AN AMAZON TOP 80 BESTSELLERTwo season tickets.One genius idea.Zero interest in a relationship.The plan is simple: a brand new, hot, preferably funny, definitely single male will fill one of those seats for every Bears game at Soldier Field. And I’ll fill the other.I can’t think of a better way to use the season passes I’d bought for my ex-husband. I am a woman of plans, and this one’s foolproof.… for my ex-husband. I am a woman of plans, and this one’s foolproof.
Until Zach Bowen offers to be my practice round.
He’s infuriating. Presumptuous and overbearing. And absolutely, undeniably gorgeous. Any woman with a heartbeat would be attracted to him, and mine picks up speed every time he speaks.
But as I said, I’m a woman of plans — and I’m not backing down on this one.
One night. One game. And then, his time’s up.
He can try to change the rules, but here’s the truth: he can’t win if he’s playing the wrong game.
The Wrong Game is a stand-alone, angsty, enemies-to-lovers sports romance.
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Ok I get it. Gemma was hurt by her husband. He was a cheater. But why on earth would she never confront him?? Yes the situation was far from ideal, but she sacrificed her mental health to see him through to the end. And If I read ” I need control” one more time I was going to scream. She seemed pretty unstable to me. Now Zach….he was everything. Thoughtful, loving, handsome, loved and sacrificed for his family(in the right way) and HONEST! Plus his brother was really funny. Zach and his family raised my review a whole star.
This was a great read…loved the humor, friendship, challenge, second chance romance. Learning to overcome fears, letting go of the past, giving into challenges outside your comfort zone. It was a fun read that had me tearing up and laughing throughout.
Loved the chase, the build, the game. Loved how Zach was sensitive and not a typical guy. Gemma has to deal with so much and my heart broke for her a few times. Loved that we had laughs along the way. You could feel their love for the Bears through the book too and the feel of the crowd at games! Well written!
Oh WOW. I’m in awe of this book, seriously, complete and utter awe. To say I didn’t expect this little beauty would be an understatement, it just gate crashed my heart and took over all the damn feels.
Gemma and Zach have quickly taken over my everything. My head, my heart, just everything. They consumed me and I know for sure I won’t be able to stop thinking about them any time soon. When you find a book that consumes you completely you never let it go and The Wrong Game is one of those books. Incredible, just incredible.
Their story was intriguing, captivating and I just simply couldn’t stop reading until I finished. I put everything aside that I needed to do and chose to devour this beauty instead.
It was heartbreaking, seriously heartbreaking. The amount of things they’ve both gone through cracks your heart open and tears threaten to spill out of your eye balls because damn it, they both deserve so much happiness but instead were inflicted pain that no person should ever have to deal with but although it was filled with pain the good times shone through, the football games, the visits to random places the conquering of fears, everything just fit perfectly and equalled out all the emotions.
Gemma and Zach are beautiful and amazing characters and I would absolutely love to hear more from them, more from their story.
This is my first read from Kandi Steiner (don’t judge me lol) and it was absolutely incredible. This author has put so much time and effort into telling this story and it clearly shows through her words. I’ll definitely be coming back to this author for more.
I loved Gemma. This story is so beautifully written that my heart ached for Gemma. Gemma had a bad relationship experience. She’s has her walls up and doesn’t want love again. She has season tickets to the Bears games and no one to go with. Her best friend comes up with an idea that she bring a different guy to each game. She meets Zach at a bar. Zach is goign to be her practice run. Zach is swoon worthy. He’s everything she needs but everything she doesn’t want. Zach sees what he wants and doesn’t give up easily. I loved these two together. They have their ups and down and it’s such a great story. It’s told in the dual POV of both Zach and Gemma which I loved.
“Failed love built walls, but it was our choice whether we decided to hide behind them, or sit on top of them, waiting for someone to come along who could knock them down.”
Every time I read one of Kandi Steiner’s books I fall more in love with love. The way in which she depicts chemistry and emotion in her characters gets me every time.
‘The Wrong Game’ is a story of Gemma Mancini, a widower who is recovering from a devastating heartbreak from the one she loved. But after months of moping and a cleverly concocted plan, she decides to attempt to add a bit of excitement to her life. The one catch? She wants no strings attached.
As a season ticket holder, she decides that for each game she attends she will take a date, her plan gatecrashed when Zach Bowen decides to intervene.
