Game Player

by Elizabeth Knox, E.C. Land, Amy Briggs

Talk with your pads, play with your heart.

Take a chance on these steamy romance stories meant to steal the game.
From hockey to football, and boxing to soccer, this anthology has every sport you need.

Step out of the penalty box and then find yourself on the field waiting for a two-minute warning.

Game Player is a sports romance themed anthology by Knox Publishing with stories from: Elizabeth Knox & E.C. Land, H.J. Marshall, KE Osborn, Heather Young-Nichols, Rae B. Lake, Jen Talty, Kathryn C. Kelly, J. Lynn Lombard, Cedar Rose, Amy Briggs, and Elena Gray.

Genres: Anthologies, Sports, Romance

Kindle Edition

Published July 15, 2021

About the author

Elizabeth Knox is a USA Today Bestselling romance author who specializes in romantic suspense, and dark romance. She’s well-known for her intense page-turning motorcycle clubs, and sinister dark mafia books. 

While Elizabeth loves to write, she is an avid reader as well, who reads a mixture of genres. She lives on a farm with her husband in the northeastern United States with her rescue animals. When she isn’t working, you can find her horseback riding, riding ATVs, or out on the farm with her animals.

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Reviews

[Teresa Lara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love love love
Especially Dan and Eden by Ke osborn
Love love love
Natalie and Zack from Jlynn Lombard
Intense emotional love story
Ready for more

[Debbie Earley · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing collection of various sport related romance stories. Elizabeth Knox and E.C. Land I hope we got more of Tristan and Evie in the future because their story had me glued to my seat I need more of them. K.E. Osborn I wasn't ready for Dan and Eden's story to end. I loved seeing the Houston Defiance boys again and I need more of Dan and Even in the future. Rae B Lake you tore my heart out with Colt's story. I just wanted to wrap the kid up in a big bear hug and tell him it would be ok. I loved him and Nikki together and seeing the Wings was pop in...loved it. This is a great collection by some amazing authors and I would recommend it to anyone.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've just read Push the limit by KE Osborn and wow loved it we met Dan in the Houston Defiance MC now his doing his own thing of car racing and has one thing on his mind winning the trophy.

But in walks Eden Ellwyn's daughter he is Dan's competition, it's a relationship or just a lust thing but can they go into it.

Dan's younger he has time to win her dad being older she just wants to go on as long as possible.

Is there more feelings between them then either is letting on will they do anything about it?

Love it always KE Osborn never let's me down.

[Brenda Moser · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a sweet and sexy sports anthology romance collection. There's a bit of something for everyone in this collection. Each story has it's own hot couple with their own story to tell. I loved reading the multi authors stories and the different sports being covered. They are well written,move quickly and smoothly and are enjoyable reads. I would recommend this book.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own and freely given.

[Emily Pennington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sports-Themed Anthology . . .

This is a sports-romance themed anthology for your enjoyment. Even if sports isn’t your interest, the love stories you will read about will definitely draw you in. Grab your copy of this romantic collection. It may contain authors you will recognize as well as new ones you may come to love! Regardless of what order you read them in, you will have a huge smile on your face as these authors entertain you! Don’t miss this anthology! It may definitely have a few surprises in there for you!

Stories included here are from: Elizabeth Knox, E.C. Land, H.J. Marshall, KE Osborn, Amy Briggs, Heather Young-Nichols, Rae B. Lake, Jen Talty, Kathryn C. Kelly, J. Lynn Lombard, Cedar Rose, and Elena Gray.

[Mandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great value sports-based anthology. Lots of great stories - the one I enjoyed the most was this one -

Push the Limit by KE Osborn -5*
This is about Dan and his competitor's daughter Eden and how things turned out for them on the drag racing circuit. Definitely full of action and also an insight into his childhood which still affects him now. Connects neatly into the Houston Defiance series of books although you don't have to have read any of them to enjoy this story. A great read that I really enjoyed as it fits really well into both the sports and the MC genres of books. Contains just a little sexual content.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Elizabeth Gardner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished all the stories and all the authors did an amazing job. All were well written, had good story lines and flowed well. I won't hesitate to recommend this book to anyone who loves sports romance.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Doris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Missed Shot by Elizabeth Knox

This is a first time reading a sports genre by this author. I had to give it a try because she is one of my favorite MC authors and I was pleasantly please. I can’t wait to read more on Tristan and Evie.

