We’ve had to wait a long time for The Hot Shot, but it is worth every second. Kristen Callihan has delivered one hell of a pair in Finn and Chess, making theirs way more than a sports romance.

If you haven’t yet read the first three books in the Game On series (The Hook Up, The Friend Zone, and The Game Plan) you definitely should, but The Hot Shot is an absolute must read. Finn and Chess’s story is funny, snarky, but full of heart and love that you will not want to miss. Still not convinced? Check out the description and review below.

About ‘The Hot Shot’

First we were friends. Then we were roommates. Now I want more…

What can I say about Chess Copper? The woman is capable of bringing me to my knees. I know this about five minutes after getting naked for her.

No one is more surprised than me. The prickly photographer my team hired to shoot our annual charity calendar isn’t my usual type. She’s defense to my offense, a challenge at every turn. But when I’m with her, all the regrets and darkness goes away. She makes life fun.

I want to know Chess, be close to her. Which is a bad idea.

Chess is looking for a relationship. I’ve never given a woman more than one night. But when fate leaves Chess without a home, I step up and offer her mine. We’re roommates now. Friends without benefits. But it’s getting harder to keep our hands off each other. And the longer we live together the more I realize she’s becoming my everything.

Trick is… Now that I’ve made her believe I’m a bad bet, how do I convince her to give this player a true shot at forever?

‘The Hot Shot’ book review

Finn and Chess are a match made in romance reader heaven. There is nothing better than reading about a couple who has sizzling chemistry, but due to fears and failures, tries to stifle it and “just be friends.” The not-so-choreographed dance these two were navigating in the opening half of this book was nothing short of darling. Every time Finn smirked at Chess with a knowing smile, I giggled. Every time Chess stole a chance to ogle Finn’s sculpted body, I smirked knowingly myself. Their chemistry had a palpable presence in this story from the second Chess opened the door to the quarterback and his boys, and the steps each took to try and deny it made for one hell of a rumba.

One of my favorite things about The Hot Shot is that Finn’s performance on the field was largely unaffected by his time with Chess. I’ve read a lot of sports romance, and as charming as it is to see a hero so out of his mind in love that it actually pulls his focus in the worst moment possible, it’s also lovely to see a man that knows when to turn off the world and get the job done. Finn Mannus is dependable, hard working, and talented, and his professional success should not depend upon his staying single to keep focused. It’s refreshing to read about a guy who can compartmentalize his life in a healthy way, but still prioritize the woman he loves every available second.

It was also lovely to read about a heroine that isn’t ashamed to accept help when she needs it. Chess is an independent and focused individual who loves her work and can take care of herself, but when life throws her an obstacle she just can’t traverse on her own, she gratefully allows her friends, new and old, to help. Being self-sufficient and independent doesn’t mean you never need a hand to get through life, and that is a lesson we all learn at one point or another.

Finn and Chess have give and take down to a science. They are each capable of taking on some of the other’s weight when things just get too heavy to handle on their own, and each are willing to allow some of their burden to be taken as well. Love and trust are a game of give and take, so leave it to a quarterback to be the master of it. Finn and Chess may take a while to find their footing, but once they do, they aren’t afraid to lean on each other to stay balanced. It’s a healthy way to handle struggle, and it’s a surefire way to have romance readers falling head over heels in love with your characters.

While I have enjoyed all of the Game On books so far, right now it feels like Finn and Chess may just steal the top spot. There’s just something about the way they tease and torment each other, and the struggles both have overcome that makes it easy to truly connect to this pair. I can’t wait to read more from Kristen Callihan and however many stories she may have left for us in this series, but a part of me will always be waiting and hoping for a glimpse of Finn and Chess and the family they create for themselves.

The Hot Shot is available now at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Oh, and don’t forget to add it on Goodreads too!