Book Review: Game On by Matt Cain
- Paola Santana
- Jun 6
- 3 min read
June is Pride Month, so it's only right that I review Game On by Matt Cain - a gorgeous little novella about the struggles of coming out. Cain is also an LGBTQ+ author from the northern parts of the UK, born not that far from my neck of the woods. It really couldn't be more fitting.
BOOK SPECS:
Number of pages: 116
Format: Paperback
Genre: Contemporary Romance, LGBTQ+ Romance, Sports Romance
Tropes: Enemy to Lovers, Sports Romance, Coming Out Story
SHORT REVIEW:
Like most novellas, the ending came almost too quickly and too neatly, and I was a little guttered it wasn't a full-length novel, but I really enjoyed it. I will definitely be reading more books by Matt Cain in the future.
Part of the Quick Reads 2024 collection, short and sweet, this book is the perfect stepping stone if you want to get into reading or want to start reading and supporting LGBTQ+ authors.
HEART RATE:
SMUT SCORE:
FULL REVIEW:
Plot
Tom is a father of one and a successful football player in the Premier League, but he has a big secret: he's gay. When he falls in love with journalist Cosmo, hiding who he is becomes incredibly difficult. They are both well-known figures, and Cosmo is an activist and campaigner for LGBTQ+ rights. Dating someone who is not out of the closet is not something Cosmo is willing to do.
Even though the emotional stakes and conflict are high, Cain manages to approach what could be a very hard, sore and traumatic subject with a very light and sympathetic heart. While it might be romanticized, it's no less of a learning curve in understanding the struggles people go through when coming out. It's light-hearted, but it still hits home.
The only thing I hold against this book is what I hold against most novellas - when you have to keep the wordcount down, something has to be cut off. Normally, this means a rushed ending. And in Game On, the ending is incredibly smooth and swift, which makes it too optimistic and unrealistic. I still loved the story, though.
Characters
There are few characters in this story, but all of them serve a purpose and are in it for a reason. There is no waste. All of them representing some of the biggest challenges gay men face when coming out - the macho co-worker, the baby momma from the failed hetero relationship, their children, the father figure bathed in toxic masculinity. And on the other side of the camp, the supportive friend, and the catalyst that highlighted that living a lie is actually quite constricting.
Romance & Smut Score
There is kissing and smut in this book, but the very nature of being a novella (and part of Quick Reads, which targets a very wide audience) means it won't have a huge amount of detail. So sex is implicitly rather than explicit, the scene cutting out before detail is given.
Having said that, they happen for a reason and add to the stakes, making each intimate moment, kiss or otherwise, an important step for Tom.
Writing
Game On is written in third voice, but the point of view flips in between the two main characters - Tom and Cosmo, giving you an overview of both of their lives as their romance develops.
Cain's writing is smooth and stupidly easy to read. I literally read this little novella in one sitting. I would actually compare Matt's writing to Jojo Moyes, who also wrote a short novel for Good Reads 2024.
All in one, a cracking little read. Perfect if you're trying to get into reading full novels or want to start reading LGBTQ+ romance.
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