Game Changer

King of the Court, Book 1

By: Piper Lawson

Narrated by: Lance Greenfield, Carly Robins

Length: 5 hrs and 55 mins

Publisher's summary

A steamy, grumpy sunshine sports romance featuring a woman down on her luck, a star basketball player with a filthy mouth, and a connection neither of them can deny

After being dumped and losing my job the same week, the last thing my broken heart needs is a rebound.

I'm escaping across the country to help my perfect sister plan her dream wedding, and to prove to both of us everything is under control.

But a combination of tequila and turbulence on the flight there lead to word-vomiting all my troubles to the huge and handsome stranger in the first-class seat next to mine.

Only his whispered dirty diversions keep me sane until landing.

Despite the spark of attraction, we go our separate ways.

Or so I thought.

Turns out the tall, muscular, tattooed tower of a man from the plane is the star player on my future brother-in-law's pro basketball team.

Clay is the last person I should gravitate toward. They're called "players" for a reason.

Grumpy and cynical, he carries a weight on his shoulders I can't possibly fathom.

He's also the only one who knows my secrets and gets my heart racing.

The more we're thrust together, the stronger the chemistry between us becomes.

Hooking up with the all-star athlete isn't the way to get my life on track...but it could just be the game changer we've both been searching for.

Game Changer is a grumpy sunshine sports romance and book 1 in the King of the Court trilogy. Clay and Nova's steamy, banter-filled story continues in Shot Taker and concludes in Play Maker.

©2023 Piper Lawson (P)2023 Piper Lawson

Great story

Nova and Clay meet on a plane, Neither aware they would be connected once they parted ways. He is closed off and she is trying to recover after not only a breakup but being put on administrative leave from her job. With her sister's upcoming wedding and Clay being the star basketball player their paths cross alot. Narrators did a great job, Carly more so than Lance but still was a good performance.

Grumpy Sunshine Sports Romance

Game Changer by Piper Lawson is a grumpy sunshine sports romance that I listened to on audio narrated by Lance Greenfield and Carly Robins. This is the first book in the King of the Court series.

I am really enjoying the chemistry between Clay and Nova. I can't wait to see how their relationship will progress over the course of the series. I liked that we got both of their points of views throughout the book.

The book ended on a great cliffhanger. I can't wait to dive into the next book in the series Shot Taker so I can get more of their story.

Lance and Carly did a great job on the narration. I look forward to listening to more of their work in the future.

I would recommend this book if you're looking for a grumpy sunshine romance, sports romance, or contemporary romance.

Great start to the trilogy

Nova and Clay for the win! Umm... kinda, maybe? Since this is the first in the trilogy and ends in a cliffhanger, I guess we'll have to wait and see. And I'm one of the not-so-patiently waiting readers/listeners.
Both characters have their share of baggage, so I'm glad to see that they'll have plenty of time to work through it and, hopefully, get on firmer ground. They're also both likable, and you can't help but root for them - together and separately. This one also has its share of secondary characters - some more likable than others, but I can't say that there are really any throwaway characters in this one. Everyone lends something to the story, and whether I like them or not, none are forgettable.
I've enjoyed everything I've read or listened to by Piper Lawson, and Game Changer is just one more reason why. It's well-written, the story flows wonderfully, and the characters practically leap off the page.
Since I had the privilege of listening to this one, I have to give some credit to the narrators, Lance Greenfield and Carly Robins, for their terrific performances. I've listened to both narrators before, but I don't think I've heard them on the same book. It's dual narration, not duet, but these two still complement each other very well, and I enjoyed every minute of this one.
Between Piper Lawson's writing, and Lance Greenfield and Carly Robins bringing the whole thing to life, this is an unforgettable listen, and I can't wait for whatever comes next for Clay and Nova.

4.5 stars

Game Changer started out fun and playful before transitioning into an unputdownable story that had me listening to it in one sitting.

The chemistry between Nova and Clay meant that the sexual tension was high and it barely let up throughout the book.
Sure, there were moments of steam and intimacy - but Clay has a lot of baggage to unpack.

As always, we were left with a cliffhanger ending that has me wondering in which direction the story will go, and if Nova and Clay can work through the issues that arose during this book.

A fabulous start to a new series. I am very much looking forward to hearing more from this couple.

Big shout out to Carly and Lance, who did a fabulous job of bringing Clay and Nova to life. Carly's narration was spot on for what I envisioned for Nova, and Lance's portrayal of Clay—both the grumpy and the sweet—was amazing.

100% Pure Yum!

I am no basketball fan, but if every player was as hot as Clay, I would be totally obsessed!! I thought that this book was 100% pure yum and let me tell you, I don't just want more...I NEED MORE!!!! Lol Yeah, so this is only book one of Nova and Clay's romance and that does mean a cliffy awaits (And it is a real gut wrencher!) but before you find yourself desperately wanting to throw your ereader, you are going to fall so hard for these two. Sinfully rich and deliciously juicy, their story is bursting with humor, heart, emotion, drama, angst, heartstring tugging, breath stealing swoon, soft sweetness and panty melting sizzle. Don't walk, RUN to get a copy because something this good you do not want to miss out on! The narration was beautifully done and the performances excellent. It truly helped make it super easy to get wrapped up in this awesome romance.

I need more! I am on the edge for these two!

When two people see each other so clearly but the obstacles of their individual lives get in the way. I really loved how these two bantered and worked together as they got to know each other and worked on finding something about themselves along the way. I was sucked into the drama with the side characters and the building connection of Nova and Clay. I will say the cliffhanger was a bit of a doozy.
Lance Greenfield and Carly Robins did a great job bringing these characters to life in my ears. I enjoyed their little quirks and quips adding the to character development through the audio.

Loved it

First off this is an interconnected trilogy. I say that to make sure you realize that this book ends in a way that makes you desperate for book 2. So be prepared.

That being said I loved the whole book. Both Clay and Nova are dealing with their own issues that keep their characters interesting and the story moving at a nice pace that I appreciated. I was frustrated with Clay and his behavior. There were moments I just wanted to slap him. Thou I also kept rooting for them. I’m currently feeling the desperation waiting to start book 2.

Excellent Read

Audio ARC Review for Game Changer by Piper Lawson provided by Valentine PR

The naration was 50/50 for me.
Lance Greenfield was a bit dull in voice inflection, but Carly Robbins nailed it!!! The attitude, the personality, it was amazing. She very easily became one of my favorite female narrators.

The story is book #1 in the series and does end on a cliffhanger. The premise starts with an airport 'meet cute.' Our FMC is traveling to her sisters wedding, and the MMC is traveling home. They end up sitting next to one another on the airplane. She says that HE looks like a basketball player without knowing that HE IS a basketball player.
He very much enjoyed that she did not know who he was. The anonymity was refreshing. They, of course, hit it off.

Turns out that our FMC's sister is marrying the head coach of the basketball team that our plane mate plays for. The cute interactions & lively banter, the secret relationship, the moral support, they just VIBE, Click, Mesh. It's truly adorable.

I can't wait to find out what happens next. .

4 Falling When He Least Expected It Stars!

This is my first book by Piper Lawson and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the beginning of Clay and Nova’s story. I’m a fan of both Lance Greenfield and Carly Robbins so they made my listening experience that much better.

Nova is on her way to Denver for her big sister’s wedding. Their relationship has been strained over the years but thanks to some recent events in Nova’s life this could be their opportunity to mend their sisterly bond. What Nova wasn’t expecting when she stepped on the plane was encountering a man that is rude and just overall stoic. At first I wasn’t a big fan of him, but as the book moves along, things change for me. Who is this man you ask, it’s Clayton Wade the star player for the Kodiaks in Colorado; but of course he not only doesn’t tell Nova this, but when she’s trying to remain calm and she makes a couple comments about he should play basketball he doesn’t both correcting her. And so begins a tension filled pseudo friendship.

Clay is a man on a mission as he’s recovering from an injury and he’s laser focused on regaining his status as the best player in the league. What he wasn’t expecting was meeting this beautiful woman who just so happens to be the future sister-in-law of the Kodiak’s GM. Needless to say when they discover their connection there are some heated conversations but also moments where Clay doesn’t even acknowledge her existence. I loved how this book built and their relationship grew stronger and stronger. There’s also an undeniable chemistry brewing between them too. And these moments are super steamy but also somewhat frustrating thanks to the where’s and when’s of their alone time happening.

Not only is Nova traversing her way with Clay, but she’s also discovering friendships that she’s developing that bring something she’s been missing for several years. These friendships play an important role in her life especially as she and Clay are getting closer and closer. As the story moves along, there were moments where I thought how much more of a jerk can this man be. He blows hot and cold. Secrets are revealed that play into how this first book in this trilogy comes to a close. There’s some machinations behind the scenes that I wasn’t expecting especially by who was doing it. We’re left with a mystery at the end of this book and I’m so looking forward to seeing how things play out.. I predict there’s going to be some pretty big fireworks going off in Colorado!

Can’t get enough of Clay and Nova!!!

I absolutely loved the book and I couldn’t wait to hear Clay and Nova come to life so to speak. This version gives a story that has plenty of emotion and two main characters that have such a charged connection to each other so much more depth.
As far as the narrators, they did a great job, particularly Carly Robins.