Game On is another emotionally satisfying celebration of Black nerd women from Glass. Getting into Sam’s head is a treasure. She’s an amazing character, full of love and goodness. She is passionate and driven. I appreciated the extent to which the author includes detailed accounts of both the ups and downs of being a Black woman gamer. The character is multidimensional and layered.

Aron is a White man trying to make his company more inclusive. He’s a good soul, and he readily admits his limitations and faults. The pair have amazing chemistry from the start and they work because they listen to each other and strive to be the best versions of themselves for one another. But they also take the tarnish with the shine. I love that they both love each other for all their facets.

While Game On is a light-hearted, fun romance, it takes the harassment of Black women gamers seriously. The author doesn’t sugar-coat the issues and gives readers a small taste of reality. I appreciate that problems don’t just go away because the MCs fall in love and get an HEA.

The pair makes a lot of assumptions, like reading the tone of the voice, etc. - things that normal couples do. However, they always, immediately talk it out. It’s super healthy, even if a bit unusual for the norm, and I love that they don’t let misunderstandings or hurt feelings go on. With that said, I was a bit shocked when Aron makes a huge unilateral decision that impacts Sam without even talking to her. It felt so out of character until he made an effort to rectify the problem.

In the end, I enjoyed Game On and love this nerdy-world which Glass has created (it’s tied to The Love Con). The stories are fun and romantic while grounded in reality.

My Rating: B

a romance with gamers is exactly what i needed! my boyfriend and i are both gamers (him more than me haha) so this was perfect. i thought it was so cute and i had so much fun! i can't wait to read more from seressia glass!

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
Game On takes on the world of online gaming, exploring the experience from the player and developer perspectives, focusing particularly on the issue with inclusivity within the games themselves, particularly when it comes to misogynoir. It’s a tough issue to discuss, and even tougher when one of the romantic interests is complicit in it.
I really like Samara as a character, and I love how she combines her love of gaming with her professional skills in DEIA consultancy, being a voice for herself and other underrepresented voices in gaming. She’s not afraid to speak out about the lack of diversity within a game that she otherwise loves. And while the central conflict focuses on this singular game, she also has a history of dealing with misogynoir from the gaming community on other occasions, highlighting how pervasive the issue is.
Aron is also well-drawn, and I appreciate the accountability he takes for the issue Samara brings up. He isn’t fully culturally aware of misogynoir initially, but he does work on becoming informed, and proving his good intent with strong, decisive action toward change. And while he doesn’t always make the wisest moves where Samara is concerned, like deceiving her about who he is initially or not respecting her agency later when shit hits the fan, he does go into the situation with the intent of hearing her out, respecting her opinion, and compensating her for her help fairly.
The romance itself is sweet, and while I was a little concerned about how it would play out, with them working together, even if Aron isn’t technically her boss, this is addressed, and while they discuss their feelings, they don’t start dating until the project is over, although there is still a matter of how it looks from an optics perspective to the public.
This was a sweet, fun read, and I’d recommend it to readers who enjoy contemporary romance with interracial couples, especially if you also happen to be a fan of the gaming scene.

I had so much fun reading this!! I love nerds in love! I really enjoy secret identity trope even if it’s only the first few chapters. Reading how Samara and Aron’s relationship went from adversaries to allies, from allies to friends to something more was a JOY! This was a fantastic read and I would 10/10 recommend.

Unfortunately, I was approved for this book without enough time to read it for the December 5th episode of the All the Books podcast, which is why I requested it. I was looking forward to reading it, because I enjoyed this author's previous book and recommended it on the podcast.

If it's possible to be whitelisted, that would be a huge help: I often have to find a new book last minute for the podcast if I don't end up liking the books I selected, and being whitelisted makes it far more likely that I will be able to choose your books.

A big thank you to PRH Audio and Berkley Romance for granting me access to this title via NetGalley and via PRH Audio as an audiobook.

