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Atlanta Cannons #1
Love and Sportsball
In this steamy and sweet sapphic romance, an uptight athletic trainer has one taboo night with a hot basketball player, but are they ready to play for what they really want?
Scoring was the easy part…
Hard work has Khadijah Upton starting her dream job as an athletic trainer for the Atlanta Cannons. Then an evening of celebratory letting loose turns into a one-night stand with a beautiful stranger. It’s a reckless, wildly sexy encounter that Khadijah intends to forget…until her first day on the job lands her face-to-face with basketball star Shae Harris again.
Shae is a major player in every sense of the word, and Khadijah doesn’t plan to be the latest in a long line of “Harris Honeys.” Personal and professional just don’t mix. But Shae, who’s all about living life to the fullest, keeps tempting Khadijah to blur the boundaries. And the more Shae reveals about herself, the harder it is for Khadijah to resist her.
In the bedroom, their tension sizzles. On the court, it’s a liability. But unless Khadijah’s willing to really let Shae in, it won’t be just the team championship on the line, but a body-and-soul connection that rewrites all the rules.
Scoring was the easy part…
Hard work has Khadijah Upton starting her dream job as an athletic trainer for the Atlanta Cannons. Then an evening of celebratory letting loose turns into a one-night stand with a beautiful stranger. It’s a reckless, wildly sexy encounter that Khadijah intends to forget…until her first day on the job lands her face-to-face with basketball star Shae Harris again.
Shae is a major player in every sense of the word, and Khadijah doesn’t plan to be the latest in a long line of “Harris Honeys.” Personal and professional just don’t mix. But Shae, who’s all about living life to the fullest, keeps tempting Khadijah to blur the boundaries. And the more Shae reveals about herself, the harder it is for Khadijah to resist her.
In the bedroom, their tension sizzles. On the court, it’s a liability. But unless Khadijah’s willing to really let Shae in, it won’t be just the team championship on the line, but a body-and-soul connection that rewrites all the rules.
273 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 24, 2024
80 people are currently reading
4691 people want to read
About the author
Meka James
20 books285 followersI'm a stay at home mom of 4 kids and have been happily married to my husband for 11 years and counting. I lead a pretty basic and straightforward life and use writing and reading as my escape.
Best places to find me:
Blog:
http://mekasmusings.blogspot.com/
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/AuthorMekaJames
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/author_meka...
Best places to find me:
Blog:
http://mekasmusings.blogspot.com/
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/AuthorMekaJames
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/author_meka...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 192 reviews
June 9, 2025
3/5
- Whew! This book was spicyyyy! Pages and pages of spice so keep that in mind if you pick up this book.
- The forbidden love trope worked so well in this one. The ending wrapped up with a nice little bow and it was almost a little too perfecf, but really fun overall.
- This book did what it needed to do. Was looking for a fun book for summer and this book was great for that!
- Whew! This book was spicyyyy! Pages and pages of spice so keep that in mind if you pick up this book.
- The forbidden love trope worked so well in this one. The ending wrapped up with a nice little bow and it was almost a little too perfecf, but really fun overall.
- This book did what it needed to do. Was looking for a fun book for summer and this book was great for that!
October 19, 2025
Love and Sportsball by Meka James
Atlanta Cannons series #1. Harlequin Afterglow category romance. Diverse Sapphic romance. Alternating POV. Sports related. High heat.
Khadijah Uptpn, aka Dijah, starts her dream job for the Atlantic Cannons, a WNBA team. She’s the new athletic trainer and she’s excited to meet the team. Until she realizes that her hot one-night stand is one of the team members. Dijah doesn’t want to mix her professional life with her personal life but is that possible now?
Shae Harris is a major player, both on and off the court. She doesn’t see a reason that the one night with Dijah can’t turn to many more.
As Dijah and Shea circle and grow their new relationship to nights together, Dijah insists on rules to try to mitigate possible future issues. Is that the answer to a happy ending?
Dijah and Shea can’t keep their hands off each other but they have very different philosophies. Dijah doesn’t clearly articulate her concerns and the angst levels rise.
I enjoyed Shea’s fun spirit and her encouragement. The game of HORSE that had to be explained to Dijah was surprisingly competitive. With a little help.
Many hot and steamy scenes of passion, good friendships, and team support make this a romance to read.
3.5
Atlanta Cannons series #1. Harlequin Afterglow category romance. Diverse Sapphic romance. Alternating POV. Sports related. High heat.
Khadijah Uptpn, aka Dijah, starts her dream job for the Atlantic Cannons, a WNBA team. She’s the new athletic trainer and she’s excited to meet the team. Until she realizes that her hot one-night stand is one of the team members. Dijah doesn’t want to mix her professional life with her personal life but is that possible now?
Shae Harris is a major player, both on and off the court. She doesn’t see a reason that the one night with Dijah can’t turn to many more.
As Dijah and Shea circle and grow their new relationship to nights together, Dijah insists on rules to try to mitigate possible future issues. Is that the answer to a happy ending?
Dijah and Shea can’t keep their hands off each other but they have very different philosophies. Dijah doesn’t clearly articulate her concerns and the angst levels rise.
I enjoyed Shea’s fun spirit and her encouragement. The game of HORSE that had to be explained to Dijah was surprisingly competitive. With a little help.
Many hot and steamy scenes of passion, good friendships, and team support make this a romance to read.
3.5
September 27, 2024
This was a SPICY dual POV Sapphic workplace sports romance between a Black professional basketball star and her trainer.
After a HOT one night stand, Khadijah and Shae realize they're going to be working VERY closely together and while Khadijah has no interest in starting a relationship right now, player, Shae loves a good challenge and isn't ready to let Khadijah go.
Great on audio with dual narration, this is perfect for fans of books like Anita Kelly's How you get the girl or Karmen Lee's The 7-10 split. I look forward to more books in this new sports romance series!
