Audiobook Review: The Friend Zone (Game On #2) by Kristen Callihan

TITLE: The Friend Zone

SERIES: Game On #2
AUTHOR: Kristen Callihan
PUBLISHER: Canary Street Press
PUBLISHED: May 5, 2015
PAGES: 297
GENRES: New Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Sports Romance, College Romance
SOURCE: Audiobook, Audible Plus

GOODREADS | STORYGRAPH | AMAZON

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They started as strangers texting…

The last thing star tight end Gray Grayson wants to do is drive his agent’s daughter’s hot-pink car. But he needs the wheels and she’s studying abroad.

Unknown: Mr. Grayson, my father tells me he lent you my car. I don’t care if he’s going to sign you or not. As said agent’s daughter, I know football players & their ways. So let me be clear. There will be no shenanigans taking place in it or you’ll answer to me. You want to hook up with someone, do it in a bed and not in my car. Sincerely, Ivy Mackenzie

GrayG: Hey, Miss Mac. You do realize your car is a bubblegum-pink Fiat, right? Even if I could get it up surrounded by all that heinous pink, the car is better suited for Lilliputians. So don’t worry, there will be no shenanigans (Shenanigans? Srsly? What are we, 80?) anywhere near the car. I’m not about to pull a hamstring in the pursuit of pleasure. BTW beds are overrated. Branch out a little.

Soon became best-texting buddies…

Gray Grayson drives Ivy nuts. He’s irreverent, sex on a stick and completely off-limits. Because Ivy has one golden rule: never get involved with one of her father’s clients.

But when they finally meet in person, everything goes haywire. Game on.

This book was glorious! I loved it even more than the first book in this series.

Kristen Callihan's writing style is easy to connect with and flows beautifully. I was quickly drawn into the story with the witty, amusing dialogue and compelling characters. The plot was intriguing and kept my interest from start to finish. I was so invested in the story. The world-building brought the intricacies of college sports to life and painted a clear picture of the characters' lives.

These characters blew me away! When you read a lot of sports romances, it is easy for many characters to blend together after a while. That wasn't the case with Gray and Ivy. They stood out clearly and captured my attention and my heart effortlessly. They were distinct with vivid personalities that jumped off the page. A fantastic cast of secondary characters adds depth to the story. 

The connection between Gray and Ivy was addictive. Their banter was sizzling and their chemistry was off the charts. Their dynamic was so well-written. I truly loved them. They were the absolute cutest. I love how they felt comfortable and at home with each other right from their first interaction. They clicked on a deep level and it showed. The romance between them was so swoony. I loved how they enjoyed spending time together just hanging out. The spice was scorching with an added emotional element that made it even hotter. 

Overall, this is college sports romance done right and done well. I also have to add that this book has stood the test of time. It was released almost a decade ago and it still stands strong and is relevant. This is a college football romance story with memorable and enchanting characters, an engaging and addictive plot, and a genuine romance that ticks off all the swoony and steamy boxes. Callihan is a skilled writer who weaves an impressive tale that you won't be able to get out of your head. This series is such a joy and I can't wait to keep plowing through it.

This book has been on my TBR for some time so I was glad to have finally marked it as read. Do you read a lot of backlist titles or do you read more new releases? Do you read an even amount of both? I'm curious!