One on One

by Jamie Harrow

They call it March Madness for a reason: Anything can happen on the way to a national championship.

Eight years after graduation, Annie Radford is not happy to be back at her alma mater in her old job with the Ardwyn Tigers’ basketball team. Worse, her coworker from back in college, Ben Callahan, is still on the Tigers staff, and he’s annoyingly wholesome, hot, and clinging to a grudge against Annie for abandoning him and the team their senior year.

But as Ardwyn becomes the season’s Cinderella Story, things start heating up between Annie and Ben, too. And while neither of them can deny this could be something special, Annie’s afraid to tell Ben the truth about why she left basketball—the thing she loves most—in the first place. She’ll have to learn to trust him if they have a shot at being together.

In addition to being funny, romantic, and sexy, One on One examines the pressure put on college athletes, challenges the sexism in the world of sports, and exposes the dangers in whole communities idolizing the big men on campus. For readers of The Hating Game and The Ex Talk, a workplace, enemies-to-lovers debut for anyone yearning for a courtside romance, perfect for anyone who can’t get enough sports rom-coms.

Genres: Romance, Sports Romance, Sports, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Audiobook, Enemies To Lovers

400 pages, Paperback

First published June 10, 2024

Reviews

[Sylvie {Semi-Hiatus} · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me an E-Arc in exchange for an honest review!*

4 out of 5 stars!

This was such a fantastic, heart-warming and heartfelt debut novel.

I saw the category being a basketball romance and I knew I would enjoy it -I rarely read basketball romances-, but what made it better for me is that the two main characters were ''kind of'' a former basketball players but have now to work together again after not seeing each other since their last year of college.

I'm a sucker of romances that are about second chances or right person wrong time, those tropes make me feel so giddy and I love every single moment reading about them.

There has never been a moment while I read this book that I thought I should take a break from it, I was glued to it from the very start.

The elements and the vibes of this book has also reminded me of 'Head Over Heels' by Hannah Orenstein, which I read years ago and remembering enjoying it very much.

I can definitely see myself reading this book again in the future!

_______________________________________
After a run-in with the annoyingly wholesome and seriously hot Ben, her old friend and now arch nemesis, things are going from bad to worse. Ben is holding a grudge about Annie's abrupt departure from his life, and now she might be the reason he loses his job... there's no way back for their friendship.

A basketball romance with a description like this? How do you expect me not to be head over heels for it already. 🫠🫠

[Jessica Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book makes me feral here’s my official blurb:


“Forgive me in advance, because I will be shouting about my love for One on One until my voice gives out. In her stunning debut, Jamie Harrow paints the game of basketball in a way that feels like life and love itself—in moments of struggle and perseverance, in breathtaking joy and heartbreak that gets beautifully repaired. Ben and Annie are so fully explored that they are now real people to me, and their love story unfolds with perfect tension and tenderness. A new all-time favorite.”

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

i knew in chapter one that this book was made for me but you don’t understand this book was made for ME. genuinely one of all-time favorite books and so criminally underrated. its PERFECT

as the daughter of a basketball coach, annie is me. i am annie. ben is a goddamn DREAM. i’d read 628394 chapters of them doing laundry and going grocery shopping. more basketball in romance please i’m begging!!!!

[Rasa || beviltiska_romantike · Rating 5 out of 5]

To be honest, I did not expect to love this book so much. The cover gives the impression of a fluffy, cute romance that you most probably will enjoy at the time and soon forget. And yet, I was hooked from the first chapter, fascinated with writing, character development, and intrigued by the undercurrent of tension and sadness. Miscommunication, which I am not a fan of, was done very well, I also loved the rivalry, pranks, and banter, and, of course, the romance between Annie and Ben, so many butterflies, so wholesome and sweet.

But most surprisingly, the story got better and better, especially, when the heavier topics weaved in. And I absolutely loved to have a glimpse of the backstage in college basketball world, loved to see it from staff's POV. You can feel the love for this game through the story, and it is so catching, soon I was rooting for the team and wishing all the best.

Thanks to NetGalley and Quercus Books for the eARC of this book.

[lilly ♡ (semi-hiatus)]

basketball romance? 👀

[Andrea ☾ [is inconsistently consistant] · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 ⭐️ Is it a sports romance if none of them actually play the sport?
Thank you Net Galley for the eARC!*

Both MCs are working for a College Basketball team. Annie is the Social Media Manager and Ben is an Assistant Coach (ex-player for the team). This book was good, but not great in my opinion.

