Close Knit

The Hastings #1

by Kels Stone, Denise Stone

CAMERON HASTINGS

I was running from the paparazzi when I crashed into a mystery girl with bright eyes and lavender hair.

All it took was a smile from her, and I was a goner.

We agreed to one night. No strings. No real names.

So imagine my surprise when I discover she’s moving across the hall from me—in another country.

But I don’t have time for distractions, especially after last season.

It doesn’t matter that I’m the best of the best, the only American keeper in the Premier League. I need to prove myself to my new team. I need to give them everything so we have a shot at winning the championship.

But I have a problem.

It was supposed to be one night. But I want more. . .

DAPHNE QUINN

I blame it on my Yes Year: finally stepping out of my comfort zone, moving to London, and . . . Him.

The man I spent that magical evening with. But this version of him, the guy who wears all black and a matching scowl, is nothing like the man I remember.

I do my best to avoid him, instead focusing on creating a real-world safe space for my online knitting community and collecting as many experiences as I can during my stint abroad.

But one neighborly run-in leads to another, and suddenly, I’m catching glimpses of him again.

For the first time in my life, I feel confident enough to play by my own rules. To live my life on my own terms, bullies be damned.

But how do I play to win when I’m facing down a man who protects his heart at all costs?

Genres: Sports Romance, Romance, Sports, Grumpy Sunshine, Forced Proximity, Contemporary Romance, Friends To Lovers

430 pages, Paperback

First published September 18, 2024

About the author

Impactful Love Stories

Kels & Denise are authors, best friends, and the definition of the found family trope. The pair bonded over their love for romance and turned all their late-night chats into writing together. Their enjoyment for storytelling morphed into writing impactful love stories.

@authorkelsdenisestone
kelsdenisestone.com/kdstone

For exclusive bonus content: www.patreon.com/authorkelsdenisestone

Reviews

[naz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who knew a grumpy soccer player just needed a knitting influencer to detangle his insecurities in a one-night stand (see what I did there? lol—yarn joke 🧶)!

This book was so wholesome, it made my entire heart swoon ♡. Daphne decides to have a "yes year" after her birthday, and who knew that saying YES to a one-night stand with a hottie like Cameron Hastings would turn her life upside down after discovering he's sports famous and her neighbor. Talk about TENSION!!! And the spice? Let’s just say Cameron's knotting skills were definitely giving 😉.

Besides the romance, the character development was amazing. Both the FMC and MMC deal with mental illness, and I think the author did such a beautiful job portraying how past trauma affects them—and more importantly, how they can grow from it. I love seeing books that give a real perspective on anxiety and trauma, and this one is the perfect example 👏💖

✨I recommend this book to anyone that loves sports romance, shrek (yes i said what i said), knitting jokes and anxiety representation✨

tropes
🧶 grumpy x sunshine
🧶 close proximity
🧶 one night stand
🧶 sports romance
🧶 neighbors to lovers
🧶 secret romance

thank you Valentines PR and Kels & Denise Stone for this eARC in exchange for my honest review!

⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.
𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 ꪆৎ ˚⋅ omgomgomg is a soccer sports romance and she is a knitting influencer like this combo I MUST SEE THROUGH aka im dropping everything to read this ASAP

[Jen ♥]

It deals heavily with mental health issues, so I don't consider this a light read. Some aspects of mental health representation hit too close to home.

Idk, how to feel about the story, tbh. I did struggle to enjoy it cuz for a huge part of the book it was all about Cameron (27) and Daphne's (26) struggle dealing with their mental health issues and the way it holds them back with life and the things they wanted to do.

There's also a lot of pulling away from Cameron. I really did my best to understand him and even tried to put myself in his shoes and look from his perspective at how the things that happened to him really hurt in so many ways. And although he finally did something to help himself, I found it way too little, too late in the story.

I know that people handle mental health problems differently, but since this is fiction, it would've been better if Cameron decided to get help a bit earlier and not let this problem drag on for far too long. 

I may sound like an insensitive person, but Cam's issues were so deeply seated, and it wasn't a good experience to see it affect him and the people surrounding him in the most negative way. I was open to understanding it in the beginning, but then the constant battle got exhausting along the way to the point that it drained all the energy I have in me. 

Then we have Daphne, who showed time and time again the never-ending patience and understanding for Cam. This woman was so admirable and she's way too good and too nice for him, if I'm being honest.

Then the third-act breakup happened, and I just lost interest completely in the story. Maybe Cam really needed the time to work on himself, but I can't wrap my head around the fact that this is the third time he pushed Daphne away. 

Idk what to expect from him after that breakup because I don't think any apology from him won't be enough. And I wasn't surprised at all that he just went out to the field before their game with his teammates wearing an 'I'm sorry, Duck' note. After that display, I hoped that he would reach out again to her, probably to apologize properly, but nope, it was still Daphne who texted him if they could talk.

Now that I think about it, it was always her who extended an olive branch every freaking time, even though she's not the one who messed up what they have.

Then during their in-person meetup, he just gave some lame speech, apology, and a love bomb, then everything was right again between them. Am I disappointed with this? Yes, abso-freaking-lutely. His apology was lame at best and not even well thought out. And Daphne just forgave him so easily and quickly. 🤦‍♀️

Maybe I'm just not the intended audience for this; it just didn't work for me. But maybe this would work well for the right readers. I hope this story resonates with someone else. 🤞


Book info:
- Sports romance
- Mental health rep
- Second-chance (ish)
- Grumpy x Sunshine
- Sexual harrassment
- Bullying
- Footballer x Knitting influencer
- Forced proximity (neighbors)
- Found family
- No cheating, OM/OW
- No V (h - 1 bf, H - got the hoe vibes)
- Separation (2 mos???)
- HFN (in a relationship)

[monica ✨ romantasyreader · Rating 4 out of 5]

close knit is a super cute sports romance following a knitting influencer and a grumpy goalkeeper, or as I say, two anxious beans falling in love.

this book was such a cozy read. kels and denise’s character driven romance had some of my fav things: sports romance, found fam, boy obsessed, and mental health rep. i loved reading about the two of them learning to open up and trust each other after a chance steamy ons and then reconnecting as accidental neighbors.

daphne was incredibly patient with cameron, and he was obsessed with her. it’s truly one of my fav set ups.

I don’t think this is a five star read for me bc I really needed more plot. yes it’s a character driven story, but I needed something other than their internal conflicts driving it forward. when I got to about the 80% mark I was like “okay, and?” bc I felt like nothing was happening. however, aside from that I did enjoy this and I’m sticking with my four star rating.

thank you sm kels and denise and valentine pr for this arc 🫶

what to expect
⟢ grumpy x sunshine
⟢ sports romance
⟢ found family
⟢ mental health rep
⟢ forced proximity

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I AM SO OBSESSED WITH THIS BOOK.

First, we have a knitting influencer, which is such a cool job for a heroine (I am a knitter myself, so I'm a bit baised). She's have a "year of yes," so she decides to move to London. Little does she know, she's in the same apartment complex as a soccer team, which includes the guy she had a one night stand with months ago in the states. The hero is coming from a very toxic soccer team, and has no idea how to open up or trust his new team. He is struggling with so much, but keeps it all in. He happens to live right next door to the heroine, and they both start falling for each other and opening up about their struggles with one another. The mental health rep and discussion in here was so good, and I loved the discussion of how social media can play into that, especially when it is such a big part of your job. These two were just SO CUTE together and I loved the other soccer players as well. This is definitely a favorite of the year and I cannot recommend it enough!!!

[kimmy ☆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars!!

i had fun with this and related to aphne a lot, the book started off really strong for me and kind of fell flat, but i had a good time overall! I really liked the strong start of the book, I feel like Cameron and Daphne’s relationship was fun to explore, and there’s a lot of important topics covered in the book, but towards the end of the book, it kind of fell flat and I feel like the third act break up could’ve been more dramatized in order for them to break up, I don’t really feel like the reason they broke up was 100% reasonable but I had fun regardless

[Dul · Rating 3 out of 5]

The camaraderie and dynamics within the Lions Lodge were so much fun to read about. I loved how the guys all embraced Daphne and welcomed her into their tight-knit group, even teaching her how to knit! The found family vibes were so heartwarming.

Cameron really resonated with me. He struggled a lot, constantly keeping people at arm's length and dealing with everything on his own. It was tough to see him put himself on the sidelines like that. But I adored watching him finally open up to Daphne and allow her in. His gruff, taciturn exterior gave way to the tender, genuine Cameron underneath, and it was such a rewarding transformation.

The way the book handled mental health challenges, for both Cameron and Daphne, was really well done. And I appreciated how the team rallied to support Cameron, even when he was reluctant to accept it.

Can't wait to read more about the other siblings and their various sports! The idea of each sibling having a unique athletic pursuit has me so curious.

[sil ♡ the book voyagers · Rating 4 out of 5]

˚˖𓍢ִ໋🧶✧˚.⋆

Close Knit is simply wonderful and adorable. I was anticipating this book so much, since it was first announced, and let me tell you that it did NOT disappoint.

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ If you're in the mood for a knitting influencer x soccer player romance, read this now. We have two people who meet one night in San Francisco, both with huge changes coming up in their lives, so they decide to succumb to a one-night stand before they fly to London. Though they do not know they will BOTH be going to London soon. BUT THEN THEY BUMP INTO EACH OTHER IN THE SAME APARTMENT BUILDING AND AH!! The story starts there.

I love that Kels and Denise included mental health awareness in the book, especially when it comes to the sports world. I love the grumpy x sunshine trope! I love that Daphne suddenly found herself living with soccer players and their chaotic vibes. How every Wednesday they had a "watching reality TV together" day and how she taught them how to knit. Like every single thing about this book was soooo cute. I highly recommend it!🎀

Also they call each other "Duck" and "Goose" because when they first met they didn't give each other their names and NOW THOSE ARE THEIR LIL NICKNAMES TO EACH OTHER AND IT'S SO ADORABLE PLEASE IM A GONERRRR. Him becoming her biggest fan and creating a fake instagram so he can like all her pics and see her stories without her knowing.... man, he's so whipped. I love it.

[logan · Rating 5 out of 5]

everyone needs to pick up this book about the grumpy goal keeper and the sunshine knitting influencer that turns his world upside down. (don't ask me how much money i spent on knitting supplies while reading this book - and no i havent touched any of them)

kels and denise are truly doing something so special with their books! the focus on mental health was so inspiring. both characters struggled in different ways, but i had so much appreciation for the way they handled it. their ability to tackle raw and difficult subjects while giving us a romance that had me kicking my feet twirling my hair!!! iconic. and the fact that they continually find new and creative ways to have characters tied up??? we love.

[mk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Close Knit by Kels and Denise Stone

4.5 🧶✨⚽️💜

Tropes: athlete x knitting influencer, forced proximity, one night stand, mental health rep

After committing to a “yes year”, Daphne finds herself having a one night stand with THE Cameron Hastings, but she doesn’t know that. She couldn’t care less about soccer, she just cares about the person in front of her. They both expect to never see each other again, but all of that changes when Cameron’s new club team moves into Daphne’s building. To say things start off of little rocky from there is an understatement, but these two can’t deny their unique connection. Friends seemed like a good idea until they realize that friendship will never be enough for them.

Everyone meet my new favorite Kels and Denise book!!! She’s a masterpiece <3 I absolutely adore all of these characters and have such a soft spot for Daphne and Cameron. They truly deserve the world and when they were hurting I felt like I was hurting because I cared so deeply for them. Daphne is genuinely one of the best characters I’ve ever read about. She has the biggest heart and is exactly the person Cameron needed in his life!

ARC review

[Capt. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved the talk about mental health but the way the book used Cam’s mental health problems as a third act breakup reason goes downhill for me. And while I won’t argue with the reason, I’ll say that a break up is not a solution.

It’s like all their development and moments were washed down the drain when this could have fueled a more powerful talk and growth as individuals and as a couple instead of putting it there as a third act conflict for the sake of drama.

Also Cameron’s grand gesture was cringe af.

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so stinkin cute!!!!!

Close Knit is the first book in Kels & Denise Stone’s new series. It’s a grumpy x sunshine, football romance, where he’s a premier league footballer and she’s a knitting influencer!

I just love the mixture of sweet & spicy, but also serious topics Kels & Denise bring into their writing.

I had such a good time with Close Knit and I cannot wait to see what else is in store for the rest of the series!!

[⟡⋆visa⋆⟡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a 5/5⭐️ and 2.5/5🌶️. Where do I even begin? I love sport romances and this one definitely delivered. This was such a perfect setting for the grumpy/sunshine trope and it was done so well.

No amount of words will be able to explain the feelings I felt reading this book so I am keeping it short and simple. Cameron and Daphne is the embodiment of the saying, "In darkness, there is light." Daphne is the light that Cameron needed. He has experienced trauma and betrayal like no other and with Daphne being by his side along with the support of his teammates, he is finally able to take charge of his own truth and raise awareness.

The way the couple navigated through their struggles individually and as a unit, it made for such a great read. Their mental health being a talking focus was truly heartbreakingly raw and I could not help but empathise and relate to the things being mentioned. I loved this from start to end. Easily in my top reads of the year.

“I’ll show you every day, Daphne, that I’m on the right path now. No more bottling up my emotions. I feel like I can finally be the man I want to be.”✨

[Hannah’s Library · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

He made her a cozy hobby room 😭💜

Read this if you like:
- Sports romance
- Knitting 🧶
- Grumpy x Sunshine ☀️
- Football ⚽
- Anxiety and C-PTSD rep
- The Alchemy by Taylor Swift
- Cozy hobbies

"Your too much is just too vibrant for someone else's too little."

A knitting, sports romance??? Hopes were so high and the authors absolutely delivered! I had such a fun time with this book. It was so refreshing to see characters that worked on themselves individually and together as a couple. I LOVED the mental health representation and discussion in this book!



Main character Daphne is so much fun; she is sunshine in human form. 🌞 The authors did such an amazing job with her characterization. She was so open about her struggles with anxiety and I loved how that led her to the world of knitting and other cozy hobbies. Ngl, I was a little nervous about her being an influencer because I’ve been burned by that trope in the past but the authors pulled it off. I actually ended up loving that aspect of the book and think it really tied in nicely with the plot.

Cameron is such a broody, misunderstood mmc and I just wanted to give him a hug. His backstory broke my heart. 💔 Once again the authors tackled another really tough topic with such care. I loved seeing Cameron’s journey with healing and new friendships! For a sports romance, there was actually a decent amount of football talk and action which was fun. ⚽

With 2 incredibly well-developed characters and a couple different subplots going on, this is definitely one of the best romance books I’ve read this year! I have nothing but great things to say about this wonderful book and will absolutely be continuing the series whenever the next book comes out. 4.5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨

HUGE thank you to Valentine PR for the early copy 💖

[Kaity · Rating 3 out of 5]

Audio:
5 stars for Jason Clarke
5 stars for CJ Bloom

Book: 3-3.5 stars

Started out strong, a knitting influencer and a pro football goalie, I thought would be a great read! And while the beginning hooked me in, the middle became a little repetitive with the conversations and internal struggles… while I understand why, it just felt drawn out as a reader… if that makes sense. However the teammates hanging out with Daphne was truly a highlight!

One thing I didn’t love was the 3rd act breakup… but I got it.

I would say this is a good book to pick up if you wanted to read an opposites attract story! And the with that narration 😘

[Lauren⚡️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

still 5 stars. love characters that are in therapy 🫶🏼

————————————————————————————

I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH HOLY JESUS CHRIST.

CAMERON HASTINGS? HIS GOLD HOOP EARRING? HIS GRUMPY ATTITUDE?!

DAPHNE QUINN? HER PURPLE HAIR?! HER KNITTING SKILLS?! TRYING TO BETTER HERSELF AND OTHERS?!

Have I said enough?! This book has tied with Savor It as my #1 book of the year. If you feel negatively about this book, please don’t tell me 🫶🏼🥰

Tropes:

⚽️grumpy x sunshine
🧶one night stand
⚽️forced proximity
🧶opposites attract
⚽️knitting influencer x goalkeeper
🧶mental health rep
⚽️family dynamic

Release Date: 9.18.2024 🗓️

[jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5!! i inhaled this!!! i mean it genuinely feels like i was the exact target audience here. soccer romance (i <3 making everything about ted lasso), knitting girly (i crochet but still!), and a troubled mind on the playlist (one of my most beloved songs) what more could i ask for? nothing really.
in all seriousness, i sat down to read this and genuinely did not want to put it down for a single second.

daphne and cameron’s relationship was such a blast to watch. from their very first interaction alone i was giggling and twirling my hair and kicking my feet and it didn’t let up for a single second throughout their progression!! even when he (thought he) hated her!!! i also just loveeeee love love love love how DOWN BAD he was over daphne and how gentle and warm he was towards her even when he was such a tough guy for the most part (following in the king roy kent’s footsteps yupppp!)

and as much as i loved daphne and cam’s relationship, their individual struggles and growth just made this book so much sweeter and special. daphne’s struggles with anxiety were so relatable for me and it was so inspiring for me to get to watch her deal with that and do such amazing things and i want to be just like her when i grow up (we are literally the same age).

and goddddd i just loved the lyndhurst team. it feels wrong to say they’re a found family when both main characters had great familial relationships for the most part! but they were such a perfect second found family and i loved watching them interact with both daphne and cam!!!

(wasn’t the biggest fan of the ~third act~ sorry i hate men who make joint decisions about the relationship without consulting their other half and when they’re like boohoo “you deserve better” and i think there was not enough groveling (just for my liking) hence the .5 star deduction lol but that was my literal oNLY note and i loved every other second of this!!!)

cannot WAIT!!! for the rest of this series from kels and denise!! this was such a perfect start!!
**thank you thank you kels & denise and valentine for the arc!!!!***

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a lovely romance honestly. One thing I especially appreciated were the elements that you don’t typically see in romance books. Such as sex scenes that don’t end with an or**asm (due to her anxiety medication), but are still intimate. Additionally there was excellent anxiety and CPTSD representation. I have both of these and felt very seen by the portrayal of it in Cameron & Daphne.

This is easily my favorite of Kels & Denise’s books so far. Truly remarkable!

[Anna (annasbookstacks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a sweet book!!! This book starts off so strong you won’t want to put it down. The characters and their chemistry sucked me in from the first chapter. I enjoyed a lot of things about this book, but mainly the mental health & medication representation. I thought it was done beautifully and made me feel less alone. Living with anxiety and learning to be happy with who you are after experiencing bullying is no easy feat and I resonated so deeply with Daphne because of that. Cameron’s mental health journey and struggles with trauma were heart wrenching but the growth was amazing. The character development for both Daphne and Cameron was SO SO good. Loved the therapy positive rep!! I wondered how a knitting influencer x soccer player was going to work but it was so fun. The authors made the plot between their two professions so entertaining and meaningful. Loved the little found family dynamic and reading about Cameron’s growth with his team. He’s just a big softie under it all!!! Literally my only “gripes” are that it felt too long in some parts, and some dialogue bits could be a lil cheesy but I can overlook it. Can’t wait to read the next books!!💜

[Bookedwithstephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

⚽️🧶

This was my first book by Kels and Denise, I really enjoyed it!

Daphne is a knitting influencer, she decided to have a “yes year”, stepping out of her comfort zone and saying yes more often. Cameron is a professional football (soccer) goalie, he’s struggling to trust his new team after trauma from his old team and coach. They find themselves being neighbors, their connection growing.

Cameron and Daphne help each other heal, their friendship was so beautiful. Daphne has anxiety, Cameron has complex PTSD. I love a book with mental health representation, this was written so well. I enjoyed the characters, Cameron’s teammates were so funny and also so sweet. They helped Cameron learn to trust them, I loved the bond they ended up having. I highly recommend this book!

"Daphne Quinn has painted my world in vibrant colors, and I'll be damned if I let it fade again."

Thank you Kels & Denise Stone and VPR for the ARC!

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute and cozy read. Cameron, a pro footballer, and Daphne, a knitting influencer, have an amazing one night stand with no names or information exchanged. They never expected to see each other again and definitely weren't expecting to be new neighbors in London, a whole other country. Cameron is extra grumpy, and I do mean EXTRA, and Daphne is a ray of sunshine wanting to spread joy through knitting and mental health awareness. These two are complete opposites, but someone are exactly what they each needed.

There was a good blend of coziness and seriousness mixed into this story. The focus on mental health and normalizing experiencing mental health concerns was great. It's such an important topic, especially when so many of us are working on our own mental health. Daphne is so open about her mental health and Cameron had a big internal battle with learning to understand his mental health and the importance of addressing his mental health concerns. The characters seemed more relatable because of this. I wish I was more like Daphne and brave enough to have my own "Yes Year." Overall, I enjoyed this cozy sports romance and have already recommended it to some friends.

[Tanvi Patel · Rating 2 out of 5]

i really liked this book at the beginning. once the main characters got together at 60% though, nothing interesting was happening to hold my attention anymore. i almost dnf-ed this book. it somehow got worse around the 80% mark because of the *third act breakup* followed by the *grand gesture* … this one was not for me :(

[Shelby Crosslin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Close Knit by Kels & Denise Stone
🌶️ 3/5
⭐️ 5/5

I saw this book floating around booksta for awhile, but hadn’t gotten around to reading it. As a crocheter myself, when I saw the ALC opportunity from Valentine, I knew it was time 😂
This book was so much more than I ever expected. I knew the bare minimum going into it, but it was so much more than just a knitting influencer and pro footballers love story. The mental health representation alone made the story worth reading. It was like a spicy rom-com with such depth and so well balanced. I loved the corny jokes and all the heartfelt moments. It was so good, that my words are all jumbled and I don’t know what else to say 😂 if you enjoy a grumpy x sunshine, quirky girl x serious pro sports player, with lots of angst and tension, PLEASE do yourself a favor and pick this book up. Especially the audio! Jason Clarke and CJ Bloom were absolutely perfect narrators for Cameron and Daphne!
Thank you so much to Kels & Denise and Valentine PR for the opportunity to listen to an ALC copy!

[Kali Dempsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ⭐ 3 🌶️ 5 🎧

Oh my goodness this was so cute. I absolutely adored watching these two fall in love. From their meet cute one night stand as Duck and Goose, all the way to their happily ever after. They were so fun and sweet and gahhh just everything. I devoured their story whole.

Both of them had their moments in breaking my heart, but Cameron especially. I love a broken boy and he certainly fit the bill. Delilah wasn't exactly whole either.... But I loved watching them out each other back together (despite Cameron's need to do it on his own for a bit... Rude.)

As if the story wasn't good enough, Jason Clarke and CJ Bloom put on a spectacular performance and had my earholes giddy as heck. I loved this listen so much. Thank you to Valentine PR for the advanced copy!

[Kristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

My new fav book by these two!!! SO SO CUTE!!!! Review to come

[Readwithsav · Rating 4 out of 5]

GUYS this book was so fun + gave me all of the Ted Lasso vibes I could've ever asked for. Also can we just talk about the mental health/anxiety rep in this book, cause it was EVERYTHING. If you are a lover of sports romance, found family, and knitting you absolutely need to try this book out!

Huge thank you to Valentine Pr and Kels and Denise Stone for providing me with an arc!

[Kimberlyyyreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

You guys aren’t ready for this one!!

This is Kels and Denise best book YET 👏

Thank you Kels & Denise AND Valentine PR for the E-Arc. I feel so honored to have been able to read this.

I am amazed at how much I loved this book, the characters, romance, and mental health rep FILLED my heart with so much joy.

As a reader who struggles with mental health everyday, I can tell the amount of thoughtfulness and research that went into these characters stories specifically with their mental health.

Cameron’s and Daphne are both characters that balance each other the way the moon and sun do. Their chemistry was so unique to them. I truly love both of them so much.

Daphne is knitting influencer who struggles with anxiety and is in “yes year” in which she challenges herself to step out of her comfort zone and try new things!

In enters Cameron, a football goalie who is struggling with his reputation and the weight of being a football player. And in Daphne, he finds friendship and… love.

I truly cannot recommend this book ENOUGH, if you enjoy sport romances I insist you pick this up!!

Can’t wait to see what’s in store for Kels and Denise in the future!! 💜

- mental health rep (Anxiety & C-PTSD)
- grumpyxsunshine
- knitting influencer
- Football Goalie (soccer)
- found family

[cris ୨♡୧ · Rating 3 out of 5]

De las pocas novelas de romance en donde la salud mental es el tema principal y es bien tratado.

Cameron está comenzando de nuevo en un nuevo equipo después de haber sufrido un evento traumático, no se esperaba que la chica con cabello morado vibrante con la que compartió una noche de pasión, se convirtiera en su nueva vecina seis meses después.

Camero está muy marcado por el acoso y bullying que vivió a manos de sus ex compañeros y entrenador, resultó sorprendente como la autora describió tan bien el estado mental por el que él estaba pasando, Daphne por su parte ha aprendido a vivir con su equipaje y es un gran contraste verla salir de los oscuros momentos con todas las herramientas que ha aprendido a lo largo del camino y ver a Cameron hundirse más y más en su sufrimiento.

La química entre ambos es súper vibrante y me gustó, creo que los momentos claves estaban súper bien marcados y leer como Cameron amaba la pasión de Daphne por la costura o tener a Daph haciendo pequeños corazones en las prendas de Cameron para demostrar su cariño me tenía chillando de ternura

—Quiero cuidar cada parte de ti —le susurro—. Me gusta demostrarte lo mucho que significas para mí. —Ella exhala, presionándose contra mi tacto—. Cuando te beso, es como si estuviera en otro lugar.

Peeeeero lo cierto es que el libro es demasiado largo y miren que yo amo los romances con relleno pero este libro fue aburrido 🫠 había escenas rescatables como la dinámica del equipo con Cameron y Daph o algunos momentos de la pareja principal pero el resto se me hizo aburrido, no tedioso pero al final de cuentas sentía que no estaba pasando absolutamente nada 🥴

[annie ۫꣑ৎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5⭐️

“She’s in my home, in my mind, a burst of colour in my gray world.”

this book follows daphne, a knitting influencer who is committed to a “yes year”, and finds herself having a one night stand with the one and only cameron hastings, a football player who is on a one track mind, focused on doing better in the league and away from the spotlight, but daphne didn’t know that the night they first met. months later, she decides to move to london and finds out that her next door neighbours are a bunch of football players, one of them specifically being cameron…

this book was such a cute sports romance! i absolutely adore every character and was enamoured by each storyline in this book! i really loved how much mental health awareness was written throughout the book and how communicative both daphne and cameron were with each other. also the character development of cameron and how we went from being broody and misunderstood and unable to communicate about his feelings, to being able to openly communicate his feelings and help others as well. i also really loved the team bonding and how supportive they both were towards cameron and daphne it was so cute i could not😭 overall, this book was such a great read and i def recommend for anyone in the mood for a sports romance!

[courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5!!!!

This might be one of my favorite books from Kels and Denise!! If you love Ted Lasso this is the book for you. This has the perfect amount of sports and romance. All of the sports details are accurate and kept my attention. I loved both of the main characters which is rare for me. Their love story was gradual but kept you wanting more. I read this in less than 24 hours because I could not put it down!!! Thank you to my lovelies Kels and Denise for the arc.

Read if you like:
- sports romance
- grumpy x sunshine
- friends to lovers
- one night stand
- found family

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

If vulnerability were a book, it would be Close Knit.
The mental health topic in this book is beautifully portrayed. We have two protagonists who have suffered two different types of harassment, at two different times in their lives, both of which have had repercussions.

Daphne have been bullied at school, but she had an environment that allowed her to grow and heal. This led her to her passion, knitting. She has created a community around this passion, and has become open about her mental health. She's no longer afraid of being different; on the contrary, she says Yes to life.

Cameron experienced harassment as an adult at his former soccer club. He was psychologically abused by his coach and had his privacy violated by one of his teammates. His trauma is still so present that I wanted to hug him throughout the book.

The authors really tackle the problem of today's toxic masculinity, where people still think that being a man means not showing your emotions and not needing anyone's help. That having one's intimacy violated isn't okay for a woman, but it's okay for a man because he's going to be complimented on his body. Everything was so real, so raw.

This series will be a banger because every Hasting siblings already have my heart. Thanks Kels & Den for the ARC