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Onside Play
Two soccer stars share a secret along with a rivalry that stretches halfway around the world in this light-hearted, second-chance lesbian romance.
Knockabout Australian Keeley McGee is living her childhood dream of playing soccer at the World Cup. The only thing that could kill her focus is coming up against the cool and dispassionate US team’s star striker.
Beautiful, brilliant Christine Delacourt was the college girlfriend who dumped Keeley out of the blue years before.
What will it be like reuniting under the stadium lights, especially since they know the other’s game—and each other—so intimately?
Despite a strict “no distractions” rule from her coach, Keeley finds herself drawn to Christine in a way that feels almost dangerous. Will Keeley be able to rekindle what she once shared with her now on-field enemy with the eyes of the world on them? Dare she even try?
Knockabout Australian Keeley McGee is living her childhood dream of playing soccer at the World Cup. The only thing that could kill her focus is coming up against the cool and dispassionate US team’s star striker.
Beautiful, brilliant Christine Delacourt was the college girlfriend who dumped Keeley out of the blue years before.
What will it be like reuniting under the stadium lights, especially since they know the other’s game—and each other—so intimately?
Despite a strict “no distractions” rule from her coach, Keeley finds herself drawn to Christine in a way that feels almost dangerous. Will Keeley be able to rekindle what she once shared with her now on-field enemy with the eyes of the world on them? Dare she even try?
204 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 19, 2023
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471 people want to read
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July 24, 2023
It is 2023 and the Women’s World Soccer tournament is playing out in Australia. USA’s star player Christine Delacourt is in attendance as is Australian Keeley McGee. Both are playing for their respective national teams but for a brief time in college, Keeley and Christine played on the same team. It was at this time that they turned from not liking each other to becoming lovers. The rest of this story consists of exciting soccer scenes and the romance.
To me Keeley is an odd yet likeable character. The kind that speak before they think but never say anything hurtful. Christine, on the other hand, has her amazing talent for the game but this comes at a huge cost. She is driven beyond regular people’s comprehension with her sole focus on her sport and her career. Christine insulates her life to allow only soccer into her sphere. In many ways this creates an immature response to normal people’s concerns and average issues. She is inexperienced in every thing else but soccer. A character like this is almost impossible to like yet Keeley understands what makes her tick being an elite athlete herself.
Rain has established herself as a strong writer in her debut novel Perks of Office. In this her second novel, Onside Play, she offers the reader an entertaining soccer story with a hard to swallow romance. In theory I understand both characters yet I could not see them together nor understand Keeley’s desire to repeatedly be devastated by Christine.
The soccer portions of the story are very well written. They give you the feel of being at the World Cup. I definitely recommend this novel for the soccer enthusiasts or those that gravitate towards the sporty genre. It satisfies the itch.
I received an advance review copy from Ylva Publishing through NetGalley. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
To me Keeley is an odd yet likeable character. The kind that speak before they think but never say anything hurtful. Christine, on the other hand, has her amazing talent for the game but this comes at a huge cost. She is driven beyond regular people’s comprehension with her sole focus on her sport and her career. Christine insulates her life to allow only soccer into her sphere. In many ways this creates an immature response to normal people’s concerns and average issues. She is inexperienced in every thing else but soccer. A character like this is almost impossible to like yet Keeley understands what makes her tick being an elite athlete herself.
Rain has established herself as a strong writer in her debut novel Perks of Office. In this her second novel, Onside Play, she offers the reader an entertaining soccer story with a hard to swallow romance. In theory I understand both characters yet I could not see them together nor understand Keeley’s desire to repeatedly be devastated by Christine.
The soccer portions of the story are very well written. They give you the feel of being at the World Cup. I definitely recommend this novel for the soccer enthusiasts or those that gravitate towards the sporty genre. It satisfies the itch.
I received an advance review copy from Ylva Publishing through NetGalley. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 22, 2023
3.25 ⭐️
What more could you wish for than a book on the subject of the Women's World Cup when this very World Cup is about to begin? Unfortunately, "Onside Play" is not quite convincing in my opinion.
The Australian defender Keeley McGee and the American forward Christine Delacourt have a common past when both played for the same college team and also had a relationship. However, Christine ended it out of the blue from one day to the next.
After a few years, both players have now established themselves in the highest leagues in the USA and Australia, and both have been called up for their respective national teams and are participating in the World Cup in Australia/New Zealand. At the very first reunion, old feelings push back to the surface and the two meet in secret. And exactly this part of the story doesn't really work for me. On the one hand, I felt no chemistry between the two and on the other hand, there was hardly any mention of why Christine left Keeley. I can't imagine that a simple sorry is enough when you have been dumped without a real reason. But maybe that is just my feeling. But I didn't get the impression that two soulmates had found each other again here.
The story is told from Keeley's POV and so we learn a lot more about her and her two best friends Fletch and Viv. I liked Keeley from the beginning, but as mentioned she got involved with Christine again way too quickly in my opinion. Fletch and Viv are the secret stars of the story, wonderful friends that everyone could only wish for. Because of this way of telling the story, we don't get to know much about Christine and her thoughts and feelings, which I find a bit unfortunate in this case, I would have liked to know more about her, then, maybe I would have understood her better. So she seemed a bit superficial to me and I couldn't connect with her.
The best part of the story is everything that revolves around football, I liked that a lot. All the excitement and tension before the games and also the game scenes were exciting and showed that Liz Rain knows the game. And it's kind of exciting to simultaneously watch the first games of the World Cup in real life and imagine the two MCs on the field. The story is fluidly written and entertaining, only the romance fell a little too easy and flat.
However, none of this will stop me from reading Liz Rain's next book.
ARC received from Ylva Publishing through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
What more could you wish for than a book on the subject of the Women's World Cup when this very World Cup is about to begin? Unfortunately, "Onside Play" is not quite convincing in my opinion.
The Australian defender Keeley McGee and the American forward Christine Delacourt have a common past when both played for the same college team and also had a relationship. However, Christine ended it out of the blue from one day to the next.
After a few years, both players have now established themselves in the highest leagues in the USA and Australia, and both have been called up for their respective national teams and are participating in the World Cup in Australia/New Zealand. At the very first reunion, old feelings push back to the surface and the two meet in secret. And exactly this part of the story doesn't really work for me. On the one hand, I felt no chemistry between the two and on the other hand, there was hardly any mention of why Christine left Keeley. I can't imagine that a simple sorry is enough when you have been dumped without a real reason. But maybe that is just my feeling. But I didn't get the impression that two soulmates had found each other again here.
The story is told from Keeley's POV and so we learn a lot more about her and her two best friends Fletch and Viv. I liked Keeley from the beginning, but as mentioned she got involved with Christine again way too quickly in my opinion. Fletch and Viv are the secret stars of the story, wonderful friends that everyone could only wish for. Because of this way of telling the story, we don't get to know much about Christine and her thoughts and feelings, which I find a bit unfortunate in this case, I would have liked to know more about her, then, maybe I would have understood her better. So she seemed a bit superficial to me and I couldn't connect with her.
The best part of the story is everything that revolves around football, I liked that a lot. All the excitement and tension before the games and also the game scenes were exciting and showed that Liz Rain knows the game. And it's kind of exciting to simultaneously watch the first games of the World Cup in real life and imagine the two MCs on the field. The story is fluidly written and entertaining, only the romance fell a little too easy and flat.
However, none of this will stop me from reading Liz Rain's next book.
ARC received from Ylva Publishing through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 18, 2023
With the 2023 FIFA World Cup on the horizon I looked forward to reading this romance with soccer players.
