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Cranham Kings #1
Hostile Game
From USA Today and WSJ bestselling author, Becca Steele, comes an all-new M/F standalone enemies to lovers college hockey romance.
As the daughter of the head of the Thorpe Syndicate, my life was decided for me from the beginning. I was expected to look a certain way. Act a certain way. To put the syndicate above my own desires. To marry the son of the head of another crime family in a deal brokered by my father.
The night my arranged betrothal was announced was when everything changed.
My brother’s best friend chased me into the woods and stole my first kiss.
Now, my engagement is drawing closer. I’m doing my best to survive one day at a time, keeping my head down while I attend classes at Cranham University, a former Victorian prison and home of the Cranham Kings hockey team.
But he’s there, a constant reminder of what happened in the woods. His hateful gaze tracks me in the hallways and the lecture halls. I loathe him. Yet when he’s flying across the ice with his teammates, I can’t help but notice him.
And the way he makes me feel? That’s a secret I’ll take to the grave.
Tensions are rising. Something is brewing, and my family risks being caught up in it all. I don’t know who I can trust, and as for Jay?
He’s a complication I can’t afford, because the consequences would be devastating for us all.
Hostile Game is part of Cranham Kings, a college hockey romance series of M/F and M/M interconnected standalones. Please note that this series contains darker themes.
As the daughter of the head of the Thorpe Syndicate, my life was decided for me from the beginning. I was expected to look a certain way. Act a certain way. To put the syndicate above my own desires. To marry the son of the head of another crime family in a deal brokered by my father.
The night my arranged betrothal was announced was when everything changed.
My brother’s best friend chased me into the woods and stole my first kiss.
Now, my engagement is drawing closer. I’m doing my best to survive one day at a time, keeping my head down while I attend classes at Cranham University, a former Victorian prison and home of the Cranham Kings hockey team.
But he’s there, a constant reminder of what happened in the woods. His hateful gaze tracks me in the hallways and the lecture halls. I loathe him. Yet when he’s flying across the ice with his teammates, I can’t help but notice him.
And the way he makes me feel? That’s a secret I’ll take to the grave.
Tensions are rising. Something is brewing, and my family risks being caught up in it all. I don’t know who I can trust, and as for Jay?
He’s a complication I can’t afford, because the consequences would be devastating for us all.
Hostile Game is part of Cranham Kings, a college hockey romance series of M/F and M/M interconnected standalones. Please note that this series contains darker themes.
408 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 24, 2026
About the author
Becca Steele
59 books4,560 followersBecca Steele is a USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of new adult romance from contemporary to dark. Her books have been translated into multiple languages.
Becca resides in the south of England with her family. When she's not writing, you can find her reading, gaming, or curating yet another playlist.
Stalker links
http://authorbeccasteele.com/links
Becca resides in the south of England with her family. When she's not writing, you can find her reading, gaming, or curating yet another playlist.
Stalker links
http://authorbeccasteele.com/links
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 140 reviews
April 24, 2026
4🌟, 3🌶️
This was such a chaotic but fun start to a new series, and I mean that in a good way.
It throws you into a fresh world with a full cast and a lot happening, which felt exciting even when it got a little overwhelming. I did need a bit of time to settle in and figure out who was who, but once I stopped trying to keep track of every detail, I found myself enjoying the ride a lot more.
By the second half, everything started to click. Jay and Nova really came into focus, and their tension and back and forth carried the story for me. I loved watching their dynamic shift as feelings slipped through all that resistance, and when the story leaned into them, it felt stronger and more engaging. The pacing dipped here and there, but the emotional payoff and twists made it worth sticking through.
Overall, it didn’t hit perfectly right away, but it grew into a solid four star read by the end. It’s setting up a lot for what’s next, and I’m already more invested than I expected to be.
Safe to say I’ll be sticking around for the next book.
~~~~
Huge thank you to Becca Steele & The Author Agency for the ARC! 😍 All my bookish thoughts are completely my own. ✨
This was such a chaotic but fun start to a new series, and I mean that in a good way.
It throws you into a fresh world with a full cast and a lot happening, which felt exciting even when it got a little overwhelming. I did need a bit of time to settle in and figure out who was who, but once I stopped trying to keep track of every detail, I found myself enjoying the ride a lot more.
By the second half, everything started to click. Jay and Nova really came into focus, and their tension and back and forth carried the story for me. I loved watching their dynamic shift as feelings slipped through all that resistance, and when the story leaned into them, it felt stronger and more engaging. The pacing dipped here and there, but the emotional payoff and twists made it worth sticking through.
Overall, it didn’t hit perfectly right away, but it grew into a solid four star read by the end. It’s setting up a lot for what’s next, and I’m already more invested than I expected to be.
Safe to say I’ll be sticking around for the next book.
~~~~
Huge thank you to Becca Steele & The Author Agency for the ARC! 😍 All my bookish thoughts are completely my own. ✨
April 16, 2026
“You turning your knife on me was so fucking hot” he rasped “I want to see every side of you, Nova. The good girl and the bad fucking girl.”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️
Tropes included:
🏒M/F Standalone
🖤Dark Romance
🏒Enemies to Lovers
🖤Virgin FMC
🏒Brother’s Best Friend
🖤He Falls First
🏒College Romance
🖤Hockey Romance
🏒Mystery and Suspense
🖤Crime Families
🏒Dual POV
“Welcome to Cranham University. Home of the elite, the powerful, and the corrupt.”
This book is in my top 2 Hockey Mafia Romances of all time. The other spot held by none other than Rina Kent (Viper Series). Becca Steele knows how to write one damn delicious book. I loved all the dynamics between the MCs, Nova (Princess), and Jayesh “Jay” Atwood (Banks). I loved that they all have nicknames(earned/given), it added a fun aspect to the book. Nova and Jay have a tension filled story that’s messy and evolving. Nova is engaged to Anton, but this is not a love match it's an arranged marriage contract. Nova’s father has been planning his daughter's nuptials since she was young. This marriage will allow the syndicate to have even more power/control. There is no way out of this for Nova, she WILL NOT let her father down that way. This isn’t a hockey driven romance. The plot focuses more on the Syndicates dealings than sports. This book was addictive and I was obsessed with it from the very beginning. I think my dark romance girlies will love the tension/angst between these characters. This book hints at setups for multiple couples coming up. I cannot wait to see where this series takes us. Im ready for book too NOW, November 2026 feels too far away!
I would like to thank The Authors Agency and Becca Steele for this truly encompassing read. Would read again and recommend to friends.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️
Tropes included:
🏒M/F Standalone
🖤Dark Romance
🏒Enemies to Lovers
🖤Virgin FMC
🏒Brother’s Best Friend
🖤He Falls First
🏒College Romance
🖤Hockey Romance
🏒Mystery and Suspense
🖤Crime Families
🏒Dual POV
“Welcome to Cranham University. Home of the elite, the powerful, and the corrupt.”
This book is in my top 2 Hockey Mafia Romances of all time. The other spot held by none other than Rina Kent (Viper Series). Becca Steele knows how to write one damn delicious book. I loved all the dynamics between the MCs, Nova (Princess), and Jayesh “Jay” Atwood (Banks). I loved that they all have nicknames(earned/given), it added a fun aspect to the book. Nova and Jay have a tension filled story that’s messy and evolving. Nova is engaged to Anton, but this is not a love match it's an arranged marriage contract. Nova’s father has been planning his daughter's nuptials since she was young. This marriage will allow the syndicate to have even more power/control. There is no way out of this for Nova, she WILL NOT let her father down that way. This isn’t a hockey driven romance. The plot focuses more on the Syndicates dealings than sports. This book was addictive and I was obsessed with it from the very beginning. I think my dark romance girlies will love the tension/angst between these characters. This book hints at setups for multiple couples coming up. I cannot wait to see where this series takes us. Im ready for book too NOW, November 2026 feels too far away!
I would like to thank The Authors Agency and Becca Steele for this truly encompassing read. Would read again and recommend to friends.
gave-up-on
September 14, 2026DNF, no rating. Never in my life have I DNF a book so fast 😅
May 4, 2026
I’m a sucker for a beautiful cover and when I saw the troupes for Hostile Games I was sold. Becca Steele is going to two events I’m attending this year and I’ve been seeing this book everywhere. It’s a mafia family setting and the characters are in school. It’s also enemies to lovers. This combination ticks all my boxes.
Nova is betrothed to a guy to strengthen her family ties in the crime world. She’s going to marry a guy she doesn’t know or love.
Jay is Novas brother’s best friend. He’s always kept Nova at arms length but secretly had feelings for her. Because these two already have an obsession with each other I didn’t really feel the enemies part of this story. They were more like fake enemies but after reading the reviews I think my feelings are in the minority. Anyway I enjoyed this book regardless.
Now Nova is betrothed, Jay has more reasons to stay away. The problem is, these two are drawn together.
This is the first book in a new series and we get a feel for the world. Nova and Jay have passion for each other although there isn’t much spice in this book. Their connection seems authentic and I enjoyed reading their story.
Nova is betrothed to a guy to strengthen her family ties in the crime world. She’s going to marry a guy she doesn’t know or love.
Jay is Novas brother’s best friend. He’s always kept Nova at arms length but secretly had feelings for her. Because these two already have an obsession with each other I didn’t really feel the enemies part of this story. They were more like fake enemies but after reading the reviews I think my feelings are in the minority. Anyway I enjoyed this book regardless.
Now Nova is betrothed, Jay has more reasons to stay away. The problem is, these two are drawn together.
This is the first book in a new series and we get a feel for the world. Nova and Jay have passion for each other although there isn’t much spice in this book. Their connection seems authentic and I enjoyed reading their story.
April 25, 2026
5/5 ⭐️
4/5 🌶️
Listen… the tension in this book?! IMMACULATE. 😮🔥
Hostile Game had me hooked from the very first chapter. The angst, the attitude, the back-and-forth between these two… I was eating it UP. This is that kind of romance where you can feel the frustration, the chemistry, and the slow unraveling of all those guarded emotions.
The MMC? Cold, intense, and absolutely knows how to get under your skin. And the FMC is not one to back down, which made their dynamic even better. The push and pull, the buildup, the tension that turns into something so much deeper… yeah, I was obsessed.
And when things finally shift?! WORTH IT. 👏
If you love high tension, emotional chaos, and that addictive “I shouldn’t want you but I do” energy… this one delivers.
4/5 🌶️
Listen… the tension in this book?! IMMACULATE. 😮🔥
Hostile Game had me hooked from the very first chapter. The angst, the attitude, the back-and-forth between these two… I was eating it UP. This is that kind of romance where you can feel the frustration, the chemistry, and the slow unraveling of all those guarded emotions.
The MMC? Cold, intense, and absolutely knows how to get under your skin. And the FMC is not one to back down, which made their dynamic even better. The push and pull, the buildup, the tension that turns into something so much deeper… yeah, I was obsessed.
And when things finally shift?! WORTH IT. 👏
If you love high tension, emotional chaos, and that addictive “I shouldn’t want you but I do” energy… this one delivers.
April 28, 2026
***4,5 "Ice princess!!!" stars***
"What do you want?"
"Things I can't have."
I love everything that Becca Steele is writing, but when she is touching more darker themes, I love it even more!!! And yes, her M/M books are amazing, but her M/F romances are sooo freakin' delicious!!!
This story had the Four vibes and who doesn't adore the 'Four' series, right???
But also, it had mafia vibes, hockey players, an unwanted arranged marriage, enemies to lovers, a haunting atmosphere, an amazing plotline and so much tension...
Of course, all over the place were so many hints and potentials for the next books in the series that I can't stop drooling!!! I need them all... desperately!!!
But let's focus on Jay and Nova!!!
"It was my first kiss, and it was stolen by a boy who hated me."
Nova knew from a long time ago what her future will hold and she couldn't do anything about it...
She was about to marry Anton Volkov cause that was what was expected by her...
The night of her eighteen birthday, everything changed for her...
An announcement about the wedding was about to be made, and the boy who she hated and hated her back for years had stolen her first kiss...
He was her twin brother's best friend and he never had hidden his hatred for her...
But now, he is always around and something is starting to change between them, but she is promised to another and as the wedding is coming closer, everything is turning upside down!!!
She just have to stay away from Jay and to stick to the plan. Right???
"She was everything I could never have, the ice princess, the untouchable woman who was promised to someone else."
I loved Jay and Nova very much!!! They were perfect for each other!!!
I enjoyed their story very much!!! When they were around each other the tension was chocking me... But their feelings were forbidden and they had no future ahead of them...
So they fought it, but their efforts weren't always successful!!!
My only complain here is that I would love a little bit more darkness and Jay to be more dark as a character!!! Yep, I love my men darker than night!!! LOL!!!
Still... I loved them both very much and I can't wait to read more for this gang...
Oh!!! I will also love to see a story about Anton!!! I really liked this guy!!! Not for Nova, but still... I was attracted to this boy too!!!
"Somehow, he'd gone from the boy I hated to the man I was falling for, and there was no way for us to be together..."
**I received an ARC for the exchange of an honest review**
"What do you want?"
"Things I can't have."
I love everything that Becca Steele is writing, but when she is touching more darker themes, I love it even more!!! And yes, her M/M books are amazing, but her M/F romances are sooo freakin' delicious!!!
This story had the Four vibes and who doesn't adore the 'Four' series, right???
But also, it had mafia vibes, hockey players, an unwanted arranged marriage, enemies to lovers, a haunting atmosphere, an amazing plotline and so much tension...
Of course, all over the place were so many hints and potentials for the next books in the series that I can't stop drooling!!! I need them all... desperately!!!
But let's focus on Jay and Nova!!!
"It was my first kiss, and it was stolen by a boy who hated me."
Nova knew from a long time ago what her future will hold and she couldn't do anything about it...
She was about to marry Anton Volkov cause that was what was expected by her...
The night of her eighteen birthday, everything changed for her...
An announcement about the wedding was about to be made, and the boy who she hated and hated her back for years had stolen her first kiss...
He was her twin brother's best friend and he never had hidden his hatred for her...
But now, he is always around and something is starting to change between them, but she is promised to another and as the wedding is coming closer, everything is turning upside down!!!
She just have to stay away from Jay and to stick to the plan. Right???
"She was everything I could never have, the ice princess, the untouchable woman who was promised to someone else."
I loved Jay and Nova very much!!! They were perfect for each other!!!
I enjoyed their story very much!!! When they were around each other the tension was chocking me... But their feelings were forbidden and they had no future ahead of them...
So they fought it, but their efforts weren't always successful!!!
My only complain here is that I would love a little bit more darkness and Jay to be more dark as a character!!! Yep, I love my men darker than night!!! LOL!!!
Still... I loved them both very much and I can't wait to read more for this gang...
Oh!!! I will also love to see a story about Anton!!! I really liked this guy!!! Not for Nova, but still... I was attracted to this boy too!!!
"Somehow, he'd gone from the boy I hated to the man I was falling for, and there was no way for us to be together..."
**I received an ARC for the exchange of an honest review**
April 14, 2026
3.75 ⭐️
Author Becca Steele is back with a new release Hostile Game from her newest series Cranham Kings.
In this Enemies to Lovers, Brother’s Best Friend, College Hockey Romance, we follow the story of Nova Thorpe and Morally Grey Jayesh ‘Jay/Banks’ Attwood through their dual perspectives.
The main focus revolved around Nova and Jay and their Enemies to Lovers story.
But that was to be expected given their love hate relationship, causing them to push and pull, going back and forth as their story develops.
Their dynamic led to tensions to rise, resulting in both emotional and physical moments once they stopped fighting and just gave in.
Other than their story, there was still more to explore on the outside, considering the subplots going on that connected back to both Nova and Jay from the parts they played.
From university to sports to the syndicate, it paved the way for elements of drama, mystery, suspense and crime. Particularly within the syndicate, from all that author Becca had us learning in what she divulged along the way.
Including the involvement of the secondary characters and the importance they had from the roles they played within it all. And how it connected to Nova and/or Jay.
Although the subplots were important, considering its connection to the main plot to make it well rounded.
To me personally, the story felt unnecessarily a little too long, causing me to take one too many breaks, having gotten restless from feeling like there wasn’t much movement to the story when following along.
The progression just felt very slow in terms of the pace to the storyline moving onwards, for which it had me not so keen on.
All in all, Hostile Game still made for a good read, having still enjoyed different parts and pieces, most of which came from Nova and Jay's relationship story.
*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Author Becca Steele is back with a new release Hostile Game from her newest series Cranham Kings.
In this Enemies to Lovers, Brother’s Best Friend, College Hockey Romance, we follow the story of Nova Thorpe and Morally Grey Jayesh ‘Jay/Banks’ Attwood through their dual perspectives.
The main focus revolved around Nova and Jay and their Enemies to Lovers story.
But that was to be expected given their love hate relationship, causing them to push and pull, going back and forth as their story develops.
Their dynamic led to tensions to rise, resulting in both emotional and physical moments once they stopped fighting and just gave in.
Other than their story, there was still more to explore on the outside, considering the subplots going on that connected back to both Nova and Jay from the parts they played.
From university to sports to the syndicate, it paved the way for elements of drama, mystery, suspense and crime. Particularly within the syndicate, from all that author Becca had us learning in what she divulged along the way.
Including the involvement of the secondary characters and the importance they had from the roles they played within it all. And how it connected to Nova and/or Jay.
Although the subplots were important, considering its connection to the main plot to make it well rounded.
To me personally, the story felt unnecessarily a little too long, causing me to take one too many breaks, having gotten restless from feeling like there wasn’t much movement to the story when following along.
The progression just felt very slow in terms of the pace to the storyline moving onwards, for which it had me not so keen on.
All in all, Hostile Game still made for a good read, having still enjoyed different parts and pieces, most of which came from Nova and Jay's relationship story.
*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 24, 2026
This is the first in a new series, and this is Nova and Jay’s story.
Nova is the daughter of the head of the Thorpe Syndicate, and has expectations by her family, and an arranged marriage is announced. Jay is Nova’s brothers’ best friend, and plays for the elite college hockey team, plus he knows she is off-limits, and tries to hide his feeling for her.
This is an action packed, easy to read story, with family dynamics, friendships, emotions, angst, secrets, mystery, suspense, intrigue, tension, enemies / lovers, undeniable chemistry, and love, which leads to an entertaining, and unpredictable dark college hockey romance.
I look forward to reading more from this talented author whose work I highly recommend.
Nova is the daughter of the head of the Thorpe Syndicate, and has expectations by her family, and an arranged marriage is announced. Jay is Nova’s brothers’ best friend, and plays for the elite college hockey team, plus he knows she is off-limits, and tries to hide his feeling for her.
This is an action packed, easy to read story, with family dynamics, friendships, emotions, angst, secrets, mystery, suspense, intrigue, tension, enemies / lovers, undeniable chemistry, and love, which leads to an entertaining, and unpredictable dark college hockey romance.
I look forward to reading more from this talented author whose work I highly recommend.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Well, won't ya look at that.... Becca Steele has started a new series, in a new world, with new characters and a new plot and it had me glued! I want more, that is the bottom line - I want more!
The main characters are in uni (and I absolutely love the building!) Nova and her family are top of the crime syndicate and they're old school which includes an arranged marriage to bring them and the bratva closer which is unwanted on both sides but knowing her twin brother (I can't wait for his story!) could take her punishment.. marriage it is!
But then we've Jayesh, the brother's best friend. The one who has spent years scowling and being a plank to her because obviously that's the only way to keep his feelings under wraps 🤦🏻♀️
Things come to light, feelings and truths come to light and when it turns out Nova may in danger, loyalty comes to light!
I really enjoyed it and I'm excited for more 😊
4/4.5
The main characters are in uni (and I absolutely love the building!) Nova and her family are top of the crime syndicate and they're old school which includes an arranged marriage to bring them and the bratva closer which is unwanted on both sides but knowing her twin brother (I can't wait for his story!) could take her punishment.. marriage it is!
But then we've Jayesh, the brother's best friend. The one who has spent years scowling and being a plank to her because obviously that's the only way to keep his feelings under wraps 🤦🏻♀️
Things come to light, feelings and truths come to light and when it turns out Nova may in danger, loyalty comes to light!
I really enjoyed it and I'm excited for more 😊
4/4.5
Read
April 10, 2026Hostile Game is Live!
1-click
Jay & Nova's story.
-Enemies to lovers
-Brother’s best friend
-Virgin FMC
-He falls first
-College romance
-Hockey romance
-Mystery & suspense
-Crime families
-M/F standalone
1-click
Jay & Nova's story.
-Enemies to lovers
-Brother’s best friend
-Virgin FMC
-He falls first
-College romance
-Hockey romance
-Mystery & suspense
-Crime families
-M/F standalone
September 29, 2026
Set against the gothic backdrop of Cranham University, Hostile Game follows the dangerous, high-stakes tension between the daughter of a mafia syndicate boss who is forced into an arranged marriage and Jay, her brother’s fierce best friend, in an intense enemies-to-lovers dark romance. The push-and-pull dynamic between Nova and Jay is spectacularly written.
The Plot:
The story follows Nova Thorpe, a matia princess whose life and future have been entirely mapped out by her family's syndicate. She is forced into an arranged marriage to secure a political alliance. However, the night her betrothal is announced, her brother's best friend, Jayesh, chases her into the woods and steals a life-altering first kiss. When they cross paths again at university, where Jay is a star on the hockey team, the tension is sky-high. Beneath the heavy academic and sports environment, there is a dangerous undercurrent of syndicate secrets, shady power plays, and a looming mystery that adds a thrilling layer of suspense to the narrative.
The Characters:
Jayesh (Jay) Atwood is the ultimate protective, morally grey hero who hides his intense feelings behind a mask of hostility.
Nova Thrope is resilient, trying desperately to keep her head down and survive her family's expectations while fighting her own forbidden desires.
Favorite qoutes:
“His hateful gaze tracks me in the hallways and the lecture halls. I loathe him. Yet when he's flying across the ice with his teammates, I can't help but notice him."
“And the way he makes me feel?
That's a secret I'll take to the grave."
Final Thoughts:
Hostile Game works brilliantly as a standalone, even though it sets the stage for a whole series. Honestly, I expected it to be a bit spicier it’s actually pretty tame compared to other dark romances but the cat and mouse game, the tension between the characters, and the plot twists completely hooked me. I absolutely devoured it. A well-deserved 5 stars from the bottom of my heart, and I can’t wait for the next book!
The Plot:
The story follows Nova Thorpe, a matia princess whose life and future have been entirely mapped out by her family's syndicate. She is forced into an arranged marriage to secure a political alliance. However, the night her betrothal is announced, her brother's best friend, Jayesh, chases her into the woods and steals a life-altering first kiss. When they cross paths again at university, where Jay is a star on the hockey team, the tension is sky-high. Beneath the heavy academic and sports environment, there is a dangerous undercurrent of syndicate secrets, shady power plays, and a looming mystery that adds a thrilling layer of suspense to the narrative.
The Characters:
Jayesh (Jay) Atwood is the ultimate protective, morally grey hero who hides his intense feelings behind a mask of hostility.
Nova Thrope is resilient, trying desperately to keep her head down and survive her family's expectations while fighting her own forbidden desires.
Favorite qoutes:
“His hateful gaze tracks me in the hallways and the lecture halls. I loathe him. Yet when he's flying across the ice with his teammates, I can't help but notice him."
“And the way he makes me feel?
That's a secret I'll take to the grave."
Final Thoughts:
Hostile Game works brilliantly as a standalone, even though it sets the stage for a whole series. Honestly, I expected it to be a bit spicier it’s actually pretty tame compared to other dark romances but the cat and mouse game, the tension between the characters, and the plot twists completely hooked me. I absolutely devoured it. A well-deserved 5 stars from the bottom of my heart, and I can’t wait for the next book!
October 3, 2026
"I’d give anything for her to look at me like that. But she never would. She hated me. I’d ensured it."
this book is many things but ultimately, it is so fucking boring. i don't know how i rated one of her other books so high when this is just so bad 💔🥹 spoilers ahead.
for one, we're just thrown into this world of crime syndicates with not a lot of world building going on. we're thrust into a chase of the affluent rival families that is only explained in the second book i'm now reading (which i also noticed the covers are nearly identical. boring!) nova is bethrothed to this super powerful rich guy, anton, whatever and jay is obsessed with her.
sounds like my cup of tea but jay is SO BORING LMFAO. oh my fucking goddd he just does nothing but mope around the entire book about how he wants her but can't have her, literally never stands up to anton EVER. anton knows he wants nova and taunts him with it, and he never even stands up to him. im like is this possessive MMC in the room with us? because he doesn't do JACK SHIT. literally felt like anton and jay had more chemistry than the two leads bye 💀💀💀 they have sex whatever but theyre still not together, together. i skimmed the whole kidnapping trope blah blah and somehow they get together but im just bored. there is nothing new here, nothing that excited me. we don't even know why jay was so mean to her--because he wanted her so badly? not good enough lol. idfc. what does jay's family even do? also jay is a POC but we don't even get a backstory on his background. it kinda just feels like hey here is a diverse mmc that we don't even care to describe fully--just dark brown skin. i went on the author's website to find he was a poc. felt really lazy.
i also didn't care for the sentence structure. it was rare to see breaks in the paragraphs at all. maybe this author is just not for me.
this book is many things but ultimately, it is so fucking boring. i don't know how i rated one of her other books so high when this is just so bad 💔🥹 spoilers ahead.
for one, we're just thrown into this world of crime syndicates with not a lot of world building going on. we're thrust into a chase of the affluent rival families that is only explained in the second book i'm now reading (which i also noticed the covers are nearly identical. boring!) nova is bethrothed to this super powerful rich guy, anton, whatever and jay is obsessed with her.
sounds like my cup of tea but jay is SO BORING LMFAO. oh my fucking goddd he just does nothing but mope around the entire book about how he wants her but can't have her, literally never stands up to anton EVER. anton knows he wants nova and taunts him with it, and he never even stands up to him. im like is this possessive MMC in the room with us? because he doesn't do JACK SHIT. literally felt like anton and jay had more chemistry than the two leads bye 💀💀💀 they have sex whatever but theyre still not together, together. i skimmed the whole kidnapping trope blah blah and somehow they get together but im just bored. there is nothing new here, nothing that excited me. we don't even know why jay was so mean to her--because he wanted her so badly? not good enough lol. idfc. what does jay's family even do? also jay is a POC but we don't even get a backstory on his background. it kinda just feels like hey here is a diverse mmc that we don't even care to describe fully--just dark brown skin. i went on the author's website to find he was a poc. felt really lazy.
i also didn't care for the sentence structure. it was rare to see breaks in the paragraphs at all. maybe this author is just not for me.
June 19, 2026
Plot: 4/5 • Spice: 2/5 ➡️➡️➡️ Nova and Jay act like they hate each other. One the night of Nova and Ryker, her twin brothers, 18th birthday Nova and Jay share Nova’s first kiss.
Ryker and Jay are BFFs so Jay has been around Nova for forever. Always acting like they hate each other. Two years pass since that kiss and now Nova is in an arraigned engagement to a bratva heir. Zero attraction or want on either Nova or Anton’s part.
At school Ryker, Jay, and Dan are all hockey stars. Anton as well. Tensions are high between Anton and Jay. Anton knows what Jay wants. Nova.
There are issues with Jay’s family clinic. Ryker and Dan step in to help as they are crime lord families. Jay’s family is all in the medical field. They’re helping uncover where missing funds have been going.
It takes a while, a few stolen moments, but Jay and Nova finally connect. Away from prying eyes. Her brother, and under Anton’s thumb. It’s what she’s always wanted. She wants Jayesh, not Anton.
The climax of this book has so much family drama involved. Thank god for discrete trackers. The guys save the day. And they all got along so well doing it. 🎉 This is a standalone but connected to a series. I’m 99% sure Aleks and Ryker are a thing without even reading what the other books in this series are about.
Tropes include: Virgin FMC. Best friends brother. Enemies to lovers. Friends to lovers. Arraigned marriage. Hockey. College setting. Mafia/Bratva. OOT protective brother/twin. HEA. Standalone.
Ryker and Jay are BFFs so Jay has been around Nova for forever. Always acting like they hate each other. Two years pass since that kiss and now Nova is in an arraigned engagement to a bratva heir. Zero attraction or want on either Nova or Anton’s part.
At school Ryker, Jay, and Dan are all hockey stars. Anton as well. Tensions are high between Anton and Jay. Anton knows what Jay wants. Nova.
There are issues with Jay’s family clinic. Ryker and Dan step in to help as they are crime lord families. Jay’s family is all in the medical field. They’re helping uncover where missing funds have been going.
It takes a while, a few stolen moments, but Jay and Nova finally connect. Away from prying eyes. Her brother, and under Anton’s thumb. It’s what she’s always wanted. She wants Jayesh, not Anton.
The climax of this book has so much family drama involved. Thank god for discrete trackers. The guys save the day. And they all got along so well doing it. 🎉 This is a standalone but connected to a series. I’m 99% sure Aleks and Ryker are a thing without even reading what the other books in this series are about.
Tropes include: Virgin FMC. Best friends brother. Enemies to lovers. Friends to lovers. Arraigned marriage. Hockey. College setting. Mafia/Bratva. OOT protective brother/twin. HEA. Standalone.
April 24, 2026
I am all for Becca Steele’s new Cranham Kings series!!! It gives you all the drama, mafia world, sports, and love dilemmas you could ask for. Nova is the daughter of a mafia family and has always been told to put her and the family first about her own needs and wants. Nova’s life starts to change when she turns 18. It brings her a fiancée to an important business partner and Anton is not what she would want for a future husband. It also leads to her first kiss taken by her enemy - Jay. Jay is best friends with guys whose family are in the mafia world and has been avoiding Nova or giving her all the hate he can muster. Now that they are in college, the engagement getting closer, then add some new dangers and issues that it turns into who can anyone trust? Nova and Jay keep getting closer when they hate each other, but what the saying goes - there’s a fine line between love and hate. Jay and Nova take us on a wild journey that will have you in the edge of your seat and devouring this book to see what happens! I honestly wasn’t sure how it would go because so many times I thought this was the moment something else happened and I was not rooting for Anton, but by the end you will be surprised. I cannot wait what Becca has in store for the rest of this series! I am so excited for it!
September 14, 2026
4.5 rounded up.
Honestly, I ate this up. The plot was intriguing, and I was kept on my toes. But the romance? The longing, angst, hiding, and giving in...SO HOT.
Both Nova and Jay were amazing. They were independent, had their own thing, but when together, I could feel the chemistry. The creepy college setting was also added to the whole atmosphere. I like where this series is going, and I can only see good things for the other couples.
I definitely have my hopes up for the next couples...
Daniel x Lincoln (confirmed)
Anton x Enzo
Kane x Liana
Ryker x Aleksi
Yeah...Becca pls girl I need to know
Honestly, I ate this up. The plot was intriguing, and I was kept on my toes. But the romance? The longing, angst, hiding, and giving in...SO HOT.
Both Nova and Jay were amazing. They were independent, had their own thing, but when together, I could feel the chemistry. The creepy college setting was also added to the whole atmosphere. I like where this series is going, and I can only see good things for the other couples.
I definitely have my hopes up for the next couples...
Daniel x Lincoln (confirmed)
Anton x Enzo
Kane x Liana
Ryker x Aleksi
Yeah...Becca pls girl I need to know
September 26, 2026
This story felt extremely underdeveloped. I understand that there are more books to the series, but there’s a way to provide minimal information that leaves readers wanting more rather than feeling confused or wondering why certain things were even mentioned since they ended up not being relevant.
Also, why even mention hockey? This was a mafia book with hockey scantily mentioned maybe 3 times and had no impact on the story or characters at all.
Also, why even mention hockey? This was a mafia book with hockey scantily mentioned maybe 3 times and had no impact on the story or characters at all.
May 22, 2026
Dnf @37%. I wanted to like this book. The blurb sounded interesting and as a fan of Rina Kent’s legacy of gods series, I was hoping to like this. Well I didn’t and it wasn’t like her series as some of the reviews stated. The mmc seemed way too weak to ever be compared to any of the mc’s in her series. But not to compare the two, the mc in this book just didn’t cut it for me. I like my book men to want to fight for their girls, but this one just didn’t really seem to want to help the fmc from her predicament. I didn’t even feel any connection or spark between the two mc’s.
May 10, 2026
don’t bother
Story was predictable and boring. The spice level was a1. I’d say move on. It’s a step above a Hallmark movie.
Story was predictable and boring. The spice level was a1. I’d say move on. It’s a step above a Hallmark movie.
Review of advance copy
Not a bad start to a new series!
I'm never going to say no to brothers best friend, especially when we've got an arranged marriage (NOT to the best friend), a secret relationship, hockey teams, and all sorts of other goodies all packed inside.
This is book one in what will be a wider series with both F/M and M/M couples (maybe other combos??) throughout. This first one is M/F.
Nova is in between a rock and a hard place. She's got expectations being placed on her by her family who are trying to improve their standing by marrying her off to this hella shady family. She knows she's not going to get a choice or a say and is trying to make the best of a bad situation by taking the path of least resistance.
Jayesh (Jay) is Ryker's bestie. Ryker is Nova's twin brother. Jayesh has always had feelings for Nova, but when he found out she was promised to Anton aka shady dude, he knew there was no point trying to go there, so he started to act like an asshole whenever she was around to protect himself and never let Nova figure out his real feelings.
Well... we all know what happens when characters try to deny their true feelings. That shit NEVER works. lol. I give Jayesh props for trying though. hehe.
I loved seeing Nova figure out that Jay isn't actually the guy she thought he was and that he's actually not a bad guy at all. And Jay.. seeing his walls come tumbling down as he tries and fails to keep Nova away was absolutely delectable.
In addition to their budding romance, we also have a whole host of other things going on between the hockey teams, the universities, the syndicates that the characters are all members of etc. There's a whole lot of action at the end, some twists and turns - basically what I'm saying is you're going to be quite entertained.
Based on how some of the characters were acting around one another I THINK I have three other pairs already clocked - I could be way off, but I don't think so... and ONE pair in particular I am DYING for.
It was a solid start to what I'm sure is going to be a very intriguing series and I can't wait for more.
My one piece of advice - if you have a bad memory like me - write down the character names as you go. Yes the author has a character guide, but its on the website, not in the book. I read the first 100 or so pages and then had to stop and go back, write down some names and who as who and then move forward after that because I was getting confused. I wrote down 24 different characters - although it's possible I missed some towards the end as I became less diligent as the story progressed. I've got mum brain. I'm not remembering 24 different characters and who they are in relation to the story. Also - some of the characters are referred to in multiple ways. So first name, then a nickname, then their surname depending on who they're talking to. That shit was throwing me off as well. Then there's different syndicates, hockey teams and universities on top of that.
I don't see this being as much of a problem the deeper into the series that we get and the more these characters are talked about but for a first book in a series I was hella confused, hence the list.
** I applied for and received an ARC copy of this book. This is my full and honest review of the book **
I'm never going to say no to brothers best friend, especially when we've got an arranged marriage (NOT to the best friend), a secret relationship, hockey teams, and all sorts of other goodies all packed inside.
This is book one in what will be a wider series with both F/M and M/M couples (maybe other combos??) throughout. This first one is M/F.
Nova is in between a rock and a hard place. She's got expectations being placed on her by her family who are trying to improve their standing by marrying her off to this hella shady family. She knows she's not going to get a choice or a say and is trying to make the best of a bad situation by taking the path of least resistance.
Jayesh (Jay) is Ryker's bestie. Ryker is Nova's twin brother. Jayesh has always had feelings for Nova, but when he found out she was promised to Anton aka shady dude, he knew there was no point trying to go there, so he started to act like an asshole whenever she was around to protect himself and never let Nova figure out his real feelings.
Well... we all know what happens when characters try to deny their true feelings. That shit NEVER works. lol. I give Jayesh props for trying though. hehe.
I loved seeing Nova figure out that Jay isn't actually the guy she thought he was and that he's actually not a bad guy at all. And Jay.. seeing his walls come tumbling down as he tries and fails to keep Nova away was absolutely delectable.
In addition to their budding romance, we also have a whole host of other things going on between the hockey teams, the universities, the syndicates that the characters are all members of etc. There's a whole lot of action at the end, some twists and turns - basically what I'm saying is you're going to be quite entertained.
Based on how some of the characters were acting around one another I THINK I have three other pairs already clocked - I could be way off, but I don't think so... and ONE pair in particular I am DYING for.
It was a solid start to what I'm sure is going to be a very intriguing series and I can't wait for more.
My one piece of advice - if you have a bad memory like me - write down the character names as you go. Yes the author has a character guide, but its on the website, not in the book. I read the first 100 or so pages and then had to stop and go back, write down some names and who as who and then move forward after that because I was getting confused. I wrote down 24 different characters - although it's possible I missed some towards the end as I became less diligent as the story progressed. I've got mum brain. I'm not remembering 24 different characters and who they are in relation to the story. Also - some of the characters are referred to in multiple ways. So first name, then a nickname, then their surname depending on who they're talking to. That shit was throwing me off as well. Then there's different syndicates, hockey teams and universities on top of that.
I don't see this being as much of a problem the deeper into the series that we get and the more these characters are talked about but for a first book in a series I was hella confused, hence the list.
** I applied for and received an ARC copy of this book. This is my full and honest review of the book **
May 6, 2026
“I’d been kissed twice tonight. One kiss, from the man I was betrothed to. I’d felt nothing. The other kiss, from the man who hated me. And it had set me on fire.”
I’ve loved reading Becca Steele’s writing for a while now, and Hostile Game is a great reminder of why I keep coming back.
If you love tension, chaos, and being dropped right into the middle of it all, you’re going to love Hostile Game. This one throws you straight into the thick of things from the very first chapter, and once it grabs hold, it doesn’t let go. Before I even realized it, I was completely pulled in, and by the second half, I wasn’t just following the story. I was fully invested.
Nova and Jay absolutely carried this for me. Their dynamic is messy, tense, and layered with so much unspoken history. The hate, the restraint, the pull between them that neither of them wants to acknowledge. It just works. Watching that shift from resistance to something deeper felt earned, not rushed.
Nova holds her own in a world where she’s expected to fall in line, and I loved that about her. She feels the weight of her circumstances, but she’s not passive in them. Jay, on the other hand, is controlled chaos. He keeps everything locked down until he doesn’t, and those cracks in his control are where the tension really shines.
This leans more into the syndicate world than the hockey, which I actually appreciated. It adds complexity to the story that might not have existed otherwise, like layers of danger, politics, and uncertainty that keep the stakes high. There’s a lot being set up early on, and while the pacing dips a bit at first, the payoff and twists made it more than worth sticking through. There’s a lot to take in with a new world, a large group of characters, and multiple dynamics at play, so it took me a moment to settle in. But once everything started clicking, it absolutely paid off.
And the chemistry? Oh, it delivers. The tension between Nova and Jay is constant, sharp, and impossible to ignore. It’s in every look, every interaction, every moment where they’re fighting what’s clearly there. And when that tension finally breaks, it hits with just the right amount of heat and emotional payoff to make it worth the wait.
This ended up being one of those reads that completely pulled me in and didn’t let go. It builds, it deepens, and by the end, I was fully invested in these characters and already looking ahead to what comes next. I’m so glad I picked this one up, because it reminded me exactly why I enjoy this author’s writing so much.
Story: 4.5⭐
Spice: 3🌶️
Genre:
🖤 New Adult Romance
🖤 Dark College Romance
Tropes/Themes:
🖤 Enemies to Lovers
🖤 Brother’s Best Friend
🖤 Virgin FMC
🖤 He Falls First
🖤 College Romance
🖤 Hockey Romance
🖤 Mystery & Suspense
🖤 Crime Families
🖤 M/F Standalone
Review of advance copy
I love reading Becca's books and I jumped at the chance to read Hostile Game.
This is a brand new series that has a new cast of characters to fall in love with, or even warm up to since this is a dark world and not everyone is super friendly right out of the gate😉. With a new series also comes navigating a new plot with lots of twists and turns, and getting a feel for how the overall series arc was headed. Then last, but certainly not least is the main plot between the two main characters. It's a lot, especially for the first book when it's also beginning a new series. There is always extra weight to carry since there is just more to convey, especially when characters haven't been carried over from previous books and worlds are brand new. With that being said, I had to take everything I just pointed out into account when reviewing Hostile Game. I did have to pause and remember who certain characters were for probably the first half of the book. Why...number #1; I wasn't familiar with them, and number #2; there are a lot of characters included that I didn't necessarily see again which didn't help my cause in remembering. Again, the groundwork is being set for future novels, so I let the superfluous characters go without worrying about them...too much.
As a reader, I typically want the comfort of jumping into a world with main characters that focus mainly on each other. In a sense, the plot and character development mostly move and shift around the two, or perhaps multiple if it's why choose, main characters. Personally, I get a little lost when there are a lot of extra side characters that interact with the MC's for too long of a time frame instead of the main characters interacting with each other, but that is honestly me and my reading brain. However, I understand this leeway in the setting up of a new series. Hence, back to Hostile Game...I'd definitely say the first half of the book is exactly this. It's setting up future characters, future plot points, and even as frustrated as I could feel myself getting...eventually I could see where this series was headed. By the second half, all the characters were starting to stick and more importantly Jay and Nova were standing out. I'm no quitter and I'm glad I'm not.
So while Hostile Game didn't immediately start off with a five star bang for me, it evened out to a 4.5 by the end as I thoroughly enjoyed how everything wrapped up, especially since I loved the twists and was surprised how these two came out together in the end. It was a nail biter for sure and I always love those.
Am I going to say more about Jay and Nova...I am not since this world is just the beginning aside from...it's dark, it's going to take some crazy turns, I can already see that and characters I wasn't sure about, I'm already changing my mind about and I like that. I like it a lot. ❤️
This is a brand new series that has a new cast of characters to fall in love with, or even warm up to since this is a dark world and not everyone is super friendly right out of the gate😉. With a new series also comes navigating a new plot with lots of twists and turns, and getting a feel for how the overall series arc was headed. Then last, but certainly not least is the main plot between the two main characters. It's a lot, especially for the first book when it's also beginning a new series. There is always extra weight to carry since there is just more to convey, especially when characters haven't been carried over from previous books and worlds are brand new. With that being said, I had to take everything I just pointed out into account when reviewing Hostile Game. I did have to pause and remember who certain characters were for probably the first half of the book. Why...number #1; I wasn't familiar with them, and number #2; there are a lot of characters included that I didn't necessarily see again which didn't help my cause in remembering. Again, the groundwork is being set for future novels, so I let the superfluous characters go without worrying about them...too much.
As a reader, I typically want the comfort of jumping into a world with main characters that focus mainly on each other. In a sense, the plot and character development mostly move and shift around the two, or perhaps multiple if it's why choose, main characters. Personally, I get a little lost when there are a lot of extra side characters that interact with the MC's for too long of a time frame instead of the main characters interacting with each other, but that is honestly me and my reading brain. However, I understand this leeway in the setting up of a new series. Hence, back to Hostile Game...I'd definitely say the first half of the book is exactly this. It's setting up future characters, future plot points, and even as frustrated as I could feel myself getting...eventually I could see where this series was headed. By the second half, all the characters were starting to stick and more importantly Jay and Nova were standing out. I'm no quitter and I'm glad I'm not.
So while Hostile Game didn't immediately start off with a five star bang for me, it evened out to a 4.5 by the end as I thoroughly enjoyed how everything wrapped up, especially since I loved the twists and was surprised how these two came out together in the end. It was a nail biter for sure and I always love those.
Am I going to say more about Jay and Nova...I am not since this world is just the beginning aside from...it's dark, it's going to take some crazy turns, I can already see that and characters I wasn't sure about, I'm already changing my mind about and I like that. I like it a lot. ❤️
Review of advance copy received from Author
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I am still thinking about Hostile Game and honestly I do not see that changing anytime soon. This book completely pulled me in and had me hooked from the very first chapter.
The tension in this story is everything. From that first moment in the woods, I was already invested, and knowing it was Jay and Nova made every interaction hit even harder. Jay is the kind of MMC that gets under your skin in the best way. He is cold, guarded, and carries so much beneath the surface, and the way he watches Nova like he is fighting something he cannot control had me completely hooked. Every look, every word between them felt charged with emotion.
Nova absolutely stole my heart. Living under the pressure of her family and the life already planned out for her, you can feel how suffocating everything is for her. She is strong even when she feels trapped, and I loved watching her slowly start to reclaim pieces of herself. Her dynamic with Jay is messy, complicated, and so intense, but it feels real because of everything they are up against.
The enemies to lovers tension between Jay and Nova is done so well. It is not just banter or surface level conflict. There is history, longing, frustration, and so much they are both trying to deny. The way their connection builds, even when they are trying to push each other away, made it impossible to stop reading.
I loved the Cranham University setting. The dark, almost haunting vibe of a former prison mixed with the hockey atmosphere created the perfect backdrop for a story filled with secrets, danger, and high stakes. You can feel that something bigger is always lurking, and it adds so much depth to the romance.
The chemistry between Jay and Nova is intense, emotional, and completely addictive. When things finally start to shift between them, it feels earned and powerful. I was fully invested in every moment.
This book is emotional, gripping, and full of tension that keeps you turning pages way too late into the night. If you love enemies to lovers with dark undertones, high stakes, and a romance that feels both dangerous and unforgettable, this one is a must read.
I am officially obsessed with Jay and Nova and I am not even trying to recover from it.
I am still thinking about Hostile Game and honestly I do not see that changing anytime soon. This book completely pulled me in and had me hooked from the very first chapter.
The tension in this story is everything. From that first moment in the woods, I was already invested, and knowing it was Jay and Nova made every interaction hit even harder. Jay is the kind of MMC that gets under your skin in the best way. He is cold, guarded, and carries so much beneath the surface, and the way he watches Nova like he is fighting something he cannot control had me completely hooked. Every look, every word between them felt charged with emotion.
Nova absolutely stole my heart. Living under the pressure of her family and the life already planned out for her, you can feel how suffocating everything is for her. She is strong even when she feels trapped, and I loved watching her slowly start to reclaim pieces of herself. Her dynamic with Jay is messy, complicated, and so intense, but it feels real because of everything they are up against.
The enemies to lovers tension between Jay and Nova is done so well. It is not just banter or surface level conflict. There is history, longing, frustration, and so much they are both trying to deny. The way their connection builds, even when they are trying to push each other away, made it impossible to stop reading.
I loved the Cranham University setting. The dark, almost haunting vibe of a former prison mixed with the hockey atmosphere created the perfect backdrop for a story filled with secrets, danger, and high stakes. You can feel that something bigger is always lurking, and it adds so much depth to the romance.
The chemistry between Jay and Nova is intense, emotional, and completely addictive. When things finally start to shift between them, it feels earned and powerful. I was fully invested in every moment.
This book is emotional, gripping, and full of tension that keeps you turning pages way too late into the night. If you love enemies to lovers with dark undertones, high stakes, and a romance that feels both dangerous and unforgettable, this one is a must read.
I am officially obsessed with Jay and Nova and I am not even trying to recover from it.
Review of advance copy received from Author
۶ৎ 𝙃𝙤𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙡𝙚 𝙂𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙗𝙮 𝘽𝙚𝙘𝙘𝙖 𝙎𝙩𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙚
#arcreview
ʀᴀᴛɪɴɢ: ★★★★★
Tropes- twin brother bestfriend, enemies to lovers, university used to be a prison, enemies to lovers, college romance, she’s promised to someone else, hockey romance, crime family, mystery and suspense
—
Such a great start to this series and so many potential couples I can’t wait for more of this series! Jay and Nova exceeded my expectations I love them so much their relationship is forbidden on so many levels she’s engaged to someone else even though she doesn’t want to be, he’s her bestfriend twin sister and she thinks that he hates her
Nova is just amazing I love her so much and her relationship with her twin and friends are just everything and I’m so glad she has them cause Nova’s dad is forcing her to get married to Anton Volkov (he’s my man ok). Nova is strong and relatable and plus she’s a very talented artist, nova is under so much pressure to be a perfect “wife” but now that Jay kissed her out of nowhere she’s falling for him
Jay and Nova’s chemistry is absolutely insane I just love them and the mixed signals, sneaking around with them cause they not suppose to be together and ding even get me started on their tension that was definitely high
Jayesh is a hot hockey player ugh I just love him so much. After trying to hide his feelings for so long he takes a chance and kisses her and now with Nova getting engaged he’s struggling to hide his emotions. I would do anything for this man and his relationship with his family is also one of my favorite things.
The plot of this book is everything the suspense, and subplots fits right into the book and it had me at the edge of my seat especially the last 15%. Jay and Nova dynamic was amazing and I loved them seeing them open up to each other and take a chance on their love even though they both knew the consequences
I also lowkey loved that the school used to be a prison it made it so much interesting, the found family in this book was also amazing I was so entertained the whole book and plus I got to see my linc! I can’t wait for the next book.
Thank You So Much for giving me this incredible arc !💐🖤
#arcreview
ʀᴀᴛɪɴɢ: ★★★★★
Tropes- twin brother bestfriend, enemies to lovers, university used to be a prison, enemies to lovers, college romance, she’s promised to someone else, hockey romance, crime family, mystery and suspense
—
Such a great start to this series and so many potential couples I can’t wait for more of this series! Jay and Nova exceeded my expectations I love them so much their relationship is forbidden on so many levels she’s engaged to someone else even though she doesn’t want to be, he’s her bestfriend twin sister and she thinks that he hates her
Nova is just amazing I love her so much and her relationship with her twin and friends are just everything and I’m so glad she has them cause Nova’s dad is forcing her to get married to Anton Volkov (he’s my man ok). Nova is strong and relatable and plus she’s a very talented artist, nova is under so much pressure to be a perfect “wife” but now that Jay kissed her out of nowhere she’s falling for him
Jay and Nova’s chemistry is absolutely insane I just love them and the mixed signals, sneaking around with them cause they not suppose to be together and ding even get me started on their tension that was definitely high
Jayesh is a hot hockey player ugh I just love him so much. After trying to hide his feelings for so long he takes a chance and kisses her and now with Nova getting engaged he’s struggling to hide his emotions. I would do anything for this man and his relationship with his family is also one of my favorite things.
The plot of this book is everything the suspense, and subplots fits right into the book and it had me at the edge of my seat especially the last 15%. Jay and Nova dynamic was amazing and I loved them seeing them open up to each other and take a chance on their love even though they both knew the consequences
I also lowkey loved that the school used to be a prison it made it so much interesting, the found family in this book was also amazing I was so entertained the whole book and plus I got to see my linc! I can’t wait for the next book.
Thank You So Much for giving me this incredible arc !💐🖤
April 27, 2026
I think I may have found my new favorite dark obsession. After reading an early copy of Hostile Game by Becca Steele, I am hooked! The atmosphere in this book is just... wow. This is the first book in the new Cranham Kings series, and honestly, the setting alone is enough to hook you. The university is actually an old converted Victorian prison, which makes this whole vibe feel so much more intense.
Nova’s life has been scripted from day one. Growing up in one of the UK's most powerful crime families, she lives under a series of expectations and an arranged engagement she never asked for, but then there’s Jay, who is her brother’s best friend, one of the stars on the hockey team, and has been "hating" her for years just so he can keep his distance.
The tension between them is actually insane. It is that sharp, "I loathe you, but I can't stop watching you" kind of energy that just keeps building and building until it finally just snaps. Jay is cold and guarded, but the way he looks at Nova when he thinks no one is watching… is everything!
Hostile Game definitely gets gritty; it is much more of a "mafia world meets hockey" vibe than your typical campus romance. There are a lot of moving parts and a big cast of characters to keep track of since this is the start of a new series, but once the plot really starts moving, the mystery and the danger kept me turning pages well into the wee hours of the night.
If you love a morally grey hero, the "brother's best friend" trope, and a story where the stakes feel genuinely life-or-death, you have to grab this one. Just a heads up, it is definitely on the darker side, so make sure to check your triggers!
🖤Enemies to lovers 🩷 Brother’s best friend 🖤 Virgin FMC 🩷 He falls first 🖤 College romance 🩷 Hockey romance 🖤 Mystery & suspense 🩷 Crime families 🖤 M/F standalone
A big thank you to the author agency and Becca Steele for my ARC read.
Nova’s life has been scripted from day one. Growing up in one of the UK's most powerful crime families, she lives under a series of expectations and an arranged engagement she never asked for, but then there’s Jay, who is her brother’s best friend, one of the stars on the hockey team, and has been "hating" her for years just so he can keep his distance.
The tension between them is actually insane. It is that sharp, "I loathe you, but I can't stop watching you" kind of energy that just keeps building and building until it finally just snaps. Jay is cold and guarded, but the way he looks at Nova when he thinks no one is watching… is everything!
Hostile Game definitely gets gritty; it is much more of a "mafia world meets hockey" vibe than your typical campus romance. There are a lot of moving parts and a big cast of characters to keep track of since this is the start of a new series, but once the plot really starts moving, the mystery and the danger kept me turning pages well into the wee hours of the night.
If you love a morally grey hero, the "brother's best friend" trope, and a story where the stakes feel genuinely life-or-death, you have to grab this one. Just a heads up, it is definitely on the darker side, so make sure to check your triggers!
🖤Enemies to lovers 🩷 Brother’s best friend 🖤 Virgin FMC 🩷 He falls first 🖤 College romance 🩷 Hockey romance 🖤 Mystery & suspense 🩷 Crime families 🖤 M/F standalone
A big thank you to the author agency and Becca Steele for my ARC read.
April 25, 2026
Becca Steele really said let me just ruin your life in the best way because this book is ridiculously addictive, I was hooked from the start and did not want to put it down, the dynamics between Nova, aka Princess, and Jayesh “Jay” Atwood, aka Banks, are everything, messy, tense, layered, and constantly shifting, and I loved the nickname element because it added this fun but meaningful edge to their relationships, Nova’s situation is so heavy though, being locked into an arranged marriage with Anton to strengthen the syndicate her family runs, something that’s been decided for her since she was young, and even though it’s not love and not something she wants, she won’t go against her father, especially knowing the consequences could fall on her twin brother which just adds another level of pressure, and then there’s Jay, her brother’s best friend, who has spent years acting cold, distant, and honestly like a complete brick wall just to hide how he feels about her, and watching that tension simmer and slowly crack as truths start coming out was so satisfying, especially when things take a darker turn and Nova’s safety comes into question because that’s when loyalty really shows itself, this isn’t your typical hockey romance either, the sport takes a backseat while the syndicate world, power plays, and danger drive the story, which made it feel even more intense, and the uni setting was such a vibe too, I loved that whole atmosphere, plus the hints at future couples have me already invested, especially her twin brother because I already know his story is going to hurt in the best way, honestly if you love dark romance with angst, tension, and that push-pull dynamic this is going to hit, and now I’m just sitting here impatient because November 2026 for the next book feels way too far away.
Review of advance copy
Hostile Game by Becca Steele is book one in the Cranham Kings series, and it can be read as a standalone—but trust me, it definitely feels like the start of a world readers are going to get attached to. The excitement around this one feels very real.
This book gave me exactly what I wanted from a dark college romance—but with a mafia twist that made it feel even messier in the best way. We follow Nova and Jay, and their story is packed with tension from the very beginning. Nova is trapped under heavy family expectations and an arranged future she never asked for, while Jay (her brother’s best friend… yes, THAT trope) keeps sending mixed signals that will have you screaming. One moment he feels protective, the next he’s cold and pushing her away—and that emotional chaos worked so well for this story.
The chemistry? So good. The tension? Painfully addictive. And once the family secrets and dangerous twists started unfolding, I genuinely didn’t want to put it down. It also feels darker and more suspense-driven than your typical hockey romance, so if you’re expecting cute locker room vibes—this isn’t that book. The hockey element is there, but the mafia/family drama definitely takes center stage.
I also really liked how this felt like the foundation for future books. You can already tell there are side characters readers are going to obsess over later.
If you love intense chemistry, morally gray characters, family drama, and romance that feels dangerous and addictive, I think this one will work for you. And honestly? I’m already curious about who gets the next book.
This book gave me exactly what I wanted from a dark college romance—but with a mafia twist that made it feel even messier in the best way. We follow Nova and Jay, and their story is packed with tension from the very beginning. Nova is trapped under heavy family expectations and an arranged future she never asked for, while Jay (her brother’s best friend… yes, THAT trope) keeps sending mixed signals that will have you screaming. One moment he feels protective, the next he’s cold and pushing her away—and that emotional chaos worked so well for this story.
The chemistry? So good. The tension? Painfully addictive. And once the family secrets and dangerous twists started unfolding, I genuinely didn’t want to put it down. It also feels darker and more suspense-driven than your typical hockey romance, so if you’re expecting cute locker room vibes—this isn’t that book. The hockey element is there, but the mafia/family drama definitely takes center stage.
I also really liked how this felt like the foundation for future books. You can already tell there are side characters readers are going to obsess over later.
If you love intense chemistry, morally gray characters, family drama, and romance that feels dangerous and addictive, I think this one will work for you. And honestly? I’m already curious about who gets the next book.
Review of advance copy
𝙷𝚘𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚕𝚎 𝙶𝚊𝚖𝚎
𝙰𝚁𝙲 𝚁𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠
4.25/5 ⭐️
↓↓
Jay and Nova have this banter between them. You would think that they despise each other, because that is definitely what vibes they are giving off. I just gotta say, the tension, whew boy, that tension was TTTTTTHHHIIIIICCCCKKKKK!!!! The tension and what they think is hatred towards each other, ends up being so much more.
I loved Nova so much. She feels trapped and wants to do right by her family, even if that means she puts her happiness to the side. Put in to a shit situation, she makes the best of it. She is sunshine and strong and the way that she gained confidence by the end of the book, made me so happy for her.
Oh Jay, you guarded man, you. He tries to push Nova away the best and only way he knows how, by being mean and intolerable. Honestly, he did a shit job at it because he was intriguing to me in the best of way. You could tell he had some pretty strong feelings toward Nova. The years long pining, the protectiveness, the way that he had to watch her become engaged to someone else and realize she will always be out of reach, was heartbreaking.
I really enjoyed watching them slowly progress from frenemies to more. There is this chemistry between them that is undeniable and the push and pull is magnetic.
This is the first in the series and it introduces a lot of characters and sets up possible couples and plot points pretty well. I can't wait to see the way this series goes.
𝚆𝙷𝙰𝚃 𝚃𝙾 𝙴𝚇𝙿𝙴𝙲𝚃 was
🖤Enemies to Lovers
🩷Brother's Best Friend
🖤Hockey
🩷College
🖤Crime Families
🩷He Falls First
𝙰𝚁𝙲 𝚁𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠
4.25/5 ⭐️
↓↓
Jay and Nova have this banter between them. You would think that they despise each other, because that is definitely what vibes they are giving off. I just gotta say, the tension, whew boy, that tension was TTTTTTHHHIIIIICCCCKKKKK!!!! The tension and what they think is hatred towards each other, ends up being so much more.
I loved Nova so much. She feels trapped and wants to do right by her family, even if that means she puts her happiness to the side. Put in to a shit situation, she makes the best of it. She is sunshine and strong and the way that she gained confidence by the end of the book, made me so happy for her.
Oh Jay, you guarded man, you. He tries to push Nova away the best and only way he knows how, by being mean and intolerable. Honestly, he did a shit job at it because he was intriguing to me in the best of way. You could tell he had some pretty strong feelings toward Nova. The years long pining, the protectiveness, the way that he had to watch her become engaged to someone else and realize she will always be out of reach, was heartbreaking.
I really enjoyed watching them slowly progress from frenemies to more. There is this chemistry between them that is undeniable and the push and pull is magnetic.
This is the first in the series and it introduces a lot of characters and sets up possible couples and plot points pretty well. I can't wait to see the way this series goes.
𝚆𝙷𝙰𝚃 𝚃𝙾 𝙴𝚇𝙿𝙴𝙲𝚃 was
🖤Enemies to Lovers
🩷Brother's Best Friend
🖤Hockey
🩷College
🖤Crime Families
🩷He Falls First
April 23, 2026
When the girl of your dreams is off limits, how do you ensure you'll keep your distance? Make her hate you.
Oh, Jayesh, this is such a teenage boy move, but luckily, his chemistry with Nova is off the charts, and we see how thin that line is between love and hate. From the stolen first kiss, Jay & Nova are pure fire.
Hostile Game is an enemies-to-lovers story between mafia princess Nova Thorpe and her brother's best friend, Jayesh (Jay) Attwood. The novel is dual POV, so we see the relationship through both main characters' perspectives.
As a long-time Becca Steele fan, it was fun to return to a series with the same vibes as The Four. Only with Hostile Game, we jump right into mafia syndicates, mystery, and arranged marriages.
Jay and Nova's story is the first book of a new series, so while it is a standalone novel, the story also spends time setting up the rest of the series, introducing us to characters from their friend groups, Welford University's hockey team, and the larger mafia world.
I will give the caveat that I found myself wondering whether we needed both the mafia and the hockey team, since it meant there was a lot happening throughout the book. These subplots are all interconnected, helping drive the novel's main arc and seeming to set up the rest of the series. I cannot wait for Daniel's book!
Hostile Game is perfect for fans of morally grey men, hockey romance, UK university vibes, and stolen first kisses.
---
I received an advance copy of this book at no charge. This is my honest, voluntary review.
Oh, Jayesh, this is such a teenage boy move, but luckily, his chemistry with Nova is off the charts, and we see how thin that line is between love and hate. From the stolen first kiss, Jay & Nova are pure fire.
Hostile Game is an enemies-to-lovers story between mafia princess Nova Thorpe and her brother's best friend, Jayesh (Jay) Attwood. The novel is dual POV, so we see the relationship through both main characters' perspectives.
As a long-time Becca Steele fan, it was fun to return to a series with the same vibes as The Four. Only with Hostile Game, we jump right into mafia syndicates, mystery, and arranged marriages.
Jay and Nova's story is the first book of a new series, so while it is a standalone novel, the story also spends time setting up the rest of the series, introducing us to characters from their friend groups, Welford University's hockey team, and the larger mafia world.
I will give the caveat that I found myself wondering whether we needed both the mafia and the hockey team, since it meant there was a lot happening throughout the book. These subplots are all interconnected, helping drive the novel's main arc and seeming to set up the rest of the series. I cannot wait for Daniel's book!
Hostile Game is perfect for fans of morally grey men, hockey romance, UK university vibes, and stolen first kisses.
---
I received an advance copy of this book at no charge. This is my honest, voluntary review.
May 9, 2026
💜❇When the girl of your dreams is off limits, how do you ensure you'll keep your distance? Make her hate you.
This is book 1 in this authors new series Cranham Kings and this is Jay and Nova's story.
What to expect
💜Enemies to Lovers
✳He falls first
💜Crime families
✳Hockey romance
💜College romance
✳Virgin FMC
💜M/F
✳Mafia
💜Brothers best friend
Nova is the mafia princess and will do anything for her family even go ahead with the arranged marriage. She feels quite trapped and all she's trying to do is what's best, but at what cost?
Jay is Nova's brothers best friend and he is a real alpha male with an ego to match. He plays for the elite college hockey team and even though he has always felt something for Nova he tries to hide them.
(NO SPOILERS)
I absolutely loved the chemistry these characters have and the connection is🔥. They have alot of push and pull and with him trying to deny how he feels, well anything can happen when characters try to do that. I also loved the banter these two had between them both.
This book is full of angst and suspense my two favourite things and this book has mystery, drama, secrets, tension and twists that the reader won't guess coming. This story will pull at your emotions at times and also has dark moments too.
I really enjoyed reading this new world this author has created and I've always loved how this author writes and how she can capture the reader from beginning to end. I feel like this book set the scene for the rest of the series and other book with how many side characters we had to remember.
This is book 1 in this authors new series Cranham Kings and this is Jay and Nova's story.
What to expect
💜Enemies to Lovers
✳He falls first
💜Crime families
✳Hockey romance
💜College romance
✳Virgin FMC
💜M/F
✳Mafia
💜Brothers best friend
Nova is the mafia princess and will do anything for her family even go ahead with the arranged marriage. She feels quite trapped and all she's trying to do is what's best, but at what cost?
Jay is Nova's brothers best friend and he is a real alpha male with an ego to match. He plays for the elite college hockey team and even though he has always felt something for Nova he tries to hide them.
(NO SPOILERS)
I absolutely loved the chemistry these characters have and the connection is🔥. They have alot of push and pull and with him trying to deny how he feels, well anything can happen when characters try to do that. I also loved the banter these two had between them both.
This book is full of angst and suspense my two favourite things and this book has mystery, drama, secrets, tension and twists that the reader won't guess coming. This story will pull at your emotions at times and also has dark moments too.
I really enjoyed reading this new world this author has created and I've always loved how this author writes and how she can capture the reader from beginning to end. I feel like this book set the scene for the rest of the series and other book with how many side characters we had to remember.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This was such an incredible start to a new series. Combining the high-stakes intensity of a crime family with the world of hockey is exactly what I look for in a romance, and this book hit the mark perfectly. It’s gritty, emotional, and honestly everything I hoped it would be from the very first page.
I was completely captivated by Jay. The way he’s spent years pining for Nova while forcing himself to push her away—all because he knows she’s destined for an arranged marriage—was gut-wrenching. Watching him try to convince himself and everyone else that he hated her, when it was so clearly the opposite, made their dynamic feel so much more intense and earned.
Then there’s Nova, who I just wanted to protect at all costs. Her selflessness and the way she’s willing to sacrifice her own happiness just to keep her brother safe made me love her character even more. I spent a good portion of the book feeling genuinely worried that she wasn't going to get the happy ending she deserved, and that tension kept me hooked until the very end.
It’s rare for me to love every single side character, but this story really pulled it off. I’m already so invested in Ryker and Dan and can’t wait to see how their stories unfold. I’ve definitely started forming my own theories about the future pairings, but I’m keeping those to myself for now to avoid any spoilers. I’m just so ready for the next book.
I was completely captivated by Jay. The way he’s spent years pining for Nova while forcing himself to push her away—all because he knows she’s destined for an arranged marriage—was gut-wrenching. Watching him try to convince himself and everyone else that he hated her, when it was so clearly the opposite, made their dynamic feel so much more intense and earned.
Then there’s Nova, who I just wanted to protect at all costs. Her selflessness and the way she’s willing to sacrifice her own happiness just to keep her brother safe made me love her character even more. I spent a good portion of the book feeling genuinely worried that she wasn't going to get the happy ending she deserved, and that tension kept me hooked until the very end.
It’s rare for me to love every single side character, but this story really pulled it off. I’m already so invested in Ryker and Dan and can’t wait to see how their stories unfold. I’ve definitely started forming my own theories about the future pairings, but I’m keeping those to myself for now to avoid any spoilers. I’m just so ready for the next book.
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