3 stars★
“I don’t know when you went from the girl I adored to the woman I can’t stop thinking about, but you did . You’ve always been in my heart, but now you’re in my head too."

This story is all about Ian Chase, hockey player🏒, and Delilah Baker, the adorable baker🧁. Ian needs good press, and Delilah's baking show needs more views. So, they team up in the kitchen and things get steamy. But when the internet thinks they're a couple, they decide to fake a relationship for positive PR. The twist? Delilah has had a crush on Ian since she was twelve, but he's always seen her as a little sister. Will they be able to keep their feelings in check or will it all come crashing down?

This was my first Lana Ferguson book. I really expected to love it but I didn't feel anything for the main characters. I wanted to see more reasons why the main couple wanted to be together. They talked a lot about their past connection, but since they hadn't been in touch for so long, I needed to know what they loved about each other now. At first, the pet names might have been okay, but seeing them repeatedly got on my nerves. And it was kinda weird how she kept referring to her teenage obsession and living out her fantasy. I just needed a little more tension and spark to really feel the romance, you know?Her brother was such a pleasant surprise, and I couldn't help but like him. He had this great sense of humor that had me laughing throughout the book..

This hockey romance is perfect for those who can't stand miscommunication or those heart-wrenching breakups. Once the main characters finally get together, it's smooth sailing and the story unfolds at a leisurely pace. This book just wasn’t for me sadly.

The brothers best friend trope delivered yet again. Ferguson is able to craft any book and it be perfect! I highly recommend all her books sine she is able to write her characters really well!

Thank you, NetGalley, for the advanced copy.

An unlikely duo—a baker and a hockey player—team up to for a PR stunt that helps both of their careers. Delilah needs viewers for her baking show, and Ian needs to work on his public image. The two have known each other since they were kids, but now everything’s changed.

Here’s what I liked about this book:
I thought the premise was interesting, and I liked the Boston setting. And who doesn’t love a hockey romance and the fake dating and brothers-best-friend tropes?

This is what I didn’t care for:
I thought the dialogue in some parts were cheesy and unrealistic. I also got tired that every other sentence had a cuss word; it didn’t add anything to the book and felt cheap. And I personally didn’t connect with the characters very much.

But if you’re looking for a quick, predictable, feel-good romance, then it might be perfect for you.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Lana Ferguson has cemented her place on my must-read list with this new book! I love a well-executed brother’s best friend trope and this one was all that! I appreciated that there were no big miscommunications where other authors might have included them for drama. Solid relationship development and wonderfully spicy.

I loved every second of this 😍

The whole childhood crush on her big brother's best friend had me swooning. Especially considering how genuinely nice Chase is. I loved his friendship/relationship with Delilah so much. His bromance with her brother Ian had me cackling! I really hope we get his story at some point.

Delilah and Chase though.. SWOON. I loved their whole story from beginning to end, even the in-between when they were states away. The end had me kicking my feet like a schoolgirl though. IYKYK 😍

When Delilah Baker's cable broadcast baking show starts to dip in viewership, she suggests an idea - baking with one of her older brother's hockey teammates. The only problem? That hockey teammate happens to be Ian Chase, her brother's best friend, childhood crush and former "bad boy" of hockey who had to leave town years ago due to a PR nightmare. Now he's back and he's ready to put on an apron if it means cleaning up his "reputation" and helping out his new team. Things start out as a piece of cake, but when viewers can't help but notice the chemistry between Delilah and Ian, the two of them start to play in a bit to their flirtatious situation to the public. Soon it becomes real... very real.

Lana Ferguson is an automatic buy for me and I have loved her previous two releases. What I really enjoy about her as an author is just how different all of her books are premise wise? It really shows and plays into her talent of crafting a well thought out story with well flushed out characters. I really had a fun time with The Game Changer and thought that the chemistry between Delilah and Ian was great. I also enjoyed how there wasn't a third act break up that many romance novels tend to squeeze in during the last three or four chapters. The only issue perhaps with this book is the pacing at times - it felt as though maybe Ian and Delilah got together too soon that the final part of the book felt almost a little too drawn out. I could be wrong, but I believe this book might be a tad longer than her others and it just felt like you could really feel the difference in length at points.

