What do you think?
Rate this book
Love is Awkward #1
Feeling Ballsy
Elin Axelsson is unmistakably the worst goalie in her women’s indoor soccer league. Yet each week, she laces up her cleats, pumps up her teammates, and gives it her all. At least playing soccer means being able to spend more time with her all-star goalie boyfriend, Nate. And her best friend of fifteen years—who’s a total ladies’ man—Hawk.
But when Elin catches Nate cheating, she dumps his ass, and finds herself thrust back into the weird world of online dating. At least she has Hawk to lean on. He has a new woman every week, and is a dating expert. But after a few awkward first dates with other people, Elin starts noticing Hawk in a different light. Except, that can’t happen. She can’t risk losing him, or their fifteen-year friendship if things go sour.
That is, until they manage to fall tongue-first into each other’s mouths. The two form a pact to prevent diving hormones-first into more bad relationships. They’ll hook up with each other, and compartmentalize their friendship. But there are Elin sets the pace, no sex with others while the pact is in effect, and if either develop romantic feelings for the other, they must bail out to protect the friendship. It’s the perfect arrangement!
Until it isn’t.
But when Elin catches Nate cheating, she dumps his ass, and finds herself thrust back into the weird world of online dating. At least she has Hawk to lean on. He has a new woman every week, and is a dating expert. But after a few awkward first dates with other people, Elin starts noticing Hawk in a different light. Except, that can’t happen. She can’t risk losing him, or their fifteen-year friendship if things go sour.
That is, until they manage to fall tongue-first into each other’s mouths. The two form a pact to prevent diving hormones-first into more bad relationships. They’ll hook up with each other, and compartmentalize their friendship. But there are Elin sets the pace, no sex with others while the pact is in effect, and if either develop romantic feelings for the other, they must bail out to protect the friendship. It’s the perfect arrangement!
Until it isn’t.
279 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 1, 2023
5 people are currently reading
182 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
July 15, 2023
Have you ever had a best friend that is always there for you, and well you realise you're actually in love with them?
"Feeling Ballsy" by Beck Erixson is the love story of Elin and Hawk. Best friends of years that have withstood the ups and downs of relationships, jobs, soccer teams and annoying situations together. The story begins with us learning about Nate, Elin's annoying and gross boyfriend of 5 years and how she doesn't know whether to end their relationship. We understand that Elin believes Nate may not like her the same anymore. Hawk doesn't really like Nate but really wants Elin to be happy.
Their love story is not at all perfect, it's sweet. Hawk is always being himself and encouraging Elin to be her, which she needs. Elin needs a lot of therapy like I wanted her to work on herself. She needs it, but glad she has a great support system that she has. I also wanted Hawk's POV so badly!!! But it's such a great read.
Thank you, NetGalley for this read
"Feeling Ballsy" by Beck Erixson is the love story of Elin and Hawk. Best friends of years that have withstood the ups and downs of relationships, jobs, soccer teams and annoying situations together. The story begins with us learning about Nate, Elin's annoying and gross boyfriend of 5 years and how she doesn't know whether to end their relationship. We understand that Elin believes Nate may not like her the same anymore. Hawk doesn't really like Nate but really wants Elin to be happy.
Their love story is not at all perfect, it's sweet. Hawk is always being himself and encouraging Elin to be her, which she needs. Elin needs a lot of therapy like I wanted her to work on herself. She needs it, but glad she has a great support system that she has. I also wanted Hawk's POV so badly!!! But it's such a great read.
Thank you, NetGalley for this read
July 12, 2023
Felling Ballsy is a cute best friends to lovers romance with a soccer setting.
Elin, her long-term but crappy boyfriend Nate, and her best friend Hawk play in a non-pro soccer league with the other interesting secondary characters.
I enjoyed this sweet story, I loved seeing Elin standing up for herself and moving on from a lousy relationship and Hawk helping her find herself along the way. Despite the MCs being friends for over a decade their feelings developed naturally and were believable. There are enough spicy scenes between the two and no unnecessary drama.
I did feel like the beginning was a tad bit too slow for me, it took a while for Elin to break up with her ex and for her and Hawk to start progressing from friends to lovers but once it did I was hooked. I also felt the ending was rushed and ended abruptly, I wished there were just a few more scenes between the MCs.
Overall, I would recommend this quick light-hearted romance especially if you love the best friends-to-lovers trope.
Thank you Netgalley and the author Beck Erixson for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
Elin, her long-term but crappy boyfriend Nate, and her best friend Hawk play in a non-pro soccer league with the other interesting secondary characters.
I enjoyed this sweet story, I loved seeing Elin standing up for herself and moving on from a lousy relationship and Hawk helping her find herself along the way. Despite the MCs being friends for over a decade their feelings developed naturally and were believable. There are enough spicy scenes between the two and no unnecessary drama.
I did feel like the beginning was a tad bit too slow for me, it took a while for Elin to break up with her ex and for her and Hawk to start progressing from friends to lovers but once it did I was hooked. I also felt the ending was rushed and ended abruptly, I wished there were just a few more scenes between the MCs.
Overall, I would recommend this quick light-hearted romance especially if you love the best friends-to-lovers trope.
Thank you Netgalley and the author Beck Erixson for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
July 4, 2023
Thank you, NetGalley for sending this arc in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Unfortunately, this book was a big miss for me.
Firstly, there were too many uninteresting scenes that didn't really develop the story, it felt like they were there just to bulk it out or hit a word count.
Every single chapter seemed to start with 'I haven't seen Hawk since our last awkward enounter', even though it was never really that awkward?
It was sometimes unclear as to who was speaking which meant I had to re-read paragraphs quite often. There were also times I felt the pacing was a bit jumpy, one minute they're sworn besties, the next they decide to randomly kiss? It felt like there was a lot of missing context and there was no real emotion in any of the dialogue.
Frustratingly, a lot of the language used was confusing and didn't make sense. I think a lot of it was supposed to be funny but came across as something a young teenager would say and not someone in their mid to late twenties.
Lastly, the ending was super rushed and felt really out of left field (no pun intended!) and therefore, it is with regret that I would not recommend this book to a friend.
I am always willing to give authors a second chance, though. I am intrigued to see how the author develops and what she comes up with next!
Unfortunately, this book was a big miss for me.
Firstly, there were too many uninteresting scenes that didn't really develop the story, it felt like they were there just to bulk it out or hit a word count.
Every single chapter seemed to start with 'I haven't seen Hawk since our last awkward enounter', even though it was never really that awkward?
It was sometimes unclear as to who was speaking which meant I had to re-read paragraphs quite often. There were also times I felt the pacing was a bit jumpy, one minute they're sworn besties, the next they decide to randomly kiss? It felt like there was a lot of missing context and there was no real emotion in any of the dialogue.
