The Hot Shot (Game on, #4)

by Kristen Callihan

First we were friends. Then we were roommates. Now I want more…

What can I say about Chess Copper? The woman is capable of bringing me to my knees. I know this about five minutes after getting naked for her.

No one is more surprised than me. The prickly photographer my team hired to shoot our annual charity calendar isn’t my usual type. She’s defense to my offense, a challenge at every turn. But when I’m with her, all the regrets and darkness goes away. She makes life fun.

I want to know Chess, be close to her. Which is a bad idea.

Chess is looking for a relationship. I’ve never given a woman more than one night. But when fate leaves Chess without a home, I step up and offer her mine. We’re roommates now. Friends without benefits. But it’s getting harder to keep our hands off each other. And the longer we live together the more I realize she’s becoming my everything.

Trick is… Now that I’ve made her believe I’m a bad bet, how do I convince her to give this player a true shot at forever?

• ISBN10: 1545063605
• ISBN13: 9781545063606
• Publish Date: 16 April 2017
• Publish Status: Active
• Imprint: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 336
• Language: English

Reviews

[Sam@WLABB]

First impressions can be lasting, but thank goodness this was not the case for Finn and Chess!

After a rough start, they found they were interested in one another. However, while Chess was looking for a relationship, Finn was not. They decided upon a mutual friendship instead, but as expected, the friendship grew into something more. The whole first half of the book, I was trying to mind-meld Chess into giving Finn a chance. Yes, he said he was a bad bet, and his past supported this fact, but he was changing, and it was easy to see a future between them. That was quite a complication Callihan threw in there. It was pretty heartbreaking with respect to both Finn and Chess. And, I have to say, I loved the way Callihan kept planting "I Can't Help Falling in Love with You" in all its incarnations throughout the story. The line, "take my hand", says it all when it comes to this union between Finn and Chess, and gosh! I wanted her to take his hand, and trust him, because he certainly won me over.

Another fabulous Game On book, and boy, was I glad to be back in this world. I really hope we get Jake's book at some point, because I am really enjoying this group of guys.

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[Cocktails and Books]

Kristen Callihan once again gives us a sports romance that was almost impossible to put down. Chess and Finn were different, but the two of them together clicked. And what made it this couple even more lovable was the fact that they weren't each other's type. It's hard not to want this couple to succeed.

[thebookdisciple]

See full review on The Book Disciple

[Rowena]

The Hot Shot is the fourth book in Kristen Callihan’s Game On series and it follows Dex from The Game Plan’s teammate, Finn Mannus. Finn Mannus is a quarterback in the NFL and he’s winning in life. He’s got a great family, supportive friends and he never has trouble with the ladies so when he shows up for a photo shoot for work and meets the photographer, Chess Copper, he’s not prepared for her to stay on his mind long after the shoot is over.

Chess is a photographer who works hard and goes out of her way to be kind to people but there’s something about Finn Mannus that gets under her skin the first time she meets him. She’s all prickly whenever he’s around and he’s around a lot more than he should be since the job she worked with him on is done. Before Chess knows what’s what, her and Finn have become friends and he’s become a daily part of her life.

I enjoyed this book. It wasn’t my favorite Game On book but it was still a pretty solid read. Finn was the bomb and I adored every minute of getting to know him. Chess was pretty great herself but there were times when I didn’t understand her actions and the way that she thought about things. That’s not to say that Finn didn’t have his moments of WTF because he did. Most of his came through the whole thing with the girl that wasn’t his ex but almost became his baby mama.

I enjoyed seeing Finn so sure in himself and in his feelings toward Chess. It took Chess a little longer to come around and when she finally does, I was glad for it. Kristen Callihan really shines for me with these sports romances. I can’t get these books fast enough and I’m always thirsty for more. That was the case with this one.

This was such an easy read filled with lots of laughs, characters that rocked my socks and a romance so steamy, I about melted into a puddle of lust more than once. Finn and Chess found the real thing with each other and Kristen Callihan captured their love in a way that I just flat out enjoyed. I hope she never stops writing books for this series because it’s my favorite series of hers and this was another fabulous addition. I definitely recommend.

