As much as I have loved the entire Stephanie Plum series, I just feel like it is the same old same old. I'm not sure what I want to see happen but just something more. I still laughed and Diesel is back in this one which added a bit more yippee but just not enough for me to love this book.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Janet Evanovich is my go to for a story that will make me laugh. She did not disappoint. I was smiling early on but the bat hair had me laughing out loud. Lula had several laugh out loud moments. And then there is Stephanie and her usual inept ability to catch the high dollar bounty skippers on the first try. She is a hoot. Always fun to see if she will catch enough skippers to make her rent. Diesel is going to cause problems with Joe if she isn't careful. Why can't she just say no?? Diesel and Stephanie are looking for the same guy. Stephanie just wants him to reschedule his court date. Diesel has a more involved need to find Oswald. The hacker part of the story is pulled from the headlines. Hackers are such a worry currently so to have it part of this book is interesting. All my favorite characters made an appearance but some are only a small part. Stephanie's dad actually communicates. That along is shocking!!
Loved the book.

Stephanie is doing the same thing she always does and this time Diesel is back to help or tempt her, whichever description works to his benefit. They are both chasing an elusive hacker as the same cast of characters shows up to do their inimical New Jersey-thing. If you love this series, you’ll enjoy this, the 28th installment. It is more of the same. Why change a winning formula? I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

I've been reading the Stephanie Plum book since the beginning, the first 15 books or so I've reread a few times because they've made me laugh out loud or cry because I laughed so hard and are just so great. But now, 28 books later, I'm left wondering if it isn't time for the series to end? While Game On had its enjoyable moments, I didn't laugh out loud like I used to. I didn't even find Lulu's antics funny, which is crazy because she's always been funny as hell. Thankfully Grandma was her fun self or that would have just been depressing. Another thing Game On did have going for it was Diesal, whom I love. I'm so glad he made an appearance in this book because I just couldn't have taken another book that revolved around the whole Ranger/Morelli drama even though I'm firmly team Ranger. This was a quick read and although the series has gotten predictable, at least to me, I'll keep reading the series until the end.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Review posted to Goodreads and Twitter 0n 11/2/21

I have read every book in the Stephanie Plum series. This is number 28. I feel like I know all of the characters and they still make me laugh. I hope that you enjoy this book as much as I did. Even though Stephanie would be much older and Rex, the hamster, would probably have passed away, I love getting to hear from them again and again.

Stephanie Plum is at the top of her game in this 28th book of the series. Her sidekick Lula (I got a whole wardrobe based on boobs and booty.) is struggling a bit. Her hairdresser left town and she can't get the right look. On top of that she seems to be finding herself more accident-prone than Stephanie. What the what? If you love this series (and Diesel in particular) you will not be disappointed with this latest installment. There is a group called Hot Potato who is trying to save the world. Grandma Mazur is trying to learn how to be a hacker. Stephanie's mom takes up knitting. The car casualty count is greater than zero. Life is good in the Berg. Love this series so much that I will listen to Lorelei King read it to me once it is available on audio.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

Game On by Janet Evanovich is the 28th Stephanie Plum book and as funny as every, although living anywhere Ms Plum is taking your life in your hands. She is particularly lethal to cars, which blow up on a regular basis. In this tome Stephanie wakes up one night to an intruder. It turns out it is her old friend, Diesel. Her gentlemen friends rarely knock and don't both with locks. It turns out he is working for some un-named government (possibly) entity, looking for the same man Stephanie is. Obviously he is a bigger fish than those who normally jump bail and land on Stephanie's pile. They work together, well, he pulls her out of some messes.

As always, it is a funny book. Stephanie is funny and her sidekick, Lula is beyond hilarious. There is also her family, Dad, Mom, and Grandma, who are always good for a laugh. Ranger makes only a cursory appearance and Morelli is omnipresent, but not real involved. It is all Diesel. The undertones of sex, with all three men, are always present, and yet, never dwelled upon. Ranger is always available to rescue her, or give her a car. Morelli rolls his eyes a lot. It is vintage Stephanie Plum and while this one didn't make me laugh out loud, it was funny. I'm always in for Stephanie Plum.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of Game On: Tempting Twenty-eight by Simon and Schuster, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #netgalley #simonandschuster #gameon #janetevanovich

I received a copy of this book for review from NetGalley. After a two year absence, Stephanie Plum woke up once again to find Diesel in her bedroom. This time, they're after the same skip, and he's far worse than anyone knew. Fans of the series know to expect that the 28th entry into the collection will hold all of the following: explosions, cars being destroyed, chicken in a bucket, a certifiable grandmother, and Stephanie flirting with a variety of super hot guys. This book is fun, fast paced, and readers will take comfort in knowing that when you want a Stephanie Plum book, you will get a Stephanie Plum book.

I’ve been enjoying this series since 1994 and thankful for the opportunity to read about Stephanie Plum’s escapades in hunting down the latest bail evader, a cyber-criminal operating out of Trenton, New Jersey.

Stephanie is a bail bonds enforcement officer who always seems to find herself in difficult situations while chasing down bail skippers. Stephanie and her work partner, Lula, work for Stephanie’s cousin Vinnie. Lula continues to make me laugh with her wardrobe choices, hairstyles, and funny banter. I also look forward to Stephanie’s quirky Grandma Mazur’s appearance in each episode and the tension that I expect to occur between the men in Stephanie’s life. Evanovich has a winning combination in this series; engaging plots, stellar cast of characters, witty banter and just enough suspense to keep readers turning pages.

In this episode, readers will love to see hunky Diesel joining Stephanie on the trail of fugitive Oswald Wednesday, an international computer hacker. Doubtful of whether Diesel is investigating for the competition or not, Stephanie decides to watch her back and, although not technologically savvy, she doggedly attempts to lure Wednesday into her world. Stephanie and Diesel, the Swiss stud-muffin, have a flirtatious relationship and it’s obvious Evanovich has as much fun writing about him as I enjoy reading about him!

I can always count on Evanovich to provide a great escapist read with hilarious capers, unforeseen twists and edge of your seat suspense. Each time I pick up a book in this series, it’s like hanging out with good friends – I know what to expect and always come away happier from spending time in their presence.

I’m excited for a new series, The Recovery Agent, coming in March 2022.

I was gifted this advance copy by Janet Evanovich, Atria Books and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

I looked twice when I saw that this was the twenty-eighth book in Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series. While I haven't read every prior book, I do know that there is always enough backstory so you wouldn't feel lost even if this was your first one.
Stephanie, a die-hard Jersey girl works for her cousin Vinnie as a bail bonds enforcement agent. She might lack most of the skill sets that you would imagine this career would require, but she makes up for it by her uncanny ability to be in the right place at the worst time, and somehow always finds who she is searching for. This time, she is after Oswald Wednesday, an odious man who is a computer hacker and doesn't have a nice or decent bone in his body. Once again she is thwarted, I mean assisted by her constant companions like Lulu, Connie, her boyfriend Morelli, and the enigmatic Ranger, along with an appearance by Diesel, and you just know that everything that can go wrong will, twice. Her parents and grandma pop up as well, with plenty of leftovers and some questionable advice.
All I can say about this zany cast of characters is that they always make me laugh, and are hard to forget. There will be a lot of chaos, mayhem, bad decisions, lucky breaks, donuts, and fried chicken along the way, and it's a journey that lets you spend time with people who feel like they could be your friends. Nothing too dark or deep, but just an enjoyable time spent with some very unique characters.

The "Stephanie Plum" series is always good, but I think this was one of the better ones! As an ex-computer-programmer, I enjoyed the technological aspects of the story, and of course the car explosions, and Lula is always hilarious! The "mooner' also made me laugh. This series is always a fun read, and this book is no exception!

Stephanie Plum is at it again. Another mystery has fallen in her lap, however this time she is working with the mysterious Diesel. When hackers around town are being found dead with their tongues cut out and the number one suspect is the fugitive both Diesel and Stephanie are looking for they team up for a hilarious romp around town to apprehend him. Can they catch him in time? Why is he so bent on killing other hackers? Will something more then just friendship finally bloom between Stephanie and Diesel?

Overall this book is the same old Plum novel we have all grown to love. I will say that is was refreshing though to not have the book so focused on I love Morelli, no I love Ranger. This book barely had Ranger and honestly by the time that he came into the book he felt a little out of place with the storyline. Which is kind of sad because I do love a good Ranger scene. But Diesel really did take over that tension Stephanie always faces between her two men, but in a good way. He wasn't so angsty and he is just funny and a light character in comparison to both Ranger and Morelli. I also loved how Lula is the one who has all the bad luck happen to her. It was kind of nice to not have Stephanie go through 4 cars, be shot, get thrown in the dumpster etc. for once.

Thank you Atria Books and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy.

I started reading Janet Evanovich during the pandemic and fell in love with the witty prose, characters, action, and incredibly funny banter.

Game On: Tempting Twenty-Eight, the 28th book in the series, is just what I needed. Stephanie, Lula, Joe, Diesel, and the whole gang are working to locate Oswald Wednesday, an international hacker. As with previous installments, this book is full of the action, excitement, destruction of cars, and bizarre happenings Stephanie Plum fans have come to love and crave.

Each of the Stephanie Plum books can be enjoyed as a standalone read. I started with the 27th book and then went back to read the series from the start to learn how each character and their relationship to one another evolved.

These books are an easy read and I highly recommend them. The plot is always fast paced and engaging. The characters are rather funny and they add to the drama of the story, either the main plot or the many ongoing threads that run throughout all of the books.

I read the newest Stephanie Plum book every year over Thanksgiving week. When I saw this was available on #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review I was on it faster than Lula on a bucket of chicken. Typical Stephanie Plum fun. I enjoyed Game On: Tempting Twenty-Eight as I have the others in the series. I could have used a little more Ranger, but who couldn't. You won't be disappointed!

4.5 Stars

In Game On, Stephanie teams up with Diesel and a couple of decent computer hackers to find Oswald Wednesday--the ultimate computer hacker. He's a sadistic guy who uses knives and guns to make his point. He seems to stay one step ahead of Diesel and Stephanie, and he leaves a trail of dead bodies in his wake. Both Morelli and Ranger play their parts well, but the focus is more on Diesel and Stephanie, with an occasional appearance from Diesel's cousin, Wulf.

After devouring nearly every book this author has published, it's evident that the Stephanie Plum novels are somewhat formulaic. The shady character's names change from volume to volume, but certain plot elements remain consistent--explosions, Joe and Ranger, Lula, bail bonds, Vincent and Connie, funerals, donuts, fried chicken, grandma Mazur, and dinners with her parents, to name a few. Nevertheless, this volume feels fresher than some of the more recent ones. There seems to be more humor in it as well, and there are some classic and repeatable lines deployed, such as those found in a conversation between Stephanie and Diesel grouping Lula's snoring with sounds made by Chewbacca. Believe it or not, there are some poignant moments as well; for example, when Stephanie's mother finds an additional purpose for her life by learning how to knit, and compares the process of knitting a scarf to her perfectly imperfect life. These elements (and others) bring more depth and dimension to certain characters, and added to this reader's enjoyment of this story.

The story moves along at a perfect pace; it didn't feel rushed, and it didn't drag. The plot is engaging, as the villain is truly a bad dude, and always seems to stay a step or two ahead of everyone who is after him. The ending is slightly different from normal as well, and this element enhances the 'fresher' feel of this story. There are several 'laugh out loud' moments in this book, so be prepared for concerned looks from strangers if you read this one in public...or for complaints from your significant other, if you read this story in bed and they are already asleep!

Janet Evanovich brings Diesel back to team up with Stephanie Plum in the 28th book in this entertaining and beloved series. Stephanie and Diesel, with the help of Lula, are on the hunt for an evil international hacker. This book is exactly what you would expect as a reader of the series. There are laughs and adventures along with a host of familiar characters that make a Stephanie Plum novel complete and some new ones you will find yourself rooting for. If you are new to the series or a longtime reader, you will not be disappointed!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the Advanced Readers Copy!

Game On is the 28th book in the Stephanie Plum mystery series. Stephanie Plum, an inept bail bond enforcer, is searching for a computer hacker who failed to appear for court. As is typically the case in this series, Lula is Stephanie’s right hand woman, and hijinks ensue. The plot will feel familiar to those who are longtime readers of the series. I feel like the series may have run its course as it currently stands, but I would love to see a book featuring Lula as the main character! I did appreciate that there was significantly less profanity in this book than in many of the previous books, yet the humor was maintained.

Thanks go to NetGalley and Atria Books for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Love Stephanie Plum and Janet! Have read every single book in this series and most of her other books. This one does not fail to deliver!

The whole gang is present - Lula, Joe, Ranger and even Diesel! More destroyed cars than usual, poor Lula getting shot and the fun, laughs and mayhem rolls on!

Love these books and these characters!

Stephanie Plum is back in the 28th book in the popular series by Janet Evanovich. This time Stephanie, a somewhat clumsy bail bond enforcement agent, is on the trail of a computer hacker. She is joined by Diesel, whom she hasn’t seen in more than two years, who is also tracking the same dangerous fugitive.

Game On is a typical Stephanie Plum caper, filled with danger, murder, and the obligatory car explosions and fires. The story is fast-paced and the characters are as quirky as ever (Grandma is still my favorite).

Janet Evanovich has created the perfect combination of humor, suspense, and even a little romance which she has blended together to make the Stephanie Plum books a bestselling series. Game On is an easy read and one that her legion of fans will enjoy.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review.

I have been reading and enjoying Stephanie Plum’s adventures as a bond enforcement agent (bounty hunter?) for twenty-five+ years (gasp!), ever since One For The Money. And everytime a new one comes out, it makes me happy to know I’m in for hours of entertainment. Seriously, I can’t think of any that let me down…so along comes Game On: Tempting Twenty-Eight, #28 in the series, and thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley, I received a copy in exchange for this honest review.

For anyone who hasn’t read any of the series, not to worry. Each stands on its own (although I think it’s fun to see how the characters and their relationships progress), so you can dive right in and you will know soon enough who these people are. Stephanie works for her Uncle Vinnie, a bail bondsman in Newark, New Jersey. Stephanie has an ongoing relationship with cop Joe Morelli, and then there is Ranger, super sexy owner of a “security company,” always there to help her when she destroys another car or gets into whatever bizarre trouble she manages to find — or initiate.

Stephanie lives in an apartment with her hamster Rex and works with Lula, a former “woman of the evening,” and they manage to get Grandma involved along the way. One night, fellow apprehension agent Diesel shows up in her apartment, in town to look for Oswald Wednesday, a brilliant international hacker who is reportedly in town. It isn’t totally clear whether Diesel is her competitor or partner in the search for Oswald, but there is plenty of threatening action, murders, and general property destruction as(especially automobiles!) as Stephanie and Lula do their thing.

It was the perfect read to escape the pandemic for awhile: a bit zany, plenty of laughs, some surprises, and the ongoing dilemma of the impossible choice for Stephanie between Joe and Ranger. But, really, why have to choose? She has both of them (in different ways, but always entertaining for her and for the reader). It isn’t by any means lofty literary reading, but it is well written, fun, and an awesome diversion. It is what it is, and for me it is 5 stars. One of the best SP stories in recent memory!