Perfect for the 2024 college football season, End Game will definitely get you in the mood to watch your favorite teams fight it out on the gridiron. Once again, Monica Murphy channels her love of football with these Kings of Campus who not only 'rule' their school out on the field but set hearts afire with just a smirk or wink. For Everleigh Olmsford, a transfer student, the poor girl is simply looking for a roommate and as fate would have it, ends up as the 4th in an apartment with these so-called Kings and from that moment on, all of their lives are never the same.

End Game is a bit lighter on the angst meter than the usual Murphy book, but is no less full of the kind of sweet feels she can deliver like no other. Nico Valente becomes the focus of Everleigh's heart but their chemistry may not be enough to cross that line between roommate and more. And so begins their push and pull, both somewhat afraid of getting too close and ruining not only their roommate arrangement but affecting Frank and Coop, the other two Kings who share their living space as well.

All the guys are vastly different from each other, play different positions on their team yet will always be there when it matters. Frank, in particular, is a softie who is everyone's friend no matter what and just wants to find a girl for his own. Coop is a bit of a mystery thus far but his sister Sienna is quite the woman who befriends Everleigh and has her own issues with the star quarterback, Gavin, giving plenty of advice and truths that may hurt at times but need to be said.

This book features another kind of coming-of-age storyline with most of the guys ready to tackle the world as college seniors but still have immature hearts when it comes to love. The romance between Nico and Everleigh can be frustrating at times but as they grow closer, thoughts of not being together just won't do, thank goodness.

I will say that there could have been more wrt the playa reputation that Nico has earned, since he really didn't engage anyone else in the book once Everleigh was in his orbit. Sure, there is a bitter ex that is always around at the worst times but otherwise the man has stayed celibate for a while now. The interactions, for the most part, are between the guys as they navigate this new existence with a girl as a roommate, with Everleigh winning over Frank (also known as Dollar) and Coop pretty early one with her mad cleaning and cooking skills. Nico takes a bit longer but that's just because the poor guy doesn't know what to do with these intense feelings he has never had to experience.

Overall, End Game is a very easy read. One that is sweet, cute and full of the schmexy men Monica Murphy loves to bestow upon us. She also gives us smart, resilient and sharp women who give as good as they get and always get their guys to figure out a way to deserve them. But to be fair, only Murphy men would be able to handle these remarkable women and I'm happy that Nico finally got his head straight and figured out how to win over Everleigh for good.

I look forward to more in this series, especially the current substory involving Sienna and Gavin, hoping they can figure their issues out once and for all. When looking for that college romance that is witty, joyful and easy on the heartl, look no further than End Game.

3.5 stars

Thank you net gallery for a chance to review. I am a huge Monica fan so was excited to get into this one. This is a quick easy read & I was able to read within 24 hours.

- Sport Romance
- College Setting
- Forced Proximity (house mates)
- Friends to Lovers
- Slow Burn

When Everleigh's college housing falls through at the last minute, she over hears the local college football guys are also looking for a house mate. She jumps at the opportunity and even though the boys are reluctant - They can't deny her when she offers her cooking skills too.

Nico is in this final year of college for the dolphins football team. He has his goals set on the NFL career & nothing is going to stop him getting there, especially a girl. Even if that girl is gorgeous and his house mate - And soon to be a close friend. She may be different to the other girls he has played around, but Nico is strong on keeping his wall up. Until, he isn't. And as soon as that wall is down, he will stop at nothing to make Everleigh his.

Everleigh has experienced some bad relationships, and really doesn't want to experience another failed relationship with her house mate. Especially one that is known as the play boy with sweet talking. She promises herself she won't fall for his words, even when is actions are showing they want her. But as friendship turns into so much more, she may have to let her walls down too to experience the true love they both deserve.

3.5/5 stars. 2/5 steam.