[Robyn Corcoran · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a sensational collection of short, sizzling sports stories that cover such a variety of different sports that there’s something for everyone in this anthology. Actually I found even if I wasn’t all that interested in a particular sport I was by the time I had read the story. 😉 This is a long review but each story deserved it’s own little review.

Missed Shot EC Land & Elizabeth Knox
A Crave Series prequel and what an interesting start it is too! Tall, dark, good-looking pro basketball player Tristan meets his ideal woman. Evie is a gorgeous professional woman who is ready to experience new things including a new relationship—perhaps! I really like both lead characters even though I wanted to smack Tristan over the head with some home truths. 😀 I will be eager to see what happens in the next book.

Push the Limit KE Osborn
This story about Dan and Eden is full of action, fun and drama—not necessarily in that order. Both lead characters have an explosive chemistry and bring out the best in each other, even though they are supposed to be rivals on the drag racing circuit. The heart wants what the heart wants! Having already read ‘Explosive’, where we meet up with Dan and Eden again I can honestly say this short story fits in so well and if you haven’t read The Houston Defiance MC series you are missing out.

Heavy Hitter Heather Young-Nichols
This is a fabulous story about Fiona, a charity foundation manager and businesswoman, and Knox, a professional baseball
player. I loved this love story and being a new author to me have already have looked up Ms Young-Nichols other books.

Colt’s Game Rae B. Lake
Football player Colt never expects to actually be paying college football! What a great concept for a story and it worked so well too. I won’t spoil anything else but honestly this is another new author to me and I now want to devour her MC series and everything else because this story simply put captivated me!

Slow Burn Amy Briggs
Jim-jitsu is the sport of choice in this story and combined with a fireman, who refreshingly isn’t described as God’s gift to mankind, makes for one hot, enjoyable story. This is another one that is going to be continued so I will be on the lookout for it when more becomes available. 😉

Spinning Wheels Jen Talty
An Aegis Network—I love military stories and ex-military stories in particular so I was hooked from the description of what the Aegis Network meant! Combine one ex-military hunky bodyguard and a competitive car racer and it’s explosive. Justice and Rari are a fabulous match and this short story just whet my appetite for more from this author, another new author for me—I am in book heaven!

Barebacked Kathryn C Kelly
Rodeo riding, and bareback too, is the next on the agenda. The two lead characters, Zane and Harper, meet in a very unconventional manner and I don’t want to give away any of the story but it is a very interesting read. I liked both lead characters and thought they had great chemistry together.

Tap Out H.J. Marshall
An Amatory Las Vegas prequel that will lead into a new exciting series. This is another new author for me and there are other series with some of the characters from this story but it didn’t make any difference, I enjoyed the story just the same. American Mixed Martial Arts is the sport for Brixton and Oakley is the new girl in Vegas with the Amatory connection. Both are likeable characters that have a supercharged chemistry. This insta love story hits all the right spots.

Front and Centre Elena Gray
Colton and Skye met on the football field in high school and have been best friends ever since—sadly for Skye who would love him to see her as more than a mere friend. This short story is endearingly sweet with a side of passion!

Surviving Love and Loss Cedar Rose
Thorn, his sister Briar and their friend and neighbour, Lennon live in hell growing up, there’s no other way to describe it. Having each other was paramount until Lennon left and didn’t come back. This story is based on MMA and is much darker than the other stories but has a good balance in it too. Again this is a new author to me and I am definitely going to be on the lookout for the continuation of this story. I liked this story so much I went straight to Amazon and one clicked more of her books.

No Holding Back J.Lynn Lombard
Natalie is the starting forward-guard for the Michigan Warriors in the WNBA. She’s certainly got the height for basketball at six feet two inches! I loved her character and Zack’s, both honest, caring people who’ve had traumatic things happen to them. I’m so pleased he will be getting his own book in the Savage Saints MC, the first three are now on my kindle! 😆 Yes, I really liked this story and need more from this author who I have been wanting to read for ages.

[Daisy Sauceda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Missed Shot -EC Land and Elizabeth Knox
Tristan and Evie
Well I am surprised to read something other than MC or Mafia by EC or Elizabeth. So here is Tristan and Evie who move to Vegas and go on a blind date. They are so cute together and the chemistry between them is off the charts. Now the question is can these two make it work. Is a happily ever after? Well this story takes a turn and leaves me hanging. I hope we find out how it ends.

Push The Limit- KE Osburn
Dan and Eden
We got racers who know the Houston Defiance MC. Well Dan knows them. However Dan is the racer and he is trying to get under a competitors skin. Only this competitor has a daughter that he day dreams about. Dan also has a past that still affects him currently. However, Eden pushes his buttons and he can't figure out why. That is until it all gets hotter than hades and moves were made. Then we are left wondering how their story ends.