This year I have read quite a few titles that emphasized women in gaming and programming. Game On by Seressia Glass fell into this subgenre of romance that I am growing extremely fond of. There is so much light to be shed on the inequities and hate women often receive for being gamers and Glass illuminates in her novel the extent to which some women must go to keep themselves safe.

Samara is blasting Artemis Games for their most recent game that features a female non-playable character of color who is being diminished and degraded on sub Reddit threads. Samara takes to the internet to release her callout of Artemis Games. Her actions set into motion a shift not only for Samara on a personal level, but professionally at her job for her mother's firm and her reputation as a gamer.

There is a budding romance in this novel and I enjoyed watching it slowly develop but it wasn't for me the centerstage of the story. Glass' emphasis was on the female experience in the gaming world and I was there for it.

My one critique of the book is that although Sam's character is evidently an adult, a lot of her actions, language, and her parents involvement made her feel young to me in a way that took away from the power of her story.

Definitely a must read if you enjoyed Love Decoded by Jennifer Yen and Didn't See That Coming by Jesse Q. Sutanto,

When a gamer calls out a game for it's treatment of a female POV character she never expects for the CEO to hire her and to fall for him either. When Samara Reynolds, a gamer who advocates for equal representation in video games, reviews the new popular game Legendsfall, and speaks out about how a POC women character is killed off and critiques the company and demands for them to do better, the last thing she expects is for the very same CEO of the company to hire her and asks her to consult for his new project and help make his game diverse and open. Aron Galanis has one goal: it's to make his company certified to create gaming content for people with disabilities. Aron's passion is gaming and he's remained pretty hidden from the public due to his dislike and anxiety of the public. Aron is shocked when he discovers a gamer has found something so terrible in his game and he is determined to fix it. Aron doesn't expect the very same gamer who found this out to be a woman he is falling for, yet Sam has her own complicated past. Sam and Aron go from adversaries to allies as Aron hires her, yet the more time they spend together gaming and working together and getting to know one another, the more they are beginning to realize that they might be perfect for each other. This was a overall cute read with lots of diversity, I am not a gamer myself but can empathize with Sam and her want to have equal representation and diversity. Aron was a wonderful love interest, he was so caring and supportive. I guess I just felt a bit bland with the story overall but it was cute and fine in the end. If you enjoy gaming romances give this a go, maybe this will be the perfect book for you.

*Thanks Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group, Berkley for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

I know next to nothing about video games but I really enjoyed Game On! Samara was such an amazing character and I loved her push for better representation in video games. I’m not familiar with any video game characters but it’s not surprising that it’s a mostly male, white, and racist space. It was disheartening and heartbreaking to learn about the abuse Samara and other Black women encounter on a daily basis.

I loved Aaron and how determined he was to find and fix the problem. He had a lot to learn but always seeming open and willing to do so. I also loved what a supportive partner he was and how attentive he was to Samara’s needs. They had such a great partnership. As I mentioned I’m not a gamer by any means so don’t let that discourage you from picking this one up!

Aron might actually be the perfect ally for an interracial romance. I love him and Samara together. I'm about to advocate for a very odd positive in this book. I could spot the third act break up for a long ways off. I adore this. It may sound silly to delight in being able to spot a plot twist, but it meant that the classic beat was ingrained in the characters, their concerns, and their priorities from the very beginning. It was so genuinely earned as a point of conflict. I started recommending this at the half-way point. These two are genuinely beautiful together.

Seressia Glass can do no wrong for me, and this was a banger. The way she writes a man will ruin you, real men.

Samara Reynolds is a gamer, and she is used to the treatment she gets online, but this doesn't stop her from doing the right thing and calling out these games for racism in their games.

Aron Galanis is trying to make a game that is good for everyone, no matter race or disability, and he takes the call out from Samara super seriously.

I am sure Samaara and Aron were not expecting to have feelings once they started to work together, but they went for it, and the most significant issue was the outside world trying to break them up.

