Only on Gameday

by Kristen Callihan

An ALL-NEW sports romance from New York Times bestseller Kristen Callihan with high emotional stakes and a slow-burn, steamy heat level.

A “fake” fiancée is just the trick to help a bad-boy football player clean up his image. Trouble is, there’s nothing fake about the way August feels about his “pretend” fiancée.

August Luck is on the brink of greatness: top NFL draft pick, a great team, multiple corporate sponsorships, but he keeps messing it up with bonehead moves. After his latest shenanigan goes viral, everyone is telling him to get his act together.

Penelope Morrow grew up with August. Their mothers were best friends. Unfortunately, Pen always fled the room with a look of disapproval on her pretty face whenever August was around. But Pen has a problem too: she inherited her grandparent’s house and can’t pay the estate tax.

On a whim, August decides a temporary public engagement is the solution to both their problems—he’ll pay her taxes, and she’ll help his image. Win-win.

But, when it comes to Pen, nothing is certain or safe. Because Pen isn’t so reserved anymore. This time, she’s smiling back at him. And he likes it. A lot. Will they each survive the ruse unscathed?

Game on...

Perfect for readers who love:
• Shy girl/sunshine boy
• Hero in hot pursuit
• Unrequited love + epic yearning
• Fake dating (or is it?)
• Delicious slow-burn romance
• Childhood nemeses (all grown up)

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Sports Romance, Sports, Audiobook, Ebooks, Contemporary

416 pages, Paperback

Expected publication January 6, 2026

About the author

Kristen Callihan is an author because there is nothing else she'd rather be. She is a RITA winner and three-time nominee and winner of two RT Reviewer's Choice awards. Her novels have garnered starred reviews from Publisher's Weekly and the Library Journal, as well as being awarded top picks by many reviewers. Her debut book FIRELIGHT received RT Magazine's Seal of Excellence, was named a best book of the year by Library Journal, best book of Spring 2012 by Publisher's Weekly, and was named the best romance book of 2012 by ALA RUSA. When she is not writing, she is reading.

Reviews

[Sam I AMNreader · Rating 3 out of 5]

I will probably always read Kristen Callihan. Her books always make me feel light and bubbly, I like her characters - the whole ensemble.

Here, heavy effort was put into May and June, but they don't feel super distinct. Nor does March. I liked their interplay but there's not much in the way of flaws or developing the characters. They give a bit of context and a bit of a character rough -in for the principals but for so much page space I felt it could be better fleshed out.

Which brings me to the leads. Penelope, the reserved heroine, and August the seemingly-starchy but not. There's a comfort in callihans humor and the good nature of her leads, but they really felt a little too drawn for each other here. And at the end, that's exactly so.

I did read it non-stop and it was comforting. It didn't rise to the heights of my favorite Callihan new adult/sports romances, but that may be because they are great for me in the context they were in. This feels a little stuck in that place-while having a lot of content but being a bit underdeveloped. If you're a Callihan fan, pick it up. This novel is more satisfying and engaging than many sports romances.


Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the ARC which did not affect my review.

[Sam Lue · Rating 2 out of 5]

2/5 Stars

Penelope goes home with the intention of visiting her childhood friends. She wasn’t counting on their older brother, August, being home. After an embarrassing video of August goes viral, he’s asked to clean up his act. August comes up with the bright idea of proposing to Penelope because there is nothing more real than a fake engagement.

Only on Gameday is a fake dating book. I found this book juvenile for my personal taste, with its countless nicknames for each character and long text threads throughout.

Several characters are full of charisma, and I think there was too many to create well rounded relationships with all of them. The pacing was steady, yet it went nowhere and everywhere all at once. I felt there was no defining climax. It made the book feel like there were chapters missing. The Luck family is great and full of life. I’m wishing the best for their stories if those are to come!

A warm thanks to Kristen Callihan, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and NetGalley for this ARC!

[Dayle (the literary llama) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don’t know why this isn’t the start of a new series. It has no connection, and so much time has passed, to the previous books and spends a lot of time setting up an entirely new cast of characters. It’s an odd choice. (UPDATE: The book has now been removed from it’s listing as Book #5 in the Game Day series)

There’s a lot going on and it doesn’t have a good flow. A little bit of everything just thrown in and mixed about. I craved more focus and a solid build. There were many times throughout where I feel like a previous book or backstory were missed.

The constant “he’s finally paying attention to me! But that doesn’t mean he likes me. He’s flirting with me! But obviously he doesn’t mean it. He’s stating his attraction to me! But that’s not real.” was sooooo tiring.

The sandwich. A freaking sandwich! I will not give spoilers… but I’ll just say this was the moment the book hit two stars ‘cause I was laughing so much at the absurdity. I cannot.

Listen, I LOVE Callihan’s novels. Her VIP series is one of my faves and I’ve reread the earlier football books numerous times. But I don’t know what happened here. This was not it.

* I received a free early copy from the publisher.

[Bethany · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️ RTC

Dual narration

[Jenica · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a person who has been reading ARCs for a while now, I know that books don't dramatically change from ARC to final, most of the time. And typically, that's a good thing. But I really hope there's another round of edits for Only on Gameday because while there are some really great moments and signs of this being a Callihan novel, this also contains one of the most disjointed romances I've read in a while. The motivations are simply not there in this childhood friends to lovers romance to make this book make sense.

The book opens with August having an out of body type of experience where he is acting out in a way that is really not great at a celebration. He's, I think, ashamed of himself and his actions and so when we meet him again, he's at him childhood home. His reasons for acting out are... somewhat explored, but not in a way that was very satisfying in terms of character development. And so, August, on a cross-country flight, proposes to his childhood friend that she marry hm to help clean up his image. He's careful though to tell her that he will never fall in love with her because football is his wife.

And at the beginning of this book, I'm fully invested. I love a childhood friends to lovers and it's clear that Penelope has had feelings for August for a long time. The problem arises when the romance building blocks don't line up. It's like you're stacking kid sized legos at the beginning and then you keep trying to jam an adult size microscopic piece on. It just didn't follow for me. But again, I could see all of the pieces! It's so close to being a great book! And instead, I gave it a three and I think that might be too generous.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the e-ARC!

[Puppybhai]

SO WE GOT THE DATESSSS????!!!!
AM I SCREAMING JUST LIKE MY BOLD TEXT!!??


YESSS ABSOLUTELY!


NOW DON'T BREAK MY HEART! BE GOOD YOU BOOK!


WHEN ARE WE GETTING THIS??? I NEED DATE!!!

[Mel · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I am delighted to see Kristen Callihan back with a brand new book (it's been several years since her last book), I did not expect to read two books this year with the niche trope of a football player secretly in love with his childhood friend and asking said friend to pretend to be his fiancée in order to rehab his reputation and public image, but here we are.

I wanted to like this book, in fact, I wanted to love it. But the fact that it took me 5 days to finish this book is never good sign. For a lot of this book, I was bored. I discovered Kristen Callihan 15 years ago when I discovered New Adult romances. I read a lot of sports romances in that time featuring characters still in or fresh out of college, in their early 20s. However, it's not particularly a subgenre I enjoy as much anymore and these characters (he's a 23 y.o. NFL rookie, she's 22 and still in college) read as very, VERY young to me.

Secondly, he does something wholly out of character at the very beginning of this book but the book really doesn't delve very deeply into why he acts so completely out of character except for a quick throwaway line towards the last quarter of the book. There are signs of anxiety and the pressure to perform at a high level getting to him which would be great emotional avenue to explore, and this author has done remarkable work in the past exploring mental health issues in her books so I'm entirely unsure why she did not delve a little deeper in this book. A lot of this book dragged in some places but also felt like a first draft that needed more depth in others, which is frankly uncharacteristic for her.

Then August asks Penelope to be his fake fiancée to rehab his image and yet, neither one of these ding dongs remember to tell their family that they're engaged and that it's fake before August announces his engagement live on the air in a press conference. So obviously, his siblings, May and June show up and his other siblings March and January are like "WTF?!?" as is her mom who thankfully is not named for a month. When May and June show up, they immediately assume that Penelope, a woman they have known all their lives since both their moms are besties, is only after August for his money. That felt really offensive to me.

Penelope, who has her own issues with a father who abandoned her and left her mom for the nanny, has inherited a home from her late grandparents that is worth a lot of money. Except, to keep the house, she must pay the property taxes which are well beyond her means. But she’s adamant that she won’t accept August’s financial help. Penelope also spends much of this book wondering how a guy like August could be possibly interested in her, a young beautiful woman and this incessant “I’m just a nobody” mentality gets really old and tired real fast.

These two encapsulate the idiots in love trope in that they have both been in love with each other for years and have treated the other like they don’t even like each other. And that is really the crux of the whole story, that these two have secretly been pining for the other. And when that reveal happens at the very end, it almost feels anticlimactic.

The sex scenes are hot, in typical Kristen Callihan fashion (lots of good girls, etc.) but there’s this reveal of Penelope being a virgin who has never even been kissed until she and August have their first fake kiss for appearances sake because she couldn’t even imagine being with anyone other than August. (August however is not a virgin, shocking absolutely no one).

The other thing that really bothered me about Penelope’s character development is that she has no other friends outside of August’s family. Even the one other friend she makes in this book is due to August (his teammate’s movie star girlfriend). She’s not particularly close to her roommate who eventually kicks her out. She’s labeled shy and has spent almost 4 years in college and has not managed to cultivate even one single friendship in that time? But she loves entertaining and cooking for people and none of this really adds up for me.

My final thought – why is this part of the Game On series and not just kicking off a brand-new series? I’m assuming (though I could be wrong) that the rest of the Luck siblings will also get books (I am invested in January’s story and was hoping for a second chance romance for him with his ex-fiancée, but that hope has been eradicated for REASONS).

Anyway, I have ranted long enough about this book.

ARC from publisher, review is all mine.

Content notes: toxic father, car accident with side character off page in the past, anxiety related to professional pressures; FMC gets physically attacked and her motorcycle is destroyed

[Leigh Kramer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was so excited to see there was a new book in the Game On series! This felt more like a spinoff into a new series about August and his family than something connected to Game On. Regardless, I enjoyed it. That said, it's far from Callihan's best work.

When August proposes a fake engagement to burnish his public image in exchange for money Pen can use to pay the property taxes on the home she inherited from her grandparents, she's not expecting it, nor is anyone else. It's a good set up but not quite punchy enough to keep the middle from dragging. The plot and the character arcs were all over the place. August and Pen's mothers are best friends so they've basically grown up together. But since they also secretly liked each other, they avoided each other and made each other think they didn't like them. For years! No one in their respective families ever suspected there could be something more. All that did was made me wonder whether there really was something more.

My biggest issue was the disjointed characterization. August's chicken dance, which was the impetus for him getting in trouble with the team and needing to clean up his act, is not really explained or explored. In fact, it was such an aberration for his character that it doesn't make sense that it happened in the first place or that it would cause that much trouble. Pen is shy but it doesn't explain how or why she has no friends outside of the Luck family. And then at the same time, she's somehow able to spontaneously cook for a crowd and host a party. She's only 22! I don't care if her Italian grandmother taught her how to cook every summer. Most people that age wouldn't be able to do that and even less so if they isolate themselves the way Pen does. These may seem like small issues but they're examples of how August and Pen didn't add up, which therefore made their emotional arcs less resonant.

Despite this, it was a fine enough read until Pen's estranged father came out of the woodwork to give an interview. Estranged parents aren't plot devices. This was a BS choice and it almost made me dock another star.

If this is indeed a launch pad for a series about August's siblings, I'll be more than interested, with the hope that Callihan will be back in rare form. Fingers crossed for January's story first.

Note: When Pen is rationalizing why she wants to spontaneously have August's team over for dinner, she says, "I'm Italian." Her new friend commiserates, "I'm Hispanic." This is a woman in her 20s or possibly early 30s. If she said, "I'm Latina," I still would have thought it was an odd choice but it wouldn't have bothered me nearly as much. They're both pan-ethnic terms but Latinx is much more common these days. But my issue is really why would someone respond to a specific ethnicity by giving their pan-ethnic identity? It would be like Pen saying she was European instead of Italian. We don't know much about this new friend beyond her being a famous actress with an ethnic-sounding last name. This would have been an easy opportunity to flesh out her backstory. Is it a dealbreaker? No. But it did make me question why Callihan decided to include someone who is potentially a POC and then flub the representation so easily.


Characters: Penelope is a 22 year old white college senior, film history major, and virgin. August is a 23 year old white rookie starting quarterback in the NFL. This is set in LA and Boston.

Content notes: anxiety, physical assault, vandalism, sexism, fatphobia, athlete and actor diets, diet culture, FMC is estranged from her father, past parental abandonment, past parental divorce (FMC's father cheated with her nanny), past death of grandparents, past career-ending injury (MMC's brother was a passenger in a car hit by a drunk driver), secondary character's former coach/father figure is dying, past death of secondary character's parents, past infidelity (secondary character), on page sex, pool sex, alcohol, inebriation, hangover (secondary character), casual acephobia, gendered pejoratives, gender essentialist language, ableist language, hyperbolic language around addiction, reference to past COVID


Disclosure: I received a free advanced copy from MIRA.

[Jackie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was interested in Only on Gameday as soon as I saw the friends-to-lovers setup. I enjoyed Pen and August as characters. They’re both genuinely likable and I appreciated their long-standing connection, but something about the fake dating-to-lovers chemistry just didn’t quite click for me. It felt a bit lackluster, like the emotional spark never really built into something deeper.

I kept hoping for more layered moments between them-more depth, more tension, more charged dialogue that makes you feel that shift from fake to real. Instead, a lot of their interactions stayed surface-level, and the connection that should’ve felt intense or inevitable came across more mellow and muted.

All that said, the premise is solid and the story reads easily, so it’s not a difficult one to get through. I just personally wanted a little more emotional weight and conversation that really hits. If you’re in the mood for a lighter, easy sports romance with a soft friends-to-lovers vibe, this might work — but don’t go in expecting big standout moments.

Although this wasn’t the book for me, I appreciate the ARC from NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing in exchange for my honest review.

[b.andherbooks]

i love kristen callihan. that said, this is not holding my attention and also i read a very similarly-troped book this year, plus trusted reviewers are giving it middling responses so we'll part ways here.

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honestly, it's been sooooo long since I've read the others in the series, but there really isn't any need to do a refresher or read the others if you want to jump into this one. I actually remember loving this series and the authors other work, especially her steampunk historical series.

This one felt a little disconnected, or maybe it was me that felt disconnected from the story. Found it hard to connect to any of the characters, especially the leads. It wasn't bad but it didn't blow me away. Everything felt very surface level. Still, it was a cute enough story that goes by fast. A light and quick read.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the arc!

[Corinne’s Chapter Chatter · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my first time reading this author, and unfortunately, it didn’t quite hit the mark for me. After peeking at other reviews, it seems longtime fans felt this one wasn’t up to her usual standard—so I’m definitely open to giving her another shot.

Full honesty? The narrator is what pulled me in. I don’t mind sports romances, but they’re not my go-to because the “sports” part often ends up feeling like window dressing. This book… was no exception. Overall, it was fine, but not much actually happens. I hate saying it, but I was just bored.

On the audiobook front, once I bumped up the speed, I enjoyed both narrators. At 1x, though, it felt far too slow for the average listener. Teddy Hamilton was his reliably engaging self, and Maxine Mitchell did a solid job. I’ll note—purely on a personal preference level—that speeding up the audio improved how Mitchell’s performance sounded to me. Honestly, if it hadn’t been for the narration, I might have DNF’d this one, ARC or not.

As far as recommendations go… this lands squarely in the “maybe” zone. There’s nothing wrong with it; there just wasn’t enough here to make me excited about it personally.

I was fortunate to receive a complimentary ALC from Harlequin Audio via NetGalley, which gave me the opportunity to share my voluntary thoughts.

How I Rate
Because I mostly read ARCs, I focus on how I think fellow readers with similar tastes will respond. I sometimes round up or down based on pacing, prose, or overall impact, and I try to keep my personal preferences from weighing too heavily.

⭐️ 1 Star – Finished, but not for me as it has way too many issues; I never DNF ARCs but would have had it not been one.
⭐️⭐️ 2 Stars – Struggled due to writing, content, or editing issues.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3 Stars – Decent read with untapped potential; recommend with some reservations.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 Stars – Really enjoyed it and would recommend for several reasons.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 Stars – Exceptional; lingers in my mind well after reading. A story I’d gladly revisit.

[Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
I have been waiting years for Callihan to write this story! I absolutely love her Game On series. I even re-read it last year when I heard she was going to be publishing #5. And it was just as fun the second time around. While I was expecting this one to be tied more tightly to the others, it was not. This book can absolutely be read as a stand alone, whereas the other four do have character overlap. As a matter of fact, it didn't seem to be tied in at all to the other books other than the football vibes. There is a wink to a character in another series Callihan wrote, but if you didn't read that series you would never know. As a matter of fact, this book took on a life of it's own with all new characters, including siblings who, can I say, should all get their own books!
August Luck and Penelope Marrow grew up together but were never really friends. They floated around each other. As a matter of fact, each though the other disliked them because they never did spend time together. When August proposes a plan to Penelope that will help him get his act and image together and help her save her grandparent's home, they dive in. They don't expect to become friends. And they certainly don't expect to catch feels!
Can I just say I love August. He is just so sweet. Gruff NFL player exterior with a mushy heart that just craves love. And he treats Penelope with so much respect and adoration. It was fun to watch their relationship and chemistry grow throughout the book. One of the tropes I love best in romance books is when siblings are close and support each other. This book had that and more. The family dynamics were a lot of fun to watch. There was great banter and sarcasm between all the characters with so many tender moments in between. All the moments moved the story along at a great pace. There are some moments of flashback which become important to future points in the book and I appreciated them for how they helped the story and characters grow.
Callihan does hit on some important topics including loss and grief, coming into oneself, allowing others to care for you when you need it, and keeping your heart open.
If you enjoy books with fake engagement/dating, childhood friends, and family antics, pick this one and give it a try.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of my favorite tropes all in one place—sports romance, fake dating, friends-to-lovers, and dual POVs. Sign me up!

Meet August, a superstar quarterback with a reputation for being reckless off the field. With sponsors breathing down his neck and his career on the line, he’s been warned: clean up his image or risk losing everything. Enter Penelope, his mom’s best friend’s daughter, who has just inherited her grandparents’ home but is struggling to keep up with the crushing property taxes.

August proposes a deal—Penelope will pose as his fiancée to prove he’s settled down, and in return, he’ll help her save the house. What starts as a convenient arrangement quickly spirals into something neither of them expected. Because behind the staged smiles and carefully crafted appearances, August and Penelope have been secretly in love with each other all along.

The witty banter between August and Penelope, paired with the hilarious and heartfelt dynamics of the Luck siblings, made this story absolutely unputdownable. Every interaction sparkled with charm and authenticity, pulling me deeper into their world until I was fully invested in every page. I’ll definitely be diving into more of Callihan’s books, and I can’t recommend Only on Gameday enough—make sure to check it out when it releases on January 6, 2026.
———————————————————————
Thank you, NetGalley, the author and the publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Tanisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

After finishing The Hot Shot, I could not wait to see what the next book in the Game On series would bring. So when I heard Only On Gameday was coming out, I was instantly excited. I have really fallen in love with sports romances lately, and this one hit all the right notes for me. I am so happy to say it did not disappoint.

Up until now, The Hot Shot was my favorite in the series, but I think this one just stole that spot. From the first few chapters, I was hooked. It also happens to feature one of my favorite tropes, the fake relationship, which made it even better. I loved both of the main characters, and their chemistry was so good. Their moments together were fun, flirty, and sweet in all the best ways.

The side characters were great too. They added so much personality to the story and made it feel like a world I could happily step into. I especially loved August’s family and how much heart they brought to the book. I really hope we get to see more of them in future stories because they were such a bright spot.

Overall, I absolutely loved this one. It had charm, emotion, and a romance that made me smile the whole way through. I cannot wait to see what comes next in this series.

**I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who wouldn’t love a fake engagement with a NFL quarterback that you’ve known since you were children?

Penelope sees August Luck at his family’s home right after he’s made a total ass of himself to the world. He’s going through something and acting in uncharacteristic ways- including asking her to be pretend-engaged to him to help clean up his image. In return he’ll pay the property taxes on the home she just inherited from her grandparents. A little quid pro quo never hurt anyone, right?

I’ve read *several* of Kristen Callihan’s books and loved all of them. This one is a like, not a love. It’s good honestly, but there were a few hiccups for me: some verbiage that didn’t work, mostly. Still, I enjoyed it overall.

🎧 Narration by Maxine Mitchell and Teddy Hamilton hit the spot as always.

Recommended for lovers of fake relationships, slow burns, silly nicknames, and close family banter.

I received this ALC via #netgalley and @htpbooks_audio. All thoughts are mine alone.

contemporary romance | football romance | novels | books | reading | Only On Gameday | Kristen Callihan | audiobooks | book recs | recommendations | book reviews | bookstagram

[Kara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC! Tore through this book so quickly which is exactly the kind of read I was looking for. It was such a quick read and the plot moved pretty fast. I actually wouldn't have minded if it slowed down a tad. It also was very clear how everything was going to play out, but that's fine. I wasn't in love with the characters, but they were fine. I found the text parts a little harder to read and didn't enjoy them as much as everyone else. There's a lot of characters and I didn't feel like I knew some of them but they still had prominent parts? This got me out of a little slump which is a good sign, I think! Once they kissed they would not stop. Could've maybe used some of those pages for more development but oh well (and I do think while I'm saying this, others would say the opposite).

Didn't realize it was part of a series, but seems to be fine standing alone, didn't feel like I missed anything and in my research after it doesn't seem to be directly connected with anything.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a cute story. It definitely had swoon worthy moments that had me kicking my feet. The characters were easily likable and the banter between them had me chuckling at times. I loved the names and nicknames of the characters. They were unique. It was a bit of a slow burn but, worth the wait. The love and chemistry between August and Penny was great. There were some holes in the story. I’m still curious what came of the plan March and August made in the boat(or maybe I just missed something there). Overall, I enjoyed it. It was a fun listen.

The narration performed in Dual by Maxine Mitchell and Teddy Hamilton was great. The skills and range they have to voice so many characters, male and female, so well is incredible. They did a great job bringing this story to life.

Story 3.5 - 3.75 ⭐️’s
Narration 5 ⭐️’s
Spice 2 1/2 🌶️’s

Thank You NetGalley and HarperCollins for the opportunity to listen to this ALC!

[Lyndi (mibookobsession) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being a first round draft pick and the pressure of belonging to a football dynasty family have August Luck's confidence crumbling, forcing him to act out. Now he needs a fake wife to help his bad boy image in the press, and the only woman he can think of is Penelope. Their moms are best friend's so they grew up together and Penny has always disapproved of him. No chance of her growing attached after the deal is up. But they both are hiding big secrets and a long held attraction. Can they make this relationship work for real or will the pressures of being in the media spotlight be too much in the end?
Could Augie be any more perfect for Penny?!! Except for the massive lifetime miscommunication where each thought they hated the other, lol? Their big feelings reveal at the end was so swoony. I wasnt going to read this until closer to the publication date, but I just finished The Hot Shot and wanted to find out who was next. There were so many other side characters in the first four books in the series that I want a story for that I wasn't expecting these two, but I still loved their story.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. The views and opinions expressed in this review are completely my own

[Judith Reyna Lara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you for the ARC Netgalley & to the publisher!

I have to agree with other reviews below about the book not really going with the other books in the series.

I was honestly confused at first. I was thinking the book would be part of the books and mesh more with those characters. I was a little bummed at first. This book can definitely be read as a standalone.

BUT I’ve enjoyed all the other books so of course I’m going to read it. I love reading sports romances. This book was about a fake engagement. 2 family friends who thought the other hated each other get into a fake engagement. The main characters were funny at times. I liked the story!

[Mandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had very high hopes for this one, as I have enjoyed the previous books in this series and the VIP series as well.
3 stars is all I can bring myself to rate this one. #1 This book was entirely too long. I think it would've been much better, tighter if it weren't so dang long and drawn out.
Even though I struggled with this book, I really liked the characters, the Luck family, and I do hope we get more books for the siblings.
At times, the writing was just off putting and I cannot put a finger on exactly why.
Anyway, I really liked Pen and August, but this one was... a challenge.

[Zenya Weatherall · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG! Everything I didn’t know I needed. From the very first chapter I was locked in. I loved every single thing about this book. As soon as I started it I was texting my book loving niece that she has got to read this. When I requested this ARC I didn’t realize it was book 5 in a series but now I have got to go back and read the first 4 books. This was delicious, so romantic and fun. I seriously put the audiobook on and did not stop listening until it was over. I am obsessed with Kristen Callihan now! No notes. This was perfection!

#NetGalley #OnlyOnGameday # ARC

[Farah · Rating 4 out of 5]

August and Penelope have grown up together with Penelope harboring a secret crush on August since childhood. As a top NFL player, August is tired of his bad boy status and enlists Pen's help by posing as his fake fiance in an effort to clean his image. 

Though it was a bit of a slow burn, I really enjoyed getting to know both the main characters. August's family was so fun and the witty banter between all the siblings and parents was gold - I found myself chuckling so often as I read through their exchanges! The ending was super sweet and now I know I need to read more by this author.

[Christine (Shh Moms Reading)]

DNF at 28%. I feel terrible to say this because I have loved the other books in this series as well as other books that Callihan has written but this one didn't work for me. The writing felt off from what Callihan is normally known for, I didn't connect with the characters at all and they and the story just felt really flat. Maybe I will try to push to continue but I DNF'd at 28% because it was not holding my attention at all. :(

[Brianna Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a cute story. It definitely had swoon worthy moments that had me giggling.
Both characters are easily likable and the banter between them had me laughing at times .
It was a bit of a slow burn but it’s worth it. The love between August and Penny was amazing.

I definitely enjoyed this book and devoured it at the same time.

[Leslie at SheReadsRomanceBooks.com · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was so exciting to see that Kristen Callihan was returning to sports romance with this new book in her Game On series. I loved every book prior to Only on Gameday so I was all in for this fake relationship, football romance.

If you are a fan of fake relationship romance books, this is a romance for you and the best part of this love story. I’m a sucker for romance books where a star athlete decides that he needs a fake fiancé to clean up his image which is the exact idea that enters August’s head when he opens the door to his family home and sees Penelope – the girl he grew up with but always kept at a distance.

Their slow burn romance was sweet and enjoyable to read however I wish Callihan gave us either more history or more moments in the present where they were actually together to build a believable love story. What we learn about August, his “acting out” seems so out of character and just seemed to disappear after that beginning chapter.

While I liked the fake fiancé storyline this book had a very slow start. The beginning was bogged down with a slow build up to their agreement to pretend to be engagement and with random side events such as Penelope’s weird roommate and her frog and random events on Penelope’s college campus. It was hard to really get a handle on Penelope’s character too. She loved to quote movies but what was she really doing with her life? I was confused.

I think all the elements for a good romance where there but it didn’t quite all come together seamlessly like I expect in a Kristen Callihan book.

This book does however have me itching for August brothers’ stories as their character development was strong and already has me clamoring for March and January’s stories.

Because this book feels like it’s launching the Luck family series and doesn’t tie in with the previous Game On series, I am curious to know why it is considered part of this series and not just its own new one. I was disappointed that there wasn’t really any connection besides the football angle (at least that I could tell or remember) but that is on me thinking that there would be.

Overall it was a cute story. Not one I’ll likely remember other than to look forward to March and January’s books.

*I received an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

[Andree A · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved this author’s books in this series, but this one felt like a departure from the rest. Within the first few chapters, information was alluded to but never explicitly explained and it wasn’t groundbreaking information once it was revealed. It was clear that was a tactic to keep the reader engaged, however, refraining from sharing this information left me feeling disconnected from the characters in the initial scene where they see each other again. The build up in key scenes just fell short.

There were moments in the book where I was starting to get excited for the chemistry building between the characters (the cute question drop at the end of the airplane ride; loved and giggled!), but then in the next chapter I would be let down and frustrated with the antics of both Pen and August. I kept having to remind myself that Pen and August were in their early 20’s, which means there is a certain level of immaturity and insecurity. If you keep that piece of information in your mind, the book is enjoyable. The banter was great in this book. The wit and the relationship between the siblings was what I enjoyed most about this book.

I liked that this was a slow burn. The anticipation in that regard was great. Also, I loved that this wasn’t a third act break up. It seemed that the characters had a bit of growth throughout the story to avoid that. Thank the heavens.

For me, March stole the show. I LOVED him. I almost would’ve preferred him as the main male character but then I realized that the author could’ve had this book be the start of a new series that follows each Luck family member (maybe that is the case and I just don’t have all the information). I’m VERY interested in reading books about March and January. I loved them so much and would absolutely read those books.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5.

Heat Index: 6.5/10

—fake dating

—childhood nemeses

—he's the first overall draft pick, she's a college girl, can I make it more obvious???

The Basics:

Just ahead of his first season in the NFL, quarterback and first overall pick August Luck embarrasses himself on the national stage with a video that... doesn't exactly protect his dignity. His solution? Propose a fake engagement to Penelope. They grew up together! Their moms are best friends! Sure, she kind of hates him, but she needs money to help cover property taxes after inheriting her beloved grandparents' home, and August sure does have money. This should be easy... right?

The Review:

Look, Kristen Callihan is one of my favorite romance novelists. Off the top of my head, I can name several books by her in wildly different setups that I cannot live without: Managed (rockstar romance starring the uptight band manager and an employee who helps him with his insomnia), The Friend Zone (a football player and his new best friend encounter some Issues With Ruining the Friendship), Moonglow (a Victorian werewolf falls for an earth witch)??? Her range is amazing.

So I have to get this out of the way first. This isn't the best Kristen Callihan book I've read, and I wouldn't recommend it if you've never read her before. That said, I do think it's a cute romance novel, and I'm actually very excited about what she does next with the Luck family (this felt very much like a series starter)—it just doesn't reach the heights I know she's capable of.

Don't get me wrong: The chemistry is there. I liked reading about August and Penelope together. The setup of them being childhood enemies of sorts, knowing each other so well while not particularly liking each other (I mean, that's kind one-sided)... it felt natural and added to their spark. The problem is, I don't think they really spent enough time together. Their knowledge of each other became something of a crutch for the story, I think. And while I bought that they knew each other, which made falling in love easier, I as the reader didn't know them and could've used more time with them on the page, versus interacting with various supporting characters. Some of whom I really didn't need (the roommate with the frog).

The other issue I kept running into was that this did feel a little dated, and a little too pop cultural in a way that will feel dated about five years from now, max. There are a lot of songs being name-dropped, a lot of movies (which I was more tolerant of because Penelope is a film student, but still! A lot of movies), and it just didn't super need to be there. Additionally, everyone had a nickname (which just does feel dated to me), including in their text threads. It didn't feel as natural as I know her writing can be.

I did like the building of the Luck family, which is where I imagine we'll see the series go. The zaniness of a family where literally every kid has a month name (we get sisters May and June and brothers March and "Jan") is very classic romance shenanigans, and I'm for it. And very frankly, I'm ready for Jan's book NOW. Even if his name is absolutely absurd, and I will have some "Sure, Jan" issues when he's getting down to business. WHATEVER.

But I think the reason why I gravitated to him is that he has such clear Issues Callihan is in the midst of setting up. August and Penelope weren't without their problems, but there wasn't anything big enough for me to really dig into. And Callihan thrives when her characters have actual problems.

Do I think the people who prefer a lighter romance novel will love this? Yes. There's banter, there's swoon, there are good times to be had. But it's not representative of the Full Callihan Experience, and I think you should have that. This is her shaking the rust off, I think, and I'm thinking whatever comes next (Jan please) is where we're gonna see Big Dramz.

The Sex:

Kristen Callihan writes great sex scenes, with tenderness and heat. Did a reveal before they started hooking up in this one kinda throw me off? Yeah. I didn't really get why it was there, but it didn't ruin anything. I just wish we'd gotten to the sex faster!

The Conclusion:

A fun, light sports romance that could've gone deeper. It's worth reading, but my standards for a Kristen Callihan book are kind of borderline prohibitively high, I'll admit.

On an audiobook note—Teddy Hamilton is one of my favorite narrators, so of course he got this. Maxine Mitchell is a very good narrator as well, but her male voices are a bit overdrawn. I think they would be perfect if she dialed it back just a little!

Thanks to Harlequin Audio and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[yueting ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

this is the year that i'm discovering my love for the friends to lovers trope, and august and penelope are definitely continue that trend. the pining that they have for each other had me giggling not even a fifth of the way through the book. add in the element of fake dating—actually, a fake engagement, which is just even better—and i was so on board with their yearning and secret crushing.

however, despite the overall arc of their story being very compelling, the pacing of the book really stalls towards the middle, and i found it hard to connect with either of them as characters.

august comes from a long line of football greats and a huge family that supports and loves one another—and penelope has always been their close family friend. however, even while growing up, her shyness and unrealized crush on august has always caused them to be distant with each other. now with penelope in her final year of college and with august playing in his first year for the nfl, they find themselves in the same city. and after a very public and embarrassing blunder, august manages to convince penelope to help him out—by pretending to be in love with him. what neither know of them realize is, there's not much pretending going on.

the first third of the book starts out really strong, but once august and penelope settle into their fake engagement, the book spends too little time developing their interactions, and too much time setting up side characters. august's family is in this book a lot, and while i appreciate that their conversations with his brothers, march and january, and his sisters, may and june (are you noticing a trend), helped them figure out their feelings, i would have much rather seen august and penelope work through that together instead of with other people.

there were definitely heart-fluttering moments between them when they do communicate and the spice is hot hot hot—i just wish the pacing of it had been a bit more even and the development of their relationship steadier. particularly because there are some plot threads introduced in the latter half of the book that either 1) don't feel like they are fully wrapped up or 2) feel abruptly introduced and accepted when i would have liked to linger in those revelations and explore those feelings a bit more. so ultimately, while i enjoyed them together, i don't find myself as attached to them as i'd like to be.

this is still a very cute read though, and it's the pining and yearning that tips this over to the good end of the scale for me. and the good thing about all the time spent with august's family is that now, i'm hoping they're all going to get their own books down the line.

﹙ audio ﹚
i listened to the audio for a portion of my read, and i really enjoyed the dual narration! teddy hamilton can do no wrong and i absolutely adored him as august, and maxine mitchell's "august" voice really worked for me as well.

— thank you so much to the hive, htp books, and mira books for the e-arc via netgalley to review!

﹙ two-point-five stars, rounded up! ﹚

[Shirley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Penelope Marrow has grown up with the Luck kids and has known them all her life and is currently a film student at UCLA. She recently inherited her grandparents’ beautiful historic home but she doesn’t have the money to pay the property tax on it. Second son, August Luck is a professional football player (quarterback!) starting his career in Los Angeles where he’s having some bad publicity problems. Penelope and August run into each other at August’s family home over vacation and suddenly their prior ambivalence towards each other turns into something more… a lot more. On the flight back to LA, August proposes to Penelope, figuring a fake engagement could solve both of their problems, she can be his fiance which will rehabilitate his public image and he can lend her money to pay for the property tax. A fake engagement to solve their problems. Easy peasey right? Of course not, because this is a romance novel!

First, this is a cute book. I liked the childhood-not-quite-friends-but-we totally-liked-each-other-even-from-back-then-and-that’s-why-we’re-awkward-af to lovers angle. The banter as Penny and August get to know each other as adults is very good, and I liked seeing their friendship and trust grow. August is so sweet to her and Penelope’s support of August is amazing. The spice, once it starts, is spicy. The Luck kids are a highpoint of the book. Their text chats are a lot of fun, the twins May and June are sassy and great and if March doesn’t get his own story, I might riot. He definitely gives off the youngest child scoundrel vibes even if he isn’t technically the youngest. I can absolutely see this book as the beginning of a new spinoff series.

There were a few flaws with the book, keeping it from a five star book. I never quite understood what caused August’s antics in the book, it really seemed out of character as someone who seems to take his career so seriously in other aspects. It almost feels like a psychotic break. And while I appreciate romantic tension, Penelope seemed oblivious to August’s clear attraction and later love for her. The roommate subplot did seem like it came from a different story, as getting kicked out isn’t that tense when you have an amazing historic home to live in instead of a crap student apartment with crazy roommates, but perhaps was there to highlight the fact that Penelope does not have many real friends in LA. They did feel immature sometimes, especially when it came to relationships, but in the book they are super young and this is their first real relationship. I think August is like 23 and Penny is 22. I think most of us were pretty dumb at that age so I can forgive some of the immaturity.

Despite a few flaws, this was still a very enjoyable rom com and would love to see more stories about the Luck family. I would recommend it if you enjoy sports romances, friends to lovers (acquaintances to lovers?), and fake dating tropes and sassy sassy side characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the ARC