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3.96 AVERAGE
3.96 AVERAGE
Meg Jones is slowly but surely going to turn me into a sports romance fan. I didn’t even think I liked tennis, but I love this series. (But you don’t really need to know anything about tennis to enjoy the series.) I once again adore, the main couple and their dynamic. I love the way their relationship progresses from randomly meeting at an event to penpals to friends to lovers (in denial). I also have to say I am becoming a major fan of the “just this once” microtrope.
The major plot line in the book is very interesting. It is high stakes, but from a real world perspective in that it’s more of a career focused rather than life and death (like you would get in fantasy). I really liked the focus on Dylan getting mentally healthier, as well as learning how to have good boundaries for herself and positive relationships in her life. It was a very character growth based plot and it was well done. I also just adore Oliver. Full stop. It will be interesting to see who is next if this series continues. I have two characters I think it could be and I think neither one could be a dark horse.
I knew I would love the audiobook because I am a major fan of both Mary Jane Wells and Will Watt, and I was most def in rely correct. Mary Jane Wells could make reading a receipt sound interesting with the way she emotes through just her voice. Her and Will Watt are both fantastic with bringing characters to life, and their accents are perfection. Also, Will Watt’s voice is simply amazing 🫠😳
The major plot line in the book is very interesting. It is high stakes, but from a real world perspective in that it’s more of a career focused rather than life and death (like you would get in fantasy). I really liked the focus on Dylan getting mentally healthier, as well as learning how to have good boundaries for herself and positive relationships in her life. It was a very character growth based plot and it was well done. I also just adore Oliver. Full stop. It will be interesting to see who is next if this series continues. I have two characters I think it could be and I think neither one could be a dark horse.
I knew I would love the audiobook because I am a major fan of both Mary Jane Wells and Will Watt, and I was most def in rely correct. Mary Jane Wells could make reading a receipt sound interesting with the way she emotes through just her voice. Her and Will Watt are both fantastic with bringing characters to life, and their accents are perfection. Also, Will Watt’s voice is simply amazing 🫠😳
This is my first Meg Jones book and it won't be my last.
I don't think I could have picked a more perfect time to read this. The US Open is currently showing and it was a constant background noise while I discovered the world of tennis through Dylan Bailey's eyes. I'm truly obsessed with a unlikely friends to lovers trope and Dylan and Oliver served (pun intended) that and more! Not to mention Dylan's love for DVDs, CDs, and VHS tapes.
Not to mention this was much more than a love story, this was a story about Dylan finding confidence in herself and reclaiming her love for the sport. I have never rooted harder for a character than I was for her. She was incredibly flawed, but she was absolutely perfect because of them. Oliver's role being the supportive and encouraging voice throughout the book was such a sweet touch. Their relationship was beautiful to watch unfold as they worked together to accomplish Dylan's goal.
Plus, who can say no to a shiny trophy?
Overall, I had such a lovely time reading this and I can't wait for everyone else to fall in love with Dylan and Oliver too. A special thanks to Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the opportunity to read this gem early!
I don't think I could have picked a more perfect time to read this. The US Open is currently showing and it was a constant background noise while I discovered the world of tennis through Dylan Bailey's eyes. I'm truly obsessed with a unlikely friends to lovers trope and Dylan and Oliver served (pun intended) that and more! Not to mention Dylan's love for DVDs, CDs, and VHS tapes.
Not to mention this was much more than a love story, this was a story about Dylan finding confidence in herself and reclaiming her love for the sport. I have never rooted harder for a character than I was for her. She was incredibly flawed, but she was absolutely perfect because of them. Oliver's role being the supportive and encouraging voice throughout the book was such a sweet touch. Their relationship was beautiful to watch unfold as they worked together to accomplish Dylan's goal.
Plus, who can say no to a shiny trophy?
Overall, I had such a lovely time reading this and I can't wait for everyone else to fall in love with Dylan and Oliver too. A special thanks to Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the opportunity to read this gem early!
funny
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Thank you to Avon Books for the e-ARC.
I'd previously listened to the audiobook version of Clean Point, a connected book in this series of tennis romances, and enjoyed the story and narration by Mary Jane Wells. A sports romance focused around tennis holds a lot of appeal. It's a sport that you don't see featured very often!
