As the third book I’ve read by Cassie Connor, I have appreciated the unconventional storylines she has migrated towards in her last two books, especially in a genre full of rinse-and-repeat tropes. With that being said, I found that The Big Game burned bright and burned fast, with its intensity and intrigue tapering off after the first quarter of the book. The book starts off promising, pulling you right in and hinting at what seems like a sweet college romance, only to suddenly knock you off your feet with an unexpected twist. From there, you’re buckled in for one heck of a rollercoaster ride - the first six chapters are full of action, excitement, chills, and thrills. But, like most rollercoasters, the ride is over faster than you’d expect, leaving you wanting more. That’s exactly how The Big Game felt. The book had so much potential, but it kept getting in its own way by focusing too much on the repetitive, lust-driven back-and-forth between the male and female protagonists, rather than delivering on what made it stand out as “Miss Congeniality meets the Super Bowl.”

Tate and Lily were the couple everyone envied - big dreams, deeply in love, perfectly in sync. Or so Lily thought, until a conversation she wasn’t meant to hear brought everything crashing down around her. Eight years later, Lily has learned from her mistakes and swears she’ll never let the rug be pulled out from under her again. But being accidentally bowled over by a 6’3” football player rushing across the room? That’s a different story. Arriving at her new assignment, the last person Lily expects to see after being unexpectedly knocked over is Tate Donovan. Determined to keep her past firmly where it belongs, Lily is thrown completely off-kilter when she discovers that Tate - known to his teammates as “Don” - is the very reason she’s been hired.

Tate has been receiving death threats, and the team owner insists on round-the-clock protection. As the best in the business, Lily is assigned to the job. To keep things quiet and placate the press, the two are forced to pretend they’re engaged. The problem? There’s no way this is going to work. For Lily, Tate is the man who used her, broke her heart, and reinforced a lesson her father had always tried to teach her - that love and dependability are weaknesses. For Tate, Lily disappeared like a ghost in the night, offering no explanation, no goodbye, just silence. There’s too much bad blood to pretend to be anything other than enemies - but try telling that to the chemistry that still zips between them. With Tate’s life on the line and the most important game of his career quickly approaching, these two will have to figure out a truce, all while keeping what should be pretend feelings from becoming all too real.

I absolutely LOVED that Lily was MI6! I also enjoyed Tate's teammate Blake and the moments of insight, wisdom, and humor he brought to the book.

What didn’t work for me is how the book starts off incredibly promising, only to trip over itself. It can’t seem to decide if it wants to be a sappy romance or romantic suspense. Instead of seamlessly blending the two, it keeps shifting the tone and character dynamics, making it hard to respect the overall portrayal of the female protagonist. I adored the concept of Lily being a highly-trained, unflappable professional, with Tate as her one undeniable weakness - the person who short-circuits her otherwise honed and controlled demeanor - her kryptonite. That said, I was disappointed how much this angle was exploited. One moment, Lily is a world-class agent; the next, she’s back to being the college cheerleader to Tate’s football star. Again, I understand he was her weakness, but he should not have been her "off" switch. While there are moments where she draws on her professional skills, her overall demeanor feels very amateur for someone with her background and too inconsistent with the hardened, capable, professional we’re told she is.

I also wish the book had explored more of what happened during the eight years Tate and Lily were apart. We get a decent sense of Tate’s timeline through his friend Blake and a bit more when we learn that Lily had been checking in on him early on. But for Lily, we’re left with vague comments about distant, emotionless relationships and various missions. For a character who supposedly poured herself completely into her career, the lack of flashbacks or detailed moments from her past feels like a missed opportunity.

Before I forget - football fans, take note of the disclaimer at the start of the book: Cassie makes it clear that she’s not familiar with American football, and that definitely shows. I believe Tate is meant to be a Tight End, possibly even a team captain. This would explain his leadership role and how crucial he is to the team’s success; however, his position and responsibilities are never fully defined. If I didn’t know better, I’d swear the author had Travis Kelce in mind while crafting Tate’s character, which might explain the assumption about his position and role as an offensive captain.

Going back to the overall book, while there are a few plot holes throughout, the most glaring one is the unresolved subplot at the end.

As for the romance itself, the undeniable chemistry between Lily and Tate fuels much of the story, but in this case, it ends up working against it. What was supposed to be a second-chance romance between two destined lovers torn apart by a misunderstanding instead comes across as two people who regretted never hooking up back in college and, eight years later, decided to rectify that. Their emotional connection felt shallow, overshadowed by lust rather than love. While I tried to give the benefit of the doubt, imagining their emotional depth was off-page, it would have been far more satisfying to see them connect on a meaningful level that didn’t immediately lead to another steamy encounter.

