From USA Today bestselling author Rebecca Jenshak comes a brand-new YA romance series that follows Frost Lake High School's state champion soccer team. This book will include a special inside cover.
Frost Lake High's new soccer star, the team captain's ex-girlfriend, and a dare that changes everything.
When Austin Keller's family moves across the country for his chance to play with the prestigious Frost Lake soccer team, he's ready to seize the opportunity. But on his first night out with the team, a dare to kiss the team captain's ex-girlfriend sets in motion a rivalry that threatens his future.
Stealing for Keeps (Frost Lake High #1) by Rebecca Jenshak
3.5/5 stars
Before I start my review I want to point out that I think this book is being mislabelled as a young adult novel. While it has young adult elements, I think it's mostly a middle grade book with very young characters who are very innocent and tentative. Young adult is one of my favorite genres and while Austin and Claire are really adorable they don't have the maturity of young adult characters. And I truly think this book can reach a broader audience when it's properly labelled. I think lot's of young adult lovers will DNF it because of the immaturity of the characters. So I do hope it'll get the proper genre so that it will reach a broader audience and so that it can shine with the right people who will thoroughly enjoy it.
The story is about Claire, a junior who sustained a career ending injury and is now walking with a cast around her leg. Her figure skating career is over and she has to adjust to a life with her biggest passion.
Austin is also a junior and he and his family just moved across the country so he can join the famous Frost Lake High soccer team. He is talented and eager to learn. His sister is angry because her entire life was uprooted and now she needs to start over.
The first day Austin attends school he gets invited to a party and there his new soccer team dares him to kiss a cute blond girl. That girl is Claire and he kisses her. They instantly connect but things escalate. Claire is the ex-girlfriend of Vaughn, the team's soccer star and Vaughn is convinced he and Claire will get back together.
And that is what this story is about. It's about a girl who falls for a boy and hopes that he'll put her first. Because Vaughn did not do that. It's also about her finding her place in the world after that devastating career ending injury.
It's about a boy who wants to fit in with his new team and who wants to become friends with them. It's about a boy who loves a girl and isn't really sure how to navigate it with Vaughn looking over his back.
And while all these elements are definitely young adult. The execution was not. Claire and Austin are really sweet and super kind. At the start the author writes a few times that Austin is arrogant. But he is everything but. He is a people pleaser. And while he lies to Vaughn about his feelings for Claire. He mostly is super friendly. Is there for everyone around him. And he gives Claire all the time she needs. Their pinkies touch throughout the story. They enjoy sitting next to each other. And it was all super kind and sweet. There wasn't chemistry between them. Just a sweet yearning. There is a line in the book that describes that their first kiss tastes like skittles. Which makes them so, so young and innocent.
The book almost feels like a sort of handbook for middle graders. Certain things happened. Like the lie that comes to the light that Claire and Austin are making out. And then Austin's friend explains he first needs to talk to Vaughn and apologize. And then he must make amends with Claire. Austin's relationship with his sister was also handled politically correct. As was everything that happened in this book.
There is a love scene. But it was written so tentatively and demurely that I didn't feel any passion or chemistry between the two main characters. And it was one time thing in the book.
It's just. I just missed the grit that a young adult novel has. It's often about strength and growth. And I really missed that in this book. So again, I truly hope this one will get labelled properly so that it'll reach the right audience and that it can shine the best it can be.
Because it is a fun book. And I think 12-year olds would absolutely love and devour this book. It's good and fun. And it gives you proper tools and storylines to learn from.
I just missed a bit of fire, grit and characters that let you feel what they feel. So overall 3.5 out of 5 stars for me for this fun and entertaining book.
