3.5⭐️!

this book was so so cute!!

delilah is a baker with her own tv show and ian is her brothers best friend that also happens to be an nhl hockey player. due to them both needing a better look in the media & needing better viewer numbers, their pr team makes the convince the media that they are dating. && of course we see where that ends up. did i mention that ian is also delilah’s childhood crush??

the spice every lana furgeson book is always top tier, but the banter in this book was so good!! honestly, as much as i loved the main couple, jack was my favorite character of all time and i would most likely go feral if he ever got his own book…just saying…that should 1000% happen!

anywayyyyy, friends to lovers is hard for me to absolutely fall in love with, but if that’s your thing then you’re going to eat this up! definitely recommend!!

Sadly, Lana Ferguson just is not for me. I wish she was but alas, beggars can't be choosers. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Lana Ferguson has done it again! This book is a lot of fun and is filled with banter, steam, fun, and more.
I love a friends-to-lovers, sibling's-best friend romance and this one definitely delivered.

Ian and Delilah are individually interesting characters and I really enjoyed how they engaged with each other, how the attraction built, and how the forced proximity and time together allowed them to act on their mutual attraction. The cast of characters around them were also entertaining and added a lot to the story, from Delilah's brother and co-workers, to Ian's teammates, it helped to build out the story and establish the world in which they reside.

I think fans of Lana will thoroughly enjoy this one!

Lana Ferguson – Coloring Outside the Lines
Lana Ferguson refuses to be put into one particular genre box.

Her first novel was a contemporary romance that touched on a salacious romance between a nanny and her employer. After devouring that debut novel, I eagerly went to add her next announced book to my TBR and what do you know? Her next novel was a paranormal romance with werewolves and knotting. Knotting! From someone I believed to be a contemporary romance writer with beautifully illustrated discreet covers. What is she playing at writing paranormal romance with werewolves? Get out of here.

Welp, having finished (read: devoured) “The Fake Mate”, I thought to myself, ‘self, ok, if Lana Ferguson wants to write Paranormal Romance, I’ll be here for that, too’.”

THEN this delightful creature announces her third book, and we’re BACK to contemporary romance with my absolute favorite things – a baker, a hockey player, and fake dating. WHAT COULD BE BETTER?

Lana, “The Game Changer” was a gift to me, and me alone, but I’m happy to share it with the rest of the world. I encourage it, in fact.

Can’t take the heat? Get out of the Kitchen

Lana Ferguson provides the perfect recipe for Val’s Favorite Romance.

Ingredients:

1 Cup of Hockey Romance/Brother’s Best Friend

1 Cup of Baker/Chef

1/2 cup of Friends-to-Lovers

1 Heaping Tablespoon of Fake Dating

2 Lusty POVs

A dash of “We Shouldn’t Do This”

Combine together with an excess of sexual tension. Serve chilled to combat all subsequent blushing.

“I’ve just… Before I knew what it even was to feel something for somebody, I felt things for you. Whether it was just feeling safer when you’re around, or looking for you when I enter a room, or doing whatever I could to make you smile because it made ME smile when you did… it’s always been you, Ian.”
Lila, “The Game Changer”

Photo by Sara Cervera on Unsplash
There’s an inevitability emanating from these two throughout the entire story. Lila has loved Ian since she was young, and Ferguson writes the lean into the fake dating situationship so easily. Ian, on the other hand, is somewhat blindsided by his newfound attraction to Lila, which Ferguson handles beautifully by balancing the past with the present.

Lila and Ian’s history and shared experiences, combined with clear mutual attraction, makes for the perfect set-up for these two adorable fools to fall for one another.

“You won,” I tell him, beaming. “You’re supposed to be celebrating.”

His smile makes my chest hurt, but his words make it feel like it’s too full. “You’re the only person I want to celebrate with.”

“Yeah?”

“Always.”
“The Game Changer” by Lana Ferguson
Final Thoughts
I’m definitely in my Hockey Romance era, and “The Game Changer” was excellent. It’s binge-worthy, spicy, steamy, and also adorable. The moments where Ian and Lila bake together are flirtatious and charming. The undercurrent of sexual tension runs non-stop. These two make you want to keep turning pages until there are none left to turn.

Needless to say, Lana can write whatever she wants and I’m going to read it. She wants to write about sasquatch? Here for it. Aliens? Beam me up, Scotty. Mermaids? I’m ready to hold my breath. Luckily, her next book is already announced. I can’t wait to see how she handles the Loch Ness monster in “Under Loch and Key” which will be out in December!

