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PCU Storm #4
End Game
617 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 9, 2026
230 people are currently reading
1839 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 137 reviews
February 7, 2026
6 ⭐️ ALL 👏🏻 THE 👏🏻 STARS 👏🏻
This was absolutely incredible and I fear it’s about to become my entire personality.
Even though this is a romance I feel like it had a completely different approach. There was no emphasis on the MMC being 6ftwhatever and absolutely gorgeous. No emphasis on looks whatsoever and I found that so refreshing. You just assume they’re amazing because their characters were done so well and their development spoke volumes. Letting character do the heavy lifting instead of abs is brave and frankly superior. When you assume they’re attractive because of who they are? That’s grown-up romance. That’s emotional foreplay.
At the forefront of this book was loss and grief. A lot of pain. A lot of anguish and it is deeply felt on every page. Sometimes you need to stop and walk away because it’s so raw and real and you can feel it in your marrow. The grief is so palpable, it’s an entire being on its own. BUT there’s also so much healing. Learning to survive. To keep going and to build a new life after… after the life that ended.
I was so invested in this story right from the very first sentence. This author has an incredible talent for storytelling and I will ONE THOUSAND PERCENT read every book she writes, starting with every one in this series. These characters have stolen my heart and I don’t ever want to move on from them. This book didn’t just hit me. It moved in, unpacked, and is now paying rent in my ribcage.
This was absolutely incredible and I fear it’s about to become my entire personality.
Even though this is a romance I feel like it had a completely different approach. There was no emphasis on the MMC being 6ftwhatever and absolutely gorgeous. No emphasis on looks whatsoever and I found that so refreshing. You just assume they’re amazing because their characters were done so well and their development spoke volumes. Letting character do the heavy lifting instead of abs is brave and frankly superior. When you assume they’re attractive because of who they are? That’s grown-up romance. That’s emotional foreplay.
At the forefront of this book was loss and grief. A lot of pain. A lot of anguish and it is deeply felt on every page. Sometimes you need to stop and walk away because it’s so raw and real and you can feel it in your marrow. The grief is so palpable, it’s an entire being on its own. BUT there’s also so much healing. Learning to survive. To keep going and to build a new life after… after the life that ended.
I was so invested in this story right from the very first sentence. This author has an incredible talent for storytelling and I will ONE THOUSAND PERCENT read every book she writes, starting with every one in this series. These characters have stolen my heart and I don’t ever want to move on from them. This book didn’t just hit me. It moved in, unpacked, and is now paying rent in my ribcage.
February 2, 2026
This is not a cute college romance this one is pure raw emotion from the first chapter. End Game is all about the grief, acceptance of a loved one being diagnosed with a terminal illness and with an athlete dealing with healing after a serious injury. This definitely leaves you feeling all the emotions. Sloane is a college basketball player and her brother’s best friend Logan is a senior football player. Logan also grew up in Sloane’s family home. I’m sad to see this is the end of the PCU Storm series however the ending was pure perfection. The whole series is definitely worth a read as every book is beautifully written leaving you feeling every emotion possible. Highly recommend but please check the trigger warnings before reading.
I received a complementary copy from the author.
I received a complementary copy from the author.
February 12, 2026
This is a heavy book, so definitely check the trigger warnings!
End Game follows Logan and Sloane, two people standing at the most painful crossroads of their lives. Logan is an injured football star forced to face a future without the game he loves. Sloane is slowly losing her father to terminal cancer while trying to hold herself together.
Their grief felt real. Their healing felt earned.
Logan is the kind of man who shows love through showing up—through patience, consistency, and simply staying. He is exactly what Sloane needs during this heartbreaking time in her life. Sloane’s pain is written with so much empathy and compassion, and her journey through loss and survival will live rent-free in my mind for a long time.
The way their love grows alongside their grief is beautifully written.
While this may be a sports romance, End Game is truly a story about surviving the worst days… and still believing in a future.
End Game follows Logan and Sloane, two people standing at the most painful crossroads of their lives. Logan is an injured football star forced to face a future without the game he loves. Sloane is slowly losing her father to terminal cancer while trying to hold herself together.
Their grief felt real. Their healing felt earned.
Logan is the kind of man who shows love through showing up—through patience, consistency, and simply staying. He is exactly what Sloane needs during this heartbreaking time in her life. Sloane’s pain is written with so much empathy and compassion, and her journey through loss and survival will live rent-free in my mind for a long time.
The way their love grows alongside their grief is beautifully written.
While this may be a sports romance, End Game is truly a story about surviving the worst days… and still believing in a future.
February 12, 2026
Going into this knowing that it would break my heart, to then reading the author’s note…
This was heartbreakingly beautiful
This was heartbreakingly beautiful
Read
February 2, 2026- college romance
- sports romance (football x basketball)
- brother's best friend
- he falls first
- forced proximity (he's living with them)
- check TWs (terminally ill parent)
- no third-act breakup
- 🌶️🌶️/5
- dual pov
When Riley says you'll need tissues, she means it. Pops is such an unforgettable character, so saying goodbye to him hurts. But the way Logan takes care of Sloane will have you swooning. Don't even get me started on him putting her first! Logan has come a long way since Broken Play, and while it's heartbreaking, it's also heartwarming to see him finally get his HEA 💙.
- sports romance (football x basketball)
- brother's best friend
- he falls first
- forced proximity (he's living with them)
- check TWs (terminally ill parent)
- no third-act breakup
- 🌶️🌶️/5
- dual pov
When Riley says you'll need tissues, she means it. Pops is such an unforgettable character, so saying goodbye to him hurts. But the way Logan takes care of Sloane will have you swooning. Don't even get me started on him putting her first! Logan has come a long way since Broken Play, and while it's heartbreaking, it's also heartwarming to see him finally get his HEA 💙.
February 13, 2026
Thanks to Hambright and Riley Paige for the complimentary ARC of End Game.
Logan Brooks has spent his life with one goal in mind: get to the NFL. But in one of his last games as a senior at PCU, he takes a devastating hit and ruptures three ligaments in his right knee, effectively ending his season and throwing his future into limbo. After his surgery, he returns to the only real home he's ever had while he rehabs: the Rhodes family home. Coach Rhodes took Logan in when he was a kid after he realized that his son's best friend didn't have a safe home to go to. The one issue with returning home now is that Logan has to be in close proximity to Sloan, his best friend's little sister and the girl he's been in love with since he was 17. Logan said something stupid to Sloan at a party two years earlier and has been avoiding her at all costs, but now they have to live together. And with Sloan's dad's cancer back, she's at a breaking point and will need Logan's help to keep moving, even if she doesn't want it.
This is my third Riley Paige book (I skipped the last one in the series because it was fake dating, and I don't read that trope), so I feel like I have a grasp on her voice as an author at this point. My biggest criticism of her novels to this point is that they were too long. While this book is still very long for a typical contemporary romance, I think this was her strongest book from an editorial perspective. The beats in the plot were clear, the pace was consistent, and I felt like she did a great job balancing the mundanity of caregiving and death with the emotional beats of the romance and grief. I do think it was still too long, but a deeper edit would have required more developmental shaping, and I am very sympathetic to the costs indie authors bear for that kind of work.
This is a heavy novel. Riley is clear in the author's note and the CWs that you need to be sure you can handle this content before diving into End Game. Take her seriously—do not read this if you are not prepared for everything she lays out in those warnings.
We're often told to write what we know. Riley has lost one grandparent (her primary caregiver as a child) to cancer and is in the process of losing the second. She clearly understands the material concerns around hospice and death from cancer in a way only someone who has gone through it can show. The specificity of Sloan's experience with her father's treatment and now end-of-life care made the struggle she experiences on the page universal. I've never lost an immediate family member to cancer, but my brother did die a little over five years ago, and no one tells you the sheer amount of paperwork that accompanies death. I was particularly struck by how Sloan's dad insisted on handling the details he knew his kids couldn't, on his own terms, and then how Sloan gritted her teeth to get through the daily deluge of details involved in caring for a terminal parent.
The romance writing is so deeply woven into the story of grief and loss that it's hard to talk about them as two separate entities. Logan and Sloan have both had feelings for each other for years, but the forced proximity and heightened emotional circumstances of this moment are what push them together. And you see that they both struggle with the conflict between the joy they feel at being together and the grief of the situation.
Overall, this was a really strong outing from Riley Paige. She's grown a lot as an author over the four books of the PCU Storm series, and I am excited to see what she does next.
Logan Brooks has spent his life with one goal in mind: get to the NFL. But in one of his last games as a senior at PCU, he takes a devastating hit and ruptures three ligaments in his right knee, effectively ending his season and throwing his future into limbo. After his surgery, he returns to the only real home he's ever had while he rehabs: the Rhodes family home. Coach Rhodes took Logan in when he was a kid after he realized that his son's best friend didn't have a safe home to go to. The one issue with returning home now is that Logan has to be in close proximity to Sloan, his best friend's little sister and the girl he's been in love with since he was 17. Logan said something stupid to Sloan at a party two years earlier and has been avoiding her at all costs, but now they have to live together. And with Sloan's dad's cancer back, she's at a breaking point and will need Logan's help to keep moving, even if she doesn't want it.
This is my third Riley Paige book (I skipped the last one in the series because it was fake dating, and I don't read that trope), so I feel like I have a grasp on her voice as an author at this point. My biggest criticism of her novels to this point is that they were too long. While this book is still very long for a typical contemporary romance, I think this was her strongest book from an editorial perspective. The beats in the plot were clear, the pace was consistent, and I felt like she did a great job balancing the mundanity of caregiving and death with the emotional beats of the romance and grief. I do think it was still too long, but a deeper edit would have required more developmental shaping, and I am very sympathetic to the costs indie authors bear for that kind of work.
This is a heavy novel. Riley is clear in the author's note and the CWs that you need to be sure you can handle this content before diving into End Game. Take her seriously—do not read this if you are not prepared for everything she lays out in those warnings.
We're often told to write what we know. Riley has lost one grandparent (her primary caregiver as a child) to cancer and is in the process of losing the second. She clearly understands the material concerns around hospice and death from cancer in a way only someone who has gone through it can show. The specificity of Sloan's experience with her father's treatment and now end-of-life care made the struggle she experiences on the page universal. I've never lost an immediate family member to cancer, but my brother did die a little over five years ago, and no one tells you the sheer amount of paperwork that accompanies death. I was particularly struck by how Sloan's dad insisted on handling the details he knew his kids couldn't, on his own terms, and then how Sloan gritted her teeth to get through the daily deluge of details involved in caring for a terminal parent.
The romance writing is so deeply woven into the story of grief and loss that it's hard to talk about them as two separate entities. Logan and Sloan have both had feelings for each other for years, but the forced proximity and heightened emotional circumstances of this moment are what push them together. And you see that they both struggle with the conflict between the joy they feel at being together and the grief of the situation.
Overall, this was a really strong outing from Riley Paige. She's grown a lot as an author over the four books of the PCU Storm series, and I am excited to see what she does next.
February 12, 2026
END GAME by Riley Paige is book 4 in the PCU Storm football romance series. It can be read as a standalone (as I did) or read as the final installment following the PCU teammates.
In END GAME, Logan takes a massive hit to his NFL dreams when an ACL injury takes him out at the end of his senior season. As he is recovering from surgery and facing rehab, his best friend, Cameron Rhodes, brings him home to the house he has shared with the Rhodes family for half of his life, including Cameron's sister, the prickly Sloane. The two clearly have history and a somewhat forbidden attraction to one another.
Sloane is also a student athlete but for rival college CSU. In the midst of her junior season for basketball, Sloane has to contend with Logan moving in, all while she tries to hold it together while Pops is showing signs that his brain cancer is back. Sloane copes by managing his care, controlling everything she can, holding herself together and not letting anyone see her fall apart - except Logan sees right through her.
This book has a romantic subplot, but the overwhelming theme is grief and loss. Loss of dreams, actively grieving an impending loss of life, and then the actual aftermath of losing a loved one. Logan is there for Sloane through it all, despite his own hardships and losses, his rehab & his own feelings for Pops - the father figure that took him in in childhood. What starts as an antagonistic stand off between Sloane and Logan turns into the love that has been brewing for years.
The author herself is very clear about the content warnings for this book. This is a heavy one. And despite that, I couldn't put it down. I really can appreciate that the author wrote this from the perspective of the caretaker as she has been in those shoes with her own grandparents. It is heartbreaking. I appreciated the honesty and the way she shows HOW to be there for someone in their grief. It looks like Logan's quiet and steady support, Jade and Blakely's firm friendship and presence, and coach's open door to do whatever she needed. I hope this book finds the people who need it - so they feel seen or know how to show up for someone in their own life who is grieving.
For me this was a 3.5 star book. I really appreciated the rehab and athlete perspective for both main characters (Sloane is a basketball player). It made me want to get into the END GAME by Riley Paige is book 4 in the PCU Storm football romance series. It can be read as a standalone (as I did) or read as the final installment following the PCU teammates.
Some more attentive editing would have probably caught the repetitive phrasing and minor inconsistencies that had me a little confused at times. I am curious about the other stories in this series and the upcoming PCU hockey series Paige has coming out this spring. END GAME is available now on Kindle Unlimited. Thank you to the author and Hambright PR for the opportunity to read and review an ARC.
In END GAME, Logan takes a massive hit to his NFL dreams when an ACL injury takes him out at the end of his senior season. As he is recovering from surgery and facing rehab, his best friend, Cameron Rhodes, brings him home to the house he has shared with the Rhodes family for half of his life, including Cameron's sister, the prickly Sloane. The two clearly have history and a somewhat forbidden attraction to one another.
Sloane is also a student athlete but for rival college CSU. In the midst of her junior season for basketball, Sloane has to contend with Logan moving in, all while she tries to hold it together while Pops is showing signs that his brain cancer is back. Sloane copes by managing his care, controlling everything she can, holding herself together and not letting anyone see her fall apart - except Logan sees right through her.
This book has a romantic subplot, but the overwhelming theme is grief and loss. Loss of dreams, actively grieving an impending loss of life, and then the actual aftermath of losing a loved one. Logan is there for Sloane through it all, despite his own hardships and losses, his rehab & his own feelings for Pops - the father figure that took him in in childhood. What starts as an antagonistic stand off between Sloane and Logan turns into the love that has been brewing for years.
The author herself is very clear about the content warnings for this book. This is a heavy one. And despite that, I couldn't put it down. I really can appreciate that the author wrote this from the perspective of the caretaker as she has been in those shoes with her own grandparents. It is heartbreaking. I appreciated the honesty and the way she shows HOW to be there for someone in their grief. It looks like Logan's quiet and steady support, Jade and Blakely's firm friendship and presence, and coach's open door to do whatever she needed. I hope this book finds the people who need it - so they feel seen or know how to show up for someone in their own life who is grieving.
For me this was a 3.5 star book. I really appreciated the rehab and athlete perspective for both main characters (Sloane is a basketball player). It made me want to get into the END GAME by Riley Paige is book 4 in the PCU Storm football romance series. It can be read as a standalone (as I did) or read as the final installment following the PCU teammates.
Some more attentive editing would have probably caught the repetitive phrasing and minor inconsistencies that had me a little confused at times. I am curious about the other stories in this series and the upcoming PCU hockey series Paige has coming out this spring. END GAME is available now on Kindle Unlimited. Thank you to the author and Hambright PR for the opportunity to read and review an ARC.
February 7, 2026
First, thank you to Riley Paige for the ARC! I love a college sports romance and this one did not disappoint. I highly recommend checking the trigger warnings before going in, as this was an emotionally heavy read at times.
This one has Sloane trying to outrun the reality of her father’s cancer returning by clinging to routines, practice, and anything that keeps her busy. When Logan, her brother’s best friend and a once NFL bound athlete gets injured, he ends up moving back into her home. Loving each other feels risky when both are staring down uncertain futures and the possibility of yet another goodbye.
I will say the brother’s best friend trope paired with forced proximity and caretaking made Sloane and Logan’s connection incredibly emotional and heartfelt. They were both experiencing grief in similar but different ways, and while their timing wasn’t ideal, the way their relationship unfolded felt exactly right for them. I loved their banter and how Logan was always nearby, steady and present, just in case he was needed.
Sloane and Pops were true fighters through it all and Logan was the perfect support for the family during this tough time. Pops’ wisdom, thoughtfulness, and love he gave Sloane, her brother, and Logan was beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time, those moments really stuck with me. I also enjoyed getting a glimpse of how things played out for them in the end; it felt right and was the perfect conclusion for their story.
This one has Sloane trying to outrun the reality of her father’s cancer returning by clinging to routines, practice, and anything that keeps her busy. When Logan, her brother’s best friend and a once NFL bound athlete gets injured, he ends up moving back into her home. Loving each other feels risky when both are staring down uncertain futures and the possibility of yet another goodbye.
I will say the brother’s best friend trope paired with forced proximity and caretaking made Sloane and Logan’s connection incredibly emotional and heartfelt. They were both experiencing grief in similar but different ways, and while their timing wasn’t ideal, the way their relationship unfolded felt exactly right for them. I loved their banter and how Logan was always nearby, steady and present, just in case he was needed.
Sloane and Pops were true fighters through it all and Logan was the perfect support for the family during this tough time. Pops’ wisdom, thoughtfulness, and love he gave Sloane, her brother, and Logan was beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time, those moments really stuck with me. I also enjoyed getting a glimpse of how things played out for them in the end; it felt right and was the perfect conclusion for their story.
February 11, 2026
Logan made a mistake 2 years ago and said something to Sloane that he can’t take back. Even after saying what he did he still wants her. Sloane has always had a thing for Logan but is still mad at him after what he said 2 years ago. Sloane is going to lose her father to cancer but will Logan be there for her or run?
I do love when Logan finally called Sloane “Baby”. Their banter is top tier. I think it’s wonderful that Sloane’s dad let Logan stay. What breaks my heart is Logan thinking he’s a burden when Sloane’s brother and dad love him. The way Logan looked out for Sloane in subtle ways is so sweet. That first kiss was perfect. I absolutely love Pops. I also love how Pops knew Logan liked Sloane for years but didn’t bring it up until it was needed. That ending was exactly what I needed.
Riley Paige has dominated my life. I’ve never given 6 stars to a debut author before and she was the first. Broken Play was my first 6 star read of 2025. Riley’s also the first author that I’ve ever given a whole series either 6 or 5 stars to for every book! Thank you for writing the perfect world!
I do love when Logan finally called Sloane “Baby”. Their banter is top tier. I think it’s wonderful that Sloane’s dad let Logan stay. What breaks my heart is Logan thinking he’s a burden when Sloane’s brother and dad love him. The way Logan looked out for Sloane in subtle ways is so sweet. That first kiss was perfect. I absolutely love Pops. I also love how Pops knew Logan liked Sloane for years but didn’t bring it up until it was needed. That ending was exactly what I needed.
Riley Paige has dominated my life. I’ve never given 6 stars to a debut author before and she was the first. Broken Play was my first 6 star read of 2025. Riley’s also the first author that I’ve ever given a whole series either 6 or 5 stars to for every book! Thank you for writing the perfect world!
February 12, 2026
This story is raw, real, and a reality for many. Grief is extremely hard and also isolating at times. It’s a process that has no time limit.
End Game was beautifully written evoking deep emotion while our character’s traversed through dealing with a terminal illness. When Sloane learns her dad’s cancer has returned and that all options have been exhausted she journeys on a path of navigating how to grapple the news.
Determined to keep a strong front, Logan knows that inside Sloane is barely holding it together.
Logan has been a staple at the Rhodes’ home since he was young. They accepted him and gave him a safe place to stay. When he’s injured during his senior year in a football game, his dreams of being in the NFL dim.
Sloane and Logan have their differences but watching how Logan comforts and takes care of Sloane was beautiful.
TROPES ✨
👩👧 Brother's Best Friend
🧑⚕️ Caretaking
🤏🏼 Forced Proximity
🏈 Sports Romance
❤️ He Falls First
😔 Grief
💔 Loss of Parent
This story is not your typical romance and deals heavily with grief so please pay attention to the trigger warnings.
Thank you Hambright PR and Riley Paige for the ARC.
End Game was beautifully written evoking deep emotion while our character’s traversed through dealing with a terminal illness. When Sloane learns her dad’s cancer has returned and that all options have been exhausted she journeys on a path of navigating how to grapple the news.
Determined to keep a strong front, Logan knows that inside Sloane is barely holding it together.
Logan has been a staple at the Rhodes’ home since he was young. They accepted him and gave him a safe place to stay. When he’s injured during his senior year in a football game, his dreams of being in the NFL dim.
Sloane and Logan have their differences but watching how Logan comforts and takes care of Sloane was beautiful.
TROPES ✨
👩👧 Brother's Best Friend
🧑⚕️ Caretaking
🤏🏼 Forced Proximity
🏈 Sports Romance
❤️ He Falls First
😔 Grief
💔 Loss of Parent
This story is not your typical romance and deals heavily with grief so please pay attention to the trigger warnings.
Thank you Hambright PR and Riley Paige for the ARC.
February 11, 2026
EMOTIONAL DAMAGE! 😅❤️ thank you so much to #HambrightPR and #RileyPaige for the ARC!
This wrecked me, had me balling my eyes out with a constant need for tissues.
Grief is so strange especially when you’re living with it before a loved one goes, I’ve been there, I’ve felt it.
So this hit home in so many ways.
Sloane was like looking in a mirror and I feel like so many of us are like that these days, just biting back every emotion because control is easier than just simply feeling.
Logan was the literal perfect book boyfriend, that man can do literally no wrong.
Plus he is bossy in the bedroom! 🥵😉
Riley, just know your writing spoke to the broken parts of me and I felt everything you were trying to get across, so thank you!
P.S I will be reading every other book in this series!
❤️❤️❤️
This wrecked me, had me balling my eyes out with a constant need for tissues.
Grief is so strange especially when you’re living with it before a loved one goes, I’ve been there, I’ve felt it.
So this hit home in so many ways.
Sloane was like looking in a mirror and I feel like so many of us are like that these days, just biting back every emotion because control is easier than just simply feeling.
Logan was the literal perfect book boyfriend, that man can do literally no wrong.
Plus he is bossy in the bedroom! 🥵😉
Riley, just know your writing spoke to the broken parts of me and I felt everything you were trying to get across, so thank you!
P.S I will be reading every other book in this series!
❤️❤️❤️
February 12, 2026
Logan loses his NFL future to an injury and heads home feeling completely lost only to fall for Sloane, his best friend’s sister, the girl he was never meant to want and the tension was tensioning
I was obsessed with them so bad
While she’s facing her dad’s cancer battle, he becomes her steady support… and somewhere in the middle of the hard days, feelings turn into something real.
Soft, emotional, and full of “you’re my person” energy ❤️
Tropes: best friend’s sister • injured athlete • small town • healing love
I was obsessed with them so bad
While she’s facing her dad’s cancer battle, he becomes her steady support… and somewhere in the middle of the hard days, feelings turn into something real.
Soft, emotional, and full of “you’re my person” energy ❤️
Tropes: best friend’s sister • injured athlete • small town • healing love
February 1, 2026
ARC REVIEW
Firstly I need to say before anyone decides to read this, please read the trigger warnings as there are some hard topics involved.
This book absolutely wrecked me. From the first few chapters I was balling my eyes out. It was so beautifully written, the way Riley has written about grief and the heartbreak that comes from it.
This book hits close to home, as someone whose dad is also going through cancer, the never ending question of when always hangs in the air.
Sloane and Logan, her brothers best friend and the one guy she never thought she could have. When his life was turned upside down due to an injury, he turned to the only place he could call home, his best friends house. Only moving back in meant having to see the one person who has always had his attention and he could never have.
After watching Sloane dad decline and loose his battle to terminal cancer, she shuts her self off to the world and looses herself slowly day by day whilst Logan faces the toughest decision of his life, playing in the nfl and loosing her or loosing his dream.
This book takes you through a roller coaster of emotions as they learn to live and move on with the grief whilst navigating life
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️
Thankyou Riley for the early arc of this book
Firstly I need to say before anyone decides to read this, please read the trigger warnings as there are some hard topics involved.
This book absolutely wrecked me. From the first few chapters I was balling my eyes out. It was so beautifully written, the way Riley has written about grief and the heartbreak that comes from it.
This book hits close to home, as someone whose dad is also going through cancer, the never ending question of when always hangs in the air.
Sloane and Logan, her brothers best friend and the one guy she never thought she could have. When his life was turned upside down due to an injury, he turned to the only place he could call home, his best friends house. Only moving back in meant having to see the one person who has always had his attention and he could never have.
After watching Sloane dad decline and loose his battle to terminal cancer, she shuts her self off to the world and looses herself slowly day by day whilst Logan faces the toughest decision of his life, playing in the nfl and loosing her or loosing his dream.
This book takes you through a roller coaster of emotions as they learn to live and move on with the grief whilst navigating life
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️
Thankyou Riley for the early arc of this book
Review of advance copy received from Author
Raw, Emotional, Healing & Real.
Book 4 didn't promise sunshine, daisies & rainbows. It promised, heartache, emotions, grit, heart & realness. Logan dealing with his injury from book 3 while he, his best friend & the girl he can't get out of his head (nor heart) deal with the weight of the impending loss of the man who raised them. I've been in Sloane's position myself, many times but nothing hit as hard as my mother. Trying to hold yourself together, to control everything, extensive notes & only feeling true control in the place you work (or in her case sport), that was the the closest description of real life I've come across in a book. It was as if I were Sloane. Having injured a knee (not as extensive as Logan) I've known the therapy needed put in to heal & everything felt real & raw. I'm so happy to have seen the growth from Logan this book. I wanted to throw a punch since book one & seeing the change made my heart happy. While the tears were hard, this series couldn't have ended any other way.
Thank you, Riley & team for the ARC of this book. Can't wait to return to PCU for hockey.
Book 4 didn't promise sunshine, daisies & rainbows. It promised, heartache, emotions, grit, heart & realness. Logan dealing with his injury from book 3 while he, his best friend & the girl he can't get out of his head (nor heart) deal with the weight of the impending loss of the man who raised them. I've been in Sloane's position myself, many times but nothing hit as hard as my mother. Trying to hold yourself together, to control everything, extensive notes & only feeling true control in the place you work (or in her case sport), that was the the closest description of real life I've come across in a book. It was as if I were Sloane. Having injured a knee (not as extensive as Logan) I've known the therapy needed put in to heal & everything felt real & raw. I'm so happy to have seen the growth from Logan this book. I wanted to throw a punch since book one & seeing the change made my heart happy. While the tears were hard, this series couldn't have ended any other way.
Thank you, Riley & team for the ARC of this book. Can't wait to return to PCU for hockey.
February 4, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25 is my true rating. This book is heartbreakingly poignant in tackling the devastating feelings of grief. I love how the MMC supports the FMC in subtle ways that allow her to get what she needs without really knowing it. It’s kind of hard to describe the nuance of the relationship from his perspective. The FMC can be difficult to relate to at times because she uses anger and distance to “cope”, but grief is different for everyone. This is a tough read and the reader should definitely check the trigger warning, but it is very relatable and was well written. There were a few repetitive moments, but I really enjoyed the story.
I received and ARC copy, but am giving my free and honest review.
I received and ARC copy, but am giving my free and honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Wow, "End Game" by Riley Paige was so beautifully written. The way she describes grief and loss and all of the emotions I felt with my whole chest. Logan and Sloane are everything. I love how Pop's made sure Logan wasn't going to disappear after he was gone because he knew Cameron and Sloane would need him. 😭 This book is raw and real in the best way. Riley is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. ❤️
Logan Brooks is the person the Rhodes family leans on in this tough time. Especially Sloane Rhodes. She won't admit it at first, but Logan is exactly who she needs to help her navigate her grief and loss. He's not trying to fix her, he's just there. Simple gestures such as leaving her a glass of water on her nightstand. He is her constant.
"If I keep moving, nothing can catch me. That's the rule and I'm not going to break it now". Logan
Read it you Love:
-Brother's Best Friend
-Caretaking
-Grief
-He Falls First
-Sports Romance
-Terminal Cancer & Loss of a Parent
*Check Riley's Trigger warnings before reading❤️
Logan Brooks is the person the Rhodes family leans on in this tough time. Especially Sloane Rhodes. She won't admit it at first, but Logan is exactly who she needs to help her navigate her grief and loss. He's not trying to fix her, he's just there. Simple gestures such as leaving her a glass of water on her nightstand. He is her constant.
"If I keep moving, nothing can catch me. That's the rule and I'm not going to break it now". Logan
Read it you Love:
-Brother's Best Friend
-Caretaking
-Grief
-He Falls First
-Sports Romance
-Terminal Cancer & Loss of a Parent
*Check Riley's Trigger warnings before reading❤️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 12, 2026
What an ending to the series. I was so emotional with Sloane and the entire story. This isn't just a romance tale between her and Logan. It's a love story of a family supporting each other and banding together to survive in the face of an invisible enemy.
Logan had my attention since the moment we met him in Broken Play. He oscillated between chill and being an a$$hole. I mean, I could see his reason behind that chip he had on his shoulder, but it was just a red flag for other trauma. We got to see glimpses of him in each book, culminating in his biggest secondary role in Fake Play. I knew his character was going to be more complex and, boy, he did not disappoint.
When we saw his hostility toward Sloane (then an unnamed little sister of his best friend), I think it was around Thanksgiving, I knew their story was going to be juicy. Unfortunately, the tension and relationship arc, while present, wasn't as dramatic as I expected because it was eclipsed by the family health situation the Rhodes family was facing.
Sloane...pffff...prepare yourself. Riley has a way of conveying emotion through her writing style. I didn't understand it in the first books. As a matter of fact, I need to go back and re-read Broken Play to experience that book differently. It wasn't until I was halfway through Red Zone that I understood how to read the PCU Storm series. What I mean is that I would read the story from an outside perspective. Yes, I would try to immerse myself in the story, but I always did so with one foot in and one foot out. You really have to put yourself in the character's mindset and read and feel the words on the page to get the full effect. The characters go through anxiety, OCD, grief, need for control, etc. You don't fully understand the story until you allow yourself to feel those emotions along with the character. Does that make sense?
There are paragraphs that are two or three words. They are action words, reactionary words, and emotions. It almost feels like choppy writing when you are reading it from the outside. But when you put yourself into the story, the way that the information is presented on the page, during those specific spots, it forces you to feel the anxiety, to feel the pressure in the field, to feel the pain. Think of it as a movie, and you are hearing the internal dialogue of a player or someone making split-second decisions but cataloguing everything around them. That is the way it is written. The character doesn't have time to have full monologues in their head; it's just a short checklist.
Amazing ending to the series and I love how we got to see cameos and scenes of past characters and relationships.
Logan had my attention since the moment we met him in Broken Play. He oscillated between chill and being an a$$hole. I mean, I could see his reason behind that chip he had on his shoulder, but it was just a red flag for other trauma. We got to see glimpses of him in each book, culminating in his biggest secondary role in Fake Play. I knew his character was going to be more complex and, boy, he did not disappoint.
When we saw his hostility toward Sloane (then an unnamed little sister of his best friend), I think it was around Thanksgiving, I knew their story was going to be juicy. Unfortunately, the tension and relationship arc, while present, wasn't as dramatic as I expected because it was eclipsed by the family health situation the Rhodes family was facing.
Sloane...pffff...prepare yourself. Riley has a way of conveying emotion through her writing style. I didn't understand it in the first books. As a matter of fact, I need to go back and re-read Broken Play to experience that book differently. It wasn't until I was halfway through Red Zone that I understood how to read the PCU Storm series. What I mean is that I would read the story from an outside perspective. Yes, I would try to immerse myself in the story, but I always did so with one foot in and one foot out. You really have to put yourself in the character's mindset and read and feel the words on the page to get the full effect. The characters go through anxiety, OCD, grief, need for control, etc. You don't fully understand the story until you allow yourself to feel those emotions along with the character. Does that make sense?
There are paragraphs that are two or three words. They are action words, reactionary words, and emotions. It almost feels like choppy writing when you are reading it from the outside. But when you put yourself into the story, the way that the information is presented on the page, during those specific spots, it forces you to feel the anxiety, to feel the pressure in the field, to feel the pain. Think of it as a movie, and you are hearing the internal dialogue of a player or someone making split-second decisions but cataloguing everything around them. That is the way it is written. The character doesn't have time to have full monologues in their head; it's just a short checklist.
Amazing ending to the series and I love how we got to see cameos and scenes of past characters and relationships.
February 9, 2026
✨Arc Review✨
End Game
Book 4 PCU Storm series
Available Feb 12th
1st Person Duel POV
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️
What’s Inside:
❤️college romance
🏈🏀sports romance (football x basketball)
❤️brother's best friend
❤️he falls first
❤️forced proximity (he's living with them)
❤️terminally ill parent
❤️no third-act breakup
Wow. Just… wow. Grab a box of tissues because you’re going to need them. I read the trigger warnings: caregiver representation, terminally ill parent, grief…and I still wasn’t prepared for how hard this hit close to home. Painful? Yes. But my goodness, I loved it.
Sloane is her college’s starting point guard, surrounded by amazing friends, an overprotective older brother, and a loving dad. Heading into her junior year, it looks like she has it all…until she starts noticing her dad’s constant headaches and the fear in his eyes as scan days creep closer in his battle with brain cancer. When the results come back, her world is shaken, and she’s suddenly thrust into caregiver mode. Logan, meanwhile, is recovering from a season-ending football injury and staying with his best friend, who’s Sloane’s brother, and the girl he’s had a crush on since high school. She’s always felt just out of reach, but during this impossible season, he becomes her rock. And when it comes down to choosing between football and Sloane? That decision is anything but easy.
Lord, I felt so seen reading Sloane’s inner thoughts. As someone who was a caregiver to my grandmother during her breast cancer battle, one she ultimately lost, I felt such a deep, almost overwhelming connection to her. That internal tug-of-war, the guilt, the exhaustion, the love it’s portrayed so thoughtfully and so realistically. I’m probably butchering this review and should’ve given myself more time because it still doesn’t feel like enough… but here we are.
Pops is such an unforgettable character, which makes saying goodbye to him absolutely gutting. And Logan? The way he takes care of Sloane will have you swooning. I know I sure did! Don’t even get me started on him putting her first, every single time. 😍He’s come such a long way since Broken Play, seriously I had to rack my brain a few times trying to comprehend that this is the same Logan, and while his journey is heartbreaking, it’s also incredibly heartwarming to finally see him get his HEA.
I’m so sad to see this series end, but I loved all the familiar faces popping back in and that epilogue? Ugh. Chef’s kiss.
Thank you, Riley, for the ARC. I can’t wait to read more from you 💙
End Game
Book 4 PCU Storm series
Available Feb 12th
1st Person Duel POV
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️
What’s Inside:
❤️college romance
🏈🏀sports romance (football x basketball)
❤️brother's best friend
❤️he falls first
❤️forced proximity (he's living with them)
❤️terminally ill parent
❤️no third-act breakup
Wow. Just… wow. Grab a box of tissues because you’re going to need them. I read the trigger warnings: caregiver representation, terminally ill parent, grief…and I still wasn’t prepared for how hard this hit close to home. Painful? Yes. But my goodness, I loved it.
Sloane is her college’s starting point guard, surrounded by amazing friends, an overprotective older brother, and a loving dad. Heading into her junior year, it looks like she has it all…until she starts noticing her dad’s constant headaches and the fear in his eyes as scan days creep closer in his battle with brain cancer. When the results come back, her world is shaken, and she’s suddenly thrust into caregiver mode. Logan, meanwhile, is recovering from a season-ending football injury and staying with his best friend, who’s Sloane’s brother, and the girl he’s had a crush on since high school. She’s always felt just out of reach, but during this impossible season, he becomes her rock. And when it comes down to choosing between football and Sloane? That decision is anything but easy.
Lord, I felt so seen reading Sloane’s inner thoughts. As someone who was a caregiver to my grandmother during her breast cancer battle, one she ultimately lost, I felt such a deep, almost overwhelming connection to her. That internal tug-of-war, the guilt, the exhaustion, the love it’s portrayed so thoughtfully and so realistically. I’m probably butchering this review and should’ve given myself more time because it still doesn’t feel like enough… but here we are.
Pops is such an unforgettable character, which makes saying goodbye to him absolutely gutting. And Logan? The way he takes care of Sloane will have you swooning. I know I sure did! Don’t even get me started on him putting her first, every single time. 😍He’s come such a long way since Broken Play, seriously I had to rack my brain a few times trying to comprehend that this is the same Logan, and while his journey is heartbreaking, it’s also incredibly heartwarming to finally see him get his HEA.
I’m so sad to see this series end, but I loved all the familiar faces popping back in and that epilogue? Ugh. Chef’s kiss.
Thank you, Riley, for the ARC. I can’t wait to read more from you 💙
February 12, 2026
"...the quiet way grief breaks you, slow yet inevitable, without asking permission."
"Normal is a performance."
“Tell me what you need.” The tenderness in his voice nearly breaks me. “You,” I whisper. “Just you. All of you.”
The emotionally tender End Game by exceptional author Riley Paige is more than a sports romance; it's about unbearable grief, healing with a heavy heart, and well earned love.
Logan's a senior at PCU when he hears the pop, feels the tear and knows this could end his football career before it starts. His best friend Cameron brings him home to rehab, the one that's also Logan's home since 4th grade, when his Mom decided to feed her habit instead of her son.
The home is different now. Cameron's little sister, Sloane, a college junior basketball star, is here and hiding his feelings for her is harder now. But the real difference is Pops. The single Dad, who raised Cameron, Sloane and also Logan, knows his cancer is back, he's dying and it's soon.
Some might say the universe needed Logan to rehab here. Because while Cameron runs from the grief, and Sloane tries to control it with her lists and notebooks, Logan stays with Pops. Their talks were the beginning of this book destroying me. The subtle compassionate ways Logan cares for them is quite emotional.
From the Author's Note to her Acknowledgements I don't think I stopped crying. I love these characters. Even Sloane 's besties, Jade and Blakely, found their way into my heart. There are so many real moments of anger, fear and unfairness; but there's also slow honest healing, necessary laughs, and a beautiful well deserved love story.
End Game is the last book in the interconnected standalone PCU Storm series. Riley Paige saved the best for last.
Book 1. Broken Play
Book 2. Red Zone
Book 3. Play Fake
Book 4. End Game
I received a free copy of this book from Hambright PR for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
"Normal is a performance."
“Tell me what you need.” The tenderness in his voice nearly breaks me. “You,” I whisper. “Just you. All of you.”
The emotionally tender End Game by exceptional author Riley Paige is more than a sports romance; it's about unbearable grief, healing with a heavy heart, and well earned love.
Logan's a senior at PCU when he hears the pop, feels the tear and knows this could end his football career before it starts. His best friend Cameron brings him home to rehab, the one that's also Logan's home since 4th grade, when his Mom decided to feed her habit instead of her son.
The home is different now. Cameron's little sister, Sloane, a college junior basketball star, is here and hiding his feelings for her is harder now. But the real difference is Pops. The single Dad, who raised Cameron, Sloane and also Logan, knows his cancer is back, he's dying and it's soon.
Some might say the universe needed Logan to rehab here. Because while Cameron runs from the grief, and Sloane tries to control it with her lists and notebooks, Logan stays with Pops. Their talks were the beginning of this book destroying me. The subtle compassionate ways Logan cares for them is quite emotional.
From the Author's Note to her Acknowledgements I don't think I stopped crying. I love these characters. Even Sloane 's besties, Jade and Blakely, found their way into my heart. There are so many real moments of anger, fear and unfairness; but there's also slow honest healing, necessary laughs, and a beautiful well deserved love story.
End Game is the last book in the interconnected standalone PCU Storm series. Riley Paige saved the best for last.
Book 1. Broken Play
Book 2. Red Zone
Book 3. Play Fake
Book 4. End Game
I received a free copy of this book from Hambright PR for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy
So I am a new reader to Riley’s books. I originally started reading because a lot of sports books have lack of angst and Riley has been a wonderful source to give it to me, but I haven’t been feeling the deepness of her books until I read this one. This is the longest book of a series for good reason. The amount of pain and suffering mixed them with romance is just so good.
From an asshole who doesn’t wanna lose out on some of the only family, he has turned into a wonderful boyfriend mixed with a girl who never felt such a hard loss of her father it’s not something I expected to fall in love with.
The way Pops knew that he wanted his daughter to be loved and loved by Logan had my heart clenching almost the entire book. His love can be deeply felt throughout the book.
I will say my only caveat is the actual romance of the book. i was so deeply pulled in by the love of pops has for his own family that I kind of felt that the romance of Logan and Sloane were kind of like second fiddle to that. And it wasn’t that is a bad love story. I just felt that the loss of a parent felt such like a bigger role in this book so that when they did get together, it was more like huh they’re falling in love at this very inopportune time which sucks cause they could’ve been in love way before but similar to like their family, I was way more concerned for Pops and Sloane.
Once all the stuff with Pops happened, it did really lock in that they are the ones meant for each other, and I get the decisions that were made at the end of the book. Did I agree with them not necessarily but it fits with a dynamic that they were looking at for themselves.
Overall, wonderful book could not put it down. It gives you that heart wrenching reality of life for some people that you really need sometimes but also showing what love looks like in different aspects.
From an asshole who doesn’t wanna lose out on some of the only family, he has turned into a wonderful boyfriend mixed with a girl who never felt such a hard loss of her father it’s not something I expected to fall in love with.
The way Pops knew that he wanted his daughter to be loved and loved by Logan had my heart clenching almost the entire book. His love can be deeply felt throughout the book.
I will say my only caveat is the actual romance of the book. i was so deeply pulled in by the love of pops has for his own family that I kind of felt that the romance of Logan and Sloane were kind of like second fiddle to that. And it wasn’t that is a bad love story. I just felt that the loss of a parent felt such like a bigger role in this book so that when they did get together, it was more like huh they’re falling in love at this very inopportune time which sucks cause they could’ve been in love way before but similar to like their family, I was way more concerned for Pops and Sloane.
Once all the stuff with Pops happened, it did really lock in that they are the ones meant for each other, and I get the decisions that were made at the end of the book. Did I agree with them not necessarily but it fits with a dynamic that they were looking at for themselves.
Overall, wonderful book could not put it down. It gives you that heart wrenching reality of life for some people that you really need sometimes but also showing what love looks like in different aspects.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
• 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 - 5✨
• 𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞 - 12 February 2026
• 𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬 -
- sports romance
- forced proximity
- hurt comfort
- grief and healing
- found family
- emotional slow burn
- brother's best friend
- caretaking
- he falls first
• 𝐌𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 -
End Game follows Logan and Sloane, two broken souls standing at the most painful crossroads of their lives. Logan is an injured football star forced to face a future without the game that defined him. Sloane is a daughter slowly losing her father to terminal cancer while trying to hold herself together. Their story is not loud or dramatic. It is quiet, raw, and deeply human.
This book completely shattered me in the softest way. The grief felt real. The healing felt earned. Logan is the kind of hero who shows love through presence, patience, and consistency. No grand speeches, just staying when it hurts the most. Sloane’s pain is written with so much honesty that it feels personal. Her journey through loss, numbness, and survival stayed with me long after I finished the book.
The romance is tender and emotionally heavy. Every small moment carries weight. The way love grows alongside grief is beautifully handled.
End Game is not just a sports romance. It is a story about choosing love when life is falling apart. About finding home in another person. About surviving the worst days and still believing in a future.
Writing this review made my eyes watery. All the hospital scenes brought back memories of my own spine surgery in November 2023. Even though my medicines are completely stopped now, recovery is still a journey. This book hit closer to my heart than I expected. The pain, the waiting, the quiet strength felt very personal. End Game reminded me that healing takes time and that surviving itself is a victory.
Thank you so much hambrightpr for the free ARC
• 𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞 - 12 February 2026
• 𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬 -
- sports romance
- forced proximity
- hurt comfort
- grief and healing
- found family
- emotional slow burn
- brother's best friend
- caretaking
- he falls first
• 𝐌𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 -
End Game follows Logan and Sloane, two broken souls standing at the most painful crossroads of their lives. Logan is an injured football star forced to face a future without the game that defined him. Sloane is a daughter slowly losing her father to terminal cancer while trying to hold herself together. Their story is not loud or dramatic. It is quiet, raw, and deeply human.
This book completely shattered me in the softest way. The grief felt real. The healing felt earned. Logan is the kind of hero who shows love through presence, patience, and consistency. No grand speeches, just staying when it hurts the most. Sloane’s pain is written with so much honesty that it feels personal. Her journey through loss, numbness, and survival stayed with me long after I finished the book.
The romance is tender and emotionally heavy. Every small moment carries weight. The way love grows alongside grief is beautifully handled.
End Game is not just a sports romance. It is a story about choosing love when life is falling apart. About finding home in another person. About surviving the worst days and still believing in a future.
Writing this review made my eyes watery. All the hospital scenes brought back memories of my own spine surgery in November 2023. Even though my medicines are completely stopped now, recovery is still a journey. This book hit closer to my heart than I expected. The pain, the waiting, the quiet strength felt very personal. End Game reminded me that healing takes time and that surviving itself is a victory.
Thank you so much hambrightpr for the free ARC
February 7, 2026
This book hit me deeply on an emotional level.
Logan is quiet, observant, and deeply broken in a way that feels lived in. He comes from a home where no one showed up for him, and watching Cameron’s family take him in adds so much weight to who he becomes. Logan notices everything. The small things. The things people wish would go unseen. And somehow, he carries all of it without ever making it about himself.
Sloane was incredibly relatable to me. The way she keeps moving, keeps functioning, keeps pretending everything is fine because stopping would mean letting the grief catch her. That caretaker mindset, the anticipatory loss, the way love and responsibility blur together when someone you adore is dying… it resonated in a very real way. Having taken care of my dad for five years, so many moments in this story felt uncomfortably familiar.
Jade and Blakely were such grounding forces. The kind of friends who show up without asking, who know when to joke and when to be serious, and who love you even when you’re making it impossible to be loved.
Pops absolutely gutted me. His kindness. His steadiness. The quiet way he tries to protect his kids even as everything is slipping away. I miss my dad deeply, and this storyline brought all of that back to the surface in a way I wasn’t expecting.
There were so many lines that stayed with me, especially
“Life doesn’t pause grief to hand you progress. You take the progress anyway.”
and
Progress doesn’t always mean clean steps forward. Sometimes it just means you’re still standing while everything crashes down around you.
This story wrecked me in the best way. The grief, the love, the tension, the weight of everything these characters are carrying all landed hard. I was deeply invested in their journey and especially in the way love shows up during impossible moments.
A powerful, emotional read that will resonate strongly with readers who love character-driven stories about love, loss, and showing up when it matters most.
⸻
🔥 Brother’s best friend
💗 He falls first
🔒 Forced proximity
⚔️ Rival colleges
🕊️ Loss and healing
Logan is quiet, observant, and deeply broken in a way that feels lived in. He comes from a home where no one showed up for him, and watching Cameron’s family take him in adds so much weight to who he becomes. Logan notices everything. The small things. The things people wish would go unseen. And somehow, he carries all of it without ever making it about himself.
Sloane was incredibly relatable to me. The way she keeps moving, keeps functioning, keeps pretending everything is fine because stopping would mean letting the grief catch her. That caretaker mindset, the anticipatory loss, the way love and responsibility blur together when someone you adore is dying… it resonated in a very real way. Having taken care of my dad for five years, so many moments in this story felt uncomfortably familiar.
Jade and Blakely were such grounding forces. The kind of friends who show up without asking, who know when to joke and when to be serious, and who love you even when you’re making it impossible to be loved.
Pops absolutely gutted me. His kindness. His steadiness. The quiet way he tries to protect his kids even as everything is slipping away. I miss my dad deeply, and this storyline brought all of that back to the surface in a way I wasn’t expecting.
There were so many lines that stayed with me, especially
“Life doesn’t pause grief to hand you progress. You take the progress anyway.”
and
Progress doesn’t always mean clean steps forward. Sometimes it just means you’re still standing while everything crashes down around you.
This story wrecked me in the best way. The grief, the love, the tension, the weight of everything these characters are carrying all landed hard. I was deeply invested in their journey and especially in the way love shows up during impossible moments.
A powerful, emotional read that will resonate strongly with readers who love character-driven stories about love, loss, and showing up when it matters most.
⸻
🔥 Brother’s best friend
💗 He falls first
🔒 Forced proximity
⚔️ Rival colleges
🕊️ Loss and healing
February 10, 2026
College romance
Sports romance (football x basketball)
He falls first
Brothers best friend
Forced proximity
No 3rd act break up
Dual pov
“It’s always been you” vibes
Check the TW (terminal illness/loss of parents. This book has Some tough topics)
Emotional 😭 (grief)
“You don’t have to earn being loved.”
“Promise me, you’ll let people love you.”
“You don’t owe the team anything. You owe yourself, your family, whatever you need to get through this.”
“If we do this, I need to know it’s not just because you’re scared. I need you to want this. To want me.”
“I do.” I whisper. “I had for a long time. I’m just- tired of pretending I don’t.”
“Logan.”
“Yeah”
“Don’t disappear on me.”
“Never.”
“LIFE DOESN'T PAUSE GRIEF TO HAND YOU PROGRESS. YOU TAKE THE PROGRESS ANYWAY."
"Because I want to kiss you. Because I've wanted to kiss you since I was seventeen. Because I'm jealous in a way that makes me dangerous, and I hate it."
“Because you are more important to me than football.”
This book had me on an emotional roller coaster! Definitely have your tissues at the ready while reading their story and please check the trigger warnings as there is some heavy topics! So much emotional grief, the loss was huge and you can feel that pain in the words, in every page! But there’s also a healing journey that’s so beautiful and the way Logan takes care of Sloane and puts her needs first, before his own and his dreams.
It’s so raw I am still an absolute mess from the loss of pops. And Logan has come a long way since broken play.
This author has such incredible writing style she has a way of sucking you into the story and make u feel everything. As if it’s your own experiences. I can not recommend this story, this series enough! Incredible 💔❤️🩹❤️
Sports romance (football x basketball)
He falls first
Brothers best friend
Forced proximity
No 3rd act break up
Dual pov
“It’s always been you” vibes
Check the TW (terminal illness/loss of parents. This book has Some tough topics)
Emotional 😭 (grief)
“You don’t have to earn being loved.”
“Promise me, you’ll let people love you.”
“You don’t owe the team anything. You owe yourself, your family, whatever you need to get through this.”
“If we do this, I need to know it’s not just because you’re scared. I need you to want this. To want me.”
“I do.” I whisper. “I had for a long time. I’m just- tired of pretending I don’t.”
“Logan.”
“Yeah”
“Don’t disappear on me.”
“Never.”
“LIFE DOESN'T PAUSE GRIEF TO HAND YOU PROGRESS. YOU TAKE THE PROGRESS ANYWAY."
"Because I want to kiss you. Because I've wanted to kiss you since I was seventeen. Because I'm jealous in a way that makes me dangerous, and I hate it."
“Because you are more important to me than football.”
This book had me on an emotional roller coaster! Definitely have your tissues at the ready while reading their story and please check the trigger warnings as there is some heavy topics! So much emotional grief, the loss was huge and you can feel that pain in the words, in every page! But there’s also a healing journey that’s so beautiful and the way Logan takes care of Sloane and puts her needs first, before his own and his dreams.
It’s so raw I am still an absolute mess from the loss of pops. And Logan has come a long way since broken play.
This author has such incredible writing style she has a way of sucking you into the story and make u feel everything. As if it’s your own experiences. I can not recommend this story, this series enough! Incredible 💔❤️🩹❤️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 12, 2026
ARC REVIEW
End Game by @authorrileypaige
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5)
This is a heavy read — definitely check your trigger warnings. Anyone who’s lost a loved one will feel Sloane and Logan’s grief in their bones. Pops is impossible not to love, and his determination to make sure his kids are cared for is genuinely heart-wrecking. The message that sometimes the most powerful thing you can do for someone is simply show up and stay hit hard.
Sloane is incredibly relatable, trying to keep her world from collapsing by clinging to routines and the things she can control. She’s so well written — I was right there with her through every shower cry, and shaky breath. I spent half the book stressed that she was going to push Logan away when she needed him most, and cheered that there wasn't a third-act breakup.
And Logan? His life has dealt him a brutal hand, and he has every reason to spiral, but instead, he shows up quietly and consistently for Sloane in a way no one else can. It’s not flashy love. It’s steady one — glasses of water on the nightstand and day dates so she can feel normal again. He came off like kind of a jerk earlier in the series, so watching him earn his redemption arc was deeply satisfying.
The epilogue is a perfect, emotional send-off to the couples we’ve come to know and love. I’m going to miss the PCU Storm crew, but I’m absolutely ready for whatever Paige writes next.
Thank you to the author for the ARC!
For fans of: 🏈 Sports Romance | 👩👧 Brother’s Best Friend | 🏠 Housemates | 🤍 Hurt/Comfort | 🏈🏀 Dual Athletes | 🧑⚕️ Caretaking | 😔 Loss & Grief | ❤️ He Falls First
#EndGame #RileyPaige #SportsRomance #FootballRomance #BasketballRomance #BrotherBestFriend #HurtComfort #GriefRep #ARCReview #BookstagramRomance #NewAdultRomance
End Game by @authorrileypaige
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5)
This is a heavy read — definitely check your trigger warnings. Anyone who’s lost a loved one will feel Sloane and Logan’s grief in their bones. Pops is impossible not to love, and his determination to make sure his kids are cared for is genuinely heart-wrecking. The message that sometimes the most powerful thing you can do for someone is simply show up and stay hit hard.
Sloane is incredibly relatable, trying to keep her world from collapsing by clinging to routines and the things she can control. She’s so well written — I was right there with her through every shower cry, and shaky breath. I spent half the book stressed that she was going to push Logan away when she needed him most, and cheered that there wasn't a third-act breakup.
And Logan? His life has dealt him a brutal hand, and he has every reason to spiral, but instead, he shows up quietly and consistently for Sloane in a way no one else can. It’s not flashy love. It’s steady one — glasses of water on the nightstand and day dates so she can feel normal again. He came off like kind of a jerk earlier in the series, so watching him earn his redemption arc was deeply satisfying.
The epilogue is a perfect, emotional send-off to the couples we’ve come to know and love. I’m going to miss the PCU Storm crew, but I’m absolutely ready for whatever Paige writes next.
Thank you to the author for the ARC!
For fans of: 🏈 Sports Romance | 👩👧 Brother’s Best Friend | 🏠 Housemates | 🤍 Hurt/Comfort | 🏈🏀 Dual Athletes | 🧑⚕️ Caretaking | 😔 Loss & Grief | ❤️ He Falls First
#EndGame #RileyPaige #SportsRomance #FootballRomance #BasketballRomance #BrotherBestFriend #HurtComfort #GriefRep #ARCReview #BookstagramRomance #NewAdultRomance
February 9, 2026
Wow. Wow. Wow. I am not usually a crier in books, but this one I bawled my eyes out! It is a heavy subject, but Riley Paige writes it so beautifully. It is raw, emotional, gut wrenching, but also this heart warming feeling you get when something good happens. The whole story sucks you in and keeps you turning the pages faster and faster so you can find out what happens next. I love her books, but this one is so different than the rest, but in the best way!
Sloane loves control and routines. She’s organized and has a tough exterior. Because if she has this, then nothing bad can happen. Basketball is her one mental relief. Her dad is all she has left. So when control and routines don’t work, she drowns out her tears behind close doors. But leaning on people to help would be admitting that the worst actually happened.
Logan was taken in by Sloane and her family because his mom chose drugs over him. Logan gets hurt in a football game that leaves him questioning his future. But being back home with Sloane and her family, he now has to learn how to be a support system for her and his best friend without crossing lines that he wishes he could. While trying to figure out if staying will result in another loss and heartbreak.
Sloane and Logan have this back and forth banter that’s more defense mechanism than it is hate. Their pull may have bad timing, but these two have this chemistry that’s sweet and pure. Their love isn’t hot, but more intimate and fills holes that no one else can fill. It’s quiet and shown in small actions. Logan is patient and gives Sloane the strength she needs to carry on after a huge life impact.
This is the last book in this series, which means past characters made an appearance. It was nice reading updates that were sprinkled in there, and seeing how all the characters interacted. Even though this book dealt more with heavier subjects, it was just so perfect. The writing, the emotions, just everything! I will be thinking about it for monthssss.
This was an ARC read for me, and was my honest opinion. Truly rated this more like 4.5 stars, but rounded up.
Sloane loves control and routines. She’s organized and has a tough exterior. Because if she has this, then nothing bad can happen. Basketball is her one mental relief. Her dad is all she has left. So when control and routines don’t work, she drowns out her tears behind close doors. But leaning on people to help would be admitting that the worst actually happened.
Logan was taken in by Sloane and her family because his mom chose drugs over him. Logan gets hurt in a football game that leaves him questioning his future. But being back home with Sloane and her family, he now has to learn how to be a support system for her and his best friend without crossing lines that he wishes he could. While trying to figure out if staying will result in another loss and heartbreak.
Sloane and Logan have this back and forth banter that’s more defense mechanism than it is hate. Their pull may have bad timing, but these two have this chemistry that’s sweet and pure. Their love isn’t hot, but more intimate and fills holes that no one else can fill. It’s quiet and shown in small actions. Logan is patient and gives Sloane the strength she needs to carry on after a huge life impact.
This is the last book in this series, which means past characters made an appearance. It was nice reading updates that were sprinkled in there, and seeing how all the characters interacted. Even though this book dealt more with heavier subjects, it was just so perfect. The writing, the emotions, just everything! I will be thinking about it for monthssss.
This was an ARC read for me, and was my honest opinion. Truly rated this more like 4.5 stars, but rounded up.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
What an incredible book! It was raw and real and so utterly perfect despite the hard elements of the book. Riley Paige was honest and real in writing this book especially because it follows a lot of what is actually going on in her life. It was an absolute honor to receive this book as an ARC and help with the release of this book.
Logan started off this series as the bad guy, but I always knew he was just genuinely misunderstood and battling more secretly than he was ready to share. How do you handle being in love with your best friend's little sister since you were a teenager and knowing you shouldn't act on it? Especially when you make her basically hate you for saying something hurtful when you were jealous a few years before.
Sloane was the glue that held her family together during her father's brain cancer journey and continually took on the weight of their world without blinking because that's what she thought she needed to do. When Logan came home to rehab his newly surgically fixed knee, she was a cold and ruthless version of herself. Logan was there and ready to do whatever he needed to help take some of the wait and stress off of Sloane and her brother even if she constantly reminded him she didn't need it.
This book had a lot of heavy tropes that resulted in a very emotional read. Sloane, her brother and Logan became caretakers for their father and struggled through what that meant for them and for the future. I can't even imagine the burden this puts on someone to have to see your favorite person in the world go through something so challenging and knowing there really isn't a way to fix it for them.
Riley Paige, you are one of very few authors that has been able to evoke true emotion out of me while reading. I loved every minute of it and the flow of the book was so perfect. Seeing a happy ending for this couple despite all the tragedy they went through together was everything I needed to end this series. I cannot wait for what you decide to write next because I will surely be reading anything and everything you write.
Logan started off this series as the bad guy, but I always knew he was just genuinely misunderstood and battling more secretly than he was ready to share. How do you handle being in love with your best friend's little sister since you were a teenager and knowing you shouldn't act on it? Especially when you make her basically hate you for saying something hurtful when you were jealous a few years before.
Sloane was the glue that held her family together during her father's brain cancer journey and continually took on the weight of their world without blinking because that's what she thought she needed to do. When Logan came home to rehab his newly surgically fixed knee, she was a cold and ruthless version of herself. Logan was there and ready to do whatever he needed to help take some of the wait and stress off of Sloane and her brother even if she constantly reminded him she didn't need it.
This book had a lot of heavy tropes that resulted in a very emotional read. Sloane, her brother and Logan became caretakers for their father and struggled through what that meant for them and for the future. I can't even imagine the burden this puts on someone to have to see your favorite person in the world go through something so challenging and knowing there really isn't a way to fix it for them.
Riley Paige, you are one of very few authors that has been able to evoke true emotion out of me while reading. I loved every minute of it and the flow of the book was so perfect. Seeing a happy ending for this couple despite all the tragedy they went through together was everything I needed to end this series. I cannot wait for what you decide to write next because I will surely be reading anything and everything you write.
February 8, 2026
Review for End Game!!
🩻Overall🫖
Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25/5
Thank you sooo much the Ms. Paige for the ARC!
But, What do you mean this series is over?
*cutely cries*
Anyways! End Game was such a roller coaster…This book stabbed me in all the right places and made me smile too. I just didn’t want it to end…
This book was filled with good, emotional moments and was just *chef kiss*
I was sobbing in the middle of the novel and stilling sniffling at some parts, but still…good book 😭
However, I did find that the book was rather longer than the usual Riley Paige book and i didn’t notice the rival school trope that was mentioned in many of graphics used to advertise the novel, hence the four stars. Still great book and the extra moments were necessary to the novel.
Last comment, but the characters were AMAZING. I loved Sloane’s character, she reminds me of myself.
Sloane started as a hard-headed and stubborn person but slowly and surely she became more relaxed and let people help her when times were/are hard.
Logan was great in his own way, especially since he was a prick in the first book…, but I would’ve loved to hear more about his past.
He really cares for the people he loves. He holds them close and will do anything to help them be/feel better.
The side characters were great too!! Cameron, who should have his own book. Pops, GREAT PARENT, but I needed MORE of him, I just needed more.
Let’s move to the tropes!!
౨ৎ ˖ ࣪⊹ •💜•⊹₊ ⋆୨ৎ
Tropes!🏥
⌇ ⋆Childhood Rivals(really it was frenemies) to Lovers
⌇ ⋆ Brother’s Best friend/ Best Friend’s Sister
⌇ ⋆ He falls first
౨ৎ ˖ ࣪⊹ •💜•⊹₊ ⋆୨ৎ
🏀Highlights or Notes🏈
꒰❤️꒱My heart cutely died while reading this and I will NEVER stop saying that
꒰🩶꒱THE THINGS LOGAN SAID LEFT A FAT SCAR ON MY HEART 😵
꒰❤️꒱This book actually left me in a slump after reading…
౨ৎ ˖ ࣪⊹ •💜•⊹₊ ⋆୨ৎ
Thank you for reading my review! See you for the next PCU book!!!
🩻Overall🫖
Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25/5
Thank you sooo much the Ms. Paige for the ARC!
But, What do you mean this series is over?
*cutely cries*
Anyways! End Game was such a roller coaster…This book stabbed me in all the right places and made me smile too. I just didn’t want it to end…
This book was filled with good, emotional moments and was just *chef kiss*
I was sobbing in the middle of the novel and stilling sniffling at some parts, but still…good book 😭
However, I did find that the book was rather longer than the usual Riley Paige book and i didn’t notice the rival school trope that was mentioned in many of graphics used to advertise the novel, hence the four stars. Still great book and the extra moments were necessary to the novel.
Last comment, but the characters were AMAZING. I loved Sloane’s character, she reminds me of myself.
Sloane started as a hard-headed and stubborn person but slowly and surely she became more relaxed and let people help her when times were/are hard.
Logan was great in his own way, especially since he was a prick in the first book…, but I would’ve loved to hear more about his past.
He really cares for the people he loves. He holds them close and will do anything to help them be/feel better.
The side characters were great too!! Cameron, who should have his own book. Pops, GREAT PARENT, but I needed MORE of him, I just needed more.
Let’s move to the tropes!!
౨ৎ ˖ ࣪⊹ •💜•⊹₊ ⋆୨ৎ
Tropes!🏥
⌇ ⋆Childhood Rivals(really it was frenemies) to Lovers
⌇ ⋆ Brother’s Best friend/ Best Friend’s Sister
⌇ ⋆ He falls first
౨ৎ ˖ ࣪⊹ •💜•⊹₊ ⋆୨ৎ
🏀Highlights or Notes🏈
꒰❤️꒱My heart cutely died while reading this and I will NEVER stop saying that
꒰🩶꒱THE THINGS LOGAN SAID LEFT A FAT SCAR ON MY HEART 😵
꒰❤️꒱This book actually left me in a slump after reading…
౨ৎ ˖ ࣪⊹ •💜•⊹₊ ⋆୨ৎ
Thank you for reading my review! See you for the next PCU book!!!
February 12, 2026
ARC Review: 4.5⭐️
End Game is the fourth and final book in the PCU Storm series featuring Logan Brooks & Sloane Rhodes.
During his final year at PCU, Logan suffers a season ending injury which places his football future on the line. He comes to Rehab at the one place he’s always felt at home, with his best friend Cameron and his Family.
Sloane is a basketball player and often the glue that keeps her family going. Logan is the bane of her existence and having him around again is the last thing she wants. Especially when her father’s cancer comes back and this time the prognosis isn’t good.
Sloane carries the weight of everything on her shoulders and will do everything she can to help her father, while refusing to come to terms with the reality. Logan remains strong in his attempts to break down her walls and to be there to support her.
As things continue with her father continue to deteriorate, Logan becomes the one person Sloane leans on for support. But will letting him get close impact the time she has left with her Father?
As someone who has experienced the loss of her father, I felt I could connect with Sloane and what she was going through. This story was extremely emotional to me but it wrapped up in such beautiful way, showing you that even though the loss feels like it changes your life, you can still find your happiness.
This was my first book from Riley and I absolutely loved it! I would recommend checking the triggers because it does deal with some sensitive topics but overall I would recommend reading this touching story.
Thank you Riley for the ARC, I look forward to reading more from you in the future!
End Game is the fourth and final book in the PCU Storm series featuring Logan Brooks & Sloane Rhodes.
During his final year at PCU, Logan suffers a season ending injury which places his football future on the line. He comes to Rehab at the one place he’s always felt at home, with his best friend Cameron and his Family.
Sloane is a basketball player and often the glue that keeps her family going. Logan is the bane of her existence and having him around again is the last thing she wants. Especially when her father’s cancer comes back and this time the prognosis isn’t good.
Sloane carries the weight of everything on her shoulders and will do everything she can to help her father, while refusing to come to terms with the reality. Logan remains strong in his attempts to break down her walls and to be there to support her.
As things continue with her father continue to deteriorate, Logan becomes the one person Sloane leans on for support. But will letting him get close impact the time she has left with her Father?
As someone who has experienced the loss of her father, I felt I could connect with Sloane and what she was going through. This story was extremely emotional to me but it wrapped up in such beautiful way, showing you that even though the loss feels like it changes your life, you can still find your happiness.
This was my first book from Riley and I absolutely loved it! I would recommend checking the triggers because it does deal with some sensitive topics but overall I would recommend reading this touching story.
Thank you Riley for the ARC, I look forward to reading more from you in the future!
February 12, 2026
Summary:
Sloane and Logan have known each other since childhood. But ever since a party where Logan said some pretty mean things to her out of jealousy, she wants nothing to do with him.
That's about to change. Due to a football injury, Logan moves back into Sloane's family home. She is, of course, less than thrilled about this.
When her father falls ill with cancer again, she tries everything she can to distract herself. She goes to her basketball practices, organizes everything at home and anything related to the illness. The goal is that she is constantly busy and doesn't have to think about the future. The future in which her dad will no longer be there.
And even though she refuses his help, Logan tries everything to support her. He is there for her and even though that wasn't the plan, the two grow closer and closer.
Opinion:
If you're looking for a very emotional sports romance with tropes such as brother's best friend, forced proximity, he falls first, and grief you've come to the perfect place.
“End Game” is not a lighthearted sports romance. It deals with deep and painful emotions that brought me to tears, especially in the last quarter of the book.
I could really relate to Sloane's many different emotions and they touched me deeply.
I also liked that this story isn't just about one sport. While Logan is a football player and we get insight into the sport in his chapters, Sloane's chapters give us exciting scenes from basketball games and training situations.
If you're not afraid of big emotions, you should definitely read “End Game.”
Sloane and Logan have known each other since childhood. But ever since a party where Logan said some pretty mean things to her out of jealousy, she wants nothing to do with him.
That's about to change. Due to a football injury, Logan moves back into Sloane's family home. She is, of course, less than thrilled about this.
When her father falls ill with cancer again, she tries everything she can to distract herself. She goes to her basketball practices, organizes everything at home and anything related to the illness. The goal is that she is constantly busy and doesn't have to think about the future. The future in which her dad will no longer be there.
And even though she refuses his help, Logan tries everything to support her. He is there for her and even though that wasn't the plan, the two grow closer and closer.
Opinion:
If you're looking for a very emotional sports romance with tropes such as brother's best friend, forced proximity, he falls first, and grief you've come to the perfect place.
“End Game” is not a lighthearted sports romance. It deals with deep and painful emotions that brought me to tears, especially in the last quarter of the book.
I could really relate to Sloane's many different emotions and they touched me deeply.
I also liked that this story isn't just about one sport. While Logan is a football player and we get insight into the sport in his chapters, Sloane's chapters give us exciting scenes from basketball games and training situations.
If you're not afraid of big emotions, you should definitely read “End Game.”
February 12, 2026
okay, this one wrecked me. 😭😭
I cried majority of this book.
already knowing to not expecting a sweet sports romance, but instead a very emotional and grief filled one.
now don't get me wrong, there were sweet moments, but most of it you're right there with the characters trying to navigate the new "normal".
I loved these characters so much.
Sloane is a junior at CSU and plays basketball there.
Her brother, Cameron, also attends there, a senior, and plays basketball.
Logan is a senior at PCU and plays football there.
Logan and Cameron are best friends, grew up together. Logan basically raised by Cameron and Sloanes dad....who unfortunately now is battling cancer.
Coach was the sweetest 😭
I felt for Sloane so much. her struggles I understood, her ways of processing, grieving, completely understood and i think that's another reason this hit me so deeply.
the relationship between her and Logan is so tense, but oh my gosh, Logan never quit trying. simply being there. 😭
just the way he paid attention, noticed the little things.
I just couldn't stop crying and yet still couldn't put the book down.
I just loved it..
the ending, OMG the ending. 🥹
I wish I could put this in better words without spoiling anything.
this had it all. raw emotions, loss, struggles with grief, but also a love story that builds around it while still being so real with the whole situation.
I will definitely be backtracking to the rest of the books in the series. this is the final book in the PCU Storm series. each a standalone...but i will for sure read the others.
🫶🏻 thank you so much Riley and Hambright_pr for the arc.
I cried majority of this book.
already knowing to not expecting a sweet sports romance, but instead a very emotional and grief filled one.
now don't get me wrong, there were sweet moments, but most of it you're right there with the characters trying to navigate the new "normal".
I loved these characters so much.
Sloane is a junior at CSU and plays basketball there.
Her brother, Cameron, also attends there, a senior, and plays basketball.
Logan is a senior at PCU and plays football there.
Logan and Cameron are best friends, grew up together. Logan basically raised by Cameron and Sloanes dad....who unfortunately now is battling cancer.
Coach was the sweetest 😭
I felt for Sloane so much. her struggles I understood, her ways of processing, grieving, completely understood and i think that's another reason this hit me so deeply.
the relationship between her and Logan is so tense, but oh my gosh, Logan never quit trying. simply being there. 😭
just the way he paid attention, noticed the little things.
I just couldn't stop crying and yet still couldn't put the book down.
I just loved it..
the ending, OMG the ending. 🥹
I wish I could put this in better words without spoiling anything.
this had it all. raw emotions, loss, struggles with grief, but also a love story that builds around it while still being so real with the whole situation.
I will definitely be backtracking to the rest of the books in the series. this is the final book in the PCU Storm series. each a standalone...but i will for sure read the others.
🫶🏻 thank you so much Riley and Hambright_pr for the arc.
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