Unfortunately, this one missed the mark for me. I did enjoy reading it and once again, Monica had me addicted with her writing. But I needed more background information to feel an emotional connection to the characters. I feel like Everleigh's past was brushed over & I simply just needed more to feel connected to her. I also was disappointed that they don't properly get in a relationship till 90% - So we unfortunately don't get to read much about them actually having a tackle at being in a relationship after both being such commitment phobes.

A steamy slow burn college (new adult) romance, set in a football house. It’s low-angst and surprisingly sensitive - in a good way. Everleigh has transferred in, and through a convolution of romance reasons finds herself sharing a house with three elite football players. The one she fancies is Nico, and luckily, it’s mutual. However...

They are both sensible enough to realise that sleeping together won’t help their living situation and neither feels ready for a relationship. I loved that it was Everleigh who put the brakes on, and kept them on. It’s a very slow burn - but they get there. They are both busy with study and work/sporting commitments.They do get to know each other, even if they are crushing for most of it.

I’d have liked to see more of their backstories, especially their relationship with their own families, and see them do more together. Nico is a good guy, self-involved and a bit entitled, but he pays attention to Everleigh. I needed to remind myself how very young they are and how new they are to caring about someone else. The side characters are great - Sienna adds girl time in the house and the boys are good value. There’s a bit of a stereotyped villain, but it’s not toxic. This is easy reading, low-angst college fun.

Rounded up to four stars. Thank you NetGalley, Monica Murphy and Montlake for the ARC.

I have been on a Monica Murphy binge lately. I love her writing style and her stories.
End Game is her new sports romance series, Kings of Campus.
I just loved Everleigh, Ever as is her nickname, from the start. She is a transfer student and hoping for a real college experience. She doesn’t start out too well though. Her housing gets canceled and her car broken into. Down on her luck she meets a group of guys, football players that have an empty room. She agrees to cook for them and they agree to let her rent their room.
Nico is one of the football players, he doesn’t want to like Ever but he is attracted to her. And she to him.
Nico and Ever have a slow burn romance, will they or won’t they, but I enjoyed their back and forth and getting to know each other.
I loved seeing Ever have fun and be a real college student. Ever and Nico were so good together once they got together.
I also liked all the supporting characters and can’t wait for their stories.
This was a quick read that I devoured. I love sports romances and Monica Murphy can write them!

This book was a case of it's not you, it's me. I wanted to love it and there were parts that I did, but what fell flat for me was the main couple, Nico and Everleigh. I didn’t feel like there was enough of them throughout the entire thing. They went from strangers, to friends, to not even really getting together until maybe the last 15% of the book.

I found myself enjoying all the secondary characters way more, I was more invested in them. Especially, Sienna and Gavin…and my favorite one, Dollar. I want to know their stories and that was distracting me from Nico and Everleigh.

This was a pretty easy, quick read, but I just wanted more of the main couple and maybe a little less on all the other characters. I know if the rest of the characters are getting books I will be reading those ones.

If you’re looking for a sports, roommates, strangers to friends to lovers romance check this one out.

4 ⭐ 1.5 🌶

This was such a cute and sweet story. An absolute slow burn and light on the spice, but the angst is really great throughout. I really loved the friendships within the story and I'm really excited this is a series and that we'll likely be getting the rest of the roommates and Gavin's stories.

There is quite a bit of other woman and some other man ish drama. This is a college romance with college issues and most of the plot surrounds the forbidden relationship both because of their roommate situation, but also in that Nico is a former playboy with an insanely jealous ex. I loved Nico, but I also wanted to smack him around a bit. He really is an a hole sometimes, but he's a sweet guy at heart.

I'm not sure who I want more, Gavin and Sienna's or Frank and whichever lucky soul gets that amazing man's book next. Either way (or even if it's Coop) I'm really excited to see what's next for the Kings of Campus.

I was lucky enough to receive as an ARC 🥰

This is Book 1 of the Kings of Campus Series!

End Game by Monica Murphy delivers a captivating college romance that’s equal parts steamy and heartfelt. The story centers around Everleigh (Ever) and Nico, two characters whose lives intersect in unexpected ways, leading to a tumultuous yet irresistible connection.

Everleigh’s transfer to UC Santa Mira is supposed to be her dream college experience, but things take a turn when her housing situation falls apart at the last minute. Desperate to find a place to stay, she seizes an opportunity to move in with a group of football players who are short one roommate. The last thing she expects is to be captivated by one of them, but Nico—Santa Mira Dolphins' star player—proves to be more than just a handsome athlete.

Nico is in his senior year and fully focused on making his final football season a success. The last thing he needs is a distraction, especially in the form of his new roommate. Ever is everything he shouldn’t want—she’s too beautiful, too smart, and too much of a temptation. Yet, the more they try to keep things platonic, the more they’re drawn to each other.

Murphy crafts a story filled with sizzling chemistry and palpable tension between Ever and Nico. The dynamic between them is electric, with each interaction heightening the stakes of their relationship.

Monica Murphy has a knack for writing romance that is both emotionally charged and utterly engrossing. End Game is a must-read for fans of college romance, sports romance, and anyone who enjoys a story where love defies the odds. With its relatable characters, sizzling romance, and engaging plot, End Game is a touchdown in the world of contemporary romance.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. I was super excited to read this book. I have read other books from this author and really enjoyed them. Plus it’s a sports romance. I do wish I loved this book more than I did. It was still an enjoyable read but there were a few things that kept me from loving it. The beginning felt super slow to me. I did like the characters in this book and I understand they are in college but they felt a little too juvenile at times. I wish we got to see more interaction between Everleigh and Nico. I also didn’t like how Nico was a total dick at the end and making dinner was just supposed to excuse his behavior. I do still want to continue with the series because there are some great side characters.

Always LOVE a Monica Murphy book, and this one lived up to every expectation I had going into it! Nico is just perfection and the forced proximity trope makes this story chefs kiss. A thousand stars.

This was just working for me. Both characters were ridiculously immature. The back and forth was super annoying! We don't really get enough of them spending time together before we are made to believe they love each other now?! The spice was minimal and not worth it.
Also, did the author get dumped by a guy named Frank?? Because poor guy seems ridiculously sweet and deserves a hea. Honestly, I would rather read about Frank.


Thank you to netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 rating. Super cute, quick read! I enjoyed their chemistry and the story. It was fun lol I’d be interested in more about the other teammates!

Forced proximity, grumpy sun shine, a little bit forbidden (roommates) and collegiate athletes? What more could you want??? I will read every book in this series. I’m dying to know what will happen with Gavin and Sienna’s friendship (there is something we desperately need to find out!!!) and would love to see Dollar and Coop finding love!!!

A big thank you to NetGalley and Montlake Publishing for the eARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. This is the first in a new series. It is set in a college town. So the characters are in college, and are quite young. This is Nico and Everleigh's story. I enjoyed the characters although I could not relate as I am not in my 20's or 30's. This is cute, but for a younger audience. 3 stars from me, but I think many others will enjoy it more.

I was so excited to read this book but unfortunately I couldn’t get into it at all, I wish there was more chemistry between the two MCs!

Maybe I’ll give this another go in a couple of months and see if that makes a difference, thank you for the ARC

One of the best arc books I’ve read. Ever was such a fun character to watch try to come of age herself while living with three football kings. Along the way, watching Ever make a good girl friend was also fabulous. The plot line was objectively simple, but this author executed it seamlessly. I absolutely cannot wait for the sequel (hopefully Gavin’s story). After seeing a ton of hockey college romance books, this was the perfect football addition to the genre.

This is my first book by this author and all the tropes are great. But I did struggle some with the character development. I think this sets a strong set up for later books in this series, but she was sheltered and naive and basically moving away from her past life. But we don’t really get much of her past at all, and I think that would have pulled me in a little better.

The slow burn is definitely real for this one like push and pull between both of them almost up until the last 20%. I think this just would of hit the marker harder for me if there would of been more past and growth for her other then just the typical shy naive girl meets playboy.

I did enjoy a lot of the side characters in this story and will be curious to see how these characters develop in future books in this series.

This is a sports romance like no other. I tend to shy away from them when I am not familiar with the author but the synopsis drew me in. This is also a slow burn (which I love) but I know a lot of people hate, but this one is worth it to trust the process. Highly recommend.

Everleigh decided she needed a change and that entailed leaving her town and going to a new college. What she didn’t expect was getting there and finding out the room she was renting was rented to someone else. Nico, Cooper and Frank needed a new roommate when one of their teammates left. Enter sweet Everleigh. Nico has never had to work hard for anything and that includes girls. The thing is Nico holds that status really high and when he doesn’t see what is happening around him, he learns the hard way that not everyone is going to be so kind. You see he realizes that he treats those that he is closest to without thought of their feelings, because honestly, he is a little all about himself. It comes down to Everleigh pushing him away and his roommates laying it out to him for him to realize he needs to grow up and now. I really hope that we are going to get more books for this series as I need to know more about Gavin, Cooper and Frank!

Summary: When housing falls through for Everleigh, she finds herself rooming with football players. One of the football players, Nico, is in his senior year and doesn't want any distractions.

Vibes:
Sports Romance
Forced Proximity
Roommates to Lovers

Thoughts: I didn't see many interactions between the two main characters. I'm usually crazy over sports romances and loved previous Monica Murphy, but this one fell a little flat for me. I did like the the friendship between the housemates.

𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: ★☆☆☆☆
𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐠🎵: Fortnight by Taylor Swift and Post Malone
𝐬𝐦𝐮𝐭/𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐞: 2/5
𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬: roommates • football romance • forbidden love • found family

🏈⭐️📗🍝🪞🌺

I'm so sorry, but this is my least favorite Monica Murphy book I've ever read. The plot sucked, the characters were boring, the chemistry was sub par, and the book was just downright boring. I'm a huge Monica Murphy fan so this was both sad and surprising. I loved her Players and College Years series, both of which are college football romance, but this book was nothing like them. It lacked emotion and a creative plot. It felt like there wasn't much thought behind it.I was bored out of my mind for the whole second half. I honestly couldn't wait to be done with it, which saddens my heart because I usually love Monica Murphy. I really don't want to slander this book, but I pride myself on honest book reviews.

Eveleigh's character was extremely bland; she just felt like words on a paper. There was nothing that stood out about her or made her unique. She had the classic "small town girl trying to make it in the big city" vibe going on. Nico was *personally really annoying and cocky. And not in a cute way or something, just annoying and full of himself. These characters had absolutely no chemistry, their whole "connection" felt so incredibly forced and lacked a spark. I don't feel like they had anything in common, and I felt very disconnected from their relationship.

The plot was very boring. It was super basic. Eveleigh, a small town girl, moves to the city and needs a place to live. She ends up moving in with a bunch of college football players. She starts to feel a connection to a specific "roommate" Nico, whom she's been sharing a bathroom with. Nico also feels a connection to Eveleigh and soon finds himself struggling to keep his "crush" on her under wraps. Soon the two can't resist each other and get together. But it's tricky because they are all living in the same house with a bunch of Nico's teammates.

*PLEASE DON'T HATE ME IF YOU READ THIS MONICA MURPHY*.

I love her other books so much, her Lancaster prep series honestly changed my life, but this book was just not my favorite. I think the plot could use some work, the characters were boring, and the book was emotionless and lacking. It just bored me and I easily lost interest. I would not recommend this book.

Thank you to NetGalley, Montlake, and Monica Murphy for the opportunity to read this book early in exchange for an honest review!