Game Point is a slow burn, friends to lovers story. It follows Dylan Bailey and Oliver Anderson after they meet at a party. Their friendship develops through text messages and FaceTime calls in the months between the US Open and the China Open in Beijing. The chemistry here is a subtle simmer to begin. Oliver is recently divorced and contemplating his tennis career and retirement. Dylan is struggling with performance anxiety and an "unlikeable" media image after a rough loss at the US Open. In true grumpy/sunshine fashion, Dylan and Oliver complement one another in their outlooks and demeanors. When Dylan catastrophizes and spirals into negative thoughts, Oliver helps ground her with reframing and humor. In good old romance fashion, Oliver falls first and he falls hard. And that complicates things because Dylan has agreed to let him coach her in the lead up to the Australian Open in Melbourne, Dylan's home tournament.
The story is engaging, though perhaps not as humorous or banter filled as Clean Point. Both Dylan and Oliver have substantial growth arcs. Dylan has to get out of her comfort zone, slow down, and find strategies to manage her anxiety before matches. Oliver has to adjust from being an active to retired player to coach. He's also got his own anxiety to manage, as he feels immense pressure to not fail Dylan as a coach. The pacing felt right, with building tension towards the end as the championship match in the Australian Open unfolds. Game Point was enjoyable, with a great balance of both sports and romance.
I'd previously listened to the audiobook version of Clean Point, a connected book in this series of tennis romances, and enjoyed the story and narration by Mary Jane Wells. A sports romance focused around tennis holds a lot of appeal. It's a sport that you don't see featured very often!
Game Point is a slow burn, friends to lovers story. It follows Dylan Bailey and Oliver Anderson after they meet at a party. Their friendship develops through text messages and FaceTime calls in the months between the US Open and the China Open in Beijing. The chemistry here is a subtle simmer to begin. Oliver is recently divorced and contemplating his tennis career and retirement. Dylan is struggling with performance anxiety and an "unlikeable" media image after a rough loss at the US Open. In true grumpy/sunshine fashion, Dylan and Oliver complement one another in their outlooks and demeanors. When Dylan catastrophizes and spirals into negative thoughts, Oliver helps ground her with reframing and humor. In good old romance fashion, Oliver falls first and he falls hard. And that complicates things because Dylan has agreed to let him coach her in the lead up to the Australian Open in Melbourne, Dylan's home tournament.
The story is engaging, though perhaps not as humorous or banter filled as Clean Point. Both Dylan and Oliver have substantial growth arcs. Dylan has to get out of her comfort zone, slow down, and find strategies to manage her anxiety before matches. Oliver has to adjust from being an active to retired player to coach. He's also got his own anxiety to manage, as he feels immense pressure to not fail Dylan as a coach. The pacing felt right, with building tension towards the end as the championship match in the Australian Open unfolds. Game Point was enjoyable, with a great balance of both sports and romance.
emotional
hopeful
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Game Point is my first Meg Jones read and the first tennis sports romance I've read.
I liked Dylan and Oliver's sweet and slow transitions from friends to lovers. Dylan who insisted she was fine while dealing with some heavy doses of self doubt. Oliver who was dealing with a divorce that left him also feeling a bit uncertain. Together they brought out the best in each other.
Overall a solid romance, however although technically a standalone, if you, like me, have not read Clean Point, you may feel like you're missing part of the story at times.
I liked Dylan and Oliver's sweet and slow transitions from friends to lovers. Dylan who insisted she was fine while dealing with some heavy doses of self doubt. Oliver who was dealing with a divorce that left him also feeling a bit uncertain. Together they brought out the best in each other.
Overall a solid romance, however although technically a standalone, if you, like me, have not read Clean Point, you may feel like you're missing part of the story at times.
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Loved Dylan and Oliver so much! I really resonated with Dylan’s mindset and she was actually such a great female lead. Oliver was so damn sweet and I loved the way he took care of Dylan, but I would have liked to see more of him and his feelings around his career, his life…I felt like even though it was dual POV, we got to understand Dylan better than Oliver for some reason. Their romance was sweet but I feel like it wasn’t high-stakes enough for me. Despite that, I appreciated the conversation around mental blocks and the fear of failure, and I feel like my favourite part of the book was during the *potential spoiler* car accident, because we got to see firsthand how far one is willing to go for success, even at the cost of one’s health.
