The Game Changer
Delilah Baker's local baking show is losing viewers, so she pitches a collaboration with her brother's hockey team. The player she gets is Ian Chase, her brother's best friend and her decade-long crush, who badly needs to fix his image after a public breakup. Their teams love the idea of a cozy on-screen romance, so Ian and Lila lean into it for the cameras. The more they play it up, the harder it becomes to tell what is real. A steamy, sweet sports romance.
About This Book
The Game Changer is a contemporary romance novel by Lana Ferguson, first published in 2024 by Berkley. It runs 400 pages. Readers can expect fake dating.
At a glance
- Genre
- Contemporary
- Trope
- Fake Dating
- Length
- 400 pages
- Format
- Paperback
Where to read or listen
Get The Game Changer by Lana Ferguson
These store links are affiliate links (Amazon, Audible, Bookshop.org and Libro.fm). As an Amazon Associate, Eikna earns from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. Learn more.
Why You May Love This Book
You may love this if…
- To save her failing baking show, a woman enters a fake dating arrangement with her brother's best friend, a hockey player looking to salvage his reputation.
- Fans of sports romances
- Readers who enjoy baking-related themes
- Light
- Features Fake Dating
This may not be ideal if…
- Premise relies heavily on common genre tropes
The Romance
Tropes, dynamics, and the chemistry that drives this story.
Tropes
Relationship Dynamics
Details
Type: Contemporary
Pairing: unknown
Power balance: Relatively equal partnership based on mutual benefit.
How It Feels
The emotional landscape you'll move through while reading.
Moderate angst.
Heat Level
Based on available metadata and editorial review.
Who Is This Book For?
Best for
Reading mood
Recommended audience: Adult romance readers.
The Story
Spoiler-Free Synopsis
Delilah Baker is desperate to revitalize her local baking show's declining viewership. She strikes a deal with Ian Chase, a professional hockey player and her brother's best friend, who needs to rehabilitate his image following a public breakup. The two agree to project a cozy, romantic image for the cameras. As they perform for the public, their long-held feelings for one another make it increasingly difficult to distinguish between acting and their true emotions.
Central Conflict
The tension between maintaining a professional fake dating arrangement for media purposes and the protagonists' growing genuine attraction.
Setting
A local television studio and the professional hockey circuit.
Strengths
- Clear trope usage
- Engaging high-stakes premise for a romance
Consider before reading
- Premise relies heavily on common genre tropes
Discussion Guide
Questions to deepen your reading experience or spark a book club conversation.
- 1
How does the central conflict shape the relationship between the main characters?
- 2
How does the setting influence the characters' decisions and their relationship?
- 3
How do the relationship dynamics evolve throughout the story?
- 4
Who would you most want to recommend this book to?
- 5
How did the pacing affect your reading experience?
- 6
Which aspect of the story did you find most compelling?
How This Profile Was Created
Eikna uses book metadata and AI-assisted analysis to create structured romance profiles. Public profiles are reviewed and approved by an editor before publication.
- Editor reviewed:
- Yes
- Last reviewed:
- October 13, 2026
- Confidence:
- Moderate confidence
- Profile version:
- eikna-public-book-intelligence-v1
About the Author
Lana Ferguson
What Readers Say
No reviews yet
Be the first to share what you thought of this book.
Publication Details
- Publisher
- Berkley
- Format
- Paperback
- Length
- 400 pages
- Language
- English
- ISBN-13
- 9780593816837
The Game Changer: quick answers
- Who wrote The Game Changer?
- The Game Changer was written by Lana Ferguson.
- When was The Game Changer published?
- The Game Changer was first published in 2024 by Berkley.
- What genre is The Game Changer?
- The Game Changer is a contemporary romance novel, with fake dating.
- How many pages is The Game Changer?
- The Game Changer is 400 pages long (Paperback).
Are you the author? Verify your author profile to manage this book.
This is my book — sign inWhere to read or listen
Get The Game Changer by Lana Ferguson
These store links are affiliate links (Amazon, Audible, Bookshop.org and Libro.fm). As an Amazon Associate, Eikna earns from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. Learn more.
Want more books like this?
Let Lyra help you discover lesbian romance books that match your exact mood, favorite tropes, and reading style.