The Story Behind Game Changer by Kelly Jamieson

By Kelly Jamieson

Game Changer, the latest of my Wynn Hockey books, is a tropalicious romance! We have:
• Runaway bride
• Road trip (actually 2 trips!)
• Friends to lovers
• Forbidden romance

If you’ve been reading along with the other Wynn Hockey books, you know they’ve all been set in California. I love California and I’ve been there many times. I also did a trip specifically for research, where I hung out in Santa Monica and road a bike along the coast the to soak up setting details.

In Game Changer, the roads trips take us from Chicago (another favorite place!) to California and then to Canada. I didn’t have to do a research trip to Clear Lake, Manitoba—because I know that place like the back of my hand. If you didn’t Google it to see if it’s a real place—it is!! And it’s beautiful.

I spent most of my summers growing up at Clear Lake. My parents had a cottage there (oh, how I loved that cottage) although ours wasn’t on the beach like Jax’s is. We did all the things Jax recalls—riding our bikes all over, buying candy, finding crayfish and minnows. We hung out at the big sandy playground (those swings could go so high!), played tennis at the tennis courts, and checkers on the giant outdoor checkerboard. We did nature hikes through boreal forests and Ominnik Marsh, we canoed on the North Shore, we water skied at Deep Bay, we explored the Interpretive Center. We drove to the bison enclosure to see those amazing animals. They are huge creatures when standing right next to your car!

When I got older, the activities turned more to parties and socials at Danceland, an amazing old log structure.

The lake is just as crystal clear and blue as I describe.

It’s also just as cold! But on a hot summer day, an icy dip in the lake is perfect. We had fires and toasted marshmallows and swatted mosquitoes. The smell of the evergreens (and Deep Woods Off!) will always stay with me.

Along with the romance, I hope readers enjoy the trip to one of my favorite places.

Kelly Jamieson is the author of the new book Game Changer.

Connect with Kelly:
Author Website