Heavy Hitter -Heaher Young-Nichols
Fiona and Knox
Gotta love a man who plays baseball. Here we have Knox who has to do some work for something he did at a game. This is how he meets Fiona. She is not crazy about pro athletes. She obviously has a back story about that. So can Knox change her mind? Well he definitely has his work cut out.
Colt's Game - Rae B. Lake
Colt and Nikki
Colt is a football player with potential but he has not been able to put his full mind to it. His family life is heart breaking but he does what he needs to do. Then he really needs to step up when he has to become the QB. He has issues but that is where Nikki comes into the picture. She helps him when he least expects it. There seems to be a little push back but its all good. This little story made me cry. I would love to read more of this from the author.
Slow Burn- Amy Briggs
Aiden and Emma
This is a cute romance story. We have Aiden who has a dad bod and barely past his firefighter physical. So then he has to take mandatory jui-jitsu classes. Well Emma is teaching those classes. So how will these two work out.

Spinning Wheels -Jen Talty
Rari and Justice
So this story was a interesting. We got a Justice who was hired to become Rari body guard cause there is some sketchy stuff happening that is effecting Rari's races. Now the question is who would want to sabotage her races? What is to gain? Will a fake relationship with Justice bring out the bad guys? It is a cute story and I definitely want to read more from this series.

Barebacked - Kathryn C Kelly
Zane and Harper
We got cowboys here. Let's meet the sexy broody Zane and the sweet and innocent Harper. Now these two meet up for a business proposal. What kind of proposal you ask? Surrogacy. Yep someone wants a kid. Only the sparks fly after talking on the phone. How will this go down? I loved it and it was sweet.

Tap Out - HJ Marshall
Oakley and Braxton
What happens when you get an MMA fighter who feels like something is missing in life and a woman who feels like she kind find what she is looking for in a new town. Meet Oakley and Braxton. These two meet when Oakley moves into town and it seems like there is something brewing between these two. These two are cute and I loved this couple.

Front and Center - Elena Gray
Skye and Colton
So these two are football players. Yes Skye is a football player and was the center for her team. This is how she met Colton. He was the QB for the team. As the years pass someone starts to have feelings but the friendship is not wanting to be ruined. So who will finally take the chance to take it to the next level. I really loved this cute little story.

Surviving Love and Loss - Cedar Ross
Thorn, Briar, and Lennon
Now this little excerpt made me cry and I want more. Briar and Thorn are brother and sister and they are having a rough go in life. Then you have Lennon who tries to help out when he can. These three are friends but it seems that there is more with Briar and Lennon. Then one day poof Lennon is gone. What will happen? I want more of this story.

No Holding Back - J Lynn Lombard
Natalie and Zack
Natalie is a professional basketball player and she is trying to get her life back on track. Her past comes back and it wants to bring her down. Then we have Zack who is protecting her from this past. However, she gets her groove back and it was glorious.

Overall I was happy to read each of these stories and get something different from all the authors. I also love how it ties into certain series. I will definitely be purchasing some books because of this.

[Marlene Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this anthology, there are eleven stories related to sports. All the stories are varied and worth reading, which include Missed Shot by Elizabeth Knox and E.C. Land which tells the tale of Tristan, who has played his entire basketball career with one team in LA. He is Center for team and when suffers an injury, coach thinks is career ending...but he meets with coach from newer team in Las Vegas and is offered a tryout, aces it and is offered a contract...meanwhile Evie moves from LA to Vegas after leaving career as musician manager, and is offered a position at Crave LLC through her friend Diem...who also sets up Evie and Tristan...both new comers to Vegas...so will they find common ground?? The second story is Push the Limit by K.E. Osbourne where Da was product of abusive home, whose parents just left him alone one day and was taken in by foster parents, Burke and Heidi, who taught him a love for fast cars...and is now in Top Fuel Drag Racing, against his biggest rival Elway and is making time with Eden, the rival's daughter....leading to the third story, Heavy Hitter by Heather Young-Michaels where Fiona is the daughter of legendary pitcher and now runs a foundation to give back to those in need, from literacy programs to kid's baseball gear and food pantries...meeting up and-coming shortstop her dad is mentoring, Knox and the chemistry if off the charts, but she doesn't date ball players...fourth story is Colt's Game by Rae B. Lake where Colt is 3rd string college player who lost illegal bet when previous quarterback was injured, but that left him as quarterback for rest of season...since he couldn't pay, MC in charge of bets offers him another, but he has to have 1000 yards thrown by fourth game or his legs broken...but Nikki helps him...as she is daughter of legendary player and sister of two other players....leading to fifth story which is Slow Burn by Amy Briggs where Aiden is paunchy, divorced firefighter whose chief makes all get physical fitness training at Jiu Jitsu gym and becomes enthusiast when meeting the trainer Emma...the sixth story is Spinning Wheels by Jen Talty where Aegis Network agent Justice is new boyfriend and bodyguard for race driver Rari, after she was receiving threats and her brakes tampered with, after his friend, the pit crew chief, Alex ,alerts Justice ...Barebacked by Kathyrn C. Kelly is where billionaire Texas ranch owner Zane Channing was injured while riding bronc at rodeo, injury made him decide he needed to leave heir, but after bitter divorce, was searching for surrogate...leading him to Harper whose dad went on downhill slide after death of his wife and her brother who had serious bout with phenomena, leaving her as sole breadwinner in the family...with her wondering if surrogacy better than stripping....next up is Tap Out by H.J. Marshall where Ashley moved on from her job in Memphis to find new opportunity in Vegas. Her neighbor at Double Down Casino, where she is guest, is Braxton, a MMA fighter, who called dibs first time he saw her in the hall...leading to the ninth story, Front and Center by Elena Gray where Skye has been in love with Colton since they where in high school, but he is now quarterback in NFL and she lives in same town...but could he also be in love with her??? Next up is the tenth story Surviving Love and Loss by Cedar Rose where three kids, siblings Briar and Thorn are abused by uncaring parents who beat them and didn't feed or send to school, their neighbor, Lennox was about same age as Briar and helped the as much as he could with food and first aid, but he had alcoholic abusive father also...all wanted to escape their miserable existences while Lennox was convinced MMA was the way out for himself and Thorn taking Briar with them...the final story is No Holding Back by J. Lynn Lombard where Natalie is WNBA player who is trying to get arestart of her life after leaving abusive boyfriend, who is trying to reclaim her...but someone put a hit on her, with Zane protecting her and falling for her...I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Yoneidis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Collection of short stories whose protagonists are elite athletes, both men and women.
You have everything from insta-love, to friends to lovers, plus some stories that you 💔.
Very entertaining and 🔥.

1.MISSED SHOT: Tristan is a basketball player who loses his contract with his team and is desperately looking to sign another one because he is not ready to retire yet. Evie is an artist manager who has just left her job and is going to live in Las Vegas near her friend Diem, who offers her a new job as an event planner. Diem is also the one to introduce Tristan and Evie, they have an amazing night together, but Tristan decides to focus on his career. How will the story continue?

2.PUSH THE LIMIT:Dan is a racer who needs to win for his sponsors. His biggest rival has a daughter, Eden, who becomes his target, he is going to try to conquer her in order to destabilize her father and win. But Dan was not expecting the end result.

3.HEAVY HITTER: Knox is a baseball player who lately has problems with alcohol and some of his teammates, so he is sanctioned with going to AA meetings and helping in a charity event. The one who organizes the event is Fiona, daughter of a baseball star and who does not want to know anything about players, until she meets Knox.

4.COLT’S GAME: Colt is in the bench but when the QB is injured he has to go out and play a lot, since he recently lost money on a bet and owes money to dangerous people. The only reason he gambles is to help his mom with the bills. But having barely trained with the team, his game leaves a lot to be desired until Nikki starts training him. Nikki has sports in her veins and she will make Colt the best in every way.

5. SLOW BURN: Aiden is a divorced firefighter who finds out that his boss has signed him and his fellow firefighters up for a jiu-jitsu class and his instructor is Emma, ​​the woman who is going to make him good as new.

6.SPINNING WHEELS: Rari is a car racer driver who has been receiving numerous threats lately, until Alex, her mechanic, realizes that her car has been tampered with. So Alex calls a friend of his, Justice Wilder, an ex-military man to protect Rari. Justice poses as her boyfriend, but what starts out as a farce turns into a real love story.

7.BAREBACKED: Harper needs money to help pay for her father and brother's medical care and her friend Lori offers her to be a surrogate for Zane, a renowned and wealthy bareback rider. What starts with a contract quickly becomes something else.

8.TAP OUT: Oakley leaves her life in Nashville and her friends behind to start a new one in Las Vegas, while preparing to open a new location for the Amatory club. Braxton is an MMA fighter who has been more in the press lately because of his adventures outside the octagon than inside, until he meets his new neighbor. Oakley makes him want to be a better man, so he reforms and changes his life, now he just needs to convince her to marry him even though they have been dating for a short time.

9.FRONT AND CENTER: Skye has been in love with Colton for years, but after a failed attempt at something else, she has decided not to try anything and be content to be her friend. But when her friend Allie intervenes, Colton shows up at her house and decides to come clean about what happened that night and his feelings for her.

10.SURVIVING LIVE AND LOSS: 10. This is the story of Lennox, Briar and her brother Thorn. All 3 have abusive parents, but Briar always tries to protect Thorn from the beatings, although she doesn't always succeed. Lennox swears to them that one day they will get out of there but he leaves them overnight. Now that the years have passed, it seems that their paths cross again and the fight is assured.

11.NO HOLDING BACK: 11. Natalie is a star in her own right and has fought hard to get to where she is and won't stop fighting gossip about her being where she is because of her relationship with Tanner, her ex, who used to be abusive to her, and still is, he continues to haunt her. Until Zach comes into her life. This biker is going to be her personal bodyguard and is going to help her take control of her life again and live without fear

[Jeanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Missed Shot: In his efforts to stay on track with his career, Tristan essentially rejects Evie after an amazing first date and hurts her pretty badly. I like Toby and Tristan’s friendship and Diem calling Tristan out. Bittersweet ending. I look forward to the continuation of the story.

Push the Limit: Dan is a racer with a horrific past, trying to hit the top with one man, Elway, in his way. Then he spends a little time with Elway's daughter and the world changes. Pure steam ending.

Heavy Hitter: This is a complete story. Knox and Fiona are attracted to each other from the beginning, but start a friendship since she doesn’t date ball players. After getting to know each other better, that obviously changes. I really liked the story. One thing I didn’t like was him not explaining the hand and back thing at the end since she specifically mentioned it. I really like them together and her dad’s reactions to Knox and them being together and everything about that.

Colt’s Game: A complete story. Colt’s got two “games”, football and the bets he makes for extra cash. He meets Nikki, who can help him with one and that helps him with the other. Colt has a lot going on dealing with his abusive father and trying to take care of his mother while also doing what he needs to with football. He needs someone is his corner so badly and Nikki is it in so many ways. The Wings of Diablo make a couple appearances in the story. Very good story.

Slow Burn: Aiden is an out of shape thirty-five year old firefighter forced to start working out in a class by his department. Emma is the instructor. I like their progression together. It says “to be continued”, but it stands on its own.

Spinning Wheels: Rari’s head mechanic calls in security after her car is tampered with before a race. Lines quickly cross between personal and professional with Justice and Rari even though they’ve already known each other for a bit. Justice is just all around amazing.

Barebacked: Virgin Harper agrees to be a surrogate for Zane, neither expecting the connection they feel. She is loaded by family responsibility and he by past hurt from his ex-wife. I would have liked a little more depth on this story.

Tap Out: This is a complete story. I really liked this one. Oakley and Braxton have a bit of a slower-paced romance, which I loved because it is different than what I usually read. They are both all in and just want each other. They have friend support. Just love it.

Front and Center: Best friends/forever teammates to lovers. Complete story. Skye and Colton have a ten year history that includes her kissing him once and him blowing it off completely. By the end, they are both very great full for interfering friends. I wish it had one more chapter.

Surviving Love and Loss: Intro to a series. Three horribly abused, neglected children make a little family and love each other in different ways until a big change happens. Very sad and, by the end, uplifting too.

No Holding Back: Complete story, but I would have like the tiniest bit more story to finish it out because of the threat stuff. Great read about coming back and moving on from an abusive relationship onto a new one.

I received a free copy of this book.

[C Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally we are getting some more of the ladies of Crave LLC! Elizabeth Knox has given us many hints to this organization and I'm so excited that she will be co-writing the upcoming series with EC Land. We have met one of the 4 co-owners of Crave several times (in Widow, Chaz, and Frost of the Reapers Rejects MC, and in Degrade in the Delancy Crime Family series), and I can't wait for Gia's full story. In Missed Shot we get to meet another of the co-owners, Diem, who is friends with both the H and h. We have also met Evie, the h of this short story before, as she was the band manager for Bellamy Mason in Relentless (Skulls Renegade MC), and appeared in Heart of the Stones, a short story in another of these anthologies Rocked to the Core. This story ends on a sad note, so I really hope that Tristan and Evie get their HEA soon in a full-length book.

