4.5 stars

Originally posted on my blog, Books Forget Me Knot.

So as many of you know I come from Wattpad – an online writing community website. With that said, I was a little wary to dive into The Love Game by Emma Hart. Why? Well, a lot of stories on Wattpad are badly written GIRL PLAYS PLAYER stories. They are HUNDREDS of them and are overly cliche, which is one thing I absolutely detest as a reader.

I was pleasantly surprised with Hart’s unique spin to an overused story line. I think I may have even fallen in love in the process, just like the main female protagonist, Maddie Stevens.

It all starts with a game in which both Maddie and Braden are involved with unknowingly to each other. As the story progresses, we get to see both characters slowly change.

Braden isn’t just your typical chauvinist pig. He actually has a heart buried underneath his sexual exploits. His character honestly unnerved me at the beginning. He was just your average frat guy, partying and having sex with whatever had a pulse. Okay, so not everything..but yano. In a way, Maddie indirectly changes him. He starts to have feelings where he genuinely cares about Maddie. These moments were the times where my opinion of him began to change.

Then there is Maddie. She’s strong, witty, and broken. There are secrets that she has buried and left back in Brooklyn. But when life throws you curve balls, you can’t exactly dodge them. Maddie didn’t realize that the one person who would be there, as solid rock to keep her afloat, would be the person she thought she hated. Along the way…Maddie’s opinion of Braden also changes and she starts to see that she’s losing the game.

One of my favorite things about The Love Game was the witty, humorous lines the characters gave. There was also the tangible amount of realism to the story. The novel is told from two p.o.v’s: Maddie and Braden’s. I found Braden’s perspective real and not “girly” whatsoever. At first, I was a little unhinged by the amount of curse words thrown in, courtesy of Braden Carter. After a few chapters I got used to it and found that it was one of his specific traits that I liked.

The other thing I REALLY liked was the fact that it was cleverly and nicely written. I just want to hug Emma Hart for that fact and making me see that not all PLAYER stories are awful.

Then there are the steamy scenes involving Braden and Maddie. All I can say is….HOT. Wow. I think I blushed a couple of times…which I have to applaud Emma Hart for. Only good writer’s can bring forth those kinds of FEELINGS.

Overall, I was really lucky and fortunate to receive an ARC for The Love Game. I read the majority of the novel in the car on my road trip this passed weekend and it definitely kept my mind occupied. I couldn’t stop reading it for a second! It kind of also reminded me of John Tucker Must Die, where the girl sets out to play the resident player. But like I said, Emma Hart brings a new spin to the GIRL PLAYS THE PLAYER story line. The Love Game is a page turner, filled with wit, humor, sweetness, and is downright sexy.

I definitely recommend this lovely gem to readers 18+ as it does have explicit content and language. You’ll just LOVE it. I promise.