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and gifted physical copy in exchange for my honest review!
🔥Steam level: doors wide open, multiple sex scenes, some toys involved
After a HOT one night stand, Khadijah and Shae realize they're going to be working VERY closely together and while Khadijah has no interest in starting a relationship right now, player, Shae loves a good challenge and isn't ready to let Khadijah go.
Great on audio with dual narration, this is perfect for fans of books like Anita Kelly's How you get the girl or Karmen Lee's The 7-10 split. I look forward to more books in this new sports romance series!
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and gifted physical copy in exchange for my honest review!
🔥Steam level: doors wide open, multiple sex scenes, some toys involved
January 19, 2025
a classic one-night stand into oh heck we are colleagues contemporary romance, this time featuring an athletic trainer who finally let's her guard down at the urging of her very persistent (and very pregnant) sister for a night of hot times with a sexy stranger who turns out to be one of the stars of the basketball team she's just been hired for.
Love & Sportsball celebrates all the classic romance tropes (one night stand, workplace, starchy versus sunshine) with a delicious amount of fun and freshness that i had so much fun reading.
EVERYONE needs to be reading Meka James, and I can't wait for the next installment.
I received a free review copy from the author, an eARC from the publisher, and I also checked out a finished copy from my library. Thank you!
Love & Sportsball celebrates all the classic romance tropes (one night stand, workplace, starchy versus sunshine) with a delicious amount of fun and freshness that i had so much fun reading.
EVERYONE needs to be reading Meka James, and I can't wait for the next installment.
I received a free review copy from the author, an eARC from the publisher, and I also checked out a finished copy from my library. Thank you!
February 24, 2025
Love and Sportsball starts off hot and steamy — I expect nothing less of James — with a premise of conflict (WNBA player and her team's athletic trainer), but quickly burns that tension.
By 50%, I struggled to care if these two would ever get together, and at different times, Shae and Khadijah seemed like a toxic mix. Shae kept pushing on and overriding boundaries with Khadijah. Then, Khadijah got entirely too strict and weird with lists of expectations that were never explored. Not to mention Khadijah's annoying and boundary-crossing sister, who I guess we were supposed to think was cute because she was very pregnant.
I wish the plot was as hot and the characterization was as sharp as the sex scenes were.
By 50%, I struggled to care if these two would ever get together, and at different times, Shae and Khadijah seemed like a toxic mix. Shae kept pushing on and overriding boundaries with Khadijah. Then, Khadijah got entirely too strict and weird with lists of expectations that were never explored. Not to mention Khadijah's annoying and boundary-crossing sister, who I guess we were supposed to think was cute because she was very pregnant.
I wish the plot was as hot and the characterization was as sharp as the sex scenes were.
September 26, 2024
The hottest sport out right now is the WNBA so it's only right that the sports romance authors get in on the action as well.
Let me tell you, Meka James definitely puts some points on the board with this one. She certainly scored points with the character growth and the sizzling chemistry!
I resonated with deeply with Khadijah's need for clear boundaries and her need for control. I found myself getting defensive when her sister and best friend overstepped their boundaries when it came to Shae. However I understood it came from a place of love and sometimes selfishness. Unlike them I understood that establishing rules allowed her to feel comfortable play the game....unbeknownst to her, she'd be playing with a professional. Shae was smooth as a silk sheet and put the full court press on her! You can't tell me that the illustrator wasn't channeling Seimone Augustus (arm tattoo and all).
I know many people came in with the expectation that Love and Sportsball would give you the vibes of Love and Basketball. I want to clear you of that notion, the only thing that is relatable is the "I'll play you for it" line. Please go into this book with no expectations other than the forced proximity, workplace sapphic story that's been long overdue.
Let me tell you, Meka James definitely puts some points on the board with this one. She certainly scored points with the character growth and the sizzling chemistry!
I resonated with deeply with Khadijah's need for clear boundaries and her need for control. I found myself getting defensive when her sister and best friend overstepped their boundaries when it came to Shae. However I understood it came from a place of love and sometimes selfishness. Unlike them I understood that establishing rules allowed her to feel comfortable play the game....unbeknownst to her, she'd be playing with a professional. Shae was smooth as a silk sheet and put the full court press on her! You can't tell me that the illustrator wasn't channeling Seimone Augustus (arm tattoo and all).
I know many people came in with the expectation that Love and Sportsball would give you the vibes of Love and Basketball. I want to clear you of that notion, the only thing that is relatable is the "I'll play you for it" line. Please go into this book with no expectations other than the forced proximity, workplace sapphic story that's been long overdue.
July 29, 2025
khadijah slightly irked me at the end BUT i really liked this book. when’s book two??
June 18, 2024
Love and Sportsball by Meka James is an absolute delight! From the first page, I was hooked by James's superb writing style, which effortlessly keeps you engaged throughout the entire story. This sports romance is the perfect blend of steamy and sweet, featuring a fantastic opposites-attract trope with two incredibly different yet compelling main characters.
Khadijah Upton, an organized and focused athletic trainer, finds herself face-to-face with basketball star Shae Harris after a wildly sexy one-night stand. Shae is sweet, sexy, and patient, making it impossible for Khadijah to resist her charms. Their chemistry sizzles both on and off the court, and their dynamic kept me rooting for them from the very beginning.
James's attention to detail, from the songs in the club to the skating rink scene, adds a special touch that makes the book even more endearing. Dijah and Shae's journey is captivating, filled with heartfelt moments and intense passion. The side characters, from Khadijah's supportive family to Shae's loving relatives and the tight-knit team, added depth and relatability to the story, enriching the overall reading experience of this wonderful story.
I was thrilled to discover that this is the start of a series because I absolutely loved Tina and Courtney and can't wait to see their stories unfold. Consider me a loyal fan of the Atlanta Cannons and Meka James! *Love and Sportsball* is a must-read for anyone who enjoys a well-crafted, steamy sports romance.
Thank you to Netgalley, Harlequin & Meka James for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review
Khadijah Upton, an organized and focused athletic trainer, finds herself face-to-face with basketball star Shae Harris after a wildly sexy one-night stand. Shae is sweet, sexy, and patient, making it impossible for Khadijah to resist her charms. Their chemistry sizzles both on and off the court, and their dynamic kept me rooting for them from the very beginning.
James's attention to detail, from the songs in the club to the skating rink scene, adds a special touch that makes the book even more endearing. Dijah and Shae's journey is captivating, filled with heartfelt moments and intense passion. The side characters, from Khadijah's supportive family to Shae's loving relatives and the tight-knit team, added depth and relatability to the story, enriching the overall reading experience of this wonderful story.
I was thrilled to discover that this is the start of a series because I absolutely loved Tina and Courtney and can't wait to see their stories unfold. Consider me a loyal fan of the Atlanta Cannons and Meka James! *Love and Sportsball* is a must-read for anyone who enjoys a well-crafted, steamy sports romance.
Thank you to Netgalley, Harlequin & Meka James for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review
March 19, 2025
3.5 ⭐️
July 12, 2024
TL;DR: This one might end up being very forgettable for me. But it was very fun in the beginning!
Source: NetGalley! Thank you so much to the publisher!
Plot: Dijah and Shae have a very spicy one night stand and the next week find out they’re now working together.
Characters: I genuinely liked Shae, she was chill and hardworking. But Dijah might have ruined the book for me. She was so uptight and in her own ass the whole time. Everyone else was fairly 2 dimensional.
Setting: Not the strongest by far. The only real setting I can recall with any clarity was Dijah’s office at the court.
Romance: I am honestly at this point still unsure why Shae kept pursuing Dijah, but she did and it worked out in the end but I don’t know that I buy the romance here.
Thoughts:
Love and Sportsball is a quick and spicy sapphic story that uses the ‘one stand and then whoops we work together’ trope. Thankfully there is no ‘boss and employee’ power imbalance here, but the two still need to tiptoe and figure out their relationship without upsetting the balance of the sports team. Shae is the star player with a bit of long and entangled romantic past, while Dijah is the new athletic trainer with a list and plan that she refuses to deviate from.
I honestly have already forgotten a lot of this one, and I finished it just a few days ago. I was very invested in the two women, and honestly loved Shae, but Dijah and her strict PLAN drove me up a wall and down again. I found myself frustrated by the lack of communication from her and I ended up so frustrated I gave up on her half way through. I’m not entirely sure why Shae kept pursuing her, honestly their chemistry was great at the beginning but I lost all sight of it by half way but the book continued out to a happy ending for them.
This one started off very full of promise and fun but I got really annoyed and lost sight of the chemistry. I can say I might also not care a lot for basketball? So perhaps that had something to do with my loss of interest? Either way this was fun but not my newest favorite thing.
3 out of 5 basketball courts
Source: NetGalley! Thank you so much to the publisher!
Plot: Dijah and Shae have a very spicy one night stand and the next week find out they’re now working together.
Characters: I genuinely liked Shae, she was chill and hardworking. But Dijah might have ruined the book for me. She was so uptight and in her own ass the whole time. Everyone else was fairly 2 dimensional.
Setting: Not the strongest by far. The only real setting I can recall with any clarity was Dijah’s office at the court.
Romance: I am honestly at this point still unsure why Shae kept pursuing Dijah, but she did and it worked out in the end but I don’t know that I buy the romance here.
Thoughts:
Love and Sportsball is a quick and spicy sapphic story that uses the ‘one stand and then whoops we work together’ trope. Thankfully there is no ‘boss and employee’ power imbalance here, but the two still need to tiptoe and figure out their relationship without upsetting the balance of the sports team. Shae is the star player with a bit of long and entangled romantic past, while Dijah is the new athletic trainer with a list and plan that she refuses to deviate from.
I honestly have already forgotten a lot of this one, and I finished it just a few days ago. I was very invested in the two women, and honestly loved Shae, but Dijah and her strict PLAN drove me up a wall and down again. I found myself frustrated by the lack of communication from her and I ended up so frustrated I gave up on her half way through. I’m not entirely sure why Shae kept pursuing her, honestly their chemistry was great at the beginning but I lost all sight of it by half way but the book continued out to a happy ending for them.
This one started off very full of promise and fun but I got really annoyed and lost sight of the chemistry. I can say I might also not care a lot for basketball? So perhaps that had something to do with my loss of interest? Either way this was fun but not my newest favorite thing.
3 out of 5 basketball courts
January 2, 2025
Ultimately, this is not a memorable romance. I loved the initial setup and our first meeting between our protagonists - I was feeling the sparks and was excited to see how their second meeting at work would play out. We got two lesbians with very different ideas on how a relationship should look and that element was delicious.
But once we got into the thick of it, I was losing enthusiasm. The story fumbles through their romance in highs and lows; I could never quite settle on whether I liked where it was going or not. Was I annoyed at the MCs or did I like the complex, 3D characters? Did I hate the back-and-forth or appreciate the messiness? I still don't know.
I also found Khadijah's family dynamics to be more grating than enjoyable. Her sister, especially got on my nerves and I had a hard time caring for them to resolve their issues even when she kept popping up. I would have much rather have had more gameplay, sports conversations, and general focus on the going-ons in the WNBA.
But once we got into the thick of it, I was losing enthusiasm. The story fumbles through their romance in highs and lows; I could never quite settle on whether I liked where it was going or not. Was I annoyed at the MCs or did I like the complex, 3D characters? Did I hate the back-and-forth or appreciate the messiness? I still don't know.
I also found Khadijah's family dynamics to be more grating than enjoyable. Her sister, especially got on my nerves and I had a hard time caring for them to resolve their issues even when she kept popping up. I would have much rather have had more gameplay, sports conversations, and general focus on the going-ons in the WNBA.
October 16, 2024
another cute sapphic read <33
November 18, 2024
I so enjoyed Shae and Khadijah!!! They had chemistry from the first interaction and they continued to guild on that throughout the story. However…..Dinah drove me nuts. Like girl I know you are a planner and want everything to go according to it but she was rigid at times I just wanted Shae to move on. Thankfully Shae stuck it out, I think deep down she knew she was exactly what Dijah needed and her patience really made her my favorite. Idk that lady always saw the bright side of things and that helped balance DIJAH out a bit. The amount of actual basketball was perfect, as well. Looking forward to reading about this cast of characters in the future!!
Thanks to Meka James and Harlequin for the ARC. All thoughts and feelings are my own.
Thanks to Meka James and Harlequin for the ARC. All thoughts and feelings are my own.
October 6, 2024
Thank you Netgalley and Afterglow/Harlequin for this ARC.
From the moment I saw the cover I was hooked because it’s very beautiful. Then it being a sapphic romance like “YES PLEASE!” However, that feeling didn’t last through the book. The beginning was soooo good. Made me feel like I would be blown out of the water but that wasn’t the case.
What I liked:
-2 black fmcs.
-The spice was doing its thing.
-Liked this being a female sports romance.
-Loved Shae’s venture outside of basketball.
What felt flat:
-There seemed to be nothing else to really draw you in besides the spice.
-Could’ve been more build up/development of their relationship if that was what this was eventually going to be.
-Didn’t fall in love with either character.
-Khadijah’s list was a bit much.
-Shae giving off the stereotypical of how lesbians “move fast”. Like girl how you trying to meet the parents and y’all only went on one date? Before that one date y’all was only having sex and that was at least a few times? Like Shea chill.
I gave myself a star and the other star was for the beginning being so promising.
From the moment I saw the cover I was hooked because it’s very beautiful. Then it being a sapphic romance like “YES PLEASE!” However, that feeling didn’t last through the book. The beginning was soooo good. Made me feel like I would be blown out of the water but that wasn’t the case.
What I liked:
-2 black fmcs.
-The spice was doing its thing.
-Liked this being a female sports romance.
-Loved Shae’s venture outside of basketball.
What felt flat:
-There seemed to be nothing else to really draw you in besides the spice.
-Could’ve been more build up/development of their relationship if that was what this was eventually going to be.
-Didn’t fall in love with either character.
-Khadijah’s list was a bit much.
-Shae giving off the stereotypical of how lesbians “move fast”. Like girl how you trying to meet the parents and y’all only went on one date? Before that one date y’all was only having sex and that was at least a few times? Like Shea chill.
I gave myself a star and the other star was for the beginning being so promising.
September 8, 2024
If you watched the movie Love & Basketball but with a basketball star and physical therapist. Overall, it was really sweet and tender but with a lot of miscommunication. We'll, I guess if you consider sexy time communication and a long list becauseeverytime they hit a roadblock their clothes came off 🤭. Shae was really patient bc Dijah was quite hot and cold.
I received an ARC.
CN: sports injury, dating anxiety
I received an ARC.
CN: sports injury, dating anxiety
September 22, 2024
Like Dijah I'm not really into sports like that but i do enjoy reading about the different games. I found it really interesting that Dijah went into that field while not being a big into sports in general but I liked that about her. Was a different spin on it.
And Dijah and Shae's romance captured me throughout! Dijah's got rules and Shae is more spontaneous so of course they clash on some things but that chemistry cannot be deniiiied. These cashes did make me wanna shake both of them at different times and just tell them to get it together. But at least they eventually talk it out.
Now we got some steaaam going on in here so get your water bottles ready ;)
I also loved that we got to see the ladies' support systems. (even though Dijah's sister did something in the beginning that was a biig no no for me) we still see her close relationship with her family. As well as for Shae, she has her family, the ladies on the Cannon team etc.
Another great thing about this was they both have families who didn't bat an eye that they dated women. It just was a part of who they were.
So Im gonna need everyone to get this when it's out and get into the shenanigans. Now I'm waiting on what's next for this series
And Dijah and Shae's romance captured me throughout! Dijah's got rules and Shae is more spontaneous so of course they clash on some things but that chemistry cannot be deniiiied. These cashes did make me wanna shake both of them at different times and just tell them to get it together. But at least they eventually talk it out.
Now we got some steaaam going on in here so get your water bottles ready ;)
I also loved that we got to see the ladies' support systems. (even though Dijah's sister did something in the beginning that was a biig no no for me) we still see her close relationship with her family. As well as for Shae, she has her family, the ladies on the Cannon team etc.
Another great thing about this was they both have families who didn't bat an eye that they dated women. It just was a part of who they were.
So Im gonna need everyone to get this when it's out and get into the shenanigans. Now I'm waiting on what's next for this series
September 7, 2024
I am in my WNBA Era so obviously I'm going to read a Sapphic WNBA romance?! I technically started this book back in June and read a chapter of it every so often and it was entertaining and easy to pop in and out of the story.
But then once I committed to actually finishing it it didn't really hold my interest. I had a hard time distinguishing between the two POVs and found the chemistry to be very told to us rather than shown. Which in the beginning is fine bc they have a one night stand and whatnot, but I wanted more of an emotional connection between the two.
I also found some of the characterization to be inconsistent. We were way into the book when Khadijah was like "I don't get sports" and I swear that was not mentioned earlier and it should've been. Same with Shae and the Roller rink?! (there is a small chance I missed it since I read the beginning of this over a long period of time, but ?!)
I loved the basketball parts and lowkey am surprised that Meka James said she wasn't a sports person in the acknowledgements because she did a great job and fooled me into thinking she was a massive WNBA fan!!
Overall this was not a memorable romance, but I enjoyed parts of it and obviously love seeing more basketball romances. GIVE ME ALL THE SAPPHIC W ROMANCES PLS
also my petty note is I *HATE* when people refer to sports as "sports ball" like pls we all know the difference between a basketball and a football.
*thank you to netgalley for the eARC, all thoughts are my own*
But then once I committed to actually finishing it it didn't really hold my interest. I had a hard time distinguishing between the two POVs and found the chemistry to be very told to us rather than shown. Which in the beginning is fine bc they have a one night stand and whatnot, but I wanted more of an emotional connection between the two.
I also found some of the characterization to be inconsistent. We were way into the book when Khadijah was like "I don't get sports" and I swear that was not mentioned earlier and it should've been. Same with Shae and the Roller rink?! (there is a small chance I missed it since I read the beginning of this over a long period of time, but ?!)
I loved the basketball parts and lowkey am surprised that Meka James said she wasn't a sports person in the acknowledgements because she did a great job and fooled me into thinking she was a massive WNBA fan!!
Overall this was not a memorable romance, but I enjoyed parts of it and obviously love seeing more basketball romances. GIVE ME ALL THE SAPPHIC W ROMANCES PLS
also my petty note is I *HATE* when people refer to sports as "sports ball" like pls we all know the difference between a basketball and a football.
*thank you to netgalley for the eARC, all thoughts are my own*
September 22, 2024
This is my first book by Meka James. I enjoyed the chemistry and sports aspects. The chemistry was vibrant from the beginning. The struggle to get the relationship going, then the angst that came, made this an enjoyable read.
The secondary characters were well done and played a minor part in most of the book.
There were times that the.book fely like it fast forwarded into a new scene without a break.
I will look forward to more books by this author and will continue to follow her.
The secondary characters were well done and played a minor part in most of the book.
There were times that the.book fely like it fast forwarded into a new scene without a break.
I will look forward to more books by this author and will continue to follow her.
December 12, 2024
lesbian book written by a non-lesbian and it shows
August 14, 2025
I enjoyed this, but sadly not as much as I had hoped to. It's a sapphic sports romance between a WNBA player and the new physical therapist for the team. They meet at a club, and end up having a one night stand the weekend before Khadijah starts her new job with the Atlanta Cannons. Neither she nor Shae, the WNBA player, know who each other are. When that comes to light, they have to figure out if they are willing to pursue a relationship.
And I say "they" have to figure it out, but the main conflict for this story is the fact that Khadijah really does not want to mix work with her dating life, while Shae is all in, almost from the moment they hook up. That was kind of endearing, to see her fall so quickly and so fast, and be completely down bad for Khadijah. But it also got a little cringey, because Khadijah just was nooooot giving the same energy back. It was just on the edge of being uncomfortable. It got to the point where I kind of wanted Shae to back off. Especially in those moments where Khadijah would insist that she wasn't interested, or that she really didn't think they should pursue a relationship. But of course, since this is a romance book, Khadijah IS actually interested, and she does give off a lot of mixed signals. So I got frustrated with her as well, and I just wanted her to communicate properly. Shae got frustrated with her as well. It really was not my favourite way to build up conflict, and several times I found myself asking if these characters actually really liked each other, or were compatible together, which is not what you want during a romance novel.
The passage of time was pretty confusing to me, because three months seem to pass from the beginning of their working relationship in the blink of an eye. I was also disappointed that we didn't get more mundane scenes of them building up a rapport, working together, maybe some scenes where Khadijah observes training or practice. That was what this was really missing, for me to fall more in love with the romance. I needed to see them actually develop a relationship; I wanted to see that chemistry on page. We were told that they had this magnetic connection, but I don't think we got to SEE much of it. They definitely had sexual chemistry, and it was really hot, but I needed more than that.
The book absolutely shone for me in the middle, when they had their little bet, and they ended up going on a date. I won't say too much, since it could be considered a spoiler, but that entire sequence was extremely charming to me, and just really cute. Seriously, that section where they played horse made me giggle and smile so much. And it was there I could really feel them coming together as a couple; where I could actually see the compatibility; where they actually got to know meaningful things about each other, and I could feel all that good tension and chemistry.
But unfortunately, the third act conflict was really annoying to me and it brought back all of those feelings of "Wait, do these two even like each other?" And again, it was mostly on Khadijah's part. It truly felt like she was just not that interested in Shae, and that in turn made me less interested in the romance as a whole. Which is a pity. Other than that, this was just okay. I enjoyed the sports aspect, but I do wish that we had gotten to see a few more matches and more of the team dynamic. I'm pretty sure this is the first book in a series, so I would have appreciated getting to know some more of the other players a bit better. And some of the other side characters too. Khadijah's sister came off as a little but annoying, and I kept waiting for that to change, but it didn't really.
Listened to the audiobook as read by Lauren Nichols and Marcella Cox, and it was pretty good. I liked both of their voices, and they perfectly suited their characters. I just wish I had liked the actual characters a bit more. I've read from this author before, and really enjoyed her previous books. Sad to say, this is probably my least favourite. It definitely wasn't bad; it was fun and hot. But it didn't deliver what I wanted from a romance.
And I say "they" have to figure it out, but the main conflict for this story is the fact that Khadijah really does not want to mix work with her dating life, while Shae is all in, almost from the moment they hook up. That was kind of endearing, to see her fall so quickly and so fast, and be completely down bad for Khadijah. But it also got a little cringey, because Khadijah just was nooooot giving the same energy back. It was just on the edge of being uncomfortable. It got to the point where I kind of wanted Shae to back off. Especially in those moments where Khadijah would insist that she wasn't interested, or that she really didn't think they should pursue a relationship. But of course, since this is a romance book, Khadijah IS actually interested, and she does give off a lot of mixed signals. So I got frustrated with her as well, and I just wanted her to communicate properly. Shae got frustrated with her as well. It really was not my favourite way to build up conflict, and several times I found myself asking if these characters actually really liked each other, or were compatible together, which is not what you want during a romance novel.
The passage of time was pretty confusing to me, because three months seem to pass from the beginning of their working relationship in the blink of an eye. I was also disappointed that we didn't get more mundane scenes of them building up a rapport, working together, maybe some scenes where Khadijah observes training or practice. That was what this was really missing, for me to fall more in love with the romance. I needed to see them actually develop a relationship; I wanted to see that chemistry on page. We were told that they had this magnetic connection, but I don't think we got to SEE much of it. They definitely had sexual chemistry, and it was really hot, but I needed more than that.
The book absolutely shone for me in the middle, when they had their little bet, and they ended up going on a date. I won't say too much, since it could be considered a spoiler, but that entire sequence was extremely charming to me, and just really cute. Seriously, that section where they played horse made me giggle and smile so much. And it was there I could really feel them coming together as a couple; where I could actually see the compatibility; where they actually got to know meaningful things about each other, and I could feel all that good tension and chemistry.
But unfortunately, the third act conflict was really annoying to me and it brought back all of those feelings of "Wait, do these two even like each other?" And again, it was mostly on Khadijah's part. It truly felt like she was just not that interested in Shae, and that in turn made me less interested in the romance as a whole. Which is a pity. Other than that, this was just okay. I enjoyed the sports aspect, but I do wish that we had gotten to see a few more matches and more of the team dynamic. I'm pretty sure this is the first book in a series, so I would have appreciated getting to know some more of the other players a bit better. And some of the other side characters too. Khadijah's sister came off as a little but annoying, and I kept waiting for that to change, but it didn't really.
Listened to the audiobook as read by Lauren Nichols and Marcella Cox, and it was pretty good. I liked both of their voices, and they perfectly suited their characters. I just wish I had liked the actual characters a bit more. I've read from this author before, and really enjoyed her previous books. Sad to say, this is probably my least favourite. It definitely wasn't bad; it was fun and hot. But it didn't deliver what I wanted from a romance.
July 26, 2025
3.0🪩
The set up was so good, intriguing, and steamy! Especially with the tropes and the setting. But then I stopped really caring whether or not they would end up in an actual and official relationship.
Shae’s chasing when Dijah was obviously having walls up (I guess the kitty meow had her STUCK) and Dijah having a damn 5 page PDF on how their relationship is supposed to go just really irked my nerves.
Like okay Dijah has relationship trauma. But can we see that because just saying it with no depth just makes all the irritating things she’s doing regarding Shae just baseless and extra.
Shae better than me cause I would’ve dropped her after that mean shit she said not once! But twice! Like she was not letting this girl go or have it hard enough I don’t know😩#patienceisvirtue .
Jah was also annoying with her meddling and overstepping of boundaries. I don’t care if she’s pregnant and the little sister, like you’re grown and just too ugh😭.
The spicy scenes were definitely spicy! And I enjoyed Shae’s personality and how when her and Dijah were doing good and acting organic, it had me geeked.
I also wished there wasn’t so many time skips because seeing the build up of their connection more would’ve been nice!
The “I love you” admissions were so sudden,dull, and —in my opinion— unbelievable.
All and all. Besides my other stated let downs and the wishing that there was more of our characters outside of each other. I enjoyed this quick read!
The set up was so good, intriguing, and steamy! Especially with the tropes and the setting. But then I stopped really caring whether or not they would end up in an actual and official relationship.
Shae’s chasing when Dijah was obviously having walls up (I guess the kitty meow had her STUCK) and Dijah having a damn 5 page PDF on how their relationship is supposed to go just really irked my nerves.
Like okay Dijah has relationship trauma. But can we see that because just saying it with no depth just makes all the irritating things she’s doing regarding Shae just baseless and extra.
Shae better than me cause I would’ve dropped her after that mean shit she said not once! But twice! Like she was not letting this girl go or have it hard enough I don’t know😩#patienceisvirtue .
Jah was also annoying with her meddling and overstepping of boundaries. I don’t care if she’s pregnant and the little sister, like you’re grown and just too ugh😭.
The spicy scenes were definitely spicy! And I enjoyed Shae’s personality and how when her and Dijah were doing good and acting organic, it had me geeked.
I also wished there wasn’t so many time skips because seeing the build up of their connection more would’ve been nice!
The “I love you” admissions were so sudden,dull, and —in my opinion— unbelievable.
All and all. Besides my other stated let downs and the wishing that there was more of our characters outside of each other. I enjoyed this quick read!
September 27, 2024
I usually love a good slow burn but this fast paced book had me hooked from the beginning. It all started with a one night stand but lets be real never ends with just one night.
When Dijah turned up at her new job I just knew it was gonna be a time but her chemistry with Shae was off the charts. They clicked so well together and no matter what they said, they ended up gravitating to each other.
I would've definitely finished this book in a day if I didn't work!
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this book
When Dijah turned up at her new job I just knew it was gonna be a time but her chemistry with Shae was off the charts. They clicked so well together and no matter what they said, they ended up gravitating to each other.
I would've definitely finished this book in a day if I didn't work!
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this book
September 24, 2024
would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book
when Khadijah Upton went out with her sister it wasnt to have a one night stand but thats what happened.. what she wasnt expecting was for that one night stand to turn up and her new job...
things were going to get awkward and shae wasnt making it any easier with that winning smile always being sent her way...
a fun read that at times made you really frustrated with how khadijah treated shae with her lists and goals...
but really enjoyed this book so will be keeping an eye out for more from this author
when Khadijah Upton went out with her sister it wasnt to have a one night stand but thats what happened.. what she wasnt expecting was for that one night stand to turn up and her new job...
things were going to get awkward and shae wasnt making it any easier with that winning smile always being sent her way...
a fun read that at times made you really frustrated with how khadijah treated shae with her lists and goals...
but really enjoyed this book so will be keeping an eye out for more from this author
June 12, 2025
i don’t like basketball but i did like this! i do think it hits a good medium between the erotica and pacing of ‘a little kissing between friends’ and the perfectionist relationship fears of ‘honey girl’. definitely way way better than ‘the relationship mechanic’
October 13, 2024
4.25 stars. WNBA queer romances have taken off recently, and
LOVE AND SPORTSBALL
by Meka James is definitely a top-rank contender. This love story between Shae and Khadijah, a basketball star and her athletic trainer, had all the right moves, even as Khadijah analyzed and questioned every step in their relationship to the point I wanted to shake some sense into her.
When Khadijah is coerced by her sister to go to a nightclub, running into Shae allows her to step out of her well-curated comfort zone and indulge in a one-night stand with a tall, attractive woman who invited her to the VIP area. Little did she know the woman she was grinding on all night was the star player for the Atlanta Cannons - and the one person she would run into the next day at her new job.
This is where things get tricky. Mostly because of Khadijah. She had these set of rules for everything. And I understand. Relationships at work can be difficult, awkward, delicate, precarious...you get the drift. And Khadijah did not make it easy on Shae. Just go with the flow, girl.
The side characters, Shae's besties Courtney and Tina, also made an impression on this story, so much so that I'm ready for book 2 today (my bet is the story features Tina). Khadijah's sister is also a piece of work, but she's the only one who can talk so sense into her.
While the ending was a bit abrupt, I enjoyed Love and Sportsball. I am happily anticipating the next book. Hope I don't have long to wait.
When Khadijah is coerced by her sister to go to a nightclub, running into Shae allows her to step out of her well-curated comfort zone and indulge in a one-night stand with a tall, attractive woman who invited her to the VIP area. Little did she know the woman she was grinding on all night was the star player for the Atlanta Cannons - and the one person she would run into the next day at her new job.
This is where things get tricky. Mostly because of Khadijah. She had these set of rules for everything. And I understand. Relationships at work can be difficult, awkward, delicate, precarious...you get the drift. And Khadijah did not make it easy on Shae. Just go with the flow, girl.
The side characters, Shae's besties Courtney and Tina, also made an impression on this story, so much so that I'm ready for book 2 today (my bet is the story features Tina). Khadijah's sister is also a piece of work, but she's the only one who can talk so sense into her.
While the ending was a bit abrupt, I enjoyed Love and Sportsball. I am happily anticipating the next book. Hope I don't have long to wait.
September 6, 2024
What does one do when the one night stand you though you'd never see turns out to be one of your co-workers? Apparently, you freak the freak out.
Honestly, it started real cute, Shae and Dijah were cute and horny AF but as it progressed I couldn't take the emotional back and forth curtesy of Dijah.
My poor Shae. Shae was the strongest soldier to ever exist cause she put up with a lot. Dijah...she was...something. She was freaking out about Shae and her getting found out at work but she didn't know how to act. You know how dumb it is to be worrying about a relationship everyone knows about? When everyone can see the thirst? Cause you can't keep it together. Dijah had everybody stressing, me included, cause she couldn't get out of her own way. And don't even get me started on that whole contract/ relationship list. Why was that a thing? It wasn't even discussed properly to be a thing, why was it there? And why was Shae the only one willing to compromise?
TROPES:
-F/F
-Athletic trainer 32/ Basketball player 29
-Age gap(3yrs)
-One night stand
-Opposites attract
-Close proximity (co-workers)
*ARC in exchange for an honest review*
Honestly, it started real cute, Shae and Dijah were cute and horny AF but as it progressed I couldn't take the emotional back and forth curtesy of Dijah.
My poor Shae. Shae was the strongest soldier to ever exist cause she put up with a lot. Dijah...she was...something. She was freaking out about Shae and her getting found out at work but she didn't know how to act. You know how dumb it is to be worrying about a relationship everyone knows about? When everyone can see the thirst? Cause you can't keep it together. Dijah had everybody stressing, me included, cause she couldn't get out of her own way. And don't even get me started on that whole contract/ relationship list. Why was that a thing? It wasn't even discussed properly to be a thing, why was it there? And why was Shae the only one willing to compromise?
TROPES:
-F/F
-Athletic trainer 32/ Basketball player 29
-Age gap(3yrs)
-One night stand
-Opposites attract
-Close proximity (co-workers)
*ARC in exchange for an honest review*
November 5, 2024
~ ARC received from NetGalley & Mills and Boon in exchange for my honest review~
im not usually massive on sports romances but the two black women on the cover and the spin on a classic black romance for the title enticed me & James definitely delivered. the sports element wasn’t huge which i enjoyed because it made the book more accessible to people, like Dijah, who don’t have a massive interest in sports. this spicy sapphic sports romance is a perfect lighthearted read.
the flirting and tension between the couple was so well written i literally found myself grinning at my kindle 😭. these two opposites attracted so well. the intimate scenes were HOT and well varied so it didn’t feel like i was reading the same formula multiple times.
i am so happy that this novel is the start of a series because im so in love with the cast of characters Meka James has introduced us to. the sisterhood between the players is so heartwarming and i can’t wait to see them interact more as the series develops.
im not usually massive on sports romances but the two black women on the cover and the spin on a classic black romance for the title enticed me & James definitely delivered. the sports element wasn’t huge which i enjoyed because it made the book more accessible to people, like Dijah, who don’t have a massive interest in sports. this spicy sapphic sports romance is a perfect lighthearted read.
the flirting and tension between the couple was so well written i literally found myself grinning at my kindle 😭. these two opposites attracted so well. the intimate scenes were HOT and well varied so it didn’t feel like i was reading the same formula multiple times.
i am so happy that this novel is the start of a series because im so in love with the cast of characters Meka James has introduced us to. the sisterhood between the players is so heartwarming and i can’t wait to see them interact more as the series develops.
September 25, 2024
Firstly, I would like to give praise to the artist who created the front cover. The artwork is beautiful.
I was excited to receive this as an ARC for an honest review.
Khadijah starts her new job, which she hopes will lead to bigger career plans with the basketball team 'The Cannons', but she gets a surprise on her first day. Shae is the captain of
'The Cannons' and shares the surprise but in a more happy way. (Trying not to give spoliers)
I enjoyed this sapphic sports romance. It was an easy read and had some funny lines and lovable characters.
I enjoyed the writing style of the author as I felt it was the right representation of black women and the way we speak, but it also showcased different sides that aren't always shown.
Shae was the fun-loving go with the flow character, yet at the end of the book you saw her vulnerable side.
There were some steamy scenes, but I did feel some of the language was repetitive.
Overall, I would recommend this book to romance lovers, especially if you also have a love for sport romance.
I was excited to receive this as an ARC for an honest review.
Khadijah starts her new job, which she hopes will lead to bigger career plans with the basketball team 'The Cannons', but she gets a surprise on her first day. Shae is the captain of
'The Cannons' and shares the surprise but in a more happy way. (Trying not to give spoliers)
I enjoyed this sapphic sports romance. It was an easy read and had some funny lines and lovable characters.
I enjoyed the writing style of the author as I felt it was the right representation of black women and the way we speak, but it also showcased different sides that aren't always shown.
Shae was the fun-loving go with the flow character, yet at the end of the book you saw her vulnerable side.
There were some steamy scenes, but I did feel some of the language was repetitive.
Overall, I would recommend this book to romance lovers, especially if you also have a love for sport romance.
February 3, 2025
smutty sapphics in sports!!
but also if i was dijah, i’d still be pissed at shae and jah. but this was really cute!! :,) more wnba romances pls!!!
but also if i was dijah, i’d still be pissed at shae and jah. but this was really cute!! :,) more wnba romances pls!!!
February 16, 2025
First off, I can’t stand a meddling side character I feel like they’re always overstepping their boundaries and minding the main characters business and Jah, Khadijah’s sister, fit that to a tee. I found her to be super annoying but hey that’s just my opinion. Tina too, hell. And Courtney too, shit. All them hoes irked me.
Now mind you the only reason this is a pet peeve of mine is because I’m an extremely private person and can’t stand when people meddle in my business. Lol so you might have a different perspective on them, just my opinion.
Khadijah she was definitely sending out mixed signals at first but eventually she got herself together. At times I was thinking “girl make up your mind either you want her or not” all that back and forth is for the birds. I caught myself rolling my eyes a couple of times during her POVs. I definitely understood where she was coming from trying to keep the relationship strictly professional and setting boundaries to ensure that that goal was achieved but when it comes to matter of the heart there’s nothing you can really do besides give in. Love gone win every time.
A couple of times Khadijah put her foot in her mouth and I just wanted to tell her “shhhh” but she didn’t listen to me tho. This hoe was giving me serious whiplash. She’s controlling and wanted to micromanage everything instead of just going with the flow and letting things run naturally. At times I was like maybe Shae need to leave you alone cause who finna deal with this, couldn’t be me, but as the saying goes there’s a person for everybody.
Shae was consistent through out the whole book. She knew what she wanted and nothing deterred her and I love that for Khadijah cause I know many people would have thrown in the towel after the first rejection. She was Khadijah’s exact opposite. Easy going, laidback, and outgoing.
Overall: I’ll give this book a 3 star rating cause even though it’s not a reread for me I did enjoy the layout of the book and the romance. The steam in the book really did it for me, not gone lie, there’s no touch me nots in this book. Both parties getting that pussy ate and played with and that’s always a plus for me. One of the few times I was actually able to finish and enjoy a wlw book because the relationship actually flowed realistically and wasn’t just surface level.
Now mind you the only reason this is a pet peeve of mine is because I’m an extremely private person and can’t stand when people meddle in my business. Lol so you might have a different perspective on them, just my opinion.
Khadijah she was definitely sending out mixed signals at first but eventually she got herself together. At times I was thinking “girl make up your mind either you want her or not” all that back and forth is for the birds. I caught myself rolling my eyes a couple of times during her POVs. I definitely understood where she was coming from trying to keep the relationship strictly professional and setting boundaries to ensure that that goal was achieved but when it comes to matter of the heart there’s nothing you can really do besides give in. Love gone win every time.
A couple of times Khadijah put her foot in her mouth and I just wanted to tell her “shhhh” but she didn’t listen to me tho. This hoe was giving me serious whiplash. She’s controlling and wanted to micromanage everything instead of just going with the flow and letting things run naturally. At times I was like maybe Shae need to leave you alone cause who finna deal with this, couldn’t be me, but as the saying goes there’s a person for everybody.
Shae was consistent through out the whole book. She knew what she wanted and nothing deterred her and I love that for Khadijah cause I know many people would have thrown in the towel after the first rejection. She was Khadijah’s exact opposite. Easy going, laidback, and outgoing.
Overall: I’ll give this book a 3 star rating cause even though it’s not a reread for me I did enjoy the layout of the book and the romance. The steam in the book really did it for me, not gone lie, there’s no touch me nots in this book. Both parties getting that pussy ate and played with and that’s always a plus for me. One of the few times I was actually able to finish and enjoy a wlw book because the relationship actually flowed realistically and wasn’t just surface level.
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