There's a lot of back and forth between their shared past, and it makes things feel kind of like a second-chance romance, but not really, since they were never involved romantically. The build-up in the romance felt off like it was both too slow and too fast at the same time. For the majority of the first quarter of the book, we see them both struggle with each other -with him basically hating her on sight which is odd even after we know his "reasoning".

The second half of the book sort of saved it for me, but I can't say I'd go out of my way to recommend or reread this book. The writing didn't really pull me in, and it was hard at times to read about the FMC's struggles with being SA by their ex-coach (also major TW there, it's a big part of the plot).

[Nicole · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm so mad they marketed this as a romance. this book feels like a first draft. the main character, Annie, is a 30-year-old job hopper who ends up going back to work for her alma mater's basketball team to make videos. She was a team manager along with another guy named Ben when they were in school except she left abruptly during her senior year. So naturally Ben "hates" her for coming back when the team is doing good. Except the team is not doing good, in fact, the team is doing so bad that the university is planning on cutting a staff position either Annie or Ben. (Conflict) So naturally, after 3 business days of being "enemies" they hook up.

Anyway, most of the book takes place in Annie's head which is horrible because she's so boring. In every chapter, something happens and then Annie has to break it down in her mind even though we just read it!! Ben scowls at her and is tense and then we have to hear Annie think on it. "Maybe Ben doesn't like me he looked mad :(." Please let's bring back subtext!!!

The other problem is characters just kind of do things but their actions are not motivated by anything, and instead of working on character arcs or anything that may give insight into a character's personality we are constantly given filler. There are so many setting descriptions. The author uses so many cliched similes and mundane explanations of things that add nothing. At one point, she describes the diets of the basketball team... college athletes eat grilled chicken breasts... groundbreaking.

The pacing is all over the place and nothing is ever developed. After the climax of the book which happens around the 80% mark, Ben disappears. We do not hear from him we don't know what he's doing. Instead, Annie "bonds" with a character we have not met and it is so empty. Go girl give us nothing. Anyway, she and Ben talk at around 92% and then we see Wanna be Love and Basketball.
Like at one point (the most underwhelming love confession I've ever read maybe), Ben calls her funny and I was trying to remember if she ever made a single joke? Then she makes him play basketball to confess her love for him. absolute clownery. He played basketball in college and she never played seriously so why are they playing horse right now? Please be serious.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up.

This was a strong debut enemies to lovers sports romance set in the world of college basketball that sees two former friends competing to save their jobs.

While the pacing was a bit slow at times I did like the banter between the two main characters. The spice level was low but the emotional depth was high as this book takes on the toll and prevalence of sexual misconduct in sports. Good on audio narrated by Kyla Garcia.

Recommended for fans of authors like Rebecca Jenshak or Liz Tomforde. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!

[mimi (semi-hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars for writing quality
4.5 stars for how entertained i was
all the stars for a sports romance that DOES ACTUALLY TALK ABOUT THE FREAKING SPORT

loved it

[Nursebookie · Rating 5 out of 5]

One on One by Jamie Harrow

📚 Genre: Contemporary Romance | Sports Romance
🏀 Tropes: Enemies to Lovers, Second Chance, Workplace Romance, Slow Burn
“This book was a buzzer-beater straight to my heart.”

Wow.

This debut was everything I want in a sports romance and more. Jamie Harrow absolutely nailed it.

We follow Annie Radford, newly hired video producer for her alma mater’s basketball team, who’s determined to prove herself in a male-dominated space, only to find herself working closely with Ben Callahan, her infuriatingly perfect ex-coworker (and ex-friend… with unresolved tension 👀). Their history is messy, their chemistry is magnetic, and the slow-burn is so deliciously drawn out, I found myself holding my breath.

✨ What I loved:
Annie’s voice is sharp, funny, and vulnerable, and she feels so real
Ben is the definition of “grumpy sunshine” and honestly, book boyfriend goals
The workplace drama + sports politics gave this story real weight
Harrow tackles topics like grief, sexism, and harassment with nuance and care
Secondary characters were FULLY fleshed out (I would 100% read a spinoff)
And yes, the romantic payoff is SO satisfying 😍
I also appreciated how much thought went into the basketball setting. You can tell Harrow respects the sport and the women who work in it. it never felt like a gimmick. Just smart, immersive, character-driven writing.

📖 Final thoughts:
This book had me cheering, crying, and smiling like a fool. If you’re a fan of Emily Henry, Tessa Bailey, or Mariana Zapata, this one’s for you. A total slam dunk.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Confused about the lower rating?? Because romance was amazing, boy was perfect, non-romance plot was also done well, side characters were amazing, and I loved the banter (esp their cute DMs and chats about The Beach House)

[Karina · Rating 2 out of 5]

This has been hard for me to rate. I want to start by saying that I applaud Jamie Harrow on her work and I think that she will have amazing books in her future. One on One had an amazing foundation. The plot was interesting, different from most of the books I have read lately and it has the potential to be captivating. Unfortunately, I personally think that the execution still needs work. I am reading an ARC copy of One on One but it felt more like a Beta copy.

Okay, let me start by saying that this book will be published in the month of September. I first saw this book in February or March on NetGalley but with the blue cover. A few months later, I saw the book again but with an orange/pink/yellow cover. I don't know if the content within each book is exactly the same or if the book has gone through a few revisions between one copy and the next. I was approved for this book back in late May and I am now reading it in August. What I mean to say with all of this is that the ARC copies were released months ahead of the publication date, so there was plenty of time to still make modifications, revisions, and editing. So maybe, the final product on publication day in September will receive a higher rating from me. However, the version I did read needs some work (in my opinion).

The premise of the book is good. Annie and Ben went to the same University and both worked with the basketball team as interns back in the day. She did a lot of the video production and marketing side for the team and Ben was a statistical analysis. They got along well as co-workers, enjoyed being around each other, and supported each other, but they weren't really friends outside of their internship. Annie left school halfway through her senior year. She had enough credits to graduate and she was presented with an opportunity to start working. She was also going through quite a lot personally and felt it was time for her to leave. Not a big deal; however, she didn't just finish early; she pretty much vanished overnight.

Eight years later, Annie needs a job, so she finds herself back at her old Alma Mater. Ben is still there, now part of the full-time staff. At first, there is some animosity between them, but they slowly start to become friends. I'll try not to give too much more away from the story, but there may be some spoilers ahead with my critiques, recommendations, and praises.

Let's start with the book. I understand that writers like to leave nuggets of information and keep some secrecy about a character's trauma or life to draw a reader in. It's a tricky line to walk to give enough information to keep a reader engaged and motivated to continue and not spill the beans. However, sometimes, when you are trying to be so mysterious, it just becomes confusing. That happened here. Annie left the school because, besides going through a hard time personally, she had a few run-ins with some authoritative figures from the school, and she did not feel comfortable or safe. I won't say more to not spoil anything, but let's say that there is some mention of that specific authoritative figure and Annie's feelings toward that person. I also want to know a bit about this person and their time at Ardwyn. How did this person become so "powerful" that they seemed untouchable?

Ardwyn University is where Ben and Annie attended as students and where they are now working. Unfortunately, the basketball team has not been doing well and is dangerously close to losing its funding. I was so confused about so many things that were mentioned during Annie and Ben's time at the school and the state that the team is in now. I need more of a backstory. I am assuming that Ardwyn had a great team back in the day and was still riding high when Annie and Ben went to school. It appears that the school produced some great athletes, but that wasn't left totally clear. Sometime during the 8 years after graduation, something went wrong, and the team started losing and slowly lost sponsorship and funding. How? Why? Does the school not step in somehow? Is Ardwyn a good school, too, or is the entire school in danger of going under? Does the lack of funding have something to do with my previous paragraph? (bribery, hush money)?

This story is told from Annie's POV, which is fine. I wish we had seen some insight into Ben's head as a dual POV, but I understand that it is Annie's story. She has some recollections of Ben from their college days that paint a very light picture of how he was a good guy and not a party-goer. I would have enjoyed more stories about Ben, or maybe more details of the few stories we did get to help build his character even better.

There were a lot of characters thrown into the storyline, and some were given very vague backgrounds, or you didn't get the background until you were well into the book. For example, Cassie and Eric. It took me a while to figure out if Annie was friends with Eric or if he was just the husband of her best friend. I finally pieced together that Eric and Annie had been friends first, and then Annie and Cassie were roommates, and I figured that Eric and Cassie met through Annie. Again, all of this is very vague and needs to be pieced together from the multiple comments throughout the book. The same goes with Quincy. I know that Annie and Quincy knew each other already because Annie's father coached Quincy's team in high school. Also, Quincy's freshman year was the last year that Annie's father's last season. What wasn't clear was if her father retired and then passed away or passed away unexpectedly while he was still working. Did Quincy and Annie only know each other from one year before Ardwyn, or did they know each other even before Quincy entered high school?

Basketball. Basketball is supposed to be a theme in this book, but until the team makes it to March Madness, I truly wouldn't have known that the team was a part of the storyline. This is supposed to be a Cinderella Story. A school that, I guess, had its glory days in basketball years ago and has lost its way; however, now they are having a magical year where they are turning things around. They are the underdogs. And while we sometimes hear the outcome of some of their games, we rarely see any action. Fine, I understand the story is about Ben and Annie, and neither are actual players, but they are both part of the team, both of their jobs are dependant on the outcome of the season, and both play a role in the way the season is going. I expected to see some mention of practices or games and be included in the action. Not to mention, Annie's job is to literally make hype videos and highlight reels of the team for social media to encourage spectators to the game yet we see none of that. Great, we hear that some really cheesy reporter from ESPN likes Annie's videos, they are getting better and better celebrities for the voice overs and that people are recognizing her great work but there is no mention as to how her work is actually affecting the team and ticket sales. Isn't that how she is supposed to prove her value on the team?

I also think there are some "ramblings" that could be shortened. Annie could be in the middle of a conversation with someone and it triggers her to daydream or overthink. The tangent takes so long to get through that, once Annie returns to the conversation that she was having with another character, I already forgot what they were talking about. This means that I have to backtrack to see what is going on in the plot.

I could go on, but, again, this isn't a Beta book; this is an ARC copy.
I will say that there are some very poetic lines and phrases that Jamie put into the story. There are some ways that she used to describe the sentiment or the scene that was beautiful to read. The story itself has a lot of potential and I would definitely recommend it if it was worked a bit more. It's a good debut story, and I hope Jamie only gets better from here on out. Her story ideas and outline structure are quite good.

I want to thank Quercus Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Irene · Rating 4 out of 5]

READ THIS BOOK IN ONE DAY IN HONOR OF MARCH MADNESS (and avoiding work)!! This was a really fun romance and made me miss the energy of college basketball games. It felt really realistic too - the "rivalry" wasn't forced and the relationship grew very organically, even having some cute clumsy moments. but there's no way michael b jordan would be volunteering to do voiceovers for social media videos right??

[Danielle Stoebe · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5 ⭐️

I was sooo close to giving this one 5 stars but the beginning was just a bit slow for me. This one really grew on me and I would highly recommend.

[Jessica Gregory · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one, plus it was set in the Philly area! Which I am very partial to lol I liked that there was more going on than just Ben and Annie’s romance too

[Alysa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book grew on me as it went along. I’m not a big fan of the miscommunication trope, so the beginning was a bit rough for me, but it got so much better as it went on. I enjoyed the rivals-to-lovers journey and seeing them slowly open up to one another. Once Ben warmed up to Annie, he was the sweetest!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group for the ARC!

[Jeeves Reads Romance · Rating 4 out of 5]

Huge thanks to PRH Audio and Dutton for the free audiobook!

There’s tons of potential in this debut workplace romance, with some moments of greatness as well as some bumps in the road. I loved the fresh and layered concept, which showcased two former coworkers whose relationship is completely different when they find themselves working together the second time around. That brings some delicious rivals to lovers fun and undercurrents of unresolved tension. Both characters have changed a lot in the years since they’ve seen each other, and that means they have to figure each other out all over again. I also liked the introspective feel, focusing on our heroine as she navigates the changes. We only get her POV and I definitely would’ve appreciated some insight into the hero, but being in her headspace was important. I’d compare the writing style to Jessica Joyce for sure, which is absolutely a compliment. The romance reader in me wanted more time devoted to the love story and developing the relationship further, but I liked that the book took the time to tackle some heavier topics as well. All in all, it does a lot of things very well, and I’m excited to see what’s next from the author.

The story follows Annie, a woman who has been bouncing from job to job for so many years that she’s running out of options. That leads her to returning to a workplace she never thought she’d be back at - the basketball team she worked with in college. It’s been almost a decade since Annie has seen her former work friend, Ben, but they always got along great, and spending time with him again shouldn’t be a hardship. Except Ben is no longer the super sweet and caring guy Annie knew in college. In fact, he seems to be downright hostile towards her. As Annie tries to settle into her new job and figure out how to work with Ben again, their relationship goes through a series of changes.

I’d heard good things about this going in, and I can see why. I loved that the storyline was so multifaceted, and the emotional feel paired with the compelling romance was a definite win. Though we only get Annie’s side of the story, I liked that Ben was such a sweetheart. He’s such a genuinely good guy, and I liked him more and more as we got to know him better. Annie’s job is also front and center, as well as her past. I could guess where things were leading, and it was easy to understand why her walls were so sky high. The story deals with workplace sexual harassment and other situations, which made for a few heavy moments. As much as I was sometimes frustrated that Annie wouldn’t let Ben in, I also understood her reasons. That did leave the romance feeling a little shallow though. The book does a better job of showing their friction and slow shift towards flirting than it does developing the romance beyond that, which was disappointing. I really think a few tweaks to crank up the tension here and there while building up the relationship would’ve done wonders for the story. There were a few things that bored or bugged me, but also SO much that I loved.

Audio note: The audio is excellent! Since we only get Annie’s perspective, it’s a single narrator. Kyla Garcia does a fantastic job though. She also narrates Jessica Joyce’s audiobooks, which almost made me feel like I was listening to one of her books - and that’s a good thing. The vibes were similar, and her voice worked well for the complex themes. At 11 hours, the runtime is short enough to get through in a single day if you really want to. The romance is a slow burn, so you could listen to the majority in the office. There are one or two spicy scenes, but they’re more intimate than fan-worthy. Highly recommended in the format, I’m glad I got to experience it that way.

[Samantha (WLABB) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Desperate for work, Annie finds herself back at her alma mater, a place she had loved but turned into a source of great pain. Will this be her chance to put her demons to rest?

This was a solid debut. I was immediately drawn to both character and rooting for them to mend their broken fences. There was this amazing energy between them, and they shared so much history. The first half of the book was fun and funny, and when Annie and Ben's friendship began to grow, I was over the moon.

The story took a bit of turn when the ugly thing that drove Annie from Ardwyn rears its ugly head. There was nothing wrong with the storyline, but for me, it overshadowed the romance. Needless to say, it was not a dealbreaker.

I was so into all the hype videos, the reality show fantasy league, and March Madness. It was easy to become fully immersed in this world and invested in these characters. I will definitely be looking out for more books from Harrow.

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[Keysia⁷ Herondale 🍉 *kinda ia* · Rating 2 out of 5]

2025: first and most likely only read

actual rating: 2 stars⭐️⭐️

the amount of things happening just because they needed to happen, with no actual setup for their happening was just too much for me, i fear. i also genuinely did not realize when the book ended, it was very sudden.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much like Villanova basketball circa 2016-2019 this book got way better in the second half

[Claudia · Rating 4 out of 5]

nonono no entendéis este es mi libro soñado !!!!! romance + baloncesto + temas importantes resueltos y bien tratados con una mujer empoderada al final, viva la vida 🙂‍↕️

[Kayla Edwards · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book took some getting through the first little bit but it was so worth it! I love sports and seeing the representation of it in this way was so meaningful to me. The way the romance formed and the amount of teamwork showed at the school was so touching. Such a fun read and will be in the winter for sure during March Madness. I’m so grateful to have received an ARC and hope to get more in the future!

[Savannah · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF @35 %

It was boring. The love interest was an asshole and apparently this was primarily about the fmc overcoming trauma and the romance was hardly even relevant. Ending it before it started to annoy me.

[Paige · Rating 4 out of 5]

An underrated gem of a romance book!

[LindsayMcK · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounded down. Annie Radford returns to Ardwyn University, her alma mater, as the videographer for the basketball team 8 years after a mysterious situation pushed her to graduate early and disappear from the world of collegiate athletics. Ben Callahan, a data-analyzing *good guy* with golden retriever levels of loyalty, still works with the team and holds a bit of a grudge against her leaving without a word. Her view of them is “Ben, the Disney prince, and me, the main character in a music video directed by an overdramatic teenager.” She also jokes to herself that Ben is usually “…accompanied by the little flock of birdies that follow him around chirping wherever he goes because he’s such a cutie.” Annie is dealing with Ben’s frostiness on top of a lot of complicated emotions about returning to the school and basketball team that everyone may say is a family, but in reality is actually one that let her down when she needed it the most.

Ben and Annie may have been coworkers in college, but their recent rivalry turns into a true friendship and then an awkwardly adorable and tender romance. They beautifully evolve from thermostat wars and betting on romantic reality shows into freezing cold walks home together and changing their perceptions as they learn more about each other’s families and backstories. Ben (who as a child had made a PowerPoint presentation for his mom about why his dad shouldn’t be around their family anymore 🥺) shares pieces of himself that Annie collects and cherishes while she keeps her deepest secret that could shatter his whole world. “Ben learned too young that there are people who chip away at your limits to see how much room they can make for themselves. How much of you they can get without giving anything up. It’s them or you. You have to choose. I had to learn this lesson too, but not until later.”

Spoilers ahead!
The support Annie received from her sister, mom, and friends - Cassie and Eric - was so wholesome. Annie’s relationship with her late father and their bonding over basketball was well-developed, but the pep talk from her mom to show up to the championship game to be played against her harasser had me in tears as she encouraged Annie to be herself: the bold, brave girl she was before everything happened. One change I would make is to add an epilogue. I liked how Annie met up with other survivors, but I wanted more of a peek into the future for Annie and Ben and more cute moments beyond the victory parade and double decker bus grand gesture. I honestly can’t remember the last romance book I read without an epilogue and I think it was really needed!

Not only are the main and side characters so deeply relatable they feel like people you could know in real life, there is important commentary on the pressure, power dynamics, and sexual misconduct within the world of collegiate athletics. According to Annie, “Inner peace, acceptance, healing; all well and good. Maybe a smidge overrated. Anger, though. Sometimes anger is the best you’ve got. I don’t know if I have the power to change anything, but I’m sure as hell pissed enough to try.” The breadcrumb trail to the truth of Annie having been sexually harassed by Coach Maynard juxtaposed with the team’s climb to the NCAA championship game was expertly laid. Annie battling her demons during the playoffs while fighting for her job and navigating the ‘honeymoon bubble’ of her and Ben’s budding relationship made for a truly captivating combination of tension that made the resolution all the more satisfying and even cathartic.

[Leigh Kramer · Rating 4 out of 5]

As much as I love sports romance, I might love sports romance about the people behind the scenes even more. In this instance, Annie is a digital media producer and Ben is the Director of Analytics for a college basketball team, the same team they worked for when they were students. I loved hearing about Annie's work creating hype videos and considering social media content when the team isn't playing well. I'm less clear on Ben's role, other than him being good at numbers, but it was an interesting dimension for the team.

I liked both MCs but the book's strength was in the depiction of the sexual harassment Annie experienced from Ardwyn's former coach Maynard, who is still revered by both Ben and the school. This creates tension as Annie gets closer to Ben since she can't say anything good about Maynard but she doesn't want to wreck Ben's experience of his mentor, nor can she be sure Ben won't question what happened or decide not to believe her. There's also the tension of being back at her alma mater where she created so many good memories but also is a source of pain.

There's also the question of whether her path will ever cross with Maynard if their teams play together. Luckily, she never has to confront him but an exposé she contributes to publishes early without her awareness and before she tells Ben. My heart was in my throat when that happened and I wish it had been handled differently. I especially wish Ben hadn't shut down after he found out what happened. They don't talk for literal days! That was unforgivable and I needed way more from him before the resolution.

It would have been helpful to better understand the school's professional guidelines in terms of employee-student interactions. For instance, Ben meets with a female student with his door closed and Annie busts in to make sure everything is on the up and up, which it is. But then she doesn't think twice about texting with a player and being in her office with him with the door closed. The guidelines around employees dating wasn't really addressed either, which somewhat took away from the burgeoning queer relationship between secondary characters.

Anyway, this was a promising debut! I hope her next offering will focus more on the romance itself but I enjoyed what I got here.


Characters: Annie is a 30 year old white digital media producer for a college basketball team. Ben is a 30 year old white college basketball Director of Analytics. This is set in Ardwyn, PA.

Content notes: past sexual harassment by FMC's coach (serial harasser/predator, the truth comes to light via investigative reporting, which FMC participates in. He is no longer at their campus but their schools do play each other at the end and she sees him from afar), past abuse toward basketball players by coach (e.g. pushing them to play while injured), past workplace sexism, professional ethics violation (FMC and MMC cover up a player's injury), past death of FMC's father (heart attack), past parental abandonment, past teen pregnancy (MMC's mother), past infidelity (MMC's ex-girlfriend cheated), minor skateboard accident (secondary character), sports-related injuries (secondary characters), player's mom has a criminal record, on page sex (not explicit), alcohol, inebriation (secondary characters), hangover (secondary character), underage drinking (secondary character), gender essentialist language, ableist language, hyperbolic language around addiction, mention of secondary character getting fertility treatments

[Christine Mills · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love reading debut authors and Jamie Harrow is one to look out for. Her debut novel, One on One , is a basketball romance that will bring you to the court and make you want to shoot some hoops once you start reading. What I really enjoyed was that this story was beyond a typical sports romance that is being churned out today. You know the ones where the lead female character is a social media coordinator and is managing socials and heartbreaks thrown her way, ugh! Make it STOP!! One on One was filled with character growth, relationship dynamics, workplace mistreatment and flashbacks that were seamlessly well done into the story.
Annie is a hype videographer for a college basketball team and Harrow really does her research for this role. I felt like I was right alongside Annie taping the film content, interviewing the players, editing, and watching her creation come to life on the jumbotron. Harrow does write about the difficult topic of sexual harassment in the workplace, but she does so with care and respect. I haven't read a book that has addressed such topic with care and for that I respect Harrow.
My one minor critique is that this book says that it's a "steamy rivals- to lovers romance" and there ain't no steam in this story, just lots of sweet moments.
I cannot wait to read what Harrow creates next!

[dr. mads📚 · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was INCREDIBLE. so beautifully written, timely, poignant, and full of heart. jamie’s writing is so sharp, lyrical, funny, and warm. it’s such a character-driven story; even when we spend the book in annie’s head, it feels like we come to know a delightful cast of characters quite intimately. the twist on a sports romance — putting two people off the court and behind the camera at centre stage — was delightful. and jamie integrated such snappy, relevant commentaries about racism, classism, misogyny, and more so seamlessly in the book.

annie is such an amazing fmc. i felt for her so much and felt like i really understood her. *spoilers* her experience of trauma/SH was gut-wrenching to read, but it was such an honest and important portrayal of what being a woman in sport is like. seeing her choose to disclose and deal with the fallout of that (again, a super relevant experience) was so emotional and important. and ben was a FANTASTIC mmc. so tender, earnest, thoughtful, and sweet. their budding relationship was cute and heart-warming and soft, a perfect foil to the tension and hurt of the setting/narrative. and the side characters were a DELIGHT, particularly quincy. i actually burst into tears when he distracted the press so annie could escape and the coach said that he’d see her tomorrow. iykyk 🙂‍↕️

what an amazing book! highly recommend 🏀

[Mads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Annie never expected to be back at her old alma mater 8 years after graduating and leaving in a hurry. Those memories still linger, but she needs a job, and is hoping to find some sort of inspiration. Ben, her old colleague, still works for the basketball team too but he's holding a grudge against her for leaving early after graduating and abandoning the team. Annie's now working to find a bit of joy in a place that holds a lot of emotions for her, confront feelings since her fathers passing, and hopefully have a job in the end. And maybe win over Ben in the process.

This was such a cute twist on a sports romance. I really enjoyed the coaching staff aspect, while still enjoying the dynamics of a team. I love an enemies to lovers trope, and the miscommunication trope was barely noticeable and very palatable. Highlighting the issue of people in power taking advantage of their inferiors, especially in sports was written very well and was a really great way to shed some light on an important topic.

If you like sports romances with a bit of enemies to lovers/second chance romance, this book is for you.

Thank you NetGalley, Jamie Harrow and Quercus books for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Rachael · Rating 5 out of 5]

am i … a basketball fan now?

this book was amazing it was pretty high up on my tbr because let’s face it whatever jessica joyce recommends im going to flock to. I’m so glad i picked this up because this is exactly the type of romance i LOVE to read! a heartfelt story between two people but also real life problems in the background. I think i just found a new favourite author!

for reasons that the story goes into i felt such a connection to Annie the way she was written and how the subject was handled was amazing. Ben was an absolute joy and i’ll be thinking about him forever

we need more swoony romances and this delivered if you love emily henry or jessica joyce you’ll absolutely love this! i can’t wait to see what else Jamie has in store for us in the future because i’ll definitely be reading!