Ask Me To Game

The Game Lords #3

by Zoe Forward

Emma Duarte just volunteered to be the ultimate badass. She agreed to try out for an elite eGaming team to draw out the criminal mastermind behind the dangerous, illegal underworld of video gaming. The problem? She doesn’t know jack about the game she has to pose as an expert of. What makes it worse? The guy hired to train her on the game is her brother-in-law (not the one married to her sister, but his older brother). Oh, did she forget to mention the ill-advised one-night-stand with him after her sister’s wedding?

Michael Harrison loves seeing straitlaced Emma off-kilter. Sure, she rebuffs him every chance she gets, but that just makes it more challenging—and fun. But at the end of the day, the goal is to get her on the Dynasty eGaming team and catch a criminal. Michael already lost his brother to this underworld, and he won’t lose Emma too.

ebook

Published March 1, 2021

About the author

USA Today bestselling author, parent, wife, veterinarian, chocolate lover. Author of spicy paranormal and contemporary romances. Zoe Forward brings readers the perfect combination of action adventure, romance, humor and a bit of magic.

Her novels have won numerous awards including the Prism, Readers' Choice Heart of Excellence, Golden Quill, Carolyn Readers Choice Award, and the Booksellers' Best Award.
You can find her residing in the South with a menagerie of four-legged beasts and two wild kids.

[Note: Many apologies, but I'm terrible at checking my Goodreads emails! If you'd like to send a note/msg, please catch me on Instagram or FB)

See the latest on Zoe's website: http://www.zoeforward.com

Don't miss the newsletter: http://www.zoeforward.com/contact/

Reviews

[Amanda Hupe]

"What a wild ride! This book is so much fun from beginning to end and has a wonderful mix of suspense!"

Check out my full review at InD'Tale Magazine:

http://magazine.indtale.com/magazine/...

[InD'tale Magazine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: 4.5/5.0

What a wild ride! This book is so much fun from beginning to end and has a wonderful mix of suspense.

Read full review in the 2020 May issue of InD'tale Magazine.

[Barb Lie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ask Me to Game by Zoe Forward is the 3rd book in her Game Lords series. I have read the first two books in this series, and enjoyed them both. Ask Me to Game was another wonderful addition to this series, which could be the best one yet.

We get to see all the recurring characters from the first two books, as the story continues to revolve around finding the mysterious Symphis, the evil leader of the Gamelords, who has threatened all of our heroines, if they don’t give him what he wants. In Ask Me to Game, Emma (Tori’s sister) is our heroine, as well as assistant to Jake and Noah; she is very organized and good at her job. Because the team, working with the FBI, is at its wits end, unable to find out who is Symphis; they decide to enlist Emma to go undercover; she is willing, though unlike Tori and Becca, she is not a gamer.

Michael Harrison, our hero and Noah’s brother, steps up to teach Emma what she needs to do in game tournament, in order to get into the Dynasty e-gaming team and Symphis. Michael, lost his younger brother because of Symphis, and is determined to make sure Emma is safe. Michael and Emma find it hard to ignore their attraction to each other, as the chemistry between them is hot; but both try not to succumb to their feelings while they are on the hunt.

What follows is an exciting, suspenseful and fun story. Once again, I am amazed how well Zoe Forward continues to describe the gaming industry, giving us a wonderful insight to that industry. I loved Michael and Emma together, though due to the circumstances was a slow build romance. It was great to see many of the wonderful recurring characters from the previous books, especially Noah, Jake, Tori, Becca, Quan, Sam, just to name a few.

The second half of the book upped the tension, with the excitement escalated as Emma found herself threatened by Symphis, but it was a great ending as she and Michael managed to discover the truth. To tell too much more would be spoilers, and you should read all three books this to enjoy the story.

Ask Me to Game was a fast-paced, fun enjoyable story; wonderful couple, great secondary characters, as well as filled with excitement and suspense.

Barb
The Reading Cafe

[Ga Books LoverX · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a little conflicted after reading this book. I liked it, but there were some elements that were missing. I have not read the author before and heads up, if you start this book without reading the first 2, don't! I felt a bit lost and confused in what was going on in the overall series since I am jumping in during the middle of a series, which is sad because I did like the plot of this book.