I loved Samara and Aron's families - they were a lovely added touch to these love stories.

Loved

This book had the potential to be a good romance read, but something was missing between Samara and Aron. The connection between Samara and Aron seems lacking in the chemistry department. I didn't feel their connection or spark until I reached the end. And even though I reached toward the end, it still wasn't much.

Game On has the potential to be a good romance read with its diversity of voices, female gamer representation, and disability representation. All of those representations make a lot of sense, but they don't carry the romance part.

The chemistry between Samara and Aron isn't there in this book. Trust me, I really tried to find the connection between them, and it wasn't there for me to connect. They seem to be the total opposite, in my opinion. They each have different stands and priorities for each other, so I don't see how it's going to mesh well over the year.

Even though this book wasn't for me, it might be for you. If you enjoy reading about opposite attracts with bits of workplace romance and fantastic representation in female gamers, diversity, and disabilities, then read this book.

Cute little book ! I loved the con book before this one and I liked this one too! Sweet and sexy.. it was a great read! The cover is stunning and so is the book!!

This book begins with ReyofSun aka Samara Reynolds who is a consultant by day and a gamer by night. She isn’t afraid to discuss games and their shortcomings including Artemis Games. This captured the attention of Artemis’ CEO, Aron Galanais and from there, the chase began.

Aron is so intrigued by what Sarmara says that when he eventually meets her, he immediately wants to hire her to help him. Given the amount of money he has, Samara can’t deny him and from there, it’s lots of forced proximity, tension, and plenty of time for the two to mutually pine.

Professionally, the energy between these two is mesmerizing, and watching them work is a thing of beauty. Of course, feelings start to get involved yet it never feels gross or inappropriate. As with most romances, things don’t go exactly as planned as soon everyone finds out about their relationship before finding out who ReyofSun really is.

While the conflicts did feel a bit predictable, Game On was still an absolute delight and as someone who is a non-gamer, I appreciated all of the commentary. It was clear Aron was open to feedback and wanted to improve his games and be inclusive. Plus I loved seeing how passionate Samara was and how she wasn’t afraid to back down from any challenge put in front of her.

Game On is honestly one of the best books I’ve read this year and coupled with the beautiful cover, I truly hope this gets in the hands of readers everywhere. This book is truly a treasure trove of tropes, commentary, and lots of moments that will make you think which is what a good romance book will do.

I'd like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me a chance at reading this really romantic and nerdy book.

I was given a widget to read a book that normally as not a big romance reader I'd pass on by, but there was some key things that stood out:

POC Female Lead - black, gamer, and unafraid to tell people off for not being inclusing
(white passing?) POC Male Lead - social anxiety, smart, commendable, and being the one who takes the heat from the FL's comments online

As the summary says, she calls out his game for being absolutely awful to POC / women and urges him to do better, and he does. He takes her on for three months to fix the representation of the world and also encourages him to look into other cultures / races for expansion on said gaming world.

What has me giving this four stars is how lovely their romance is written, and how they communicate and absolutely feel like each other's 'one'. Their romance is not quite slow, but you can feel it simmering until more than halfway when they both get their groove on.

Why did I rank it down 1 star? I feel the company / issues within the company wasn't strong enough. So when the conflict arises, it feels a bit like it came out of left-field. The character it does involve is one that you were introduced to in the beginning of the book, but I feel like for me to care about this issue or make me feel like their relationship was truly on the rocks (and not an 'expected HEA) was that I wanted her to do more things inside the company and give examples of her working with the company or people giving her difficulty? All the 'company' talk took place at his house. He says that they're hybrid. great, I work hybrid too... but I go into the office once a week. Why didn't we get any scenes of her working in the office, working with others in the business? That's why I felt the issue was a bit of a cheap shot.

Anyway. I do think this is a really, really good romance and it's for those wanting to see representation and not just in gaming or skin but in other things too (non verbal character). I liked it, and for someone who is extremely picky and does not normally read romance books, 4/5 stars is high praise for me (and from an author I've never read from their list before).