Main characters Christine Delacourt and Keeley McGee knew each other in college when they were on the same soccer team then coldly parted ways. Now years later Aussie Keeley and American Christine are facing off for the World Cup as part of their national teams. I wanted to care but sadly wasn't hooked by the writing. The back and forth not enough to hold my attention and I found Christine's character robotic. For me, there was no chemistry between the two women with the "romance" appearing forced and the ending abrupt. Oh, the book cover didn't help either. A bright light, the supporting characters of Viv and Fletch were interesting - perhaps a book with the two as M/Cs?
I really enjoyed Rain's debut "Perks of Office" this one not so much. However, I am sure others will enjoy this second chance sports based romance so please read other reviews.
Main characters Christine Delacourt and Keeley McGee knew each other in college when they were on the same soccer team then coldly parted ways. Now years later Aussie Keeley and American Christine are facing off for the World Cup as part of their national teams. I wanted to care but sadly wasn't hooked by the writing. The back and forth not enough to hold my attention and I found Christine's character robotic. For me, there was no chemistry between the two women with the "romance" appearing forced and the ending abrupt. Oh, the book cover didn't help either. A bright light, the supporting characters of Viv and Fletch were interesting - perhaps a book with the two as M/Cs?
I really enjoyed Rain's debut "Perks of Office" this one not so much. However, I am sure others will enjoy this second chance sports based romance so please read other reviews.
August 8, 2023
I, for one, can’t wait for the FIFA World Cup in Australia and New Zealand to begin, so this book couldn’t be more perfectly timed. I’m disappointed to report it doesn’t live up to my expectations. I thoroughly enjoyed Liz Rain’s Perks of Office. Unfortunately, this enemies-to-lovers/ second chance romance with a very heavy sports theme doesn’t live up to the awesomeness of the previous book. Not that they are related, other than being penned by the same author.
We start this book with a dual timeline - 2019 and 2023 - our mains are going to face off at the World Cup after they played together at uni. Never once did I feel the spark or see the connection, not in 2019 timeline, nor in the 2023 (current) timeline. What I found baffling was the sort of flashbacks/ reminiscing to the past timeline in the current one. Why would you have the dual timeline if you will tell us what happened in the past instead of letting us experience it in the past timeline? I really don’t understand this storytelling choice. For me, it would have been better if the author had just picked the current timeline and had them work out what went wrong in 2019 through communication in 2023. Now we really get neither. We don’t get the full love experience in 2019, or the heartbreak, nor do we get communication in 2023 (or 2019). I find this to be a mostly lust driven and rather forced story. The drama of them being on opposing sides and their ambitions is not shown enough because all of the story seems to be picking up threads here and there but never developing any in a full bodied story.
I’m sure lots of people will enjoy this, even if you aren’t into sports, but I think because I am into sports and I’m a bit of picky reader, I didn’t like this one very much. If I would suggest a Liz Rain book it would definitely be Perks of Office, this one isn’t even in the same league as that one… sadly
Oh… and when you have a custom cover drawn up, please make sure it looks a tad better than these shapeless things
ARC received from the publisher (Ylva Publishing) through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
We start this book with a dual timeline - 2019 and 2023 - our mains are going to face off at the World Cup after they played together at uni. Never once did I feel the spark or see the connection, not in 2019 timeline, nor in the 2023 (current) timeline. What I found baffling was the sort of flashbacks/ reminiscing to the past timeline in the current one. Why would you have the dual timeline if you will tell us what happened in the past instead of letting us experience it in the past timeline? I really don’t understand this storytelling choice. For me, it would have been better if the author had just picked the current timeline and had them work out what went wrong in 2019 through communication in 2023. Now we really get neither. We don’t get the full love experience in 2019, or the heartbreak, nor do we get communication in 2023 (or 2019). I find this to be a mostly lust driven and rather forced story. The drama of them being on opposing sides and their ambitions is not shown enough because all of the story seems to be picking up threads here and there but never developing any in a full bodied story.
I’m sure lots of people will enjoy this, even if you aren’t into sports, but I think because I am into sports and I’m a bit of picky reader, I didn’t like this one very much. If I would suggest a Liz Rain book it would definitely be Perks of Office, this one isn’t even in the same league as that one… sadly
Oh… and when you have a custom cover drawn up, please make sure it looks a tad better than these shapeless things
ARC received from the publisher (Ylva Publishing) through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
July 29, 2023
I'm obsessed with women's soccer so a book all about the WWC was going to be an instant win for me. A second chance romance between two rival players within this setting was just an added bonus. There was a lot to enjoy about this book - particularly with the way the WWC plays out in this fictional world. 😊
I liked Keeley as a character and particularly liked the use of first person from her point of view. She has two amazing friends, Viv and Fletch, and is super sweet but isn't the best at making decisions when it comes to women.
Onside Play uses a lot of flashbacks to paint the picture of their earlier romance in College. To be honest, the flashbacks were an odd one for me. I think it would've been better if we read the 2019 romance first and then went into the 2023 setting after. The back and forth just made it feel disjointed and didn't particularly provide an insight into the romance between Keeley and Christine.
Christine was an intriguing character and I couldn't completely gauge her and her intentions. She was definitely one of those characters that is hot and cold, and at one point near the end of the novel I thought Keeley truly deserved better. Possibly not the way you want to feel near the end of a romance!
Regardless, I enjoyed my time reading this novel - particularly for the soccer/WWC storyline. I really like Liz Rain's easy to read writing style. Although the romance wasn't particularly swoonworthy, I still really enjoyed this book.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Ylva Publishing for a copy of this novel. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
I liked Keeley as a character and particularly liked the use of first person from her point of view. She has two amazing friends, Viv and Fletch, and is super sweet but isn't the best at making decisions when it comes to women.
Onside Play uses a lot of flashbacks to paint the picture of their earlier romance in College. To be honest, the flashbacks were an odd one for me. I think it would've been better if we read the 2019 romance first and then went into the 2023 setting after. The back and forth just made it feel disjointed and didn't particularly provide an insight into the romance between Keeley and Christine.
Christine was an intriguing character and I couldn't completely gauge her and her intentions. She was definitely one of those characters that is hot and cold, and at one point near the end of the novel I thought Keeley truly deserved better. Possibly not the way you want to feel near the end of a romance!
Regardless, I enjoyed my time reading this novel - particularly for the soccer/WWC storyline. I really like Liz Rain's easy to read writing style. Although the romance wasn't particularly swoonworthy, I still really enjoyed this book.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Ylva Publishing for a copy of this novel. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
July 12, 2023
Keeley McGee is about to head into the most important football tournament of her life. Playing for the underdog Australian National team she needs to keep her head in the game. When she comes face to face with the one that could have been she finds it harder to focus and Christine Delacourt is not doing anything to help with that.
I really wanted to like this one but it just didn't quite work for me. The two MC's seem to spend very little time actually together and what there is of them together wasn't the type of relationship I'd have liked to see. The flashbacks provide a bit of insight into their history but there is little in the lead up from their enemies to lovers evolution in that time, Christine just sort of changes her mind one day out of the blue. The rest of their relationship is basically physical and I couldn't understand why Keeley was so attached.
The story is told from Keeley's perspective and I just didn't connect all that well with her, on top of that Christine does not seem to be a very nice human. Her behavior is at times childish and most of the time selfish both in the flashbacks and in the present. I have a hard time understanding Keeley's motivations here, especially when she herself thinks that Christine wouldn't even recognize her when they meet again. I was a bit confused about how long they were in a relationship in the flashbacks as there are some indications it is more of a short fling that was forgettable but then Keeley mentions details of Christine that don't seem likely for a fling. These inconsistencies kinda drew me out of the story. There are a few side characters that are a bit redeeming of the story but most of the book is Keeley's internal dialogue over Christine and I just found it a bit exhausting. After all that I would have said it was an ok book but then there's some drama at the 90% mark that I felt made Christine look even worse than she already did. This seemed so unneeded and made the MC we already didn't like all that much a bit worse.