There is mystery and I am bit of a nerd, so I always love reading more about gaming! :) The chemistry between the two main characters is definitely on point as well. All in all, I would definitely recommend this book IF you have read the prior 2 books. I just wish I knew that this was not a standalone going into it. So, I give it 4 outta 5 stars!

PS: Thank you to Zoe Forward and Inkslinger PR for allowing me an advanced copy of the book to read and review honestly!

[Zoe L.]

Yay! This book got me out of my almost slump! It was just what I needed and so good that I literally was avoiding potty breaks because I didn’t want to put it down! What can I say, I’m a sucker for some nerdy romance. And I’m not even a gamer! Lol. Also, I think that this is the first contemporary romance tour I am on, so, to be *punny,* “Thank you for being my first!”

Ask Me to Game is the third book in The Game Lords series, but I read it as a standalone. I read some other reviews saying that it didn’t make sense starting off at the third book and I am here to say otherwise. It made total sense and I honestly forgot this wasn’t the first book until I read those reviews. I mean, once I realized it was the third book some of the parts of this book that weren’t completely clear to me made sense why, but I just thought it was the author being vague on purpose to heighten the *suspense.* I mean, honestly the most confusing part of this whole thing was reading an author with the same first name as me. For some reason this threw me off more than even having a character with my name and every time I see the author’s name I’m just like, “wow, this was really personalized to me!” And this just goes to show how much I really need to catch up on some sleep!

I also have to say that I really enjoyed the characters. They were *damaged* and trying to move on from the past. Emma is the BIGGEST perfectionist and any little thing off will set her off (I felt that in my soul). Meanwhile Michael is the cinnamon-iest of cinnamon rolls and I couldn’t get over how sweet he is! I mean, there’s nothing sexier than a guy who doesn’t want to just “fool around” with girls and wants something that will last. *cue the swoon* Plus he had a dog. I mean, I’m not a difficult person to please, give me a sweet goodest boy named Gump and I am happy and complacent. And so I will leave you with my favorite quote from this book, which is a perfect representation at how I felt over finishing the book:

"Fart knocker, this sucks."

You can view my full review & giveaway on my blog! I also post a wide range of reviews on my blog!

Reader | Bookstagrammer | Blogger | Reviewer
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[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

The ARC of this book was provided by Hidden Gems in exchange for the below review. This is the first book I have read by this author and although it was the third and final book in the series, I did not feel like that was an issue when reading this book. I might now want to go back and read the first two, but since this is the last one in the series, I know how a portion of the story ends.
The book opens with the morning after of the wedding from book one that is the marriage of Emma’s sister and Michael’s brother. Since they were both rather intoxicated, they do not remember what happened the prior night, but they have woken up together in bed. Emma works as the executive assistant for the founders at an electronic gaming company, where one is her sister’s new husband. There are some major issues around an underground gaming ring run by a mysterious, criminal mastermind that is part of the continuing storyline from the prior books. Due to these issues, they want someone to infiltrate an eGaming team to help solve this mystery. The other books would have helped a have a better understanding of this part of the story.
This is where Michael reenters her life. For Emma to become part of the team she needs to become an expert at the game, and they decide Michael should be her coach. Because of that night, there is some residual tension, but they do have chemistry. As they work together and try to navigate their feelings, they build a friendship and more. Initially, Emma is rigid, overworked perfectionist that is resistant to Michael’s easygoing manner. The author does a good job of giving you insight on her background and why she may be like that. There was also a good plotline about them that focuses around Michael’s background and medical issues that really showed a caring and touching relationship beyond the romantic one. There is a good amount of suspense and action that well complements the story of Emma and Michael. Great ending!

[Susan Homan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ask Me To Game

Ask Me to Game (The Game Lords, #3)
Zoe Forward

This is book 3 in the series, and it will not disappoint. I highly recommend you read the series in order, so you understand better what Emma volunteered to do when she agreed to try to get on the Dynasty game team and to take down Symphis. We met Emma in book 1 since she is Tori's sister and at that time was Noah's Executive Assistant. This book introduces us to Noah's brother Michael, who is going to coach Emma on the game she needs to play since he is good at it. Emma and Michael woke up together after Noah and Tori's wedding, and they share a lot of chemistry and sparks together, but try to hide it, and it sometimes is a bit awkward. Can Emma make the team and bring down Symphis, who we have been trying to get since book1? Does the fact that Emma and the Harrison brothers all have a past with the same person mean anything? I loved the fact that Emma is no nonsense, and does what she does - organize people and take care of them so well, but she also comes into her own in this one, and realizes her strengths. I think Michael helps with this a lot. We also learn about epilepsy and helping dogs. I loved Gump, and what a hero he turned out to be. I had a strong suspicion as to who the bad guy was in this one, and was happy I was right. Michael, Jake and Noah are all sexy men, and any woman would be lucky to have any of them in her life, but there's something about Michael that just pulls at my heartstrings. I really know nothing about gaming, but definitely feel more enlightened after reading this series. I look forward to reading more by this amazing author.

[Amy Crull · Rating 4 out of 5]

So if you've read the other two book like I have, then you know what these books are about and who they are dealing with. I will admit I know nothing about gaming but after these books, I feel like I know a little bit more then before. I will warn you though, with Emma and Michael, these two will frustrate you to the very end. I was all ready to call this a slow burn but it's a very slow burn, like they don't get together until almost the very end. Sure there's some sexual tension between them but it's more about the game and taking down Symphis. They come up with a plan to get a woman in the game and despite not everyone in a agreement, Emma volunteers to do it. She knows a little but not enough to make it on a team. This is when her and Michael get their chance to bond. Emma is very headstrong and organized. With Michael, she learns to let go and have fun. I have to the author props on her knowledge with epilepsy and seizures. My daughter and I have it as well, just not as extreme as Michael. It was nice to see him having medicine to control and a service dog, Gump to help him out with the seizures. He was a very well trained dog. This book was good and I'm glad that they were able to keep Emma safe for the most part and take down the bad guy. This book is shocked full of action and built up sexual tension.

[Jennifer Pierson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ask Me to Game was a super exciting story that even readers who don't necessarily game will have a great time experiencing it. Since it has some suspenseful undertones, I've decided that I'm not giving much away at all. Basically, Emma Duarte has agreed to try out of an elite eGaming team to shed light on the dangerous illegal underworld of video gaming, but she doesn't know crap about the games she'll have show out as an expert. Which brings in her sister's husband's older brother, Michael, to train her up. He's super sexy, and they've actually had one hookup, so what could possibly go wrong?! This story line was fast paced, and very addictive, because I read it in one sitting by choice (not as a deadline for blog) since I couldn't put it down. Not only are these two amazing MCs, but there's the twists which allowed for my f-bomb dropping. Zoe Forward is a very talented author, who can definitely pen an intriguing read, so it's time for y'all to hit that one click button to read it for yourselves to see how it all pans out vs. reading reviews! HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND TO ALL!

[Simone Haeseler · Rating 3 out of 5]

To understand the book completely or better to follow the book in length you have to read the book in this series before, otherwise you get lost and that was my thing. I did not know the books before, so I worked my way through this and tried to hop on the book train. The talk with her ex I found very wrong, how can you despise you ex and all he did to you, but still tell him you have no interest in Michael and all that. Why, you hate him, you don't need to tell him anything. Before I could not follow the book, because I did not read the books before, but after this bar incident I really not liked her much. First she want to do it, than she has almost a nerves breakdown, what was that. All in all it was not a book for me, not bad, but I did not like her attitude and the whole gaming theme was not for me either. I still give it three stars, because maybe if I had read the first two books before it would have been mir enjoyable for me, but I still did not like Emma.
I received an ARC for an honest review.

[Kristen Lewendon · Rating 4 out of 5]

As another reviewer pointed out, this book is part of a series and doesn’t stand perfectly alone. There is an overarching plot that flows through the three books and without the two before this, it doesn’t make complete sense. However, all that being said, Emma’s is one of the stories I’ve been anxiously looking forward to. Emma was just so frightfully competent that I loved seeing the vulnerabilities that she hides. I enjoyed this chance to get to know Michael better as well and adored watching the push-pull dynamic between them. Though their chemistry wasn’t as compelling to me as the previous couples. I had earmarked the villain fairly easily and was quite frustrated that this character was frequently overlooked as the “Big Bad”. I adored seeing our good guys triumph and the ending is so utterly adorable.
I received a complimentary advanced copy of this book through Hidden Gems Books.

[Floraljoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A satisfying end to a great series:
It was wonderful catching up with everyone from NJ Legacy and the continuing with the hunt to bring down Symphis. The plot is so complex and multifaceted which I enjoyed. This book follows so closely on from the first 2 in the series which I read when they were first released which was quite a while ago, which meant that I had a bit of a difficult time recalling all of the ins and outs. I would highly recommend reading both books prior to this one and preferably within a short amount of time of one another!
Michael and Emma are attracted to one another however they are "in-laws" and working together and therefore try to resist the attraction. It was fun journeying with them although I didn't feel as connected to them as the prior couples. Overall I really enjoyed this book but thought the show down was a bit anticlimactic.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

[Kristy Halseth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this as an advanced reading copy.

I enjoyed the book. But then I have enjoyed the series. This one seemed to have some weaker points. Even if Emma is as good of a gamer as her sister, but that she never got 'hooked' on gaming so she never really devoted her energy to it, I found the expectation that she could get ready for that level of competition in a week to be too unbelievable. Setting the story up with a month to prepare would have been more believable. Her inner monologue also failed to match the type of person the character is written as. Some of her words and phrases are jarring and throw me out of the character perception. But on the whole, those issues come across as fairly minor by the time you reach the end. By then, it pulled together enough to give it a 4 instead of the 3 I was thinking it was going to be.

[Tracy Sillato · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am an ARC reader who got a free copy for an honest review.

This thriller turned out to be a surprise with a good twist. Unfortunately, I read only this book from the series; however, even though I have missed the first two books, I could still catch-up with the plot.
The originality in this book is having one of the main characters being a female gamer participating in professional competition. Women are usually well respected when their role is to organize and assist but in such an industry, being a minority is quite hard. Emma, Tori and Beca are three women who ended up stuck in this drama but at the same time supported by their families and loved ones. Michael is an intriguing character who with his fragilities and condition makes sure to protect and defend a stubborn Emma. Grup is definitely, one of the best characters in this book.

[Peggy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A new author to me. I haven’t read anything in this series but I did like this book. This storyline is about Emma and Michael. Emma volunteers at an elite eGaming team to find a dangerous criminal in the illegal gaming underworld. The problem is she doesn’t know anything about the game she has to play. She is supposed to play with her brother-in-law. Somehow, she finds herself in his bed the morning after her sister’s wedding. When she is around Michael she finds herself all out of sorts. How was she supposed to train with him? A little bizzare but .. I found the story a little underwhelming.

[Leanne Bryson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Even if you haven't read the first 2 books in this series, but I didn't feel it was too hard to follow. Zoe Forward is a new to me author and I enjoyed this read. The premise of sending an untrained executive assistant to catch a dangerous criminal who is threaten her family I found just really odd. Who does that? So Micheal and Emma are thrown together so he can train her to game. As they spend time together, their mutual attraction grows. Emma is way to uptight and pretty immature at times. Michael is way more easy going. The book moved quickly, had some minor twists and turns. Overall an OK read.

[LeeAnn Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very interesting read. Loved the suspense that carried throughout the story. I'll have to say this was completely different than most books I read, but enjoyed the change. Emma finds herself volunteering to try out for a eGaming team to help catch the person or persons that are targeting their company through a eGaming scheme. Michael agrees to help train her to play the game at a competitive level, but can he do this without falling for Emma? Great Story! I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Samantha Waldow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ask me to game is book 3 in the Game Lords series.  This is a stand alone book. You will read about characters from the 2 previous books. Emma is the assistant to the Jake and Noah. Noah not knowing she helps out his assistant. Michael is Noah brother and we meet him right at the start. Rmma volunteers herselfnfor an undercover mission and Michael is there to help her along the way. These 2 have chemistry but Emma pushes it away for the mission. This book was great. Chemistry,  great story, and suspense.

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book free as an ARC reader for review.

This is not really a “stand alone” book. There are way too many references to the previous books in the series and the plot is simply an extension of what happened before.

However, it’s a pretty good plot. Although fairly predictable, it has a few twists and some nice tension. I really like the strong female characters and the slow build of romance. The relationships have time to grow and evolve in a more natural way than you often find in romance novels.

[Deirdre Stokes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't think this series could get even more intense but here they are bringing Emma into it as she was helping them with her sister in the first book. And now she dealing with her brother-in-law to help her play the part of being a gamer and well we know how tricky that can be. This book was so good and interesting it was hard sometimes when all she want is for this mastermind to get caught. This series was good and different from the other type of books I read but I enjoyed every minute of it.

[ToniAnn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a pretty good book, although I am not into gaming. I felt like it was a little drawn out the book, especially with the gaming talk...the author could have cut a few chapters out. But, I loved the chemistry between Emma and Michael. It is a slow burn and definitely building up. Michael just got out of a serious relationship and suffers from seizures....he knows not many people can handle that. Emma dates, but that's it. Until Michael comes along.

[Vic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book, it’s the third in the series and I will be reading the first two. All the characters are great and relatable. Makes you want a shy and awkward nerd of your own. Gave me a little more perspective into gaming world and understanding it. Loved Michael, so sweet and Emma. Emma had enough bad ass mixed with vulnerability. Loved the ending won’t give it away, you just have to read it for yourself. I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader copy of this book.

[Sarah Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book In the series that I read, it took a little for me to get into it but once I got a way through it I couldn’t put it down!! The chemistry between Emma and Michael is awesome! Emma is an uptight has to have everything together PA who works for a gaming company when she wakes up next to Michael after her sisters wedding!!! He helps her loosen up and it’s a fun mystery and sexy book!

[MandyViolete · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love gaming romance stories!! And this one has to be one of my favorites! The story is AMAZING!! I love the attention to detail the author did writing. The characters are phenomenal! And while I could guess what was coming up in the story, I wasn’t 100% sure until it happened! The best kind of suspense! The steamy scenes are HOT! A definite must read for 2020!

[Melissa B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Catching a bad guy through video games? This was an interesting read, Emma and Micheal had a one-night stand a year ago and they certainly didn't think they'd be in close quarters again.
It was a bit confusing as I haven't read the previous books.
I'm voluntarily reviewing this after receiving a free copy from Hidden Arcs

[Amber Day · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love series that I get to see other characters from the books before. It allows my love for them to continue and expand. I was excited to read Emma and Michael's story. It captured my attention and I truly enjoyed it. The push and pull of their chemistry while trying to be an elite egamer was wonderful to watch play out. I enjoyed the book and would recommend it.

[Andrzejewski Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ask Me To Game
(The Game Lords, Book #3)
Zoe Forward

I enjoyed this quick, suspenful read. "Ask Me To Game" is the first book, I've read in the "The Game Lords" series and it did not disappoint. I was completely surprised who the bad guy was. I also was rooting for Michael and Emmy becoming more then just a hook up/friends. It was great to seeing both characters find their HEA. Looking forward to reading more by this author in the future.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was different from any other book I've read and was the first one I've read in The Game Lords series. I liked the mystery aspect of the story--I like reading romantic suspense. I liked the main characters Emma and Michael. The author did a good job of describing them. After reading this book, I want to go back and read the first two books in the series.

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars.

This is the 1st book that I have read in this series and I don't think it affected my understanding or enjoyment of the story, although I'm sure if I had read the previous two books it would have probably enhanced my reading experience.

The characters were interesting and developed (main and supporting), the connection and chemistry was great to read and was woven so well into the story. I enjoyed reading this story not just because the subject was different to my normal reading but because the characters were strong and flawed and felt real. I am voluntarily leaving this honest review after receiving an ARC.

[Brittnie Becker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I predicted the ending of this book easily but I loved the lead up and the self confidence discovered in this book.

And gamer girls is an awesome representation we rarely see in books .

I love that this book features a disability and that the service dog plays in this book