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Southeastern Alumni #1
Courtside
Sage Fogerty has a complicated history with basketball. She hadn’t planned on addressing it...ever...until her graduate internship at Southeastern University fell through and she’s left with no choice but to be team manager for the men’s basketball team. Forced to confront the sport that used to be her entire world, Sage not only begins to mend her relationship with basketball, but also finds herself opening up to the overprotective head coach — a beautiful, bear of a man who she may or may not have almost hooked up with at the beginning of the year.
David Hughes is back at Southeastern with his dream job, Head Basketball Coach, and a chance to do things right. When the season gets off to a rocky start, David finds himself seeking out Sage's company. There’s something about her — beyond her blue pantsuits and blonde ponytail — that keeps him showing up at her door with canned soup and take-out until he feels just as at home in her plant-filled apartment as he does his own.
But the attraction that drew them together that first night at the bar didn’t disappear just because their circumstances changed. And as accidental run-ins at the grocery store become shared meals, exchanging t-shirts, and slow dances, they find it increasingly difficult to remain professional in face of the chemistry between them.
Courtside is an almost hook up-to-coworkers-to-lovers romance filled with big men with tiny dogs, breakfast tacos, annoyingly perceptive friends, forgiveness, and, ultimately, two people who choose happiness together — on and off the court.
David Hughes is back at Southeastern with his dream job, Head Basketball Coach, and a chance to do things right. When the season gets off to a rocky start, David finds himself seeking out Sage's company. There’s something about her — beyond her blue pantsuits and blonde ponytail — that keeps him showing up at her door with canned soup and take-out until he feels just as at home in her plant-filled apartment as he does his own.
But the attraction that drew them together that first night at the bar didn’t disappear just because their circumstances changed. And as accidental run-ins at the grocery store become shared meals, exchanging t-shirts, and slow dances, they find it increasingly difficult to remain professional in face of the chemistry between them.
Courtside is an almost hook up-to-coworkers-to-lovers romance filled with big men with tiny dogs, breakfast tacos, annoyingly perceptive friends, forgiveness, and, ultimately, two people who choose happiness together — on and off the court.
370 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 21, 2024
35 people are currently reading
269 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
June 26, 2024
I really liked the first 75% of this, but once they actually got together I didn’t care at all anymore. This might partially be because I’m a third person pov hater. I take full responsibility for that. But I just wasn’t feeling the third act.
June 21, 2024
The sincerity, humor, and thoughtfulness of Courtside blew me away from the first chapter. Oozing with detail, it transported me to the heady streets of Charleston, the buzz of college gymnasiums, and straight into the world of the main characters. Weston weaves a story of growth, grace, and second chances together while keeping it downright funny and pulse-quickeningly sexy at the same time.
June 21, 2024
I should have posted this sooner but I got to beta read this and I’m still thinking about it. This one is truly for the sports romance besties. Sage & David are everything. Their restraint is honestly insane I don’t think I could with a mans like David? Swoon. Also daisy??? I love her so much, big man little dog? A new micro trope I’m obsessed with. I could go on and on but I truly loved this debut so much and I can’t wait to see what Taylor does next 🫶🏻🥹
June 21, 2024
Y’all, read this book! It is a romance that captures the plunge from budding attraction to deep passion, and combines it with the nostalgia of sports. This charming and engaging story of Sage and David draws you in and never lets you go.
July 2, 2024
Five Stars!!
Top read for the month of June!! I can’t stop thinking about how wonderful this book was 😊😊
David is such a cinnamon roll and the way he falls so hard for Sage 🫠 He was the most supportive and just the biggest cheerleader for Sage! And don’t get me started on his little puppy 🥹
And Sage! Listen, she may be a little stubborn, but this woman is a queen!! She works through her doubts in such a real way. I related to her as she waded through what she wanted to do with her life once she finished college.
Read if you are looking for a man who is hopelessly in love. A woman who is trying to find her way in the world. Two people who are dealing with their past, then helping each other heal. And in the most important supportive role, a puppy!
Top read for the month of June!! I can’t stop thinking about how wonderful this book was 😊😊
David is such a cinnamon roll and the way he falls so hard for Sage 🫠 He was the most supportive and just the biggest cheerleader for Sage! And don’t get me started on his little puppy 🥹
And Sage! Listen, she may be a little stubborn, but this woman is a queen!! She works through her doubts in such a real way. I related to her as she waded through what she wanted to do with her life once she finished college.
Read if you are looking for a man who is hopelessly in love. A woman who is trying to find her way in the world. Two people who are dealing with their past, then helping each other heal. And in the most important supportive role, a puppy!