The intimate scenes between Delilah and Ian were a big highlight for this book and did not disappoint. The locker room scene was especially a highlight!

Thank you to Berkley and Netgalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review!

Brother's Best Friend- Check
Childhood Friends to Lovers - Check
Fake Dating - Check
No Third Act Breakup - Check

This book checks all the boxes! If you're in your hockey romance era, this book is a must for your TBR! Delilah and Ian may be sweet, but don't worry, they bring the heat as well.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

This book hooked me in from the first chapter. I loved the character development and how the story progressed.

This was adorable and as sweet as a cupcake! An easy comfort read with equal parts sweet and spice. And when I say spice, I mean WOAH I was shocked how spicy it got and I’m definitely not complaining (that shower scene 🥵)! I liked the main couple but would have liked a little more from the side characters and to know more about their shared past.

Overall I enjoyed this fun and SPICY rom-com with low drama! If you love spicy hockey romances, childhood friends to lovers, fake dating, zero miscommunication, and no 3rd act breakup, this book is for you. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars!

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for the eARC!

This was so cute. It was actually my first of hers, and I'm excited to read the others. Ian's anxiety and Lila's patience were such a lovely pairing. Sometimes the third act conflict is just nerves. The backstory peppered in was a delight, and I did laugh many times. Also, very sexy!

Thank you Berkley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I'm a big fan of Lana's works, and this wasn't a let down. Admittedly it wasn't my *favorite* of her published works, but it's still a solid 4 star read and it made me a little misty eyed towards the end.

(I really hope Jack gets his own book)

For me, my preferences don't love the term Brat as a term of endearment so that would pull me out occasionally but in the context of the story it does make sense, so it wasn't an ill placed or ill-suited word usage.

I loved seeing Ian come into his realization of who Lila has the potential to be to him, and frankly loved how easily the convo came about between Jack and Lila on the topic of Ian and her getting together - I do not like miscommunication and Lana writes her characters as real adults who would have these convo in real life.

Would have loved to see more of Kevin honestly and I will be picturing my own epilogue of '5 years from now' where they get married and adopt (lol but also im not kidding).

Again, really hopeful to some day see Jack and Abby get their own book - it's very clearly set up and they deserve it - dear god does Abby deserve it.

Hockey romance, brother’s best friend/childhood crush. A slow burn that I got bored with this one. I found myself skimming. Sadly, I can’t recommend this one.

I received this book from the publisher & NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

Arc review: 4.5 stars
Oh well this was just a swoon fest. I Lana Ferguson had become an auto bug for me- and I love that she had been able to hop around romance sub-genres and give me variety for my mood reader heart!
Tropes:
-Brothers best friend
-Hockey romance
-Fake dating
-Childhood friends

Things I loved:
-trust and communication in relationships!! God communication makes me swoooooon.
-SPOICY- GOOD SPOICE
-Ginger MMC
-Golden retriever goofball brother
-releasing of guilt/self forgiveness

This is such ag good book, I love a brother's best friend book. Ahh...I love that she naked with on her TV show and she goes to his games. I just can't say enough for things about this book

Lana Ferguson's books seem to be a hit or a miss for me I really didn't like The Nanny, really enjoyed The Fake Mate and felt somewhere in the middle about The Game Changer. My main issue was that I didn't love the couple, Lila and Ian. They were cute at times, but I wasn't wrapped up in their romance the way I am with 4 or 5-star romance books. This made the book drag along because I didn't really care. I wasn't particularly interested in the subplotline with Abigail either, so there wasn't much pushing me through this book.

Lana Ferguson's writing has become stronger with each book she releases, and this book was no exception. I am really looking forward to her fourth book Under Loch and Key which will be published on December 3rd, 2024. It is another paranormal romance, which I believe is Fergusons's strongest subgenre. If you're a fan of hockey romances, The Game Changer might be for you, but otherwise, I would recommend skipping it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the e-arc of The Fake Mate by Lana Ferguson in exchange for an honest review.

Lana Ferguson, please stick to omegaverse because what was this even. I’ll admit it, I freaking devoured The Fake Mate. I hated how much I liked it.

I was hooked for the first half, the pacing was great, and a lot felt like it was happening. Once I hit about 50%, I was just so bored. Lila and Ian were just so vanilla. Even the boinking. The book was just so much longer than it needed to be and for absolutely nothing interesting to ever happen to them? Absolutely zero relevant plot points. The best part of this book was Jack, and he had about 15 lines.

This was the opposite of messy. I would say this was like a cozy rom-com. No stakes, just smooth sailing. I was looking for drama and unfortunately did not find any. This is for readers who are looking to read about crushes, boundary respecting, and communication.

A cute and (very) steamy sports romance that's well-written and fast-paced. Makes good use of the "fake-dating" trope. I would recommend it to fans of Ali Hazelwood and Emily Henry.

This book was a breathe of fresh air. I love the opposites between these two characters and the way they complimented each other so well. Delilah and Ian were so much fun from start to finish. I love the secret pining between the two of them with the touch of forbidden ness. The bake show aspect of this gave this story something extra sweet and every time Ian guest starred u feel in love with their relationship even more. I love the way Lana Ferguson sucks you into a book by the first page and you want to savor every last bit of it so it never ends. She has truly mastered the spicy romcoms where you don’t know if you need a fan blowing on you to cool you down or how to not squeal like a school girl at 10am. Truly such a joy to read these two and their relationship. Watching them explore each other and their friendship first and foremost was one of my favorite parts.

I usually don't go in for modern romances but this book was an actual game changer for me. It had just the right amount of sweet and spicy ingredients. This book can get HOT and descriptive. When I recommend it to my library patrons I will definitely need to keep it in mind for my regulars who like extra fire in their romance reads.

Delilah is the perfect sassy and genuine feminine protagonist. For anyone who has a fantasy about having your teenage crush falling for you, then you need this book. This is also for every woman who thought they weren't "enough" for their crush and that second chances can happen.

Once upon a time in the world of romance there was a sub genre called sports romance. Unlike all the other sub genres this one is focused on one character being basically obsessed with a sport. In Lana Fergusons’s new book The Game Changer the sport of choice is hockey.
This hot story follows two people. Ian Chase, the hockey player with a past and Delilah Baker who actually is a baker. Ian is finally coming home to retire from the hockey world. Being a PR nightmare, he and his team need to figure out how to get him some good press. Enter super cute baker Delilah. Delilah’s baking show has hit a wall and she needs some more views or she could get canceled. In a last stitch attempt to help both of their problems Ian joins Delilah in the kitchen. After some steamy moment in the kitchen the internet goes crazy thinking that they are an item. So they decide to enter into a fake relationship for the sake of positive PR. Little does Ian know that Delilah has been crushing on him since she was twelve years old. Ian however has never seen her more than a little sister. Can they keep their feelings at bay while they navigate this relationship or is everything going to come crashing down?
I never thought I would see the day that Lana would write a sports romance but here we are. I loved her two other books, the fake mate and the nanny. So when I found out that she was writing another one. I couldn’t wait. I had to pick it up. Now I’m a girl who likes spicy sports romance even though I know nothing of sports. Yep, that’s me. I also knew that I would love this book because of the author. I will still give her credit for writing books that I can’t put down and when I have too I get mad. I just have to keep reading. I can’t help it. I love the way she writes and how real the characters feel. You can’t help but be sucked in.