Look, I'm going to be honest with you. My brain is currently mush. Between Emma's science fair project (which became my science fair project) and Sophie deciding she only eats beige food this week, I needed something that didn't require heavy lifting. I needed drama that wasn't mine.
Enter Ex Games.
I picked this up because the premise is the kind of messy I live for: Taylor gets dumped by her fiancé, is broke, and then ends up fake-dating her ex's older, richer, hotter brother, Mason. To a wedding. In St. Lucia. (Yes, I know. It's ridiculous. Roll with it.)
The "Oh No She Didn't" Factor
Usually, I roll my eyes at the "arrogant billionaire" trope. I worked in corporate marketing; those guys aren't usually "secretly sweet," they're just HR violations waiting to happen. But Stella Rhys manages to make Mason Leo actually... work?
The setup is pure revenge fantasy. Taylor is down on her luck (understatement), and Mason offers her a deal. He pays her debts; she plays his date to the ex's wedding. It's the classic fake-dating setup, but the chemistry? It hits fast.
I listened to the first half while aggressively scrubbing the kitchen floor, and let me tell you—the banter made the time fly. Taylor isn't a doormat, thank goodness. She gives as good as she gets. And Mason? He's infuriating, but in that specific romance-novel way where you know he's going to be obsessed with her by chapter five.
Carly Robins in My Ear
Okay, let's talk about the voice in my head. I've seen some reviews online saying Carly Robins was just "okay," but I actually think she was perfect for this tone.
She's got this warm, slightly raspy quality that fits Taylor's vibe. She nailed the humor—and this book is funny. There's a lot of sarcasm and internal monologue that could have sounded whiny with the wrong narrator, but Robins makes it sound like your friend venting over a glass of wine.
Is it a theatrical tour de force? No. But at 1.25x speed (my default survival mode setting), she's snappy and engaging. She handles the male voices well enough—Mason sounds distinct, low, and appropriately cocky without sounding like a caricature.
The "Earbuds Mandatory" Warning
Big warning here, moms: Do not play this in the car with the kids.
I made the mistake of thinking I could listen to a few minutes while waiting in the school pickup line with the windows down. Panic ensued. This book is steamy. Like, five-alarm fire steamy. It's not just fading to black; we are staying for the whole show.
But honestly? It was exactly the escapism I needed. It's low-angst in the sense that you know it's going to work out, but high-heat enough to make you forget that you have to figure out what's for dinner.
My Verdict (Over Reheated Coffee)
The ending is predictable, obviously. But that's why we're here, right? I don't want a surprise sad ending after dealing with a toddler all day. I want the groveling, the grand gesture, and the happily ever after. Ex Games delivers that on a silver platter. Where'd You Go, Bernadette gave me that same kind of satisfying escape—different genre, same "I need to disappear into someone else's chaos" energy.
Who's this for? If you love fake-dating, revenge-on-the-ex energy, and explicit steam, this is your book. Skip it if you need complex emotional arcs or prefer closed-door romance—this one leaves nothing to the imagination.
If you need a mental vacation to St. Lucia and enjoy watching terrible exes get what they deserve, grab this one. Just make sure your Bluetooth isn't connected to the family room speaker.