It seems I am the minority here so please read other reviews but it seems this book just wasn't for me. I am hopeful for future releases by Rain as I do think her writing is good, these characters just didn't work this time round.
I really wanted to like this one but it just didn't quite work for me. The two MC's seem to spend very little time actually together and what there is of them together wasn't the type of relationship I'd have liked to see. The flashbacks provide a bit of insight into their history but there is little in the lead up from their enemies to lovers evolution in that time, Christine just sort of changes her mind one day out of the blue. The rest of their relationship is basically physical and I couldn't understand why Keeley was so attached.
The story is told from Keeley's perspective and I just didn't connect all that well with her, on top of that Christine does not seem to be a very nice human. Her behavior is at times childish and most of the time selfish both in the flashbacks and in the present. I have a hard time understanding Keeley's motivations here, especially when she herself thinks that Christine wouldn't even recognize her when they meet again. I was a bit confused about how long they were in a relationship in the flashbacks as there are some indications it is more of a short fling that was forgettable but then Keeley mentions details of Christine that don't seem likely for a fling. These inconsistencies kinda drew me out of the story. There are a few side characters that are a bit redeeming of the story but most of the book is Keeley's internal dialogue over Christine and I just found it a bit exhausting. After all that I would have said it was an ok book but then there's some drama at the 90% mark that I felt made Christine look even worse than she already did. This seemed so unneeded and made the MC we already didn't like all that much a bit worse.
It seems I am the minority here so please read other reviews but it seems this book just wasn't for me. I am hopeful for future releases by Rain as I do think her writing is good, these characters just didn't work this time round.
July 24, 2023
It is 2023 and the Women’s World Soccer tournament is playing out in Australia. USA’s star player Christine Delacourt is in attendance as is Australian Keeley McGee. Both are playing for their respective national teams but for a brief time in college, Keeley and Christine played on the same team. It was at this time that they turned from not liking each other to becoming lovers. The rest of this story consists of exciting soccer scenes and the romance.
To me Keeley is an odd yet likeable character. The kind that speak before they think but never say anything hurtful. Christine, on the other hand, has her amazing talent for the game but this comes at a huge cost. She is driven beyond regular people’s comprehension with her sole focus on her sport and her career. Christine insulates her life to allow only soccer into her sphere. In many ways this creates an immature response to normal people’s concerns and average issues. She is inexperienced in every thing else but soccer. A character like this is almost impossible to like yet Keeley understands what makes her tick being an elite athlete herself.
Rain has established herself as a strong writer in her debut novel Perks of Office. In this her second novel, Onside Play, she offers the reader an entertaining soccer story with a hard to swallow romance. In theory I understand both characters yet I could not see them together nor understand Keeley’s desire to repeatedly be devastated by Christine.
The soccer portions of the story are very well written. They give you the feel of being at the World Cup. I definitely recommend this novel for the soccer enthusiasts or those that gravitate towards the sporty genre. It satisfies the itch.
I received an advance review copy from Ylva Publishing through NetGalley. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
To me Keeley is an odd yet likeable character. The kind that speak before they think but never say anything hurtful. Christine, on the other hand, has her amazing talent for the game but this comes at a huge cost. She is driven beyond regular people’s comprehension with her sole focus on her sport and her career. Christine insulates her life to allow only soccer into her sphere. In many ways this creates an immature response to normal people’s concerns and average issues. She is inexperienced in every thing else but soccer. A character like this is almost impossible to like yet Keeley understands what makes her tick being an elite athlete herself.
Rain has established herself as a strong writer in her debut novel Perks of Office. In this her second novel, Onside Play, she offers the reader an entertaining soccer story with a hard to swallow romance. In theory I understand both characters yet I could not see them together nor understand Keeley’s desire to repeatedly be devastated by Christine.
The soccer portions of the story are very well written. They give you the feel of being at the World Cup. I definitely recommend this novel for the soccer enthusiasts or those that gravitate towards the sporty genre. It satisfies the itch.
I received an advance review copy from Ylva Publishing through NetGalley. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 22, 2023
This is a story about Australian soccer player Keeley McGee. Keeley loves soccer and her freestyle easy going life. In college at FSU she meets a new team mate, Christine Delacourt. Christine is a very uptight ice queen who is extremely serious about soccer. They have a love/hate relationship from the start. And enjoy a month together before Christine breaks it off and Keeley is devastated. Four years later they meet up in Australia for the World Cup games.
I liked the soccer parts of this book especially taking place during the real WWC in Australia. Keeley was a down to earth nice person. Christine was 100% self centered. I never felt the connection between the two MCs and I would have liked way more background and character development on Christine. Their infatuation was not realistic for me.
Read other reviews, I’m sure others enjoyed the very frosty Christine.
ARC received from NetGalley for an honest and voluntary review.
I liked the soccer parts of this book especially taking place during the real WWC in Australia. Keeley was a down to earth nice person. Christine was 100% self centered. I never felt the connection between the two MCs and I would have liked way more background and character development on Christine. Their infatuation was not realistic for me.
Read other reviews, I’m sure others enjoyed the very frosty Christine.
ARC received from NetGalley for an honest and voluntary review.
July 29, 2023
3.25 stars
Australian Matildas soccer star Keeley McGee is playing in the 2023 World Cup in front of her home crowd and couldn't be more excited or proud. To win, her team will have to go up against some fierce opponents - none fiercer than the U.S team, including the devastatingly talented, beautiful Christine Delacourt, the woman who abruptly dumped Keeley back in college and broke her heart.
Now that they have to go up against each other on the world's biggest stage, will they be able to keep their heads in the game? Both women are determined to do so - because no matter how they feel about one another or their history, their ultimate goal is to win it all. And hopefully not at the risk of their hearts.
Kudos to Liz Rain for planning ahead for a sports romance to coincide with the World Cup event in Australia! While this romance is on the lighter side, there is some angst around what they would need to overcome to be together. Whether you're a soccer enthusiast or not, this is a nice read. Especially if you're a Matildas fan!
Australian Matildas soccer star Keeley McGee is playing in the 2023 World Cup in front of her home crowd and couldn't be more excited or proud. To win, her team will have to go up against some fierce opponents - none fiercer than the U.S team, including the devastatingly talented, beautiful Christine Delacourt, the woman who abruptly dumped Keeley back in college and broke her heart.
Now that they have to go up against each other on the world's biggest stage, will they be able to keep their heads in the game? Both women are determined to do so - because no matter how they feel about one another or their history, their ultimate goal is to win it all. And hopefully not at the risk of their hearts.
Kudos to Liz Rain for planning ahead for a sports romance to coincide with the World Cup event in Australia! While this romance is on the lighter side, there is some angst around what they would need to overcome to be together. Whether you're a soccer enthusiast or not, this is a nice read. Especially if you're a Matildas fan!
August 14, 2023
A totally enjoyable read, and topical to boot…World Cup soccer boot, that is. The football background was interesting but not overpowering. I really like Liz Rain’s writing style, her believable characters and their natural dialogue. An added bonus was the humour. The steamy bits in this story aren’t simply sex scenes. They’re romantic. Add the heart-warming happily-ever-after and it’s a 5-star from this armchair sports fan. Full time…final score…5-star
July 10, 2023
Great set up! Although less than 20% in I really enjoyed the first temporary defrosting of the mains relationship. Don't get me wrong, this is not an insta-love, even for the first time in this second chance romance. The timeline continued to move between recent past and present.
Funnily enough though I didn’t enjoy the reunion sex. It must be difficult for writers to keep sex scenes fresh.
Viv, one of the secondary characters is a hoot. Also Lori, tho’ much less page time, also made me laugh.
I was really tense during a pivotal football match, and that’s not a phrase I thought I would write. I also liked that the detail of match play was only given when it would further the plot rather than just add flavour.
Talking of flavour, I love foreign (to me) set novels that give the flavour of the land they are set in, this writer does this well.
A light quick read, tho I will confess to wondering if it would all work out due to the plot twist very close to the end. All was well and I felt the ending was appropriate rather than rushed. 3.5 up to 4, because of Viv!
Funnily enough though I didn’t enjoy the reunion sex. It must be difficult for writers to keep sex scenes fresh.
Viv, one of the secondary characters is a hoot. Also Lori, tho’ much less page time, also made me laugh.
I was really tense during a pivotal football match, and that’s not a phrase I thought I would write. I also liked that the detail of match play was only given when it would further the plot rather than just add flavour.
Talking of flavour, I love foreign (to me) set novels that give the flavour of the land they are set in, this writer does this well.
A light quick read, tho I will confess to wondering if it would all work out due to the plot twist very close to the end. All was well and I felt the ending was appropriate rather than rushed. 3.5 up to 4, because of Viv!
July 29, 2023
Soccer romance set at the Women‘s World Cup
As a longtime fan of Women‘s soccer I really looked forward to reading this story right at the start of the Women‘s World Cup in Australia / NZ.
I really loved how Liz Rain (a solid and well-established writer) tells the story of Keeley and the Matildas with unabashed Australian pride and a good pinch of Aussie-ness. But here comes the big BUT I really disliked both main characters: Keeley came for me across as the dumpster-dumb jock (inside joke) and Christine - well I didn‘t get Christine at all: a remote, carreer-oriented ice-queen who had dumped Keeley before and broken her heart. There old and newly kindled relationship felt both flat for me.
I loved the soccer vibe and would have liked a bit more of it esp. at the end which felt rather rushed.
Thanks to netgalley and Ylva for the ARC. The review is left voluntarily.
As a longtime fan of Women‘s soccer I really looked forward to reading this story right at the start of the Women‘s World Cup in Australia / NZ.
I really loved how Liz Rain (a solid and well-established writer) tells the story of Keeley and the Matildas with unabashed Australian pride and a good pinch of Aussie-ness. But here comes the big BUT I really disliked both main characters: Keeley came for me across as the dumpster-dumb jock (inside joke) and Christine - well I didn‘t get Christine at all: a remote, carreer-oriented ice-queen who had dumped Keeley before and broken her heart. There old and newly kindled relationship felt both flat for me.
I loved the soccer vibe and would have liked a bit more of it esp. at the end which felt rather rushed.
Thanks to netgalley and Ylva for the ARC. The review is left voluntarily.
July 24, 2023
This story has coincided, when I have read it, with the world women's soccer competition itself on which it is based. So that has given it a little extra grace. It has had a negative point for me, since the reference to any of the European women's soccer teams that appear in the story has included some teams that are not relevant in the matter and has excluded others that are doing a lot both for the promotion of this sport and for the girls' base formation. I am a tifosi, hooligan, fan, whatever you want to call me, of this sport and I find it very easy to do a little research on it by any author who wants to address this topic. It is not necessary to look very far and in that aspect this story has some errors.
The story itself is quite basic, two women who have to play on the same soccer team, one is Australian and the other American, at first they can't stand each other but by dint of having to form a team they end up having a personal relationship. But then, the World Cup is about to start and each of them must focus on their respective national team, with little communication between them when it comes to breaking up, which causes broken hearts and misunderstandings. Pretty typical.
If you are not a fan of women's soccer or soccer in general, this story may bore you a bit, since it has jargon and situations that if you do not have some knowledge you may not understand. As a romance it's pretty basic. A sports romance.
Ylva Publishing was kind enough to provide me with an advanced reading copy via Netgalley for an honest review
The story itself is quite basic, two women who have to play on the same soccer team, one is Australian and the other American, at first they can't stand each other but by dint of having to form a team they end up having a personal relationship. But then, the World Cup is about to start and each of them must focus on their respective national team, with little communication between them when it comes to breaking up, which causes broken hearts and misunderstandings. Pretty typical.
If you are not a fan of women's soccer or soccer in general, this story may bore you a bit, since it has jargon and situations that if you do not have some knowledge you may not understand. As a romance it's pretty basic. A sports romance.
Ylva Publishing was kind enough to provide me with an advanced reading copy via Netgalley for an honest review
July 17, 2023
3/5 This should had worked, so why didn't it worked?!?!We got sport romance with rivals AND a second chance, so what's the problem?
That they weren't working together.I'm serious no matter the timeline I just can't bring myself to believe they were any kind of soulmates ,I couldn't see a connection or anything between them that was worth exploring.
I liked Keeley's character individually, she's likeable,which can't be said the same about Christine.
The reason for they "enemies-lovers " was stupid,their interactions were awkward, either that or cringe.
Most of this book I was like "this can't get worse?" And then "oh fuck why did it got worse?"
It wasn't obviously for me,but I did see potential for the author, I might have to check another book.
*ARC recieved from the publisher (Ylva Publishing) through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. *
That they weren't working together.I'm serious no matter the timeline I just can't bring myself to believe they were any kind of soulmates ,I couldn't see a connection or anything between them that was worth exploring.
I liked Keeley's character individually, she's likeable,which can't be said the same about Christine.
The reason for they "enemies-lovers " was stupid,their interactions were awkward, either that or cringe.
Most of this book I was like "this can't get worse?" And then "oh fuck why did it got worse?"
It wasn't obviously for me,but I did see potential for the author, I might have to check another book.
*ARC recieved from the publisher (Ylva Publishing) through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. *
January 30, 2024
I thoroughly enjoyed this 2nd(3rd) chance love story based in soccer (football).Keeley is an Australian who went to college in Floria on a football scholarship. When before the NCAA tournament the coach brings in Christine, from another school. Keeley and Christine were like oil and water, did not mix. After losing their first match together, the coach makes them practice together AFTER practice.
This also takes us to the World Cup and Keeley is playing for Australia and Christine for USA. This is action packed both on the pitch and in the bedroom. 5 stars!
This also takes us to the World Cup and Keeley is playing for Australia and Christine for USA. This is action packed both on the pitch and in the bedroom. 5 stars!
July 19, 2023
Onside play by Liz Rain is an opposites attract, second chance romance about two women who play for opposite teams on the field but the same team off it.
Keeley McGee has dreams to play in the women’s World Cup. After spending a semester in college playing with Christine Delacourt she now has to play against her in the biggest games of their careers. But it’s not just history on the pitch they share. Keeley and Christine had a brief but passionate college relationship off the pitch too, a relationship that still keeps Keeley up at night. So what will happen when these women meet once again? Can Keeley look past their history of hurt and attraction and keep her head in the game or is the pull Christine has on her too strong to resist?
I adore this book. I couldn’t put it down. The writing is witty and funny but also sweet and tender and full of all those wonderful delicious feels.
The story is told from Keeley’s point of view and flips between her college years and now- the 2023 women’s World Cup. It’s not flash backs, it’s just that some chapters are written as things happened in 2019 and others in 2023.
I had so much fun getting to know this goofy, fun women. She has a huge heart, is loyal and hard working. It was fascinating getting to see the changes in her between 2019 and 23.
Although this book is full of longing it is low on anguish and filled with beautiful friendships that left me longing to be part of the characters world.
Keeley is a wonderful character she has that cheeky charisma which warms you to her instantly. She’s interesting, and funny, and I fell in love with her.
Christine is a tough nut to crack at the start, she’s aloof and slightly icy but as the story unfolds and I got to know her through Keeley, I was smitten. She’s strong and super focused but has this adorable soft side that will melt you.