3.5 stars!

Although the plot was predictable and nothing new, this is a light-hearted and fun read. Ian and Delilah's relationship was really cute. Though it got a little annoying how many times they pointed out the age gap (even though it was only a few years), their banter was natural and fun and they had a lot of chemistry. I also liked the author's writing style. The spice was satisfying and it wasn't awkward. The side characters were so fun, especially Jack, and I liked that they actually added to the story. Overall, the story was really cute but it was just filled with a very common conflict and plot line. The hockey also wasn't as prominent as I would have expected.

On another note, I just want to bring attention to how much I loved the dedication!

Delilah Baker grew up relying on her brother Jack and his best friend Ian after losing her parents and living with an aunt. She pursued her passion of baking, adding sweetness to bad times and becoming the star of a baking show. When rating start to drop her brother Jack jokingly suggest she start inviting some of his hockey teammates on to bake with her. In a moment of panic in a meeting she suggests the idea and the network runs with it.
Ian has just moved back home to Boston to play with his best friend on the team he was forced to leave years before. Trying to escape the bad publicity that forced him out in the first place he ends up on Delilah’s show. But the childhood friendship he once cherished has slowly grown apart over the years. Now Delilah is a woman that he wants to get to know better but he doesn’t want his negative reputation dragging her down.
I loved Delilah and Jacks sibling story and the relationship Ian has with both of them. I enjoyed watch Delilah and Ian support each other and grow in their relationship too.

Thank you Berkely Publishing Group and Netgalley for a copy of this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I love Lana Ferguson and will read anything she puts out. I loved The Nanny and was incredibly excited for The Game Changer. While I enjoyed the premise and love fake dating, this book was about 100 pages too long for me. There was too much fluff and maybe not enough angst between Delilah and Ian. While it was still cute, this is not my favorite book by Lana.

I am excited about her upcoming release!

This is my second Lana Ferguson book, my first having been The Fake Mate - which I absolutely loved. I knew going into The Game Changer that it was a stark change from the supernatural romance I adored, but I was confident that I would love this one just as much, too. Unfortunately, there were a few aspects of the book that didn't all work for me.

Primarily, I struggled to connect with the main characters. I found myself wanting more reasons to believe in the couple's current relationship and struggled to....care? As bad as that sounds, its how I felt about both Delilah and Ian's characters and their love story. They frequently referenced their past connection and growing up together, but after so much time apart, I needed to see what drew them to each other in the present. It just seemed a bit unrealistic to me.

Ironically, a character I did care about was our MFC's brother, Jack, who was an absolute delight. His humor was infectious and had me laughing throughout the book, making him a standout character for me. I found myself looking forward to all of the scenes that included him, rather than the MMC, Ian. I also loved that once the main characters finally get together, their relationship moves forward without any unnecessary drama. None of that miscommunication trope or third-act breakup, which I really appreciated. Unfortunately, despite those strengths, this book just didn’t resonate with me.

Thank you to the publisher via Netgalley for providing me with a copy of The Game Changer by Lana Ferguson in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own and are not affected by any third parties.

I love the variety in Lana Ferguson writing and I really enjoyed this book. She always writes the best chemistry and I really felt it between Ian and Delilah. I loved that she made the bakery and hokey angles unique.

I really enjoyed this hockey romance. It’s got brother’s best friend, fake dating, and lots of pining. I loved that it was dual pov, and I really liked both characters. I thought Ian was well fleshed out, but I would’ve liked more from Daphne’s backstory. But overall, a solid romance with plenty of spice and fun side characters.

I've not read a lot of sports romances, but I dated a hockey player back when I was in high school, so I was ready to give this one a try.

I was such a fan of their banter and chemistry. It sizzles. I connected to the story right away. The author captured her as sweet with her baking and him as strong and manly with hocky. It was a great balance to their relationship. And I love fake dating. And when it turns real and they are hiding it from everyone. There is plenty of spice to complement their chemistry. That shower scene.

To balance out the romance, there is family drama and supportive friendships. I was as fond of the supporting cast of characters as I was Delilah and Ian.

Whether you are a baker or a hockey lover, this one had all the right pieces for an enjoyable read.