Honestly, The Big Game left me feeling conflicted. Yes, it was entertaining but you have to take a huge step away from anything resembling reality to not be bothered by some of the absurdities. As I mentioned before, the split genre is what divides my opinion of the characters. For a standard second-chance romance where a female and male protagonist are scorned through miscommunication and then forced into close proximity, the character dynamics make sense. She’s a strong woman who can’t resist the charm of the man who broke her heart. He’s the boy-turned-man who never stopped loving the girl who once had his heart. Both are trying to protect themselves while being helplessly drawn to each other. Got it!

The problem is that the female protagonist is supposed to be a tough-as-nails MI6 agent, one of the best in her field, and for most of the story, she acts like a lovesick puppy. If these were regular people trying to hide their feelings from one another - again, like a standard romance - it would be more believable. But she’s supposed to be a highly trained professional - not just recruited but trained from childhood. Watching her so easily lose control, become distracted, and act completely lovesick was more distracting than endearing.

My hope is that the version I received was an early draft, prior to the editors working their magic. If so, hopefully the misnomers used to describe American football will be corrected, a few of the plot holes patched, and the focus brought back to the heart of the story. I had high hopes for this book, and while I wouldn’t say I’m entirely disappointed - I did enjoy reading it and was compelled to finish it - it didn’t quite live up to my expectations. I haven’t been as captivated by Cassie’s work as I was with her debut novel, Love Under Contract.

Thank you for letting me read and review this book on Netgalley.

"It’s been years since Lily’s heart was shattered by her college sweetheart and star quarterback, Tate Donaghue. Now, he’s a high-profile NFL player, and unfortunately for Lily, her latest security assignment.

For Tate, Lily left all those years ago without so much as a backward glance let alone an explanation. But pretending he’s in love with her now is easier than he’d like to admit…

With the countdown on to the biggest game in the NFL’s history and the threat level intensifying, can Lily and Tate move on from the past – or will they fumble the ball, and their relationship, when it matters most?"


This was a really good book. I loved the dynamic between the characters and I had a really good time reading it.

Tropes:
- Forced Proximity
- Enemies to Lovers
- Second Chance Romance
- Fake Dating
- Spicy

If you're looking for a light, spicy, sports rom com that feels like Miss Congeniality meets the Super Bowl, this one delivers exactly that! With a fun mix of forced proximity, fake dating, and a second chance romance, it’s a touchdown for trope lovers. The premise is super cute! NFL security guard and a star quarterback forced together under high-stakes pressure? Sign me up! The spice is undeniably there, and if you’re into swoony athletes and sassy heroines, you’ll find some fun banter and chemistry to enjoy. However, the connection between Lily and Tate felt shallow, leaning heavily on physical attraction rather than emotional depth. Their back and forth dynamic was more immature squabble than tension filled banter, which made them a little annoying at times. I wanted more heart in their second chance story. The emotional stakes felt low when they could’ve been so much higher. Overall, The Big Game is a spicy and entertaining read that doesn’t take itself too seriously. While it won’t top my sports romance list, it’s a fun pick for a quick, tropey escape with a side of NFL drama. Perfect for fans of Emily Henry and Tessa Bailey who don’t mind characters that fumble a bit before finding their footing.

In "The Big Game," Lily is reunited with her ex-boyfriend, Tate, 8 years after he broke her heart, serving as his professional bodyguard now that he's been getting threats against his life. Can Lily put aside her feelings and help protect him so he can help his NFL team win the Super Bowl?

The book rushed into the plot and I was a bit disappointed they didn't spend a little more time with Lily and Tate's backstory before jumping to the present. ***Spoilers ahead*** but what really made me angry was the author dropped the plot in the last few chapters!!!! People have been trying to kill Tate, they set a bomb in the football stadium during the Super Bowl, and his bodyguard is in danger. Tate manages to finds his girl in time, disable the bomb, and then they win the Super Bowl. THE END! They never explain fully who was trying to kill him and whether they caught the guy. Kind of important details to leave out of the ending!!!! What happened to the end of the book???? I would've rated the book higher but the ending killed it for me.

*** I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. ***

The book is about Tate, a football player who winds up playing in the Super Bowl, and Lily, a member of his security. The book is essentially about them playing a cat and mouse game, back and forth, with banter and certainly chemistry. I liked that they had a past together, which provided a good background for their varied feelings toward each other.

If you are looking for a simple, sports romance, this may be the book for you. It was rather short, and probably could have done with a bit more fleshing out of plots and characters, to make the book a bit more smooth. The plot seemed a little far fetched here and there, but I think that was part of the fun of the book!

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollinsUK/One More Chapter for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The big game
By Cassie Connor
Release date 16th July 2024
Rating 4 stars cawpile 8

This was one spicy book which I devoured in a short amount of time. I loved the way that the two main characters had a history and of course the big miscommunication rips them away. What if they meet 8 years and how will they react when Lily has to become the bodyguard when you lost the love of your life and now he’s a big American footballer and you have to now be dating him.

This book had pain, spice and learning how to trust again when a moment of when you were in college cost all you could have had.

This was something that was amazing with the twist in life and how it can lead you back even when your life is on the line.


Thank you for allowing me to read this book it will be perfect for people who love a bit of sports romance. I will be recommending.

Instagram up today

Tate Donaghue has it all - his football team is going to the Super Bowl, the team is as close as family and he's a rich and famous quarterback. Except someone is trying to kill him. So when his team hires a bodyguard, he is not thrilled to see his college girlfriend, Lily, to protect him. Especially as she's the one who got away.

I love a sports romance, and so was really excited to review this book, and I loved how it put fresh spins on some of the tropes that you might expect. I've read so many books with a British (or at the moment, Australian. Australians are very in) love interest, and plenty with a male bodyguard. I loved that Lily, our FMC, was the British one, and since the author is British as well, she was able to make that perspective really authentic. I enjoyed that she was the former spy, and the bodyguard. It really kept the book fresh to mix up the plot line and roles a bit.

This book was a really fun, spicy read (well, except for when they mention Tate's dream team is the Giants. Boo. Although I guess they do need a good quarterback.). I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys Elle Kennedy or Grace Reilly books.

Definitely hot with an interesting storyline. Good to see a very strong female lead. A bit predictable at times but good enough to keep pulling you along. A decent read.

First of all, thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a fun and entertaining quick read. A bit of fake dating and a second chance romance. Thought the fake dating where she is his bodyguard was a bit of a fresh take on the trope. The spice was decent.

Unfortunately, and this is a problem I've found with a lot of second chance romances, I didn't find the romance itself to feel that fleshed out. A bit of reliance on them knowing each other before the story, but there just didn't seem to be that much chemistry between them. I also couldn't really tell why they fell in love in the first place? But that could just be a me thing.

The ending seemed a little ridiculous and incomplete. I won't go into too much detail as it will spoil it, but it felt quite unresolved.

While this is an American football romance, the author is British (like me) and admits that she doesn't know a great deal about American football. I personally cannot say what was right or wrong about it as I also have very little idea about the sport, so it didn't bother me at all. I was just having a good time but people who do know the sport found it confusing.

If you're looking for a lighthearted spicy romance, with a bit of (apparently innacurate) American football thrown in, some sexual tension and some miscommunication. This is your thing.

okay honestly this is 2025 and if i’m not feeling it at 60% in… i’m DNFing. i get the storyline, but unfortunately the MCs are so juvenile for people supposedly in their late 20s and it feels so FORCED, no chemistry

all opinions and reviews are my own - arc provided by netgalley and publisher for my honest opinion

I connected with the characters almost immediately, this was so fun to read! The book is fast-paced, and the second chance + enemies to lovers romance happened in a really satisfactory way ❤️

TWs - attempted murder, stalking, bomb threat in a highly crowded area

-- ty to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy!

An entertaining read.

Misunderstandings, a lack of communication, pride and hurt feelings contributed to the demise of state and Lily’s relationship 8 years ago. Their stubbornness has kept them apart until she’s hired by his team owner to provide close protection for him against death threats.

Tate lives for football and is completely resistant to the idea of a bodyguard, even more so when he learns it’s going to be Lily guarding him. Watching him struggle between being frustrated and upset with her and then equally turned on by her warrior-princess mode is so entertaining. He’s turned on by her take charge and competent attitude and frustrated by his attraction. When he realizes someone truly is trying to harm him, he gets bit more serious.

Lily has her own frustrations with attraction. She has been raised to be self dependent and not let anyone knock her off her stride, but watching her struggle to tamp down her attraction and then her feelings of love toward Tate was endearing.

