Game Changer

by Cindy Ta

Maddox Kamado has it all as the star shooting guard for the San Francisco Dragons—fame, fortune, and screaming fans. But no amount of glory can replace the love he let slip away.

Annalise Monroe once dreamed of designing gowns that would grace runways. Instead, her sketches are collecting dust while she’s stuck working for the boss from hell, all while trying to forget the one who shattered her heart.

When fate brings them together again, it’s clear the years have changed them. But the fire between them remains—a smoldering ember just waiting to ignite.

Annalise swears she won’t fall for him again. Maddox swears he won’t lose her this time. But with every stolen glance, every brush of their hands, and every memory that refuses to fade, the pull between them only grows stronger.

There’s too much history. Too much longing. And now that they’re forced together, he’s willing to do everything in his power to win her back.

Genres: Sports

408 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication January 13, 2026

About the author

Cindy Ta is a Vietnamese-American author from Houston, Texas. She enjoys writing swoony, steamy contemporary romances that will take you on an emotional roller coaster. When she's not writing, you'll find her curled up on the couch cuddling with her dog while reading a good book, indulging in new foods, and traveling to new destinations to create memories with her husband and their two kids.

Reviews

[amal]

beta read🤍

[Briana Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review ✨
First I would like to say a big thank you to Cindy for letting me be apart of this ARC Team!
Rate: 5/5⭐️
Spice: 2/5🌶️

What to expect when reading Game Changer;
-Second Chance
-Forced Proximity
-Sports Romance
-First Love
-Flashbacks

This is book one of the Falling in Frisco series! You get to follow Annalise and Maddox! Annalise had a dream she’s let sit doormat while Maddox is living his dream. The last thing these thought would happen is crossing paths. Could this be their second chance? This is the first book I’ve read by Cindy and honestly I can’t wait to read more of her books. The story was so entertaining from beginning to end. There was funny moments, the flashbacks were perfect, and the spicy scenes were hot. Also, this plot twist blew my mind and was totally not expecting that at all but wow, completely here for that. I enjoyed their growth chemistry throughout this book. It was so perfect and the epilogue was the perfect close out. I could honestly read more about Annalise and Maddox because they really are the cutest 🙌

Side notes:
-this friend group
-Her Boss🫠
-Elevator
-her birthday!

Fav Quote:
•”Keep fighting for her and remind her why you two belong together, Masashi”

Make sure you get your copy of the book when it releases Jan. 13th💚
#bookstagram #romance #review

[Emaan · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗖𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗥𝗖! 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟭𝟯𝘁𝗵, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲.

I always wanted to read the Episode version, but never got around to it. However, it meant I was reading this story with fresh eyes.

Annalise was…difficult sometimes. Her stubbornness and insistence that Maddox cheated on her got annoying after a while, but I suppose it was a realistic reaction, and I understood why she reacted that way. And I know she was confused about Maddox, but it hurt to see her giving mixed signals in the first half. Still, I couldn’t hate her, not that I tried to really. She was relatable in some ways, particularly because I know what self-doubt is like. She had her moments, but I loved seeing her character develop.

I knew long before reading that I would adore Maddox. He was cocky without being obnoxious, and very determined. He had a possessive side when it came to Annalise, even though they’d broken up, but that played into how confident and driven he was to get her back. Finally, he encouraged her to not give up on her dreams. I couldn’t help but feel jealous of Annalise for having a guy like Maddox be down bad for her.

Regardless of where they were at in any given moment, the chemistry between Annalise and Maddox was most definitely there, and I rooted for them from start to finish. The writing contained no shortage of drama, humor, heartfelt moments, and emotional ones. I’m excited to see who gets a book next in this series. I’ve come to enjoy all the characters. Okay, almost all of them (minus Veronica and Lucas).

TW: mentions of infidelity, cancer, attempted murder, death of a loved one

[Tori · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book as an ARC. I really loved the story of Maddox and Annalise. Their trials made them who they are. Maddox is a NBA superstar, Annalise wants to follow her dreams of being a fashion designer. But she’s working for a mean boss at a fashion company. Four years ago, someone came between the couple ending their high school love. They meet again at Annalise’s work. Will the truth come out to what really happened? Will the one person trying to come between them succeed? Read Game Changer to see if they get their happily ever after. There is some spice. Check your trigger warnings, it’s not a dark romance. But it does hit on some topics that may be close to you.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maddox was just the biggest green flag cinnamon roll who only ever loved Annalise. Annalise was a character I rooted for the whole time but she definitely was stubborn, which is relatable. They truly loved each other and what they went through would have been so scary. Definitely would read books about some of the other supporting characters too! Rooting for Santiago and Serena!!

[Eirena Ewert · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review

Love love love! I love a second chance romance and unfortunately this one includes a miscommunication troupe. The way these two love each other and support each others’ ambitions fully is inspiring. I also loooove a found family group of friends, so I’m looking forward to the other stories connected to this one!

[Ya Kaday Kamara · Rating 5 out of 5]

BETA READ❤️