Thank you to Berkley Romance for sending me this ARC, even though I just got around to reading it.

This was funny and fluffy and spicy and I was kind of in the mood for more angst, but that’s on me honestly. I loved the idea of a big, manly hockey player being on a cooking show - imagining him making tiny, detailed pastries was so endearing. Ian and Dee had such great chemistry, and I devoured this one!

I didn’t get to it last year because all of my favorite contemporary romance authors decided to release their books in April & May and all of them involved parental trauma and I stopped reading the genre after the emotional damage that was Here We Go Again.

While the The Game Changer included two main characters with parental issues, it focused more on the MMC’s overbearing and emotionally abusive father instead of the FMC’s dead parents, so it didn’t end up being as hard for me to read. This would have been the perfect palette cleanser so I'm really sad it took me so long to get to it!

Thanks to the publisher for the gifted e-copy.

The Game Changer is a quick and fun brother's best friend, childhood crush turned reality romance. Delilah and Ian have known each other since they were little kids, and when Ian moves back to Boston, he realizes she's all grown up now.

Delilah's brother Jack was my favorite part of the book, because he was absolutely HILARIOUS. His one liners and banter with Ian had me laughing out loud, and I think he needs his own book - as does Abby.

Ian has some family drama going on, and I like that there wasn't a huge misunderstanding led break up as there is in many books in this genre. It gets resolved fairly quickly towards the end, even though it's a long standing family issue. (read: his dad is a class A jerk)

3.5 stars

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book! The title and this beautiful cover drew me in and i was excited to read this book! I will be recommending this book to others for readers advisory.

Lana Ferguson can do no wrong in my eyes! This book is not an exception either! So swoonworthy and had me giggling the entire time!

what’s better than a simple romance with an easy plot, good characters, and a bit of spice ?? nothing. this was genuinely so good! I love how Lana writes so much, her characters in this book and the plot are complex and a bit predictable without being boring which i love. I love the opposites attract aspect with Delilah being a baker and Ian being the sporty athlete, and the fake dating added the angst i desperately needed, i was literally screaming “confess your love!!!!”. i enjoyed this so much.

The Game Changer is a fine romance book. It was a cute story and I really appreciate how healthy the relationship was. The story isn't overcomplicated with miscommunication and forced conflicts. However, the book lacks any other source of tension to keep the reader engaged. The plot was minimal and the insta-love took any pining or romantic tension out of the story. It was an entertaining read but ultimately forgettable.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. I think that I am just over the fake dating hockey books. It wasn't for me.

A brother's best friend, hockey player x baker romance from Lana wasn't something I ever thought she'd write, but I LOVED it. Lana's writing romcom gold.

Such an entertaining read that brought lovable characters, all the banter, and great chemistry!

WHAT TO EXPECT
-brother’s best friend
-hockey romance
-sports romance

*many thanks to Berkley Romance, prh audio and Netgalley for the gifted copy for review

I really enjoyed this one! I loved Lila and Ian’s relationship going from growing up together to blossoming into something more, and the premise of them fake dating was so fun to read! I also loved the trust between them and the reassurance/communication in their relationship. I honestly think Jack was my favorite though! He was so funny and had me cracking up with everything he said.

Ended up giving this 3 stars because while it was a fun, quick read - it just didn’t have the wow feeling I get when I read a 4-5 star!

This wasn't my favorite by this author - though the sports romance aspect was good, I just didn't feel the chemistry/connection between the two characters!

Thank you Berkley for the e-arc!

Readers who love the friends to lovers trope should absolutely pick up this book!

This book wasn’t for me, unfortunately. I love sports romances, but this just wasn’t a sports romance. Ian happens to be a hockey player on the same team as Delilah’s brother and that’s basically the extent of sports in this book. I was expecting more of the book to be focus on Ian as a hockey player because it was marketed as a sports romance, so I was disappointed by the lack of hockey. I couldn’t connect to the characters and some dialogue felt forced in order to further the plot.

I loved The Fake Mate by this author, so I look forward to reading her future releases!

Thank you Berkley for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing Company for this Advanced Readers Copy of The Game Changer by Lana Ferguson!

4.25 stars
This was such a fun time! Simultaneously sweet and spicy! I loved Delilah and Ian's relationship, the chemistry between them. They've known each other for a very long time and I liked seeing how that played into the foundation of their romance, while getting to know each other better as adults and acknowledging the attraction they shared. And the side characters were fun, especially Jack! As far as brother's best friend tropes go, he wasn't too alpha male in handling the situation and brought some humor to the book!

I love Lana’s books, been a fan since The Nanny and this one even though it’s not my favourite of hers is still a very solid read and entertaining. Who doesn’t like sports romance!

Cute fun read -would be fun to see it turned into a series. Lighthearted and easy, it's excellent escapism.

A spicy hockey romance by Lana Ferguson? SAY NO MORE!!! Lana Ferguson writes the best romance books, and the Game Changer was no exception. It was funny, swoonworthy, romantic and spicy. LOVED it!

This was good and fun and dealt with longer term issues pretty well. I wouldn't mind having another story about the brother too

The gods know I love a good hockey romance, but who told them I'm also a sucker for a baking/cooking show? If you enjoyed Alexis Hall's Winner "Bakes All series" or Tessa Bailey's "Big Shots", this is a perfect mix of the 2! A curvy, self-confident FMC mixed with the oversized hockey "bad boy" who is actually just a misunderstood teddy bear make for a sweet and sexy duo.

Childhood friends discover their feelings for each other as they grow up. One is a sweet and gentle baker, while the other is a rough-and-tumble hockey player who puts on a tough act. They enter into a playful fake relationship, even though they both know they are meant to be together from the start. I love how this hot and steamy author captures the connection between them!