I can’t say if I liked this one more than Clean Point because I barely remember anything from that one 😭 but I can say that I am glad I read this.
I can’t say if I liked this one more than Clean Point because I barely remember anything from that one 😭 but I can say that I am glad I read this.
I really loved the story and Dylan's journey for the most part, but I think it was a bit too stuffed compared to the first book.
There was too much telling rather than showing but this changed in the second part of the book, thankfully. Personally, I think the friends to lovers trope doesn't work very well when their friendship is long distance for some time. I need more scenes where they're there for each other (or learn how the other is like) to be convinced that feelings are about to develop. But again, I'm glad I gave it more time and this changed when Oliver became her coach. And sadly, Oliver's character wasn't really fleshed out and I wanted to know more about him and his past. Him changing his mind about playing was too sudden as well. I really need the MMCs to be fully present as characters and have their own story in a romance book, not just be props for us to see how much they like the FMC.
Overall I liked it, but the first book will still remain my main favorite for now. And I'm excited to read Set Point for the second time next year 🤭.
There was too much telling rather than showing but this changed in the second part of the book, thankfully. Personally, I think the friends to lovers trope doesn't work very well when their friendship is long distance for some time. I need more scenes where they're there for each other (or learn how the other is like) to be convinced that feelings are about to develop. But again, I'm glad I gave it more time and this changed when Oliver became her coach. And sadly, Oliver's character wasn't really fleshed out and I wanted to know more about him and his past. Him changing his mind about playing was too sudden as well. I really need the MMCs to be fully present as characters and have their own story in a romance book, not just be props for us to see how much they like the FMC.
Overall I liked it, but the first book will still remain my main favorite for now. And I'm excited to read Set Point for the second time next year 🤭.
emotional
funny
lighthearted
You know when you’re reading a book and you can see why other people would like it, but it just isn’t clicking for you? That was the case with “Game Point” for me. It follows Dylan, a fierce tennis star, who has no trouble getting to a Grand Slam final but just can’t seem to win one. She makes a bet with a handsome stranger named Oliver: if she can win the Australian Open, she will buy him a round of expensive drinks and if she loses, she can have his US Open trophy. It’s a hell of a bet, but Oliver, a fellow tennis pro, believes in her. As Oliver and Dylan develop a friendship, he offers to be her coach, which is perfect because they get each other. But friendships between two hot people get pretty complicated pretty quickly, so Oliver and Dylan have to navigate their new coach/player relationship and their friendship (but maybe more) relationship while Dylan tries to finally win a Grand Slam.
You will probably like this book if you like:
🎾 Sports romances
🎾 Friends to lovers
🎾 Coach x tennis player
🎾 Roommates
🎾 He hears her come undone through the door
🎾 Just one time to get it out of our systems
🎾 Panic attack rep
This had so many of the tropes that I love and I genuinely love tennis and yet, it just didn’t grab me. I liked Dylan who was determined and gruff (I didn’t love that she threw a paperweight at a former coach but you know, c'est la vie). I liked that we touched on how female athletes are treated much more harshly by the media compared to male athletes. I liked that we saw female friendships among the female athletes, but everything else was kind of meh for me.
Ultimately, I just didn’t buy into Dylan and Oliver’s chemistry. You would think I would be all in on a hot, British, male tennis player but even that couldn’t pull me in. I think I struggled for two reasons: 1) we were TOLD they were good friends but I needed more showing and 2) I found some of their banter repetitive. There was a lot of talking about the bet in the beginning and then talking about how much of a brat Dylan is. Oh and the coaching started at like 55% of the way in, which felt a little misleading.
All of that being said, I truly can see why others would like it so if any of the tropes intrigue you, go check out some other more positive reviews. Always good to get a second opinion.
Oh, and if you know nothing about tennis, I think you will still like this book. There was quite a bit of tennis in there but I think you will still understand the gist even if you don’t know what a double fault is (when you don’t get your serve into the correct area twice and therefore you lose a point) or if you don’t know how the point system works which PS, we all think the point system is confusing. You have to win a certain number of points to win a game and then a certain number of games to win a set and then a certain number of sets to win a match but the points go 0, 15, 30, 40, AD. It is a truly bonkers game but don’t be intimidated by that.
Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for providing the eARC! All opinions are my own.
Publication Date: September 9, 2025
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced