Scan barcode
bonnierochelle's review
4.5
Loved it! Enjoyed every bit of the angst and struggle and I’m a sucker for a tennis romance.
ilyarozanov123's review against another edition
1.0
Keira Andrews is one of my most-read authors, but this one didn’t work for me. It dragged, and I probably would’ve DNF:ed it a few chapters in if not for my stubbornness and current reading slump that’s made me desperate. But what got this one from mediocre down to downright dislike was Luke.
I really disliked him and it only became worse. He was a selfish and manipulative asshole who kept blaming Jesse for everything while also invalidating his feelings and needs. He didn’t deserve Jesse at all, so I was only angry as the story progressed. Fine if he doesn’t want to come out, but to treat your so-called boyfriend as shit because of that is never okay. Also, Luke was violent. He kept lashing out, and was even attacking other players. Ugh. No, he was not a likable character.
I really disliked him and it only became worse. He was a selfish and manipulative asshole who kept blaming Jesse for everything while also invalidating his feelings and needs. He didn’t deserve Jesse at all, so I was only angry as the story progressed. Fine if he doesn’t want to come out, but to treat your so-called boyfriend as shit because of that is never okay. Also, Luke was violent. He kept lashing out, and was even attacking other players. Ugh. No, he was not a likable character.
nasaje's review
3.0
I like that this is a tennis story, I haven't seen a lot of those. There was a good balance between tennis-talk and off-the-court.
The story is relatively low-angst and fast-paced in terms of romance, and I would have like to see a little bit more below the surface of each character and their coming together. As a segue from that (:D), the sex scenes weren't too frequent and different enough to keep it interesting while also seeing the strength in shorter or fade-to-black scenes when other parts need more focus, so I appreciated that.
I didn't really think about the fact that this was written 15 years ago - yes there is some dated tech, but the most noticable giveaway of its age is actually how much Andrew's writing style has evolved and improved over the years. This is in no way bad, but I prefer her more recent works in that regard.
The story is relatively low-angst and fast-paced in terms of romance, and I would have like to see a little bit more below the surface of each character and their coming together. As a segue from that (:D), the sex scenes weren't too frequent and different enough to keep it interesting while also seeing the strength in shorter or fade-to-black scenes when other parts need more focus, so I appreciated that.
I didn't really think about the fact that this was written 15 years ago - yes there is some dated tech, but the most noticable giveaway of its age is actually how much Andrew's writing style has evolved and improved over the years. This is in no way bad, but I prefer her more recent works in that regard.
lilly_isabel's review
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
starfish422's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Largely enjoyable, if a trifle formulaic.
loulou87's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars.
This is Keira's debut book, which was recently republished. No revisions were done to the book.
I loved:
- Both characters.
Luke was hot and possessive and enamored with Jesse
Jesse was sweet and a bit damaged an a bit naïve.
- The tennis backdrop and how it brought them together.
- The tiny bit of breakup angst and how they couldn't stay away from each other.
- The supportive parents.
- The Steam: Keira can write some hot sex scenes lemme tell you.
- The epilogue: short and too the point, with a glimpse to the future.
- The Bonus epilogue which was swoony and sexy.
Niggles:
I really do think the book needed a bit if revision and tightening up. It would have made it a much more entertaining read. especially with Jesse's teenage year-trauma.
There were some things that were too abrupt for my liking and needed a bit more focus.
I received an ARC from GRR and this is my honest review.
This is Keira's debut book, which was recently republished. No revisions were done to the book.
I loved:
- Both characters.
Luke was hot and possessive and enamored with Jesse
Jesse was sweet and a bit damaged an a bit naïve.
- The tennis backdrop and how it brought them together.
- The tiny bit of breakup angst and how they couldn't stay away from each other.
- The supportive parents.
- The Steam: Keira can write some hot sex scenes lemme tell you.
- The epilogue: short and too the point, with a glimpse to the future.
- The Bonus epilogue which was swoony and sexy.
Niggles:
I really do think the book needed a bit if revision and tightening up. It would have made it a much more entertaining read. especially with Jesse's teenage year-trauma.
There were some things that were too abrupt for my liking and needed a bit more focus.
I received an ARC from GRR and this is my honest review.
piperclover's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
I love the last 3 chapters so much that I almost want to give this a higher rating, maybe a 4.5 star, but I just don't think it's possible. I really dislike how the love interest is consistently called naive by the main character that hes shut out of his own career a bit because the main character decides it's better. The love interest has almost no agency- it feels like hes old enough to have sex with but not to make his own decisions about his career? I don't think that's how the author meant it to come across but the fact that at the end, there's almost no discussion about the first 75% of the book and the mcs behavior really bothered me. Along with that we never really see how other people wrapped up in the ending which is which is kind of necessary to understand if if the feelings and thoughts of the main character were true
I also just never really felt like like they had any reason to be romantically connected, we see the sex a lot but I don't know why they like each other because we never see them do anything that isn't sex related.
Overall though I did enjoy this and it gets points because it's Kiera Andrews and it's a sports romance and those are just great on their own anyway.
I also just never really felt like like they had any reason to be romantically connected, we see the sex a lot but I don't know why they like each other because we never see them do anything that isn't sex related.
Overall though I did enjoy this and it gets points because it's Kiera Andrews and it's a sports romance and those are just great on their own anyway.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia
Minor: Death of parent
Theres also death of a lover but there's no tag for thatonlyonebookshelf's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia
violet_reads's review
challenging
emotional
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25