I want to say thank you to NetGalley and the writer for letting me read this book and share what I really think about it.
The tropes seemed fantastic, and the book description made me eager to read this novel! College romance, forced proximity, opposites attract, roommates to lovers, and sports romance.However, I didn't enjoy this book one bit.
Everleigh and Nico didn't connect with us frequently enough, and the few times we did see them together didn't support their romance. Although they were described as being attracted to each other, there was no tension or chemistry. To be honest, I was more intrigued by Sienna and Gavin's story.
Nico is arrogant, extremely popular (he seems to require security to keep his admirers away, but I never witnessed this), and all the women desire him (but I wasn't persuaded). He was unable to communicate, was a man-child, and believed that making dinner would make people forgive him (where's the grovel?). Everleigh was no better; she lacked personality, was uninteresting, and was unable to communicate either.
The way the book moved was tricky for me. Some parts went by really quickly, and I didn’t feel happy about them, while other parts took too long. Even though the characters only became a couple at the end of the story, it didn't feel like they fell in love super fast. But it was like their feelings jumped from nothing to really strong all of a sudden.

This is a good book. The two main characters are Everleigh and Nico. Everleigh has just transferred to a new college. Her roommates has just informed her they gave her room to someone else, so she has no place to stay. She overhears a conversation some guys have while she is trying to figure out where she going to stay. They are talking about a room that have to rent. She talks them into renting it to her. The guys are on the football team. She has an attraction for one of the guys, Nico. They start dating and fall in love.

⭐️ 5/5
🌶️ 3/5

End Game is a roommates/friends to lovers, close proximity, opposites attract, college football romance. This is also the first instalment to the Kings of Campus series.

I started this book this morning and have finished it already, I could not put it down! This book has something for everyone, the quiet guy, the one who try’s to hard, the cocky football player (being the operative word!) and girls who are there for them!

Everleigh was a great character, coming to a new place and trying to start a new in college and ending up in the one place that everyone wants to be ….. in the hottest football players house as their roommate! I love how she interacted with the guys and was able to stay true to herself instead of changing to fit in.

Now on to Nico …. Nico, Nico, Nico! Where to begin, he is the cocky footballer player who is hot as is sin with a panty dropping smile, who couldn’t fall for him! 🔥 It was good to see that not he had to deal with not everything dropping at his feet for him and the friendships within the team and house were really nice to read!

I loved how the relationships grew within the story and I can not wait for the next instalment to see where this goes!

Overall this was an absolutely brilliant book and I can not wait for the next in the series! I would highly recommend it to anyone who loves themselves a hot, cocky football player!

Monica Murphy is always a hit with me! This is the perfect blend of sports and some yummy romance. The chemistry between the characters had me swooning.

I think this is a great quick read when you are looking for a palette cleanser read.

It fell short for me this time. I just feel like we didn’t see enough of any of the characters to get a good connection to them or even see the connections with each other. I just needed more overall with the character development, relationship development and plot line.

Rooming in a house with football players? Yes please! Everleigh isn't sure about doing just that but when you don't have many choices, you take what you can get. The roomies are great except Nico, who is so moody. But you know that just means he wants her. The characters' chemistry is great.

The storyline was pretty well developed. I would have liked to understand Everleigh's past some more but that didn't impact the story at all. All of the other characters were great too. I think we need more books about them!

Everleigh and Nico are just two idiots who can’t admit that they love each other.

I loved the forced proximity / roommates tropes especially when they “can’t” attempt anything because they don’t want to ruin things if they go wrong.. lol!
If you go into something with that mindset, it’s doomed to fail! It’s a simple concept.

I enjoyed how simple their relationship evolved, it felt so natural and effortless, with their little fake dating attempts and the little mistakes they make.

There wasn’t a lot of spice, but it made sense relationship development wise, but all the lead-up to the spice, was hot!

I can’t wait for the other guys stories! Gav and Sienna need a book!!

Thank you Monica Murphy for an eARC.

