When hockey player Ian Chase returns to town, he's shocked to see how much his best friend's little sister, and his own childhood friend, Delilah, has grown up. Delilah is used to being in front of a camera, with her local baking show, but when ratings are down and she suggests bringing in a hockey player to drum up viewers. She expects her brother will be the selected player, but when the team sends Ian, who is desperate to help his own image for his own reasons, the two can't help but flirt. Her childhood crush never seems to have left. The flirting fuels rumors that the two are dating and their respective camps encourage them to fuel the flames in the hopes of good publicity. But the line between fake and real becomes ever so blurry.

Ferguson is an incredibly talented writer--I mean, she got me to read a shifter romance, for goodness sake. But a hockey romance is much more bread and butter, and this one was everything I wanted. Ian was an interesting character, and even though I can't say any of the "twists" were surprising, I didn't mind; I don't read romance because it's unpredictable. Childhood friends to lovers, fake dating, and sports romance are all fabulous tropes and I love to see them in one nice package.

Thanks to Berkley for my eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

5 stars - 9/10

I loved this so freaking much! Delilah is my favorite FMC in a long while. I love that she finally got her chance with her childhood crush and I’m so glad Ian finally got his shit together lol

Where the heck did Lana Ferguson come from??? Her books are SO fun, and incredibly spicy, and this third book is a great example of that. Seriously cannot wait for book four.

First off, I would like to say thank you so much to Berkely and NetGalley for an ARC of this book. From the dedication, the author made it clear that this book was a tough one to write, but she did it! She pushed through and wrote something way outside of her comfort zone and I think that is something worth celebrating.
But, this book was not for me. I believe some of this may have been my fault since this was my second book by the author and I did not enjoy the first one I had read for very similar reasons.
I love hockey. We are dedicated hockey fans in our house, not to mention the Great British Baking Show, so when I saw The Game Changer, I felt that I would be the audience for this book!
But....I am sadly not. I am not opposed to spice, but this book relied waaaaaay too much on it and the plot was sorely lacking. A lot of the characters were not fully fleshed out, and I feel that if an individual were to make it to playing in the NHL he would have a little bit more of a backbone than what the MMC showed. The use of the nicknames "Cupcake" and "Brat" I found to be a bit demeaning as well.
Again, this is just my personal preference...not my recommendation for a hockey romance, but I could see fans of Tessa Bailey and Elle Kennedy liking this book!

This was such a fun (and spicy) childhood friends to lovers book. I adored Ian and Lila, and loved their communication. (No miscommunication trope to be found.) The romance was so well written, I was worried that another hockey romance might feel stagnant, but it didn’t. I liked the baking aspect of it too. The brother/sister dynamic was funny and endearing. Jack is a hoot, and I loved his character. This was a 5 ⭐️ sweet and spicy romance for me! (I have her other 2 books on my shelf and plan to read them asap now.)

Step into the enchanting world of sports romance, where heartwarming moments and thrilling excitement await in the masterful storytelling of Lana Ferguson, the brilliant mind behind Nanny.

This captivating tale promises to whisk you away with its blend of sweet romance, palpable chemistry, and irresistible tropes like friends-to-lovers and fake dating. Ferguson's skillful storytelling is sure to hook you from the first page, making it impossible not to fall under its spell.

Curl up on your couch, grab your favorite beverage, and prepare to lose yourself in the pages of this fast-paced, engaging read. It's the perfect escape for those seeking a delightful journey filled with laughter, swoons, and heartwarming moments.

Now, let's dive into the plot: The story unfolds through the perspectives of two protagonists. First, we meet Delilah Baker, a talented cable channel baking show host in her late twenties, who spent years honing her craft in Paris. When her show faces the threat of cancellation due to declining ratings, Delilah's brother Jack comes up with a brilliant idea—to invite hockey players as guests on her show to boost its popularity.

Enter Ian Chase, recently returned to Boston following a scandalous divorce and in need of a positive image makeover. When his agent suggests appearing on a cooking show hosted by none other than Delilah Baker—the same girl he remembers from their childhood—Ian sees it as a chance for a nostalgic reunion.

However, upon meeting Delilah again, Ian is taken aback by her transformation into a stunning and witty woman, reigniting feelings he thought were long forgotten. Meanwhile, Delilah finds herself grappling with complex emotions, as her childhood crush on Ian resurfaces with renewed intensity. Their undeniable chemistry sizzles both on-screen and off, captivating audiences and sparking rumors.

When Ian's agent proposes a fake dating scenario to improve his public image, Ian hesitates, mindful of the boundaries with his best friend's sister—though his private desires suggest otherwise. Meanwhile, Delilah, always up for a challenge, sees the fake dating charade as a strategic move to save her show's future.

But as their pretend relationship deepens amidst mounting tension, Ian's secrets from a mysterious past threaten to unravel everything. Will they take a chance on love, defying the odds stacked against them?

In summary, this is a spellbinding sports romance that offers an irresistible blend of passion, humor, and heartfelt moments. Highly recommended for anyone in search of a delightful escape into the world of romance.

A special thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for providing this enchanting romance's digital review copy. Your generosity is truly appreciated.

In this childhood friends to lovers romance, Delilah and her brother’s best friend Ian team up for her baking show. Ian is a professional hockey player fighting bad publicity, and Delilah wants to bring more attention to her show. Naturally, a fake dating scheme works to both of their benefits!

I love Lana Ferguson’s books, and she is showing she can write all types of romance with this venture into sports romance. It was oh so sweet (and spicy)! Ian is thoughtful, caring, emotionally intelligent, and makes a great match for Lila. I loved Jack, Lila’s brother and Ian’s best friend, and I’m very hopeful that he is being set up for his own future book (please, Lana???). I loved the couple’s shared history, the slight age gap (5 years), friends to lovers, the banter and cute nicknames, and the family drama side story. Did I mention- no third act breakup or miscommunication in sight? If you’re in search a of a spicy, fun sports romance, this one is for you!

Thank you to Lana Ferguson, Berkley Romance, and Netgalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this book!! Such a cute & quick read. I adored Ian & Lilah. I loved how the problems were solved together & it didn’t have that third act breakup you usually see towards the end. The spice was some of my favorite I’ve read (as usual with this author) & I can’t wait to read whatever she puts out next!

This was hot and an exciting read. I love the range Ferguson’ writing seems to be having. The story's direct and endearing approach to love and self-discovery is very enjoyable, and the characters are relatable and easy to root for.

When Delilah Baker's baking show isn't performing as well as her producers want it to, she comes up with a plan to feature Boston's beloved hockey team to bring in viewers. What she didn't expect was Ian Chase to be the player they send in: her brother's best friend and her first love. After a record breaking episode and viewers honing in on their on-screen chemistry, Lila and Ian decide to enter a fake dating situationship in hopes of gaining good press that could benefit them both.

This was a solid, easy read from Lana! The plot is very straight forward and while it was not super unique, it was executed well; the relationship that develops between Ian and Lila was believable, spicy scenes were hot, and thank god, there wasn't a third act break up. Ferguson's writing improves with each book and its noticeable! I had a good time with this and think a lot of readers will too.

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

Lana Ferguson is back with another incredible romance and I think it’s her best one yet. The banter, the character, the love story, are all the biggest reasons you should be dying to read this book. I laughed, I swooned, and I blushed because it’s Lana and her sexy times are amazing. Thanks so much to the publisher for my advanced copy!

WHERE DO I EVEN BEGIN?!

This is the sweetest childhood friends to lovers, brother's best friend hockey romance. Ian Chase is nothing but green flags. He is setting the bar oh so high. AND LILA? Delilah is by far one of the most enjoyable FMC I've read. Loved her so much. And don't even get me started on her brother Jack... Jack is a blessing and I pray to everything holy that he'll get a book someday. BUT back to our main duo. Their relationship was sweet and spicy... and funny... ommggg the banter. All of their interactions just feel REAL. Which makes their chemistry so believable and so damn good. This book will seriously heal your soul, I know it did for me.

I will scream my love for this to anyone who will listen... and even people walking by.