So I made a promise that I wouldn’t post this book until next week but good golly I just couldn’t contain myself! I’m bursting at the dang seams!!

This book is just the sprinkles on top of mashed potatoes and I am so here for it.

Listen up, buttercups. You need this book…

Game On

This book is adorable but not in a corny YA kind of way. This is definitely an adult book with some killer gaming vibes. I easily became consumed with Samara’s story and absolutely adored her, quirks and all.

I laughed, I fell in love and I straight up rooted for Samara to get her happy ending.

Did she get it? You’re going to have to tune in to find out.

Check out this teaser :

When an unexpected Player Two enters her life, a gamer must decide if their relationship is worth leveling up in this new romance from the author of The Love Con.

Samara Reynolds has built a large following as a gamer under an anonymous screen name, and uses her skills as a DEIA consultant to advocate for equal representation in video games. When she posted a video critiquing the popular game Legendsfall, she knew she’d get a reaction from her fans, but the video leads to hundreds of female gamers critiquing the game and its company, Artemis Games. The only thing more unexpected than starting an online movement is getting a job offer from the handsome CEO of Artemis.

Aron Galanis has been on a mission to get his company certified to create gaming content for people with disabilities. When he sees Artemis trending online for all the wrong reasons, he’s determined to right his wrongs and offers the originator a mea culpa, as well as a job offer to overhaul the character options in Legendsfall.

Working together turns Aron and Samara from adversaries into allies, allies into friends, and after that—something more. But once their relationship goes public, will Aron and Samara be able to weather the storm and fight for their happy ending, or is it game over?

One of the most exceptional books I’ve ever read exploring diversity rep in multiple ways. Workplace, dating, friendships, gaming, online, family. Neurodivergence, cultural, economic disparities, and yes, skin color. These characters go deep into what it’s like to live as their true selves and how they have to navigate a rude, angry, abusive world. I loved it.
However, I didn’t love the romance. It lacked chemistry and emotion, although the attraction and heat was definitely there. I wish this book was marketed as literary fiction with elements of romance, and a cover that’s a bit more serious. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC to read and review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this Advanced Readers Copy of Seressia Glass! This was a super fun read, perfect for fans of The Right Swipe!

A truly stunning, perfectly paced and painstakingly woven romance that never rushes to the finish line, taking all the time it needs to build these characters into the people they need to be before they can have a future together. I enjoyed this book.

YESSSSS this was fantastic. It really opened my eyes onto how famous gamers deal with everything. This was a great and easy read, hard conversations were done very well and I really loved the issues that were brought to life.

I liked Seressia Glass's last book, The Love Con (and those characters very briefly cameo in this one), but I wasn't as big of a fan of this one. Aron Galanis is the CEO of Artemis Games and the story starts with him learning that a gamer with a significant online presence, ReyOfLight, has called out one of Artemis's most popular games for having a stereotypically racist non-playable character. The timing is terrible, as Artemis is on the verge of getting a huge accessibility certification and the bad press could jeopardize that, so Aron decides to go undercover at a con and talk with ReyOfLight and her friends, three Black female gamers who use their platforms to advocate for DEIA in videogames and the gaming world. Rey, aka Samara Reynolds, DEIA consultant by day, is angry to learn that the guy she just met is actually Aron Galanis. He surprises her by offering her a high-paying consulting contract to do a massive diversity audit of his games. She takes the job and finds herself easily becoming friends with Aron, and then, as they get to the end of her contract, exploring the idea of something more. If this wasn't marketed as a romance, I think I would have been super into it. The advocacy work was amazing, the neurodiversity representation was good, and the overall plot seemed realistic. What didn't really feel realistic to me was the romance - I just didn't feel the chemistry between these characters. It felt to me like it came out of nowhere, and overall I just wasn't vibing with their partnership. I'm still glad I read this and would recommend it with the caveat that the romance element just didn't work for me.