Grade: 4 out of 5

[stacey_is_sassy]

IT'S ALIVE!!!

***4.5 stars***

He’s more than just a pretty face

I’m fascinated by beautiful people. It’s not unusual for me to point out to hubby, men and women who I find striking. Obviously, beauty is in the eye of the beholder and what I find striking could be very different from the next person. While I may be fascinated with beautiful people, I’m also intimidated by them. I know most gorgeous people are born that way and can probably thank genes for their fine looks. Do they get embarrassed like normal people? Do they get used to people staring at them? Do they get sick of people staring at them? Is life easier because of their looks? Do good looking people get a better chance at becoming a hot shot because of the way they look?

The fact that I'm even contemplating these things...maybe it's not all fun and games being a pretty face.

ANYWAYS… Geez, completely off tangent. I started thinking about Finn and I wondered whether I would be able to talk to him. I mean, if I went by the cover of The Hot Shot alone, I know I’d make a fool of myself. Seriously, HOT is an understatement. So, I think I would struggle to have a normal conversation with Finn…let alone take a photo of him...in the BUFF.

Chester has just won a contract to photograph the New Orlean’s NFL team…NAKED!! Bloody hell!! Most women (and some men) would die for the gig, but Chess can’t seem to get excited over it. She’s physically exhausted and not in the mood to rein in a bunch of overgrown, muscle-bound boys. The fact that she’ll be taking photos while they have their bits and pieces swinging, doesn’t get her heart pumping like it should. It’s just a job. The fact that she's even thinking that is just plain sad. Imagine her surprise when one of the men actually catches her eye...and she's distracted by his swinging bits and pieces.

Finn is not looking forward to having his picture taken. It’s part of his job and he’s used to it but doing it in the buff is definitely out of his comfort zone. Finn’s quite used to being in the buff around strangers in the locker room but this is different. He’s going to be exposed. It’s for charity and that is the only reason why he’s doing it…and maybe because the marketing director told him he had to. Well, he’ll do it. Not because he wants to because he has to.

Ummm…PROBLEM!!

Finn’s a wee bit uncomfortable having his photo taken in the buff when he finds the photographer striking, enthralling and riveting. His bits and pieces swinging aren't swinging down anymore. Poor Finn's brain is scrambled and he is sure that Chester Copper is going to take him down…and he's pretty sure he’ll like it.

I really enjoyed The Hot Shot. This is not a cheesy love story where the pretty girl falls for the pretty boy. Oh, there’s plenty of pretty faces in there but looks become somewhat insignificant as Finn and Chess get to know each other better. There’s plenty of attraction, but it has a lot more to do with personality than looks. These two are friends before lovers and they get to know each other better before they even contemplate a relationship. I liked getting to know them too.

The Hot Shot touches on some very interesting subjects that made me think outside of the square I live in. Chess’s best friend James is bisexual. James and Chess have an interesting conversation about fitting into moulds and how sometimes it’s easier to stay unattached than take a risk. There is also a look into the process of recovering after a loss. When I say loss, I actually mean in more ways than one. There’s the loss of a loved one, the loss of property and the loss of something you never knew you wanted but was taken before you knew you wanted it. Kristen Callihan handles all of these subjects well. It was real, hurt a little but did try to show that there can be rainbows after the rain.

The Game On series has been one of my favourites and The Hot Shot was a fabulous addition to the series. We are told at the beginning that The Hot Shot and The Game Plan played out simultaneously. If you haven’t read The Game Plan yet, it won’t affect your enjoyment of The Hot Shot. One is not needed to be read before the other.

Definitely a winner for me and I can’t wait for more in this series…pretty please with sugar on the top.




I’m an Aussie chick who loves to read and review romance, drink coffee, be a Style Setter and stalk David Gandy. To see more of my reviews, fashion, food and pervathons -