There are three things I know about New York so far: everybody is late for something, nobody has a freakin’ clue what sweet tea is, and King Kong himself is still alive and well and has taken the form of a growly blacksmith named Mac.
Game changer was a nice read. Had some LOL moments, but other areas that needed to be tightened up a bit. Poppy is from Savannah, GA and trying to make it in the publishing world in New York City. Even though she got the job as herself, all southern charm, accent and all, she feels as if she needs to be more like every one else in New York City. Mac is a big, burly, well sought after blacksmith and has met his match when he meets the fiery red headed Poppy. He can not help but to fall for her, hook, line, and sinker. This takes us on their journey that is not all hearts and roses.
Written as a 3rd person single pov (except for epilogue) with a HFN ending. Good story line, nice characters, good description to details (a bit too wordy at times), and comical dialogue. All in all, a good read
Would I recommend this book? Yes
Would I read more from this author? Yes
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Author
jackin
3 years ago
Loved it!
What I liked:
The writing style
The characters
The humor
Standalone
HEA
Epilogue
I look forward to reading more from this author.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC from Booksprout.
Author
heathernobbs
3 years ago
This was a fantastic book! When I started this book I figured I would read a couple chapters then set it down to get some stuff done around my house, yeah that didn’t happen. I couldn’t put it down once I started. Mac could be the poster child for the strong, silent type. He was a man of few words but his face spoke to Poppy. There was an instant attraction between Poppy and Mac but Poppy didn’t know how to read Mac’s silence and angry attitude right away. Once she had a chance to watch Mac for a bit she was able to read his expressions and realize what he was trying to say without words. Even though Mac was real big on words I really liked him because even though he didn’t talk much he still had a lot of emotions. And really Poppy talked enough for both of them, lol. Poppy was a hoot and I loved her sister, Iris too.
Poppy meets Mac when she goes to interview him for a new magazine she is working for even though she isn’t technically one that normally does interviews. After seeing a pic of him she realizes she had “met” him before. Although gawking at him through a window doesn’t technically count as meeting, the things Poppy does really cracks me up. Mac is a reclusive artist that avoids publicity but something about Poppy intrigued him and he grudgingly agrees to the interview.
Of course everything can’t be easy and smooth and there is a misunderstanding between Poppy and Mac. The ending is great and I like how and who helps them come back together. This was a great book and one you won’t want to put down.
Author
regina
3 years ago
Disclaimer: I’m usually not a big fan of so-called “alpha” heroes because, frankly, that translates to “jerk-of-a-douchecanoe” way more often than not.
And just as frankly, someone like Mac would drive me absolutely nucking futs IRL. But he is so much fun to read about!
And Poppy with her Southern charm and – dare I say it – sass* is a wonderful (and sometimes hilarious) counterpoint to all that silent, manly broodiness.
I especially loved the little details, like the Cookie-isms at the beginning of each chapter, Poppy’s Southern posse (including Bunny!), the description of Mac’s eloquent eyebrows, and the overall concept of family (not necessarily blood relations).
This story gave me all the feels, from smiles, to snorts, to laughs, to swoons, to tears. So… if you think of reading this book on public transportation: You have been warned!
* I’m usually not a big fan of “sassy” heroines, either. Go figure.
Author
celesterrt
3 years ago
Butter my biscuits and call me Sally! Game Changer by Sylvie Stewart has got to be one of the funniest, cutest heart-warming stories I have read in a long time. With some great Southern advice from grandma Cookie Rutledge, Game Changer is a story that can be read and enjoyed while sipping a tall cool glass of sweet tea! The story moves along and much like the Chattahoochee River it flows and never becomes stagnant. With some great inner banter from Poppy James, I quickly missed being home in the south and I just couldn’t put her story down. 5 slices of homemade cornbread for the Game Changer by Sylvie Stewart.
Poppy James is determined to make it in NYC and get a tired old magazine a facelift and relaunch her career. Little does Poppy know but NYC doesn’t offer sweet tea, quiet nights filled with the sounds of insects or the love and security that she has grow used to from her family. While fighting for a permanent job at the magazine Poppy meets Angus “Mac” McKinley, a hot, talented blacksmith that does not do interviews, at least until he sees Poppy. Mac doesn’t talk a lot, only when he has something important to say, and Poppy makes him want to spill his guts. With Mac being a success with his iron furniture making and Poppy trying to keep her job, neither one sees the nefarious minds at work around them. Poppy is a Game Changer for Mac, but is it a good one?
Author
annafay
3 years ago
A delicious rom-com! Poppy leaves behind expectations to fulfill her dreams in NYC. She has left behind the slow southern world for the fast paced New York rat race. And maybe some of herself, since she tries to hide her accent when she gets there. She thinks she needs to be New York polished but she unexpectedly comes across a beast of a man who turns everything she thinks or thought upside down while she turns his world inside out. Mac seems like Hephaestus manning his forge, except his Aphrodite is much more faithful and has a heck of a lot of fiesty, selfless, southern charm. Fantastic jouney to their HEA. Witty, steamy, tender, tragic, and just the right dose of drama. Love, love, loved this book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Author
energy
3 years ago
Welcome to NYC Poppy, if you’re not careful, the wolves will eat you alive, and with some of them, you just might be a willing meal.
When Poppy lands a prospective job in NYC, she says goodbye to her Savannah home, her ex-boyfriend that can’t get the hint, and her family. Her new job isn’t without its challenges, but she likes it. But then she meets Mr. Tall, Built, and Handsome, and it’s on, or it would be on if she could get more than a few words out of him. But there’s just something about him that has her hooked, and despite the fact she does all the talking, she likes being around him.
Mac is a special sort of broken, and he shows his hurt with a giant wall of protection, physically and emotionally. Poppy has such a fun and outgoing personality that it’s easy for her to work on those walls and drawn him in. Poppy is the fun to his serious, the perfect balance and the sunshine he needs. This was such a fun story and I love these two together, the heat level is intense. I finished this last night and I’m still recovering, and I wholeheartedly support anyone getting a little (or a lot) of Mac in their lives. A truly fun read.
Author
tripip
3 years ago
Told in single POV of the h (except for the epilogue), Poppy is a small town southern gal who wants to shake up her small town life and pre-destined marriage to childhood sweetheart, Bobby Lee Collinsworth. Her break comes as a job opportunity as a magazine designer for a New York publication undergoing a shakeup itself. The fates start to mess with her life plan as soon as she gets to New York.
I loved how real Poppy seemed. She was genuine and so relatable with her insecurities in herself and her life choices. Even though she felt she had to hide her southern roots by feigning a big city accent and citifying her wardrobe, I loved how some of her southern colloquialisms and accent slipped into her speech although that petered out as the story continued.
Big, broody Mac was a sigh worthy hero but almost too difficult to get a read on as he didn’t communicate much except for the occasional grunt or eyebrow lift. You gradually deduce his story as Poppy uncovers his family history but my personal preference of storytelling is with both voices heard.
Even the secondary characters were interesting people I would like to know more about. There is a Machiavellian twist so it is not just the angst. Overall, a satisfying and angst-filled read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Author
ashleyhedden
3 years ago
Game Changer was a great read by Sylvie Stewart. Poppy left everything behind to move to New York. While in New York she meets a blacksmith named Mac. She must interview Mac to secure her dream job in publishing, but he makes it nearly impossible to complete. Mac may just end up being her biggest ally if she allows him to be. I enjoyed reading this book and can’t wait to read more by the author.
Author
brookemarie19
3 years ago
From a chance meeting to happy endings this book has it all. I really enjoyed these two and the troubles that they had to make through together. The writing flows beautifully and the narration brings it all to life.
Author
grannypsc
3 years ago
Mac is a blacksmith, artist and furniture maker. He’s a brooding man of few words. He is protective of his privacy. Poppy is vivacious, from Savannah Georgia. She just got a job in N.Y. at an upcoming magazine. She thought dropping her southern accent, changing her personality would be an advantage to her job. Her assignment is to get an interview with Mac. Getting him to talk, is like pulling teeth. I love how the Poppy eventually peels away each layer of Mac, just like an onion, one layer at a time. This is a fun entertaining story epecilly when Poppy is in her Southern element and looking for sweet tea in NYC.Poppy gets Mac. It took a while to build his trust, only to have it broken.
