Only on Gameday (Game On #5)

Author:  Kristen Callihan Title: Only on Gameday Publisher: MIRA Date Published: 01/06/2026

Read Dates: 12/08/2025- 12/10/2025
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 📖 I received a gifted e-book ARC. The following is my honest review✍🏻

Only on Gameday is a dual POV, fake-dating romance. August is an up-and-coming football star with a family legacy to uphold, and the anxiety is getting to him. Having trashed his reputation with impulsive decisions, he is ordered to clean up his act and decides that a fake engagement will do the trick! The only problem is, he chooses shy, quiet Penelope, the girl he grew up with and has had a secret crush on for years. Penelope is surprised when August suggests a fake relationship for the media's sake and offers to help her out of a financial bind as a way to say thank you for forcing her into the spotlight. They both agree that this is all just pretend, and that they will keep it strictly to game day! What a fun read! I always enjoy Kristen Callihan's books, and this one did not disappoint. I loved seeing how Penelop and August both had feelings for each other and doubts about the other's intentions. I love that August was protective and sweet, but that he respected how Penelope didn't want him to just swoop in and solve her financial problems. The book was filled with great side characters, and I could easily picture each of the Luck siblings getting a story and HEA one day.

A ‘fake’ wife is just the trick to help a bad-boy football player clean up his image and let his career take off. Trouble is, there’s nothing ‘fake’ about the way August feels about his pretend wife. Game on.
August Luck, known to fans as “Luck”, is on the brink of top draft pick, tons of money heading his way, talent galore, but he keeps messing it up with bonehead moves and looking out of control in public. Problem is, he can’t get out of his own way. To clean up his image and calm him down, his agent decides Luck needs a temporary ‘wife’.

Penelope Marrow, the girl next-door he's known since they were kids, is the safe option. Pen is the only person who's ever put him in his place, and she disapproves of him, so there's no chance she'll cling. He didn't count on wanting her to stay. Question is, will she play ball? Just the idea turns his knees to jello.

Game on...