Lana really writes the most perfect romcoms. It’s fun it’s swoony it’s cute it’s banter it’s chemistry and such fun tropes ! And her spice. She’s the queen of romcom spice, up there with Tessa Bailey. I loved the nanny, and this book did not disappoint, it was just way too fun. I love a good sports romance and throw in a cutie golden retriever MMC and some dual POV and long time crush I’m sold. Can’t wait for more by her

The main characters Lila and Ian are thrown into fake dating by their PR people to try to improve his image has a hockey star and her baking show ratings. They are two people who have known each other since their childhood, as she is his best friend, Jack's little sister. This past connection causes angst for him as he starts to develop deeper feeling for her while trying to keep a long held family secret. I thought he should of ruined his father from the very beginning, but realize that he was trying to protect his mother. This storyline was a little predictable but I still enjoyed the unfolding of it. The side characters, especially Lila’s older brother and Ian’s best friend, Jack, added to the enjoyment of the story and were thoroughly crafted. Jack’s lively personality has me hoping for his own love story in a future book. Lana Ferguson never disappoints with her storytelling and this one I highly recommend as well.

Lila is the host of a small cable networks baking show, but viewership is dwindling. Ian is a hockey player returning to his hometown of Boston to finish out his career. Unfortunately Ian has some bad press following him around and needs to clean up his image. Lila and Ian’s teams brainstorm to decide a fake relationship will get Lila more viewers and Ian good press. Lila and Ian haven't seen each other in a long time, but she's been keeping up with his gossip on social media.

I love when there's a PR rep involved in a story somehow and I always enjoy when one of the main characters is a sibling’s friend to the other. I felt like Lila and Ian were really nervous around each other at first but once they got over it, they were great and believable together. I do wish there was more actual hockey involved, but this was still good. I did love the little fun charity events that were focused around hockey, so that helped. This book is more sweet than spicy, but there are still some good spicy scenes.

A big thank you to Berkley Romance and the author for an advanced copy of this book. Opinions are my own.

THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU IF: You love fun brother's best friend romances with lots of feels, plus there's no third act break up!

This book was exactly as expected: fun, sweet, angsty, and full of heart. Like her previous books, Ferguson writes characters that are relatable in stories that I gobble up and leave me feeling like I'm wrapped in a warm hug. A delightful book filled with laughter, swoony moments, and delightful escapism.

I have really enjoyed the unseriousness of Lana Ferguson's other novels so I was a little disappointed in the Game Changer. It had a feeling of every-other-hockey-romance with an unnecessary side plot (twist) that didn't serve the main storyline at all. The selling point of the baking show is completely oversold on the blurb as well. I wanted to see lots of silly baking show hijinks!

I'm rounding up to three stars out of generosity and because I know Ferguson can write fun banter, but I have to say the characters felt so unbalanced: Ian was fully fleshed out with character growth and a proper plotline and Delilah was... there. No depth, growth or arc. Her obsession with Ian took all the potential for delicious tension out of the story and the conflict from the sideplot felt forced.

This was so cute!! Can’t believe I fell in love with a redheaded man but here we are. Lana’s books are so fun and such a good time consistently.

Only thing I didn’t love was when he’d call her kid or kiddo that hit kind of odd to me personally. But I did die when he’d be the only one to call her Lila.

Definitely will be reading all of Lana’s books, can’t wait to see what’s next.

I had higher hopes for this sports romance book. I thought that we were getting a steamy but yet slow-burn romance between the characters; instead, we got a rushed relationship. I felt that Ian and Delilah pace was weird. It was like I was reading it at a fast pace between them, then a slow as hell, and then rushed, then slow. Like, what is that? I’m confused. Instead of me going off about the pace in this romance book, let’s talk about the steamy scenes. It’s steamy between them, but expect a lot of high drama. The drama was out of the world. Don’t know why.

Lana Ferguson can do no wrong in my book! Her novels are always wonderfully steamy and romantic. This was her first sports romance, and I really hope there's more to come in this subgenre from her!

The Game Changer ☾𖤓
By Lana Ferguson
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️4/5 stars

If you're a fan of fake dating and hockey romances, "The Game Changer" is a fun read you'll enjoy! Lila and Ian's chemistry is undeniable and their journey from childhood friends to lovers kept me hooked. This book mixes baking, a TV show, and a pinch of hockey to create a sweet and spicy story. While it had a few predictable moments, I loved the supportive dynamic between the main characters and their cute backstories. Plus, the locker room scene? Total chef's kiss! If you're looking for a lighthearted, feel-good read, give this one a shot!