Frustratingly, a lot of the language used was confusing and didn't make sense. I think a lot of it was supposed to be funny but came across as something a young teenager would say and not someone in their mid to late twenties.
Lastly, the ending was super rushed and felt really out of left field (no pun intended!) and therefore, it is with regret that I would not recommend this book to a friend.
I am always willing to give authors a second chance, though. I am intrigued to see how the author develops and what she comes up with next!
July 7, 2023
⭐️2.5
As a former ok soccer player I’m sad I didn’t like this more. This book had so much potential sadly it fell flat. I found myself confused about what was happening. It might just have been me but it seemed like whenever they were apart (which seemed like half the book at least) it was long and rather boring but when they were together everything happened VERY quick. It was giving me whiplash. The ending was cute albeit quick I wish we could have had more moments like that.
Thank you NetGalley and Xpresso Book Tours for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
As a former ok soccer player I’m sad I didn’t like this more. This book had so much potential sadly it fell flat. I found myself confused about what was happening. It might just have been me but it seemed like whenever they were apart (which seemed like half the book at least) it was long and rather boring but when they were together everything happened VERY quick. It was giving me whiplash. The ending was cute albeit quick I wish we could have had more moments like that.
Thank you NetGalley and Xpresso Book Tours for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
July 28, 2023
- Friends to lovers
- Sports Romance
- Slow burn
The story has some cute and fun moments.
I liked the friendship between Hawk and Elin and the way the story developed until they got together.
Thank you NetGalley and Beck Erixson, for the ARC.
- Sports Romance
- Slow burn
The story has some cute and fun moments.
I liked the friendship between Hawk and Elin and the way the story developed until they got together.
Thank you NetGalley and Beck Erixson, for the ARC.
August 21, 2023
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.
When Elin Axelsson agreed to be the goalie for her local team, she never expected it would take over her life. All of her friends play in the league, including her best friend of 15 years, Hawk, and her boyfriend, Nate, who is soccer mad. However, her relationship has been spiralling for years, and when she discovers that Nate has been cheating, and she embraces singledom, she finds it harder to fight her feelings for Hawk. She would do anything to avoid losing him as a best friend, but kissing him, and more, seems to be too enticing to fight.
This was a strange book, at least for me. I liked it, don't get me wrong, but after every chapter, and definitely after I finished it, I was left wanting more. Hawk and Elin were the perfect couple, who had basically been dating for years, without realising it. Elin and Nate's relationship had been sour for nearly 3 years, but she didn't really want to give up if there was hope. I wish she had a bit more of a backbone when it came to Nate, but she did get better as the book progressed. Hawk was lovely, though her gave off some mixed messages at times. It's clear he's been into Elin for a while, though like her, didn't want to risk their friendship. My one big issue with this book was how brief some of the events were, and then they were skipped over. The email incident was barely spoken about, when I would've expected it to be a lot bigger. And then the angst towards the end of the book was contrived, and then everything was resolved too quickly, and dramatically too. Like I said, I liked it, but I wanted more from the book. Maybe I'll read book 2 when it comes out, and hope that some of the questions I still have are answered.
When Elin Axelsson agreed to be the goalie for her local team, she never expected it would take over her life. All of her friends play in the league, including her best friend of 15 years, Hawk, and her boyfriend, Nate, who is soccer mad. However, her relationship has been spiralling for years, and when she discovers that Nate has been cheating, and she embraces singledom, she finds it harder to fight her feelings for Hawk. She would do anything to avoid losing him as a best friend, but kissing him, and more, seems to be too enticing to fight.
This was a strange book, at least for me. I liked it, don't get me wrong, but after every chapter, and definitely after I finished it, I was left wanting more. Hawk and Elin were the perfect couple, who had basically been dating for years, without realising it. Elin and Nate's relationship had been sour for nearly 3 years, but she didn't really want to give up if there was hope. I wish she had a bit more of a backbone when it came to Nate, but she did get better as the book progressed. Hawk was lovely, though her gave off some mixed messages at times. It's clear he's been into Elin for a while, though like her, didn't want to risk their friendship. My one big issue with this book was how brief some of the events were, and then they were skipped over. The email incident was barely spoken about, when I would've expected it to be a lot bigger. And then the angst towards the end of the book was contrived, and then everything was resolved too quickly, and dramatically too. Like I said, I liked it, but I wanted more from the book. Maybe I'll read book 2 when it comes out, and hope that some of the questions I still have are answered.
July 19, 2023
✨ 3.5 STARS ✨
friends to lovers + sports romance + slow burn
this was a cute story of a soccer player named elin falling out of love with her boyfriend and then growing in love with her best friend.
it started out a little slow for me but by the middle i was INVESTED in them getting together. i loved how it highlighted the parts of relationships that are so weird like having to just let go of years of your life with someone to start fresh, letting go of what doesn’t serve you anymore, getting your items back from your ex, and being afraid of ruining something good in the name of love.
i also loved the side characters and really enjoyed how elin had a cute team of supportive girlies to back her up on her little healing journey.
the ending felt a little bit rushed and out of nowhere but i think because of who elin and hawk are as besties for so long, it makes so much sense at the same time so i’m not mad at it.
and as a girly who has done the whole falling for your bestie immediately after a breakup type of thing, i ate this up!
[read from an arc received through netgalley]
friends to lovers + sports romance + slow burn
this was a cute story of a soccer player named elin falling out of love with her boyfriend and then growing in love with her best friend.
it started out a little slow for me but by the middle i was INVESTED in them getting together. i loved how it highlighted the parts of relationships that are so weird like having to just let go of years of your life with someone to start fresh, letting go of what doesn’t serve you anymore, getting your items back from your ex, and being afraid of ruining something good in the name of love.
i also loved the side characters and really enjoyed how elin had a cute team of supportive girlies to back her up on her little healing journey.
the ending felt a little bit rushed and out of nowhere but i think because of who elin and hawk are as besties for so long, it makes so much sense at the same time so i’m not mad at it.
and as a girly who has done the whole falling for your bestie immediately after a breakup type of thing, i ate this up!
[read from an arc received through netgalley]
June 17, 2023
This book was pretty cute. Elin, her boyfriend Nate, and her best friend Hawk all play soccer with other non-pros. Nate is … pretty terrible from page one, Hawk is amazing from page one, and well, I was hoping from the start it’s a friends to lovers trope.
I had a good time reading this. It was sweet, cute, and entertaining. (Yes, it does have some spice, so if that isn’t your thing I’d skip this one) Elin and Hawk were strong leads, Nate was more than villainous enough, and the secondary characters were pretty great. If you want a low key romance to escape for a bit, I highly recommend.
Thanks to NetGalley and Xpresso for an arc of this book.
I had a good time reading this. It was sweet, cute, and entertaining. (Yes, it does have some spice, so if that isn’t your thing I’d skip this one) Elin and Hawk were strong leads, Nate was more than villainous enough, and the secondary characters were pretty great. If you want a low key romance to escape for a bit, I highly recommend.
Thanks to NetGalley and Xpresso for an arc of this book.
July 9, 2023
This was such a sweet story! Elin and Hawk have been the best of friends from high school to college and beyond. They've had failed relationships, flings, and everything in between, and they always have each other's back. When Elin learns her long-term relationship with a less than worthy Nate is over because he cheated, she leans on Hawk to get her through. The fact that for the first time, they are both single is not lost on them, and they find an arrangement that protects their friendship from their evolving feelings.
Has all the feels of a Hallmark movie & I loved how their relationship evolved. I believed in their story & was rooting for them the entire time!
Has all the feels of a Hallmark movie & I loved how their relationship evolved. I believed in their story & was rooting for them the entire time!
August 4, 2023
A quirky, predictable romcom that really doesn't push the needle.
A friends-turned-lovers story through the lens of football, while cute overall, this book really didn't do it for me.
While there's a slow burn building throughout the book, it seems to fall flat toward the end. There are a few random scenes that seem out of place, some awkward (and confusing) context behind the reasoning for certain actions, and what felt like a rushed ending.
I did enjoy it, and will definitely check out more of Beck Erixson's work
Rating 2.59 / 5
#FeelingBallsy #NetGalley
Thanks to NetGalley, Beck Erixson and Xpresso Book Tours for the Advanced Reader Copy
A friends-turned-lovers story through the lens of football, while cute overall, this book really didn't do it for me.
While there's a slow burn building throughout the book, it seems to fall flat toward the end. There are a few random scenes that seem out of place, some awkward (and confusing) context behind the reasoning for certain actions, and what felt like a rushed ending.
I did enjoy it, and will definitely check out more of Beck Erixson's work
Rating 2.59 / 5
#FeelingBallsy #NetGalley
Thanks to NetGalley, Beck Erixson and Xpresso Book Tours for the Advanced Reader Copy
June 30, 2023
Have you ever seen a book cover and known you needed to read a book? That’s how I felt when I first saw Feeling Ballsy.
After such a strong reaction to the cover, I was even more sucked in by the dedication:
“For the ones who know love is awkward and wonderful.
Those who value their friendships whole heartedly.
And, for those who fell for their best friend.”
Reading this story had me all in my feels throughout. Beck Erixson captured the shift from best friends to lovers so excellently in this slow(ish) burn romance. Both Elin and Hawk were easy to love on their own, but even easier to love as a pair. I laughed out loud, cried, and smiled through this read.
After such a strong reaction to the cover, I was even more sucked in by the dedication:
“For the ones who know love is awkward and wonderful.
Those who value their friendships whole heartedly.
And, for those who fell for their best friend.”
Reading this story had me all in my feels throughout. Beck Erixson captured the shift from best friends to lovers so excellently in this slow(ish) burn romance. Both Elin and Hawk were easy to love on their own, but even easier to love as a pair. I laughed out loud, cried, and smiled through this read.
August 1, 2023
OMG!
The series is titled ‘Love is awkward’ for a reason. The author beautifully achieved to depict all the ramifications that comes with relationships. The angst, complications that come with wanting to protect oneself from heartbreak, the what ifs of losing a friend over a hookup. Hawk and Elin are perfect for each other from page one and everything makes sense as their story unfolds.
This book is a cheers to love, friendship, and everything in between. And I recommend it to everyone who wants a cute not-too-slow-burn romance filled with laughs, uniqueness, and your new favourite book boyfriend.
The series is titled ‘Love is awkward’ for a reason. The author beautifully achieved to depict all the ramifications that comes with relationships. The angst, complications that come with wanting to protect oneself from heartbreak, the what ifs of losing a friend over a hookup. Hawk and Elin are perfect for each other from page one and everything makes sense as their story unfolds.
This book is a cheers to love, friendship, and everything in between. And I recommend it to everyone who wants a cute not-too-slow-burn romance filled with laughs, uniqueness, and your new favourite book boyfriend.
July 26, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Feeling Ballsy gives sports romance, best friends to lovers, slow burn.
Do you know that friend who is always there for you, through ups and down? Enter sexy Hawk, Elin’s best friend of 15 years.
Elin, Hawk & Elin’s boyfriend Nate all play in a soccer league. When Elin finds out her boyfriend is cheating on her, Hawk and Elin enter into a friends with benefit situation until they eventually realize they were meant to be together. It’s definitely a slow burn which are not necessarily my favorite, but I loved so many of the characters it kept me engaged.
Thank you Beck Erixson & NetGalley for the ARC!
Feeling Ballsy gives sports romance, best friends to lovers, slow burn.
Do you know that friend who is always there for you, through ups and down? Enter sexy Hawk, Elin’s best friend of 15 years.
Elin, Hawk & Elin’s boyfriend Nate all play in a soccer league. When Elin finds out her boyfriend is cheating on her, Hawk and Elin enter into a friends with benefit situation until they eventually realize they were meant to be together. It’s definitely a slow burn which are not necessarily my favorite, but I loved so many of the characters it kept me engaged.
Thank you Beck Erixson & NetGalley for the ARC!
August 9, 2023
A story with all the feels
There's nothing not to like about this story, and I'm not really into modern romance novels. Beck Erixson has created a world that pulls you in with her unique voice and authentic emotion. Elin and Hawk are genuine and relatable; their circle of friends include people we all recognize from our own lives, down to the bad boyfriend. Feeling Ballsy is the kind of story that lives in your mind and heart long after you've reached the end of the book. Beck's pitch-perfect mix of humor, emotion and heat has me eagerly awaiting her next volume in the series. If you like a read with all the feels, this is it.
There's nothing not to like about this story, and I'm not really into modern romance novels. Beck Erixson has created a world that pulls you in with her unique voice and authentic emotion. Elin and Hawk are genuine and relatable; their circle of friends include people we all recognize from our own lives, down to the bad boyfriend. Feeling Ballsy is the kind of story that lives in your mind and heart long after you've reached the end of the book. Beck's pitch-perfect mix of humor, emotion and heat has me eagerly awaiting her next volume in the series. If you like a read with all the feels, this is it.
June 19, 2023
4.5 Stars. This is a fantastic friends to lovers book. Elon and Hawk have been circling each other 15 years. Always the wrong time wrong place for them. I really enjoyed how the line between these two was slowly crossed. Hawk is a top book boyfriend after that ending. And I really enjoyed the soccer setting.
December 18, 2023
The amount of emotions i went through in this book… wow. This book did not disappoint, the build up to the dating was PERFECT and it felt like the best friends were a couple throughout the whole book.
hawk is all i want in a man let’s be real
hawk is all i want in a man let’s be real
July 6, 2023
I was so invested in Elin's happiness. She's so cute. And I love love Hawk. I love their dynamic. It's heartwarming.
Definitely worth a read for all the sports romance girlies.
Thank you NetGalley for gifting me this e-arc.
Definitely worth a read for all the sports romance girlies.
Thank you NetGalley for gifting me this e-arc.
November 19, 2023
Thank you for this arc from NetGalley.
Releases July 31.
Will review closer to release
Releases July 31.
Will review closer to release
May 6, 2024
Loved this read!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 2, 2023
– 3 stars 1🌶️
tropes:
➺ childhood best friends
➺ friends with benefits
➺ friends to lovers
➺ “sports” romance
➺ slow burn
➺ one pov (h)
➺ cheating (not between mc’s)
Hmmm… not quite sure how to summarize this book considering I am a little lost. It started off with potential and then went downhill all of a sudden after realizing they weren't getting together any time soon. The writing wasn't bad per se, it was simply how the characters were written, or rather their personalities😭 Ok seriously give it a shot it might appeal to you but personally it was not my cup of tea.
Plot
Elin (h) finds out her boyfriend Nate (of 5 years?) has been cheating on her so she finally breaks up with him. She had already fallen out of love so a feeling of disrespect and disappointment replaced the usual heartache. However, having been with him for 5 years she finds going on dates unproductive and makes a pact with her best friend Hawk (H). They decide that while they can date other people, they can only hookup with each other AND once romantic feelings develop, the pact is over… as if that would work.
“Wildflower, I only want to kiss you. I need to kiss you.”
✽ Am I a hater? This is such a genuine question because I often find myself disliking books where the mc’s are in their 30s AND goofy/quirky. Not exactly sure why it irks my soul but let me tell you, it does. Both Elin and Hawk are playful I guess you would say, but in a bizarre uncomfortable cringe-inducing kind of way.
✽ I loved Elin’s energy towards her bf for the most part after finding out he cheated. I think it sort of showed she had bad b energy and I was all here for it.
✽ Usually, I find the banter in this genre to be my favourite but really it was the plotline. I genuinely can see the vision the author had it just wasn't executed in my favourite way.
✽ The spice was practically none existent so if that's what you’re here for exit stage right and seek help (jk I get it🤭)
✽ I loved the majority of her girlfriends, I think they kept it real and were veryy entertaining.
✽ Hawk wasn't as fiery as I wanted him to be, I kinda wanted him and Thad to switch personalities.
✽ This slow burn gave fantasy romance it was absolutely bonkers. I thought we were on track to them getting together and then SIKE I thought wrong. But hey, we move!
Conclusion
This took me weeks to finish which says a lot for me. Characters were definitely something but the creativity in the plot and idea was there. I feel like I should be clear that this isn't a professional sports romance but rather recreational. Anyways, not too bad, wouldn't read it again but nothing against it. Could be cute if you're into all of this!
*ARC provided by the author Beck Erixson via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
tropes:
➺ childhood best friends
➺ friends with benefits
➺ friends to lovers
➺ “sports” romance
➺ slow burn
➺ one pov (h)
➺ cheating (not between mc’s)
Hmmm… not quite sure how to summarize this book considering I am a little lost. It started off with potential and then went downhill all of a sudden after realizing they weren't getting together any time soon. The writing wasn't bad per se, it was simply how the characters were written, or rather their personalities😭 Ok seriously give it a shot it might appeal to you but personally it was not my cup of tea.
Plot
Elin (h) finds out her boyfriend Nate (of 5 years?) has been cheating on her so she finally breaks up with him. She had already fallen out of love so a feeling of disrespect and disappointment replaced the usual heartache. However, having been with him for 5 years she finds going on dates unproductive and makes a pact with her best friend Hawk (H). They decide that while they can date other people, they can only hookup with each other AND once romantic feelings develop, the pact is over… as if that would work.
“Wildflower, I only want to kiss you. I need to kiss you.”
✽ Am I a hater? This is such a genuine question because I often find myself disliking books where the mc’s are in their 30s AND goofy/quirky. Not exactly sure why it irks my soul but let me tell you, it does. Both Elin and Hawk are playful I guess you would say, but in a bizarre uncomfortable cringe-inducing kind of way.
✽ I loved Elin’s energy towards her bf for the most part after finding out he cheated. I think it sort of showed she had bad b energy and I was all here for it.
✽ Usually, I find the banter in this genre to be my favourite but really it was the plotline. I genuinely can see the vision the author had it just wasn't executed in my favourite way.
✽ The spice was practically none existent so if that's what you’re here for exit stage right and seek help (jk I get it🤭)
✽ I loved the majority of her girlfriends, I think they kept it real and were veryy entertaining.
✽ Hawk wasn't as fiery as I wanted him to be, I kinda wanted him and Thad to switch personalities.
✽ This slow burn gave fantasy romance it was absolutely bonkers. I thought we were on track to them getting together and then SIKE I thought wrong. But hey, we move!
Conclusion
This took me weeks to finish which says a lot for me. Characters were definitely something but the creativity in the plot and idea was there. I feel like I should be clear that this isn't a professional sports romance but rather recreational. Anyways, not too bad, wouldn't read it again but nothing against it. Could be cute if you're into all of this!
*ARC provided by the author Beck Erixson via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
August 28, 2023
Romance on the soccer fields! This is an amazing, super fun novel! It features a witty, introspective, and lovable heroine who combines ‘B-Jones-esque’ self-deprecation and tendency to blunder into highly embarrassing situations as she muddles through a breakup, faces the morass of modern dating, and ultimately finds her true love hiding right in front of her! This Friend-to-Lover story breathes new life into an old trope with enough steam without becoming smutty, and a great team of secondary characters who combine sporty snark and just enough crass gutter talk to make it believable.
Elin is a nerdy, once active musician who has adopted indoor soccer to create a bond with her handsome but immature sportster boyfriend named Nate (aka “Dolph the douche”), a dreary relationship on the rails when the story opens. In Elin’s words, “Our lives are so intertwined… sometimes I wonder if we are a habit, or if love always turns into cold kisses and congealed cheese,” and “we don’t hate each other, we coexist in relationship purgatory because neither of us wants to admit it isn’t working.” Her biggest fan, “always a better cheerleader than my boyfriend,” is her oldest friend with his ‘Hawk Handbook’ she knows intimately through years of watching him serially date his conquests. Elin and Hawk have “never really taken a direct route together in our entire friendship,” and rather than ruin her closest friendship, Elin is determined to “push lusty feelings aside to protect it.”