As I read how their past and present relationship panned out I loved getting to know how they were, compared to how they are now. It’s funny because in terms of a romance book the main characters actually don’t spend a lot of time physically together yet this book is full of swoon worthy romance that had me smiling and sighing throughout, it’s amazing how much can be felt and said during a phone call. That being said when these two ladies are together be prepared for fireworks people because it is HOTT hot.
This book is a romance between two amazing characters that you will fall in love with, but it’s also a love story about the game of women’s football/soccer. This author knows her stuff about what happens before and during a match. I was there on the field, I heard the crowd, felt the adrenaline spike and celebrated the victories.
Onside Play has left me with a huge book hangover. I went back and re-read part’s because I’m not ready to let these characters and their world go. It’s superbly written and will leave you longing for more.
This is Liz Rains second book and it is just as fabulous if not better than her first. She writes well rounded characters who stay with me and stories that I want to read again and again.
5 stars plus from me. This is the perfect time to grab this book just in time for the Women’s World Cup- you won’t be disappointed.
(Arc received from NetGallery)
Keeley McGee has dreams to play in the women’s World Cup. After spending a semester in college playing with Christine Delacourt she now has to play against her in the biggest games of their careers. But it’s not just history on the pitch they share. Keeley and Christine had a brief but passionate college relationship off the pitch too, a relationship that still keeps Keeley up at night. So what will happen when these women meet once again? Can Keeley look past their history of hurt and attraction and keep her head in the game or is the pull Christine has on her too strong to resist?
I adore this book. I couldn’t put it down. The writing is witty and funny but also sweet and tender and full of all those wonderful delicious feels.
The story is told from Keeley’s point of view and flips between her college years and now- the 2023 women’s World Cup. It’s not flash backs, it’s just that some chapters are written as things happened in 2019 and others in 2023.
I had so much fun getting to know this goofy, fun women. She has a huge heart, is loyal and hard working. It was fascinating getting to see the changes in her between 2019 and 23.
Although this book is full of longing it is low on anguish and filled with beautiful friendships that left me longing to be part of the characters world.
Keeley is a wonderful character she has that cheeky charisma which warms you to her instantly. She’s interesting, and funny, and I fell in love with her.
Christine is a tough nut to crack at the start, she’s aloof and slightly icy but as the story unfolds and I got to know her through Keeley, I was smitten. She’s strong and super focused but has this adorable soft side that will melt you.
As I read how their past and present relationship panned out I loved getting to know how they were, compared to how they are now. It’s funny because in terms of a romance book the main characters actually don’t spend a lot of time physically together yet this book is full of swoon worthy romance that had me smiling and sighing throughout, it’s amazing how much can be felt and said during a phone call. That being said when these two ladies are together be prepared for fireworks people because it is HOTT hot.
This book is a romance between two amazing characters that you will fall in love with, but it’s also a love story about the game of women’s football/soccer. This author knows her stuff about what happens before and during a match. I was there on the field, I heard the crowd, felt the adrenaline spike and celebrated the victories.
Onside Play has left me with a huge book hangover. I went back and re-read part’s because I’m not ready to let these characters and their world go. It’s superbly written and will leave you longing for more.
This is Liz Rains second book and it is just as fabulous if not better than her first. She writes well rounded characters who stay with me and stories that I want to read again and again.
5 stars plus from me. This is the perfect time to grab this book just in time for the Women’s World Cup- you won’t be disappointed.
(Arc received from NetGallery)
July 11, 2023
I love a book that keeps me in constant suspense and this was definitely a push-pull emotional ride with heartbreaks, make-ups, disappointments, lustful glances in a crowd and brief encounters that created yearnings for more.
The book is set around two rival soccer stars on a collision course. The American, Christine and the Australian, Keeley, first met as teammates at FSU (Florida State University.) They began with a lot of drama about some personality clashes on the team, eventually only having eyes for each other until Christine suddenly broke it off by leaving the school. That was the beginning of a pattern for Christine, who always bailed, insisting she needed to keep her focus. It was the first of several times that Keeley’s heart would crumble.
The book didn’t have a lot of detailed play by play soccer action, but the action it did have was quite dramatic and intense. Most focus was about team drama and inside tension around the importance of being a team member and not allowing distractions, such as the time Keeley had a one night fling with a famous Australian pop singer and was filmed by a mob of fans as she escaped a hotel in the wee hours. The encounter went viral, embellishing Keeley’s reputation!
Christine and Keeley both made their respective American and Australian national teams and were headed to a potential face off in the World Cup. Although I’m American and personally know very little about the rules and strategy of soccer, I was pulling for Australia so I could celebrate and chant, Aussie, Aussie, Aussie! oi, oi, oi!
Two other important characters were Keeley’s housemates, Viv, an actress who was like a big sister to her, and Fletch, a non-binary teammate. They provided important support for Keeley.
The most fun thing for me that kept me smiling was how the attraction between Keeley and Christine, two rivals, managed to survive and how the two managed to be able to communicate across a room with only their eyes and be able to manage and manipulate brief, clandestine meetings with some steamy moments such as one in the back of the team bus!
The author’s writing was brilliant as she conveyed lots of emotion, drama and humor. The constant intrigue of what was going to happen to our characters was compelling and kept my attention without hesitation.
My thanks to NetGalley and Ylva Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
The book is set around two rival soccer stars on a collision course. The American, Christine and the Australian, Keeley, first met as teammates at FSU (Florida State University.) They began with a lot of drama about some personality clashes on the team, eventually only having eyes for each other until Christine suddenly broke it off by leaving the school. That was the beginning of a pattern for Christine, who always bailed, insisting she needed to keep her focus. It was the first of several times that Keeley’s heart would crumble.
The book didn’t have a lot of detailed play by play soccer action, but the action it did have was quite dramatic and intense. Most focus was about team drama and inside tension around the importance of being a team member and not allowing distractions, such as the time Keeley had a one night fling with a famous Australian pop singer and was filmed by a mob of fans as she escaped a hotel in the wee hours. The encounter went viral, embellishing Keeley’s reputation!
Christine and Keeley both made their respective American and Australian national teams and were headed to a potential face off in the World Cup. Although I’m American and personally know very little about the rules and strategy of soccer, I was pulling for Australia so I could celebrate and chant, Aussie, Aussie, Aussie! oi, oi, oi!
Two other important characters were Keeley’s housemates, Viv, an actress who was like a big sister to her, and Fletch, a non-binary teammate. They provided important support for Keeley.
The most fun thing for me that kept me smiling was how the attraction between Keeley and Christine, two rivals, managed to survive and how the two managed to be able to communicate across a room with only their eyes and be able to manage and manipulate brief, clandestine meetings with some steamy moments such as one in the back of the team bus!
The author’s writing was brilliant as she conveyed lots of emotion, drama and humor. The constant intrigue of what was going to happen to our characters was compelling and kept my attention without hesitation.
My thanks to NetGalley and Ylva Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
July 30, 2023
Ok, so I should admit I had never watched a game of soccer until a couple of nights ago when Australia beat Ireland in Sydney. And Onside Play by Liz Rain is the book that made me curious, so dropping this new release at the same time as the FIFA World Cup was a great strategy.
Australian soccer superstar Keeley began her career as a college player in the USA. It was there that she met Christine. It was far from love at first sight, but after being forced to work together, friendship, and then love followed.
A few years later, having gone their separate ways, it’s World Cup time, and Keeley’s team is about to face off against the USA. As soon as they interact again, sparks fly, and Keeley is left contemplating Christine’s feelings toward her.
The romance between the two MCs is hot and fast, as neither wants to hold back or miss opportunities to be together. As they navigate secret rendezvous while playing the most important matches of their lives, the question of whether they can be more is at the forefront of Keeley’s mind.
I learned a lot about soccer while reading Onside Play, and not once did it bore me. Having the romance weave in and out of the matches kept the pace fast. It became easy to imagine how these situations could easily transpire in the real world, making the connection with the characters all the better.
Liz Rain has written a fantastic sports/second-chance romance; now is the perfect time to read it!
Australian soccer superstar Keeley began her career as a college player in the USA. It was there that she met Christine. It was far from love at first sight, but after being forced to work together, friendship, and then love followed.
A few years later, having gone their separate ways, it’s World Cup time, and Keeley’s team is about to face off against the USA. As soon as they interact again, sparks fly, and Keeley is left contemplating Christine’s feelings toward her.
The romance between the two MCs is hot and fast, as neither wants to hold back or miss opportunities to be together. As they navigate secret rendezvous while playing the most important matches of their lives, the question of whether they can be more is at the forefront of Keeley’s mind.
I learned a lot about soccer while reading Onside Play, and not once did it bore me. Having the romance weave in and out of the matches kept the pace fast. It became easy to imagine how these situations could easily transpire in the real world, making the connection with the characters all the better.
Liz Rain has written a fantastic sports/second-chance romance; now is the perfect time to read it!
October 6, 2023
Liz Rain's latest work fillled the hole left in me when the Women's World Cup ended. This second chance romance had plently of steam and just enough action via alternate timelines to keep the reading pace steady. If you're looking for a quick, enjoyable soccer focused story then this one is for you. Highly recommend.
Thank you to Ylva Publishing and NetGalley for providing an eARC for a honest review.
Thank you to Ylva Publishing and NetGalley for providing an eARC for a honest review.
October 11, 2023
Really loved this - football, bit of angst and, spoiler alert, Australia winning a game of footy - it’s all good fiction! 🤓 Highly recommended.
January 17, 2024
Onside play is an enemies to lovers, second chance sports romance. It primarily follows the MC, Keeley McGee’s POV. She is playing for Australia in the Women’s Fifa World Cup. Her ex, Christine Delacourt is playing for the USA. As the girls face off to get the win for their countries, they have to try and keep their history off the field and focus on the game. The tension had me reeled in immediately. As did the backstory. The girls in a lot of ways are polar opposites and it’s made for some heated moments.
As an Australian football fan who loves the Matildas, this book really filled the void for me. I’m a sucker for a good sport romance as well, and Liz did not dissapoint on the rivalry tension, nor the overall romance. There were some aspects of their rekindling that were a little too quick in my opinion, but I really enjoyed the story. Keeley’s friend Viv, and friend/teammate Fletch were AMAZING side characters. I loved them SO much.
received a free copy of this book from YLVA on Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️🌶️🌶️
As an Australian football fan who loves the Matildas, this book really filled the void for me. I’m a sucker for a good sport romance as well, and Liz did not dissapoint on the rivalry tension, nor the overall romance. There were some aspects of their rekindling that were a little too quick in my opinion, but I really enjoyed the story. Keeley’s friend Viv, and friend/teammate Fletch were AMAZING side characters. I loved them SO much.
received a free copy of this book from YLVA on Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️🌶️🌶️
July 12, 2023
Thank you NetGalley and Ylva Publishing for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own. I added quotes from the ARC, so some of the quotes could be changed in the final version of the book!
A second chance, enemies to lovers to strangers to lovers (their relationship went through a lot, but the author made it super easy to understand), wlw soccer romance.
“Aw. You’re sure I can’t convince you to stay?”
“I’m a weak woman. Do not tempt me.” I put my hand to the side of her face and kissed her lips gently.
I appreciated the dual pov that we got at the beginning of the book. The combination between the past and the present was super interesting, and I was at the edge of my seat to see why they initially broke up. In the present, Keele is still heartbroken after Christine broke up with her years prior. But, they will meet again on the field, and she has to get over it before their match. In the past, the two of them are on the same team and started on the wrong foot. Their coach is forcing them to spend more time together to increase the team dynamic, but they started to fall for each other. Both timelines were really fun to read about! The rivals to lovers to rivals is so juicy!
I opened my eyes. “That was as good as the win.”
“That was better than the win,” she replied.
One of my favorite troupes in books is reading about semi-famous people and seeing other characters’ comments about them. I love reading made-up articles about these characters in books, so the media aspect of the book was great.
All the characters were relatable and funny, I really appreciate books that include characters in their twenties! I’m going to uni rn, and it’s great to see characters at the same stage in life as me. Keele is a bit clueless, but she is such a sweet person. The friendships in the book are as important (if not more) than the romance! They are so supportive of each other and I like the way they make fun of each other’s problems :)
Despite the intensity of the two characters, I didn’t really support their second-chance romance. Keeley was always so unsure about the direction of their relationship, which makes sense after what happened in the past, and she felt like she had to cling to Christine or else she would leave her. They didn’t have a lot of trust, and Christine just keeps pulling away instead of talking about her feelings. I really wanted to like the two of them together, but sometimes it felt very one-sided since we only have one pov. I wish we would have had more communication about what happened before.
Because of that, I didn’t really like the ending: After everything that Keeley went through, Christine can’t just change her mind at the last second and bring her back to the bad spot she was in. I also don’t appreciate that Christine made this huge decision - that is directly related to Keeley's life - without talking to her about it beforehand. It’s something they should have decided together & I think they should have had this conversation in private rather than in front of so many people. But maybe I am just projecting :) In the end, the characters seemed happy even if I think they could have done better.
Overall, funny and full of action! I definitely recommend the book and I enjoyed reading about their journey when figuring out their relationship, the funny conversations between friends, and the soccer references.
A second chance, enemies to lovers to strangers to lovers (their relationship went through a lot, but the author made it super easy to understand), wlw soccer romance.
“Aw. You’re sure I can’t convince you to stay?”
“I’m a weak woman. Do not tempt me.” I put my hand to the side of her face and kissed her lips gently.
I appreciated the dual pov that we got at the beginning of the book. The combination between the past and the present was super interesting, and I was at the edge of my seat to see why they initially broke up. In the present, Keele is still heartbroken after Christine broke up with her years prior. But, they will meet again on the field, and she has to get over it before their match. In the past, the two of them are on the same team and started on the wrong foot. Their coach is forcing them to spend more time together to increase the team dynamic, but they started to fall for each other. Both timelines were really fun to read about! The rivals to lovers to rivals is so juicy!
I opened my eyes. “That was as good as the win.”
“That was better than the win,” she replied.
One of my favorite troupes in books is reading about semi-famous people and seeing other characters’ comments about them. I love reading made-up articles about these characters in books, so the media aspect of the book was great.
All the characters were relatable and funny, I really appreciate books that include characters in their twenties! I’m going to uni rn, and it’s great to see characters at the same stage in life as me. Keele is a bit clueless, but she is such a sweet person. The friendships in the book are as important (if not more) than the romance! They are so supportive of each other and I like the way they make fun of each other’s problems :)
Despite the intensity of the two characters, I didn’t really support their second-chance romance. Keeley was always so unsure about the direction of their relationship, which makes sense after what happened in the past, and she felt like she had to cling to Christine or else she would leave her. They didn’t have a lot of trust, and Christine just keeps pulling away instead of talking about her feelings. I really wanted to like the two of them together, but sometimes it felt very one-sided since we only have one pov. I wish we would have had more communication about what happened before.
Because of that, I didn’t really like the ending: After everything that Keeley went through, Christine can’t just change her mind at the last second and bring her back to the bad spot she was in. I also don’t appreciate that Christine made this huge decision - that is directly related to Keeley's life - without talking to her about it beforehand. It’s something they should have decided together & I think they should have had this conversation in private rather than in front of so many people. But maybe I am just projecting :) In the end, the characters seemed happy even if I think they could have done better.
Overall, funny and full of action! I definitely recommend the book and I enjoyed reading about their journey when figuring out their relationship, the funny conversations between friends, and the soccer references.
August 2, 2023
Very sweet!
Keeley and Christine knew each other before they ended up playing soccer in the Australian and US teams at the World Cup. Being back in one another’s lives not only presents a distraction neither of them needs but Keeley is drawn to Christine again in a way that has her daring to hope that they can perhaps get back what they one had back in college.
I loved the contrast between Keeley and Christine’s relationship, then and now, beside the big moments of both their careers. There was a great balance between them reconnecting and the games they were playing to get to the World Cup stages where hopefully one of their teams would win. As Keeley reflected on moments that transpired between them in the past, we got the opportunity to better understanding the dilemma she was facing over Christine now.
They instantly just seemed to click despite some initial hesitance. The story was very personal from Keeley, so it was easy to empathise with her views and thoughts about the situation, but there were hints that provided more insight into Christine’s decisions sometimes. It kept me hooked on whether they were going to be able to figure this out and get to a place where being in a relationship was actually going to work out for them. It wasn’t without personal and professional bumps in the road, but each and every one was a great moment.
As a sports romance this ticked all the boxes for drama, steamy moments, and intense passionate opportunities for Keeley and Christine to really be intimate and consider what they’d be missing if they didn’t sort everything out.
Keeley and Christine knew each other before they ended up playing soccer in the Australian and US teams at the World Cup. Being back in one another’s lives not only presents a distraction neither of them needs but Keeley is drawn to Christine again in a way that has her daring to hope that they can perhaps get back what they one had back in college.
I loved the contrast between Keeley and Christine’s relationship, then and now, beside the big moments of both their careers. There was a great balance between them reconnecting and the games they were playing to get to the World Cup stages where hopefully one of their teams would win. As Keeley reflected on moments that transpired between them in the past, we got the opportunity to better understanding the dilemma she was facing over Christine now.
They instantly just seemed to click despite some initial hesitance. The story was very personal from Keeley, so it was easy to empathise with her views and thoughts about the situation, but there were hints that provided more insight into Christine’s decisions sometimes. It kept me hooked on whether they were going to be able to figure this out and get to a place where being in a relationship was actually going to work out for them. It wasn’t without personal and professional bumps in the road, but each and every one was a great moment.
As a sports romance this ticked all the boxes for drama, steamy moments, and intense passionate opportunities for Keeley and Christine to really be intimate and consider what they’d be missing if they didn’t sort everything out.
July 26, 2023
With the Women's World cup kicking off and me making it my entire personality until it's over, finding this book on NetGalley (thank you for the copy) felt like a great stroke of luck. Having just finished Fourth Wing and feeling that awful book hangover I knew I needed something a little lighter before I moved through my TBR and so to stumble across this book was absolutely fantastic timing.
I must admit I approached this with a little trepidation, I am LGBT and have made a really concerted effort over the last year to read more LGBT books. I don't know if I've just been picking the wrong ones but I have found most of them to kind of.. suck? So although I wanted to have high hopes for Onside Play, I did prepare myself for the worst. I am happy to say I was pleasantly surprised.
Neither of the two main characters were overly annoying which was refreshing as I've found a lot of them to be that way (I'm looking at you, Delilah Green). I also found myself really liking the side characters, especially the theatre obsessed Rachel Berry-esque roommate. I'm also a theatre kid so to get football, theatre references and lesbians in one story was a big winner for me.
This book does have a few spicy scenes which were pretty well written, I'm not a prude but also not a huge smut person but did not mind it at all in this book.
This is a really really easy read, is it full of deep back story and poetic prose? No. But it is a nice little sapphic love story and I would genuinely recommend it.
I must admit I approached this with a little trepidation, I am LGBT and have made a really concerted effort over the last year to read more LGBT books. I don't know if I've just been picking the wrong ones but I have found most of them to kind of.. suck? So although I wanted to have high hopes for Onside Play, I did prepare myself for the worst. I am happy to say I was pleasantly surprised.
Neither of the two main characters were overly annoying which was refreshing as I've found a lot of them to be that way (I'm looking at you, Delilah Green). I also found myself really liking the side characters, especially the theatre obsessed Rachel Berry-esque roommate. I'm also a theatre kid so to get football, theatre references and lesbians in one story was a big winner for me.
This book does have a few spicy scenes which were pretty well written, I'm not a prude but also not a huge smut person but did not mind it at all in this book.
This is a really really easy read, is it full of deep back story and poetic prose? No. But it is a nice little sapphic love story and I would genuinely recommend it.
July 10, 2023
would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book
womens football and the world cup...whats not to like about this book
australian footballer keeley mcgee has always wanted to play in the world cup and its about to happen
christine delacourt plays for the usa team and dreams of winning the world cup....
these two mighty players are about to meet on the field after a bitter break up a few years ago...
you always have to feel for the underdog and this story is no different.....there are always gonna be winners and losers
its a good feel good story to this one
womens football and the world cup...whats not to like about this book
australian footballer keeley mcgee has always wanted to play in the world cup and its about to happen
christine delacourt plays for the usa team and dreams of winning the world cup....
these two mighty players are about to meet on the field after a bitter break up a few years ago...
you always have to feel for the underdog and this story is no different.....there are always gonna be winners and losers
its a good feel good story to this one
July 19, 2023
While I’m not a sports enthusiast, I do love Bend It Like Beckham, so I’m thrilled to see several sapphic soccer (aka football) romances coming out in 2023.
This story was really cute with a couple dashes of spice. Keeley was immediately lovable, as were her friends Viv and Fletch. I never truly warmed to Christine though. While I wanted Keeley to be happy, Amber seemed like a much better match for her. I wouldn’t mind reading a spin-off book centering on Amber and perhaps a one night stand of hers who becomes more.
Overall a fun read for anyone who enjoys sporty romances and second chances.
I received an advanced copy from the publisher and am voluntarily leaving this review.
This story was really cute with a couple dashes of spice. Keeley was immediately lovable, as were her friends Viv and Fletch. I never truly warmed to Christine though. While I wanted Keeley to be happy, Amber seemed like a much better match for her. I wouldn’t mind reading a spin-off book centering on Amber and perhaps a one night stand of hers who becomes more.
Overall a fun read for anyone who enjoys sporty romances and second chances.
I received an advanced copy from the publisher and am voluntarily leaving this review.
July 14, 2023
Good timing with the World Cup just about to start but unfortunately it fell so flat for me. The style of writing doesn't work for me and the dialogue was really clunky, none of it felt like anything people would ever say, let alone the type of people actually saying it. It's personal taste, I know, but I found it really hard to like or care about a twenty five year old professional soccer play who said "shitballs" and "hellballs" at least once a chapter. The coach speak and team dynamics didn't land at all for me and the interactions between everyone were really off. The idea of the plot is fine: Christine transferred to FSU during her senior year, gets off on the wrong foot with Keeley, they're forced to spend more time together, and eventually fall in love, kind of? - but no aspect of it was given enough time to develop into anything genuine. It was hard to understand why anyone felt the way they did and all of the characters were so simple that it was hard to connect to them. I think this is a common thread in romance novels right now, where there's a really linear plot that clips together at a fast pace and then suddenly there's a clear happy ending with no real understanding of how or why they ended up together. I know that's the point of romance and I usually can get into it if the characters are interesting and their relationship has chemistry or some sort of dynamic, but a lot of them are falling short to me lately and this is book is unfortunately in that group.
Onside Play is also really short and I never say that books should but longer, but the pacing felt off. There's dual timelines: 2019 at Florida State University and 2023 at the World cup, and it felt unnecessary to have both. There was weirdly a lot of filler for the amount of pages and everything about Christine and Keeley was rushed. The reason for their breakup is fine but it was so hard for me to believe they both had crazy, intense, real feelings after a few weeks for it to become the issue it did. Christine's actions were difficult to justify as she seemed to change her mind randomly every so often without any actual reasons.
I probably care too much about sports realism compared to most people who are going to read this book, but it's so hard for me to accept the most insane decisions related to a soccer team even if I know they're only there to get the two characters together. The book struggles when describing plays and the importance of the World Cup. I know it's only meant to to be the setting and not offer much more than that, and I don't want to get into, "I just wish this was another book" territory, but it's baffling neither of them seemed to care that much about winning except for throwaway lines and random extreme reactions to matches. It felt trite when Keeley would reflect on "What It Means To Be An Athlete." The writing wasn't strong enough to make it seem like anything more than, "sports are hard, winning is good, but it's okay if we lose because we tried hard." Logistically, nothing makes sense. I know it is a romance novel and the romance is the point, but having a main character who talks about it being her dream while also...not prioritizing the World Cup and can't wait for it to be over is so insane to me. Vague spoiler, but my biggest complaint about the reality of being a professional soccer player is the sex scene that takes place on the team bus during the World Cup. In what world? The last minute conflict was very weird and I think the book really struggled with dealing with Christine as a character. She was incredibly hot and cold, and since the POV was so tight to Keeley it was confusing to understand why she was still interested after Christine hurt her so many times and never really proved that she cared.
There's no actual tension with the romance or the soccer. Both story lines are nonsensical, the beats of the tournament are drawn out until the final match which is given no time what so ever on the page, and their relationship goes from good to bad to good with no real explanations for why. There were so many aspects that didn't make sense to me and I found it a difficult book to finish.
Onside Play is also really short and I never say that books should but longer, but the pacing felt off. There's dual timelines: 2019 at Florida State University and 2023 at the World cup, and it felt unnecessary to have both. There was weirdly a lot of filler for the amount of pages and everything about Christine and Keeley was rushed. The reason for their breakup is fine but it was so hard for me to believe they both had crazy, intense, real feelings after a few weeks for it to become the issue it did. Christine's actions were difficult to justify as she seemed to change her mind randomly every so often without any actual reasons.
I probably care too much about sports realism compared to most people who are going to read this book, but it's so hard for me to accept the most insane decisions related to a soccer team even if I know they're only there to get the two characters together. The book struggles when describing plays and the importance of the World Cup. I know it's only meant to to be the setting and not offer much more than that, and I don't want to get into, "I just wish this was another book" territory, but it's baffling neither of them seemed to care that much about winning except for throwaway lines and random extreme reactions to matches. It felt trite when Keeley would reflect on "What It Means To Be An Athlete." The writing wasn't strong enough to make it seem like anything more than, "sports are hard, winning is good, but it's okay if we lose because we tried hard." Logistically, nothing makes sense. I know it is a romance novel and the romance is the point, but having a main character who talks about it being her dream while also...not prioritizing the World Cup and can't wait for it to be over is so insane to me. Vague spoiler, but my biggest complaint about the reality of being a professional soccer player is the sex scene that takes place on the team bus during the World Cup. In what world? The last minute conflict was very weird and I think the book really struggled with dealing with Christine as a character. She was incredibly hot and cold, and since the POV was so tight to Keeley it was confusing to understand why she was still interested after Christine hurt her so many times and never really proved that she cared.
There's no actual tension with the romance or the soccer. Both story lines are nonsensical, the beats of the tournament are drawn out until the final match which is given no time what so ever on the page, and their relationship goes from good to bad to good with no real explanations for why. There were so many aspects that didn't make sense to me and I found it a difficult book to finish.
December 24, 2023
*2.5 Stars*
I SO badly wanted to love this but it was just a little bit of a miss for me.
What I did like;
- I actually did like the Australian setting (usually I kinda hate stuff based here), but it worked well, especially in light of the world cup being here this year.
- I thought the soccer content was decent
- I liked Keeley as a MC and I enjoyed Fletch and Viv as her friends
- MELBOURNE VICTORY REPPPP YEAHHH!!!!
- Nailed the USA's over confidence lmao
What I didn't like;
- The relationship - I didn't mind Christine as a character but if she was going to be written the way she was I would have preferred it didn't end with them getting together. I felt so unfair to Keeley that Chsitine would be the one to initiate contact and pursue a relationship again only to bail AGAIN for the same reasons. Just seemed like she didn't learn much from the first time and ultimately didn't feel like a great match. Keeley will always be making herself smaller for Christine. Also, a public declaration when you're both public figures? after the way she acted beforehand AND after Keeley said "not now"??? Naur that is manipulative af.
- Both Keeley and Christine seemed to have weird reactions to having to play against each other, Keeley not being sure if she wants to win (huhh??) and Chsitine being a poor sport after she loses. I know soccer players are still human but idk it felt a little unrealistic - given the amount of in house dating between lesbian soccer players that this wouldn't just be business as usual for them.
All in all this wasn't at all a bad read but it just didn't hit like I had hoped it would.
I SO badly wanted to love this but it was just a little bit of a miss for me.
What I did like;
- I actually did like the Australian setting (usually I kinda hate stuff based here), but it worked well, especially in light of the world cup being here this year.
- I thought the soccer content was decent
- I liked Keeley as a MC and I enjoyed Fletch and Viv as her friends
- MELBOURNE VICTORY REPPPP YEAHHH!!!!
- Nailed the USA's over confidence lmao
What I didn't like;
- The relationship - I didn't mind Christine as a character but if she was going to be written the way she was I would have preferred it didn't end with them getting together. I felt so unfair to Keeley that Chsitine would be the one to initiate contact and pursue a relationship again only to bail AGAIN for the same reasons. Just seemed like she didn't learn much from the first time and ultimately didn't feel like a great match. Keeley will always be making herself smaller for Christine. Also, a public declaration when you're both public figures? after the way she acted beforehand AND after Keeley said "not now"??? Naur that is manipulative af.
- Both Keeley and Christine seemed to have weird reactions to having to play against each other, Keeley not being sure if she wants to win (huhh??) and Chsitine being a poor sport after she loses. I know soccer players are still human but idk it felt a little unrealistic - given the amount of in house dating between lesbian soccer players that this wouldn't just be business as usual for them.
All in all this wasn't at all a bad read but it just didn't hit like I had hoped it would.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 19, 2023
2.75/5
What I liked:
- the women's world cup as the setting
- the football theme
- inclusion of non-binary characters
What I didn't enjoy as much:
- the characters → I felt like I couldn't really connect to the main characters and I especially didn't warm up towards Christine, which is why I couldn't really be happy about her second chance with Keeley. I understood from where she was coming from, but her decision-making wasn't really it. Therefore, I wasn't really rooting for the reunion of the main characters, which is why the romance felt flat for me.
What I liked:
- the women's world cup as the setting
- the football theme
- inclusion of non-binary characters
What I didn't enjoy as much:
- the characters → I felt like I couldn't really connect to the main characters and I especially didn't warm up towards Christine, which is why I couldn't really be happy about her second chance with Keeley. I understood from where she was coming from, but her decision-making wasn't really it. Therefore, I wasn't really rooting for the reunion of the main characters, which is why the romance felt flat for me.
January 22, 2024
This was fun but only for the soccer parts, I didn't like Christine at all she was a bad loser and crappy person and probably didn't deserve to be given any more chances. The Australian terminology was funny to read but not very enjoyable, for some reason reading mate in a book so much stresses me out. I did like seeing familiar places named and the idea of Australia winning the world cup
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