem going on a few harmless dates with a hunky athlete if it means some free publicity for her children’s foundation and the hard-bodied, delicious Cam who’s so happy being a bachelor that he has no problem betting on his ability to not fall in love.
The writing is crisp and light. The characters, including all the supporting characters, are charismatic, fun-loving, and kind. And the plot is the perfect blend of heat, drama, emotion, humour, sassy banter, chemistry, friendship, love, and hockey.
Game On is the eighth and final story in the Aces Hockey series, and even though it’s a little bittersweet to say goodbye to the characters we’ve come to know and love from the previous novels, it is nevertheless a fabulous ending to a superb series that I will undoubtedly miss.
Sadly, the last book in the Aces' series is one of Jamieson's more mediocre books- thanks largely to what I found a mediocre leading man. Cam can be sweet and thoughtful, but also immature and too cocky for his own good. He seems to think it's a winning combo. The premise of the book doesn't give you much to like about either character- he plans to date someone for 2 months without falling in love to win a bet, Olivia has no plans for dates or relationships but goes out with Cam to get him to be a spokesperson for her charity. As soon as he agrees, she tries to stop seeing him. You have to admire them for (eventually) being up front with each other about their motives but it's a clear case of them both having life plans and not listening to their instincts when their hearts try to change things up.
I think one of my main issues was the lack of depth to Cam. Until the very end we don't know why he doesn't do relationships. We don't get to see much depth to him until the end. While what we got ended up being well done, I wish we had gotten it earlier in the book because I would have been less frustrated with Cam. Both end up being emotionally damaged people who figure out how to make things work, a reliably excellent, traditional Kelly Jamieson trait. And the hockey scenes once the Aces get to the playoffs (especially the end scene, which I admit to crying over!) could only be written by a true hockey lover.
Frustrating characters until we get to know them, but a good overall book and an especially excellent ending scene for both the book and the series.
Fabulous. A perfect blend of romance, fun, drama and sports. Cam doesn’t like to lose, ever. When he is bet that he can’t date a woman for 2 months and not fall in love, well, he takes that bet knowing relationships aren’t his thing. Olivia is surprised when Cam approaches her at the bar and even more shocked when she agrees to a date. Well, she does need a celebrity spokesperson to help her charity, Move Chicago. Now, these two have the best first date ever that ends in the most unexpected way. Taking a chance for a second date is a gamble for both of them. Truly, this surprised me in the best way and built a great foundation for how these two just naturally connected. Of course, there are challenges along the way. Olivia believing no one will believe she measures up for love and Cam, well, he is afraid of it. As the hockey season gets more intense, can these two find a path to love? It was a great ride for me that a thoroughly enjoyed. I voluntarily read an ARC of this book and this is my honest review.
This is the first book I have read by Kelly Jamieson but it will not be the last. I now have to go read the rest of this remarkable series. Each book seems to be able to be a stand alone as this is the last book in the series and I could grasp everything that happened. The story was fast paced with lots of hockey and the slow realization that things that are worth it must be worked for to achieve. I truly loved the characters and the emotional turmoil that occurs.
What do you get when you cross a klutzy, beautiful, rich girl with a cocky, gorgeous, wealthy hockey player? You get an incredibly funny, sweet, hot story called Game On by Kelly Jamieson. With lots of hockey playing and hockey players this book is chocked full of Chicago history, hockey moves, and cheesy pick up lines that will leave the reader laughing and ready to grab their foam finger and hit the rinks. Jamieson’s brilliant writing is entertaining and had me laughing and hoping that the main characters find a way to stay together. Even though Game On is the last book in the Aces Hockey series Jamieson promises it will not be the last hockey book that she writes, which is AWSOME because she is just too good at it. Game On is worthy of a hat trick and all 5-stars.
Olivia Lockwood needs a celebrity to promote her non-profit organization to keep the donations coming in. Cam Brickley needs the gorgeous blond at the bar to go out with him to win one bet then to date him for two months to win another. One disastrous date turns to two and the duo might just be hooked, but it’s only to get what they need from the other, or is it? It’s all about donations for the kids and winning a bet, but what happens if they actually have fun together? What happens if the chemistry between Cam and Olivia is so off the charts that neither one of them can stand to be away from the other? What happens when one bet and one non-profit organization needs two people the way they need each other? It’s Game On!
Dual POV, sports romance with low angst, some miscommunication, and a happy ending.
While I enjoyed the fact that the "bet" was disclosed pretty early on, and I liked the cameradie between Cam and his teammates, and I really liked that even though this is the 8th book in a series I haven't read before I had no trouble following along...Game On just wasn't my cup of tea.
Olivia's near constant "I'm not worthy" refrain, the way the two don't recognize they're actually falling for each other, the aftermath of the bet ending, and how glacially slow the pacing of this book was...none of it made this enjoyable for me, but mostly I just found the character of Olivia utterly exhausting.
I hope you enjoy it more than I did.