How We Play the Game

Competitive gaming and fake dating combine to create a razor-sharp romance perfect for fans of Twelfth Knight and SLAY.
Zora Lyon plays to dominate. And as a no-nonsense, strategic prodigy of Wizzard Gaming's viral battle royale, she has all the skills she needs to do so. So when Wizzard offers their top players a chance to participate in a summer academy designed to launch them into the world of professional gaming, Zora knows she has what it takes to be the last player standing.
But Wizzard isn't just looking for winners-they're looking to create viral gaming superstars. Suddenly, Zora finds herself competing against famous eSports influencers who are only there to boost their follower count. That includes Ivan Hunt-her insufferably good-looking instant rival, whom she betrayed to earn her spot in the academy.
With their matches broadcast to Wizzard's fanbase, Zora is almost immediately fancast as an ice queen and snubbed for her ruthless playing style. With her dreams of going pro in jeopardy, Zora will do just about anything to fix her image-even if that means pretending to date fan-favorite Ivan to earn back some popularity points. What can go wrong with a little white lie?

Alexis Nedd is the author of Don't Hate the Player and is a Brooklyn-based pop culture "fanthropologist" who has only ever loved things in a big, obsessive way. Her writing on television, movies, and video games with an emphasis on science fiction and fantasy universes has appeared in Elle, Cosmopolitan, Esquire, Mashable, and BuzzFeed. Legend tells that one day she will stop bombarding her loved ones with unsolicited information about dragons, musical theater, and Batman-but that day has not yet come.
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