The Winged Game By Sophie Kim | Review

My Review Of The Winged Game By Sophie Kim

Sophie Kim has officially set a new standard for enemies-to-lovers romance. No, really. This isn’t the kind of romance where the characters exchange a few sarcastic comments before suddenly realizing they’re in love. Taissa and Kion genuinely cannot stand each other.

Their resentment runs deep, their history is messy, and every interaction feels like another battle waiting to happen. That’s exactly what made their relationship so rewarding to watch unfold.

Because Sophie Kim allows their rivalry to simmer for so long, every moment of trust, vulnerability, and growing affection feels completely earned. Watching those walls slowly come down was one of my favorite reading experiences of the year.

Taissa is fiery, determined, and refuses to let anyone define her after her career comes crashing down. Kion, on the other hand, initially had me rolling my eyes more than once. I was firmly on Team Taissa in the beginning. But as the story peeled back his layers, revealing the pain and responsibility he’d been carrying all along, I found myself completely changing my opinion. By the end of the book, I absolutely adored him.

What I loved most is that neither character magically fixes the other. Instead, they slowly learn how to heal alongside one another, making their romance feel authentic, mature, and incredibly satisfying.

The chemistry? Incredible. The tension? Perfect. The banter? Some of the best I’ve read in a long time.

One of the biggest surprises, though, was just how much I fell in love with the found family. Watching Taissa join a team that wanted absolutely nothing to do with her and gradually become part of this wonderfully chaotic group was one of the highlights of the entire book. Every shared joke, every moment of trust, and every small step toward becoming a family made me smile.

Each supporting character brought something unique to the story. Knox was hilarious from the moment he appeared, Orion quietly became one of my favorites, and Mahina and Adriell added so much heart to the story. I especially appreciated the sign language representation and the care with which it was woven into the relationships. Seeing Taissa learn British Sign Language for Mahina was genuinely one of the sweetest parts of the book.

And then there were the winged creatures. Cronus completely stole my heart with his permanently grumpy attitude hiding an unexpectedly soft side. Meanwhile, Sansa was simply adorable. She gave me the same protective feelings I had for Andarna in Fourth Wing—every time she appeared, I couldn’t stop smiling.

As if that wasn’t enough, the fantasy sport itself was so entertaining that I genuinely wish it existed. The Carriwitchet matches were exciting, fast-paced, and unlike anything I’ve read before. Combined with the mystery surrounding the mysterious illness affecting the creatures, there was never a dull moment.

If I had one small criticism, it’s that the story occasionally felt younger than I expected for an adult fantasy romance. It carries some New Adult or even Young Adult energy at times, particularly in its humor and dialogue. Personally, that didn’t bother me in the slightest, but readers expecting a darker or spicier romantasy should know that this story leans much more heavily into emotional romance than explicit romance.

I also found myself wanting to spend even more time exploring the magic system. The glyphs, the creatures, and the world itself were all incredibly interesting, and I would have happily read another hundred pages simply learning more about them.

Should You Read It?

I think you’ll absolutely love The Winged Game if you enjoy:

• Enemies-to-lovers done right
• Slow-burn romance
• Found family
• Fantasy sports
• Winged creatures and magical companions
• Strong character development
• Banter-filled romances
• Character-driven romantasy with emotional depth

If you’re looking for an ultra-spicy romantasy or a story with dense, complex worldbuilding from page one, this may not be exactly what you’re after. But if you love relationships that develop naturally, memorable characters, and stories that balance action, humor, and heart, I can’t recommend this enough.

This is, without question, my favorite book I’ve read in 2026 so far.

Disclosure: Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing an advance review copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

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