This is a new author to watch. ‘Feeling Ballsy’ masterfully hits the story beats of the romance novel, carrying the reader through the ups-and-downs of Elin’s journey and brings real emotions to the reader, despite the predictability of the trope. It worked for me—I fell in love with goofy Elin and cheered the happy ending! While initially the cover was not my favorite, once I read the story, I understood why it was quite apropos. The book reads fast and the author crafts wonderful phrases that sum up the lives of young 30-somethings: “Beer leagues, at least this one, are magnets for hormones and hookups,” and “I don’t want pity glitter” are examples I enjoyed. This author’s talent to capture inner monologues as well as a sarcastic voice makes the novel memorable and stand out among other books in this genre. And she knows the skills of a keeper and this sport, which makes the book feel real. Truly entertaining, this novel is a great read. If you are looking for a summer romance where ‘all’s well that ends well,’ this book is highly recommended!
Elin is a nerdy, once active musician who has adopted indoor soccer to create a bond with her handsome but immature sportster boyfriend named Nate (aka “Dolph the douche”), a dreary relationship on the rails when the story opens. In Elin’s words, “Our lives are so intertwined… sometimes I wonder if we are a habit, or if love always turns into cold kisses and congealed cheese,” and “we don’t hate each other, we coexist in relationship purgatory because neither of us wants to admit it isn’t working.” Her biggest fan, “always a better cheerleader than my boyfriend,” is her oldest friend with his ‘Hawk Handbook’ she knows intimately through years of watching him serially date his conquests. Elin and Hawk have “never really taken a direct route together in our entire friendship,” and rather than ruin her closest friendship, Elin is determined to “push lusty feelings aside to protect it.”
This is a new author to watch. ‘Feeling Ballsy’ masterfully hits the story beats of the romance novel, carrying the reader through the ups-and-downs of Elin’s journey and brings real emotions to the reader, despite the predictability of the trope. It worked for me—I fell in love with goofy Elin and cheered the happy ending! While initially the cover was not my favorite, once I read the story, I understood why it was quite apropos. The book reads fast and the author crafts wonderful phrases that sum up the lives of young 30-somethings: “Beer leagues, at least this one, are magnets for hormones and hookups,” and “I don’t want pity glitter” are examples I enjoyed. This author’s talent to capture inner monologues as well as a sarcastic voice makes the novel memorable and stand out among other books in this genre. And she knows the skills of a keeper and this sport, which makes the book feel real. Truly entertaining, this novel is a great read. If you are looking for a summer romance where ‘all’s well that ends well,’ this book is highly recommended!
July 14, 2023
⭐⭐⭐/5
🌶️🌶️/5
Friends-to-lovers
non-pro soccer league
Healing from toxic relationship
Slow burn
Women's empowerment
.
"Wildflower, I only want to kiss you. I need to kiss you."
"As inviting as that offer isn't, I want you, not your team. Always, you."
"You know, you kinda suck at soccer, but damn if you don't put your heart into everything you do. I love that about you, you put your whole self into people."
"I don't want a date. We've been in this incredible, slow, unconventional but worth every odd moment, type of courtship-to-relationship for the past fifteen years. I want more. No more dates-non-daes. The past few months, where it's been really you and me, I don't need more one-offs to tell me what I already know. What we both know. I want you."
"If this is another fake proposal." "I've never fake proposed to you. You never said yes. It's never ever been a joke."
.
I don’t see many soccer romances around so when I came across this one I had to give it a chance!
Elin and her (crappy) boyfriend Nate were together for years but sparks aren’t flying anymore. After discovering Nate was cheating on her, she finally broke up with him. After she started dating again she began to see her 15-year-long best friend Hawk differently. I actually enjoyed the story. I love how Elin’s teammates supported her during her healing period in addition to Elin’s self-improvement. The development of Elin’s and Hawk’s feelings is natural and didn’t feel forced. The beginning felt a little slow until the breakup. However, what makes it harder to read this is some scenes felt ‘telling not showing’ and a lot of missing context. Even though there are some cuts while reading and I had to read some parts twice to get the point I like this friend-to-lovers soccer romance.
Thank you, NetGalley for sending this arc in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
🌶️🌶️/5
Friends-to-lovers
non-pro soccer league
Healing from toxic relationship
Slow burn
Women's empowerment
.
"Wildflower, I only want to kiss you. I need to kiss you."
"As inviting as that offer isn't, I want you, not your team. Always, you."
"You know, you kinda suck at soccer, but damn if you don't put your heart into everything you do. I love that about you, you put your whole self into people."
"I don't want a date. We've been in this incredible, slow, unconventional but worth every odd moment, type of courtship-to-relationship for the past fifteen years. I want more. No more dates-non-daes. The past few months, where it's been really you and me, I don't need more one-offs to tell me what I already know. What we both know. I want you."
"If this is another fake proposal." "I've never fake proposed to you. You never said yes. It's never ever been a joke."
.
I don’t see many soccer romances around so when I came across this one I had to give it a chance!
Elin and her (crappy) boyfriend Nate were together for years but sparks aren’t flying anymore. After discovering Nate was cheating on her, she finally broke up with him. After she started dating again she began to see her 15-year-long best friend Hawk differently. I actually enjoyed the story. I love how Elin’s teammates supported her during her healing period in addition to Elin’s self-improvement. The development of Elin’s and Hawk’s feelings is natural and didn’t feel forced. The beginning felt a little slow until the breakup. However, what makes it harder to read this is some scenes felt ‘telling not showing’ and a lot of missing context. Even though there are some cuts while reading and I had to read some parts twice to get the point I like this friend-to-lovers soccer romance.
Thank you, NetGalley for sending this arc in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
July 25, 2023
I liked this book - I thought the story was cute and the characters had enough depth that you could connect with them. It's a best friend to lovers' story, which I am a huge sucker for.
Elin is the goalie for her women's soccer team - she's not the best player but she loves it because of the friendships, beer, and camaraderie. She was dating her crappy boyfriend Nate, who is completely obsessed with soccer and hardly pays her any attention. From the very first page you learn that he's a terrible guy and that she shouldn't be with him, yet she stays. She's known for about 3 years that he's not right for her, but she feels stuck and isn't sure how or when to end things. Luckily (& unluckily) Elin finds out that Nate has been cheating on her, and now she has to figure out how to start dating again and move on with her life.
Her best friend, Hawk, has been there since college and a shoulder to cry on countless occasions. He is a player on the men's soccer team, and he's also been known to have slept with half of the women's team. He knows he has feelings for Elin, but the timing has never been right until now, when they are both single. Their friendship is the most important thing to them, so they need to figure out if they can take the next step out of the friendzone. I loved their friendship, and as a reader, we could see how well they fit together and how much they needed to admit their feelings. It was so obvious! I loved their banter and thought they were really funny!
Some things I didn't love about this book were that the ending felt really rushed and came out of nowhere. Don't get me wrong, I love happy endings, it just felt like I had missed the lead up. I know they were best friends for so long, so it sort of makes sense at the same time. Also compared to the beginning of the story, which was SO slow, it was like night and day. I'm not a fan of slow burns in general, and this one was just WAY too slow for me. I also wish there was less implied story. I kept flipping back pages to make sure I didn't miss anything which was taking me out of the story more than I would have liked. The writing style was also a little hard for me to follow - it wasn't always clear who was talking, and I kept feeling lost and having to reread parts.