This was SO fun and as someone who loves soccer romances, I loved how the hero was new to the school and wanting to do well on their soccer team. What he doesn't know, though, is that the girl he's dared to kiss, the girl he can't stop thinking about since he ran into her, is his captain's ex. The ex he's not over. These two were just so cute together and I really loved how they didn't know how to be together when so much was on the line for the hero. His family moved to Michigan from Arizona just for him to play soccer, so he had to do well and get along with the team. I loved the hero's family and also how the heroine was trying to deal with a mother who was very critical and focused on success over anything else. The growth of these characters through the book was great and the way they fell for each other was so cute! I highly recommend picking this one up!!
this was so good! i randomly found it at barnes and noble and bought it not knowing anything about it but im glad that i did! it was a super light and faced paced cute read that was perfect for me to read at the beach this week. i obviously loved the sports aspect of this because im all for a good sports romance and soccer is one of my favs too😇
i loved all of the side characters so much and i really hope we get books about lacey and rowan!! they are both so funny and i would love to get to read their stories as well!
i also loved both claire and austin! they weren't super cringy or annoying to me which is always a plus, and their breakup was a little stupid but it was a reflection of claires past so it makes sense where she was coming from. their relationship is so cute and im glad they ended up together! i also liked how this book didn't have a lot of boring filler moments and it was mostly action, because that made it a lot more fun to read.
High school soccer drama, a new boy in town, and a complicated love triangle...or one as can get while you are a high schooler...
It is an easy, light read with a sports twist but lacks the depth and originality to stand out. Great for readers new to YA romance, but seasoned fans might find it underwhelming.
🎶 "We Are Young" – Fun 🎶 “Enchanted” - Taylor Swift
I haven’t read a YA romance in a LONG time especially one that I’d consider a 5-star read but this is definitely it! Rebecca Jenshak has written an incredible romance that feels authentic and hopeful. I remember being that age and not realizing how big the world is, and it was so hard to even imagine a future outside of the present, but Jenshak made me FEEL that for this couple. I loved Claire and Austin together and found their relationship to be really cute. Their banter, flirting, and overall connection with each other was adorable and heartwarming. I just loved it to pieces!
Whether you’re a teen or woman in your thirties (or even older) this romance is a must read, and I recommend it regardless of what stage in life you’re in. I think it’ll be enjoyable for everyone!
𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗 𝗜𝗙 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗘𝗡𝗝𝗢𝗬 ⚽ Young Adult High School Romances ⚽ Sports Romances (Soccer) ⚽ Friends to Lovers
Claire Crawford is about to start her junior year of high school. With summer ending, she’s not sure how to adjust to all the changes she’s had lately. She’s newly single, and she lost the only thing she was truly passionate about. Figure skating was her entire world, and she’d planned out her whole life around it. Then all her dreams are shattered in an instant. This year definitely looks different for her. She’s not expecting to meet someone that interests her so soon, but suddenly she has a full blown crush on the new guy at school, and wants to get to know him better.
Soccer is everything to Austin Keller. When an opportunity comes up to join a state champion team his family picks up and moves from Arizona to Michigan. The Frost Lake Knights soccer program is one of the best, and has an amazing record. Austin is prepared to prove himself and earn his spot. Then things get complicated when he lands himself in a bit of drama. On his first night out with the team, one dare changes everything when he ends up kissing the team captain’s ex-girlfriend. Will he risk it all and cross the line for a connection he can’t deny?
Stealing for Keeps (Frost Lake High, #1) by Rebecca Jenshak is a secret relationship, high school, sports romance full of humor, rivalry, emotion, and sizzling chemistry. It’s a super cute, young adult story about self discovery and forbidden love. I really enjoyed this book, and can’t wait for more in the series! <333
After putting it down two times and picking it up two times I had to dnf. This is so bad!!! I don't know if it has spice or not because I only reached around 35% BUT it's better suited for early teenage years readers.
The writing is juvenile, I mean these are high-school kids who prepare signs with glitter and sparkles for the beginning of the new academic year 🙄
And then Austin is a spinless MMC who is scared to be seen with the MFC because she is the Football Captain's ex and he warns him to stay away from her and I was just about ready to pull my hair out!!!
Stealing for Keeps is a YA contemporary, sports romance from Rebecca Jenshak and this was so cute! Rebecca Jenshak is already one of my favorite romance authors, and her first YA romance was such a delight.
He’s the new soccer star and gets dared to kiss a cute girl on his first day…which happens to be his new team captain’s ex-girlfriend!