Meg Price was wonderful telling this story! Giving each character their own voice and personality.
I was gifted this audio and offered my honesf review
Author
jocegermain
3 years ago
Game Changer is a well written Rom-Com. Mac and Poppy’s story is a great opposites attract. I loved their flirty slow burn story. Mac is such a great man, laconic, and thoughtful. Poppy is a lovely woman, smart, sassy, and hard worker. They share a sizzling chemistry. The story is told mostly from Poppy’s POV. It would be great to have Mac’s POV. The storyline is intriguing, fun, but also serious, and beautiful. Meg Price has a great voice, and a sexy male voice! I enjoyed it!
Author
kpartridge
3 years ago
I listened to this, and the narration enhanced an already fun story . Poppy was such a quirky character and Mac so broody. I loved the way their relationship developed and how they were together. I really loved the way the author portrayed all of the characters, including the secondary characters – she really brought them all to life.
Author
amyfriedentag
3 years ago
I simply loved this hilarious, laugh-out-loud, opposites-attract romantic comedy! Poppy is quite the spitfire and truly amusing with her southern walk and talk, even though she’s downplaying her roots as she tries to secure a job at an up and coming magazine in NYC. She’s energetic, fun, and naïve in a good way… and just what catches the eye of Mac, the hot and sexy blacksmith. Mac is the polar opposite of Poppy, and prefers to be a recluse, out of the public eye, as he broods over his work and damaged past. Sparks fly when these two collide and it’s a rollercoaster of a ride as their relationship blooms, with added hiccups along the way, overcoming the obstacles to be together. On a side note…I had quite a few belly laughs from the iced tea vs sweet tea references… so funny! I really enjoyed the humor and storytelling of this author, and look forward to more of her work.
Listened on audio: A new-to-me narrator, Meg Price, hit it out of the park with her performance… nailing the accents as well as the sass and spunk of Poppy and the growly, brooding disposition of Mac. Her secondary voices were really well done too. Very fun listening experience!
This is the first time that I have listened to or read a book by Sylvie Stewart, and it was so wonderful! It is one of the best romantic comedies that I have ever experienced, and I can’t wait to listen to more of Sylvie Stewart’s audiobooks. I was glued to this audiobook for the entire 11 hours. It was a complete joy to my ears.
The heroine is entirely loveable, in my opinion. Poppy James is a Southern girl from Savannah, Georgia, who is trying to establish a career as a magazine designer in New York City. She is smart, talented, determined, and loyal. As she juggles work, family, friends, and a heartburn-inducing ex-boyfriend, she has the most hilarious meet-cute with an extremely hot blacksmith/artist named Mac McKinley. He is a formidable man of few words, but he is also very thoughtful and respectful of Poppy.
Most of the audiobook is told from Poppy’s perspective, and I love every lovely, funny word coming from her mouth. Like Poppy, I also grew up near the banks of the Savannah River, and she is my favorite Southern book character ever! The narrator perfectly captures Poppy’s Georgia accent and sense of humor. The writer clearly grew up in the South, and she has created a character with whom I feel that I could be best friends. Poppy also gets into hilarious situations, and she has a really funny commentary and dialogue with Mac and everyone else. Her personal problems were very entertaining and fascinating. In addition, the relationship development kept me on the edge of my seat. The expert narrator Meg Price also does a perfect job on all of the other characters and accents, including the seriously seductive hero, Mac. I will definitely look up more of her work.
This rom-com is absolutely fantastic, with a great pair of primary characters, humor, and spunk. I highly recommend it to all fans of romantic comedies, especially fans of Mariana Zapata, Penny Reed, and Helen Hoang. This is a rather slow burn, but it does get steamy.
I requested and received a free copy from the author, and I voluntarily wrote this honest review.
Game Changer
An Opposites-Attract Romantic Comedy
By: Sylvie Stewart
Narrated by: Meg Price
Sylvie Stewart does it again, she pens and delivers another enjoyable RomCom. She has a wonderful writing style and a way with words. She creates stories that are are not only delightful but realistic too. I love how much heart and humor she puts into her stories. Her characters are complex and well developed. Poppy James, a bubbly girl filled with southern charm, she is ready to tackle a new career and NYC. She decides to be a new and improved Poppy hiding her accent and quirkiness, at least she tries too, it slipped out every so often. One evening roaming the city she comes upon what she thinks is King Kong’s lair, which is just one of the funny scenes in the book. King Kong turns out to be Mr. Tall Dark & Growly. Her new job is working with a magazine and they want to do a piece on local artists and she soon finds out who Angus McKinley is. Angus, likes to be called Mac does not give interviews, ever, but he makes an exception for Poppy. Mac is a closed off person, there is a lot of depth to his character and I like how the layers get peeled as more and more gets revealed. This story is well plotted, in addition to the humor there is drama, angst, twists, romance as well as a whole lot of emotions. There were great secondary characters too. Sylvie Stewart, thank you for another fabulous book, the laughs and the emotional rollercoaster ride. Cookie Rutledge’s quotes of wisdom was a great addition and start for the chapters.
I listened to the Audible edition, Meg Price is a wonderful narrator and voice artist. She brings these characters to life, gives each their own voice and personality as well as heart and attitude. She was awesome with the accents and covering both the female and male roles. She did a great job landing the humor and projecting the characters emotions into her performance. Her portrayal of both leads, Poppy and Mac was spot on, she was awesome with the secondary characters too. Meg Price is an entertaining storyteller and a pleasure to listen to. Thank you for this great listen
Author
heidiew1977
3 years ago
Game Changer by Sylvie Stewart is a funny and good read that had me wanting more and more. Poppy and Mac are complete opposites but so belong together. While reading about them, there were times that I laughed, wanted to scream and smack them, but overall I swooned and fell in love with two great characters and a story line that I loved. I found this to be the perfect combination of Wit, drama, and HOTNESS!
This was my first book by this author and I will say it will NOT be my LAST! I was held from the beginning and until the end and left me longing for more and more. I give this book five stars and HIGHLY recommend!
Author
lisahelmick
3 years ago
Small town girl..big city boy. One open emotionally the other is closed. One silly and the other is Intense. Can they ever match? This was a slow starter for me. I understand why later it’s because the author has a lot of setting up to do for the end of the book. That’s where thing really got happening. It all seemed to come full circle. Poppy’s job and Mac’s job. Poppy’s family and Mac’s family. Poppy’s friends and Mac’s friends. Look who is matching now!
This is listed as a romantic comedy but I honestly didn’t feel it was. There were a few times but mostly it seemed darker and more serious. That could be attributed to the male lead. He is a alpha male who is dark and broody. She refers to him as a dragon or King Kong multiple times. He says he doesn’t have a word limit a day but between you and me…I think he does. So getting his story out of him is like pulling teeth.
I enjoyed the sister, Iris, and a co worker, Naveed of Poppy. They both added some flair to the story. Even Bunny, Bobby Lee and Cookie were some nice additions.
This isn’t my first book by this author. I love her Carolina Series. This just seemed to reach quite that high. The story was good and the characters had growth. The author did a good job relaying the intense attraction the two MC’s had for each other. I was saddened and irritated a few times while reading. Then I did get that big “O” of shock. I didn’t see that coming. This is a good story to me though not a rom com
Author
nayullery
3 years ago
Game Changer by Sylvie Stewart
Stars:4
This was a sweet and funny romance story that I really enjoyed. Poppy and Mac had good chemistry and really interacted well with each other. The story was well done and flowed. This story kept my invested in the story and the characters. I definitely recommend this story!
Author
mab54615
3 years ago
Game Changer was a great 5 star read by Sylvie Stewart.
I really enjoyed this read, Poppy and Mac were great. I had so many LOL moments.
Mac is a true alpha male, he had some bark but no bite to him. Poppy was a great southern belle who knows how to stand her ground. I loved the bantering between these two.
You could feel their chemistry coming off of the pages. The storyline was great, it had a slow build that moved forward very well. The characters were great which always makes the read enjoyable. This is a great opposites attract story. There are several unexpected twists and turns. I enjoyed the cookie wisdom as well. If you’re looking for a great read, 1-click and get started today. I look forward to reading more from Sylvie Stewart.
Game changer was a nice read. Had some LOL moments, but other areas that needed to be tightened up a bit. Poppy is from Savannah, GA and trying to make it in the publishing world in New York City. Even though she got the job as herself, all southern charm, accent and all, she feels as if she needs to be more like every one else in New York City. Mac is a big, burly, well sought after blacksmith and has met his match when he meets the fiery red headed Poppy. He can not help but to fall for her, hook, line, and sinker. This takes us on their journey that is not all hearts and roses.
Written as a 3rd person single pov (except for epilogue) with a HFN ending. Good story line, nice characters, good description to details (a bit too wordy at times), and comical dialogue. All in all, a good read
Would I recommend this book? Yes
Would I read more from this author? Yes
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Loved it!
What I liked:
The writing style
The characters
The humor
Standalone
HEA
Epilogue
I look forward to reading more from this author.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC from Booksprout.
This was a fantastic book! When I started this book I figured I would read a couple chapters then set it down to get some stuff done around my house, yeah that didn’t happen. I couldn’t put it down once I started. Mac could be the poster child for the strong, silent type. He was a man of few words but his face spoke to Poppy. There was an instant attraction between Poppy and Mac but Poppy didn’t know how to read Mac’s silence and angry attitude right away. Once she had a chance to watch Mac for a bit she was able to read his expressions and realize what he was trying to say without words. Even though Mac was real big on words I really liked him because even though he didn’t talk much he still had a lot of emotions. And really Poppy talked enough for both of them, lol. Poppy was a hoot and I loved her sister, Iris too.
Poppy meets Mac when she goes to interview him for a new magazine she is working for even though she isn’t technically one that normally does interviews. After seeing a pic of him she realizes she had “met” him before. Although gawking at him through a window doesn’t technically count as meeting, the things Poppy does really cracks me up. Mac is a reclusive artist that avoids publicity but something about Poppy intrigued him and he grudgingly agrees to the interview.
Of course everything can’t be easy and smooth and there is a misunderstanding between Poppy and Mac. The ending is great and I like how and who helps them come back together. This was a great book and one you won’t want to put down.
Disclaimer: I’m usually not a big fan of so-called “alpha” heroes because, frankly, that translates to “jerk-of-a-douchecanoe” way more often than not.
And just as frankly, someone like Mac would drive me absolutely nucking futs IRL. But he is so much fun to read about!
And Poppy with her Southern charm and – dare I say it – sass* is a wonderful (and sometimes hilarious) counterpoint to all that silent, manly broodiness.
I especially loved the little details, like the Cookie-isms at the beginning of each chapter, Poppy’s Southern posse (including Bunny!), the description of Mac’s eloquent eyebrows, and the overall concept of family (not necessarily blood relations).
This story gave me all the feels, from smiles, to snorts, to laughs, to swoons, to tears. So… if you think of reading this book on public transportation: You have been warned!
* I’m usually not a big fan of “sassy” heroines, either. Go figure.
Butter my biscuits and call me Sally! Game Changer by Sylvie Stewart has got to be one of the funniest, cutest heart-warming stories I have read in a long time. With some great Southern advice from grandma Cookie Rutledge, Game Changer is a story that can be read and enjoyed while sipping a tall cool glass of sweet tea! The story moves along and much like the Chattahoochee River it flows and never becomes stagnant. With some great inner banter from Poppy James, I quickly missed being home in the south and I just couldn’t put her story down. 5 slices of homemade cornbread for the Game Changer by Sylvie Stewart.
Poppy James is determined to make it in NYC and get a tired old magazine a facelift and relaunch her career. Little does Poppy know but NYC doesn’t offer sweet tea, quiet nights filled with the sounds of insects or the love and security that she has grow used to from her family. While fighting for a permanent job at the magazine Poppy meets Angus “Mac” McKinley, a hot, talented blacksmith that does not do interviews, at least until he sees Poppy. Mac doesn’t talk a lot, only when he has something important to say, and Poppy makes him want to spill his guts. With Mac being a success with his iron furniture making and Poppy trying to keep her job, neither one sees the nefarious minds at work around them. Poppy is a Game Changer for Mac, but is it a good one?
A delicious rom-com! Poppy leaves behind expectations to fulfill her dreams in NYC. She has left behind the slow southern world for the fast paced New York rat race. And maybe some of herself, since she tries to hide her accent when she gets there. She thinks she needs to be New York polished but she unexpectedly comes across a beast of a man who turns everything she thinks or thought upside down while she turns his world inside out. Mac seems like Hephaestus manning his forge, except his Aphrodite is much more faithful and has a heck of a lot of fiesty, selfless, southern charm. Fantastic jouney to their HEA. Witty, steamy, tender, tragic, and just the right dose of drama. Love, love, loved this book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Welcome to NYC Poppy, if you’re not careful, the wolves will eat you alive, and with some of them, you just might be a willing meal.
When Poppy lands a prospective job in NYC, she says goodbye to her Savannah home, her ex-boyfriend that can’t get the hint, and her family. Her new job isn’t without its challenges, but she likes it. But then she meets Mr. Tall, Built, and Handsome, and it’s on, or it would be on if she could get more than a few words out of him. But there’s just something about him that has her hooked, and despite the fact she does all the talking, she likes being around him.
Mac is a special sort of broken, and he shows his hurt with a giant wall of protection, physically and emotionally. Poppy has such a fun and outgoing personality that it’s easy for her to work on those walls and drawn him in. Poppy is the fun to his serious, the perfect balance and the sunshine he needs. This was such a fun story and I love these two together, the heat level is intense. I finished this last night and I’m still recovering, and I wholeheartedly support anyone getting a little (or a lot) of Mac in their lives. A truly fun read.
Told in single POV of the h (except for the epilogue), Poppy is a small town southern gal who wants to shake up her small town life and pre-destined marriage to childhood sweetheart, Bobby Lee Collinsworth. Her break comes as a job opportunity as a magazine designer for a New York publication undergoing a shakeup itself. The fates start to mess with her life plan as soon as she gets to New York.
I loved how real Poppy seemed. She was genuine and so relatable with her insecurities in herself and her life choices. Even though she felt she had to hide her southern roots by feigning a big city accent and citifying her wardrobe, I loved how some of her southern colloquialisms and accent slipped into her speech although that petered out as the story continued.
Big, broody Mac was a sigh worthy hero but almost too difficult to get a read on as he didn’t communicate much except for the occasional grunt or eyebrow lift. You gradually deduce his story as Poppy uncovers his family history but my personal preference of storytelling is with both voices heard.
Even the secondary characters were interesting people I would like to know more about. There is a Machiavellian twist so it is not just the angst. Overall, a satisfying and angst-filled read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Game Changer was a great read by Sylvie Stewart. Poppy left everything behind to move to New York. While in New York she meets a blacksmith named Mac. She must interview Mac to secure her dream job in publishing, but he makes it nearly impossible to complete. Mac may just end up being her biggest ally if she allows him to be. I enjoyed reading this book and can’t wait to read more by the author.
From a chance meeting to happy endings this book has it all. I really enjoyed these two and the troubles that they had to make through together. The writing flows beautifully and the narration brings it all to life.
Mac is a blacksmith, artist and furniture maker. He’s a brooding man of few words. He is protective of his privacy. Poppy is vivacious, from Savannah Georgia. She just got a job in N.Y. at an upcoming magazine. She thought dropping her southern accent, changing her personality would be an advantage to her job. Her assignment is to get an interview with Mac. Getting him to talk, is like pulling teeth. I love how the Poppy eventually peels away each layer of Mac, just like an onion, one layer at a time. This is a fun entertaining story epecilly when Poppy is in her Southern element and looking for sweet tea in NYC.Poppy gets Mac. It took a while to build his trust, only to have it broken.
Meg Price was wonderful telling this story! Giving each character their own voice and personality.
I was gifted this audio and offered my honesf review
Game Changer is a well written Rom-Com. Mac and Poppy’s story is a great opposites attract. I loved their flirty slow burn story. Mac is such a great man, laconic, and thoughtful. Poppy is a lovely woman, smart, sassy, and hard worker. They share a sizzling chemistry. The story is told mostly from Poppy’s POV. It would be great to have Mac’s POV. The storyline is intriguing, fun, but also serious, and beautiful. Meg Price has a great voice, and a sexy male voice! I enjoyed it!
I listened to this, and the narration enhanced an already fun story . Poppy was such a quirky character and Mac so broody. I loved the way their relationship developed and how they were together. I really loved the way the author portrayed all of the characters, including the secondary characters – she really brought them all to life.
I simply loved this hilarious, laugh-out-loud, opposites-attract romantic comedy! Poppy is quite the spitfire and truly amusing with her southern walk and talk, even though she’s downplaying her roots as she tries to secure a job at an up and coming magazine in NYC. She’s energetic, fun, and naïve in a good way… and just what catches the eye of Mac, the hot and sexy blacksmith. Mac is the polar opposite of Poppy, and prefers to be a recluse, out of the public eye, as he broods over his work and damaged past. Sparks fly when these two collide and it’s a rollercoaster of a ride as their relationship blooms, with added hiccups along the way, overcoming the obstacles to be together. On a side note…I had quite a few belly laughs from the iced tea vs sweet tea references… so funny! I really enjoyed the humor and storytelling of this author, and look forward to more of her work.
Listened on audio: A new-to-me narrator, Meg Price, hit it out of the park with her performance… nailing the accents as well as the sass and spunk of Poppy and the growly, brooding disposition of Mac. Her secondary voices were really well done too. Very fun listening experience!
This rom-com deserves to be famous!
Audiobook version: 5 stars overall, 5 stars story, 5 stars narration
This is the first time that I have listened to or read a book by Sylvie Stewart, and it was so wonderful! It is one of the best romantic comedies that I have ever experienced, and I can’t wait to listen to more of Sylvie Stewart’s audiobooks. I was glued to this audiobook for the entire 11 hours. It was a complete joy to my ears.
The heroine is entirely loveable, in my opinion. Poppy James is a Southern girl from Savannah, Georgia, who is trying to establish a career as a magazine designer in New York City. She is smart, talented, determined, and loyal. As she juggles work, family, friends, and a heartburn-inducing ex-boyfriend, she has the most hilarious meet-cute with an extremely hot blacksmith/artist named Mac McKinley. He is a formidable man of few words, but he is also very thoughtful and respectful of Poppy.
Most of the audiobook is told from Poppy’s perspective, and I love every lovely, funny word coming from her mouth. Like Poppy, I also grew up near the banks of the Savannah River, and she is my favorite Southern book character ever! The narrator perfectly captures Poppy’s Georgia accent and sense of humor. The writer clearly grew up in the South, and she has created a character with whom I feel that I could be best friends. Poppy also gets into hilarious situations, and she has a really funny commentary and dialogue with Mac and everyone else. Her personal problems were very entertaining and fascinating. In addition, the relationship development kept me on the edge of my seat. The expert narrator Meg Price also does a perfect job on all of the other characters and accents, including the seriously seductive hero, Mac. I will definitely look up more of her work.
This rom-com is absolutely fantastic, with a great pair of primary characters, humor, and spunk. I highly recommend it to all fans of romantic comedies, especially fans of Mariana Zapata, Penny Reed, and Helen Hoang. This is a rather slow burn, but it does get steamy.
I requested and received a free copy from the author, and I voluntarily wrote this honest review.
Fabulous RomCom & Audible Listen Charming & Heartfelt!
Game Changer
An Opposites-Attract Romantic Comedy
By: Sylvie Stewart
Narrated by: Meg Price
Sylvie Stewart does it again, she pens and delivers another enjoyable RomCom. She has a wonderful writing style and a way with words. She creates stories that are are not only delightful but realistic too. I love how much heart and humor she puts into her stories. Her characters are complex and well developed. Poppy James, a bubbly girl filled with southern charm, she is ready to tackle a new career and NYC. She decides to be a new and improved Poppy hiding her accent and quirkiness, at least she tries too, it slipped out every so often. One evening roaming the city she comes upon what she thinks is King Kong’s lair, which is just one of the funny scenes in the book. King Kong turns out to be Mr. Tall Dark & Growly. Her new job is working with a magazine and they want to do a piece on local artists and she soon finds out who Angus McKinley is. Angus, likes to be called Mac does not give interviews, ever, but he makes an exception for Poppy. Mac is a closed off person, there is a lot of depth to his character and I like how the layers get peeled as more and more gets revealed. This story is well plotted, in addition to the humor there is drama, angst, twists, romance as well as a whole lot of emotions. There were great secondary characters too. Sylvie Stewart, thank you for another fabulous book, the laughs and the emotional rollercoaster ride. Cookie Rutledge’s quotes of wisdom was a great addition and start for the chapters.
I listened to the Audible edition, Meg Price is a wonderful narrator and voice artist. She brings these characters to life, gives each their own voice and personality as well as heart and attitude. She was awesome with the accents and covering both the female and male roles. She did a great job landing the humor and projecting the characters emotions into her performance. Her portrayal of both leads, Poppy and Mac was spot on, she was awesome with the secondary characters too. Meg Price is an entertaining storyteller and a pleasure to listen to. Thank you for this great listen
Game Changer by Sylvie Stewart is a funny and good read that had me wanting more and more. Poppy and Mac are complete opposites but so belong together. While reading about them, there were times that I laughed, wanted to scream and smack them, but overall I swooned and fell in love with two great characters and a story line that I loved. I found this to be the perfect combination of Wit, drama, and HOTNESS!
This was my first book by this author and I will say it will NOT be my LAST! I was held from the beginning and until the end and left me longing for more and more. I give this book five stars and HIGHLY recommend!
Small town girl..big city boy. One open emotionally the other is closed. One silly and the other is Intense. Can they ever match? This was a slow starter for me. I understand why later it’s because the author has a lot of setting up to do for the end of the book. That’s where thing really got happening. It all seemed to come full circle. Poppy’s job and Mac’s job. Poppy’s family and Mac’s family. Poppy’s friends and Mac’s friends. Look who is matching now!
This is listed as a romantic comedy but I honestly didn’t feel it was. There were a few times but mostly it seemed darker and more serious. That could be attributed to the male lead. He is a alpha male who is dark and broody. She refers to him as a dragon or King Kong multiple times. He says he doesn’t have a word limit a day but between you and me…I think he does. So getting his story out of him is like pulling teeth.
I enjoyed the sister, Iris, and a co worker, Naveed of Poppy. They both added some flair to the story. Even Bunny, Bobby Lee and Cookie were some nice additions.
This isn’t my first book by this author. I love her Carolina Series. This just seemed to reach quite that high. The story was good and the characters had growth. The author did a good job relaying the intense attraction the two MC’s had for each other. I was saddened and irritated a few times while reading. Then I did get that big “O” of shock. I didn’t see that coming. This is a good story to me though not a rom com
Game Changer by Sylvie Stewart
Stars:4
This was a sweet and funny romance story that I really enjoyed. Poppy and Mac had good chemistry and really interacted well with each other. The story was well done and flowed. This story kept my invested in the story and the characters. I definitely recommend this story!
Game Changer was a great 5 star read by Sylvie Stewart.
I really enjoyed this read, Poppy and Mac were great. I had so many LOL moments.
Mac is a true alpha male, he had some bark but no bite to him. Poppy was a great southern belle who knows how to stand her ground. I loved the bantering between these two.
You could feel their chemistry coming off of the pages. The storyline was great, it had a slow build that moved forward very well. The characters were great which always makes the read enjoyable. This is a great opposites attract story. There are several unexpected twists and turns. I enjoyed the cookie wisdom as well. If you’re looking for a great read, 1-click and get started today. I look forward to reading more from Sylvie Stewart.