Game On

Black woman gamer Sam keeps her online and professional identities separate, for personal safety and to keep her game criticism unbiased. She breaks that rule when, at a game con, she meets an earnest guy who’s interested in promoting inclusive workplaces—then she finds out that he’s Aron, CEO of the games company that Sam just blasted. Aron wants to right his company’s wrongs and get a coveted accessibility award at the same time, so he hires Sam as a consultant. Feelings start to simmer as they keep things professional, but what happens when the contract is over? In this new novel, Glass (The Love Con) continues her deft approach in balancing depictions of longing with realistic portrayals of the challenges Black women encounter in the workplace. Sam’s dual identity as a game critic and a diversity consultant means that talking about DEIA and safety issues in gaming is natural. Joining the one’s partner’s family is as important as romantic interest, and disability issues are sensitively handled. Narrator Keylor Leigh is an inspired choice for the audio version, as she makes each character distinct with voices, pacing, and emphasis changes.