Push The Limit by KE Osborn—Houston Defiance MC tie in—Enemies to lovers. Under the threat of a war between Houston Defiance MC & Heathens of Hatred MC, we enter the world of top fuel drag racing. Dan survived an abusive mother & father. Eden, daughter of Dan’s biggest rival lost her mother to cancer when a teenager. Now it’s just her and her dad. A very short glimpse into the chemistry blooming between Dan & Eden.

Heavy Hitter by Young-Nichols, Heather—Fiona is daughter of Hall of Fame pitcher who now runs a foundation in support of his former team. Fiona works for the foundation. Knox is shortstop. After a fight with a teammate, Knox is forced to do charity work where he meets Fiona. Fiona has sworn off dating pro ball players after a bad experience with a player. But sparks fly between them and Fiona breaks her own rules.

Colt’s Game: a Wings of Diablo MC short story by Rae B Lake—College football quarterback Colt makes a bet that gets him in trouble with the Wings of Diablo MC. In order to get out of that mess he needs to step up his game. He gets help from an unlikely source—a girl from the track team. While helping him reach his potential, their chemistry off the field ignites.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Escape to the pages · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this anthology but many of the stories were not compete and require a wait for the stories to be released for purchase.

Some of the stories weren’t for me, but the ones I enjoyed below:

Missed Shot

I enjoyed this prelude to a new series, it certainly set the scene though I have to say the end, launching into what will presumably be their concluding book, isn’t really a theme I like but I would probably still read to catch up with the characters.

Push the limit

Another one with an incomplete ending and strongly linked to another of the authors series. I haven’t read any of them but this didn’t alter my enjoyment, might have enhanced it perhaps. I enjoyed the story but it very much ended in a cliffhanger and so feels incomplete.

Heavy hitter

I LOVED this story!! I adored the characters and thought they were well characterised and written. I loved Fiona’s background and how hard Knox fell for her. The story of their slow build (on her side at least!) romance was fab. I wish this story was longer!!!

Slow burn

I liked the characters in this story and felt them to be more real than usually portrayed in romance. Aiden having let himself go somewhat and Emma’s determination to help him get better at martial arts was a flipped on its head storyline for me hat worked well.

Spinning wheels

I enjoyed this story and liked how Rari wa succeeding in a traditional mans world. Justice was definitely alpha baddass but equally gentle with Rari. I hadn’t read any of the Aegis books previously but will go back and find them now. Pleased I’ve discovered this author

Tap out

I really enjoyed the is full story and loved reading the romance develop. I will definitely look up the authors other books based on this

Front and centre

What a fun short story. pacy but still full of romance and a fab hea.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Bee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think there are eleven or so stories in this book. I was hit with two cliffhangers right off the bat. I really think these types of stories should be labeled in the beginning. I like to know how much time I’m being asked to invest in a story before I’ve wasted a few hours on it just to find out it continues somewhere else.

After the second story I started skimming the other stories to see what I had signed up for. Here is what I’ve found so far:

Missed Shot - Basketball player meets event planner. It has a naughty twist and ends in cliffhanger. Has potential. Not sure where to go to find the rest of the story.

Push the Limit - Race car driver falls for his rival’s daughter. He has childhood issues that made him broken. Ends in cliffhanger

Slow Burn - Firefighter meets Jiu-jitstu instructor. They fall for each other while training together. Kinda has an HEA but does have a “to be continued” at the end.

Spinning Wheels - Female race car driver gets Aegis Network bodyguard. Had a bit of intrigue with a who-done-it they had to solve. Fun read. I did enjoy this one.

Barebacked - was just dumb. I don’t even. Just skip it.

The stories were ok. I did not read all of them. I decided this book was not for me.


I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review

[Leah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I hard a hard time with this one. I really liked a couple was meh about a couple and found it annoying that four of them aren't stand alone stories. I prefer when anthologies are standalones. Even if it is a prequel I like it to be complete and not leave me hanging. Or at least know ahead of time and then I can skip it if I don't want to deal with a truncated story. The first several stories were incomplete, and I wasn't fully enjoying them anyway, so I worried about what I had gotten into. Thankfully, the third one was a redemption and I kept going to but checked the endings before reading the story and skipped the "to be continued" ones.

Missed Shot A Crave Series Prequel E.C. Land & Elizabeth Knox
Push the Limit K E Osborn
Heavy Hitter Heather Young-Nichols
Colt’s Game Rae B. Lake
Slow Burn Amy Briggs
Spinning Wheels An Aegis Network Short Story Jen Talty
Barebacked Kathryn C. Kelly
Tap Out An Amatory Las Vegas Prequel H.J. Marshall
Front and Center Elena Gray
Surviving Love and Loss Cedar Rose
No Holding Back J. Lynn Lombard

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. I don't think I would have been happy if I had to pay $3.99 for this one.

[Love Reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection gave me mixed feelings. The first story ended with out a resolution not sure if there is a part 2 or not then when I read the second story it also ended in a cliffhanger with a to be continued. Don’t get me wrong the stories were good and had lots of potential but we’re not complete. I almost stopped reading I was like why would I read a collection of samples. We’ll I am glad I didn’t stop because the next story “Heavy Hitter”, was really good. Fiona is a daughter of a baseball hall of gamer, and she runs her dads foundation. She will never date a baseball player again. Then in walks in Knox a player her dad sent over because he got into a fight and his punishment is to do some charity work. The sparks fly but he is a baseball player so will it work? The story “Colt’s Game”, was my favourite. It was intense and had me crying, laughing and finally smiling. It was deep and contains possible triggers from some people. The story had football, a motorcycle club, gambling, abuse, love, friendship and team building. What more could you want?

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Shannon Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Game Player” is a Sports Anthology with a Bit of MC Edge to It!
“Game Player” is a multi-author sports romance anthology put together by familiar writers like Elizabeth Knox and E.C. Land, K.E. Osborn, and Jen Talty, but it also introduced me to a few new-to-me authors as well. The novellas run the gamut of the sports world, and there’s even some MC grit to a couple of them. The heroes are hot, sexy, and the kind of cocky that only pro athletes can get away with while the heroines are strong, beautiful, and independent women who go for what they want. There was a partial story with a “To Be Continued” cliffhanger that I wasn’t expecting, and a racing story that was very similar to a popular K. Bromberg series, but all in all, the anthology was quite entertaining. I love that the more established writers are helping other writers gain some exposure, and I’m happy to support it! A couple of these have even sparked an interest in some established series that aren’t yet on my TBR!

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Game Player is a Sports Anthology collection by various authors. There are ELEVEN different stories!!!! Missed Shot by E.C. Land and Elizabeth Knox; Push the Limit by K.E. Osborn; Heavy Hitter by Heather Young-Nichols; Colt’s Game by Rae B. Lake; Slow Burn by Amy Briggs; Spinning Wheels by Jen Talty; Barebacked b by Kathryn C. Kelly; Tap Out by H.J. Marshall; Front and Center by Elena Gray; Surviving Love and Loss by Cedar Rose; and No Holding Back by J. Lynn Lombard.

There’s almost every sport imaginable in this anthology….basketball, drag racing, baseball, football…and so much more!!! Lots of authors included you may find a new one that you like!!! All of these stories good…some better than others…my favorite was Missed Shot!!!!

I am volunteering to leave a review for an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[L H · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a reader and a sports fan who likes a variety of sports, I really enjoyed this anthology because the stories came from a range of different sports and I enjoyed them all. I especially liked the tension I felt while reading E C Land and Elizabeth Knox's story, Missed Shot. There was a lot going on in this story but what grabbed me was the frustration of the main character, Tristan, who was in his 30's and though he was doing what he liked he was feeling insecure because he was not getting the multi-year contract extensions and a recent injury was threatening his continuing his dream. I liked how that part of the narrative drove the story and the path of his interactions with Evie, the woman he wants, but is not sure the time is right for him to have her. Their story was a prequel that has me wanting to read the next book. It was a strong lead in story for the entire anthology.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kristen Lewendon · Rating 4 out of 5]

There’s a lot to choose from in this anthology. Some were right up my alley, and some weren’t quite to my preferences, but I’d say there’s something in here to satisfy just about every taste. There are a couple of the authors that I read regularly in here that gave me stories that tagged into their previously published works that I never knew I was waiting for follow-ups on, until I read the follow-up stories here. And there’s more than a couple of the stories in this anthology that have started something I very badly want to know where they go next. I will say that I was a little surprised that the book ended with stories that went places as dark as the last couple did. I would just about have killed for something light and fluffy to close it out with.
I received a complimentary advanced copy of this book through Booksprout.

[Ann Gibbs · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am reviewing Missed Shot by E.C. Land and Elizabeth Knox first. I really enjoyed the story of Tristan and Evie and I'm assuming we will get the full story eventually? I hope lol. It really leaves you hanging and wishing for more. Tristan and Evie had a great connection but he messed up, big time. Will they work things out? I certainly hope so. I will be watching for their full story, that's for sure.

Next up is Tap Out by HJ Marshall. This was a wonderful look into a new Amatory story and club opening. Oakley leaves Amatory, moving to Las Vegas where she meets Braxton, the current MMA champion. The sparks are instantly flying. I love that their story is low drama, plenty of steam, and chemistry off the charts.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[KL Cassanello · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is just a wonderful collection of sports-themed romances, running the full scope of sports. These are mostly new-to-me authors, and I'm glad to have had the chance to read this book. All the individual stories are well-written, with great characters, and some are prequels to other books. I'm a baseball fan, so of course I'm drawn to Heavy Hitter by Heather Young-Nichols. This is my first read from her, and I love her easy-going style. The story is fast-paced and interesting. Knox and Fiona can only deny their attraction for so long before they explode. I really love the close relationship that Fiona has with her parents. Best line of this story... "You shouldn't have raised me around professional athletes if you didn't want me talking like this." I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC from the author and am voluntarily leaving my review. I usually enjoy anthologies even though some of the stories inevitably end in cliffhangers. I still get a range of writing styles all about a genre I enjoy. There are eleven total short stories about different couples and sports. It includes some really great authors that I have enjoyed reading before and a couple of new ones too. In this group there were a couple that fell flat for me, one that I enjoyed but could not find where I could pick up from the cliffhanger, two were great stories and the rest were good. I always appreciate when authors will together and offer a collection like this.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good box set with sports romances by various authors, a great way to find new authors to enjoy. I liked these romances, it has the stories Missed Shot, Push the Limit, Heavy Hitter, Colt's Game, Slow Burn, Spinning Wheels, Barebacked, Tap Out, Front and Center, Surviving Love and Loss, and No Holding Back. I enjoyed them all, some will leave you hanging, and others will leave you spooning. One of the stories I particularly liked was Heavy Hitter, which is a romance between Fiona (a Hall of Fame pitcher's daughter) and a shortstop Knox (who is starting to get into trouble), and Knox's latest trouble leads him into having to help Fiona with her charity.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Rhonda Howell · Rating 5 out of 5]

All the stories in this Anthology are great,, however,, My review is on Missed Shot by EC Land and Elizabeth Knox. I loved this short story of two individuals starting over in a new town who find each other. The issue is that Tristin is starting over with a new team and afraid that Evie will be a distraction to him as he learns his way and tries to fit in with the team. Evie is upset as she feels he should at least work with her and not ask her to wait. One night of pure ecstacy leaves a surprise. What will happen? Only time will tell as these two authors played an evil trick on is and left us with a cliffhanger. Waiting for the conclusion to come out, it can not getnhere soon enough!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Mary Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an exciting and diverse collection of stories from a wonderful group of authors. I haven’t had a chance to read every story yet but I’m loving what I’ve experienced so far.

Push the Limit is a fabulous tease for Dan and Eden in the world of drag racing. Dan needs a way to beat his toughest competitor, Elway, that also happens to be Eden’s daughter. He devises a plan to use her to rattle him on race day. What he doesn’t expect is the feeling he gets on how his plan also hurt Eden. This duo has a fiery connection that we get a glimpse into but can they have a relationship as rivals. So excited to get the rest of this story!

I voluntarily read an ARC of this book and this is my honest review.

[lf · Rating 5 out of 5]

The players know how to play the game

Game Player is a great anthology of sports romance short stories. There are 11 stories in all by a variety of authors, a couple I read already and the others are all new to me. So this ended up being a great way to explore some new authors and see if I liked their writing and story-telling styles. I may not have made it through the all the stories yet but what I have read I have enjoyed. I may have even found a couple new authors that I will read more of. These players all know how to play the game of love with a big addition of sizzling hot chemistry and smexy passion.

I received a copy of this anthology and am leaving my honest review. My opinions are all my own.

[Mindy Lopez · Rating 4 out of 5]

This amazing anthology contains eleven romances with a sports theme by various authors. These entertaining stories revolve around the lives and loves of athletes in a variety of sports and their lovely ladies. These alpha men are romantic, fierce protectors; and their women are smart, and feisty. Each story is a thrilling adventure with combustible attraction, frustrating moments, sweetness, drama, violence, action, suspense, humor, steam, twists and turns to make it an interesting read. All are engaging page turners with a happy ending. This is an absolute bargain for the countless hours of entertainment that it will provide.

I received a free copy of this anthology via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.