Thank you to Valentine PR, Netgalley, the publishers and the author Monica Murphy for letting me read & review this advanced copy. This is the first book in Monica Murphys new sports romance series called Kings Of Campus that releases Tuesday September 17th 2024. End Game has the perfect book tropes; which are Football Romance, Reformed Playboy, Enemies to Lovers ,Sports Romance, Friends to Lovers, Roommates and Forced Proximity. Everleigh is the female main character who wanted a real college experience and decides to transfer to the university UC Santa Mira. Right upon arriving at the college she finds out her on campus housing was cancelled with no back up plan. Everleigh ends up friending a group of football guys who have an open room, which she accepts the offer. One of the roommates Nico is a senior at the university who is now one of Everleigh's roommates but doesn't get along with her. He thinks she would be a distraction. This was a amazing five star romance read that I loved every second of.

I am a fan of Monica Murphy’s books, so I was excited to start the first book in the “Kings of Campus series!

Everleigh is looking for somewhere to stay during college, and needs to find a place fast. When she hears 3 guys say they are looking for a roommate, she jumps at the opportunity. However, when she moves in, she realizes the are all football player, and she might be developing feelings for one of them.

Some of the tropes in the book include;

Forced Proximity
Roommates to Lovers
Grumpy Sunshine
Found Family
College Football Romance

Overall, I enjoyed this book. Everleigh and Nico’s romance was super cute, and had me swooning. I had such angst, especially during the slow burn scenes! I love a good football romance, especially during the fall time. I definitely recommend this book to any romance lover, especially if you are a fan of the show New Girl, as it had similar vibes! Great read, and I cannot wait to continue the series!

Thank you to Monica, NetGalley and VPR for the ARC!

This is an entertaining college slow-burn romance that skillfully explores the characters' evolving relationship within the dynamics of shared living. With relatable characters and an engaging plot, this book sets an exciting foundation for the series. I enjoyed the authentic portrayal of young love and the interactions with intriguing side characters. It's a quick read that leaves me eager for the next installment to see where these characters' journeys lead.

Nico’s your typical jock, playing for the Dolphins, and Ever is the new girl in town who ends up moving in with Nico and his roommates because she didn’t have a place to stay. These two are totally into each other but keep denying it, and Nico? He’s a total asshole while fighting his feelings, but you can tell he’s losing the battleand Ever wants to jump his bones but stays in denial because of his playboy reputation. Monica definitely took a few pages out of Mariana’s book with the slow burn—you’ll be pulling your hair out waiting for something to happen. But honestly, it makes sense because they needed time to figure things out. Frank’s such a sweetheart, and I’m really hoping he finds his person next! If you're into reformed playboys, sports romance, slow burns, and a quick, sweet read, I highly recommend this one.

𝔸ℝℂ ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨 🏈

𝙀𝙣𝙙 𝙂𝙖𝙢𝙚 by 𝙈𝙤𝙣𝙞𝙘𝙖 𝙈𝙪𝙧𝙥𝙝𝙮
🌟🌟🌟✨ (3.5/5)

This book was a fun, light-hearted college romance that I surprisingly enjoyed more than I expected, considering it borders on YA/New Adult, which usually isn’t my jam. But this one was pretty cute!

The chemistry between Ever and Nico was great, and I loved the slow burn between them, especially in the first half of the book. The sweet moments mixed with classic college football vibes made it an enjoyable read. Plus, the spice? It definitely showed up at the right moments, adding just the right amount of heat to the story.

However, while the first half had me hooked, the second half felt a little rushed. The pacing sped up, and some key moments could have been drawn out more to really give the romance a solid finish. I also felt like the character development was a bit lacking, like there were pieces missing that could’ve helped us understand Ever and Nico better as individuals. It would've been great to see their growth a bit more fully explored.

Overall, though, it’s got all the fun elements of a sweet, slightly spicy football romance that’s perfect for a casual, feel-good read. If you’re into slow burns with a sprinkle of spice, this might be a fun pick for you!

Thank you @netgalley and @valentine_pr_ for the arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

#Review: *End Game* - ARC - Monica Murphy [18+]
4.9/5✨
2.5/5🌶️

I'm always excited to read anything written by Monica Murphy🥰. Super grateful to be part of her permanent ARC team💖. Thank you so, so much for this opportunity!🤗

Everleigh just transferred at UC Santa Mira. She is followed by bad luck by losing her rental and, later on, by being robbed. She needs to find a new place to stay, with a decent price too. By mistake she hears the conversation of some boys from a cafe, who were searching for a new roommate. That's how Everleigh ends up sharing an apartment with these guys.