These two had a bumpy journey to a HEA, but it was a fun and entertaining read about.

I received a free ARC from the author; and I am voluntarily leaving an unbiased review.

I love this new take on the fake relationship trope!

The Big Game is a second chance romance between a football player and his new bodyguard. They have to fake an engagement to keep him safe from threats. Of course there's so much tension and angst as they work through their feelings, both old and new.

I flew through this book; it's just that good. I really love the characters and all of their relationships. Fingers crossed we get a sequel with a side character! If you're looking for a quick, fun read, this is it!

Thank you to the publisher for the e-copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Ho letto questo libro dopo aver ricevuto l'arc tramite NetGalley. Gli ho dato ⭐️⭐️⭐️-
La trama mi era sembrata molto interessante, ho iniziato a leggere perchè ero curiosa di sapere di più sui trascorsi tra i due protagonisti e sul motivo per cui Lily si ritrova a dover proteggere Tate come guardia del corpo. È un libro che alla fine ho letto con piacere, è abbastanza scorrevole e dinamico e la chimica tra i due mi è piaciuta molto. Ci sono state però alcune cose che non mi hanno convinto. È principalmente basato su una situazione di misscommunication e zero confronto tra i protagonisti ed è una cosa che va avanti fino alla fine con mille tira e molla.
Nel finale poi è tutto troppo veloce, tante cose non vengono approfondite e rimangono in sospeso. È una storia che aveva tanto potenziale ma che è arrivata solo per metà.

This did give off some Katherine Center vibes with the female bodyguard for a male, etc. but dammit was I entertained! I couldn't flip the pages fast enough and really did enjoy the enemies to lovers 2nd chance aspect, and I love seeing a FIERCE female in action!

I obviously enjoyed this book more than most readers. I felt it was a unique take on a second chance love story and I read it in one sitting. If you are expecting a lot of football in this book, you aren't going to get it and not only that, what you get isn't really accurate, so expect nothing regarding the football aspect of this story. It does get 4 stars from me because I was entertained and it kept my interest except for the football game. Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy.

This wasn't really my cup of tea. Lily and Tate's characters felt underdeveloped and came across very juvenile for people in their late 20s/early 30s. Plus the plot was a bit OTT lol

Overall it wasn't the worst, but it could have been better.

The entire concept with a female bodyguard was new to me and the blurb with a second chance plot sounded so good. So I really had some high expectations from this book. But the plot was a bit absurd and the push and pull between Tate & Lily was just too much to handle. There was definitely chemistry between both of them but there was no actual emotional connection, atleast I didn't feel it. Still, the plot was engaging and I liked how Lily was so capable but since this was a football romance, I expected some details about the game yet I didn't feel like I was even reading a sports romance tbh. So, this book unfortunately fell flat for me.

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review

2.5⭐️



Lily y Tate fueron novios en la universidad. Ella pensaba que él la amaba hasta que escuchó una conversación entre él y su padre, lo que le rompió el corazón. Decidió no enfrentarlo y regresó al Reino Unido con su padre. Ocho años después, Lily es una de las mejores guardaespaldas y Tate un famoso jugador de fútbol americano. Por causas del destino, ella tiene que protegerlo porque está recibiendo amenazas. Para que nadie sospeche que ella es su guardaespaldas, deciden fingir que están comprometidos, lo que le permite seguirlo sin levantar sospechas.
Pasarán tiempo juntos y podrán aclarar malos entendidos.




El libro tenía buenos elementos para ser una buena historia, pero no hay un desarrollo adecuado. Capítulo tras capítulo, todo termina en el mismo punto. En la parte final, cuando se revela quién es el villano, la trama se corta abruptamente y no se explica la razón detrás de sus acciones. Se supone que se sospechaba de un cómplice, pero al final no se menciona si era cierto o no. Hay varios temas que no tienen un cierre.



Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.

You'll enjoy this if you go into it with zero expectations. It's a light, quick, fun read - I really enjoy the author's writing style, and loved her previous books - but if you're a football fan, don't expect a "football" romance. I hope the editors get to work before publication, because clearly there was no research into American football. It doesn't take place on a "pitch" and it isn't a "match" and what position was the MMC supposed to be playing?? The premise was great - a bodyguard for a pro athlete getting death threats - but not executed well, the ending was beyond ridiculous, and yet I had fun and it only took a few hours to read, so 3 stars instead of the 2 I initially thought to give. I highly recommend her other books.