Love Game

Thank you @netgalley and @hera_books for the eARC of Love Game by @emmarae.author in exchange for an honest review!

📖📖 Book Review 📖📖 Elle’s professional and personal life have seen better days. Then she lands the opportunity to be the personal chef to one of tennis’ hottest stars, Nicky Salco. He’s got a fiancé and she’s got a cheating boyfriend and an NDA, but the tension between the two is so thick you could cut it with one of her chef’s knives. Obviously a training athlete needs a lot of food to sustain them and Nicky is keen on middle of the night snacks, which brings about charming one-on-one conversations between the two as feelings begin to go deeper. Love Game is a delicious marriage between food and tennis, an adorable page turner that will leave you smiling and rooting for love (off the tennis courts, of course).

Review is posted on Goodreads and will be on Instagram well ahead of the publication date!

The only thing I would change about Love Game, is that it was told in duel POV. It would have been great having Nicky's words spoken as well. But regardless of that it was a great story. And if you love tennis and romance this is the book for you. Our main stars are Nicky and Elle but we get some great secondary characters as well. Some we love and some we don't. Elle is hired to be Nicky's personal chef, he is a star tennis player. During many of Nicky's late night eating sessions, he and Elle become close. But Nicky is engaged to be married and for some reason Nicky feels he needs to stay in that relationship. Over time it gets harder for Elle and Nicky to hide their feelings for each other. What happens with Nicky's engagement and his tennis career? Does Elle stay in the states and continue working for Nicky? Read to find out. You won't be disappointed.

This book has stayed in my mind for quite some time after reading it, very much the mark of an outstanding book.

I adored Love Game by Emma Rae, so much so I devoured the whole novel in one sitting. It was well-written, well-paced and did a great job of showing the uncomfortable sides of love and life. I really loved all the characters, especially Elle and Nicky even when I didn’t want to. Infidelity plays a large role throughout this story so if that is a trigger for you I wouldn’t recommend this book, however I appreciated that the author was not hypocritical in the way it was handled by the characters. Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and would recommend it! Thanks to Emma Rae and NetGalley for the ARC! #LoveGame #NetGalley

I've been reading a tonne of sports romance book recently, and Love Game is a solid example of why they're so enjoyable. You've got the stakes and drama inherent to elite sport, alongside all the interpersonal back-and-forth of the romance. While a majority of the genre is US-centric, here the heroine (and sole pov character), Elle, is a Brit, which both sets Love Game apart from its peers and is good for heightening the sense of her being a 'fish out of water', somewhat isolated amongst the Americans who dominate the cast. I really enjoyed the Jane Eyre nods - both explicit, as Elle reads and enjoys the book, and event relates some of the themes directly to her own experiences, and the implicit parallels in the plot itself. It's not overdone, though; just enough to be satisfying and add another layer to the story.

While it's possible that some readers may take issue with the cheating that's fairly central to the plot, I actually appreciated how it was handled - the author didn't shy away from the double standards that Elle has to reluctantly accept as she's unexpectedly swept away by her feelings for Nicky. It does help that her rival is pretty horrid - perhaps something of a charicature at times - so there's less sympathy to be had, and it's made clear that Elle isn't taking the moral greyness of the situation lightly. I'd also say that the main theme is a more positive one: that of self-determination. Both Elle and Nicky must find the strength to stand up for themselves in their individuals lives before they're able to achieve their HEA, so it feels earned when they get there. In all, the emotional and moral themes are mature both in nature and in how they're written, which makes for a refreshingly nuanced story.

I also enjoyed the secondary characters, and the story was well-written; I'll definitely be looking out for further titles from Emma Rae, and would recommend the book to fans of New Adult and romance titles as well as those of sports romance more specifically.

I love a forced proximity romance and I normally really dislike anything with cheating but this story and the connection between Nicky and Elle really got me! There were sweet, spicy and even funny moments. I would’ve loved chapters or an epilogue from Nicky’s POV but still a solid 3.5 star romance overall.

Thanks Netgalley and Hera Books for the ARC!

I am usually not a fan of the cheating plot, but this one got me hooked. I finished the book in one sitting. The thing I would have like for Love game was for it to be written in a dual pov. We are really missing Nick’s POV, who for me was the most important one. Why does he cheat on his fiancé? why doesn’t he break up with her if he loves Elle ? How much he’s struggling ? How does Elle affect his game or not ?
But appart from that, the book is well written, not too long, not too short, great amount of drama, etc.

Thanks for the ARC !

This book was super cute but man, so much shameless cheating. I can forgive it for the most part but I think both characters would have been more likable if the FMC had a little more self respect and didn't give in to the MMC so much, or even if she hadn't just openly let her boyfriend cheat on her forever only to start caring when she finally saw it with her own eyes. I still liked the FMC a lot, I just wanted her to be stronger and love herself more!

Still 4 stars for me because the grovel was pretty good. Justice for Oliver though!

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!

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!

I grew up in a tennis family. Nothing professional, but we like to watch the matches and I played in school.

The first half of this book was a bit too much on the spicy side for my liking, but the second half of the book made up for it with an interesting storyline and the genuine care hidden by the physical intimacy.

✨Thank you to Netgalley and Emma Rae for the opportunity to read and review this book ✨

Overall a solid romance, I really liked the comparisons to Jane Eyre drawn throughout the book. In my opinion I think it started off weaker than it finished, but I really loved the second half which is good for a four star read in my books!

I think the characters were both fairly likeable, although I would have loved a dual perspective so I could get a better sense of what was going on through the MMC’s mind, because there was character growth there and I think it would have added to the story to have a bit more exploration of that.

I also really enjoyed the side characters and would have loved to see more of some of those relationships…perhaps a sequel is in order for a certain two people 👀

Would recommend this to anyone who loves forced proximity and spicy sports romances.

I loved this book! I thought that from the first page I felt invested in the characters and it was such an easy read. I think this will be a huge hit this summer!

Traditional format (digital). I love a good sports rom com and I being a tennis fan and player I was all over giving this one a read. Tennis bad boy Nicky hires a British private chef Elle during his stay at the Wimbledon tournament. They fall in love over late night meals even though Nicky is engaged to another woman.

What I loved
Tennis theme was spot on and accurate (as a tennis player and fan this was on point)
A little bit of spice by not over the top.
Good chemistry between the two main characters and the supporting cast were decent too

What I didn't like
I don't love a cheating trope and the main story is based on this. It probably could have been rejigged a little to get around this plot and I probably would have given this a whole other star.
This book was about 50 pages longer than it needed to be. It got a big draggy in the middle.
I felt the timelines on this book could have used some work. Some of the story went day by day, then skipped months then skipped tournaments and then back to day by day. It was a bit choppy to me from that perspective.

I would recommend this book to lovers of sport romances and of course lovers of tennis. I did overall enjoy this book and for me despite the fact I don't love the whole cheating on your fiance and falling in love with another woman thing it as a decent sports rom com. I will give this a 4/5 . Thank you Canelo Books and Net Galley for the digital ARC copy of this book!

This was a fun quick read, well written. I am not a fan of the cheating trope, but I’m reviewing this as though that’s a non factor.

Tropes:
Cheating
Forced Proximity
Witty Banter
Boss/employee
Famous Tennis Player/Chef
Sneaking around
Sports Romance

Elle Caraway is a cook that’s been out of work for months. She’s relying on her boyfriend to pay rent and is turning a blind eye to him sleeping with multiple other women because of this. She finally gets a 3 week live in contract to cook for a tennis player during Wimbledon season. The only hitch is that she needs to be able to make him (Nicky) large meals at 2am. They get to talking and bond over these middle of the night meals and she wins him over with her desserts and charming personality. The attraction is instant but Nicky respects her boundaries because she has a boyfriend. He’s also engaged to his high school sweetheart, but that’s an afterthought. Elle goes to visit her boyfriend on a day off, walks him on him banging another girl. Slams the door and walks out. Soon after, they offer her a position in the Miami as a live in chef for him. She goes to Miami, lives with Nicky, his fiancée, and the other staff she’s befriending. She meets a cute guy called Oliver at the beach and they go on a date. Nicky’s ability to win seems directly correlated with his status with Elle so he’s losing a lot of matches while they fight the attraction.

Will they come to their senses and be decent people or will they continue stringing each other and everyone else along?

Love Game was a spicy, whimsical romance. If you’re a fan of the trope, you’ll probably love this.

I enjoyed that it was about a less common sport


I’d probably read more things by Emma Rae!

Thanks NetGalley for the arc

Love Game by Emma Rae is a captivating romance novel that allow you to step foot into the world of a world famous tennis player
Although at first glance the book sounds like a cheesy rom-com where a chef Elle Caraway falls for her employer the famous tennis player Nicky Salco, upon further reading you quickly discover how much more than that it is. Set in the Modern day tennis world predominantly
between Miami and London “Love Game” gave me an insight into what its like to work for a celebrity. (although fictional ) Battling with her own self love journey and unsatisfied desires within her relationship Elle begins a new job to ignite her love for cooking more specifically sweet treats and maybe even a blossoming romance with the very spoken for Nicky. This book transported me from my bedroom to the world of Wimbledon where you not only fall for the main characters but also friends and family of theirs. This book is one that I can only describe as unputdownable and I finished it in less than 24hrs !!! The Author done a great job of pulling me in and almost making me feel as though I was sitting in the Salco masion in Miami myself. I found also the ultimatum (not to spoil it) very in character and brave for the writer to stick to the characters development rather than go down a more submissive route. Had there of been maybe a bit more of Nicky’s POV in conversations that where muffled from Elles POV id have definitely given this 5 stars
Overall I enjoyed the book and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a sports romance .

There are some great tropes in this book! There’s forced proximity, sports romance, forbidden romance (both people are in relationships) and secret meetings. Cheating is also a heavy theme in this book.

I kept looking forward to their midnight meetings and banter. Their chemistry was filled with so much sexual tension omg 🙈
Emma Rae was a little TOO good at her food descriptions because it kept making me SO hungry 🤤I was reading this book at midnight and craving sourdough bread and ravioli.

I thought it was quite fast with how Elle developed a crush on him and was so upset. I felt like they didn’t have enough conversations and she didn’t know him well enough to be crying over him. I would’ve love to see more convos/more time together - I swear they had like a total of 3-4 conversations?
I understood the first time they were together but after that ?? I was like have some self respect girl 😭 your ex did u dirty in the same way and now u playing around too ugh. Josie was the only logical one in the entire book 😭 it felt like Nicky was dragging her on

Fast forward to the groveling AHHH yes Nicky was back in my good graces after that. But Elle’s ultimatum was all kinds of fkd up. That was straight up COLD considering the pressure he was facing previously 😬

In the end I was convinced 🥰 Emma Rae SOLD me on their romance. I was so happy they got their HEA 🥹❤️
I recommend this book, it elicit so many emotions (good and bad) and if a book can do that to me then it’s a well written and thought out book.

I loved this book. I rated it four stars because I was not a fan of the cheating storyline at all. The relationship between Tag and Sydney was almost as good as that between Elle and Nicky. I loved Elle's sister so much and the found family element toward the end. I wasn't a fan of Ragnar at all - I actually agree with all the characters that say he was bad for Nicky.

The way this was written is perfect for people who want an introduction to new adult romance or sports romances. With this being my first tennis romance I think I'll definitely be looking for more in the future!

What a fab debut novel this is. I would rate this 4.5 stars - I dropped half a star because I am not a lover of cheating and would have preferred it to be dual POV. I really liked the 2 main characters and wanted them to get together from the start. Tennis is one of my favourite sports so was really looking forward to this aspect of the story. I was a little disappointed at the start but was thoroughly satisfied by the end. Wimbledon is my favourite championship so this book hit the spot for me. The tennis match descriptions were great, I could totally picture what was happening. I can't wait to read more by this author - I hope there are more tennis stories to come!

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

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.