I was really excited to read this book as the premise sounded like so much fun!
To quickly sum up: a wealthy resident of a town passes away and leaves some money behind to two people. The catch? In order to win the money, a series of challenges have been created and the town's residents paired up. To make it more interesting, the pairs were decided by the wealthy benefactor, who paired up enemies, forcing people who don't really get along to work together if they want to win.

The book's romance focuses on Jess, a book editor who was born and raised in the town, and Carter, the grandson of the wealthy benefactor (Jasper) who arrives in town for the funeral but then is roped into playing the game when he is paired up with the owner of the local bar.
To put a different spin on things, the author has made this book a quadruple point of view, so in addition to Jess and Carter, we have Ross, Jess's dad, as well as Nikki, Jess's enemy and teammate.

This book definitely had some laughs, particularly with some of the more ridiculous challenges the townspeople had to undertake (racing down a hill in kid-sized jeeps, for instance), and some more serious moments, particularly as Jess learns some information about someone important to her.

The romance didn't quite feel like the A-plot here, but it was nicely done. It is a closed-door romance, so don't expect any explicit sex scenes. The book (apart from the epilogue) takes place over the course of a week, so the romance wasn't quite insta-love, but pretty close to it.

Overall, it was fine for me. I was really thrown off by the quadruple point of view and don't feel that it was necessary for the book. I also felt that the time jump between the end of the book and the epilogue was pretty big and there was potential for some lovely scenes in the time that was jumped. I also found I had to suspend reality for a bit with the notion that so many people in a town could take time off work for a week with no notice. Some townspeople clearly couldn't do that, but still, it required a bit of imagination.

Thanks to NetGally, Putnam/PenguinRandom House, and the author for an early copy of the book. Opinions are entirely my own.

LacieWaldon has done it again with this fun and energetic novel! It has a little bit of everything from family drama, romance & adventure! I thoroughly enjoyed the storyline and found the characters relatable. If you’re looking for an entertaining & feel good read, then you need to read this one!

What a gorgeous, warm hug of a book! Waldron’s books are compulsively readable and while this was a little different from her other two, I think it’s my favorite. I’m a sucker for a small town story and Redford, GA captured my heart.

The story stayed unpredictable and remarkably trope free for a corporate type in a small town learning the meaning of life! I loved the games presented and the humor throughout. The story was upbeat and heartwarming despite some heaviness of content, and I loved the colorful, optimistic main character, Jess! Can she be my bestie?

Highly recommend this for a fun pick-me-up!

An overall wholesome and heartwarming read!

I loved the unique, quirky characters that always find their way into the most perfect small town and the different perspectives we got with not only the main characters, Jess and Carter, but with Nikki's and Jess' father.

The only thing that I wanted more of was romance, but this one definitely delivered with the small town feels and characters that you couldn't help but love!

Thank you to NetGalley and GP Putnam's Sons for this digitial ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Honestly, this book was picture perfect and cute. Far from realistic, at times I wanted more depth from the characters, but it was also hard to avoid falling in love with the town, the characters and their relationships. I wanted to jump right into the story to be a part of their lives. It was just a sweet, cute and fun read.

Jess Reid loves her town of Redford. Which is why she returned after college graduation. Carter finds himself in Redford, a town he has only heard about, after his grandfather, Jasper, passed away. When it is announced that a game has been created (and teams already formed) to determine who is the recipient of Jasper's millions. Will Jess and Carter be able to avoid the attraction between one another? Or will their competitive side get the best of them?

Thank you Netgalley for my advanced reader copy

Before reading this book I’d never read anything by Lacie Waldon, but the premise of the book just sounded too cute to pass up. She really nailed the feel of small town life and I loved these characters. So what’s the story? In the small down of Redford, Georgia, Jasper Wilhelm, an eccentric millionaire, has died. He’s had a big influence on the town, bigger than most people ever knew. And many mourn his passing, including the book’s heroine, Jess Reid a freelance romance book editor. We also have Carter Barclay, Jasper’s grandson who until now has never been to Redford, though thanks to work he’s done with/for his grandfather he’s more than a little familiar with the people of Redford. After a meet cute between those two, in which we also meet some of the other residents of Redford (some you’ll love to hate, lol) we get to the driving forced of the story. Jasper’s will. He’s leaving his fortune to the people of Redford…kind of. His fortune will be given to the team that wins a series of competitions stipulated in his will. Sounds really cute, right? Well, I thought so. If you are thinking Jess and Carter are going to do the competition together and fall in love…well, guess again…kind of…I mean it is a romance after all, but they aren’t teamed together. You see Jasper had something else in mind. One of his stipulations was that he had already decided on the pairings for the teams. And for many, they are being partnered with the people they’d least want to play with. The Only Game in Town is a sweet, humorous, and very touching story. I totally enjoyed this one and would like to thank PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, G.P. Putnam's Sons and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of Lacie Waldon’s The Only Game in Town.

