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admya 's review for:
The Wrong Game
by Kandi Steiner
🏈 Sports Romance
😈 Enemies to Lovers
🔥 Slow Burn
🗓️ Dating Challenge
🍸 Bartender Love Interest
💔 Grieving Protagonist
🎯 Only One Tries
😂 Witty Banter
🚫 No Strings Attached
🏠 Forced Proximity
👀 Jealousy Games
🧱 Emotional Walls
🧡 Healing Through Love
Star: ⭐⭐⭐⭐️.25
The Wrong Game by Kandi Steiner delivers an emotionally charged, slow-burn romance that blends heartache with humour in a fresh, football-themed package. As the first book in the Love of the Game series, it follows Gemma Mancini, a recently divorced woman not ready to love again. To help herself move on, she devises a plan: use the football season tickets she bought for her ex to go on dates with different men at each home game. No strings, just a harmless way to re-enter the dating scene.
But things quickly derail when Zach Bowen, her bartender, insists on being her “practice date” — and then every date after that. Zach is charming, pushy in a maddeningly endearing way, and completely uninterested in playing by Gemma’s rules. He’s determined to prove he's the only man she needs, while Gemma is equally determined to keep her heart off the field.
The novel excels in its execution of the enemies-to-lovers trope. The tension is real and deliciously frustrating, with razor-sharp dialogue and sparkling chemistry between the leads. Zach’s relentless pursuit and Gemma’s emotional walls create a dynamic that keeps the pages turning. There’s no insta-love here — instead, Kandi Steiner takes her time, building every moment of connection with careful, emotionally honest strokes.
At its core, The Wrong Game is about grief, vulnerability, and the courage it takes to open up again after devastation. Gemma’s journey is both painful and relatable. Her resistance to love feels authentic, shaped by trauma and loss rather than tired clichés. Zach, too, is more than the charming flirt — he’s patient, emotionally intelligent, and willing to wait for Gemma to come around on her own terms.
The football backdrop isn’t just a gimmick — it becomes a symbol of growth, tradition, and healing. Each game brings new challenges and emotional milestones, mirroring the ups and downs of their evolving relationship.
This isn’t a fluffy rom-com, though there are funny and light-hearted moments. It’s angsty and introspective, sometimes heavy, but always heartfelt. Kandi Steiner doesn’t shy away from emotional messiness, which makes the eventual payoff all the more satisfying. Some readers may find the slow pacing a bit frustrating, particularly those looking for instant gratification, but for fans of a well-earned romance, this story delivers.
The Wrong Game is a standout in the sports romance genre, perfectly suited for readers who love emotional depth, compelling characters, and the kind of love story that earns its happily-ever-after. It’s a powerful reminder that sometimes the best plays in love are the ones that come unexpectedly — even when you think you're playing the wrong game.
😈 Enemies to Lovers
🔥 Slow Burn
🗓️ Dating Challenge
🍸 Bartender Love Interest
💔 Grieving Protagonist
🎯 Only One Tries
😂 Witty Banter
🚫 No Strings Attached
🏠 Forced Proximity
👀 Jealousy Games
🧱 Emotional Walls
🧡 Healing Through Love
Star: ⭐⭐⭐⭐️.25
The Wrong Game by Kandi Steiner delivers an emotionally charged, slow-burn romance that blends heartache with humour in a fresh, football-themed package. As the first book in the Love of the Game series, it follows Gemma Mancini, a recently divorced woman not ready to love again. To help herself move on, she devises a plan: use the football season tickets she bought for her ex to go on dates with different men at each home game. No strings, just a harmless way to re-enter the dating scene.
But things quickly derail when Zach Bowen, her bartender, insists on being her “practice date” — and then every date after that. Zach is charming, pushy in a maddeningly endearing way, and completely uninterested in playing by Gemma’s rules. He’s determined to prove he's the only man she needs, while Gemma is equally determined to keep her heart off the field.
The novel excels in its execution of the enemies-to-lovers trope. The tension is real and deliciously frustrating, with razor-sharp dialogue and sparkling chemistry between the leads. Zach’s relentless pursuit and Gemma’s emotional walls create a dynamic that keeps the pages turning. There’s no insta-love here — instead, Kandi Steiner takes her time, building every moment of connection with careful, emotionally honest strokes.
At its core, The Wrong Game is about grief, vulnerability, and the courage it takes to open up again after devastation. Gemma’s journey is both painful and relatable. Her resistance to love feels authentic, shaped by trauma and loss rather than tired clichés. Zach, too, is more than the charming flirt — he’s patient, emotionally intelligent, and willing to wait for Gemma to come around on her own terms.
The football backdrop isn’t just a gimmick — it becomes a symbol of growth, tradition, and healing. Each game brings new challenges and emotional milestones, mirroring the ups and downs of their evolving relationship.
This isn’t a fluffy rom-com, though there are funny and light-hearted moments. It’s angsty and introspective, sometimes heavy, but always heartfelt. Kandi Steiner doesn’t shy away from emotional messiness, which makes the eventual payoff all the more satisfying. Some readers may find the slow pacing a bit frustrating, particularly those looking for instant gratification, but for fans of a well-earned romance, this story delivers.
The Wrong Game is a standout in the sports romance genre, perfectly suited for readers who love emotional depth, compelling characters, and the kind of love story that earns its happily-ever-after. It’s a powerful reminder that sometimes the best plays in love are the ones that come unexpectedly — even when you think you're playing the wrong game.