April 5, 2025
A new to me author that you definitely should read!! This book was a bit of a slow burn, and rather than romance focused, it was very much about each character's personal journey, and development of their friendship, before romance even comes into the picture. It thrives in the quiet, mundane moments of life, and weaves in very emotional scenes. Sage is a stubborn, independent FMC which was both refreshing and frustrating at the same time! David is a big old protective teddy bear but sometimes too overbearing. Together they navigate what it means to build a relationship and a life together, and figure out that life with your person is what you make of it.
Tags:
-age gap
-workplace romance
-friends to lovers
-slow burn
-sports romance
Spice: 2/5
Third person
Dual POV
Tags:
-age gap
-workplace romance
-friends to lovers
-slow burn
-sports romance
Spice: 2/5
Third person
Dual POV
August 12, 2025
4.25⭐️
i loved the development of their friendship into the relationship, it really made them feel solid as a couple and david was such a kind and well meaning guy. there’s something that happens like 60% into the book that had me reeling but to me i feel like this book handled the subject well. i was just really rooting for these two! i also rarely read about basketball so it was a fun switch up to the normal sports romances i usually pick up.
i loved the development of their friendship into the relationship, it really made them feel solid as a couple and david was such a kind and well meaning guy. there’s something that happens like 60% into the book that had me reeling but to me i feel like this book handled the subject well. i was just really rooting for these two! i also rarely read about basketball so it was a fun switch up to the normal sports romances i usually pick up.
July 30, 2024
Loved it!
Very cute, very well written.
I love their humor and their friendship
Very cute, very well written.
I love their humor and their friendship
August 31, 2024
I loved everything about this. Sage is one of the best fmc I've read. She's strong and independent and a massive role model. David is also an amazing mmc. I love their love story. I love the basketball. I love the romance. I love the friendships. This was amazing and I think everyone should read it now. It was perfect and full of feels❤️❤️❤️
June 25, 2024
✅ Age Gap
✅ Sports Romance 🏀
✅ Co-Workers
✅ Mutual Pining
You know how sometimes in books one of the MCs is harboring a huge secret that leaves them “broken” so the other MC spends half the story “fixing them”? Yeah, this isn’t that.
In Courtside, Sage and David are realistically flawed characters that build an incredibly strong bond based on trust, respect, and friendship. It was so refreshing to read a story where both characters are struggling with demons from their pasts but trust each other and grow together rather than “fixing” each other. The mutual pining has me screaming in anticipation, Sage’s snarky comments had me actually laughing out loud while I was kicking my feet in excitement at David being adorable.
tldr - David is a respectful king and Sage is an absolute goddess but Daisy is the true star of the show. Read it now.
✅ Sports Romance 🏀
✅ Co-Workers
✅ Mutual Pining
You know how sometimes in books one of the MCs is harboring a huge secret that leaves them “broken” so the other MC spends half the story “fixing them”? Yeah, this isn’t that.
In Courtside, Sage and David are realistically flawed characters that build an incredibly strong bond based on trust, respect, and friendship. It was so refreshing to read a story where both characters are struggling with demons from their pasts but trust each other and grow together rather than “fixing” each other. The mutual pining has me screaming in anticipation, Sage’s snarky comments had me actually laughing out loud while I was kicking my feet in excitement at David being adorable.
tldr - David is a respectful king and Sage is an absolute goddess but Daisy is the true star of the show. Read it now.
June 26, 2024
Oh my heart, this was an exceptional debut!! I was captivated from the first page, and I never wanted this story of self discovery, friendship, and love to end. I loved how fun and real David and Sage's dynamic was, first as friends and then as a couple. They were both flawed from past baggage, but they lifted each other up and made the other stronger. And sweet little Daisy absolutely stole the show!!! I now need all giant men to have a little dog, preferably a dachshund. I also thoroughly enjoyed the grackle slander sprinkled throughout the book, because they are the absolute WORST and deserve all the hate.
November 25, 2024
Taylor's Courtside is a fantastic sports romance!! The yearning is palpable, the chemistry between the two MCs is spot-on and realistic! The plot and pacing are good for a slow-burn, and even if you're not into sports (I'm not!) it was honestly so fun and I found myself really enjoying the basketball jargon and everything that came with it. I LOVED that the FMC wasn't helpless, and that she was confident and comfortable with who she was the whole time! And yet there was still so much character growth for both her and the MMC. Also... I am super excited if she makes a sequel. Y'all, the side characters had me wanting more!! Fabulous, easy read with the perfect level of angst and fluff.
August 8, 2024
David Hughes the mannnnn that you are 🙌🏻🙌🏻 only thing that could’ve made this better was seeing Evan get what was coming for him on page
July 20, 2024
Sweet Story
I would recommend this for any romance reader, especially those who like sports romances. I liked that there was a plot and character arcs outside of “they fall in love”. I was pretty invested in the basketball team storyline. And all the characters were fun to hang out with.
