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Game, Set, Match
August Snow has everything except the one thing that matters most. At the peak of his career and ranked among the NHL’s elite players, August should feel like he’s on top of the world. Instead, he’s painfully alone and doesn’t feel connected to anyone—including his teammates. Then he locks eyes with a green-eyed stranger whose gaze stirs something buried deep in his past. A memory he can’t quite reach, but that calls to the hollowness inside.
Quinn Harlow is barely holding it together. Between raising his nieces alongside his brother-in-law and mourning the loss of his sister while inching toward an art degree, Quinn’s life is pure survival mode. He definitely didn’t realize his brother-in-law captained the same team as his high school boyfriend—the one who shattered his heart and vanished ten years ago—but, at least August doesn’t seem to recognize him.
Until one accusation, three glasses of champagne, and an impulsive kiss in a public bathroom changes everything.
Now August is the one watching Quinn, and Quinn is left with a choice:
Walk away and protect his heart, or let August back in just long enough to break him the way he had been broken.
But the past isn’t what it seems, and the man August has become is not who Quinn remembers.
Neither of them was prepared for how much a single kiss could unravel the horrifying truth of August’s past.
A truth that August had been hiding from everyone—including himself.
Quinn Harlow is barely holding it together. Between raising his nieces alongside his brother-in-law and mourning the loss of his sister while inching toward an art degree, Quinn’s life is pure survival mode. He definitely didn’t realize his brother-in-law captained the same team as his high school boyfriend—the one who shattered his heart and vanished ten years ago—but, at least August doesn’t seem to recognize him.
Until one accusation, three glasses of champagne, and an impulsive kiss in a public bathroom changes everything.
Now August is the one watching Quinn, and Quinn is left with a choice:
Walk away and protect his heart, or let August back in just long enough to break him the way he had been broken.
But the past isn’t what it seems, and the man August has become is not who Quinn remembers.
Neither of them was prepared for how much a single kiss could unravel the horrifying truth of August’s past.
A truth that August had been hiding from everyone—including himself.
- GenresHockey
369 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 20, 2026
23 people are currently reading
62 people want to read
About the author
Kai Jennex
6 books29 followersAn exhausted author inhabiting Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. Has four cats, 1 ghost, and zero brain cells activated.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
This is book 2 in a series. I really enjoyed book one. A first point of the review is how great it was to see all the characters from book one appearing in this book in such a big, unique and meaningful way; where I would even go so far as to say the cross over between the two books of has been done beautifully and has kept the story and characters so consistent. I would probably say it would be beneficial reading them back to back or at least relatively close together so you can remember the details from the previous book.
The story is about August and Quinn. August is a hockey player who is called a gentle giant, snowy etc. All his life he has been seen as somebody that is quite dangerous and scary simply by looking at the size of him and he is very careful on the ice so he doesn't cause anyone to be seriously hurt. The fact that he is very antisocial around his teammates in the beginning does not help. He becomes close with Nico and they have a brotherly relationship which helps August to open up a little. All the different aspects of August make him a complex but interesting MMC.
Quinn is an art student and is the brother in law of the captain of the hockey team that August plays for. He has returned due to a family situation and it meant that he is present at the hockey stadium for the games a lot more. Quinn is also the nanny to his sister's children. They bump in to each other and August after thinking Quinn was a stalker then realizes that he knows Quinn which causes a massive chain of events that they all needed to deal with the fact that they had history together.
The story is about second chances and is done in a way that brings a different feeling to a second chance. It's also very low angst with a ton of heartbreaking and beautiful actions suffered by the patients. There is some dark topics featured in this book so I would definitely check the triggers.(I don't have any so I didn't check) however the caretaking of each other is everything.
August and Quinn had a history in high school and August though without even remembering it, felt the immediate connection between them. Quinn held on to resentment from how the relationship ended in school however this story shows that sometimes the love is stronger and that you may be able to put the work in to get the trust back between them and overcome the resentment. Throughout the time they are sleeping together August agreed to do a project for Quinn and through this you are introduced to shabari and you are introduced to certain elements of BDSM that are not too heavily looked into i.e. about submissive and dominant roles and you see how somebody can be dominant on the ice then give up control off of it.
