Only on Gameday by Kristen Callihan

🎧 Narrated by Teddy Hamilton & Maxine Mitchell
⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3 stars)

I want to start by saying how genuinely happy I was to see Kristen Callihan back with a new release. It’s been several years since her last book, and she’s an author whose work helped define my early romance-reading years—especially in New Adult and sports romance. Unfortunately, Only on Gameday didn’t quite land for me the way I hoped it would.

🎧 Audiobook Performance

Teddy Hamilton and Maxine Mitchell both deliver solid performances, and I generally enjoy listening to both narrators. Their chemistry worked well, and the emotional beats were clear. That said, I did struggle a bit with Maxine Mitchell sounding older than Penelope’s stated age, which pulled me out of the story at times. Overall, though, the audio production itself was well done and competently performed.

📖 Story & Characters

The premise checks a lot of trope boxes I normally enjoy—fake engagement, childhood acquaintances, hero in hot pursuit, long-term pining—but the execution left me disengaged for much of the book. The fact that it took me five days to finish is usually a sign, and here it reflected a persistent feeling of boredom rather than immersion.

Part of that disconnect came from the characters’ ages. August is a 23-year-old NFL rookie, and Penelope is 22 and still in college. While that may appeal to readers who love New Adult energy, these characters felt very young to me, and their emotional maturity (or lack thereof) reflected that in ways I found frustrating rather than endearing.

Early in the book, August makes a wildly out-of-character decision that kicks off the plot. There are hints that anxiety and professional pressure are driving his behavior—an emotional avenue Kristen Callihan has explored beautifully in past work—but here it’s barely examined. This felt like a missed opportunity, especially since that internal struggle could have added much-needed depth and momentum.

💍 Fake Fiancé Chaos (and Not the Fun Kind)

The fake engagement setup required a level of disbelief that never quite worked for me. Neither August nor Penelope bothers to tell their families anything before August announces the engagement live at a press conference, resulting in predictable chaos. When August’s siblings immediately assume Penelope—someone they’ve known their entire lives—is only after his money, it felt unnecessarily harsh and honestly a little offensive.

Penelope’s character arc also struggled for me. Her refusal to accept help while simultaneously drowning in financial stress became repetitive, as did her constant disbelief that August could genuinely want her. The “I’m just a nobody” internal monologue wore thin quickly and undercut what could have been a stronger, more confident heroine.

💔 Idiots in Love, But…

This is very much an idiots-in-love story, with years of mutual pining, miscommunication, and emotional avoidance. While that trope can be satisfying, here the eventual reveal of their shared feelings felt anticlimactic rather than cathartic.

The romance itself is undeniably sexy—Kristen Callihan still knows how to write heat—but the revelation that Penelope is a virgin who has never even been kissed felt dated and unnecessary, especially given her age and independence. It added to the sense that her character lacked agency outside of August.

Another issue: Penelope has no meaningful relationships beyond August’s family. After nearly four years of college, she hasn’t made a single close friend, isn’t connected to her roommate, and even her one new friendship comes through August. Given that she loves cooking and hosting, this felt inconsistent and underdeveloped.

🤔 Final Thoughts

My biggest lingering question is why this book was placed within the Game On series rather than launching a new one, especially since it introduces an entirely new cast of siblings. I am invested in January’s story, though some developments here changed my expectations in ways I didn’t love.

Ultimately, Only on Gameday wasn’t a bad book—but it felt uneven and undercooked in places where I expected more emotional depth and polish from this author. Fans of New Adult sports romance and long-term pining may enjoy it more than I did.

ARC provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Content notes: toxic parent, anxiety related to professional pressure, off-page car accident in the past, FMC is physically attacked and her motorcycle is destroyed.