Soccer is everything to Austin Keller, in face he and his family moved from Arizona to Michigan specifically for him to play for the prestigious soccer team there. On his first day at Frost Lake High School he runs into—literally runs into, Claire, and gets doused in sparkle. That moment earns him the nickname “Disco” from his new teammates and a crush on the cute girl he ran into.
Claire has been a figure skater her whole life, but a recent injury has her second guessing her future plans. I really liked her character and seeing the complicated relationship between her and her mother. I liked seeing Claire and Austin feel pulled to one another but also him trying to push her away because of her being his team captain’s ex.
“I dare you to kiss me.”
I just really loved this one! There is just something about a high school setting and that coming-of-age aspect to the story where the options feel endless for what you can do with your life…the friends, the hobbies and sports you are into, the relationships, all the highs and lows of that self discovery happening. So good and this was just such a great YA romance debut from an existing romance author!
I received an audio ALC, all thoughts in this review are my own. Stealing for Keeps is out December 31st!
Okay, so this was not my favourite book the author has put out.
At the beginning, I really liked our two leads, Austin and Claire. However, they got on my nerves the more I read. My biggest issue was how they handled the whole situation with Claire’s ex-boyfriend, Vaughn. I wished Claire had more of a backbone and held her ground when it came to him. He treated her terribly by breaking up with her immediately after the injury that ended her figure skating career. But now all of sudden he wants her back and Claire never conveys how much he hurt her and just lets him continue claiming to everyone that they’ll eventually get back together.
As for Austin, it’s obvious from his POV that he has feelings for Claire, but he denies this when Vaughn asks him directly which leads to so much unnecessary drama. Miscommunication trope continues to be one of the worst tropes ever… Claire and Austin constantly gave each other mixed signals. One moment they were into each other and the next they’re acting cold and avoiding each other. It was super frustrating.
I do think that their behaviour stems mainly from the YA genre. There were a lot of moments that felt childish and juvenile and that’s not something I usually see in the author’s new adult/adult romance books. I have read YA books where characters have more maturity, but I don’t know if this was the author’s way of differentiating between YA and adult. It didn’t really work for me though.
Despite those issues, I liked Austin and Claire’s meet cute. They also had good banter and chemistry. There was definitely some insta-love, but that wasn’t my biggest problem with the book. It honestly didn’t bother me as much here.
The supporting characters really elevated the story though. I loved the friendships that were shown throughout the book. Austin’s little brother Wyatt stole the spotlight every time he showed up as well. He was so freaking cute. I also appreciated how the author didn’t make Vaughn a major jerk. There was more to him. I still didn’t really like him, but he wasn’t one-dimensional. He might be the lead for the next book?
All in all, this was not a perfect book but there were some aspects I enjoyed and I’m interested to see what the author does with Vaughn’s book.
Thank you to NetGalley for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I can't tell you the last time I read a YA or high school age romance book, but I will read literally anything Rebecca writes. It took me a minute to adjust to the younger age of the characters, but once I did, I found the story was really enjoyable. I loved Austin and Claire individually and together. They were adorable and I loved their storyline. It started with a single kiss from a dare, which made him his team captain's newest enemy, but ended in a super sweet young love and great friendships. Rebecca did an amazing job with this story. I love all of her books, but this one was especially sweet. It was a quick and easy read for me. Overall, it was very enjoyable. I love seeing Rebecca expand outside of her usual adult romance genre and I can't wait to see where she does with this next.
Omg. This book was SOOOOO sweet!!!! This book has big Better Than the Movies vibes which I LOVED!! Oh and I read it in 2 days.
I’m pretty sure this was my first soccer romance, and it didn’t disappoint!! If you enjoy YA romances, this is one you DO NOT want to miss!!
From their *sparkly* meet cute, Austin and Claire have a connection that, as much as they try, they can’t ignore. Their only hiccup? Claire’s ex-boyfriend who also happens to be the captain of the soccer team Auston just joined.
This book will totally take you back to your truth-or-dare days, getting ready for dances where you hope the boy you’re crushing on asks you to dance. It’s sweet, swoony, sparkly, and soccer-y! (It’s an S word…just go with it.)
I was hooked by this book after reading the blurb. Thanks to Rebecca and Valentine Pr, I got the chance to read it in advance🤗.
Claire is a young figure skating, who had an injury on her foot while competing, which practically ended her career. She was now wearing a boot, which will 'help' her bump into newly transferred soccer player, Austin. That was a super funny scene, full of glitter🤭, from which Austin will gain the cute nickname, Disco.
Besides the injury, she was struggling with breaking up from her long time boyfriend, Vaughn, who was also a soccer player. Her whole life changed and now she doesn't know what makes her happy. On this matter, Austin will be the one helping her figure out what she likes and that will make them grow closer.
But, Austin is afraid to be more than friends with Claire, because it can affect his football career. That's because Vaughn is the captain of the team and the couch's son, and he is still hopping to get back together with Claire. Austin knew very well the high stakes of his career, after his whole family uprooted their lives to come with him to persue his soccer dreams. Will Claire and Austin stand a chance against her old boyfriend and Austin's dreams?
I absolutely adored everything about this book! The characters were so much fun, who had amazing and unique personalities. Austin's teammates played a big part in this story, especially Rowan, who became his best friend. His siblings were important too, his little brother Wyatt and his sister Torrance, who were pretty much total opposites. Wyatt was the most sociable and joyful kid, on the other side, Torrance was always moody and hated Austin for forcing her to leave her old life behind.
This book was exactly on my taste, loving everything about it. And it's for all ages, no spicy scenes at all🤭. I cannot wait to be back in this world, this one being the first book of the 'Frost Lake High' series.
I really enjoyed this YA dual POV, high school sports romance between Aiden, the new kid on the soccer team and Claire, an injured figure skater and the soccer captain's ex girlfriend. I thought equal attention was paid to both main characters and their individual journey to finding their places (Aiden finding acceptance on the team and Claire figuring out what life without skating might look like).
This was a slow burn with the perfect amount of closed door spice for young readers. I've been a big fan of Jenshak's college sports love stories but look forward to reading more of her Frost Lake High books now. Many thanks to BloomBooks for sending me a physical finished copy in exchange for my honest review. I switched between the print and audiobook editions and liked both a lot.
I’ve been craving a book like this to read for a while, and it absolutely delivered on all the YA romance vibes! It’s exactly the kind of book I would’ve loved when I was younger 🫶
Claire & Austin just had the cutest romance ever. The new guy at school being determined to win the girl he keeps being drawn to even though she’s his rival’s ex-girlfriend? Yeah, I ate it up 😌 Their story had a high school backdrop with just the right amount of drama and angst that wasn’t too over the top. I really liked exploring both characters and seeing them fall for each other — they are my babies, and I love them! 🥹
All in all, this book was exactly what I needed and reminded me why I will always love YA romance! I fell in love with not only Claire & Austin, but all of the side characters as well. I’m not 100% certain on where this series is headed next (though I do have a few theories…), but all I know is that I truly adore the Frost Lake world and already cannot wait for more! Rebecca’s books will always loved by me, and her first take on a YA romance easily became a new favorite 💗
Thank you so much to Rebecca Jenshak & Bloom Books for an ARC of this book! 💌
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4.5! this was sooo adorable and fun!! i adore frost lake & the characters so much, and i already can't wait for more — this also had me reminiscing on my YA romance reading days that i so dearly miss :,)
Look, Rebecca Jenshak could write out her grocery list and I would read it. This books is a fabulous transition to the YA space, proving that she can capture your attention easily in any genre. Plus we need more YA sorts romance and I will never quit saying this.
Especially Soccer. It’s so underrated.
Austin and Claire made me giddy with how adorable they were together and this book gave me first love butterflies all over again. Really it was adorable
🩷 Soccer Star x former figure skater 🩷 Teammates ex- girlfriend 🩷 Friends to Lovers 🩷 High school setting 🩷 Secret Relationship
I really loved this book because even though the characters were young, they didn’t feel immature. I loved how they dealt with real problems and how they leaned on each other when they needed to really figure out what they wanted and how they could each grow- Claire with a new passion and Austin fitting in with a new team.
Plus I loved the supporting characters as well! I can’t wait for more!
I really loved this book. It showed the struggles of being a teenager that I had forgotten. You have to be the best, have good grades , but still have fun with friends and not get into trouble. As a mother of a teenager now it showed me how I want them to succeed, but still be there for them whatever they choose. Claire and Austin were great together. They got along so well. Lacey was perfect! I hope her and Rowan get together! I can’t wait to see the rest of this book world!
the most adorable YA book ever!! i listened to this one on audio and it truly captured my attention right away. austin was such a sweet mmc and i loved how gone he was for claire from the very start.
i loved seeing claire come into her own and rediscover her passions after the end to her ice skating career. and i loved how austin helped her feel confident in herself especially when you consider how her parents treated her
austins family was one of my favorite things in the book. they were all so kind and welcoming and you could tell how much they truly cared about austin and his well being
overall i really enjoyed this one and can’t wait to read more in this series when they come out. it’s books like these that remind me how much i enjoy a YA book and the young love/coming of age vibes that always comes with
This was really cute, and I’m invested in Frost Lake!
⭐️: 4.5/5 🌶️: fade to black, kissing & touching, implied sexual activity
💭 overall thoughts: I’ve been back on forth on my review for this one!
I absolutely ADORE Rebecca Jenshak and her writing 🥰 the story was super cute, and I was invested in the main & side characters - I love the world she’s built at Frost Lake High!
Claire & Austin meet at a party, where he’s dared, as the new guy, to kiss her - and she just happens to be his soccer team captain’s ex-girlfriend. Their dynamic is so sweet as they get closer as friends, and try to fight becoming more 🥹
I’m just not sure if I’m the right audience for this one… I think it would be better suited for (older) teens.
I generally like my YA a little more innocent 🙃 I definitely think it’s realistic for 16 year olds to be getting drunk & having s3x, but it’s not really something I personally want to read (at 40 myself).
read if you enjoy: ⚽️ YA sports (soccer) romance ⛸ former figure skater ⚽️ new guy at school + ex’s teammate 🚫 forbidden 🤫 secret dating 💞 dual 1st person pov
Thank you to Rebecca Jenshak and Valentine PR for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
“I like the way he sees me. The way he draws me. The way he always seems to know exactly what I need.”
Stealing for Keeps was definitely Rebecca Jenshak’s cutest book to date. I felt like I was reading, instead of watching, one of my favorite young adult coming of age sitcoms. There’s drama, there’s angst, there’s the sweet butterflies in your stomach feeling of truly falling in love for the first time, but there’s also some relatable real stuff that happens in this story. The dynamics between some of the characters and their families and friends, and just how different teens have different expectations thrust upon them by others/themselves and how that impacts them.
I truly enjoyed Austin and Claire’s story and I’m excited to see there is at least one more book in the series. So many great characters that I fell in love with in SfK, and some who I’d love see get a little redemption with their own stories. I think this story is perfect for anyone who enjoys romance reads, but with the sweetness of young love.
CW: cast from sport injury, kissing on page, mentions of first times, off page intimacy, underage drinking, fighting, complicated parental relationships (high expectations, ignored child, etc.)
*** If you let your teens watch shows like One Tree Hill or Gilmore Girls, then I’d say the content in this book will be fine. Always GENTLY suggest parents reading anything first to be ready to discuss with their teens if necessary.***
I’ve been looking for a Young Adult Romance book that will live up to my favorite (Better Than the Movies) and I think this definitely came close. The TENSION is my favorite thing ever with young adult romance and it was so good!! I absolutely adored the MMC in this and the friendship that evolved was just *chefs kiss*. This book was fast-paced and just a good sweet romance that had me kicking my feet the entire time. I loved it.
wow this was such a good book! I cannot remember the last time that I read a YA book but this one takes the cake. I thought the tension in this one was fantastic and I loved Austin and Claire so much. this was such a cute read!
read if you like: - soccer player x figure skater - secret relationship - high school setting - rival's ex-girlfriend - new guy at school
This was a cute YA book. I am not used to reading YA romance and this was my first one in a very, very long time. I can say I wasn't used to the character's ages or how they acted. It was weird reading as an adult, but I did enjoy reading about Austin and Claire's young love. This also had one of my favorite tropes which is sports romance and hockey! I am looking forward to book two!
3.45 stars rounded down. rtc! this book was cute. it was fast passed and was a good read to help me accomplish my reading goal. I liked the romance, it was good. the book actually felt pretty realistic, and the way the characters acted and reacted were realistic.
𝗡𝗼𝘄 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴: she looks so perfect- 5 seconds of summer 0:09 ━●────────── 2:47 ㅤ ㅤ◁ㅤ ❚❚ ㅤ▷ ㅤㅤ -------˖⁺. ༶ ❤︎ ⋆˙⊹ 𐦍 ˖⁺. ༶ ❤︎ ⋆˙⊹-------
characters:
claire: I liked her. she was realistic. I think it was completely understandable why she was hesitant about austin and finding something new to do other than skating.
austin: I actually liked him a lot and found him to be really sweet. he was a gentleman. his passion and love for soccer was really nice.
lacey: she was a really good friend, I liked her.
vaughn: he was okay didn't hate but didn't love him.
rowan: I really liked him, he was probably my favorite side character.
wyatt: he was so cute
playlist:
I wanna be yours- arctic monkeys until I found you- stephen sanchez kiss me- sixpence none the richer everywhere everything- noah kahan daylight- taylor swift enchanted- taylor swift she looks so perfect- 5 seconds of summer how you get the girl- taylor swift so high school- taylor swift the alchemy- taylor swift
This sports romance absolutely hit the spot! I would have 100% had a crush on Austin in high school!
When Austin transfers to Frost Lake High, he doesn’t have plans for anything but focusing on soccer, that is until he unexpectedly runs into Claire and she becomes the best distraction. These two had a hilarious, sparkly, meet cute that had me smiling and laughing so much! Austin earning his team nickname from such a funny incident was really just so perfect, Disco for life! 🤣 But falling for his new team captain‘s ex-girlfriend definitely wasn’t going to win Austin any friend points. So the tension and forbidden nature of their romance definitely added some angst to their story but I had so much fun listening and anticipating when the school would find out!
“I don’t just want to kiss her. I want to kiss her until the sun comes up.”
I laughed out loud several times at the bad teenage luck that they had, but they took it all in stride, even the consequences for their actions. I love the forced proximity of high school romance because you’re guaranteed to see the other person even if you don’t want to and have to deal with friends being nosy and in your business. This group of friends made me love this story even more and I’m excited to see the other stories in the series! Being young adult, this is a closed door romance but there is plenty of moments to fall in love and swoon over!
“I know that she’s figuring things out, and I am too. We can figure it all out together. Life is so much easier when people show up for you. We can be that for each other.”
This was my first YA in a while and it truly didn't disappoint.
I adore Rebecca’s writing and she’s definitely one of these authors that I truly believe can write everything. Austin was truly one of those book boyfriends that we wish we crossed paths with right back in high school, you know? He is protective, sweet and has the whole soccer player vibe going one - and let me tell you that Max Meyers makes him even better - I could listen to him the whole freaking day and never get tired of his voice.
I truly enjoyed Claire in this one - she was adorable and I love to see her thoughts, feelings and fears - especially the deeper parts that she shared with the reader about figure skating and I really believe that Abigail Reno brought her fears and feelings in such a deeper way with her narration - it was so real and relatable that I truly think that everyone will relate and remember their previous high school years.
If I could talk about this one with only one word it would be: nostalgia! I missed my High School years so much, being in love, naive and the fears that it’s the biggest problem in that moment.
I truly adore this one and I want to know more about some side characters that appeared here. Thank you so much Must Love Audio for this ALC!
Thank you to Bloom Books and Edelweiss for the advanced copy! I was a fan of Rebecca Jenshak before reading and I was so intrigued to see how she would do Young Adult. I really enjoyed this one!! It brought me back to the drama filled and love obsessed teens I use to read about as a teen. I truly had the best time with it. They felt like actual teens going through teenage troubles. The sports romance aspect was done really well too and I loved seeing soccer in a book as well. Both characters really developed on their own and because of each other. This had a great cast of characters and I am interested to see what book 2 will be about! I highly recommend this for all the YA fan’s especially those who love a sports romance.
Thanks again to Bloom Books and Edelweiss for the advanced copy!