There is a lot of interactions with people from the past book and it includes interaction with Quinn and them two showing the lighter side of August as well as building the relationship outside of the bedroom too. You see relationships with people within the team.
Ultimately the book is split into two minds in my opinion you have the dark topics covered respectfully authentically, realistically, and heartbreaking as they can be a while completely and complexly describing the darkness that surround them topics and the healing as well having Quinn and August rediscover and reaffirm their love coming out stronger than ever, you also have a found family, you have hurt /comfort, you've got big submissive/ small Dom type situation and working on healing and a few other things that make this book a really well written well rounded story. It is not simply all spice and no plot
I would absolutely recommend reading this series and I cannot wait for further books to come out and to see whose story is gonna be told next and to see if we're going to keep seeing the whole gang in the next few stories so we keep the link.
I received this book as an arc for an unbiased review.
The story is about August and Quinn. August is a hockey player who is called a gentle giant, snowy etc. All his life he has been seen as somebody that is quite dangerous and scary simply by looking at the size of him and he is very careful on the ice so he doesn't cause anyone to be seriously hurt. The fact that he is very antisocial around his teammates in the beginning does not help. He becomes close with Nico and they have a brotherly relationship which helps August to open up a little. All the different aspects of August make him a complex but interesting MMC.
Quinn is an art student and is the brother in law of the captain of the hockey team that August plays for. He has returned due to a family situation and it meant that he is present at the hockey stadium for the games a lot more. Quinn is also the nanny to his sister's children. They bump in to each other and August after thinking Quinn was a stalker then realizes that he knows Quinn which causes a massive chain of events that they all needed to deal with the fact that they had history together.
The story is about second chances and is done in a way that brings a different feeling to a second chance. It's also very low angst with a ton of heartbreaking and beautiful actions suffered by the patients. There is some dark topics featured in this book so I would definitely check the triggers.(I don't have any so I didn't check) however the caretaking of each other is everything.
August and Quinn had a history in high school and August though without even remembering it, felt the immediate connection between them. Quinn held on to resentment from how the relationship ended in school however this story shows that sometimes the love is stronger and that you may be able to put the work in to get the trust back between them and overcome the resentment. Throughout the time they are sleeping together August agreed to do a project for Quinn and through this you are introduced to shabari and you are introduced to certain elements of BDSM that are not too heavily looked into i.e. about submissive and dominant roles and you see how somebody can be dominant on the ice then give up control off of it.
There is a lot of interactions with people from the past book and it includes interaction with Quinn and them two showing the lighter side of August as well as building the relationship outside of the bedroom too. You see relationships with people within the team.
Ultimately the book is split into two minds in my opinion you have the dark topics covered respectfully authentically, realistically, and heartbreaking as they can be a while completely and complexly describing the darkness that surround them topics and the healing as well having Quinn and August rediscover and reaffirm their love coming out stronger than ever, you also have a found family, you have hurt /comfort, you've got big submissive/ small Dom type situation and working on healing and a few other things that make this book a really well written well rounded story. It is not simply all spice and no plot
I would absolutely recommend reading this series and I cannot wait for further books to come out and to see whose story is gonna be told next and to see if we're going to keep seeing the whole gang in the next few stories so we keep the link.
I received this book as an arc for an unbiased review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 2, 2026
And here we are again in freezing-cold Canada, where hot-headed, temperamental men wreak all the possible havoc both on and off the ice. This is the second book in the series and the stories are closely interconnected —in fact, they’re as close as a “friends with benefits” arrangement, so to truly enjoy the magnificent world-building, the masterfully crafted plot, and properly follow the banter and antics, I recommend a start from the very beginning! Fair warning!
Second, and very important—GSM/game,set,match/ is dark romance. If you love dark chocolate, this story will feel like the most luxurious and delicious bite of your favorite brand: bitter at first, sweeter at the end. Bitter, because the darkness here stems from
1. Years of accumulated trauma
2. Characters who cope with it on their own, not always in healthy, safe ways,complicating not only their own lives, but the lives of those closely connected to them
3. A healing process that brings many surprises along the way
4. The loss of a beloved, important person and
5. A plan for revenge that definitely backfires spectacularly.
Sweeter in the end, because despite the difficulties, the pain, the despair, the emotional wounds, these characters find the strength and courage to rebuild their lives. And there is nothing harder, yet sweeter, than forgiveness and love that have survived the darkness before the dawn of new hope.
At the beginning of my reading journey, I was so absorbed by the dynamic between August and Nico—the push-and-pull between them—that Quinn’s appearance was like a summer downpour, trying to drown my blissful state of Zen. Wait, what? I checked the blurb to make sure it was an MM story, and went back to reading, realizing I’d mixed up the pair in my head (yes, that happens to absent-minded people like me).
It turned out to be the story of August and Quinn, errrr my bad, so I got back on track and back in the game of the other push and pull - August and Quinn.
August is the grumpiest of the grumps, truly—he can completely sour the fresh milk for your coffee with just one of his infamous glares. And Quinn is like an overdose of quinine. Combined, these two are a real test of mental endurance for every reader, me included. That’s why I really enjoyed my little ray of sunshine, Nico, who kept me company and brightened my day like the good boy he is. A true, honest-to-God rainbow. No, this isn’t MMM, breathe! Nico is simply the ray of sunshine that makes the cold bearable. August accepts Nico reluctantly as a friend, not without strong resistance at first. I doubt Quinn would have had a chance to break through August’s arctic defenses if Nico hadn’t helped melt the ice beforehand.
Kay creates incredible characters—the kind that gets under your skin and burrows so deep into the reader’s heart that it’s impossible to pull them out.
Hockey, as I’ve already mentioned before , isn’t my favorite subject to read about, but if someone like me feels spellbound and comes back for the next book, it means the author has done one hell of a marvelous job to win me over with the magic of their writing.
Second, and very important—GSM/game,set,match/ is dark romance. If you love dark chocolate, this story will feel like the most luxurious and delicious bite of your favorite brand: bitter at first, sweeter at the end. Bitter, because the darkness here stems from
1. Years of accumulated trauma
2. Characters who cope with it on their own, not always in healthy, safe ways,complicating not only their own lives, but the lives of those closely connected to them
3. A healing process that brings many surprises along the way
4. The loss of a beloved, important person and
5. A plan for revenge that definitely backfires spectacularly.
Sweeter in the end, because despite the difficulties, the pain, the despair, the emotional wounds, these characters find the strength and courage to rebuild their lives. And there is nothing harder, yet sweeter, than forgiveness and love that have survived the darkness before the dawn of new hope.
At the beginning of my reading journey, I was so absorbed by the dynamic between August and Nico—the push-and-pull between them—that Quinn’s appearance was like a summer downpour, trying to drown my blissful state of Zen. Wait, what? I checked the blurb to make sure it was an MM story, and went back to reading, realizing I’d mixed up the pair in my head (yes, that happens to absent-minded people like me).
It turned out to be the story of August and Quinn, errrr my bad, so I got back on track and back in the game of the other push and pull - August and Quinn.
August is the grumpiest of the grumps, truly—he can completely sour the fresh milk for your coffee with just one of his infamous glares. And Quinn is like an overdose of quinine. Combined, these two are a real test of mental endurance for every reader, me included. That’s why I really enjoyed my little ray of sunshine, Nico, who kept me company and brightened my day like the good boy he is. A true, honest-to-God rainbow. No, this isn’t MMM, breathe! Nico is simply the ray of sunshine that makes the cold bearable. August accepts Nico reluctantly as a friend, not without strong resistance at first. I doubt Quinn would have had a chance to break through August’s arctic defenses if Nico hadn’t helped melt the ice beforehand.
Kay creates incredible characters—the kind that gets under your skin and burrows so deep into the reader’s heart that it’s impossible to pull them out.
Hockey, as I’ve already mentioned before , isn’t my favorite subject to read about, but if someone like me feels spellbound and comes back for the next book, it means the author has done one hell of a marvelous job to win me over with the magic of their writing.
Review of advance copy received from Author
"What do you want from me?... Other than to drive me mad?" "I want you, but I don't know if you'll let me have you."
.
.
We are back in this sports universe so brilliantly crafted by Kai Jennex. The focus... August Snow with his snow white hair and icy blue eyes. He's mysterious, broody, and a hockey powerhouse. His love interest, Quinn Harlow an artist with poison apple green eyes. They have history, but only one of them remembers.
Game, Set, Match has a darker undertone than Back In the Game. There's also an air of mystery as we don't know why August is plagued with memory loss and intense migraines. One thing that remains certain is that Quinn Harlow is August's good luck charm, and their relationship fuels August to be at the top of his game.
As this story unfolds, we as readers can almost feel the palpable chemistry between August and Quinn. With cameos from some of our faves (Harrison, Fraser, Park, etc) and a story that will keep you intrigued until the very end, Game, Set, Match is another fabulous installment to this series. Also, I can't wait for what's next.
This I Loved:
Found Family/The Group Chat: Jennex has crafted such a beautiful found family, and the group chat always supplies laughter. However, outside of the fun its heartwarming to see how, despite being scattered across different providences, etc these men all show up for each other. I also find the GC/cameos a wonderful way to fall in love with future characters. I know that no matter whose story is next, I am going to love every minute of it.
August and Quinn's Dynamic: I loved how Quinn took the lead and allowed August to escape and feel. He always knew what August needed, and I think it was interesting for me as the reader to see Quinn take the reins (which was different from what I anticipated).
Darker Themes: After Back in the Game, it was nice to see a different side of Kai's writing. Game, Set, Match explores much heavier and darker themes/tones. For me, it sets a precedent for future installments to expect the unexpected from relationship dynamics and themes explored.
.
.
We are back in this sports universe so brilliantly crafted by Kai Jennex. The focus... August Snow with his snow white hair and icy blue eyes. He's mysterious, broody, and a hockey powerhouse. His love interest, Quinn Harlow an artist with poison apple green eyes. They have history, but only one of them remembers.
Game, Set, Match has a darker undertone than Back In the Game. There's also an air of mystery as we don't know why August is plagued with memory loss and intense migraines. One thing that remains certain is that Quinn Harlow is August's good luck charm, and their relationship fuels August to be at the top of his game.
As this story unfolds, we as readers can almost feel the palpable chemistry between August and Quinn. With cameos from some of our faves (Harrison, Fraser, Park, etc) and a story that will keep you intrigued until the very end, Game, Set, Match is another fabulous installment to this series. Also, I can't wait for what's next.
This I Loved:
Found Family/The Group Chat: Jennex has crafted such a beautiful found family, and the group chat always supplies laughter. However, outside of the fun its heartwarming to see how, despite being scattered across different providences, etc these men all show up for each other. I also find the GC/cameos a wonderful way to fall in love with future characters. I know that no matter whose story is next, I am going to love every minute of it.
August and Quinn's Dynamic: I loved how Quinn took the lead and allowed August to escape and feel. He always knew what August needed, and I think it was interesting for me as the reader to see Quinn take the reins (which was different from what I anticipated).
Darker Themes: After Back in the Game, it was nice to see a different side of Kai's writing. Game, Set, Match explores much heavier and darker themes/tones. For me, it sets a precedent for future installments to expect the unexpected from relationship dynamics and themes explored.
March 26, 2026
This story stands apart from the first, giving us two characters who couldn’t be more different, yet somehow fit together most necessarily. August is a battered soul, isolated even in a crowded locker room, carrying battles that never seem to quiet. Quinn, vibrant and deeply rooted in family, is also grieving, navigating life after the devastating loss of his twin. Their pain mirrors each other in unexpected ways, even as they stand on opposite sides of how they cope.
When they find their way back to each other, it isn’t easy,, it’s messy, hard-earned, and deeply emotional. But there’s something undeniable between them. Around Quinn, the noise in August’s mind softens, and for the first time, he feels like he can breathe.
Their journey explores trust, vulnerability, and healing in such a unique way, especially with the introduction of Shibari, adding depth, intimacy, and a new layer to their trust as they fight for their happiness.
The found family dynamic shines, full of warmth, humor, and unwavering support. Seeing familiar faces again and learning more about them only adds to the richness of the story (and yes, Harrison as the group “Daddy” is everythin
When they find their way back to each other, it isn’t easy,, it’s messy, hard-earned, and deeply emotional. But there’s something undeniable between them. Around Quinn, the noise in August’s mind softens, and for the first time, he feels like he can breathe.
Their journey explores trust, vulnerability, and healing in such a unique way, especially with the introduction of Shibari, adding depth, intimacy, and a new layer to their trust as they fight for their happiness.
The found family dynamic shines, full of warmth, humor, and unwavering support. Seeing familiar faces again and learning more about them only adds to the richness of the story (and yes, Harrison as the group “Daddy” is everythin
March 22, 2026
Game, Set, Match is the second book in the Pride in the Game series and I think is best read in order. This is a hurt/comfort, found family, second chance read about August and Quinn. I loved this story and their hard fought win to a hea. This is a highly emotional story that was fantastic to read and again the wonderful characters from the first book. I can't wait to see what comes next in the series.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This was probably one of the most interesting stories I’ve read this year so far! August and Quinn go through SO much before we get to their HEA. Second chance stories always, always make me cry because you typically get to see two souls fall in love and then have to fight for that back.
August broke my poor heart. He went through so much prior to the book and throughout the whole book. He’s a gentle giant who avoids everyone until people keep putting themselves in front of him. Quinn has so much to sort through during this book between his BIL and late sister & August reappearing but not remembering him. He held onto that resentment for so long, I can’t imagine how difficult it was for him.
Watching these two go through everything they did made the HEA even better. I enjoyed getting to see everyone from book 1 and I can’t wait to see who else gets a story!
August broke my poor heart. He went through so much prior to the book and throughout the whole book. He’s a gentle giant who avoids everyone until people keep putting themselves in front of him. Quinn has so much to sort through during this book between his BIL and late sister & August reappearing but not remembering him. He held onto that resentment for so long, I can’t imagine how difficult it was for him.
Watching these two go through everything they did made the HEA even better. I enjoyed getting to see everyone from book 1 and I can’t wait to see who else gets a story!
Did Not Finish
March 20, 2026DNF @ 41% - I stopped reading at sex as a cure for migraines. Don’t go there.
March 24, 2026
I loved this book! I couldn’t put it down.
April 7, 2026
𝘼𝙪𝙜𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙌𝙪𝙞𝙣𝙣 𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙢𝙖𝙜𝙣𝙚𝙩𝙨 𝙩𝙝��𝙩, 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙥𝙪𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤𝙤 𝙘𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙤𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧, 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙮 𝙨𝙣𝙖𝙥 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙚.
🍁🍁🍁🍁
August and Quinn had once meant everything to each other until August disappeared without a word. Years later, August and Quinn are back in each other's lives, but the past may be too unforgivable to get back what they once had.
August and Quinn’s story was heartbreaking and healing all at the same time. I am glad they were able to get past their past and the damage it had done, and be able to love each other again.
Join August and Quinn on their journey if you vibe with…
🏒 MM
🏒 Hockey
🏒 Second Chance
🏒 Hurt | Comfort
🏒 Found Family
**𝘎𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘯𝘫𝘰𝘺, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸**
🍁🍁🍁🍁
August and Quinn had once meant everything to each other until August disappeared without a word. Years later, August and Quinn are back in each other's lives, but the past may be too unforgivable to get back what they once had.
August and Quinn’s story was heartbreaking and healing all at the same time. I am glad they were able to get past their past and the damage it had done, and be able to love each other again.
Join August and Quinn on their journey if you vibe with…
🏒 MM
🏒 Hockey
🏒 Second Chance
🏒 Hurt | Comfort
🏒 Found Family
**𝘎𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘯𝘫𝘰𝘺, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸**
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