He was always supposed to be the practice round, but instead he becomes the game.
This book was modern, fun and had some real laugh out loud moments as well as some hard-hitting moments. It was the perfect October read for a romance lover such as myself.
I’d recommend to all modern romance lovers, someone wanting to try something new or read a well crafted novel.
I love a good angsty romance and right from the start this had heartbreak written all over it. Both Zach & Gemma hurting from their past relationships embark on the will they won’t they get their act together. Just when you think they’re going to make it Kandi rips away our hope and sends our hearts into a frenzy.
Written from a dual POV the book is very much a slow burn with steamy scenes along the way. The story has several heart stopping moments and moments where it makes you feel all squishy inside. I’d love to find a guy like Zach, one who is in touch with his feelings and not afraid to show them. There should be more blokes like this!
I’m not gonna lie – I’m having a really hard time with rating this book and with my overall feelings about it, but it has nothing to do with the characters and plot and more to do with a vibe that I get and I know that is totally weird and vague but I don’t know how else to explain it without diving off the deep end and that is not what we’re here for. So… Anyway, The Wrong Game grabs you by the heart almost immediately and makes it so easy to feel for and rally around Gemma. In fact, as soon as I read the prologue I had to stop and put my Kindle down and ask my husband what he would do if he found himself faced in a similar situation as our heroine and as it raises a sensitive topic for him personally, I NEVER pose such questions towards him. But I was so intrigued by not only the situation, but the motivations and psychology behind the decision that Gemma made. I can’t say that I would do the same thing if in that particular situation, but as we get to know her more, it is apparent that the decision is indicative of her habit of forcing down her feelings in an effort to feel more in control. It is heavily implied that she has OCD, though I don’t know if it is actually a diagnosis or simply an explanation for her anxiety, penchant for list making and organization, and need for control. The more that I think about her, if not for the way that she was introduced, I don’t know that I’d like her character very much – in fact, I think the fact that she had to endure something so emotionally harrowing is the only thing that made her sympathetic and mildly likable. On the other hand, I LOVED Zach. I also really enjoyed her bestie, Belle, and hope that a book for her is in the works. Zach is sensitive, emotionally aware and available, handsome, and dominant in a way that just works for me. His character, backstory, and family are probably the most compelling aspect of this book in my opinion. I kept reading because I wanted to see when and how Gemma would get it together and see what was right in front of her, how she would inevitably screw it up, and how she would win him back so HE could have his HEA. She really was a secondary factor for me. Add to that the slightly subliminal social commentary that is thrown in to the book, what could have been a 4.5 star read for me is more like a 3.5 at best. I really loved Zach and the plot and story are interesting. But it just hit a nerve with me and that sort of tainted the whole experience. So… 3.5 out of 5 wine glasses.
I absolutely loved reading this book!! I love all the characters in this book and I’m kind of hoping Belle gets a book too!! Once you start this book you won’t be able to put it down!!
Gemma brings a great deal of pain inside her that she only shared with her best friend Belle. Determined to enjoy the football season and try to forget her sadness, she follows Belle’s advice to flirt and live her life the best way she could.. But soon she faces a hot bartender Zack who is more than willing to help the girl in her goal.
Zack is a good boy who lives for his family. He dreams of finding a love just like his parents. When he sees the timid Gemma in his bar he is willing to help the girl to live intensely the season of Football.
What I liked the most in this plot was the fact that is the girl who blocks the relationship because we usually see that the guy is the one who does not want anything serious.
Zack simply realizes Gemma’s potential and chemistry between the two and resolve to invest in something she does not want. It was super fun to keep up with the plans he was playing to try to betray Gemma’s attention.
I loved his family so much and I really wanted a book for Micah.
4/5 stars.
Gemma has season passes to the Bears and it seems like the perfect opportunity to break the funk her ex-husband left her in. What man doesn’t love football and a girl who can cheer right alongside him? Plus, no strings attached is a pretty sweet deal and Gemma can control the outcome, at least she thinks she can. Zach hears Gemma and her best friend planning this while he serves their drinks and what better guy for the job than himself? He isn’t much of a one-night stand guy anymore, but something about Gemma calls to him. What starts as a practice round during a pre-season game grows into a desperate desire to convince Gemma she deserves more than one night and that he’s meant to be there for all the games.
“Obviously, we have chemistry. We could have a good time. I’ll buy the pizza and beer.”
Kandi Steiner is the queen of sweet romance, the kind that knocks you on your feet, makes you believe in fairytales, and somehow is still filled with the smut we love. It’s got those over the top scenes we dream of and the angst we know comes with real life. In The Wrong Game Gemma has been taken through the wringer, her life feels like a farce and she’s recreating herself, hardened to love and embracing her OCD tendencies. Zach is the opposite, he’s a romantic at heart and everything about Gemma gets his heart racing. So, like he’s in an eighties movie scene he pulls out all the stops to show her he’s worth a chance, no matter the walls she’s built up around her. It might be odd to say, but I could easily connect with both. Zach felt like my younger self, open to love and willing to do anything for it, while Gemma connects with the me today, aware of heartbreak and the comfort of controlling the outcome. Of course, Kandi Steiner knows life doesn’t work like that and her characters both have to come to that conclusion on their own.
“A practice round… Yeah. This could be fun.”
The Wrong Game had be laughing, swooning, and even tearing up a bit. The character interactions at the football games were so funny, while the personal moments they shared at home, in the bar, and out and about had me falling for Zach just as fast as Gemma. Trust, though, is a big topic in this book and learning to trust again when you don’t know how to forgive the past is hard. Gemma’s OCD is a bit intense, though it’s been a part of her always it seems to have grown over the top with everything that happened with her ex-husband. Some of it is expected, some of it is worrisome, and all of it made for the perfect romance, with Zach showing more patience and understanding than one would expect. I love how they work it out, even if it takes some time to get through. I have to admit though, I wanted to know more about Carlo, because I felt Gemma deserved to know the whys and how it plays out in the book isn’t my favorite. We get memories of their happiness, we see the devastation in the present, but the background to it still feels fuzzy for me. Thank goodness Zach didn’t need as much information as I want though, because he just saw barriers to break down and a woman to love and he went for it.
“I wanted him.
But I was absolutely petrified to fall any further than I already had.”
The Wrong Game reads like a warm cozy blanket on a cold day, filled with the cliches we loved, characters you can connect with, and a romance that will make your heart grow two sizes. I really enjoyed this book, in fact, it was unputdownable. Sports Romance lovers, this one’s for you!
The Wrong Game by Kandi Steiner is a contemporary standalone romance that is part second chance part friends to lovers and a little original Kandi mixed in. This is only the second book I have read by Kandi Steiner, Revelry being the other, but she is definitely in with my favorite authors. She writes real emotion and embraces true character damage without prettying it up. The pain I felt when reading about the betrayal Gemma suffered hurt my heart too. The level of openness in Zach’s family was admirable. The whole story was awesome to the max.
Gemma has a plan. As a list writing, plan making, single woman she is going to take her tragedy and make use of it. Dip her toes back in the dating scene by way of one night dates (or stands) with guys she can meet at the favorite football teams home games thanks to the season tickets she bought for her now-dead cheating husband. Go Bears!
Zach feels an instant pull to the beautiful Gemma and suggests she take him to the first game as a “practice” run. She has a lot of fun with Zach but anything more than that one game is NOT what she planned. And she MUST stick to the plan. Zach decides to do all he can to convince her that her plan sucks and the story builds from there.
You will become frustrated with the characters. Wonder why Gemma can’t get out of her own head. Feel bad for Zach and wonder why he just doesn’t move on. It’s soooo real! I loved every page – every gut wrenching moment – every emotional breakthrough – every word! Enjoy!
~A most genius plan ~
Gemma thought she had her life all figured out, until she was hit with a double whammy, both having to do with her husband. Only now when she was trying to move on and live her life again thanks to support from her boss and BFF Belle with a proposal to sample the dating scene via an app and her season Bears tickets, she gives it a real try but when her first practice date with Zach, the sexy bartender makes her feel more than she bargains for, will she brave enough to go through with her very bold plan to get what she thinks she needs or dare to risk her really OCD heart and give him a break and a chance?
Enjoyed the banter and fun they had before things grew serious between them, with Gemma ending up getting cold feet and feeling out of control with the whole plan over her growing feelings for Zach, and Zach, who knew pretty much what was missing in his life from their very first “practice” date that she would be the perfect football buddy for life. Also enjoyed Belle’s character and hope to see more of her and the pediatrician!
The Wrong Game was fun yet emotional with the right amount of angst to give me all the feels. It is a lesson about love, trust, taking risks, and not letting your past and fear hold you back. Even though the story was full of sweet pain and throbbing heartaches, there were lots of funny moments and sexy moments which broke some of the heaviness of the story.
With all the heartache and pain in her past, I totally understand why Gemma had decided that she was not going to fall in love again. Love can be scary and you may get hurt and betrayed, but if you are willing to take the risk and trust that your partner will be holding your hand along the way, you may find happiness and absolute bliss. Life may not always hand out second chances. If you are lucky enough to be given a second chance, take a risk and treat it as an opportunity to live your life better and brighter this time and don’t dwell on the past.
Kandi Steiner is a magnificent story teller. Her well-developed characters and profound words always capture my heart. I loved that she always have something insightful and inspirational hidden in all her work. It always make me think and ponder days after I finish a book.
I absolutely enjoyed this beautiful story with wonderful characters and a heartfelt plot and would highly recommend it to anyone who wanted a great read that would give you all the feels.
Loved it! Such a fun read. I love the characters and I absolutely love that Gemma has anxiety, it made her even more relatable and real. Zac is such a sweetheart, so romantic, it’s hard not to swoon. This was funny, sexy, and well written.
The Wrong Game had me staying up late and waking up early. Finding reading time amongst my busy life isn’t always easy but I put life aside for this emotional romance. Zach and Gemma renewed my faith in love, romance, grand gestures, and happily every afters. Kandi Steiner has told a beautiful tale about the journey and the risks we take when we choose to fall. Falling in love isn’t always a choice and usually the mind will never win over the heart. The heart is just too powerful an organ. It beats on its own accord and when in the proximity of its soul mate, the beating intensifies. It sends our body into a frenzy of cold sweats, shaky palms, and erratic breathing. The heart always knows way before our mind.
This story is written in dual POV which really helps to get us to understand the characters, what they are feelings, why they are feeling it, and what drives them forward. Right from the start I loved Gemma and her best friend Belle. I thought their plan was crazy but it made such a good story line. Zach weaves his way into your heart pretty quickly as well. Early on we learn what Zach has been through and we are soon on Team Zach cheering him on to get the girl along with all the other Bears fans.
I loved the playful, witty, and feisty banter that Zach and Gemma shared. How could you not cheer for them? They are terribly adorable together, everyone sees it but Gemma. Zach recognizes that Gemma is different and he needs more than she wants to give. The lengths he will go to show Gemma she is playing The Wrong Game will bring a smile to your face, a twinkle to your eye, and a jump-start to your heart. Zach should be given a medal for putting up with some of her antics. Kandi should be given a medal for coming up with the stuff that makes this book so great. Even if you are not a football fan, you will be able to appreciate this story and relate to this couple. You’ll easily see they have a sizzling chemistry together, a bond made tighter when they open up to each other and face the seasons of life together. You’ll even fall in love with all the secondary characters. Each of them adds their own special tilt to love story that is Gemma and Zach.
Kandi Steiner has touched my soul once again. She always makes me swoon, she is a master at playing with the emotions of the reader. She threw in a little angst, well maybe more than a little, but it was an acceptable amount to cause me to grip my kindle a little harder across my chest while I processed what was happening. Tears may have been shed once or twice but once again, just the right amount to give me the perfect romance story. She had my mind casting her in the role of Gemma and I just wanted to wrap her up in all the hugs.
Every book of Kandi’s teaches me a life lesson of some sort and I am always a better person for it. This book left me craving the comfort of what love can truly be and believing that there is more to this life than to just going through the motions. If nothing else, she taught me to appreciate the love I have, appreciate my close-knit family even when they are being royal PITA’s, and to always be patient and understanding. In the words of Zach, Love is a Risk and there are No Promises but Life without Love is not worth living.
This book has everything you could look for in a contemporary romance novel. Passion, angst, funny, and of course SEXY!! I was drawn in from page one and couldn’t put the book down untill I finished.
Kandi wrote complex characters that feel real. I loved how the main characters of this book are complete opposites but are so perfect for each other. Gemma is a stubborn girl with a plan and Zach is a romantic and a gentleman. He’s open with his feelings and goes after what he wants. Gemma buries her feelings and makes plans and lists to keep herself in control of every aspect of her life…including love. Of course, that is know way to deal with love. Zach is determined to make Gemma see that. He’s hard to resist.