Thank you to NetGalley, Beck Erixson, and the publisher for my eARC.
Elin is the goalie for her women's soccer team - she's not the best player but she loves it because of the friendships, beer, and camaraderie. She was dating her crappy boyfriend Nate, who is completely obsessed with soccer and hardly pays her any attention. From the very first page you learn that he's a terrible guy and that she shouldn't be with him, yet she stays. She's known for about 3 years that he's not right for her, but she feels stuck and isn't sure how or when to end things. Luckily (& unluckily) Elin finds out that Nate has been cheating on her, and now she has to figure out how to start dating again and move on with her life.
Her best friend, Hawk, has been there since college and a shoulder to cry on countless occasions. He is a player on the men's soccer team, and he's also been known to have slept with half of the women's team. He knows he has feelings for Elin, but the timing has never been right until now, when they are both single. Their friendship is the most important thing to them, so they need to figure out if they can take the next step out of the friendzone. I loved their friendship, and as a reader, we could see how well they fit together and how much they needed to admit their feelings. It was so obvious! I loved their banter and thought they were really funny!
Some things I didn't love about this book were that the ending felt really rushed and came out of nowhere. Don't get me wrong, I love happy endings, it just felt like I had missed the lead up. I know they were best friends for so long, so it sort of makes sense at the same time. Also compared to the beginning of the story, which was SO slow, it was like night and day. I'm not a fan of slow burns in general, and this one was just WAY too slow for me. I also wish there was less implied story. I kept flipping back pages to make sure I didn't miss anything which was taking me out of the story more than I would have liked. The writing style was also a little hard for me to follow - it wasn't always clear who was talking, and I kept feeling lost and having to reread parts.
Thank you to NetGalley, Beck Erixson, and the publisher for my eARC.
July 30, 2023
3 ⭐️
This is a friends to lovers soccer romance that had all the perfect ingredients, but it just didn't fully come together for me.
Elin is in a long-term relationship of 5 years with her boyfriend, Nate. Nate is a total twat. He's completely selfish and soccer obsessed and not in a good way. Elin knows their relationship has been over for a long time but hasn't known how to end things. When she finds out Nate has been cheating on her, that gives her the out she needs. She then turns to her best friend of 15 years, Hawk. He gives her a place to live, and they decide to have a little friends with benefits thing to help Elin get back into the dating world.
Elin is absolutely blind. How she can go three years, yes THREE YEARS withiut sex with her biyfriwnd baffles me. And Hawk is clearly in love with her, she just refuses to see what everyone else sees. So, that was frustrating.
The pacing felt super off to me. The beginning and leadup to the break up was slow, and she didn't even get together with Hawk until halfway through the book. I wanted more Hawk and developing feelings and benefits, and a lot less of bitch boy Nate. Seriously, the guy is an absolute goober.
The spice was sorta there... but not quite. We get a few good scenes but its mostly fade to black. We never get the final act either, which is highly disappointing.
I did like the reason behind Elin's hesitations. Obviously its scary to take the next step with such a good friend for fear of losing them.
I also really enjoyed the friends Elin has. They're all unique and diverse, and they truly are women supporting women, which is always a joy to read.
And with this being labeled a sports romance, we actually get a lot of sports scenes! Sometimes books tend to leave out the actual sport, but this one had a good balance.
Overall this was a cute story. If you enjoy a slow burn romance and awkward main character with a bit of angst thrown in, you’ll enjoy it!
Tags: friends to lovers, friends with benefits, soccer romance, sports romance, slow burn
Spice: 1.5 🌶
First person/Single POV
This is a friends to lovers soccer romance that had all the perfect ingredients, but it just didn't fully come together for me.
Elin is in a long-term relationship of 5 years with her boyfriend, Nate. Nate is a total twat. He's completely selfish and soccer obsessed and not in a good way. Elin knows their relationship has been over for a long time but hasn't known how to end things. When she finds out Nate has been cheating on her, that gives her the out she needs. She then turns to her best friend of 15 years, Hawk. He gives her a place to live, and they decide to have a little friends with benefits thing to help Elin get back into the dating world.
Elin is absolutely blind. How she can go three years, yes THREE YEARS withiut sex with her biyfriwnd baffles me. And Hawk is clearly in love with her, she just refuses to see what everyone else sees. So, that was frustrating.
The pacing felt super off to me. The beginning and leadup to the break up was slow, and she didn't even get together with Hawk until halfway through the book. I wanted more Hawk and developing feelings and benefits, and a lot less of bitch boy Nate. Seriously, the guy is an absolute goober.
The spice was sorta there... but not quite. We get a few good scenes but its mostly fade to black. We never get the final act either, which is highly disappointing.
I did like the reason behind Elin's hesitations. Obviously its scary to take the next step with such a good friend for fear of losing them.
I also really enjoyed the friends Elin has. They're all unique and diverse, and they truly are women supporting women, which is always a joy to read.
And with this being labeled a sports romance, we actually get a lot of sports scenes! Sometimes books tend to leave out the actual sport, but this one had a good balance.
Overall this was a cute story. If you enjoy a slow burn romance and awkward main character with a bit of angst thrown in, you’ll enjoy it!
Tags: friends to lovers, friends with benefits, soccer romance, sports romance, slow burn
Spice: 1.5 🌶
First person/Single POV
July 20, 2023
First thought: A cute best friends to lovers slow burn romance that makes you believe in soulmates.
Elin is the goalie in her women’s soccer league and she not great at the job but she’s there for the beer and the camaraderie. She has been with her boyfriend Nate for 5 years and for the past 3 she feels herself just going through the motions but having any real connection. Nate seems to love playing soccer more than spending time with her, and she just found out he’s cheating on her. Lucky for Elin she has her wonderful teammates and her best friend of 15yrs Hawk to fall back on. Now it’s time to start a new chapter and re-enter the dating world again.
Hawk has been best friends with Elin since college, she has been his wing women more times than he can count. He also plays in the men’s soccer league for fun and he may or may not have slept with most of her team. He has feelings for Elin but timing has never been right and their friendship is the most important thing to him. He has been there at her side through everything and they are each others ride or die buddy. Now that she’s newly single for the first time in 5 years will he take his chance to go from friend zone to more.
I liked this book the story was cute, the characters had depth that you were able to connect with and the plot had purpose and happy conclusion. The only reason this didn’t hit home for me was the writing style just didn’t mesh for me. There was a lot of implied storyline and I find myself having to go back a page to see if I missed something but in reality I didn’t. This didn’t affect the story at all but for me as a visual person I like scenes really described and not having to add in the missing pieces.
Elin is the goalie in her women’s soccer league and she not great at the job but she’s there for the beer and the camaraderie. She has been with her boyfriend Nate for 5 years and for the past 3 she feels herself just going through the motions but having any real connection. Nate seems to love playing soccer more than spending time with her, and she just found out he’s cheating on her. Lucky for Elin she has her wonderful teammates and her best friend of 15yrs Hawk to fall back on. Now it’s time to start a new chapter and re-enter the dating world again.
Hawk has been best friends with Elin since college, she has been his wing women more times than he can count. He also plays in the men’s soccer league for fun and he may or may not have slept with most of her team. He has feelings for Elin but timing has never been right and their friendship is the most important thing to him. He has been there at her side through everything and they are each others ride or die buddy. Now that she’s newly single for the first time in 5 years will he take his chance to go from friend zone to more.
I liked this book the story was cute, the characters had depth that you were able to connect with and the plot had purpose and happy conclusion. The only reason this didn’t hit home for me was the writing style just didn’t mesh for me. There was a lot of implied storyline and I find myself having to go back a page to see if I missed something but in reality I didn’t. This didn’t affect the story at all but for me as a visual person I like scenes really described and not having to add in the missing pieces.
July 14, 2023
I am a sucker for best friends to lovers trope and also a good sports romance so when I read the description of course I had to give this book a shot.
Elin has been dating her tremendously crappy boyfriend, Nate, for five years (five years to long if you ask me) and from page one we learn that this guy is no good…. I mean their particularly co-existing with one another rather than being in a relationship (the fact that it took Elin forever to break up with Nate after him cheating on her was an issue for me like come on put on your big girl panties and rip off the bandage).
Thankful Elin has her best friend since high school by her side, Hawk, and he is their to fit the role of her best friend perfectly. Hawke is outgoing, friendly, supportive, he’s everything Nate isn’t but the biggest issue is that he’s a big player which is flaw for Elin.
I loved Elin and Hawke’s relationship, as the reader we could see how perfect they fit together but that they both equally valued their friendship more although they definitely acted as a couple even when they were just friends. I was screaming at them at some points to finally admit their feelings bc it was so obvious… can you imagine how happy I was once they finally got together.
I have to admit that although I loved Elin and Hawke’s relationship I’m not a big fan of slow burns and sometimes I found it hard to follow along… I would get lost in who was talking and would have to re-read the pages a few times to understand who was saying what… also the super rushed ending killed me.. give me more of Elin and Hawke together!!
Thank you Netgalley and author Beck Erixson for the arc in exchange for an honest review!
Elin has been dating her tremendously crappy boyfriend, Nate, for five years (five years to long if you ask me) and from page one we learn that this guy is no good…. I mean their particularly co-existing with one another rather than being in a relationship (the fact that it took Elin forever to break up with Nate after him cheating on her was an issue for me like come on put on your big girl panties and rip off the bandage).
Thankful Elin has her best friend since high school by her side, Hawk, and he is their to fit the role of her best friend perfectly. Hawke is outgoing, friendly, supportive, he’s everything Nate isn’t but the biggest issue is that he’s a big player which is flaw for Elin.
I loved Elin and Hawke’s relationship, as the reader we could see how perfect they fit together but that they both equally valued their friendship more although they definitely acted as a couple even when they were just friends. I was screaming at them at some points to finally admit their feelings bc it was so obvious… can you imagine how happy I was once they finally got together.
I have to admit that although I loved Elin and Hawke’s relationship I’m not a big fan of slow burns and sometimes I found it hard to follow along… I would get lost in who was talking and would have to re-read the pages a few times to understand who was saying what… also the super rushed ending killed me.. give me more of Elin and Hawke together!!
Thank you Netgalley and author Beck Erixson for the arc in exchange for an honest review!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 21, 2023
Feeling Ballsy is a fun, engaging romcom with plenty of team banter, slow burn friends-to-lovers chemistry, and rediscovering one's self and passions.
In a five-year relationship that is going nowhere, Elin can't seem to guard the soccer goal or her heart. She's loyal to a fault and keeps trying to make a failing relationship work. But her loyal nature has also won her a steadfast set of teammates and a best friend who always has her back.
While her best friend, Hawk, is a ladies' man, he and Elin are totally immersed in each other's lives through their fun traditions, adventures, and daily rituals. When they're both single for the first time in fifteen years, the chemistry that's been brewing for over a decade finally ignites.
I really enjoyed how Beck Erixson explores the complicated nature of friends having feelings for each other. There seems to be a tendency in the friends-to-lovers trope to fully embrace the romance and play down the friendship. In Feeling Ballsy, we get a true sense of Elin and Hawk's friendship and how they support and deeply understand each other. Trying to maintain their friendship in their growing intimacy, they are simultaneously afraid of losing each other and embracing a new future together.
Feeling Ballsy is one of the few books where I really enjoyed the awkward transition from friends-to-lovers. I adored Hawk and how his true loyalty to Elin emerges throughout the book. This was a satisfying read with a great cast of characters. I loved all the team camaraderie and the banter!
In a five-year relationship that is going nowhere, Elin can't seem to guard the soccer goal or her heart. She's loyal to a fault and keeps trying to make a failing relationship work. But her loyal nature has also won her a steadfast set of teammates and a best friend who always has her back.
While her best friend, Hawk, is a ladies' man, he and Elin are totally immersed in each other's lives through their fun traditions, adventures, and daily rituals. When they're both single for the first time in fifteen years, the chemistry that's been brewing for over a decade finally ignites.
I really enjoyed how Beck Erixson explores the complicated nature of friends having feelings for each other. There seems to be a tendency in the friends-to-lovers trope to fully embrace the romance and play down the friendship. In Feeling Ballsy, we get a true sense of Elin and Hawk's friendship and how they support and deeply understand each other. Trying to maintain their friendship in their growing intimacy, they are simultaneously afraid of losing each other and embracing a new future together.
Feeling Ballsy is one of the few books where I really enjoyed the awkward transition from friends-to-lovers. I adored Hawk and how his true loyalty to Elin emerges throughout the book. This was a satisfying read with a great cast of characters. I loved all the team camaraderie and the banter!
July 30, 2023
I received this book as an ARC from Xpresso Book Tours through NetGalley and this review is based on my own opinion.
Feeling Ballsy is a cute best friends to lovers sports romance based on soccer.
Elin, her best friend Hawk and her stupid boyfriend of 5 years, Nate, all play in a non professional soccer league.
Elin plays just for fun but her boyfriend Nate lives for soccer, so Elin finds herself on the field every week.
Until she catches Nate cheating. She finally dumps him and gets herself into the online dating world.
Meanwhile she starts seeing Hawk in another light but that can't happen. They can't lose eachother or their friendship when things between them wouldn't work out so they set some rules.
But rules are there to be broken.
At first I thought the writer was gonna make us suffer and let us read a lot of Elin and Nate but luckily she broke them up pretty soon in the book.
Instead we got more of Elin and Hawk and I liked the perspective of them going on other dates and slowly exploring their romantic relationship.
She really made the slow burn work because towards the end I was beginning to doubt if they even would get together, but luckily the book has a very happy ending.
I normally read more sports romance about formula 1 and icehockey and this was my first one based on soccer but I still liked it a lot.
The only reason I gave it 4 stars is because I've read some books who really deserved that 5th star a bit more but other than that I really have no negative comments about this book.
Feeling Ballsy is a cute best friends to lovers sports romance based on soccer.
Elin, her best friend Hawk and her stupid boyfriend of 5 years, Nate, all play in a non professional soccer league.
Elin plays just for fun but her boyfriend Nate lives for soccer, so Elin finds herself on the field every week.
Until she catches Nate cheating. She finally dumps him and gets herself into the online dating world.
Meanwhile she starts seeing Hawk in another light but that can't happen. They can't lose eachother or their friendship when things between them wouldn't work out so they set some rules.
But rules are there to be broken.
At first I thought the writer was gonna make us suffer and let us read a lot of Elin and Nate but luckily she broke them up pretty soon in the book.
Instead we got more of Elin and Hawk and I liked the perspective of them going on other dates and slowly exploring their romantic relationship.
She really made the slow burn work because towards the end I was beginning to doubt if they even would get together, but luckily the book has a very happy ending.
I normally read more sports romance about formula 1 and icehockey and this was my first one based on soccer but I still liked it a lot.
The only reason I gave it 4 stars is because I've read some books who really deserved that 5th star a bit more but other than that I really have no negative comments about this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 9, 2023
⭐⭐⭐/5
🌶️🌶️/5
.
Friends-to-lovers
non-pro soccer league
Healing from toxic relationship
Slow burn
Women's empowerment
.
"Wildflower, I only want to kiss you. I need to kiss you."
"As inviting as that offer isn't, I want you, not your team. Always, you."
"You know, you kinda suck at soccer, but damn if you don't put your heart into everything you do. I love that about you, you put your whole self into people."
"I don't want a date. We've been in this incredible, slow, unconventional but worth every odd moment, type of courtship-to-relationship for the past fifteen years. I want more. No more dates-non-daes. The past few months, where it's been really you and me, I don't need more one-offs to tell me what I already know. What we both know. I want you."
"If this is another fake proposal." "I've never fake proposed to you. You never said yes. It's never ever been a joke."
.
I don’t see many soccer romances around so when I came across this one I had to give it a chance!
Elin and her (crappy) boyfriend Nate were together for years but sparks aren’t flying anymore. After discovering Nate was cheating on her, she finally broke up with him. After she started dating again she began to see her 15-year-long best friend Hawk differently. I actually enjoyed the story. I love how Elin’s teammates supported her during her healing period in addition to Elin’s self-improvement. The development of Elin’s and Hawk’s feelings is natural and didn’t feel forced. The beginning felt a little slow until the breakup. However, what makes it harder to read this is some scenes felt ‘telling not showing’ and a lot of missing context. Even though there are some cuts while reading and I had to read some parts twice to get the point I like this friend-to-lovers soccer romance.
Thank you, NetGalley for sending this arc in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
🌶️🌶️/5
.
Friends-to-lovers
non-pro soccer league
Healing from toxic relationship
Slow burn
Women's empowerment
.
"Wildflower, I only want to kiss you. I need to kiss you."
"As inviting as that offer isn't, I want you, not your team. Always, you."
"You know, you kinda suck at soccer, but damn if you don't put your heart into everything you do. I love that about you, you put your whole self into people."
"I don't want a date. We've been in this incredible, slow, unconventional but worth every odd moment, type of courtship-to-relationship for the past fifteen years. I want more. No more dates-non-daes. The past few months, where it's been really you and me, I don't need more one-offs to tell me what I already know. What we both know. I want you."
"If this is another fake proposal." "I've never fake proposed to you. You never said yes. It's never ever been a joke."
.
I don’t see many soccer romances around so when I came across this one I had to give it a chance!
Elin and her (crappy) boyfriend Nate were together for years but sparks aren’t flying anymore. After discovering Nate was cheating on her, she finally broke up with him. After she started dating again she began to see her 15-year-long best friend Hawk differently. I actually enjoyed the story. I love how Elin’s teammates supported her during her healing period in addition to Elin’s self-improvement. The development of Elin’s and Hawk’s feelings is natural and didn’t feel forced. The beginning felt a little slow until the breakup. However, what makes it harder to read this is some scenes felt ‘telling not showing’ and a lot of missing context. Even though there are some cuts while reading and I had to read some parts twice to get the point I like this friend-to-lovers soccer romance.
Thank you, NetGalley for sending this arc in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
August 6, 2023
First, thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy!
Man, I really wanted to like this book. I liked Elin, but I struggled with Hawk at the beginning (I feel like having a calendar that not only marks, but ranks, your sexual encounters was a bit... yikes). I liked Hawk more towards the middle, but the end was really jumbled and fast. There was little build up to the third act "what are we" and it felt a lot like whiplash.
Truly, I liked the story. A few details could be changed here and there, but at the heart of it, the story was good. The problem for me is that there needed to be so many more edits. For one, there is a character named Liv and at one point, she's referred to as "Live" in the middle of a sentence. Took me a minute to figure that one out. I was also frequently left confused and having to reread sections - wait, who said that or wait, where are we? I gave up trying to piece that together about halfway through. Then, there seemed to be a number of unnecessary scenes. I love a good sperm/egg art gallery as much as the next person (I guess ???), but it certainly was an unnecessary scene. With some good editing, this could be a really good story.
I would honestly give this author another chance. My hopes would be for a more thorough editor in the next book!
Man, I really wanted to like this book. I liked Elin, but I struggled with Hawk at the beginning (I feel like having a calendar that not only marks, but ranks, your sexual encounters was a bit... yikes). I liked Hawk more towards the middle, but the end was really jumbled and fast. There was little build up to the third act "what are we" and it felt a lot like whiplash.
Truly, I liked the story. A few details could be changed here and there, but at the heart of it, the story was good. The problem for me is that there needed to be so many more edits. For one, there is a character named Liv and at one point, she's referred to as "Live" in the middle of a sentence. Took me a minute to figure that one out. I was also frequently left confused and having to reread sections - wait, who said that or wait, where are we? I gave up trying to piece that together about halfway through. Then, there seemed to be a number of unnecessary scenes. I love a good sperm/egg art gallery as much as the next person (I guess ???), but it certainly was an unnecessary scene. With some good editing, this could be a really good story.
I would honestly give this author another chance. My hopes would be for a more thorough editor in the next book!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews