Game, Set, Matched

by Ivy Bailey

A Simon & Schuster eBook. Simon & Schuster has a great book for every reader.

Genres: Young Adult, Romance, Sports Romance, Contemporary, Sports, Contemporary Romance, Audiobook

320 pages, Paperback

Published May 12, 2025

Reviews

[Amélie · Rating 4 out of 5]

read this in one sitting during sunbathing and it for sure got me out of my reading slump

[Emily Race · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read during my first Wimbledon season. Simple, easy, and timely.

[Roos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dit is echt zo’n heerlijk YA tussenboekje. 3.5 ster voor mij! Denk ik echt perfect voor als je in een (romance) slumb zit. Zaten verschillende leuke plots in, vond de groepschat heeeeel vermakelijk en sowieso las het echt mega lekker weg. Romance zelf was ook heerlijk en tennis vond ik best leuk om over te lezen🎾

[Marije · Rating 3 out of 5]

this book is fine.
not good, not bad, but fine.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVEDDDDDD THIS BOOK. REVIEW coming soon.

[Katie (Kitkatscanread) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Actual rating: 4.5/5 Kitkats

This was a really cute YA novel about junior doubles in Wimbledon.
There is a hate to love romance involved.

[Quinty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oeeeh vind dit echt een hele lastig en zit echt tussen de 3-4 sterren in. De karakters in het boek behalve Bards zijn echt heel erg leuk. Ook wat diepgaande onderwerpen. Wat het voor mij meer een 3 ster dan een 4 ster heeft gemaakt is dat ik op een gegeven moment het irritant vond hoe snel de romance ging. 2 dates en het was al helemaal gebeurd. Maar verder erg vermakelijk

[books (samaira's version) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes I’m being very generous but it was soooo fun to read. The (kind of) enemies to lovers was really cute. The sibling dynamic was the absolute best, and I loved Billie’s best friends!

And of course (extremely swoon worthy) Harley.

[Milz · Rating 4 out of 5]

first book of 2026

[Noa Van Zon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ik had echt even een simpele romance nodig😊

[Arwenna Mae · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved this book!

[Kiddayy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very cheesy but also strangely fun to read. Extremely quick to finish too. I didn’t like an aspect of the ending though, which dampened the book for me.

[Josefin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I still do not understand what Tom's issues were😭

[Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this up by chance because I’ve been looking for more ya sports romances and this one was right there like it was screaming at me from the shelf and with Wimbledon starting that exact week, I decided I couldn’t leave it behind and I’m so glad I didn’t because this was incredible. I already knew I loved Ivy Bailey’s writing but there’s something specifically about this book that I’m completely obsessed with.

Game, Set, Matched follows Billie and Harley, forced into a doubles partnership to make it to the Wimbledon Junior Championships. This book is so well paced and the descriptions of the tennis matches are so easy to follow it feels as though you’re watching rather than reading. There’s just the right amount of it that you feel invested but not overwhelmed and the rest of the plot is so fun!

I truly never wanted this book to end and I love these characters so so much I could read a thousand more pages of them. They’re just so lovely and I wish we could see more relationships in books where the characters completely get each other and communicate healthily rather than having overcomplicated misunderstandings.

[Ellie Burgoyne · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️

I really enjoyed this, I have had this book on my tbr for a few months now and im so glad I picked it up . I enjoyed billie and Harleys relationship , their banter made me laugh so many times, however there was a bit of miscommunication that did annoy me a little bit, however they did have a conversation about it and all was cleared up in the end.

We follow Billie who is our fmc and her brother tom who plays tennis ever since they were younger and billie has always wanted to go to tournaments and be in the championships etc. however tom has an accident which leaves billie with no partner to play , then comes along Harley, who's uncle is billies coach and sets them up together to play. that's when their relationship forms and they start to get to know each other . I adored billies friends , they were so funny !!

[Johanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

So eine tolle YA Sportromanze! Ich mochte die Kombination aus Tennis – einem Sport, den ich wirklich mag – und Romance so sehr. Sowohl die Romanze als auch das Tennis waren so gut geschrieben! Die Geschwisterliche Beziehung zwischen Billie und Tom war herzerwärmed und ich habe auch die Darstellung der toxischen Beziehung zwischen Kat und Bards sehr genossen. Es ist auch wichtig, das Bewusstsein für toxische Beziehungen zu schärfen, damit jemand, der in einer steckt, sie bemerkt und beendet.
Das Buch ist etwas kürzer, aber die Romanze fühlte sich trotzdem so echt und wahrhaftig an. Ich habe mich oft in Billie wiedererkannt und Harley war ein so lustiger Charakter. Ihre Geschichte zu lesen hat so viel Spaß gemacht ☺️ Ich habe nichts zu beanstanden 🫶

[Lizzie Marsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

I loved this book!! So cute and cosy, and a perfect little sports romance.

I saw this at the library and picked it up on a whim, and what a book. The enemies to lovers, rivals to lovers, second chance romance. Wow.

Billie Dawson is a twin to Tom, her talented Tennis brother. Billie has always had the mindset that she will never be good enough in her father’s eyes and that Tom is the best.
When Tom gets in an accident 3 weeks before the Wimbledon doubles, she has to think fast or risk it all. But when Harley, cocky, handsome, sassy, untrustworthy Harley walks in, and offers to help, Billie has no choice. He’s her coaches nephew after all.
After MANY ups and downs… the two eventually find their way…

Such a memorable cosy romance FILLED with drama!

[Seri_ously · Rating 4 out of 5]

For YA- this was probably a 5 star but for all books in general, a definite 4. I loved the chemistry between Billie and Harley!!! So cute- exactly what I needed. The Bards side plot was also surprisingly good- It's cool to see and remember that sports people have real lives outside of their sport too. Also really liked the way Bailey wrote about Billie's POV on her mum's death and how the pressure transferred onto her. HOWEVER. The reconciliation with the dad wasn't a happy ever after, BUT, it felt realistic. So did Billie's sibling dynamic. Also I felt like we needed more self growth on Harley's side...not much going on with him huh? Overall, a great read- wasn't expecting much but was pleasantly surprised!

[monique · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️.75:

This was so cute and surprisingly enjoyable. At first I didn’t think I would love this and it felt too simply written that it was almost childish but not long later that feeling changed. Although there was a couple times it was a tiny bit cringy but most of the time I actually loved it and thought it was really really cute. As a tennis player the descriptions of play and the way the game worked were really good and surprisingly detailed which I loved. The family and friendship details and ‘drama’ was really good as it gave the story a bit more depth but I do wish there was a bit more detail into these things. And Billie and Harley were actually so cute like doubles partner and couple goals I actually LOVED them.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Billie has always doubled in tennis with her twin brother, but when he can’t continue she needs to find a new partner before the junior Wimbledon doubles tournament. The last person she wants to pair with is Harley, the laid back nephew of her coach, but he’s the perfect match. While they learn to work together on the court will they be able to keep the sparks from flying?

The YA sports romance is fast paced and easy to get into. I liked Billie and Harley together and thought they were a good match on and off the court. The enemies to lovers vibe was strong and well done. This book was super easy to get through and made for a quick, enjoyable romance read. Overall this was a good YA romance that held my interest all the way through.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another winner from Ivy Bailey. A short and sweet sports romance where both characters are athletes, which is so refreshing. I love the way Billie and Harley are complementary for each other, Billie makes Harley put effort, while Harley helps Billie find a bit more fun to take risks in her game.

There’s also a side plot involving intimate partner violence with a side character that I appreciated. It’s a heavy subject but I think it’s dealt with sensitively though I think it ended far more cleaner than I would’ve thought happens in real life. But I liked that it was tackled because it happens in teenage relationships too.

I look forward to more YA sports romance from this author.

[Burcu · Rating 2 out of 5]

forgot to add this to my CR. read this as an audiobook in a few days.

I keep giving sport romances a try in hopes I'll like something.

For this one, I think the main character was great to follow. Not a recommendation for the audiobook though: the fmc grits her teeth alot when she speaks and the narrator doing it put me on edge.

The male love interest was annoying. If a guy was like this, I'd absolutely stay away. His past and romantic actions were all so cookie cutter basic.

The sub plot of Kat and the toxic bf was so unnecessary. I wouldn't be surprised if the author makes this a series and puts Kat as the next fmc. It's just so formulaic.

[Poppy · Rating 4 out of 5]

this followed the exact recipe for a good ya contemporary DOWN. it had wit, it had snark, the banter was good, flirting was top notch, minimal miscommunication that made up the third act but i didn't mind! billie was the perfect ice princess. she stood her Ground. harley did not back down. i want a guy this obsessed with me.

now for the bad: sooo many plotholes. the ending was abrupt. did harley go to America? how did they keep up their relationship after uni started? that kat and bards break up happened in a blink of an eye. i am not convinced bards cheating had that big of an impact on harley. all in all, things needed to be stretched more. i still had fun!

[Kalyn Crace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoughts:
This was such a fun read. I’ve recently been loving playing tennis so when I saw this on NetGalley, I had to request it. This is a slow burn “enemies” to lovers sports romance. It was such an easy read and I enjoyed it a lot. I loved the relationship between the FMC and MMC and also the sibling relationship. I’m a twin, so I related to this book a lot. I do wish that there was more detail in the dates and practice leading up to the romance and the tournament, and the MMC ‘s background, but other than that, this was a perfect book for getting me out of a reading slump. Thank you NetGalley and the author for this arc audible in exchange for my honest review!

[S. N. Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free ARC of this book. These thoughts and opinions are completely my own.
This was a YA sports romance. I don't read too many of these but enjoyed how the MC's have realistic home lives, heavy expectations, or are trying to make up for things they think are lacking, and them working together they are able to grow and become better versions of themselves. This book definitely showcases more healthy romantic relationships, and how to be a true friend when there are relationship red flags.
Moderate language, fade to black spice.

[Kelly Ann C · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute short listen! I love a British narrator.

Billie and Harley could not be more different. But, as they say opposites attract. After Billie’s brother (her life long doubles partner had to pull out of the tournament, Billie needs to find a new partner. She has high hopes of Jr Wimbledon.
I played tennis some, but this brought me right back. I enjoyed the details of the sport and the lingo.

Billie and Harley end up being a great match on and off the court.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC audio!

[CJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely incredible!!! I love Tennis Romance and fully believe that there needs to be more Tennis Romance’s. The Tennis was accurate the romance incredible. The MMC: Harley is the love of my life. He’s amazing in so many ways. The FMC: Billie felt so real and a believable character. All the story arcs and characters even side characters like Kat had convicting stories. This might just be my new favourite book.

[Evvie xx · Rating 5 out of 5]

A REALLY good pallet cleanser book! It isn’t a real 5 star book but for what its is, a short romance about tennis, I think it does deserve it. I loved the amount of tennis in it because it didn’t feel empowering but you really got interested!🫶🏻 I absolutely loved the love interest and he treated her sooo well and absolutely not creepy like it often gets in books…

[Laura Prindable · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just love ya romance. Young love, we all remember. Billie and Harley are tennis players and playing at Wimbledon when sparks begin to fly. The narrators did a great job.

4 stars

Many thanks to Net Galley and HarperAudio Children’s for an audio ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Bianca · Rating 3 out of 5]

prima voorspelbaar verhaal. Als je een simpel boek waarin niet al te veel spannendst gebeurd dan is dit zeker een aanrader. zelf werd ik niet echt gegrepen door het verhaal en vond het eerder neigen naar zaai.