The Game by AB Wilson

The Game by AB Wilson
The Shellenberg Brothers series, book 2
Publisher: Totally Entwined
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

He’s everything she hates, but exactly what she needs. What will it take to turn two rival players into teammates?

Recover. That’s Abby’s entire plan when she suffers a potentially career-ending injury. But she needs financial support for her rehab now that she’s been dropped by her pro-soccer team.

Enter Matti, her unlikely, tatted up savior with a man bun. The guy with everything she wants, a stellar career and the ability to get away with anything. When Matti’s dropped by his team after yet another off-pitch scandal, he needs someone to help rehab his reputation.

After a gossip column goes viral with a piece about their supposed engagement, the plan falls into place. A fake engagement to save Matti’s career, and access to the best rehab center for her. A new city, no friends, the only person they have to rely on is each other, and Abby’s grumpy cat of course.

As they play pretend day in and day out, their feelings start to shift from those of uncomfortable teammates to something a lot like love as the two find out each other’s deepest secrets. But when a new opportunity for Matti comes knocking, ready to pull them apart, will they take the risk of admitting the truth behind their feelings?

Soccer, an accident, love and issues. This book has it all.

I love AB Wilson’s work and this book was no different. It’s hot and there’s heart. I read this over the course of two evenings and I’m glad I did. I got invested in the characters and wanted to get back to them.

I liked that the author dealt with mental issues and learning disabilities with Matti. He’s got his heart in the right place, but he gets derailed. He was humanized and I loved him. Abby knows what she wants and when she gets hurt, it’s catastrophic. I liked how she and Matti worked together. That said, this book also brings to light the pay gap for women versus men’s soccer.

There is one quibble I have with the story, but I won’t get into it to keep from ruining the story. While it might have been a quibble for me, it might not be for everyone. The family dynamics are tough and that might annoy some readers, but it wasn’t a deterrent for me. It made the characters more relatable.

If you want a story that’s hot, sweet, has heart and will tug at your heart, then this might be the sports romance for you.