I really liked the interaction with the grandmother, but the chemistry between the main character and Tyler felt very akward and not funny at all. I don`t know, i think i expected more.

I was quite entertained by this friends to lovers story. I appreciated Laura Heffernan's quirky characters and their intriguing interests and careers. The story itself is well plotted, moves quickly and ends satisfactorily. Both the hero and heroine are fully dimensional characters as are the supporting characters. The dialogue was crisp and fit both situation and character. Make Your Move is part of a series but stood alone just fine. I would read more from laura Heffernan.
I received my copy through NetGalley under no obligation.

What a fun quick read! I loved the originality of this story. The characters were a fun bunch & i look forward to reading the next in the series!

Make Your Move is a quick, fun read.
I loved that Shannon was a gamer and not worried about the dating scene.
It is a well-written and realistic book! Highly recommend if you love friends to more than friends trope!
This is my first book by Laura Heffernan & I will definitely be picking up the rest of this series!!!

This is the first romance I've ever read with a demisexual heroine. Shannon is pretty happy with her life. She has a fulfilling day job at an educational game company, and she is working on her own epic board game designs by night. She shares a house with her nurturing grandma, and has game nights with her friends, and doesn't really want or need a romantic relationship.

When her friend Tyler needs a new place to live, and all of the Craigslist roommates she's interviewed have been hilariously terrible (one takes a shower and steals her toothbrush!), she offers to let him move in. They had one awkward moment a few months ago, but Shannon explained that she wasn't attracted to him (or anyone), and they agreed to stay friends. Of course, being demisexual means that just because Shannon isn't attracted to Tyler now, doesn't mean she might not be attracted to him in the future, which could get complicated....

This book is hilarious, and definitely my favorite of the series. Shannon is so witty, and increasingly ridiculous things keep happening to her. There's a villain who's practically a cackling witch, and a surprise encounter with someone at her grandma's apartment, and it goes on. I was satisfied with the resolution, and with the way Shannon's demi orientation is portrayed.

I haven't read anything else by Laura Heffernan besides the Gamer Girls books, but I could read another whole series with these characters.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC to review.

Tyler has had a crush on Shannon for a long time, the crush is not reciprocated. However when Shannon needs a roommate and Tyler needs a place to live it seems like fate is throwing them together.

When Shannon realises her feelings for Tyler he is already seeing someone else. Can they work things out and make a go of it together?

This is the third in the ‘Gamer Girls’ series. It is a quick easy read.

Thanks to Kensington Books for the ARC!

This is the third book of the Gamer Girls series. After meeting Gwen and Holly, now it's time to learn more about their friend, Shannon.

Unlike the other girls, Shannon's single. The fact that she doesn't have a boyfriend isn't a problem for her, but that doesn't stop people from making assumptions about her life. Her family members are always telling her to find someone and "be happy".

I thought it was interesting to read a book about a demisexual woman (she doesn't feel sexual attraction for people before having a deep connection with them). It's actually the first time I read a story in which the main character speaks so openly about this subject, with the right names and everything. In case the reader never heard of this before, there's no reason to worry. She'll explain everything.

"People thought demisexuals didn’t want love, but that wasn’t true at all. I believed in love, in relationships, in finding the right person to spend the rest of my life with. Plenty of demisexuals or asexuals also believed in marriages of convenience and companionship, but I wanted the whole package. Maybe someday I’d find myself attracted to someone at the same time they wanted me, but today wasn’t that day."

Shannon's looking for a roommate. Her friends suggest that Tyler should live with her, since they're already friends and he also needs a place to stay. The problem is, Tyler used to have a crush on her, and they kissed while they were in Mexico for Gwen and Cody’s wedding. When that happened, she told him she didn't feel anything special for him, so they wouldn't go any far... He understood, but was still hopeful that maybe she'd change her mind.

Now, Tyler claims he's over her and would love to be her roommate. He's even dating someone else already... And Shannon hates the girl, Megan... Mostly because they work together, she's her boss's daughter and she's always making sure that everyone knows she's above them, even though she barely knows how to do her job.

So... Yeah.
Living with a cishet guy could be complicated.
Especially a guy who used to have a crush on her.
And was currently dating someone she hated.
But Shannon had no other option at the moment, so she decided to take this challenge.

I honestly wasn't expecting to enjoy this book as much as I did. It was a great surprise!
I think it's my favorite of this series! I

This was a pleasant enough read, and I finished this in roughly day. I do enjoy like stories have that readability. But this was also a very placid and boring read. I just felt a total disconnect to the characters and wasn't invested. I thought the story, the problems and even the relationship was just very shallow. Maybe I'm not a fan of the forbiddeness aspect of their relationship as well. I felt that all the good stuff came too late. This felt more like a fluffy contemporary read, than a romance book.

make your move is the third book in the gamer girls series, this time the focus is on tyler and shannon. tyler has had a crush on shannon from the start, but shannon is a demisexual and doesn't feel sexual attraction without forming a deep, personal connection with her partner. this is a fact she had to explain to tyler when he misread her signals and kissed her during a friend's wedding.

things between them are awkward, though most of the awkwardness stems from shannon's insecurities about her sexuality. she finds that most people don't understand what she needs, and she despairs of finding that meaningful connection she needs in order to have a fully realized relationship.

when tyler moves in as her temporary roommate, they start spending more time together, and shannon learns more about him. including the fact that he's moved on and has a girlfriend who happens to be shannon's nemesis at work. things get messy as they do, and when tyler accompanies her on a work trip, she realizes that she does feel more from him than friendship.

but it's too late right? he's moved on. but his new girlfriend is terrible, and maybe he might still have feelings too? things get messier, and it takes a while for shannon and tyler to get on the right wavelength. we see all of this play out from shannon's perspective and while tyler takes most of the blame for what went wrong between them, i think shannon was the actual problem with her insistence on holding things back and inadvertent expectation that tyler could read her mind/know her feelings without her telling him. she holds back crucial info, but his apology/grand gesture is actually pretty sweet, so i am going to let that go.

**make your move will publish on december 17, 2019. i received an advance reader copy courtesy of netgalley/kensington books (lyrical shine) in exchange for my honest review.

I was drawn to Laura Heffernan’s Make Your Move mostly because of the cover (isn’t it gorgeous?), and because of the tag under it that says “A Gamer Girls Novel.” I didn’t really realize at the time that it was not the first one in the series (this is the third), but I loved the idea of the main character being a gamer. I love games, from video games to board games, escape rooms and everything in between, so I was excited to dive into this world.

I really enjoyed the world in which this novel takes place. I love that Shannon and her friends are all nerdy game-lovers, but they aren’t portrayed as painfully awkward and introverted. I have a lot of friends who enjoy games as much as I do, and we’re all very different, and Heffernan really reflected that in the story.

I did struggle a bit, however, with the fact that I had a really hard time keeping track of who was who when it came to her friends. I think it has something to do with the fact that this is the third book in the series (and the first two probably focus on other couples in the friend group), but as a person coming in blind, I would have appreciated maybe a little bit more of an explanation as to who people were…by the end I couldn’t pinpoint anyone and just considered them all the same person, really.

This feeling of confusion wasn’t helped by the dialogue. It didn’t seem super natural for a group of friends who knew each other really well (or coworkers who worked together for years). For some reason, I felt like the dialogue was just moving the plot along—which is totally fine, because something needs to make that happen—but in this case it was at the expense of the characters’ interactions.

That being said, I LOVED Shannon, the main character, and how the story progressed around her. I will admit, I’ve never read anything featuring a demisexual character before (nevermind a protagonist), and it was very refreshing to have it just be. Sure, Shannon’s sexuality complicated things a little bit, but her sexuality was not the main point of the story, nor was it used as something that make her quirky or different. I applaud Heffernan for thinking of those little details.

If you like cute love stories and a lot of talk about board games, I definitely recommend you pick this one up. Heck, I might even go back and read the first two novels in the series…once I’ve caught up from my blogging slump, of course!

3.5 STARS


“As difficult as it had been for me to realize that I was fine on my own, that I didn’t need a partner, it was just as tough to admit that it was also okay to be with someone. Freedom to be alone meant freedom to choose not to be alone, too.” —Laura Heffernan, Make Your Move

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was my first experience with this series. It is definitely different from the typical romance story. It did keep me turning the pages.

ARC: Make Your Move is about ,Shannon,a girl who loves to make board games. She currently works for a company that makes children’s games but Shannon really wants to make games for adults. The book follows Shannon as she works at this company while working through troubles in her daily life, whether it be from family, co-workers, or friends.

Make Your Move was a great book! It is a very easy read and was captivating from page one. I really enjoyed reading this book, because it was light and at times funny. The characters were well written and as I was reading I really felt like I was there with them. This was a relatable book and offered a lot of great quotes to keep in mind.

I highly recommend this book! You get workplace drama, comedy, and a love story all in one book. I will definitely be buying this book for my friends!

Make Your Move is an interesting novel by new to me author Laura Heffernan. Shannon, the main character, is a gamer. She creates games for a living and loves to play games. She is the ultimate gamer. Shannon has never been in love because it takes her a really long time to convert friendship or like into something more meaningful. Tyler is a friend that enjoys playing games. He has crushed on Shannon for some time, but she has never felt anything romantic toward him. So when Tyler needs a place to stay and Shannon needs a new roommate, she reluctantly agrees to let him move in.

Shannon and Tyler attend a conference together and their excitement is enticing. Amazingly and all of a sudden, Shannon begins to develop feelings for Tyler. She believes Tyler is still dating one of her snarky coworkers, so she is resistant to act on her new affections. Luckily, it all works out in the end.

I liked this book, however some of the terminology was new to me. Shannon's group of friends are fun, and I enjoyed getting to know them. Overall, a solid read.

Complimentary copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.

This book is the 3rd and final book in this series and it is Shannon O'Rourke's story. Shannon has never been in love but would love to be. She just needs to feel a strong connection to someone before she can even begin to think about dating them. When Shannon's roommate moves out the only person interested in moving in who is normal is her friend Tyler, the same one who kissed her at Gwen's wedding when she felt nothing. Shannon lets Tyler move in even though he may still have feelings for her. As Shannon gets to know Tyler better, she starts to realize that she has a connection to him but there is a problem....now Tyler is dating one of Shannon's co-workers...Megan...whom she does not like.

All through the story just when it looks like things may go Shannon's way and she will get her happy ending....she gets thrown a curve ball....both in her personal life or her professional life. When Shannon finally realizes what it is that she truly wants out of life her happiness starts to fall into place.

Overall I enjoyed this book. At times it seemed as though the story was jumping all over the place but I really did like the general story. I love the ideas of the types of games she would try and design....sounds like a fun job. Tyler sounds like a perfect, dreamy guy! Together they made a fun couple.

I must admit this book was my favourite of the whole series. I was laughing quite a lot. I was also sad for Shannon. I was cheering for her. While she was thinking about new games I wanted to get all our board games out of the chest and start to play.
And I also have to say the whole series couldn't get better ending than this one. It was just perfect.
Shannon deserved it and thankfully both characters could recognise their mistakes and right the wrongs. Anyway I loved this book and could only recommend the series.

4.75
After the last couple of romances I read were meh, I was almost dreading to pick this one up. But I’m so glad I did! This novel gave me all the feels!
Shannon is twenty-eight and single, which is fine by her, since dating isn’t really her thing. She’d rather spend her time playing and creating games. She dreams of manufacturing her own games one day, but she has bills to pay so she’s contents herself with designing game for others. She needs a roommate to help her save for her dreams and all the candidates who applied were duds. Except Tyler, her gaming buddy, of course. There’s just one small problem: he once kissed her after a moonlit walk on a beach and she‘s unsure if those unrequited feelings still lingered. But when Tyler moves in, it’s anything but awkward. He‘s the perfect roommate and after spending so much time in his company, Shannon finds herself falling for him. Only it’s now too late. He’s moved on and already has a girlfriend. Has Shannon truly missed her chance? Or has she set herself up for heartache with no one to blame but herself?
First off, I have to say I absolutely loved the demisexual representation in this novel. (I don’t think I’ve even ever read a demi protagonist before.) It was handled respectively and honestly, flowing seamlessly with the plot.
Shannon, our point of view character, is unable to feel romantic attraction to anyone unless she first develops an emotional bond with them. As you can imagine, this causes her some trouble with dating. Already an introvert, she contents herself with being alone, despite longing to have someone too. I could really relate to her and found myself completely invested in her story. I also loved how passionate Shannon was about game designing and really enjoyed learning about the different existing and invented games. I liked how the novel also addressed the issues she faced at work (view spoiler), it was hard to read, but realistic.
Tyler, the man Shannon falls for and her gaming buddy, is a quite a gentleman! He had me swooning! I love how respectful and understanding he was, how he always had her back and was willing to drop everything for her. Some of his action near the end (view spoiler) did leave me frustrated, but I totally got where he was coming from.
Im sometimes find the friends-to-lovers trope leaves me cringing, but not here! It’s done so well, so beautifully. The progress of their relationship from friendship to something more feels so organic, I was rooting for them the whole time. I should add though, since Shannon is essentially falling for Tyler while he’s dating somebody else, that there is also a love triangle here. But, despite that, no one purposely cheats. In fact, they’re determination not to makes me love them and their relationship even more.
I’d also like to mention that Shannon’s nana is simply adorable and I loved her so much! Shannon’s friendship with Gwen and Molly, and even with their own respective partners Cody and Nathan, felt very genuine.
Heffernan’s writing style is very simplistic and to the point. She’s able to craft such vivid imagery, invoke such strong emotions almost effortlessly. I felt Shannon slowly developing feelings for Tyler, I felt her despair and longing, and I felt her conviction to not act on her new found feelings for him right alongside her. All in all, I fell in love with Shannon and Tyler and Laura Heffernan’s storytelling. I’ll definitely be picking up more by her. My only complaint is I wish we got to see them being intimate after they got together. But I’ll make do with their kiss!

Please note: I received an advance digital copy of this book through NetGalley from Kensington Books and Laura Heffernan in exchange for a honest review. This does not influence my opinions in any way.

Make your move is the third book in the series and I got to love these characters from the beginning.
This book is probably my favourite of all of them.
Make your move is actually a very interesting decision to take in accepting that she’s still to fall in love and when she gets to know the real Tyler, the man who had a crush on her but she denied, and now she has to watch how he’s falling for someone else.
Friendship, real life situations and love, that’s the perfect mix for a great read.

I have been reading the Gamer Girl series since the first book, and they are really so enjoyable. Even though it is a series, each book is fully-contained stand-alone, so you can read them in any order, but you do get the most out of reading them in published order.

Make Your Move is a friends-to-lovers story that focuses on Shannon, a game designer, and her friend Tyler. When Shannon needs a roommate, she's reluctant to let Tyler move in because months ago, Tyler kissed her, and she has no romantic feelings for him at all. Plus, he's dating her work nemesis to boot! But with them living in close proximity, Tyler's feelings continue to grow, and Shannon starts to understand that maybe there is something good to be found in loving someone else and being loved in return. Their road to an HEA is paved with little bumps from the outside, but they do get there eventually, and the story is worth the read.

This is a friends to more novel that brings a wide range of diversity to the game table. Shannon has never been in love. She's really focused on her work as a game designer- and her workplace is not really all that pleasant. When she needs a room mate, she picks Tyler, also a gamer. Their friends know these two are meant for each other sooner than they do (especially since Tyler starts dating someone else). Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. It's a quick read that will appeal to those who like spunky heroines with a twist.

This book was an interesting and unique look at the friends to lovers trope. Shannon is a game designer who lives in an apartment in her Nanas house. When she needs a roommate, she reluctantly agrees to have her friend, Tyler move in. Her reluctance stems from the fact that Tyler had kissed her months earlier and Shannon didn’t reciprocate the feelings. Shannon is demisexual and has never fallen in love.
Add to the plot that Tyler is dating Shannon’s nemesis at work and it gets pretty interesting. As feelings change the outside relationships impact Shannon and Tyler’s possible HEA. In addition to a nice little plot there’s a lot of information about games in real life that sounds pretty fun. This is the third book in a series and it’s definitely readable on its own. Although I have to say, the earlier books are pretty good too.