Without knowing, Everleigh is now staying with a couple of most wanted boys from school. They are part of the football team and many girls would die to be in Ever's place. Among her roommates is one boy which steals her attention and his name is Nico. The attraction is mutual, but Ever promised to herself she won't date too soon after her last boyfriend.

The journey of these two was so much fun to follow. Even though the sparks were obvious from the beginning, Ever is not letting her guard down easy, especially knowing Nico's reputation. I also loved the others players from the team🥰. Cooper, Dollar and Gavin were hilarious and made this whole book so much better. Cooper's sister, Sienna was also interesting to follow, because she was so raw and straight forward in her relationship with the boys, being in their presence for a long time.

Everything about this book was so good from my point of view! Give me a sports romance and written by Monica and it's a winner. I'm curious about the stories of the other football players, because there are some really interesting things happening there🤭.

✨Tropes:
#SportsRomance
#StrangersToLovers
#Roommates
#ForcedProximity
#Athlete
#BandOfBrothers
#AmericanFootball
#LoveAtFirstSight

First in the new series King of Campus and what a way to start.
Everleigh is a transfer student and suddenly finds herself homeless. She over hears a group of guys saying that they have a room to rent. What does she have to lose? She takes a chance and conveniences the guys that they should rent to the room to her.

She finds a group of good guys that has become more than friends, she finds a solid family. Living the full college experience, we watch as Nico and Ever fight the strong pull to each other but fate has something else in store for them.
Once you start, you won’t be able to stop. Find a place that you won’t be interrupted, you’re gonna need it.
ARC for this honest review.

This was the first book I’ve read by this author and I enjoyed it!

I loved seeing Ever and Nico’s relationship develop and their chemistry was just 🤌🏻✨ I also loved seeing the dynamic between her and the roommates. It definitely gave me New Girl vibes and that’s one of my favorite shows 💗

It’s a sports romance, easy to read and fast paced. I’m excited for the next book in the series~

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc 🫶🏻

🏈 football player
🏈 Friends to lovers
🏈 Close Proximity
🏈 Opposites attract
🏈 Roommates
🏈 College romance

Everleigh finds herself in a pickle right before school starts losing her apartment and needing a place to stay. She somehow falls into a perfect situation with the football team. These two had a lot of push and pull throughout the entire book. They don't like each other, they can't like each other, they do, they don't and so on. Unfortunately this one just fell flat for me. I struggled to connect to either MC and both felt very immature in their behavior throughout the entire book.

Thank you netgalley and Monica for this ARC

I loved this one. I loved Everleigh and Nico. I liked that these two didn’t just jump into something immediately just because they were attracted to each other. They were roommates and weighed the consequences. They were also friends.
Of course their attraction is too strong to deny. I loved each of the roommates and Sienna and the guy she’s crushing on. I can’t wait for the next book.
Must read

This was a good but not great read for me. It was an intro to a new series. So I enjoyed being able to learn about the "world" and get introduced to all of the characters that I am sure will be the main focal points for future books. I think my challenge was not a lot HAPPENED in this one. I got a little frustrated with the back and forth between Nico and Everleigh. I get a slow burn but this one gave me some whiplash. I felt that there was a lot of lead up and then when everything happened I had almost lost interest if that makes sense? We got hints of their past but not enough to where I really felt like I knew much about Nico and Ever.

Everleigh has hit rock bottom. She fought tooth and nail to get to school. Now she is here to find out she has nowhere to live and her car has gotten broken into. Somehow she has now found herself living with 3 football stars. She has never lived with guys and now she is living with 3 rockstars at their school. She has agreed to help them with their meals. She wants to make sure her main focus is school. But she can't stop thinking about her roommate Nico. The ladies man. He will be sweet to her and then not. He pays attention to her and then it is like she is a ghost. There is a living breathing thing happening between them, but she can't acknowledge it. They live together for goodness sake. She is a relationship girl, and he clearly isn't. But then things start to escalate, and when they kiss it's like she sees stars. When he comes on too strong though, she is reminded of his history. What happens now? Will they go back to being roommates only? Or will they explore what could be between them?

Nico has one thing on his mind. Football. Yes he is a ladies man. And yes he loves that part of his life. But this is his future he is talking about. He doesn't have time for a relationship. He doesn't have time for distractions in general which is why he is frustrated when he gets another roommate. A girl roommate who is a stranger to him and the guys. Yet she doesn't seem starstruck. She seems kind of at ease. He is annoyed by how cute she is though. And how he finds himself thinking about her a lot. She keeps giving him the cold shoulder but he is wondering what they could be like together. When they kiss he knows it would be worth it. He is sticking to no relationships though. He doesn't need that in his life right? Or is he wrong and maybe he has lost out on a chance before he even had one?

Overall this was a pretty quick read for me but again challenges were a lacking plot, whiplash with kind of surface level characters and too slow of a burn for me. I am hoping that book 2 is about Gavin and Sienna. I mean what happened that night between them to make things be where they are now??

Thank you to Valentine PR, NetGalley and Monica for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Loved this book! Great start to a new series. Huge fan of sports romances. End Game was perfect and had me glued to my kindle. Everleigh and Nico have this push and pull to one another. The chemistry is there but something keeps holding them back. When Ever and Nico give in they have intense chemistry. I loved all the secondary characters and can’t wait to get the next book in this series! Must Read!

"This is a crazy idea," I announce the moment I shut the bedroom door.
"What's so crazy about it?" Cooper leans against the wall, crossing his bulky arms. "She seems nice enough."
"But do you really think we should rent the room to a girl?"
I sound like an a**hole. I feel like one for even saying it, but damn. I've never lived with a woman before, beyond a relative, and that doesn't count.

Nico was more than reluctant to have Everleigh move in with him and his teammates/roommates. He didn't think it was a good idea. Once she is living with them and he finds out how wonderful she is, he is definitely concerned. She's smart, beautiful, funny and runs away from him every chance she gets. That is not a reaction he is used to.

Everleigh knew she was lucky to find this room to rent. Even though the guys were a little intimidating - they were really great. She is resisting her constant attraction to Nico. He's a player and not just a football player. She doesn't need that drama in her life. So keeping her distance is the best plan.

Monica Murphy builds a whole new, fun, exciting world of college football players. I love her sports romance stories!

5 They Get Under Each Other’s Skin Stars!!

This is my first book by Monica Murphy and what a wonderful introduction to her writing. I’m a huge fan of sports romances so when I read the synopsis of this one I was immediately excited. Adding to my excitement is that it’s the first in a new series so I’m getting to know all the characters that will hopefully be in future books.

Everleigh is a young woman that’s transferred to UC Santa Mira and unfortunately doesn’t have a place to live until she overhears three football players discussing their need for a new roommate. This wouldn’t normally be a scenario Ever would consider, but desperate times call for desperate measures; with a little haggling they all come to a mutual agreement of how it would work with her being their new roommate.

I absolutely love all these guys, Nico, Cooper and Frank are what people think the epitome of being a college football star is all about. Little does Ever know when she moves in, those preconceived notions will get thrown out the window. Ever and Nico end up sharing a bathroom which creates it’s own set of chemistry and then when they end up spending more time together, the more their attraction grows. I love how their friendship deepens and their slow burn. The way not only Ever and Nico change but also Frank and Cooper proving that family isn’t always blood.

I loved this book so much, that I started listening to the audiobook the minute it showed up in my library on release day and Stephanie Rose and J.D. Harris have become two of my favorite narrators. They bring to life perfectly Nico, Ever and the cast of secondary characters bringing so much laughter, swooning and falling in love in my ears. I’m so happy I read this book and I can’t wait not only for the next book in this series, but to also read and/or listen to all of Ms. Murphy’s previously released books!

End Game is my first book by Monica Murphy, and it did not disappoint. I'm happy I was able to start with book one in a brand new series. This story follows Nico and Everleigh. Everleigh's student housing situation falls through, leaving her with zero reasonable options. When she overhears some guys discussing needing a new roommate, she jumps at the opportunity to secure the spot. Little did she know, she agreed to live with stars on the football team and some of the most popular guys on campus, including Nico, who has caught her eye.

Nico and Everleigh are instantly attracted to each other and have amazing chemistry. Nico is not interested in serious commitments, and their roommate situation complicates things, so they keep their feelings hidden. I am a sucker for a reformed playboy and loved witnessing Nico fall for Everleigh. Their love story is a slow burn with low spice, but the development of their relationship felt natural and not forced. I loved the dynamic between Everleigh and the roommates. The found family element is perfect. This is a great start to a new series. I need more of these characters and can't wait for the rest of the series.

This was a fast read for me. I think it’s the first book by Monica Murphy that I have ever read. It’s a college, sports romance. Everleigh has decided to transfer to a new school and live on campus. This move has caused her to break up with her boyfriend leaving a stale, boring relationship. Her mother is totally against the move and she may initially have been right. Everleigh has some many issues, her housing falls through, she’s robbed, her car is broken in. If it’s not one thing it’s another. Her only luck is listening in to a conversation among 3 men in the coffee shop who coincidentally need a new roommate. But, Everleigh doesn’t realize she has agreed to live with three very popular football players who are chased by a lot of girl and are deemed the elite. Everleigh’s transition in their world is not without highs and lows. Nico who is our star player and a little bit of a girl chaser uses her to hide when he is confronted by past indiscretions. Nico is a great guy who also came here to get away but make it big in college football. The secondary characters make the story very entertaining especially Sienna who is Dollar’s sister and she eventually becomes Everleigh’s good friend. I enjoyed the romance the back and forth between Nico and Everleigh and since this is the first book in the series I can only see it getting better as we learn more about this group of characters.

3..5 Stars
Monica Murphy’s End Game brings us into the world of college and sports romance, offering a familiar blend of tropes that I love. While it wasn’t my favorite of her work, there were still moments that made me smile and feel nostalgic for the classic college romance setting.

One highlight for me was the great first kiss. It was well done and really a good feels moment. It was also enjoyable to see Everleigh experiencing college life for the first time.

However, Nico, the MC, didn’t quite hit the mark for me. His immaturity felt jarring—almost like he and the rest of the cast were teenagers dropped into a college setting. Their personalities lacked the maturity you would expect from early 20-somethings. I did, however, find myself gravitating more toward Cooper. I liked him from the start, even before I realized who the main character would be. He continued to grow on me as the story progressed, unlike Nico.

The character development for both Nico and Everleigh just wasn’t there for me. It felt basic and a bit underwhelming. While there was chemistry between the two, I struggled to connect with it, mostly due to the underdeveloped plot and the narrative choices. The story didn’t dive deep enough into the complexities of their relationship, leaving me wanting more substance to back up their connection.

That being said, End Game still delivers on the tropes that make college and sports romances fun to read. There’s something comforting about falling back into the familiar world of young love, campus life, and some good ol' football.

End Game wasn't really my whole jam, but Monica Murphy’s ability to capture the essence of a college romance will still appeal to fans. If you enjoy light, trope-filled stories with a sports twist, this might be a quick and entertaining read for you.

This was such a classic Monica Murphy book and I LOVED IT. I stayed up until legit 5am devouring this and read it in 24 hours!

Nico…sir 🤤🫠 we love an Alpha Male, Bad Boy football player…yes, yes we do!

I enjoyed the forced proximity, forbidden love relationship with bad boy Nico and good girl (and roommate) Everleigh.

If you like:
Sexy, bad boy football player
Roommate romance
Possessive Alpha
Football Romance
Found Family
Plenty of tension and the right amount of spice

Pick up this book asap!!

#contemporaryromance #newadultromance #sportsromance #alphahero #athlete #badboy #goodgirl #collegefootball #forcedproximity #grumpysunshine #newadultromance #oppositesattract #roommatestolovers #sportsromance #booklover #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #booksta #advancedreaderscopy #bookrecommendations #bookreview

Tropes:
Sports Romance
College Football
Forced Proximity
Roommates to lovers
SLOW burn
Opposites attract

I really liked Evie & Nico together and this was a super cute read. I’m super hit and miss with slow burn romances and this one felt a bit rushed once they finally get together. (Like at the 90% mark 👀) For a standalone in an interconnected series I really wanted to see more of their relationship bloom! I will def continue to read this series as I love all the characters so much already.

Thank you to NetGalley & Monica Murphy for the chance to read this one early in exchange for an honest review!

This one is out now and available on KU!

Nico and Everleigh’s story was one that I thoroughly enjoyed and while there were moments I wanted more from them I still loved them. Nico was a playboy that had many reservations when it came to the ladies and relationships, but something about Ever drew him in and Ever kept her distance from him because she isn’t a one night kind of gal. The whole story is them getting to know each other more and forming a friendship while fighting this attraction they have for the other.Their story was fun and getting to enjoy all the secondary characters really made me love it, but I really really needed more of Nico and Ever being together. I hated that everything that happened with the previous girl was threw on his shoulders because in reality he was upfront that he doesn’t do relationships and they were only together for 2 weeks or less and she was planning their future, being incredibly stalkerish, and yet he is the problem? No that girl had some serious issues and her trying to use Dollar angered me she had no boundaries and needed serious help, but we don’t get a lot of closure there and that bothered me. Overall, I fell in love with Nico and Ever and all the secondary characters really brought it together.