Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️

"The 'Love Game' by Emma Rae is a fantastic book, offering an easy way to escape reality after a long day of work. The book itself had me screaming, giggling, and hiding my face—I loved every second of the tension, the love, and the overall connection between Nicky and Elle. Often, I don't like the cheating trope portrayed in books, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was very minimal after experiencing the plot twist. Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who is a romance reader, especially considering the fact that I've actually never read a tennis romance but greatly enjoy sports romances. I was pleasantly surprised by this trope. So if you're someone who wants to let loose after a tiresome day, with a blanket, fantasizing about a world where men aren't as unpleasant as they are nowadays, this book is for you!"

Thanks to Emma Rae and @NetGalley for the ARC.

Read if you like:
Sports romance
Forced proximity
Some spice
Enemies to lovers

As soon as I started reading this I excited I love a forced proximity trope, the premise of book is good, swoon worthy American pro tennis player and personal chef, now the problem is this tennis player has a fiancé and a whole lotta baggage.

I know books need challenge I know a good author should make you work for it but I struggled when it came to Elle, I like a stronger protagonist, I felt Elle the FMC was just too soft for me personally. The writing is good though, it has flair and the spicy scenes were handled with a sensitivity and naivety that was refreshing to read.

I enjoyed the story, I really felt it just wasn’t for me and that is ok that doesn’t mean I can’t recommend it or discuss its merit because it was a lovely story.

This is a hard book for me to review. I loved the concept and the overall storyline, however, I think the final product could use a little additional work. Granted, not a lot, but some last-minute changes might just give it an extra star rating.

Here we have a story of Elle, someone who has been unhappy in her recent relationship (who also happens to be cheating on her) and has recently been laid off from her job. While Elle didn't start off by being passionate about food, she stumbled into the career of being a chef and has become passionate about it. Through this new line of work, she meets Nick Salco, a professional tennis player, when she is hired as his personal chef. Nicky is always surrounded by an entourage of people, from his assistant, coach and training partner as well as his fiancé. However, he is not happy with his current life situation and his tennis game is suffering from it. Elle and Nicky spend a lot of time together and start to fall in love. However, Elle is reluctant to get involved with Nicky as she does not want to be the other woman. This forbidden attraction and late-night encounters are eating at Elle, especially because she was recently cheated on by her previous boyfriend. Nick is not happy with his fiancé but feels trapped in the relationship and his situation and can't leave her, despite wanting to be with Elle. They eventually part ways until Nicky can prove he is worthy of Elle.

The steamy love story was good, but I had some issues with the details. I didn't enjoy the cheating. While Elle did acknowledge her feelings about being the other woman, she still went along with it. And Nicky was aware that she was cheated on and still was ok with making her the other woman. As we get to know Elle, I understand why she didn't, or rather, I see how little self-worth she had for herself and wasn't in a position to demand the right respect from others. However, how can Nicky be so selfish as to flirt with Elle, pursue her and know that he isn't going to break things off with his fiancé?

While there are 31 chapters in the book, some chapters have breaks in them to indicate the change of story. Some of these breaks were just to let the reader know of some information that was deemed important. However, the chapters were just tidbits of information. They could have been rewritten to include that information in other areas of the story without having to add in that particular small section. It just added additional text and information in the story that could have been done differently. It made the story drag on in some parts.

I also wanted to point out that there are a few typos. Nothing that will take away from the story but there are a few that the reader should be aware of.

I did enjoy the secondary characters that are with Nick and Elle, however, Josie was a bit harsh at times and I didn't fully understand Rag and his attitude. Also, poor Oliver. I felt bad for the guy.

I enjoyed the book but I think this is one that I could have enjoyed as an audiobook even more than a reading book. While it was fine, it is not one that I would return to. I wish Elle had a bit more self-respect and confidence but she eventually got there.

Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read an ARC copy and offer my feedback.

I cannot stop thinking about this book, I must be in my sports romance era but I absolutely loved this!

What a whirlwind romance!

Elle is obviously fed up with her current situation and looking for an out, landing in Nicky's kitchen seems to be what'll do it. With an opportunity to travel and live a different kind of life than she's used to, why not put up with an obnoxious "bosses fiancee" and ungodly working hours.

This book really reminded me of the Bend It Like Beckham, will they/won't they, forbidden/forced proximity romance vibes. With notable mention of Wimbledon too!

I loved Emma's writing, would have loved it even more if it was dual POV, but I'll still be looking for what she publishes in the future.


Thank you Netgalley and Hera Books for my eARC!

✨️Thank you Netgalley, Emma Rae and Hera Books for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review. ✨️

I was a bit sceptic going into this book mainly because the main character was being such a pushover in the beginning and I was scared it was going to be like that throughout the entire book but I'm happy to say that wasn't the case. Once the ex-boyfriend situation was (thankfully) taken cared of - even if I did wish it had involved a bit more of female rage and a little less agreeability - I was HOOKED. The female main character was interesting and it was very nice to see her grow (even in the most subtle ways) and her relationship with the male main character was the highlight of it all. They gave me BUTTERFLIES - and I'm not even one to like cheating in any shape or form, so that's saying something. To be honest, the forbidden aspect of it made their relationship even better.

I have to say I was a bit mad at the 3rd act breakup mainly because it didn't make a lot of sense to me (what do you mean you spend the entire book wishing the MMC would leave his fiancée but the moment he does you refuse to be with him because of what it implies?) but luckily that didn't last that long and the FMC soon regretted what he she did. I'm so happy with their happily ever after and this is one of those couples I wouldn't mind reading a fluffy extended epilogue about just to see them being happy together.

Thank you NetGalley for this book! I enjoyed this romance book that was an easy and light read. I however do not believe that the characters had anything special as Nicky was cheating on his wife for the majority of the book. This may not be an issue for some readers but I personally do not like this trope. On the other hand, I do think that because of the way Nicky's wife was portrayed in a bad light, it made some sense that he wanted a romance with someone else. This book had a sweet romance and that I would recommend to others.

This was a really enjoyable romance read! I really liked the storyline and characters. Had a blast and look forward to more from this author!

I liked the premise of this book when I read the description - romance between a professional tennis player and his personal chef. Unfortunately, I did get stuck on the cheating aspect of the story and it was really hard for me to get passed, even though it did somewhat resolve at the end. I didn't know the cheating trope was part of this story when I decided to read it.

I did enjoy the overall story and the romance between the two main characters. The spicy scenes were great and plentiful, if you like that. It was also well-written.

Thank you NetGally for the ARC!

The pace of Love Game was a little hard to follow at times. Sometimes that pace was very slow and then it would pick up. I wasn't a fan of how the main characters got together. I think i would have liked the story more if the characters didn't have a secret affair.

i'm a huuuuge fan of sports romances and i absolutely loved this one!! it was so refreshing to read a sports romance that wasn't about hockey or baseball. i was a big fan of the forced proximity/forbidden love tropes. overall, this book was written in a way that made it quick and easy to read. if you want a fun and flirty read - this is 100% a great book for you to read.

thank you so so much to netgalley and the publisher for an arc copy! <3

This was a fun, sports romance, I enjoyed the nods to Jane Eyre but the cheating trope is not for me so I struggled to get past that to be honest (the two MCs don’t cheat on eachother but rather on their respective partners) and think many others will feel similarly but I appreciate that’s a risk you take with any trope and some will love it. I will say I enjoyed the character growth they both showed as individuals that often lacks in a romance and the spicy scenes were *chefs kiss*. One of the best sport romances in terms of character development and chemistry I’ve read just a shame for me they had other partners.

ARC via NetGalley

"I want the whole world to know that I love you. I just want you back with me."

"I knew in my heart that you would do it. I will never stop believing in you."

🎾cheating
🎾forced proximity
🎾he is her boss
🎾forbidden love
🎾third act break up
🎾he will do anything for her

I'm a sucker for a sports romance, and i liked that this book was a tennis romance. Now, first things first, I am not a fan of the cheating trope. I don't like it. Now, if that's a deal breaker for you, this book isn't for you. I enjoyed the mmc and fmc. The issue for me was that i didn't feel like I knew them super well it sorta felt surface level. Despite that it was a good, quick easy read that helped me out of a reading slump. I did enjoy the writing and writing style a lot.

It was enjoyable, and if you can get past cheating as a major plot point, then I encourage you to read. It was a good read with the aforementioned reasons why it isn't higher than a 3 star read for me. Regardless, cute book and characters in Nicky and Elle.


Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy of the book.

4🌟
This book was cute and had the ending I was definitely shipping. The only thing I found a little tedious was that she gets cheated on but then keeps going ahead with a hidden relationship where they're cheating on someone else, which is a bit of a moral dilemma really.

Other than that it was predictable but I liked the setting(s) of the book, and it was a little unexpected with the spice that was in there!

If I had known this book, at its core, was basically just cheating on your partner and passing it off as okay because your partner not only was a POS to the person you cheated with, but was already cheating on you themselves, then I never would've requested it on Netgalley. I give it 2 stars if only for the side characters. I loved Sydney Rag, Tag, and Lonzo, but I could do without Nicky and Elle. I really tried to see it differently, and I don't care that Mackenzie was cheating on Nicky first. It's not an excuse to cheat back, because if you don't know if someone's cheating, then you're just as bad as them for cheating too. No excuses.

Who doesn’t love a good sports romance? A tennis superstar paired with his new personal chef; this love story was delicious! My mouth watered not only over Elle’s delicious meals but also over Nicky Salco himself. Cheating tropes can be tricky, but I felt this book executed it nicely and addressed the moral dilemmas of cheating well. Elle and Nicky’s relationship took me on a rollercoaster of emotions in the best way. I would say it’s a quick-paced book, and my main note would be that I might’ve liked to see more emotional connection building between the characters. Overall, I enjoyed both the main and side characters and the plot. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a sports contemporary romance!

Love Game is a captivating novel about a personal chef who falls for her famous tennis player client.

Although I was tempted to give it a higher rating, the cheating plot was a major turn-off for me. Every time I was engrossed in the story's spice and witty exchanges, the fact that Nicky was cheating on his fiancée would distract me. While Mackenzie's character is portrayed as a shallow and self-obsessed princess who is also cheating on Nicky, it doesn't justify Nicky's actions. He should have ended his relationship with Mackenzie before pursuing Elle.

We do get Elle's point of view of things and how she's struggling to still pursue the relationship, but it still feels icky. Love is messy and complicted, but cheating makes things more complicated than they need to be.

If you can get past the cheating plot, the writing is wonderful, the spice exquiste, and the characters are well rounded. I'm interested to see what work Emma Rae has in the future!

Thank you to NetGalley, Hera, and Emma Rae for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

I'm going to start off by saying I liked this book; I liked that it was a sports romance that wasn't just another ice-hockey player and tennis is something fun and new!

Elle Caraway is a personal chef for hot-headed tennis star Nick Stalco who requires round the clock feeding (literally, I'm talking 2am a full meal) due to his unusually high metabolism. Due to their close proximity, disinterest soon grows into tolerance into something more; the only problem is that Elle already has a partner (who is sleeping with other women but whom she is financially dependant on) and Nicky a haughty fiancee who takes an instant dislike to Elle. Despite being worlds apart they start to drift into each others orbit - but is the life they could have, worth sacrificing everything?

I mostly HATE the cheating trope but I actually didn't mind it here, the cheating isn't between the two MCs and Nicky's fiancee Mackenzie is written in such a way it's hard to feel sorry for her. However, I personally didn't love the style of writing, I found the story a little confusing in parts as to how feelings had developed so fast, but this is a romance book so I took this with a pinch of salt. I liked that we had a window into Elle's thoughts regarding the 'cheating' as this was more complex and her inner turmoil over her morals and want of Nicky was evident. I liked her development, how she tried to create boundaries that Nicky initially bulldozed through, but that she grew in confidence and flourished towards the end of the book.

Overall, I enjoyed the premise, liked the FMC especially (and Sydney!! hopefully we get her's and Tag's book next) and liked the setting of tennis - I just personally found the writing style to be a little rushed and there were a few spelling/grammatical mistakes. Definitely pick this up though if you want a fun, light-hearted, flirty summer read!

I really enjoyed this book, it was the right amount of spice and nice, however I struggled with the way in which the main characters got together as it is not one of my favourite tropes, I felt that they could have gone about it in a better way but overall their love and chemistry was undeniable!

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this!

The premise of the book is cute and I do love a tennis story with the main characters overcoming challenges. This was a quick and engaging read.

However, right from the start, we find out that the main character is in an extremely toxic relationship. The theme of cheating continues throughout the book and it’s just so unhealthy. There is resolution, but I didn’t connect with the characters nor was I able to empathize with their situation. I think it would have been helpful to dig into Elle & Nicky's baggage a little so there could be more endearment to both characters.

Words that Americans said in dialogue that are so Un-American (e.g. parasol, sat-nav, whilst). I understand British characters saying them but don’t get having Americans use this language.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an eARC for my honest review.