The Game Plan (Game On) Paperback – November 1, 2015

Book: Standalone in the Game On series. (Dual POV)*You do not have to read the other books to read this book.Tropes: Opposites Attract, long distance dating, sports romance, virginAdventure: 0/5 😴Spice: 🌶🌶🌶🌶Drama: 4/5 💔Synopsis: Fiona and Dex have met a handful of times at various functions, and while she could only see the party and the fun, all he could see was her. When he finally makes his move, Fiona opens up and lets him in, but his lifestyle as a famous athlete (and virgin) may threaten everything he wants, her.Review: This is a good read if you are in the mood for something that is super mushy-sweet. That was the mood I was in when I binged it in a day. It is completely character driven so there isn’t a deep plot … but yeah, it’s still a good time!Dex …. was so endearing. He might be one of the (if not the) top contenders for me for best written boyfriend I’ve come across. He starts off so into Fiona and makes no apologies for it. He’s patient and understanding and so damn stoic in a super sexy way. He loves hard, and if I had to pick his love language it would probably be words of endearment or physical touch. He’s scrumptious and gave me a book boyfriend hangover.Fiona …. she’s a little flaky but she knows it, and she’s trying to be more grounded. She is a realist and is honest about her feelings, which I think made her interesting because she knew what she wanted, but she was upfront that it could hurt her too. She left no room for miscommunication on this. What I really loved about Fiona, is her persistence. In other books, the female leads, I find, tend to run away and cry and hide when the love interest hurts their feelings. Fiona … she goes out and buys Gumbo for the guy and doesn’t let him wallow in grump town. I found her character honestly … refreshing. When she came to terms with her perceived flaws, I was really moved by her breakthrough.I will say it again, this book is for when you want a cozy feel-good mushy romance to read. There are little tensions until we hit our big stressor, but there is a lot of fluffy dialogue that some might find hard to chew on. What I haven’t said about this book … is the spice. Holy chili peppers I was not expecting to enjoy a virgin trope so much, and while the circumstances that created that situation were off putting, I thought this trope was done well. I usually roll my eyes at the whole “I’m a virgin thing”, but I didn’t have that reaction while reading this story. So read this on a rainy day, when you need a fictional man to fall in love with – and I hope you have the same experience that I did. Happy reading.

Each time I read a Kristen Callihan novel I am once again in awe of her skill as a writer. She makes the whole process appear so casual, effortless, and off the cuff. I know damn well that just ain’t so. Her Game On series is carefully crafted. Each book is a compelling and intense character study of the hero and heroine. If you haven’t read this series yet, don’t think it’s all maudlin, emo, and angsty. Ms. Callihan injects quite a lot of hilarity, hijinks, and shenanigans (Gray and Ivy’s code word for sex) in every book. This series is, after all, about a bunch of college/pro football players who let loose with plenty of obnoxious smack talk and towel snapping in and out of the locker room. I adored both The Hook Up and The Friend Zone, their awesomeness staying with me for days after The End. So, it was with a bit of anxious nail biting that I began reading The Game Plan. When this series began Drew, Gray, and Dex played on the same college football team. They’ve all since graduated and gone separate ways, however, their friendship is still strong even though they each play for a different NFL team. Their lives have had some major change ups by the time of The Game Plan. I must admit, I harbored a bit of doubt this one would live up to the others. Silly me, what was I thinking?This is Ethan “Dex” Dexter and Fiona “Fi” Mackenzie’s story. These two have been hovering in the background of the previous books. Dex is a big, quiet guy with an even bigger heart. When he does speak, it’s always something astonishingly profound about life, love, or the dynamics of football. He’s also a mighty talented artist who paints as an outlet. Dex keeps to himself, and isn’t very comfortable in social situations. He has layers that just beg to be revealed. He’s watched Fiona from the sidelines for two years, never making a move.The beginning of The Game Plan, finds Fiona and Dex in San Francisco at the same time visiting her sister, Ivy and husband, Gray. Opportunity thrown in his lap, Dex decides he’s not holding back any longer. He wants Fiona and he’s tired of waiting. As for Fiona, Dex isn’t really her type; the man bun, the beard...especially the beard, his mammoth size. But once they start talking, she realizes he has been more in tune with her from afar than any of her boyfriends."I remember that he used to watch me with those deep-set hazel eyes. It hadn’t made much of an impression then because I was loud, and people usually glanced my way when I was in a room. Never really bothered me. I’d assumed Ethan was doing the same—giving crazy Fi Mackenzie a onceover before going back to his life. Now I know it had been more. Strangely, this makes me warm all over. He saw when I wasn’t “on” or trying to impress him, but as myself. And he’d wanted me anyway."Fiona is a whirlwind. There’s a reason she’s nicknamed Tink, as in Tinkerbell. She’s a mere five foot three, often speaks before she thinks, is loud and opinionated, and has the reputation of getting distracted by shiny objects. Case in point, she changed majors three times. Fi is the polar opposite of big sister, Ivy, and feels she is a disappointment to her family because she hasn’t found the one thing that is her passion. However, what’s great about Fiona is her level of maturity. At 21 she realizes all these things about herself and truly wants to rise above the bad habits. Especially after realizing Dex has silently watched her for two years and still likes her for who she is. Fiona is ready to stop the flitting around. She’s lonely and feeling empty."And after seeing what my sister, Ivy, has with her guy? That kind of all-encompassing, I-have-to-be-with-you devotion? I want more than casual dating. I want to be someone’s necessity, and for them to be mine."When these two get together it’s an explosion of lust, love, tenderness, and all out passion. Yes, it’s fast. But since they’d already been in each others lives, it didn’t bother me at all. Silently lusting after Fi for years, and single minded determination to succeed in the NFL have kept Dex from pursuing other women. The rumors are true. Dex is a virgin. And it’s very hot indeed. He’s not a scrawny teenager who’s never been given the opportunity. This is a choice Dex has made. Because there is only one woman he wants and he has been willing to wait until she’s ready for the force that is Ethan Dexter. And he’s decided the time is now."Why didn’t I notice you before?” Because he was right in front of me the whole time. This big, beautiful man who doesn’t shy away from honesty. With a caress of his thumb, he eases a lock of hair behind my ear. “I didn’t exactly make myself known.” “Why not? And why now?” He frowns, watching his thumb glide over the edge of my jaw toward my lips. “Couldn’t stay away from you this time.”Despite his lack of experience, Dex is quite the natural at the sexy talk and action. As a matter of fact, he’s passed beginner and gone straight to expert. When she discovers he sports tats and piercings (yes, Dex is pierced there!), game over. She’s a goner. Fiona finds herself falling hard and fast. But it scares her to death and, in typical Fi fashion, she’s ready to cut and run.Which is easy to do since she lives in NYC and he’s based in New Orleans. She’s rapidly convincing herself this thing isn’t going to work. Besides, her job as a designer is giving her grief, but if she quits she will just be repeating the same old Fiona pattern of giving up. What to do,what to do?Just when Fiona has convinced herself being with Dex is paramount to sticking with that crap job, all hell breaks loose in the form of a stolen phone, and very revealing photos plastered all over the internet. I found there to be a few flaws in this scenario, but even so it works and I liked that Ms. Callihan didn’t drag it out or overblow the issue. If Dex and Fi can weather this, they will make it as a couple.One of the main things I love about this series is that Ms. Callihan’s heroes are not hulking, partying, non-stop-sex-with-groupies football players. These guys are wickedly intelligent, with surprising talents and interests other than football. They definitely love the challenge and thrill of the game, but bottom line...it’s a profession. They aren’t interested in fame or its superficial perks. To them, family and friends come first. And when they fall in love it’s deep. I enjoyed The Game Plan every bit as much as the other two books in this series and I certainly hope there are more books to come.

Eu adorei os dois primeiros livros desta série. Drew e Anna de "The hook up" continuam sendo meu casal favorito. Gray e Ivy, de "The friend zone" ganharam meu coração nas categorias humor e drama.Então, como avaliar "The game plan"? Eu me apaixonei pelos personagens, Ethan e Fi, no primeiro capitulo deste livro. Ambos são puros, verdadeiros, sinceros e generosos. A conexão criada entre os dois é real e palpável. Os momentos de tensão (que acontecem nos últimos 20% do livro) são resolvidos de forma madura e amorosa pelo casal, sem dramas desnecessários ou atitudes questionáveis. Parabéns a Kristen pelo conjunto da obra. Um livro para ler e reler.

I was having fun with this one, but then at the end there were a few lines that really rubbed me the wrong way. For example there is a section where Fiona is on her period and Dex goes on about how he "manned up, asked for a list of what she needed, and went to the store to buy her brownies, Midol, and, yes, more tampons and pads" then talks about how he did these things "without one word of complaint". It just came across to me like he thought he was some amazing guy for doing all of this instead of just being a boyfriend with some common decency. I am not going to congratulate anyone for doing that, your girlfriend is ill so yes, buy her some painkillers?! Sorry there is no prize for that I guess? And the fact he had to "man up" to go buy pads and tampons, I mean come on you are a grown adult, calm the hell down.Ok I did not mean to go on a rant when I started writing this review but I was getting annoyed again and it just happened soooo, yeah I'm going to stop here.

This book was so cute and thoroughly enjoyable. I loved Dex snd Fi was fine, but was annoying in her responses/behaviours at times. There were also a few occasions where the story seemed to temporarily go off on a different thread for a bit and I was left wondering what it was all for? (Eg the naked photo shoot with Dex and a couple of team mates…? No real reason for that diversion…). So generally a cute story though, all the necessary ingredients for a good novel, but with some occasional waffling/dragging.

I’m so in love with Sexy Dexy! The heroes from the Game On series are seriously wonderful guys.Huge, stoic, quiet, level-headed and reserved, Ethan Dexter is really quite the most magnificent of creatures! And, he’s a virgin. Only pages into the story and I was fangirling all over this sexy, intense dude. He’s been in love with Fiona Mackenzie since the first time he met her at a wedding two years earlier. He’s never forgotten her but knows that she’s not interested in athletes, plus she’s his best friend’s sister-in-law. He’s managed to keep his distance but a one-week stay at his friend’s house, at the same time that Fiona is visiting, and one dare results in his resolve being completely shattered. He’s determined to have her.Fiona is known to be flighty. She’s the type to run away at the first sign of discomfort. She’s never stuck to anything with any real level of commitment. However, Ethan gets under her skin. She’s beyond attracted to him. And so begins their long-distance relationship, which is tested to the limit by a massive press scandal, as well as the physical distance itself.I absolutely 100% adored Ethan Dexter. He got completely under my skin, never mind Fiona’s! He and Fiona just get each other. They understand one another so well. I loved their connection and their mutual desire and passion, and their hunger for the other. They give each other’s life meaning and I love how they fight for their relationship. Loved, loved, loved this book!!

I LOVED THIS BOOK!Ethan Dexter grabbed my heart and ran with it. He is a beautifully written hero and Fiona is an equally awesome heroine.If you never gave guys with beard much thought before...swear to God, you will after this book has had its effect on you. And also, have you SEEN THE COVER??????????? I confess that I am occasionally swayed by a hot cover. (I saw this and one-clicked, I mean seriously...who wouldn't?)He is just GORGEOUS, on the outside and the inside. My heart ached for him. I wanted to protect him and I loved how Fiona felt that way towards him. "I see Ethan Dexter;he shines for me. And I burn hotter than the sun when I'm in his orbit"I don't want to give the plot away. Suffice to say that Ethan takes things at a slow pace for a reason but once Fiona and him come into contact...whoa! These two are so perfect for each other in every way.Loved seeing the other guys from the previous books. Gray and Ivy are still fab. And hilarious. The scene in the bar was superb.Kristen Callihan is one of a handful of authors who can write truly astounding heroes that captivate you because they have all the alpha tendencies that are attractive but equally they possess a beautiful vulnerability. She manages to write equally likeable and awesome heroines.Every romance junkie should read this superb series. It is well worth your time and money.By the way, did I mention the cover