I have this pet peeve though about characters obsessing over how attractive each other are, and gosh, that was like 25% of this book, haha. I think the over-emphasis on their sexual chemistry took away from the development of their deeper romantic chemistry. But again, they were still an enjoyable couple to read about.
Though all the ways they kept running into each other in the beginning seemed a bit contrived. Even the characters were like, wtf is this? Lol
And the POV on this was interesting—like uber casual third-person limited, but to the point where it almost felt like first person. I think it worked ultimately, but I spent a lot of time noticing it and trying to figure out how I felt about it.
Overall I enjoyed this and found it to be a sweet and easy read.
I would recommend this for any romance reader, especially those who like sports romances. I liked that there was a plot and character arcs outside of “they fall in love”. I was pretty invested in the basketball team storyline. And all the characters were fun to hang out with.
I have this pet peeve though about characters obsessing over how attractive each other are, and gosh, that was like 25% of this book, haha. I think the over-emphasis on their sexual chemistry took away from the development of their deeper romantic chemistry. But again, they were still an enjoyable couple to read about.
Though all the ways they kept running into each other in the beginning seemed a bit contrived. Even the characters were like, wtf is this? Lol
And the POV on this was interesting—like uber casual third-person limited, but to the point where it almost felt like first person. I think it worked ultimately, but I spent a lot of time noticing it and trying to figure out how I felt about it.
Overall I enjoyed this and found it to be a sweet and easy read.
January 7, 2025
I picked up Courtside because I adored of Taylor Weston's Dramione fanfic and appreciated how she was entering the published book world via a sports romance rather than romantasy. I'm not an athlete, nor have I ever read any sports romance novels previously, but that certainly didn't stop me from enjoying this.
Sage is relatable in that she her struggle to escape not only her last but also the weight of others' (in this case, her mother's) experiences/ expectations. I appreciated that she was confident even without having all the answers for her life. The choice to make David Sage's particular brand of unbelievably hot rather than just generic brooding, flawless, etc. was also a lovely breath of fresh air.
Overall, a fun read. I liked the characters (Chuck is such a sweetie) and enjoyed the overall vibe of this debut novel. I'm looking forward to more from Taylor as she continues to stretch and grow in her craft.
Sage is relatable in that she her struggle to escape not only her last but also the weight of others' (in this case, her mother's) experiences/ expectations. I appreciated that she was confident even without having all the answers for her life. The choice to make David Sage's particular brand of unbelievably hot rather than just generic brooding, flawless, etc. was also a lovely breath of fresh air.
Overall, a fun read. I liked the characters (Chuck is such a sweetie) and enjoyed the overall vibe of this debut novel. I'm looking forward to more from Taylor as she continues to stretch and grow in her craft.
Read
October 14, 2024Taylor does not disappoint with Courtside! I have been a long time fan of her writing, and when she released this I was over the moon. I totally forgot to review this back in the summer when I read it but better late than never!
All of the characters were so enjoyable, they felt realistic in their traumas and fears and their friendships with each other. It made me so nostalgic for when I was younger and playing sports and part of a team. The pacing of the story felt very organic and not rushed which I think can sometimes happen with stand alone books, but not this one. It was refreshing to read and I cannot wait for more published works from Taylor!
All of the characters were so enjoyable, they felt realistic in their traumas and fears and their friendships with each other. It made me so nostalgic for when I was younger and playing sports and part of a team. The pacing of the story felt very organic and not rushed which I think can sometimes happen with stand alone books, but not this one. It was refreshing to read and I cannot wait for more published works from Taylor!
March 18, 2025
4.5/5⭐️s!!
I ate this book up! The slow burn between David and Sage was so good and their relationship was fun to read. I loved watching the growth from an almost hookup-to-friends-to-lovers. ❤️🏀
These characters both have their own baggage and past traumas, but the way they build trust with each other and communicate was so real. Are they perfect people? No. Do they get things right the first time? No. But are they willing to apologize, grow and show respect for one another. Hell yes!
Get your hands on a copy of Courtside if you enjoy:
- Slow burn
- He falls first
- Age gap
- Dealing with past trauma
- Workplace romance (Head coach + team manager)
- Sports romance
I ate this book up! The slow burn between David and Sage was so good and their relationship was fun to read. I loved watching the growth from an almost hookup-to-friends-to-lovers. ❤️🏀
These characters both have their own baggage and past traumas, but the way they build trust with each other and communicate was so real. Are they perfect people? No. Do they get things right the first time? No. But are they willing to apologize, grow and show respect for one another. Hell yes!
Get your hands on a copy of Courtside if you enjoy:
- Slow burn
- He falls first
- Age gap
- Dealing with past trauma
- Workplace romance (Head coach + team manager)
- Sports romance
October 28, 2025
Courtside!
This story - and Sage, David, and Daisy - have my whole heart. I was hooked from the first sentence, and absolutely could not put this story down.
The characters are so real, and relatable, and I rooted so hard for them. And let's be honest here - David might just be my favorite book boyfriend. He is such a sweetheart, and I love how much he loves Sage and is her biggest supporter. May we all be so lucky.
This was a fantastic read, and I know without a doubt that I will read everything that Taylor Weston publishes. This was just so beautiful, and so full of love. Thank you for writing and sharing your talents with us.
This story - and Sage, David, and Daisy - have my whole heart. I was hooked from the first sentence, and absolutely could not put this story down.
The characters are so real, and relatable, and I rooted so hard for them. And let's be honest here - David might just be my favorite book boyfriend. He is such a sweetheart, and I love how much he loves Sage and is her biggest supporter. May we all be so lucky.
This was a fantastic read, and I know without a doubt that I will read everything that Taylor Weston publishes. This was just so beautiful, and so full of love. Thank you for writing and sharing your talents with us.
January 16, 2025
Romance that’s healthy and sex!! who knew
I love some toxic relationships pass off as romance, but sometimes I need to know that the couple will actually stay together and grow and be health and damn did this deliver. Both characters are flawed and have lived complicated lives, they have their trauma and together they work, not to try and “fix” each other, but to find tools to love each other with those obstacle. Amazing! Love it!
I love some toxic relationships pass off as romance, but sometimes I need to know that the couple will actually stay together and grow and be health and damn did this deliver. Both characters are flawed and have lived complicated lives, they have their trauma and together they work, not to try and “fix” each other, but to find tools to love each other with those obstacle. Amazing! Love it!
May 3, 2025
Weston scores big with Courtside
Courtside is a sweet story about learning to trust yourself and others. Sage’s growth is probably my favorite part of the story. At the beginning she’s guarded. She’s built up her defenses and thinks she’s perfectly happy with hook ups and one night stands. Then she meets David who changes her mind and wins her heart. The evolution of their relationship is so wonderful. A little bit of angst, a lot of healing and a great big happy ending!
Courtside is a sweet story about learning to trust yourself and others. Sage’s growth is probably my favorite part of the story. At the beginning she’s guarded. She’s built up her defenses and thinks she’s perfectly happy with hook ups and one night stands. Then she meets David who changes her mind and wins her heart. The evolution of their relationship is so wonderful. A little bit of angst, a lot of healing and a great big happy ending!
did-not-finish
December 26, 2025DNF @ 23%
This is personal preference but I just don't like when a MC sleeps with someone else after meeting the love interest, and especially after they have a moment. Add in that she picked someone he knows and then it was mediocre and felt like unnecessary drama just to show that he's a nice guy who doesn't get upset. I am still interested in trying this author so I'll just have to pick something else.
This is personal preference but I just don't like when a MC sleeps with someone else after meeting the love interest, and especially after they have a moment. Add in that she picked someone he knows and then it was mediocre and felt like unnecessary drama just to show that he's a nice guy who doesn't get upset. I am still interested in trying this author so I'll just have to pick something else.
April 21, 2025
Very mid
While I enjoyed this enough to read the whole thing there were times I was a little bored and frustrated but overall it’s cute and touches on a lot of topics I’m sure a lot of people can relate to
While I enjoyed this enough to read the whole thing there were times I was a little bored and frustrated but overall it’s cute and touches on a lot of topics I’m sure a lot of people can relate to
May 5, 2025
It was a cute book. I loved David he was a top tier book boyfriend. Sage I had a harder time getting behind. While I felt for her struggles she definitely irked me more than once. Overall it was a cute basketball romance , with a slow burn, almost hookup to friends to lovers
July 4, 2024
That was such an amazing read🤩 couldn’t put it down, the characters are so lovely, the writing is amazing, loved everything so much😍
July 28, 2024
Not my favorite. I thought the plot would be more exciting but unfortunately it didn’t work for me
August 29, 2024
good
Well written. Easy read. Loved the story line. Hope to read more by the author. Def recommend reading it. Well done
Well written. Easy read. Loved the story line. Hope to read more by the author. Def recommend reading it. Well done
September 9, 2024
it was okay. Not the biggest fan of sports romances though. They were cute but honestly I was pretty bored.
Read
October 10, 2024Very good sports romance not involving a player
March 9, 2025
Absolutely in love with David and Sage and their story of friendship, slow burn, and forgiveness.
Read
May 28, 20255%
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews