It wasn’t the physical pain that stayed with me, it was the emotional mind games that I still suffered from. Two years later and I still carried those scars everywhere.
But then two megastar athletes walked into my life with their own kind of games, and suddenly hiding wasn’t so easy. Their games made me forget my issues. Made me feel safe again. Made me laugh again. Made me trust again. Made me forget I even had a reason to hide in the first place.
And with them, I ultimately agreed to the craziest game of all—a new relationship that would test friendships, boundaries, and trust.
The problem was….once I let my guard down…… I was found. My past intertwined with my present to complicate an already perverse situation.
Despite my past, despite the obstacles, and despite the forbidden games we play….. can our new relationship find a happy ending?
And if we do, will I be forced to choose between them? Neither of them? Or will I get to keep them? Both.
*The book is a first time book for a first time author. Sports romance that takes you through the beginnings of an MFM relationship.
The Games We Play is book one in The Games series by Katie Rae. This is my first book by this author. This is a ménage, sports romance, MFM! I was first attracted to this book by both the cover and the blurb. But I have to tell you, I didn’t expect to be totally overwhelmed by this awesome book. The first seventy percent was a good solid 4.5 rating. Then, WHAM! That last thirty percent completely took me by surprise and knocked it right out of the park! I didn’t get anything done today because there was no way I could put this down and walk away without seeing it through to the end. NO WAY!
“They were Gods among men in their fields.”
Kace Jackson is a famous professional baseball player. His best friend, Cam Nichols is the number one quarterback in the league. These two have been best friends since they were little. They were neighbors, grew up together. And they both went in to professional sports at the same time. Neither had time for much in their busy lives but they had each other. It was a rare weeknight that they were meeting at a favorite bar for a beer when they first saw her. Their regular waitress wasn’t there and instead, it was a beautiful woman who didn’t seem to know who they were. Who jumped back when their hand touched her arm with an alarmed expression on her face. A woman that they spent maybe a total of five minutes talking to but were so smitten, neither of them could get her out of their minds. And neither of these men were into relationships. They didn’t have time. Add to that, most women just wanted their attention because of who they were and what they had in the bank.
Ali Hansen did not enjoy cocktail waitressing. By day she was a freelance writer for a publishing company. But she had past experience and her friend was sick and needed her to fill in for her. She could do this. Two years ago Ali had been a normal college student until something happened that caused her to run. She’s been living here ever since, working from home, staying safe. Until now. And then THEY walked in. Two of the most beautiful men she’d ever seen. They seemed like they were someone important but she had no idea who. And try as she might, she could not be the recipient of their attention without being affected.
“We’ve shared beds. We’ve shared clothes. We’ve shared food. We’ve shared laughs. We’ve shared history. We’ve shared dreams. But tonight, we shared Ali. And it was the best night of my life.”
Kace and Cam were both attracted to Ali. Both wanted to pursue her. But, neither wanted to hurt the other. So what is the only way to deal with this conundrum? We’ll both pursue her. We’ll see where it goes, play it day by day. The three of them became close quickly, but they did take things slowly. This was new territory for all three of them. Ali was drawn to both of them. She knew she could never choose. She eventually figured out who they were but never thought about the consequences of being seen with someone famous. Until those consequences came looking for her, and her past became her worst nightmare.
This book just blew me away. It made me smile, swoon, and made my heart pound so hard I thought sure someone else could hear it. These three were so adorable together but Kace and Cam were also fiercely protective, so loving, so swoony, and so devoted to Ali. There wasn’t an epilogue and I was sad about that but the author does mention that these characters make appearances in other books. I looked through the author’s other work and it looks like the rest of her books are all MF. I am definitely going to be looking through them all but I really hope she’ll again venture into ménage at some point in the future.
“You taste so good... fuck so good. I can even taste Cam. Everything he left on your 🐱.”
I watched on as he took himself over the edge, throwing his head back and cursing. Our 💦 mingled together on Ali’s chest and I had never felt more like a caveman in my life.
It felt like we owned her. Lord knows she owned us.
Ali was breathing hard, taking a finger to her chest and gently mixing the 💦 we left on her body. Kace and I watched her while we caught our breath.
Kace (professional baseball player) and Cam (#1 quarterback in the NFL) have been best friends since they were children. Sharing everything is something they’re used to.. but they never thought they would want to share a woman. Ali has no idea who they really are. She’s too busy hiding from an abusive ex and taking care of her only friend.
So many elements to this! I absolutely LOVED every second!! Both Kace and Cam are such possessive and protective men, and exactly what Ali needs in her life. The adoration they all have for each other is so natural and beautiful. I’ve never been more jealous of a relationship.
This was really good! I love mfm romance and this was one of the best I’ve read 🥰
Things I loved: - the whole dynamic of mfm was new to all of them, the guys had never shared a girl before and so many firsts were between the MCs. - Kace said this was his 1st relationship, 1st time he had a girl in his apartment, 1st time sharing his bed and the 1st time he’s ever made love 🥹 I fucking love when it’s special only for the fmc. - How amazing the guys were, there was no jealousy and they were so supportive to the fmc when she was dealing with the stuff with her ex. And they never gave up on her when she was kidnapped and the police and even their lawyer were doubting her.
Things I didn’t like: - ok so we find out her exes name was fake, that’s why the police had no record of him or couldn’t find him and that’s why they doubted he was real. But after he’s arrested and everything we’re never told why he was even using a fake name or anything else at all about him other than he was in prison now. Would have liked some closure around all that.
But I do recommend this, I really enjoyed it.
Multi PoV Why choose, no mm MFM Insta love ❤️ Fmc hiding from her ex Baseball star Football star Hidden identity (for just a little while) No owd Omd- her psycho ex blackmails her and the guys and then kidnaps her HEA Epilogue- 1 year later, they get engaged and she tells them she’s pregnant 🥰
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Fast paced. Enjoyable, well written, sports romance read, with a twist of suspense you won’t see coming. I laughed and wanted to throw my reader numerous times.
Loved the MFM. Hot characters in Kace and Cam you just need to meet yourself.
Storyline was good, characters very likeable and easy to read. Ending was a bit short cut tho which is a shame to be honost. I would love a bit more of an ending tho it is not an open-ended ending
Baseball Romance✅ Football Romance✅ Reverse Harem✅ Insta love✅
Plot 5✨ Spice 4.5🌶️
Cam and Kace have been best friends their whole lives. They have been beside each other through every high and low in their lives. They shared a lot over their lives, being drafted to their home teams, becoming rookie of the year their first year playing, and starting a camp together.
Ali started over two years ago when she left her abusive ex behind. She quite college and working as a server when she left but now, she finds herself in a bar once again. She is helping out the only friend in her life by covering her shifts at the local bar. Ali hates it there but is determined to make it work.
One night, two name changes, and three heated stares later and the boys and Ali find themselves in a very unconventional situation.
Can Cam and Kace share one more thing in their lives, the same girl? Will Ali's past come between them? When everything hits the fan will they be torn apart or become closer?
14% of the way through this book I knew it was getting five stars from me. The banter between Cam and Kace was everything, it had me laughing out loud. Then when Ali joined their conversations, the banter got even better. Cam and Kace will make you fall in love with them quickly, especially if you love the protective alpha male. Another thing I loved is the relationship between Cam and Kace, they both want Ali but are willing to step back in order to not hurt the other one. This whole book read so easily before I knew it, I only had like 20% left.
I happened to come across this book by chance & decided why not, I love multiple love interests & I dig sports romances, so let’s give it a try! it honestly threw me for a big surprise. I ended up liking it far more than I expected & was immediately engrossed!
Ali is a hermit. she keeps to herself, she has a past that keeps her wanting & enjoying her alone lifestyle of sitting at home & writing. only now the time comes to help a friend in need & it causes her to have to break out of her shell & go back into a lifestyle she isn’t entirely ready to. enter, Kace & Cam. two life long best friends & top notch athletes. Kace, the hometown baseball Allstar & Cam, the hometown NFL quarterback. they have always been close & kept it that way for their whole lives. now with liking the same girl, it seems to be the most natural thing for them to share her too, but will ali’s past come knocking & ruin them or strength them?
So I went into this thinking it was a light, fun, sexy Why Choose with a star QB and his BFF star Short Stop. I was right and it was delicious. The relationship between Ali, Kace, and Cam was just so perfectly organic and easy. It's a version of what I would imagine heaven would be. Two men who are opposites yet provide exactly what Ali needed when she need it. They're both attentive and caring and so swoony I couldn't take it at times.
However, what I WASN'T expecting was the suspense part of the story. It's straight terrifying. Something I think every woman has either gone through or worries about going through. The way Cam and Kace would burn down the world for her while also being the gentlest most understanding creatures is just freaking sexy.
Thank you, The Author Agency and Katie Rae for submitting this to me for possible review. I can't wait to read the next in the series!
Ali spends her time keeping to herself, for her own reasons, until she strikes a friendship with Cam and Kace. Their relationship is one of a kind, but the guys want more than friendship with Ali.
Thing is, Cam and Kace are famous athletes, and a case of hidden identities brings trouble right to Ali before they have any idea what’s happening.
Part mystery, part tension, and all romance, The Games We Play is a book easily read in a day.
Releases on February 24th, and will be available on Kindle Unlimited! Thank you to the @theauthoragency for the e-arc in exchange for an honest and free review!
Katie is a new author for me, her waiting is amazing and I can't believe this is her very first book! The story is an MFM Sports Romance with a twist and a finale that I definitely wasn't expecting. A lot of things happen in this book that you do not want to miss!
For a debut novel this was fantastic! It was well written and such an easy read. Although there was the hard topic of Ali and her abuse it was well written and the majority of the book was still light and fun. I love the chemistry and banter between Cam, Kace & Ali. To start with I wondered if Cam & Kace were a bit too close but I think if they didn’t have a friendship like they did the relationship with Ali wouldn’t have worked. Ali was a great female lead she was strong and didn’t let what happened with Alan hold her back. Even when he held her captive she was determined she would get out of there. Cam & Kace are such fun loving characters, I can see them giving Ali a perfect life. I loved how they took care of her, showing her good guys do exist.
My only pick is that I’m not sure how believable the final part of the story was about Cam & Kace being arrested and the police thinking Ali had run away. I would have thought guys with as much money as them would have had more pull over the police. And certainly with their own PI it still took 5 days for a lead. It is usually the case the more money the quicker things happen. However that said the story did really flow together and make for a great story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
"The Games We Play" is a fast-paced well-written roller-coaster read. Inside: Fantastic character interaction, soul-stirring suspense, action, flirtatious innuendos, life-threatening moments, fiery passionate romance, fun times, and a happy forever.
Cam the hot QB, and Kace the sexy tatted up baseball player are best friends since childhood. They are lucky enough to play for teams in their hometown and cheer each other on at games when they can. One night they go to their favorite bar to support a musician friend. They meet Ali, who dazzles them with her beauty. Ali is a freelance writer covering as a server for a sick friend. Her past is haunting and a well-kept secret. Will these three get their happy forever or will Ali's past crush it?
Captivating debut book with credible characters and backstories that give readers insight into each character's persona. I loved the witty banter and vivid scene descriptions. The romance is convincing and passionate. Cam, Kace, and Ali are a perfect match, and their devotion to each other shines in this story. {I found this KU read quite entertaining and look forward to reading more stories by this author.}
I’ve been leery about new authors lately. I know what I like and when it can’t be delivered, I get discouraged. While I will admit that the dialogue was a bit stilted for me, that’s probably just my personal preference coming out. I like to read how I speak, so that it flows more naturally for me. Maybe more use of contractions were needed? I don’t know. That being said, the story is good. The heat is there. The plot is there. There’s some humor. There’s a lot of love.
“But that was a lie. I knew what we were doing. We were going to fall for the same girl. The crazy part was, I wasn’t even mad about it.” — The Games We Play: A Sports Romance Novel (Standalone Book 1) by Katie Rae
I couldn’t put it down. The first meet had me smiling, and there were so many moments that I was smiling after that. My heart broke for Ali. It shredded. And then these loving boys were there to piece it back together.
This story held a lot of promise but fell way short. It came across as just a bunch of words on the screen. There were no real emotional moments or connection. Girl meets two boys, two boys want her, girl has crazy ex that beats her, police accuses boys without investigating or taking pics of beating, girl gets a little light pleasure from boys at the same time, girl has mediocre sex with each boy separately, girl gets kidnapped, police still accuse boys, girl is beaten while kidnapped then superficially stabs crazy ex, boys show up to beat crazy ex, police arrest crazy ex, all parents are okay with it, silly hints dropped at press conference, the end. Nothing touching, no character development, no hot sex scenes, nothing stood out. Glad this was KU. Maybe this was a first attempt at writing but better luck on the next book.
-I received a copy of this book by The Author Agency for an honest review-
First I do want to mention that I am very lenient when it comes to the books I review. If there are some misspelled words I'll ignore it since I am really there for the story and the characters. That being said, there were a lot of those in this book. I also noticed words that just didn't show up in the sentence, like the sentence was cutoff mid thought. I kept going since I was intrigued by the characters and how their relationship started and progressed throughout story. Something happened midway that I noticed some awkward sentences or information that was thrown without context or even making sense for what was happening at that moment, if that makes any sense. There were quite a few plot holes or explanations of certain things that were happening that realistically that made no sense. God, I feel awful writing this review, because I really don't like giving bad reviews, but I really think this book needed a whole lot more editing. It felt like a first draft, maybe second draft of the manuscript. It needed a lot of polishing.
I'm not sure what it was about this story but Cam, Kace and Ali.... sigh. This was the right temperature throughout, enough steam, intrigue, and character growth the whole way around. Poor Ali, dealing with the obsessed Alan. You would have hoped 2 yrs separation he would have moved on but instead went OTT in getting her back. Loved Kace's wildness, Cam's center of gravity and how the two boys knew how to make Ali a top priority even when they couldn't always be together. This was a true sharing, even without the double teaming. I felt Kace's pain when he finally had to lay down in the bed with Cam leaving just enough space where Ali should have been. Nice HEA.
This book y’all... I don’t even have the words to properly explain how much you need to read The Games We Play. If you love baseball (or sports romance in general), two hot swoon worthy dudes, a heroine who grows continually throughout the story, and a little suspense this is your jam!
I laughed, I swooned A LOT, I swore multiple times, I wanted to throw my dang phone across the room, and then I did it again. I swooned HARD. You all need to experience Kace and Cam for yourself. I won’t spoil it, but seriously.... read it!
Onto the next story by Katie and dear Lord I hope it’s just as good. (Not that I have any doubts)!
Kace and Cam are best friends and famous athletes. They have people all over them all the time. So when they meet a woman that doesn’t know who they are or cares, they are intrigued.
Ali is attempting to overcome her past, and she’s only working to help her friend. However, Ali finds herself drawn to Kace and Cam. I love how they build a fun friendship, and it’s like they have known each other. She’s the perfect fit for their relationship. Hot and steamy and highly addictive.
Kace, Cam, and Ali make a beautiful trio, and it was a fantastic sports romance page-turner to read. I highly recommend it.
I am a sucker for sports romances and Katie Rae's "The Games We Play" was nothing less than exceptional. From the start you're captivated by Ali, Kace and Cam. I found myself laughing out loud and often times having a huge smile on my face.
For a first time author I found the writing to be very well thought out and developed. Katie Rae knows how to write the alpha male with a heart of gold. I can't wait to read more from this author!
Wow! I couldn’t put this book down. MFM sports romance, I love reading about different ways to be in a relationship and seeing the plus side of poly relationship. The bromance was already there for the boys Kace and Cam aka JJ and Nick growing up together they have a bond that’s unbreakable , until the both see a girl they both instantly fall for...is this where they start fighting over a girl? Ali is a domestic violence survivor when she discovered her ex manipulating her life for him to gain control she questioned him and the he got physical. She left without a trace to survive. Now doing a favour for a neighbour she is working at a local bar And has to serve 2 gorgeous men that introduce themselves as JJ and Nick
I'm going to be honest, I picked up this book to help an author that was seeing effects from another authors wrongs.
I enjoyed this book, a first for me from this author. What do you do when you and your best friend whose more like your brother fall for the same girl?! Love her. Ali wasn't sure what to make of Cam and Kace, all she knew is she was drawn to them both.
This book had a little bit of everything, a lit bit of uncertainty, flirty fun getting to know you, steamy moments and some suspense mixed in. Definitely glad I picked it up.
I swooned so hard over Cam and Kace! Their characters were lovable, and Ali was so easy to like!
The story was great, the development and arc were incredible and I just really enjoyed this book!
This author was recently caught up in some of the recent issues within the community with her book be returned unnecessarily due to a similar name, which is what made me pick it up in the first place, but I’m so glad I did!
This book found its way on my “want to read” shelf because I actually know the author - and I’m not afraid to give an unbiased AMAZING rating. Fantastic storytelling, fun characters, with a little bit of dark & twisty thrown in. What a fun read!!
I really enjoyed The Games We Play, so much so I just sat and read the whole thing in one sitting! JJ and Nick are such great characters and Ali too. Great story, tonnes of action and plenty of emotion and sweetness. Really enjoyed Katie Rae’s writing style too.