https://www.amazon.com/review/R171TKHQSDZZKA/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

This is the sweet, quirky small-town romance I didn't know I needed in my life. And how adorable is that cover? The characters are my favorite part of the story. Jess and Carter had this appealing, offbeat will-they-or-won't-they vibe that kept me reading. Nikki is a hot mess yet I couldn't wait to see what she was going to say or do next. The entire premise for the game, the underlying purpose for the game, and the big cash prize were super clever as well.
I lost interest for a bit in the middle of the story. The plot definitely had a few weak spots. Overall, The Only Game in Town is delightful. I smiled at the satisfying ending.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the complimentary copy. All opinions shared here are my own.

If you are in the mood for a cute small town romance, grab this and you won't be disappointed. The town of Redford is competing for a chance to win a huge amount of money left by one of the towns residents Jasper. His grandson Carter went to the funeral and was shocked to be included in the game. Jess, local resident is overjoyed to compete and also get to know the competition a bit. This story is funny and so sweet! I loved every bit of it!

Thank you so much Penguin Group Putnam and NetGalley for this ARC.

THE WAY I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!!!!!

The premise was so clever and of course Lacie’s writing was stunning.

She is the rom com blueprint for me.

Jasper, a wealthy resident of Redford, dies and leaves his beloved small town a chance to compete for his fortune. Participants with grudges and bad blood between them are forced to work together. And sweet book editor Jess starts to fall for her competition—Jasper’s grandson, Carter, who has heard about Redford his whole life but is just now seeing why his grandfather found it so special.

I love this cover so much. And a blurb from Christina Lauren? Sold!

🛶 small town setting
🛶 a high-stakes game with a life-changing prize
🛶 multiple POVs
🛶 town feuds & hijinks

Small town settings have been my favorite lately. There were so many fun characters and the games added an interesting element! I didn’t feel super invested in the romance. I was actually more drawn to the other storylines — old enemies becoming friends, the father/daughter relationship, the adventurous games, etc.

Overall, this was a quick read and would be perfect summer/vacation read!

Review of The Only Game in Town by Lacie Waldon @allaboutthatlace.

What an amazing book. I really enjoyed this one. I adored the small town setting and all of the fun and quirky characters who live there. They are a story all by themselves and I was rooting for them every single step of the way. This one was quite humorous at times which I really appreciate. There is romance in here but the entire story is not romance focused.

Quick synopsis: Jess lives in a very small town in GA where she keeps an eye on her father. She sees a handsome new stranger in town who is named Carter and she soon finds out that he is the grandson of the recently deceased Jasper. Jasper was a wealthy leader in their small town. Snd it turns out he wants to leave his fortune to some of the people in his town. Even better he has designed a huge game foe which the winners will receive his money. He has even paired each player with a partner that they must compete with. Let the games begin!

I know this book might be promoted as romance but the romance is really on the back burner in this book. I wasn’t mad about that but I do wish it had been a little bit more in the forefront. This was a cute read but didn’t blow me away. I love a small town setting with eccentric townspeople and this definitely delivered on that. This is actually a multi POV where we hear the two main characters (Jess and Carter) sides plus Jess’s dad and frenemy Nikki. I love a multi POV but I really felt like this book didn’t need the additional voices outside the main characters. I loved the themes in this book of putting down roots, overcoming misunderstandings, and find community.


Read if you like:
▫️small town settings
▫️slow burn romance
▫️father/daughter storylines

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the eARC copy—I’ve been wanting to read a Lacie Waldon book.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (0-5)
Steam: 🔥🔥 (0-5) Closed door.

What I’m Starry-Eyed Over:
🤩 That book cover totally gets my attention. I just love it. It’s the perfect mood for small-town springtime and summertime adventures.
🤩 Redford, Georgie—so much small-town fun (and games galore).
🤩 Multiple POV—clever and varied personalities but clear characterization.
🤩 Photo scavenger hunt competition plus so many other great competitions.
🤩 Purposely paired partners—enemy banter abounds.
🤩 Fabulous flirting between MCs Carter and Jess. They are so cute but just such good, caring people too.
🤩 This book is a fun, silly, and flirty romcom. But, it’s so much more—it’s about friendship, family, and home.
🤩 Nikki is a lot. But she totally makes the book movie material. There’s got to be a Sharpay, right?!