Plot ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice 🌶️🌶️.5

A sports romance with a reformed playboy? Sign me up. This was a cute first book to the start of a new series. The meet-cute had me giggling and I loved how the guys all just accepted Everleigh into their home. The push and pull between Nico and Everleigh was done well and Monica certainly knows how to edge her audience. So be prepared as this is a slow burn but it’s worth the wait my friends.

Is Nico a bit of a man-child? Yes he definitely is, but you can’t help falling for him. I also really enjoyed getting to know all the side characters and I’m excited for Gavin and Sienna’s story but I’m also really interested in Frank’s story too. I just have a feeling the entire series is gonna be a good one.

3.5 Stars

End Game is the first book in a new series from Monica, the Kings of Campus. In this book the romantic focus is between Ever and Nico. I felt that it took such a long time for anything to happen between them beyond some bickering and tension. I would have liked them to spend more time together as I wasn't completely sold on them as a couple for a large part of the book. My favourite parts of the story were the friendships of the roommates, I loved the way they became like Ever's big brothers. The ending did feel a little abrupt and I would have liked a little more especially as I am now worried about Nico. It is always hard to judge when it's the first book of a series as time is spent introducing everyone and laying the groundwork however I am looking forward to seeing where the next book goes.

Monica starts this new series off well and just in time for football season!!

End Game is definitely more on the slow-burn romance with very low angst and honestly, it was the perfect combination for Nico and Everleigh.

Everleigh finds herself as the fourth roommate with three guys; three guys who happen to be known as the Kings around campus.

Nico is the typical playboy but struggles with his attraction to Everleigh. But she's the new roommate and off-limits.

I really enjoyed how this one played out. While some parts felt a bit too long, it helped build that tension and low angst. But also add in the roommates and friends, this was nicely paced story and great build-up for the rest of the books in this series.

A great college, sports romance read. I am looking forward to more from this series.

Absolutely Unputdownable!

End Game by Monica Murphy delivered everything I love in a sports romance — heart-pounding tension, emotional depth, and sizzling chemistry. The dynamic between Everleigh and her football-star roommates is electric, with so much more than just the typical college romance. Everleigh is strong and independent, making her an incredibly relatable protagonist, while the love interest is the perfect blend of cocky and vulnerable.

The pacing of the story kept me on the edge of my seat, and I loved how the emotional stakes were so high — every interaction between the main couple felt crucial, pulling me deeper into their world. Monica Murphy has this knack for writing characters you can't help but root for, and I found myself fully invested in their journey from the start.

If you're looking for a college sports romance with depth, humor, and a ton of heart, End Game is an absolute must-read. I can't wait to see where the Kings of Campus series goes next! Monica Murphy has knocked it out of the park again! 🏈💘

This was such a quick and sweet read!

College setting. Everleigh is a new transfer student whose housing fell through and she happens upon a group of guys looking for a new roommate.

Nico is a football star at the school with girls throwing themselves at him.

Definitely a lot of set up as this is a new series and new world to us from the brilliant Monica Murphy.

I do love a good reformed bad boy - I wish there was more important conversations between the two.

Would I Recommend?: Yes!

Overall I enjoyed the book, the story between a college football player and the new student who came to shake up the lives of her roommates.

The relationship between Nico and Everleigh is slow, very slow and although at times I wanted to slap him, it caught my attention.
Maybe it started slow, and the end was very rushed but I enjoyed turning each page.
I liked the relationship between everyone, the friendship, the interaction and how Everleigh and Sienna become best friends.
I want to know the story between Sienna and Gavin, what would happen with Cooper's future, and especially with Dollar.
It was a good read for me novel

Thank you ValentinePR for the ARC

🎧 𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 🎧

Oh, how I love Monica Murphy and her inability to write an amazing story that will grab hold of your heart and consume you from page one and not let go until way after you’ve finished the book.

You’ll enjoy this book if you like these tropes… ♡

✿ Sports Romance
♡ Alpha Hero
✿ Bad Boy/Good Girl
♡ College Football
✿ Forced Proximity
♡ Grumpy/Sunshine
✿ Opposites Attract
♡ Roommates-To-Lovers
✿ Undeniable Chemistry
♡ Slow Burn
✿ Found Family
♡ Reformed Playboy
✿ Top Tier Banter
♡ Enemies-To-Lovers
✿ Awesome Secondary Characters
♡ Athlete

This is the first book in the King of Campus series and I’m not going to lie. It took me a few chapters to really start to connect with the story and the characters, which isn’t normally the case when it comes to Monica Murphy. In saying this, it was still a great read once I did get over that hump. I devoured the second half in under a few hours.

Everleigh is a new college student and is having a run of bad luck after her living situation falls through and her car gets broken into, she is left homeless and in desperate need of a place to stay. Just when she thought all was lost, she overhears a small group of guys talking about how they need a roommate. She wastes no time and immediately introduces herself and convinces the guys to let her move in.

These guys… Oh, boy! Everleigh has no idea what she’s gotten herself into! These boys are not just your regular jocks. They are the “it” crowd on campus, they are royally and are treated like royalty. They are some of the best footballers around!

These guys and Everleigh come up with a plan that if Everleigh cooks and keeps the place clean then they would make it affordable for her to stay with them.

You’d think this was the perfect setup, right? Well, it was… Until Everleigh started to develop feelings for Nico, unfortunately, he’s got a bad reputation when it comes to women and relationships… Or lack thereof. He’s more of a one-night-stand guy who doesn’t call his conquests back. A hit it and quit it. A pash and a dash…. You catch my drift… However, even though Nico is closed off and will give her the cold shoulder one minute show her this kinder side the next. You can clearly see that Everleigh has gotten under his skin but he refuses to admit it and claims he’s not interested in a relationship and she has made it clear that she’s not just interested in hookups. They try and fight the attraction they have for each other but living together isn’t helping the situation and the attraction only intensifies and they continue to get closer, the sexual tension and chemistry are undeniable and they keep things as innocent as possible but when an ex pops up, everything changes and it pushes them even closer together…..

Will these two finally let themselves be together and stop fighting with undeniable attraction and chemistry? Will it all fall apart and will lose each other completely


As I said above, it took me a bit to get into this book but once I did, it was enjoyable and easy 4 STAR read!!

4 STARS

This was such a cute, fun read that laid a good foundation for the rest of the series. I loved the chemistry and the relationship development between Nico and Everleigh, the push and pull of a slow burn was perfectly done. I loved the dynamics of all the roommates, definitely gave me New Girl vibes and I loved them all. I can't wait to see where this series goes.

I really liked this one! It was a fast and easy read, and just what I needed right now. I liked the characters, and the side-characters were so amazing as well. I can't wait to read the next book in the series!

i read the whole thing but the MMC was kinda annoying, i loved the side characters though and can’t wait for their books

Transferring to UC Santa Mira is supposed to be my ultimate college experience—until housing falls through at the last minute. So when I overhear a group of guys complaining they need another roommate, I jump at the opportunity.

They’re just football players. Even if one of them makes me weak in the knees, it doesn’t mean anything unless I let it. And I won’t.

We want different things. Wanting each other doesn’t change that.

Nico

It’s my senior year and final season with the Santa Mira Dolphins. The last thing I need is a distraction, but that’s exactly what this girl is. Ever is too leggy, too gorgeous, too thoughtful—and a whole lot of too much that gets under my skin.

I guess I get under hers too. I can’t help myself.

We live together. That alone makes it a bad idea…but I never could resist a little trouble.

Loved it. Cannot wait to read more from the author.

End Game is the first book in the Kings of Campus series, but it can be read as a standalone.

Everleigh was a little shy, considering she didn’t know anyone on campus, and she’d just moved into a house of football players. But the guys quickly took to her, as friends…except for Nico. There was something between them that they both tried to deny.

Ever and Nico were so good together! They had great banter, and they actually became friends before falling for each other. And I loved how she didn’t just let his charm or flirting get to her; he had to work to get a chance.

The found family with his teammates was great as well. And I’m so curious about them, so I can’t wait for their stories.

Sweet and tempting. Monica Murphy is such a wonderful author. I love her. End Game was fantastic! Such great chemistry.