He's Manhattan's most notorious playboy billionaire. And she's his fake girlfriend...
Sometimes, life really deals you a bad hand.
One day, I'm minding my own business, throwing an A-lister sex party.
The next, my family’s caught in a media firestorm, and my buzzkill of a Father threatens my trust fund, unless I clean up my act.
Luckily, I've devised an ingenious plan to mend my reputation, without actually sacrificing my lifestyle. A way to get Ol’ Pops off my back, for good.
By fake dating my self-appointed babysitter.
Juliana Brooks. Total nerd. Indie game dev. The most vanilla girl in New York City…
And my best friend's little sister.
They say love and logic don't mix, but I don't abide by either. Only pleasure.
Knightly Notes: GAME OVER may be read as a standalone, but the Silicon Billionaires series is best enjoyed in order. Some characters have cameos in books further along in the series.
This book contains a possessive, dirty-talking hero on his journey to becoming a REFORMED PLAYBOY. Readers should expect mature content, angst, and plenty of steam. There is dual POV, no cheating, and a guaranteed HEA.
Alexis Knightly loves writing contemporary ("lite") dark romance packed with unapologetic doses of spice and possessive, filthy-mouthed heroes who know exactly who they want: their unlikely heroine. Sassy, strong-willed women whom they’d burn the world to protect, all in pursuit of their guaranteed happily ever after.
A true lover of rain, Alexis resides in Washington State with her family, two spoiled cats, and beloved boyfriend. When she’s not writing, she can be found exploring the beautiful PNW, binging the latest medical drama, trying her absolute hardest to become a runner, or mingling with friends over a bottle (or two) of wine.
Couldn’t finish this book. The mcc is an entitled asshole who has achieved nothing in his life, like actually nothing. He has never had a job, had his dad buy his degree, lives of of his trust fund and still has the audacity to look down upon fmc and be offended that his dad doesn’t respect him. The amount of times he called her game her “little project” like he could ever create something even half as good was outrageous. He had a sexist attitude, acted like everyone was obsessed with him and women were disposable. Now maybe he changed his attitude but as I said I didn’t finish it so I wouldn’t know. And maybe you’re wondering why I haven’t mentioned the fmc yet? Because there is NOTHING to say. ALL her thoughts have basically been about how hot he is and that she keeps forgetting that she doesn’t/isnt supposed to like him. And it is BORING. maybe it got better but I just couldn’t tough it out. This is one of those books when I am genuinely shocked that it is written by a women because of the level of disrespect/weird sexualization of the fmc.
I always appreciate authors who did their research, but this one makes me wonder if the author herself is a CS major. Because 2 out of 3 books, she got it all right! I love the involvement of tech and it's not some bullshit "oh my program, i made the program, i coded, i hacked it" like that.
Not only: - virgin FMC, playboy MMC - you're not ready, then proceed to force it - painted her - rich AF (even tho, daddy's trust fund) - here's my black amex - fake dating - girl in STEM (very realistic, i am so happy with this representation) - freaky gal (ifykyk)
I AM SO HAPPY. I heard that this will be the last from the series? but please make it not true. I love it so much. OH and i get to see my hacker daddy Tristan and Damien (even tho just a bit).
But ngl, i thought it's gonna be some high level shit w the conflict, but its all good. I am happy they are together.
For those looking for the spice: it's spicy yes. but not straight-up porn. You won't get bored or exhausted.
Alexis is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors! I’ve now read all three of her books & they keep getting better. Jules & Hayden are the cutest😩🥰
This book was so bad I considered getting out of bed and going to get weed 20min away just to get myself through it. One day I will realize being influenced by socials to read a book is never going to be reliable.
I'm so sorry (I'm not, actually). This may be the last damn time I give a chance to indie authors 'cause what the actual fuck was that.
It makes it more difficult to talk ill about a book that I know isn't really that popular, but these last two days made me realize the reason it isn't. Omg I'm gonna be so mean and there are prolly gonna be a lot of spoilers, so if it isn't your vibe, it's totally cool to skip this one. Here we go.
I have been in a sorta reading slump this whole year just because I didn't get to read nearly as much as I wanted to. I don't really feel bad about it, since my reading time has been replaced with hanging out with friends, school, and attending to parties, which isn't bad at all, but I have also been disappointed in myself for kinda leaving reading behind. There are other factors that have also been affecting my reading but I just accepted it and kinda decided I was gonna enjoy December and read whatever I liked. So after reading a quite dense book as 1984 is, I just wished for smth fun and easy and light. I actually saw a line of this book in spotlight (snapchat LMAO) and decided to give it a try, since I had never read a billionare, fake-dating romance before. Oh, I'm not doing that ever again.
The cover I downloaded on my Kindle, first of all, WASN'T IT. Like I did not find that man attractive at ALL. Girly, I just don't think it was the best choice, though I could've forgiven it if it wasn't for the fact the book in itself is really bad. So yeah, I started reading, and I noticed it was going pretty slowly. So yeah, let's go in through bullet points in a lame attempt to make this more entertaining:
The Prologue Yeah, so I get why many authors want to start off with a strong scene that awakens some doubt and intrigue in the reader's mind whilst they're reading it, but I couldn't have felt least attached to one single chapter. It is fucking terrible. The girl is supposed to be like 9 years old, for fuck's sake, and not only does she think like a DAMN ADULT, but also, everything is just so... ridiculous? I think that's the word which can pretty much sum up this book: ridiculous. Even as the book went on, that scene only came in subject to tackle smth completely unrelated, like what, and in the weirdest of ways. Can someone just let Alexis outta the basement? 'Cause girl can't truly believe real people talk like that and express their grief that way. Ugh, it feels like a personal offense atp. Aditionally, that part in which the prologue was 'explained' could've been completely developed without the prologue in itself. Absurd
The Pace God, was I miserable whilst reading this shit. I swear the only reason I forced myself to finish it (even though I wanted to continuously quit) was so I could add the book to my reads, and I could write a mean review about it. Couldn't say it was worth it too. The first fucking chapters were terrible, the whole was, except from some specific, mediumly acceptable scenes. It was all the same, over and over and over again, so it got to a point where I didn't even care if they died, as long as they could just finish the damn book. Why was it so long, huh? We could've summarized it by just, yk, deleating the whole thing. Just an idea though, 'cause I know I wasn't able to save humanity from this one. If it helps anything, I read this as a damn stand-alone, so if you're a masochist, there is no need to read book one or two, since I'm pretty sure they have like 0% relation.
The Characters (and unexistent side-ones) No. No, I can't, it's just... DAMN. Why is everyone so damn cringe, but not only that, everyone is like a walking, half-done, lame, cliché. I hate everyone.
Juliana: Girl, I didn't even dislike you at first. But that's just because you are so fucking plain. That's exactly it. You have no personality whatsoever, other than designing shitty videogames and liking 'nerdy' stuff. That shit pissed me off so much. Like not everything that's slightly interesting is fucking nerdy, and using that word, which is usually diminishing, to describe everything she fucking liked is so disrespecting. 'Yeah, he wouldn't understand such a nerdy thing' or o, 'this is the most nerdy event I've ever been to'. Girl, just STFU. NOBODY CARES. And oh my gosh, don't even ask me about her goddamn name bc I'll genuenly crash out. Who, in their right mind, names their super game COSMIC KITTY DEFENSE. Bro, you aren't nerdy, you are straight up lame. No need to soften it up. Alexis, it is FICTION. YOU ARE ALLOWED TO USE YOUR IMAGINATION. WHY DID U HAVE TO MAKE IT SO DAMN BAD? It's almost like it was intentional. Girly, the game is basically 'Plants vs. Zombies' EXCEPT everything has this half-witted names and the worst dynamics. It's okay if the character had this as some kind of hobby, but no, it was her ENTIRE CAREER, as a COLUMBIA STUDENT. THA FUCK? You ain't feeding me that bullshit, alongside the one telling me she's smart. Now, that's definitely propaganda I'm not falling for.
Hayden: Unlike Juliana, I did despise him from the first moment. I'm pretty proud of it, actually. You'll see, there is arrongance, and there is pride, and then there is being so fucking full of oneself that you can't even show up to a date in time, even when you're already there. It isn't hot, it is rude. And from the beginning, just seeing his lack of interest for actually doing something useful with his time, instead of being a waste of oxygen and money, convinced me he's not a good character. He's a lazy, entitled brat who thinks he'll get anything just because he's used to it, and that won't fly under this damn household. Bitch, u have literally every opportunity to go to school, to work on your passion, to help people in need, and he still decided to do drugs and get laid like that's where his income's coming from. The only time he gains an interest in changing his lifestyle is when his dad threatens his trust fund. Smh. He says he had daddy issues, who fucking doesn't? Your dad surely is an asshole, but you don't get to be all worked out about it because it excuses absolutely nothing. The part with Elias doing drugs just to get by and the father doing no work in office was... exhausting. It is truly frustrating how everytime he could've done or said something he just... stood there. Like a fucking idiot. I hate him. Ew
Mei: Prolly made me laugh a couple of times. You were otherwise completely pointless tho, since you and your so called 'best friends' barely talked and when you did it was only about sex. Not a profitable friendship, sadly.
Jeremy: Uhm, a really, really, really small inconvenience, a minor one, 'cause the moment Hayden touched Juliana, you were nothing more than a fourth thought- Again, pointless. His friendship was shown like twice in a fucking 500 pages book. No original dialogues that made any sense, or felt real in that matter. Why doesn't Alexis get that people need more than a fucking lover to live. They need to socialize, they need people. God, couples having friends does exist, you know!
The Romance Or maybe I should call this part, the 'lackof' romance? You know, for a book that claims it's a 'love story' between a regular girl and a super hot, wanted-by-the-whole-world, disgustingly-rich man, I found that their actual romance was honestly ludicrous. I cannot remember single time in which they thought about each other in none-sexual ways, and their banter is none existent. Neither one of the has actual interesting comments or deep conversations, which I should've expected, since they have the emotional depth of a kid's pool. Actually, I think that the thing that baffles me the most is that they have nothing to offer to each other, nothing that can help them both grow as individuals and as couple; nothing that genuenly enriches them. I'm a huge advocate of couple being good for each other rather than toxic and purely invested because of sexual reasons. I'll pass. Their chemistry is as dead as my desire to read another one of Alexis' books, so I guess you get how it is, don't you?
The Spice Scenes Please, someone just tell her to quit already. It is an action for the good of the world. I swear, you'll be saving so many souls. I hated the spice scenes. I fucking. loathed. them. I don't know what got into this girl for her to actually write that down, PUBLISH IT, and feel no shame about it. It is out of my comprehension how she achieved that kind of Idgaf-what-anybody-thinks-of-me. I'm not gonna get to describe them in detail, but I assure you that they were excessively long AND un-called for, done in the most outrageous of places, and disgusting. I enjoy well done sex scenes that actually show characters adoring each other in every possible way, not whatever this is. I swear I was just wishing she could wrap it up, or I'd just kill myself to stop reading.
The Conclusion I'm pretty sure I could talk about this horrendous book for at least another six paragraphs, but I'm tired of this shi, and honestly just want to get it outta my mind. This waste of time and paper doesn't deserve more words either. Although it was really fun to write an actually mean review for once, I think this is the only book I've given 1 star so far! Let's congrat Alexis for achieving this very important title in my reading journey! I did get a lil too inspired tho, I just have lots to talk about when I hate a book. I hope I explained this well and you decided to take my advice, walk towards the light, and kick this book outta your mind! Luvvv <3
I must say I am glad it’s over ! I only skimmed the Epilogue because I was sooooo over it !
The MMC was such an entitled little prick… I actually enjoyed him getting humbled by his dad (even though his dad is a horrible person and can fuck right off !!!)…. But him not falling for his son’s bullshit is actually iconic.
Also the MMC treats her like she’s invisible and then says she’s mine however sleeps with half of New York make it make sense please ?! The double standard is giving immature He also entertained those stupid fucking rules like rule number 9 a playboy maintains multiple dating prospects at all times like what the actual fuck is that ?!
She is pissing me off too!! Like hello naive little deer in headlights… she is so pick me and I am so naive please don’t play with my feelings, ok calm down you ran into the lions den ffs!
Urgh the end was so cringey and embarrassing, yes it was great that justice was served to his dad but come on so much second hand embarrassment …
This book was such a roller coaster, it felt like it was written by multiple people at times. That's not a good thing. The first large section of the book, maybe like 15 chapters or so, the MMC is such an insufferable piece of shit I almost put the book down. He's not a piece of shit in the way that a lot of book guys are, but in the way a frat guy you would meet on the street is. The FMC is weird as fuck and also completely naive even though she's 23. The depiction of both characters ages is actually really interesting, and makes me wonder if the author is over 18. Because first of all what 23 year old is a virgin and works minimum wage, second of all why did this bitch go get drunk (off three drinks!!) at a genuine frat party at her ripe age. I'm barely 20 and I wouldn't be caught dead at a frat party. The middle section of the book I actually did like, even though I was confused about the character development. Apparently, MMC had been in love with her for years even though, again, the first section of the book he really does not give a single shit about her and only wants her to fake date her. It's like he magically gained a new personality at a certain point... very strange. Another thing that really bugged me was the repeated references to p*rn throughout the book. Like why is this a smut scene and you're talking about imitating a video you saw?? Whaaat? The FMC is repeatedly described to be "screaming at the top of her lungs" like please. Stop. The end of the book dragged along way longer than it should've, I won't lie I skimmed both epilogues.
Game Over is the third book in the Silicon Billionaires series and I was excited to read it as the other two were already great. The story in this book is about Juliana, who is a shy girl that has been programming her first mobile game for the last five years while working in a coffee shop, and Hayden, notorious playboy and heir of a super wealthy family. And when I say super wealthy, I mean it. He’s throwing money around as if it were nothing. Hayden is also friends with Juliana’s older brother Jeremy and the three have known each other since they were little kids. Juliana lives a quiet life while coding her game and figuring out how she can increase the visibility for it. Hayden is the exact opposite. He is known for partying, visiting strip clubs, consuming drugs and having a new girl each day. With his father threatening his trust fund, the playboy comes up with a great plan: fake dating Juliana to prove his father that he has grown up and deserves to keep his money. Juliana is promised to receive a promotion for her game by the company of Hayden’s dad in return. And while Juliana somehow finds Hayden attractive and is a little crushing on him (always has), the fake dating starts with annoyance from both sides and strict rules (especially regarding the sexual activities of Hayden). But the more the two are together, the less they can ignore the tension between them.
I really enjoyed reading Hayden’s and Juliana’s story and how they both individually discovered that there might be more feelings involved. I really liked the playboy rules in Hayden’s chapters at the beginning and how he quickly found out he might not be able to keep them with Juliana. I also enjoyed how Juliana stood her ground in the rich community. Both characters slowly opened up to each other while trying to maintain a distance when alone. Trying is the important word here, because soon they can’t keep their hands to themselves. The spice in this book is awesome and just perfectly adds to the story. 👌🏻 I also loved the soft but protective side of Hayden that you discover throughout the book and the hidden talents he has. Additionally, I liked how supportive Juliana is with Hayden and how she helps him fight for his place in this world. The storyline around Hayden’s father and the company was also well written and integrated and I liked how Hayden’s brother was included in this, too. The final blow in this fake dating story was great, felt realistic and heartbreaking, connected all storylines and I loved the closure it got.
Little hints and connections to the other two books in the series could mostly be found at the end of the book, but that doesn’t reduce its perfect fit into the series. I think this book is my favourite of the series because I just loved the tension and banter between Hayden and Juliana from the very beginning. I definitely recommend reading this book if you like a reformed playboy, brother’s best friend and fake dating story with spice set in the tech industry and wealthy communities.
blurb He's Manhattan's most notorious playboy billionaire. And she's his fake girlfriend...
Sometimes, life really deals you a bad hand.
One day, I'm minding my own business, throwing an A-lister sex party.
The next, my family’s caught in a media firestorm, and my buzzkill of a Father threatens my trust fund, unless I clean up my act.
Luckily, I've devised an ingenious plan to mend my reputation, without actually sacrificing my lifestyle. A way to get Ol’ Pops off my back, for good.
By fake dating my self-appointed babysitter.
Juliana Brooks. Total nerd. Indie game dev. The most vanilla girl in New York City…
And my best friend's little sister.
They say love and logic don't mix, but I don't abide by either. Only pleasure.
thoughts I just simply adore friends to lovers and this one absolutely did not disappoint!! Hayden and Juliana were so adorable together and I really loved how the characters both had great character development and they really grew together. this book really had the perfect amount of spice and plot. I was completely engrossed in this book from the start to the end! And had some points had me screaming for the characters !! In this book the MMC ( Hayden) is a play boy at the beginning of the book but it wasn't that annoying by any means and he really was obsessed with the FMC. ( Juliana) overall I decently recommend this book!!
This book was the best of 3. We follow Juliana Brooks who is an Indie Game Developer. She is working in a cafe to support herself till the time her game 🎮 gets the recognition which it deserves. She is working on a new feature and is trying to get the game selected in Dreams cape where showcasing it will get her the recognition.
"That you're mine, no matter where you go." Mine...
Hayden Kingston on the other hand is enjoying his life playing ▶️ around and doing nothing. But there are twists always; his father Warren Kingston has threatened to pull his trust fund if he doesn't change his ways. Now what is the best option to convince his father than show he is committed to a relationship with none other than Juliana, sister of his best friend Jeremy (Electrical Engineer). The fake relationship starts and they open themselves to each other. There are lot of twists and turns as to how Juliana gets her game recognized, for which you need to read the book.
"Don't even think about it." Hayden beats me to the counter. I arch an eyebrow. "Huh?" He gestures to my bag. "Money. You don't need any when you're with me. In fact, I'd prefer it if you left all your cards at home."
Best scenes: 1. Derby 2. Shopping 🛍 3. Frat Party
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Game Over by Alexis Knightly is a fun and steamy read that really pulls you in. The story follows Juliana Brooks, an indie game developer, who gets caught up in a fake relationship with Hayden, a billionaire playboy, to save her reputation. What starts as a simple arrangement quickly turns into something much more intense and unexpected. I loved the chemistry between Juliana and Hayden—it’s electric, full of witty banter, tension, and moments that actually made me smile. The story hits all the romance tropes in the best way: forced proximity, fake dating, and a bit of “brother’s best friend” energy, but it never feels overdone. The pacing is smooth, and Knightly balances the steamy parts with genuine emotional growth, making the characters feel real and relatable. Even if you’ve read a lot of billionaire romances, this one stands out thanks to the characters’ personalities and the engaging story. Overall, Game Over is a page-turner that’s perfect if you want a mix of heat, humor, and heart.
Arc reader here, I have read about 1/4 of this book as I had studies to complete in the meantime and led to no free time to read for a week. With how much I was able to read, I enjoyed most of it. I think there was some dialogue that could have been left out between the MMC and a side character, it felt forced & unnecessary.
The MMC on his own I have found irritating but I have a feeling he will grow. I do admit that I love the banter he is able to throw among his friends. With what I was able to read, I also love the tension he has for his family. I can’t wait to finish reading this book and see where things go for the MMC. The FMC is not afraid to throw shade & sarcasm at the MMC when he is being a bit overbearing. As for the interactions between the FMC & the MMC I love them 😍😍😍😍 The tension between them is thick and I can’t wait for it to implode on them.
🔥📚 This novel was more than just a book… it was an adventure that took my breath away from the very first page until the end! Every scene was so vivid, and the characters felt so real that I could swear I was living among them. And the hero… 😍💥 absolutely stunning, captivating, and able to steal your heart in a single moment! A perfect blend of strength, charisma, and irresistible charm. The plot is tight, packed with events and twists that will keep you holding your breath with every chapter. This isn’t just ordinary reading… it’s pure addiction, and if you haven’t started it yet, you’re missing out on an unforgettable emotional journey! ⚡💖
I'm actually devastated that this is the last book in this series. I am hoping that Alexis decides to write more of the Silicon Billionaires series. This book kept me just as interested as the others. I was given Inside Job as a gift and I have been hooked on this author since. Game Over has just the right amount of spice and intrigue to keep you turning pages until there are no more to turn. I could not put this one down. Thank you for a great series. Looking forward to any future works from this author.
Sometimes you read a book knowing it is the end of the series and it's perfect for the series and you are ready to move on to the next one. Sometimes you read a book knowing it is the end and you find yourself reading slower, almost stalling getting to the end of the book because you don't want to say goodbye. I did not want to say goodbye to Hayden & Juliana. I won't give spoilers because I think everyone should read this one, but.... Playboy Billionaire Nerdy FMC Brother's best friend Kinda enemies to lovers, but like pretend enemies .......and the cameos are super cute
This book was not really like the first two. I was not a big fan of Hayden at first. The author did a great job at writing him as a total F boy; even though he would say playboy. He was not my favorite book boyfriend out of the three books. However the worst ones tend to have the best redemption journey. He was very unashamedly himself but I love how he always wanted Juliana. He was crushed when she went to a different college and it set them off on different journeys for a bit. Hayden finally realized how good Juliana is for him and helped him figure out who he was. I lived the ending!!
"Something strange happens when insecure people see someone happy in their uniqueness. They catch a glimpse of something they themselves want, but are too fearful to take their own steps toward it. So instead, every now and then, they'll knock you down a peg or two, in hopes that one day you'll be miserable, right alongside them."
4/5 stars 2/5 spice I love the Silicon Billionaires series and this was a great edition! As always Alexis write amazing slow burn to hot spice. I love the air of mystery that the prologue set up that tied so wonderfully to the end. Plus having all of the other characters from the series pop up was so amazing! Hayden was definitely unloveable in the beginning being such a playboy frat star but he really grows on you. If you love this series you’ll enjoy this book! Great completion of a series
Ok full disclosure, I did not finish this one. I tried, so hard, but I just couldn’t. There’s nothing to like about any of the characters. The FMC is meh and does stuff that makes no sense? The MMC is the epitome of douchebag and I say that as a lover of bad boys. He’s just a boy, period. This feels more like immature high school kids playing house. The spice isn’t even spice bc it just feels yuck. Sorry but this was a no for me.
It had great promise but I found the storyline inconsistent, one minute their father is dead the next he’s upstairs. I didn’t get why they needed to fake date considering it was to help with his father but he doesn’t actually bring it up until over halfway into the book. Also didn’t really get Hayden first he was unlikeable and he just didn’t go anywhere
I don’t even know where to start. I absolutely LOVED this book. It’s safe to say Alexis has become my favorite author. The slow burn (in my opinion) mixed in with the undertones of passion between the mains if phenomenal. I especially loved the nods to the other books that were sprinkled in. I’m just at a loss to even begin describing how much I love this book!
I was lucky enough to receive an ARC copy and got a bit of a head start but I really liked this book! I love how the author portrayed the evolution of the main characters relationships from both sides and that it didn’t have that awkward period where both MC’s pretend they aren’t in love with each other and can go back to their normal lives.
By far the worst of the trilogy and I have no clue why it was included. This could've been a different series and it wouldn't have changed a thing. The main male character doesn't create a life for himself or have any goals to? No clue why the woman wants him. Not to mention the dad (villain) was so cringe when he was getting taken down??
Alexis Knightly has quickly became one of my favorite authors and her books never fail to get me out of a reading slump! Game Over was an absolute masterpiece just like all of her other books! I cannot wait to read the Game Over bonus scene and any other books she might write!
DNF, the mmc was too much of a genuine douche for me to want to even see it out till the end. I get a hard to get mmc or an enemies to lovers but the circumstances without spoiling it is just too heavy on disrespect.
Loved the book don’t get my wrong the ending just made me kinda bored. I felt confused in alot of it and just wasn’t a fan I guess. Rest of the book was amazing and I did love their chemistry.