I definitely felt a lot of strong emotions while reading this book. I have to admit at times Gemma annoyed the heck out of me. There was a part in the book where I was not liking her very much and thinking Zach was so great and could do so much better. This was the only reason why I gave the book 4 instead of 5 stars.
Gemma came around though and I do understand why she was the way she was and why she did the things she did, but while she was doing it I wanted to scream. This shows you how well Kandi did at writing these characters. She gave us a lead female character that you want to like and route for but at times she got in the way of that. In the end, she’s a great character and I was so happy with how the relationship between Zach and Gemma turned out.
The secondary characters are all also awesome and I’m looking forward to reading any follow up books they may get. 🙂 I also loved reading all the football and Chicago references. I will definitely continue to read Kani Steiner’s books and am so glad that I was introduced to this author with The Wrong Game.
The Wrong Game is the newest book by Kandi Steiner who is best known for “emotional rollercoaster” stories. Gemma Mancini is a woman focused on deadlines, plans, lists, and goals. So what does she do when she suspects that her husband, Carlos, is cheating? She makes a checklist and once each item has been checked off proving his infidelity including seeing him with the other woman, Gemma makes a plan to confront him. Carlos didn’t follow Gemma’s plan because he spoke first and everything changed. Her cheating husband had cancer…the kind that would end his life. Gemma told him that she loved him and would stay by his side, never confronting him about the affair, until the day he died just four short weeks later. And on the day of his funeral, Gemma watched a younger and prettier girl mourn Carlos from the back row of the church.
Zach Bowen tends bar in a busy Chicago bar not far from Soldier Field. One night his world is rocked when the beautiful Gemma walks into the bar after a Bears game. He overhears Gemma’s best friend creating an online dating profile for Gemma. “Season pass holder looking for a cool, DTF, guy to use my other ticket at home games.” What former football player and Chicago Bears fan could resist that? Sensing Gemma’s nervousness, Zach offers to be her practice run. Gemma agrees to go the game with Mr. Dark, Tall, and Fun BUT he had to follow Gemma’s rules. One night. One game. Will either of them be able to walk away after just one night? Will Zach be able to heal Gemma’s broken heart and help her learn that not all men are untrustworthy?
Let’s talk about this emotional rollercoaster that Kandi Steiner has taken me on. The characters in “The Wrong Game” are so real, flawed, and scarred that it was easy to connect to them. Carlos Mancini is a jerk and so easy to hate. I hated him even more after Gemma reads the letters that his mother finds and gives to Gemma. Yes, I said letters. One for Gemma and one for Brielle. Zach is a down-to-earth, hard-working man who has made sacrifices for his family and is willing to put in the hard work in order to make Gemma trust him. He does the one thing that no other man, especially the jerk – Carlos, has never done…he fights for Gemma and boy does he have to fight for her. It would be easy to say “oh poor Gemma” but that’s not what she wants. Gemma wants to be strong, independent, and to watch her Chicago Bears win! Gemma also desperately wants to put away her broken heart and thinks the easiest way to do so it to stop feeling. Zach makes her feel and that scares Gemma to death. I stayed up way to late reading this book and hated to put it down. This is the first Kandi Steiner book that I have read. If all of them are written like “The Wrong Game”, then I will be a fan for life. I have no choice but to give this book 5 out of 5 propellers!
The Wrong Game is just what the title means. No feelings, no-strings attached and a new date each game; that was suppose to be the game but then Zach happened. He challenged Gemma by pushing her to see outside of defined plans and what she truly needed and deserved.
I love nothing more than a when a female author can write about sports and know her stuff! Kandi Steiner killed it with The Wrong Game!!!! Kandi clearly knows romance and football! The perfect combination for and amazing book!
Lots of angst, laughs and yes even several tears, this story truly packs a punch! I fell in love with Zach from the get go and was rooting for him the whole time to win Gemma over!
Gemma is just looking for love one swipe at a time. She wants to test the waters and to see what or who she really needs in her life. Zach is totally irresistible and the chemistry between the two is insane!
I fell in love hard with this book and I am sure you all will too! 5+++ stars!!!!