-Soccer Player
-close proximity
-Opposites Attract
-Roommates
-College romance
-Slow burn

I wanted to like this more than I did. It was hard to believe in the characters chemistry, it had little character development and it felt kind of flat

3.75

I loved the start of this a but then the middle/end kinda fell off imo

I loved the premise and the start of this with them being roommates and attracted to each other from the start, and then when they ran into his ex whilst out and he pretended that she was his new girl - it had me screaming cos it was so good

After that it moves onto a 'will they, won't they' with some cute moments where it looks like it but then when they don't and end up running away scared/not talking about things annoyed me

- sports romance (college american football)
- college romance
- roommates
- forced proximity

4⭐️
Oh my gosh. I eat up forced proximity (roommates) every single time. This book was really good!! I love Nico & everleigh 🥰 I really loved the chemistry between the two. The angst and the slow burn I really enjoyed it. 🖤 I also really enjoyed the friend group / group of football players in this!

This was my first time reading a book by this author, and while I enjoyed the tropes, I did find the character development lacking in places. The story lays a solid foundation for future books in the series, but the main character felt very sheltered and naive as she tried to move forward from her old life. Unfortunately, we get very little insight into her past, which I think would have helped draw me in more.

The slow-burn romance is definitely strong here, with plenty of push-and-pull moments that last almost until the final half of the book. However, I think the story would have resonated more if her growth had been explored beyond the familiar "shy, naive girl meets playboy" dynamic.

That said, the side characters were a highlight for me, and I’m intrigued to see how they, and the main storyline, evolve in future installments of the series.

3.5⭐, 2.25🌶️

So, this book wasn't the greatest book of all time, but it wasn't horrible either. It was a cute, college football, roommates romance. Everleigh was so sweet (maybe even too sweet) and Nico is a playbook football player (but a bad boy sometimes? Idk, I couldn't get a peg on him. He was a mean bad boy but only at the end of the book during the "break-up")

There wasn't any major drama in this book other than 'will they, won't they?' a couple of times so it wasn't super exciting to read, but I wasn't really bored either. I think doing the audiobook, I wasn't as upset that this book wasn't the most exciting, but I think if I had read it on my kindle, I would have been more bored.

To be quite candid - this book felt like it was trying to be like Elle Kennedy's Off Campus series but with football, but it just didn't hit the mark.

This is my first book by Monica but it won't be my last. I know there are much more popular books by her I want to give a chance.

Thank you NetGalley and Montlake for an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

A fun enemies/roommate romance that I truly enjoyed. Nico is a college football player who gets a lot of attention on and off the field. He and 2 of his teammates share a house together and they are in need of a roommate. Everleigh is not having the greatest day…and is in search of somewhere to live and fast. When she becomes roommates with 3 football players it’s definitely not what she is expecting. Especially Nico who she swears is always extra grumpy around her…or is it like when a boy pulls your pigtails in school. Are these two dancing around an attraction that they can’t stop?!? These two have laugh out loud banter and a slow burn that was definitely worth the wait. I enjoyed this fast paced read with a fun story being told. I am extremely excited about this series and can’t wait to get to know the other characters better. I can’t wait to watch this series grow…bring on the next book

Ahhh I loved it! It was a bit nail biting with all the tension. Sheesh! This book really yanks you in by the shirt collar! You can feel the agony of the back and forth between the two main characters. Monica has done a great job on the college scene. This my first college sports romance by her. Great writing and witty banter between so many of the characters, not just the main couple. (Which I loved) I’m really hoping for a certain couple from this series. Iykyk. Nico was such a grump, but poor baby just wanted to be loved. 😂😂😂 I throughly enjoyed this book. If you’re a fan of college sports romance (football) Definitely pick this up! You won’t be sorry. 😜

Living in the football house as the only female? Talk about awkward and creating some of the best moments between everyone. I really liked the banter between the two

I recently finished End Game, and I have to say, it was quite the enjoyable read! This college romance had me hooked from the start, blending humor, drama, and a touch of romance in a way that kept me turning the pages.

The story centers around a transfer student who unexpectedly finds herself living in a house full of football players. Talk about a whirlwind! I loved how she navigated her new environment and the romantic tension that developed, especially with one particular player she knows she shouldn’t fall for. The chemistry between the characters was palpable, and I found myself rooting for them throughout their ups and downs.

Murphy’s writing style is engaging and easy to follow, which made this book a quick read for me. I appreciated how well-developed the characters were; they felt relatable and real. I could easily connect with their struggles and triumphs, which added depth to the story.

That said, I did notice some familiar tropes that are common in college romances. While they didn’t detract from my enjoyment, I can see how seasoned readers of the genre might find them a bit predictable. However, Murphy’s unique voice and character-driven storytelling really elevated the experience for me.

Overall, I’d give End Game a solid four stars. It’s a delightful mix of humor and heartfelt moments that makes for a fun escape. If you’re looking for a captivating romance with engaging characters, this book is definitely worth picking up!

Thank you Netgalley for an arc of End Game. This was my first read from Monica Murphy, but I really enjoyed it. I rated this book a 4.5 stars. I would recommend it. It's a sports romance.

I want to say thank you to NetGalley and the writer for letting me read this book and share what I really think about it.
The tropes seemed fantastic, and the book description made me eager to read this novel! College romance, forced proximity, opposites attract, roommates to lovers, and sports romance.However, I didn't enjoy this book one bit.
Everleigh and Nico didn't connect with us frequently enough, and the few times we did see them together didn't support their romance. Although they were described as being attracted to each other, there was no tension or chemistry. To be honest, I was more intrigued by Sienna and Gavin's story.
Nico is arrogant, extremely popular (he seems to require security to keep his admirers away, but I never witnessed this), and all the women desire him (but I wasn't persuaded). He was unable to communicate, was a man-child, and believed that making dinner would make people forgive him (where's the grovel?). Everleigh was no better; she lacked personality, was uninteresting, and was unable to communicate either.
The way the book moved was tricky for me. Some parts went by really quickly, and I didn’t feel happy about them, while other parts took too long. Even though the characters only became a couple at the end of the story, it didn't feel like they fell in love super fast. But it was like their feelings jumped from nothing to really strong all of a sudden.

This is a good book. The two main characters are Everleigh and Nico. Everleigh has just transferred to a new college. Her roommates has just informed her they gave her room to someone else, so she has no place to stay. She overhears a conversation some guys have while she is trying to figure out where she going to stay. They are talking about a room that have to rent. She talks them into renting it to her. The guys are on the football team. She has an attraction for one of the guys, Nico. They start dating and fall in love.

⭐️ 5/5
🌶️ 3/5

End Game is a roommates/friends to lovers, close proximity, opposites attract, college football romance. This is also the first instalment to the Kings of Campus series.

I started this book this morning and have finished it already, I could not put it down! This book has something for everyone, the quiet guy, the one who try’s to hard, the cocky football player (being the operative word!) and girls who are there for them!

Everleigh was a great character, coming to a new place and trying to start a new in college and ending up in the one place that everyone wants to be ….. in the hottest football players house as their roommate! I love how she interacted with the guys and was able to stay true to herself instead of changing to fit in.

Now on to Nico …. Nico, Nico, Nico! Where to begin, he is the cocky footballer player who is hot as is sin with a panty dropping smile, who couldn’t fall for him! 🔥 It was good to see that not he had to deal with not everything dropping at his feet for him and the friendships within the team and house were really nice to read!

I loved how the relationships grew within the story and I can not wait for the next instalment to see where this goes!

Overall this was an absolutely brilliant book and I can not wait for the next in the series! I would highly recommend it to anyone who loves themselves a hot, cocky football player!

Monica Murphy is always a hit with me! This is the perfect blend of sports and some yummy romance. The chemistry between the characters had me swooning.

I think this is a great quick read when you are looking for a palette cleanser read.

It fell short for me this time. I just feel like we didn’t see enough of any of the characters to get a good connection to them or even see the connections with each other. I just needed more overall with the character development, relationship development and plot line.

Rooming in a house with football players? Yes please! Everleigh isn't sure about doing just that but when you don't have many choices, you take what you can get. The roomies are great except Nico, who is so moody. But you know that just means he wants her. The characters' chemistry is great.

The storyline was pretty well developed. I would have liked to understand Everleigh's past some more but that didn't impact the story at all. All of the other characters were great too. I think we need more books about them!

Everleigh and Nico are just two idiots who can’t admit that they love each other.

I loved the forced proximity / roommates tropes especially when they “can’t” attempt anything because they don’t want to ruin things if they go wrong.. lol!
If you go into something with that mindset, it’s doomed to fail! It’s a simple concept.

I enjoyed how simple their relationship evolved, it felt so natural and effortless, with their little fake dating attempts and the little mistakes they make.

There wasn’t a lot of spice, but it made sense relationship development wise, but all the lead-up to the spice, was hot!

I can’t wait for the other guys stories! Gav and Sienna need a book!!

Thank you Monica Murphy for an eARC.

Plot ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice 🌶️🌶️.5

A sports romance with a reformed playboy? Sign me up. This was a cute first book to the start of a new series. The meet-cute had me giggling and I loved how the guys all just accepted Everleigh into their home. The push and pull between Nico and Everleigh was done well and Monica certainly knows how to edge her audience. So be prepared as this is a slow burn but it’s worth the wait my friends.

Is Nico a bit of a man-child? Yes he definitely is, but you can’t help falling for him. I also really enjoyed getting to know all the side characters and I’m excited for Gavin and Sienna’s story but I’m also really interested in Frank’s story too. I just have a feeling the entire series is gonna be a good one.

3.5 Stars

End Game is the first book in a new series from Monica, the Kings of Campus. In this book the romantic focus is between Ever and Nico. I felt that it took such a long time for anything to happen between them beyond some bickering and tension. I would have liked them to spend more time together as I wasn't completely sold on them as a couple for a large part of the book. My favourite parts of the story were the friendships of the roommates, I loved the way they became like Ever's big brothers. The ending did feel a little abrupt and I would have liked a little more especially as I am now worried about Nico. It is always hard to judge when it's the first book of a series as time is spent introducing everyone and laying the groundwork however I am looking forward to seeing where the next book goes.

Monica starts this new series off well and just in time for football season!!

End Game is definitely more on the slow-burn romance with very low angst and honestly, it was the perfect combination for Nico and Everleigh.

Everleigh finds herself as the fourth roommate with three guys; three guys who happen to be known as the Kings around campus.

Nico is the typical playboy but struggles with his attraction to Everleigh. But she's the new roommate and off-limits.

I really enjoyed how this one played out. While some parts felt a bit too long, it helped build that tension and low angst. But also add in the roommates and friends, this was nicely paced story and great build-up for the rest of the books in this series.

A great college, sports romance read. I am looking forward to more from this series.