What I’m Wishing/Dizzy About:
💫 I wanted more of those flirty, lusty feels towards the end too.

The Only Game in Town was a welcome change from the usual small town romance. I think this was because of our heroine, Jess. She was so charming in her quirkiness, just living life with a sunny disposition, not really letting anything get her down. When she’s paired with her arch nemesis in the contest, she struggles to find a kernel of good in Nikki’s hard core and manages to keep her sunny disposition. It’s not surprising that Carter can’t resist Jess because I couldn’t either! I wanted to transplant myself into that town and/or find my own Jess best friend in my own town because she is just irresistible and good.

Did I believe that Carter’s more stoic nature and Jess’s rainbows and butterflies personality would be irresistible to each other? YES! As the book went on and more kooky scenes unfolded he loosened his tie and found himself smiling at her antics and looking forward to her personality. There’s something about a straight-laced man loosening up that is also hard to resist and in the end I think they were perfect for each other.

There was, of course, a lot of conflict in this novel. It wasn’t just a fluff contest and a small town romance. There was death, alcoholism, and rivalries to overcome, but it was all told in a way that touched my heart and made me want to keep turning the pages to see how that storyline would end. Truly, this was a well crafted novel with great characters. What’s not to like about that? ❤️❤️❤️❤️❣️

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review and it was honest.

I could have done without the multiple POVs as it took away from the romance. It also had me thinking that Jess’s dad might get with the person that needlessly bullied her for years. Also she never apologized for doing so? I just couldn’t handle how Jess just forgave her without Nikki showing any remorse.

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
SPICE: 🔥

Carter Barclay's grandfather was the rich benefactor of the small town Redford. Jasper Wilhelm was very wealthy and also very eccentric. When he passed away, he set up the passing of his inheritance into a contest: the couple who wins a series of games will take the prize.

The catch? He has created the pairs himself. Among Carter's competitors for the inheritance is town journalist Jess Reid, and while winning is his ultimate goal, he cannot help but be drawn to the townie.

This book was a love letter for small towns. It is about finding a home that is more than a roof over one's head. It is about belonging and being embraced by your found family. Add a layer of competition, and you got yourself a fun read!

Unfortunately, the romance takes a backseat to the main theme, but the focus on the community of Redford is so overwhelming that I completely forgot about it. While the love story is understated, the chemistry between Carter and Jess is undeniable. The rivals-to-lovers vibe amidst intense competitions was so fun to read.

Even though we get closed-door romance, this standalone read should entertain small-town fans.

** I am voluntarily reviewing an advance copy of this book. Thank you to Lacie Waldon, Penguin Group Putnam, and NetGalley for providing an ARC. **

A multi-millionaire from a small town sets up a game to win his inheritance— pairing up everyone who has beef with each other and forcing them to play together for the fortune.

This was a fun story full of games and adventures. The author says it’s about putting down roots. If there’s one thing I know about small towns, it’s that everyone knows everyone else’s business— and we get into it all here. That meant there was a lot going on, which made this a little long and I found parts of it to drag.

Read this if you…
- don’t mind a longer romance
- you like lots of subplots
- you’re a fan of themes surrounded small towns and a sense of community
- you’re a big Inheritance Games fan
- if you like the author’s previous work

Bonus points for…
- a fantastic father-daughter relationship
- a community that takes care of their own
- letting the past go and focusing on the future

Overall, I did enjoy this one but I don’t know if I’d be clamoring to recommend it or read it again. It was fun and would be a decent summer read.

This book unfortunately didn't work for me. I think it would be great as Hallmark movie but the cast of quirky characters just didn't work for me and everything felt very one dimensional. The premise sound great and I loved the concept, even if it fell short.

This book was really fun! I really enjoyed the small town feel of this one. I loved the premise of this book. It felt like something very unique and different when I read the description.

When the town’s wealthiest benefactor, Jasper Wilhelm, passes away he creates a competition amongst the towns people to compete for his fortune. A game with a $10 million dollar prize. Who will win the game and take home the big prize?

I did really enjoy the multi POVs, not just the MC’s but a couple of others as well which I haven’t experienced in a book yet. It was a bit confusing at first, but I easily caught on. The opposites attract relationship between with Carter and Jess was enjoyable, though at times I wished it focused more on their romance than the actual competition. This was definitely more women’s fiction than romance (which seems to be occurring a lot these days in the romance genre and us a bit frustrating). This was more a story about Jess’s personal growth and the town coming together as one.

Overall it was a good book and I did enjoy reading it.