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Suncastle College #1
A Game Like Ours
A Game Like Ours is a New Adult, Queer, College Literary Fiction with strong romantic themes about coming to terms with loss and identity.
To the outside world, Bobby Anderson is an attractive, charismatic baseball star.
But inside, Bobby holds secrets—including his closeted sexuality—and each secret alone has the power to destroy his carefully-constructed life.
When his best friend Cody dies, Bobby is thrown into the unwitting role of supporter for Cody’s grieving fiancée, Lexie. The issue? Bobby has long-harbored feelings for her that he never allowed to surface.
Torn between his growing attraction for Lexie and devotion to his deceased friend, Bobby is forced to re-examine his life and concern about divulging his sexual identity. Another secret spoken by Cody during his final moments eats away at Bobby’s conscience, driving the wedge of Cody’s death deeper.
Once these secrets come to light, will Lexie ever be able to forgive them? Can she accept Bobby for who he is? Will she ever want anything to do with him again?
To the outside world, Bobby Anderson is an attractive, charismatic baseball star.
But inside, Bobby holds secrets—including his closeted sexuality—and each secret alone has the power to destroy his carefully-constructed life.
When his best friend Cody dies, Bobby is thrown into the unwitting role of supporter for Cody’s grieving fiancée, Lexie. The issue? Bobby has long-harbored feelings for her that he never allowed to surface.
Torn between his growing attraction for Lexie and devotion to his deceased friend, Bobby is forced to re-examine his life and concern about divulging his sexual identity. Another secret spoken by Cody during his final moments eats away at Bobby’s conscience, driving the wedge of Cody’s death deeper.
Once these secrets come to light, will Lexie ever be able to forgive them? Can she accept Bobby for who he is? Will she ever want anything to do with him again?
406 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 30, 2021
27 people are currently reading
278 people want to read
About the author
Marissa J. Gramoll
5 books126 followersFollow me on Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/maris...
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BIO:
Lover of stories since before they could walk, Marissa has always had a passion for creating characters and worlds. Learning to read was a challenge, so they learned words by writing them–taking their notebook everywhere and asking total strangers how to spell. Since then, a laptop has replaced their trusty notebook and their stories have evolved into novels.
Marissa lives with their partner, two children, an adorable puppy and an endless collection of David Bowie hats. They enjoy reading in the sunshine, with a bottle of chocolate milk and music playing in the background.
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https://www.facebook.com/authormariss...
Grab my FREE Novella: https://bit.ly/3FNiRq1
BIO:
Lover of stories since before they could walk, Marissa has always had a passion for creating characters and worlds. Learning to read was a challenge, so they learned words by writing them–taking their notebook everywhere and asking total strangers how to spell. Since then, a laptop has replaced their trusty notebook and their stories have evolved into novels.
Marissa lives with their partner, two children, an adorable puppy and an endless collection of David Bowie hats. They enjoy reading in the sunshine, with a bottle of chocolate milk and music playing in the background.
FACEBOOK FAN PAGE
https://www.facebook.com/authormariss...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
March 17, 2021
Wow, what a debut! So much angst and emotions involved!
Bobby Anderson and Cody Jones were best friends. Cody died almost two years ago in a car accident. Bobby feels guilt and an incredible loss. Besides that, he has some personal issues that he is hiding from everyone if he wants to be drafted for major league baseball.
Lexie Hawthorne was Cody's long time girl friend turned fiancée. She also feels a devastating loss since Cody's death. She left town to get away from the pain, but now is back to finish her senior year of college.
Both of these characters have to deal with this loss. They try to deal with it together, but Bobby is hiding some very important information from Lexie which could change their growing relationship.
This is such an emotional and gut-wrenching story! I felt so much for Bobby. The guilt he felt over his secrets was so raw and real. His love for both Cody and Lexie shone through. I was looking forward to their HEA.
Thank you to Grey's Promo and the author for this advanced readers copy. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
Bobby Anderson and Cody Jones were best friends. Cody died almost two years ago in a car accident. Bobby feels guilt and an incredible loss. Besides that, he has some personal issues that he is hiding from everyone if he wants to be drafted for major league baseball.
Lexie Hawthorne was Cody's long time girl friend turned fiancée. She also feels a devastating loss since Cody's death. She left town to get away from the pain, but now is back to finish her senior year of college.
Both of these characters have to deal with this loss. They try to deal with it together, but Bobby is hiding some very important information from Lexie which could change their growing relationship.
This is such an emotional and gut-wrenching story! I felt so much for Bobby. The guilt he felt over his secrets was so raw and real. His love for both Cody and Lexie shone through. I was looking forward to their HEA.
Thank you to Grey's Promo and the author for this advanced readers copy. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
April 30, 2021
This was so much more than I expected! Wow! It was heartbreaking, bittersweet and heartwarming.
A year and a half after the death of Cody who was Lexie's fiancee and Bobby's best friend. This is a story about grief, new love, regret, missed dreams, missed love and belonging.
This story wasn't what I thought for some reason. I had assumed the bisexual character was the female mc (I hate when I do that). And there was so much more than surface tension. There were so many issues that they kept private that they wanted to share but kept a secret.
Mental health disorders definitely have a stigma and you can't always tell especially since they appear to be happy. No one can tell they are struggling. You have to check in with all your people even the ones who seem the most put together, they may not know how to ask for help. The character who had it was surprising since I haven't seen them represented. Maybe I need to read more.
I loved how this story unfolded how their depths were revealed, their loves for eachother, the secrets they harbored in their shame, then the redemption when those they loved accepted them.
On a side note you nailed sunstroke. I've gotten it almost to the point of passing out multiple times it's scary and no one helps the blind person crawling to the beverage cooler. I have such a panic over it that I always have a 40 oz of water with me. Just the static noise gives me anxiety cause that's what your ears do as your vision goes black.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A year and a half after the death of Cody who was Lexie's fiancee and Bobby's best friend. This is a story about grief, new love, regret, missed dreams, missed love and belonging.
This story wasn't what I thought for some reason. I had assumed the bisexual character was the female mc (I hate when I do that). And there was so much more than surface tension. There were so many issues that they kept private that they wanted to share but kept a secret.
Mental health disorders definitely have a stigma and you can't always tell especially since they appear to be happy. No one can tell they are struggling. You have to check in with all your people even the ones who seem the most put together, they may not know how to ask for help. The character who had it was surprising since I haven't seen them represented. Maybe I need to read more.
I loved how this story unfolded how their depths were revealed, their loves for eachother, the secrets they harbored in their shame, then the redemption when those they loved accepted them.
On a side note you nailed sunstroke. I've gotten it almost to the point of passing out multiple times it's scary and no one helps the blind person crawling to the beverage cooler. I have such a panic over it that I always have a 40 oz of water with me. Just the static noise gives me anxiety cause that's what your ears do as your vision goes black.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
March 15, 2021
I loved Bobby and Lexie’s story. Their journey to healing from losing someone they love, keeping secrets out of loyalty and coping through the pressures of everyday life, was in no way easy as this story didn’t shy away from the harsh reality of how other people’s expectations and opinions made them feel they needed to hide their truth.
I loved seeing them both grow so much throughout and find the strength to be open and love again.
This was such an amazing read and I can’t wait to see what Marissa writes next!
I loved seeing them both grow so much throughout and find the strength to be open and love again.
This was such an amazing read and I can’t wait to see what Marissa writes next!
March 31, 2021
I thought this book was absolutely adorable! I’ve never read a baseball romance before so this was the perfect one to get me started. I thought the character development was executed very well and I love when we get a HEA! This was totally different than what I expected this book to be about but I really appreciated how the author handled the heavier topics.
Because this book has a lot of heavy topics, I definitely recommend checking out the trigger warning at the beginning of this book before diving in.
Because this book has a lot of heavy topics, I definitely recommend checking out the trigger warning at the beginning of this book before diving in.
March 30, 2021
What an emotional debut novel! Against the backdrop of college baseball and the upcoming MLB draft, Bobby is dealing with a lot of issues that could threaten both his career and his health. Lexie is just trying to not drown in the memories of her previous life as she returns to try to finish college and get on with her life.
Bobby and Lexie have both lost the person that they love, but instead of turning to each other other for solace, they lost touch for more than a year and only reunite as Lexie returns to college. This book delves deep into their loss and, as they comfort each other and grow closer, secrets get unearthed that rock Lexie to the core.
And speaking of rocking Lexie to the core, the sex scenes in this book are off the charts hot, while also being so thoughtful, intimate and loving. Lexie has a lot of insecurities around her lack of experience and Bobby is wonderful about easing her vulnerabilities.
“When we make love it’s about us sharing. ... Sex is about giving and receiving. ...This is about us. Only us. It’s about me taking care of you. Learnin’ what you like. You learnin’ what I like.” *Swoon*
So many important messages in this book and the author does not shy away from addressing mental health issues, sexual orientation and inclusion. I loved how she flipped the script on eating disorders because they are especially an issue in elite athletes. Also, this was the first book I’ve read with a non-binary character that is referred to as “they” and it took my brain a hot minute to wrap itself around the plural pronoun depicting one person. But I got it, and love that the romance genre is leading the way in showing that “love is love.”
There is such amazing character growth in these characters. After all the secrets are unearthed, they show that they are stronger for it and ready to face the world as a solid couple.
Thanks to Grey’s Promotions and Marissa J. Gramoll for the advance reader copy of this book. These are my honest opinions.
Bobby and Lexie have both lost the person that they love, but instead of turning to each other other for solace, they lost touch for more than a year and only reunite as Lexie returns to college. This book delves deep into their loss and, as they comfort each other and grow closer, secrets get unearthed that rock Lexie to the core.
And speaking of rocking Lexie to the core, the sex scenes in this book are off the charts hot, while also being so thoughtful, intimate and loving. Lexie has a lot of insecurities around her lack of experience and Bobby is wonderful about easing her vulnerabilities.
“When we make love it’s about us sharing. ... Sex is about giving and receiving. ...This is about us. Only us. It’s about me taking care of you. Learnin’ what you like. You learnin’ what I like.” *Swoon*
So many important messages in this book and the author does not shy away from addressing mental health issues, sexual orientation and inclusion. I loved how she flipped the script on eating disorders because they are especially an issue in elite athletes. Also, this was the first book I’ve read with a non-binary character that is referred to as “they” and it took my brain a hot minute to wrap itself around the plural pronoun depicting one person. But I got it, and love that the romance genre is leading the way in showing that “love is love.”
There is such amazing character growth in these characters. After all the secrets are unearthed, they show that they are stronger for it and ready to face the world as a solid couple.
Thanks to Grey’s Promotions and Marissa J. Gramoll for the advance reader copy of this book. These are my honest opinions.
April 15, 2021
A Game Like Ours may be Marissa’s debut novel, but she came out aiming for the fences. This story is the ultimate layer cake of angst, grief, suffering, loss, friendship, and love. Marissa combines these essential and often heavy ingredients together in a flawless fashion. These characters become friends and their journey becomes your own. It’s not an easy story, but it will move you to the depths of your soul.
One of my favorite lines from the novel is: “We did the best we could, and all we have is now.” A Game Like Ours is full of lessons that we can each take into our daily life, learning to enjoy the moment instead of always grasping for the future or reflecting on the past.
One of my favorite lines from the novel is: “We did the best we could, and all we have is now.” A Game Like Ours is full of lessons that we can each take into our daily life, learning to enjoy the moment instead of always grasping for the future or reflecting on the past.
March 26, 2021
3.5 Stars
My first book by this author. And boy, what a gut-wrenching heart breaker! I wanted to “Mom” every single one of those characters so hard!! Marissa Gramoll goes in-depth into a lot of heavy topics. And I think she does an incredible job of showing how they’re inter-connected. These characters and the trauma they go through are easily relatable. This book has such an important message... whatever pain & suffering you’re going through there are people who will accept you, support you, love you... no matter what. You are not alone.
My first book by this author. And boy, what a gut-wrenching heart breaker! I wanted to “Mom” every single one of those characters so hard!! Marissa Gramoll goes in-depth into a lot of heavy topics. And I think she does an incredible job of showing how they’re inter-connected. These characters and the trauma they go through are easily relatable. This book has such an important message... whatever pain & suffering you’re going through there are people who will accept you, support you, love you... no matter what. You are not alone.
March 1, 2022
This one did take me a little longer to read - BUT - I will say a huge part of that was due to how emotionally involved I got. Lexie and Bobby both handled loss in a different way, and neither knew what the other has to endure over the course of a year since losing their best friend. How do you handle the loss though when your feelings for someone are also coming through? Especially when she was engaged to him, and you’re carrying a deep secret that you don’t know how or if she’ll handle? Not just one secret either! Lexie is stronger than she gives herself credit for, but also so lost when she realizes she misses signs that have been there all along. Who can blame her though when she also has a very strange home life that plays into how she views herself? Bobby also has a home life that he never thought - believing he at least had that part of himself together and nothing was wrong there. Overall this book took me through such a rollercoaster, and reminded me of so many things from my teen years (even being college based). As an added note - if you enjoy reading accents - this book definitely has it and makes it easier to imagine what Lexie and Bobby actually sound like.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 14, 2021
AMAZING!! I absolutely adore this book. Ugh I loved the characters and the plot is chefs kiss awesome. Highly recommended 👌👍👏💯
Want to read
August 16, 2023🎁 FREE on Amazon today (10/30/2021)! 🎁
March 29, 2021
Marissa J. Gramoll is a “new-to-me” author and I was immediately intrigued by her debut story. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect going into the book but wanted to take a chance and see where the story took me, and oh boy... 👌🏻😫😍❤️😭🥰
Marissa brought to life such a deep, emotional, and well written story that hooks the reader from the very first page. The storyline has great flow, and romance that will keep your eyes glued to the page. Not to mention the impeccably depicted heartache present in every scene! 😫👌🏻❤️ Your heart definitely takes a roller coaster ride in this book. From dropping to your feet to souring so high you can’t help but smile while you cry. I had a major book-hangover from the moment I finished the last page, but it was absolutely worth it to have experienced this incredible journey.
Marissa depicted such sensitive topics so perfectly, with respect, grace and honesty. Truly, the deep and emotional things touched in this story were phenomenally handled and represented in a wonderful way. Well done Marissa... ☺️
Bobby and Lexie were so perfect together and I truly loved reading their story. The enormous bumps in the road and on the way to their happy ending just made this story all the sweeter. An amazing balance of heavy heartache, angst, honesty and romance, this novel and these characters were more than I ever expected. I cannot get over how much I genuinely loved reading this story. I am usually not a fan of “ugly-cry” stories but this one will undoubtedly go down as a favourite of mine now. I already want to reread this book and I only just read it!
This is an absolutely breathtaking and remarkable debut novel for Marissa J. Gramoll. I can’t wait to see what outstanding story she will write next. 5 well deserved stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Marissa brought to life such a deep, emotional, and well written story that hooks the reader from the very first page. The storyline has great flow, and romance that will keep your eyes glued to the page. Not to mention the impeccably depicted heartache present in every scene! 😫👌🏻❤️ Your heart definitely takes a roller coaster ride in this book. From dropping to your feet to souring so high you can’t help but smile while you cry. I had a major book-hangover from the moment I finished the last page, but it was absolutely worth it to have experienced this incredible journey.
Marissa depicted such sensitive topics so perfectly, with respect, grace and honesty. Truly, the deep and emotional things touched in this story were phenomenally handled and represented in a wonderful way. Well done Marissa... ☺️
Bobby and Lexie were so perfect together and I truly loved reading their story. The enormous bumps in the road and on the way to their happy ending just made this story all the sweeter. An amazing balance of heavy heartache, angst, honesty and romance, this novel and these characters were more than I ever expected. I cannot get over how much I genuinely loved reading this story. I am usually not a fan of “ugly-cry” stories but this one will undoubtedly go down as a favourite of mine now. I already want to reread this book and I only just read it!
This is an absolutely breathtaking and remarkable debut novel for Marissa J. Gramoll. I can’t wait to see what outstanding story she will write next. 5 well deserved stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
August 15, 2023
Actual rating: 4.5 stars.
I had a subtle suspect since the very first page, that was then confirmed towards the half-way point and... damn boy you really have a shit ton of trauma don't you?
I'm ready to defend Bobby through everything. Lexie gave him a lot of shit that he didn't deserve and I do not like how she handled the "secret" at all. They both obviously had a lot of things to work through and Lexie liked the idea of being patient with each other, but only when it came to herself, not gracing Bobby with the same courtesy.
Mickey also deserves to be bitch-slapped. Your girlfriend being pregnant is no excuse to be an asshole to everyone and ignore the fact that your friend and roommate has an eating disorder and is clearly struggling. Like... wtf is wrong with you dude.
Additional note: as someone with religious trauma, it was a bit of a hard read and I kind of flinched every time anything about God or religion came up. It's a me problem, obviously.
Representation: bisexual male main character with eating disorder and mental health issues, cishet female love interest, gay side character, nonbinary side character, sapphic side characters.
Content Warnings: loss of a loved one (through car accident), grief, eating disorder, vomit, suicidal thoughts, domestic abuse, homophobia, compulsory heterosexuality, cheating, strained parent child relationship, divorce.
I had a subtle suspect since the very first page, that was then confirmed towards the half-way point and... damn boy you really have a shit ton of trauma don't you?
I'm ready to defend Bobby through everything. Lexie gave him a lot of shit that he didn't deserve and I do not like how she handled the "secret" at all. They both obviously had a lot of things to work through and Lexie liked the idea of being patient with each other, but only when it came to herself, not gracing Bobby with the same courtesy.
Mickey also deserves to be bitch-slapped. Your girlfriend being pregnant is no excuse to be an asshole to everyone and ignore the fact that your friend and roommate has an eating disorder and is clearly struggling. Like... wtf is wrong with you dude.
Additional note: as someone with religious trauma, it was a bit of a hard read and I kind of flinched every time anything about God or religion came up. It's a me problem, obviously.
Representation: bisexual male main character with eating disorder and mental health issues, cishet female love interest, gay side character, nonbinary side character, sapphic side characters.
Content Warnings: loss of a loved one (through car accident), grief, eating disorder, vomit, suicidal thoughts, domestic abuse, homophobia, compulsory heterosexuality, cheating, strained parent child relationship, divorce.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 3, 2021
Thank you to the author and literary bound tours for this gifted ebook for the blog and Instagram tour!
What an amazing debut and start to the Suncastle College series! I was not expecting to love this story this much!
The fact that I cried on the second chapter tells you how emotional of a story this is. The characters deal with depression, eating disorders, homophobia and grief. I felt like these topics were handled very well.
The only thing I didn’t like that much was the fact that the author really focused on the physical relationship and left the emotional relationship between Bobby and Lexie behind. The complex topics really gave the potential to show us some emotional intimacy next to the physical intimacy, but that chance was really overlooked.
However the characters are very well written and diverse. The male main character is bisexual, which as a bi girl I loved to see! Bobby and Lexie felt like really people I could meet in real life and not just characters that I was reading about.
I’m very excited to see what Marissa will do with the rest of the series and will definitely be keeping an eye out for more books from her!
What an amazing debut and start to the Suncastle College series! I was not expecting to love this story this much!
The fact that I cried on the second chapter tells you how emotional of a story this is. The characters deal with depression, eating disorders, homophobia and grief. I felt like these topics were handled very well.
The only thing I didn’t like that much was the fact that the author really focused on the physical relationship and left the emotional relationship between Bobby and Lexie behind. The complex topics really gave the potential to show us some emotional intimacy next to the physical intimacy, but that chance was really overlooked.
However the characters are very well written and diverse. The male main character is bisexual, which as a bi girl I loved to see! Bobby and Lexie felt like really people I could meet in real life and not just characters that I was reading about.
I’m very excited to see what Marissa will do with the rest of the series and will definitely be keeping an eye out for more books from her!
June 17, 2021
The bases are loaded, we're at the bottom of the ninth, and we're two strikes in on the last batter. (Did I get that right?)
Please don't make me ever write another sports analogy again - but, hopefully that conveys how this book was for me: loaded.
In other words - there is a lot to unpack from A Game Like Ours. I'll start off by saying that after the first third of the book, I wasn't sure this was a story for me. It's so outside the realm of what I normally like to read, and then after I found my stride, I was invested, and needed to see how the tale ended.
First of all, sports in not my thing. Like, at all. And this book completely revolves around collegiate baseball. It's the driving force behind the story. Secondly, this is very much a contemporary romance, and at times I found the themes daunting, heavy, pervasive, and difficult to get through...I like my Urban Fantasy books where I find the stories are generally more accessible. But like I said at the beginning of this review - getting out of your comfort zone and reading different things is good for the ole brain. Pushing yourself into uncomfortable or uncharted waters means you're learning new things, or looking at life in a different way.
Our main character is Bobby. Bobby is bisexual, although from what I read in the book, I would have probably placed him as pansexual - but hey - how someone identifies is their choice, not mine - so let's leave it at bisexual. But I will say this - Gramoll has done an OUTSTANDING job in depicting a character who is sexually attracted to different genders, but the current love interest would suggest he was straight. This comes up in the book, and I give Gramoll all the credit for ensuring there is no bi-erasure. Top notch job!
The secondary issue - and another dominant theme in the story is bulimia. Bobby has an eating disorder, and it ends up affecting everything in his life. Again, Gramoll did a stunning job in showing us what it's like for the character - the need to purge - the fight to not purge - what triggers Bobby to want to purge, and then of course, the ramifications of his eating disorder on his emotional and physical well being. This was an interesting aspect of the book. It's far more common to associate eating disorders with women, than with men - although let's not kid ourselves - men have just as many issues with body image, food, and public expectations on how we look- we just haven't been talking about it. A Game Like Ours is bringing this issue to the forefront. Again, well done!
But as much as the story centers around baseball, Bobby's sexual orientation and eating disorders, the whole reason this story is playing out is because of the recent death of Bobby's best friend, and fellow baseball player, Cody. There's another whole bucket of emotions to sort through here - from survivor's guilt, to honoring a friend's last wishes - to keeping secrets...and there are some big secrets.
Lexie is the love interest. The book bounces back and forth between Bobby and Lexie's points of view, and Lexie has just as many issues she is trying to resolve. Lexie was engaged to Cody, and although they were going to be married, there were issues in their relationship that were heavy enough she now feels guilty for feeling 'free' where society tells her she should be grieving the loss of her fiancée.
Lexie has family drama. Can't tell you what that is, as it's a good plot twist and I don't want to give it all away, but it adds to her own inner battles. Lexie is also set to graduate from Medical Sports Therapy - a profession that she enjoys, and makes her family happy, but is not her passion in life and not what she ultimately wants to do.
There are so many different pulls and twists that each person is struggling with, it often seems too much to grapple with. After all, a romance of any kind is supposed to transport me away and take me on a feel good ride, right?
Add in a smattering of socioeconomic disparity, religious upbringings, troubling relationships with parental figures, alcoholism and abuse, homophobia and we have a bases loaded scenario - where any one of these issues could be the tipping point for a character in other books, all of these come into play.
Gramoll uses the 'torture your main characters' quite literally, but through these compounded issues, we get to a chance to see how complicated the characters lives are, and I think that mimics our own situations. Life is always complicated and we're never dealing with a single issue. Gramoll gives us a chance to wade through all the thoughts and emotions, and the inner thought processes we all go through on a daily basis.
It's completely overwhelming.
It's not pints of beer, hot dogs, and popcorn at a baseball game.
In fact, it's not a game at all - it's life. And life is complicated and messy.
In the end, things work out. Maybe not how you expect - but despite the turmoil and strife, we can be happy - we just have to work hard to get there.
The one thing I was truly disappointed with in this book was the fact that Baseball (as an entity for the entirety of the sports arena), got full points for dealing with, accepting, and getting Bobby assistance with his mental health and eating disorder - but remained silent on the sex and sexuality front. The fact that Bobby still couldn't come out to his team, or the institution regarding his sexuality left me at odds. I really, really wish there had been a resolution on this front - and a happy one - one that showed how the sports world can be accepting of gender expression and sexual orientation, because that is a battlefront faced by many LGBTQIA+ folks who are involved in sports. We need good representation in literature on this front.
A Game Like Ours is a good reminder that life is hard, but it has its rewards. Get your cleats on for this book. You're gonna wanna be able to dig in deep while running from base to base.
Please don't make me ever write another sports analogy again - but, hopefully that conveys how this book was for me: loaded.
In other words - there is a lot to unpack from A Game Like Ours. I'll start off by saying that after the first third of the book, I wasn't sure this was a story for me. It's so outside the realm of what I normally like to read, and then after I found my stride, I was invested, and needed to see how the tale ended.
First of all, sports in not my thing. Like, at all. And this book completely revolves around collegiate baseball. It's the driving force behind the story. Secondly, this is very much a contemporary romance, and at times I found the themes daunting, heavy, pervasive, and difficult to get through...I like my Urban Fantasy books where I find the stories are generally more accessible. But like I said at the beginning of this review - getting out of your comfort zone and reading different things is good for the ole brain. Pushing yourself into uncomfortable or uncharted waters means you're learning new things, or looking at life in a different way.
Our main character is Bobby. Bobby is bisexual, although from what I read in the book, I would have probably placed him as pansexual - but hey - how someone identifies is their choice, not mine - so let's leave it at bisexual. But I will say this - Gramoll has done an OUTSTANDING job in depicting a character who is sexually attracted to different genders, but the current love interest would suggest he was straight. This comes up in the book, and I give Gramoll all the credit for ensuring there is no bi-erasure. Top notch job!
The secondary issue - and another dominant theme in the story is bulimia. Bobby has an eating disorder, and it ends up affecting everything in his life. Again, Gramoll did a stunning job in showing us what it's like for the character - the need to purge - the fight to not purge - what triggers Bobby to want to purge, and then of course, the ramifications of his eating disorder on his emotional and physical well being. This was an interesting aspect of the book. It's far more common to associate eating disorders with women, than with men - although let's not kid ourselves - men have just as many issues with body image, food, and public expectations on how we look- we just haven't been talking about it. A Game Like Ours is bringing this issue to the forefront. Again, well done!
But as much as the story centers around baseball, Bobby's sexual orientation and eating disorders, the whole reason this story is playing out is because of the recent death of Bobby's best friend, and fellow baseball player, Cody. There's another whole bucket of emotions to sort through here - from survivor's guilt, to honoring a friend's last wishes - to keeping secrets...and there are some big secrets.
Lexie is the love interest. The book bounces back and forth between Bobby and Lexie's points of view, and Lexie has just as many issues she is trying to resolve. Lexie was engaged to Cody, and although they were going to be married, there were issues in their relationship that were heavy enough she now feels guilty for feeling 'free' where society tells her she should be grieving the loss of her fiancée.
Lexie has family drama. Can't tell you what that is, as it's a good plot twist and I don't want to give it all away, but it adds to her own inner battles. Lexie is also set to graduate from Medical Sports Therapy - a profession that she enjoys, and makes her family happy, but is not her passion in life and not what she ultimately wants to do.
There are so many different pulls and twists that each person is struggling with, it often seems too much to grapple with. After all, a romance of any kind is supposed to transport me away and take me on a feel good ride, right?
Add in a smattering of socioeconomic disparity, religious upbringings, troubling relationships with parental figures, alcoholism and abuse, homophobia and we have a bases loaded scenario - where any one of these issues could be the tipping point for a character in other books, all of these come into play.
Gramoll uses the 'torture your main characters' quite literally, but through these compounded issues, we get to a chance to see how complicated the characters lives are, and I think that mimics our own situations. Life is always complicated and we're never dealing with a single issue. Gramoll gives us a chance to wade through all the thoughts and emotions, and the inner thought processes we all go through on a daily basis.
It's completely overwhelming.
It's not pints of beer, hot dogs, and popcorn at a baseball game.
In fact, it's not a game at all - it's life. And life is complicated and messy.
In the end, things work out. Maybe not how you expect - but despite the turmoil and strife, we can be happy - we just have to work hard to get there.
The one thing I was truly disappointed with in this book was the fact that Baseball (as an entity for the entirety of the sports arena), got full points for dealing with, accepting, and getting Bobby assistance with his mental health and eating disorder - but remained silent on the sex and sexuality front. The fact that Bobby still couldn't come out to his team, or the institution regarding his sexuality left me at odds. I really, really wish there had been a resolution on this front - and a happy one - one that showed how the sports world can be accepting of gender expression and sexual orientation, because that is a battlefront faced by many LGBTQIA+ folks who are involved in sports. We need good representation in literature on this front.
A Game Like Ours is a good reminder that life is hard, but it has its rewards. Get your cleats on for this book. You're gonna wanna be able to dig in deep while running from base to base.
March 30, 2021
Marissa addresses many tough and emotional subjects in this story: grief over losing a loved one, depression, suicidal thoughts, eating disorders, homophobia, Christian guilt. She does it in such a conscientious way while still underlining their impact on the individual and the character’s friends.
There was a lot going on in the first half of the book that seemed like it interrupted the flow of the story. They all play a major role in the story but it was just a lot to unpack in a short amount of time as a reader.
For a debut, this was stellar. Marissa’s writing style seemed much more developed and technically polished than a lot of indie authors I’ve read that have published many books. This is definitely a debut that she deserves to be proud of!
I did receive this ARC in exchange for a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own!
There was a lot going on in the first half of the book that seemed like it interrupted the flow of the story. They all play a major role in the story but it was just a lot to unpack in a short amount of time as a reader.
For a debut, this was stellar. Marissa’s writing style seemed much more developed and technically polished than a lot of indie authors I’ve read that have published many books. This is definitely a debut that she deserves to be proud of!
I did receive this ARC in exchange for a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own!
March 31, 2021
Wow this was an amazing debut for Marissa Gramoll’s first book. I loved how the story of Bobby and Lexie involve so much more than love. It’s involves so many topics in the lives of normal people live love, loss, eating disorders, betrayal to the dead, secrets and being open with your sexual orientation. A game like ours is a bomb of emotions. Personally it made me cry many times with the feeling of loosing someone loved as I lost my father recently the emotions of loss went straight to my heart, but even so I loved it. I felt understood. Lexie and Bobby also hot very hot steamy episodes. What could be better that a very well thought book full of love, emotion, steamy situations and baseball.
May 16, 2021
Bravo, on this debut novel! This story is full of emotional highs and lows and a carried guilt that would destroy even the bravest of hearts.
Bobby Anderson's grief is heavy after losing his best friend to a tragic accident. The guilt of what took place that nigh is killing him slowly.
Lexie's trying to move on after all that has happened with Cody. Falling in love with his best friend was unexpected but she's willing to take the chance in order to find happiness again.
There are so many personal secrets Bobby is hiding from everyone but especially from Lexie, until they are all exposed leaving her at a crossroad.
Thank you to the author for my gifted physical copy. I can't wait to read more from you.
Bobby Anderson's grief is heavy after losing his best friend to a tragic accident. The guilt of what took place that nigh is killing him slowly.
Lexie's trying to move on after all that has happened with Cody. Falling in love with his best friend was unexpected but she's willing to take the chance in order to find happiness again.
There are so many personal secrets Bobby is hiding from everyone but especially from Lexie, until they are all exposed leaving her at a crossroad.
Thank you to the author for my gifted physical copy. I can't wait to read more from you.
March 30, 2021
Awww this book was such a lovely surprise! I wasn’t sure what to expect from the blurb as it left a lot of questions but I really enjoyed it! It was a really well written story about grief and mental health and I loved how it was told. Bobby was such a strong but sweet character and I loved how much he loved Lexie. They went through a LOT to be together and it was so inspiring how they dealt with their own trauma to be better for each other. I really liked this book! It comes out in the 30th, it’s a debut novel for Marissa and I’d definitely recommend it 😊
March 21, 2021
What. A. Debut. ❤️
This story is a real punch to the gut. I just wanted to hug Bobby and tell him to live his truth, to let himself be happy, to forgive himself ... to just live his best life 🥺
This book shows how hard keeping secrets can be. How it can eat away at you, even if you think you’re doing it for the best reasons.
Lexie is struggling with her grief, just like Bobby she’s treading water, trying to keep above the sadness, the guilt, the anger.
These two broken hearts can help each other mend.... even when secrets threaten to break the fragile bond.
This story is a real punch to the gut. I just wanted to hug Bobby and tell him to live his truth, to let himself be happy, to forgive himself ... to just live his best life 🥺
This book shows how hard keeping secrets can be. How it can eat away at you, even if you think you’re doing it for the best reasons.
Lexie is struggling with her grief, just like Bobby she’s treading water, trying to keep above the sadness, the guilt, the anger.
These two broken hearts can help each other mend.... even when secrets threaten to break the fragile bond.
March 31, 2021
All the feelings
Favorite book I've read in quite a while. I've cried over less than ten books in my entire life, but couldn't seem to control the flow while I read this one. The characters are beautiful, the story is raw and real, and I loved every second of it. Rereading immediately.
Favorite book I've read in quite a while. I've cried over less than ten books in my entire life, but couldn't seem to control the flow while I read this one. The characters are beautiful, the story is raw and real, and I loved every second of it. Rereading immediately.
May 10, 2021
This was a beautiful, heartwarming and eye opening story. Marissa did a wonderful job writing about eating disorders and coming to terms with loss, and who you love and the struggles with all of it. I can't wait to read more by her. A terrific debut!
March 28, 2021
Great characters and a moving plot bring this queer baseball romance to life. I loved spending time with Bobby and Lexie and learning more about their lives and desires. Amazing debut by Marissa Gramoll!
November 21, 2021
I absolutely love this book. Marissa did a fantastic job of writing about incredibly difficult and complex storylines and doing it with so much grace and understanding.
March 8, 2021
I have been eagerly anticipating this title for so long, and I was not disappointed. Told from multiple points of view, so you get a real feel for the characters’ distress, A Game Like Ours delves deep into the trauma of both Lexie and Bobby. They both know the pain of loss - and find solace in each other.
A Game Like Ours is written beautifully. Well rounded characters who are both relatable and loveable. This author is one of the best in the LGBTQ+ genre. I cannot wait for the next instalment!
Please, please give me more of those two boys!
Well done.
A Game Like Ours is written beautifully. Well rounded characters who are both relatable and loveable. This author is one of the best in the LGBTQ+ genre. I cannot wait for the next instalment!
Please, please give me more of those two boys!
Well done.
September 1, 2023
The adult romance A Game Like Ours is not in my normal genre and something I probably would never have read. We read it as part of our book club and I am so happy I read it. This book ties in the complexities of self pressure, sports, family, grief and self identification. I went through so many emotions with this book and can’t wait to read the remaining book that will be part of this series. Thank you Ethan for a great read!
November 3, 2021
Thank you to the author for a gifted eBook in exchange for an honest review
“Butterflies emerge as their true form after lots of struggle being trapped. I just feel that in my soul”
This book follows Bobby and Lexie as they come to terms with the death of Bobby’ best friend and Lexie’s fiancé Cody, whilst Bobby is struggling to keep his secrets hidden, and his long-standing feelings for Lexie under wraps
This book is such an emotional read and there are a number of triggers in the book, such as eating disorders, depression, suicidal thoughts, homophobia, cheating and grieving a loved one. I felt that these topics were approached with the upmost care and written well
The book is split from both Bobby and Lexie’ point of view making it a more rounded read and the flow is really great. Plus, I love the fact that the author has a large LGBT+ representation in this novel, as well as highlighting the fact that eating disorders do not just affect females
However, I do feel that there was more potential for the book to highlight the emotional relationship
between Bobby and Lexie more, as majority of the time the book was heavily focused on their physical scenes within the relationship, or the flashbacks that both of them had surrounding Cody
Character wise I really loved Lexie, and completely feel for her as everything she was going through, I
just wanted to jump in the screen and hug her, especially considering the state of the relationship she has with her mother, but I love the fact that her best friend and Bobby were both their to help her grieve and come to terms with her loss. I wasn’t sure on Bobby as there were times in the book where it felt like he had two completely different personalities, however once the extent of his eating disorder is discovered this make sense
There are a number of scenes in the book that were so thought and emotion provoking, such as the
scene with Bobby and Mindy when she offers him help. There are a number of plot twists in the book that were completely surprising too, however I feel the main plot was a bit predictable in regards to one of Bobby’s secrets
Overall, it was a great read, and I would read other works by this author. I would recommend it to others, I would just suggest they read the trigger warnings before as it could be a bit uncomfortable or upsetting for some
“Butterflies emerge as their true form after lots of struggle being trapped. I just feel that in my soul”
This book follows Bobby and Lexie as they come to terms with the death of Bobby’ best friend and Lexie’s fiancé Cody, whilst Bobby is struggling to keep his secrets hidden, and his long-standing feelings for Lexie under wraps
This book is such an emotional read and there are a number of triggers in the book, such as eating disorders, depression, suicidal thoughts, homophobia, cheating and grieving a loved one. I felt that these topics were approached with the upmost care and written well
The book is split from both Bobby and Lexie’ point of view making it a more rounded read and the flow is really great. Plus, I love the fact that the author has a large LGBT+ representation in this novel, as well as highlighting the fact that eating disorders do not just affect females
However, I do feel that there was more potential for the book to highlight the emotional relationship
between Bobby and Lexie more, as majority of the time the book was heavily focused on their physical scenes within the relationship, or the flashbacks that both of them had surrounding Cody
Character wise I really loved Lexie, and completely feel for her as everything she was going through, I
just wanted to jump in the screen and hug her, especially considering the state of the relationship she has with her mother, but I love the fact that her best friend and Bobby were both their to help her grieve and come to terms with her loss. I wasn’t sure on Bobby as there were times in the book where it felt like he had two completely different personalities, however once the extent of his eating disorder is discovered this make sense
There are a number of scenes in the book that were so thought and emotion provoking, such as the
scene with Bobby and Mindy when she offers him help. There are a number of plot twists in the book that were completely surprising too, however I feel the main plot was a bit predictable in regards to one of Bobby’s secrets
Overall, it was a great read, and I would read other works by this author. I would recommend it to others, I would just suggest they read the trigger warnings before as it could be a bit uncomfortable or upsetting for some
July 2, 2021
I was sent a copy of this book for review.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.
To the outside Bobby Anderson is doing well. He is attractive, a little league baseball coach, gifted player on his college baseball team and is making good grades. What everyone doesn’t know is that he is suffering from crippling self-doubt, depression over his friend Cody's death and his closeted sexuality. On top of this he is harbouring other personal secrets that are eating away at him.
Cody's fiancé, Lexie, comes back to town and Bobby helps her settle in and cope with her grief. Bobby tries to be a good friend to Lexie and honour Cody's memory but his long held feelings for Lexi resurface. Lexie meanwhile is dealing with the loss of Cody in her own way. She also has secrets that are making life difficult for her. Between family drama and hidden details around her relationship with Cody, the only one she can talk to is Bobby. As the two spend more time together it becomes obvious that attraction and love runs both ways.
Bobby's worry about Lexie learning his secrets are effecting his physical and mental health. He wants to deserve Lexie but will she still accept and love him once all his cards are on the table and she knows the truth.
🌟🌟🌟🌟. This was a complex, dramatic and sometimes quite dark story. It dealt with many important and sensitive topics. Bobby's story was the most difficult part to read as he suffers heavily from mental health issues which affects his ability to manage the stressors in his life. I felt deeply for him and just wanted him to be safe, cared for and accepted. His conflict over his love for Lexie was palpable but so was his emotional connection to her. Lexie also dealt with some shocking issues herself. My only issue with her is that I felt she spoke about Bobby's sexuality to other people too freely which wasn’t fair to him. The story was a little repetitive in parts which slowed the pace at times. Overall a tough read but one that broached subjects which are not highlighted enough in fiction which highly impressed me.
TW: Eating disorders, homophobia and mental health issues
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.
To the outside Bobby Anderson is doing well. He is attractive, a little league baseball coach, gifted player on his college baseball team and is making good grades. What everyone doesn’t know is that he is suffering from crippling self-doubt, depression over his friend Cody's death and his closeted sexuality. On top of this he is harbouring other personal secrets that are eating away at him.
Cody's fiancé, Lexie, comes back to town and Bobby helps her settle in and cope with her grief. Bobby tries to be a good friend to Lexie and honour Cody's memory but his long held feelings for Lexi resurface. Lexie meanwhile is dealing with the loss of Cody in her own way. She also has secrets that are making life difficult for her. Between family drama and hidden details around her relationship with Cody, the only one she can talk to is Bobby. As the two spend more time together it becomes obvious that attraction and love runs both ways.
Bobby's worry about Lexie learning his secrets are effecting his physical and mental health. He wants to deserve Lexie but will she still accept and love him once all his cards are on the table and she knows the truth.
🌟🌟🌟🌟. This was a complex, dramatic and sometimes quite dark story. It dealt with many important and sensitive topics. Bobby's story was the most difficult part to read as he suffers heavily from mental health issues which affects his ability to manage the stressors in his life. I felt deeply for him and just wanted him to be safe, cared for and accepted. His conflict over his love for Lexie was palpable but so was his emotional connection to her. Lexie also dealt with some shocking issues herself. My only issue with her is that I felt she spoke about Bobby's sexuality to other people too freely which wasn’t fair to him. The story was a little repetitive in parts which slowed the pace at times. Overall a tough read but one that broached subjects which are not highlighted enough in fiction which highly impressed me.
TW: Eating disorders, homophobia and mental health issues
June 20, 2021
4.5 stars!!
This book is a gem lost in a sea of novels that needs to be found!!
This book broke my heart, turned me on, made me happy, broke my heart again and made me cry, had more steamy sexy time, broke my heart some more, scared the hell out of me, then FINALLY put all the pieces back together for a very satisfying ending.
Told from a duel POV, both of the main characters dealt with tremendous loss when the sudden death of a loved one occurred. Nearly 2 years later, they try to deal with it separately, they try to deal with it together. Lies were told. Secrets were kept. Hearts were broken and coping mechanisms destroyed relationships. But the healing! The healing was beautiful to witness and the growth of these characters was a treat to read. Lexie and Bobby will forever have a special place in my heart.
Furthermore, the bisexual rep in this book was something I've never read before! It was something I greatly related to and it felt authentic and realistic. I truly felt like Bobby, the male MC, and I had similar sexual journey and it was one I've never read before, like I said. So, that meant a lot to me to see that rep in a book. I felt seen and I loved it. And the fact that he's bisexual but ends up with Lexie just reiterates that fact that you can be a bisexual male and date a girl, but it does not diminish your bisexuality. And vise versa. You are still queer. Bobby stayed true to who he is and I love it.
A Game Like Ours is THE read of the summer. It's new. It's fresh. It's pure. And it'll capture your heart in the most heart-wrenching and breathtaking away. I loved it and y'all should add it to your TBR now!
This book is a gem lost in a sea of novels that needs to be found!!
This book broke my heart, turned me on, made me happy, broke my heart again and made me cry, had more steamy sexy time, broke my heart some more, scared the hell out of me, then FINALLY put all the pieces back together for a very satisfying ending.
Told from a duel POV, both of the main characters dealt with tremendous loss when the sudden death of a loved one occurred. Nearly 2 years later, they try to deal with it separately, they try to deal with it together. Lies were told. Secrets were kept. Hearts were broken and coping mechanisms destroyed relationships. But the healing! The healing was beautiful to witness and the growth of these characters was a treat to read. Lexie and Bobby will forever have a special place in my heart.
Furthermore, the bisexual rep in this book was something I've never read before! It was something I greatly related to and it felt authentic and realistic. I truly felt like Bobby, the male MC, and I had similar sexual journey and it was one I've never read before, like I said. So, that meant a lot to me to see that rep in a book. I felt seen and I loved it. And the fact that he's bisexual but ends up with Lexie just reiterates that fact that you can be a bisexual male and date a girl, but it does not diminish your bisexuality. And vise versa. You are still queer. Bobby stayed true to who he is and I love it.
A Game Like Ours is THE read of the summer. It's new. It's fresh. It's pure. And it'll capture your heart in the most heart-wrenching and breathtaking away. I loved it and y'all should add it to your TBR now!
April 26, 2022
This book started out really well. You have Bobby and Lexie who were struggling through their grief after the loss of a loved one. They try to help each other through it. There are a lot of secrets being kept, including Bobby's attraction to Lexie.
While their grief and feelings would be enough for anyone to handle, Bobby is also struggling with an eating disorder. While trying to keep up with his baseball training he is not eating and purging when he is over stressed.
My issue with this book was that it just was all a little much. Too many secrets, too many over the top situations, and secrets. It really would have been better if the book was focused on two main issues, but it seemed like more was added for shock value. Also Lexie was a virgin which is a pet peeve of mine. Also the non-binary character was featured for a very small part and was more of a throw away character. I feel like if you are going to have representation, don't make it such an insignificant part.
I received a free copy from greyspromo and the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and given freely.
While their grief and feelings would be enough for anyone to handle, Bobby is also struggling with an eating disorder. While trying to keep up with his baseball training he is not eating and purging when he is over stressed.
My issue with this book was that it just was all a little much. Too many secrets, too many over the top situations, and secrets. It really would have been better if the book was focused on two main issues, but it seemed like more was added for shock value. Also Lexie was a virgin which is a pet peeve of mine. Also the non-binary character was featured for a very small part and was more of a throw away character. I feel like if you are going to have representation, don't make it such an insignificant part.
I received a free copy from greyspromo and the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and given freely.
April 12, 2022
Oh, wow. I loved this so much. Everybody is trying to be healthy and work towards being a better human, but they’re flawed and real. Cody’s character is especially relatable growing up queer and Christian. That guilt and the pendulum back and forth is captured perfectly. Bobby’s feelings capture that complexity. He loves them both. Always have, always will. And his loyalty to his friend. He’s trying to give Lexie his truth without divulging too much. It’s a really hard position to be in, especially when he’s trying so hard to be what everybody needs. I was honestly more invested in the past, but I did like Lexie’s story. She’s human. She’s allowed to love again, to admit that things weren’t always great and it doesn’t mean she loves Cody any less. I wish Mick would’ve gotten more storytime. He was very hot and cold. I worried about him the entire time.
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