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Couple Goals
Love is a game and it's kicking off…When a harsh new manager takes over the Tigresses football team, bringing a new star striker Kira with her, morale is rocked. The team’s current MVP Maeve clashes immediately with Kira – but despite the animosity between them, Maeve can’t help secretly admiring Kira's annoyingly perfect form… Is there more to this obsessive rivalry than they’re letting on?
Meanwhile, the new boss’ grumpy son looks very familiar to sunny midfielder Adriana. She knows exactly how to boost the team’s spirits – if she can persuade Jacob to play ball…
- enemies to lovers
- rivals to lovers
- grumpy x sunshine
- opposites attract
- millionaire
Meanwhile, the new boss’ grumpy son looks very familiar to sunny midfielder Adriana. She knows exactly how to boost the team’s spirits – if she can persuade Jacob to play ball…
- enemies to lovers
- rivals to lovers
- grumpy x sunshine
- opposites attract
- millionaire
352 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 19, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
June 13, 2025
3.5 stars
Overall this was a very nice story of frienship and teamspirit and how new circumstances - and relatioships - can challenge them.
I liked, that both main characters were complex personalities, although them dealing with some of their hardships fell a bit short in the end. It felt a bit rushed in general.
I´m not the biggest fan of insta-love, but it was okay with Maeve and Kira, as it was more lust than love. Adriana and Jacob was a bit different. Jacob in general didn´t have much personality in my opinion and his actions, especially in the beginning didn´t make a whole lot of sense to me.
It was a fast read, with some decent spice and a HEA, nicely wrapped up in the setting of women´s football.
Overall this was a very nice story of frienship and teamspirit and how new circumstances - and relatioships - can challenge them.
I liked, that both main characters were complex personalities, although them dealing with some of their hardships fell a bit short in the end. It felt a bit rushed in general.
I´m not the biggest fan of insta-love, but it was okay with Maeve and Kira, as it was more lust than love. Adriana and Jacob was a bit different. Jacob in general didn´t have much personality in my opinion and his actions, especially in the beginning didn´t make a whole lot of sense to me.
It was a fast read, with some decent spice and a HEA, nicely wrapped up in the setting of women´s football.
June 20, 2025
Loved this book, I thought it was brilliantly written.
The balance of romance, friendships, strong female characters was all brilliant.
I’m here for the inclusivity in the book too, it’s the most inclusive spicy book I’ve read.
Thanks for the ARC HarperNorthUk
The balance of romance, friendships, strong female characters was all brilliant.
I’m here for the inclusivity in the book too, it’s the most inclusive spicy book I’ve read.
Thanks for the ARC HarperNorthUk
July 30, 2025
such a fun read! excellent characterisation, a gripping plot and very gay (including multiple chappel roan references)
September 10, 2025
fun and light and gay
July 27, 2026
Overall a very fun read, but there were definitely a lot of things I found disappointing and a bit tedious.
Maeve and Adrianna's friendship is much more the star of the show than either romance and I wish there had been more of it to frame the conflict(s) better. The parallel narrative was a fun device to turn the "just talk to each other!!" to an exquisite level, there could have just been *more*. Their individual damages (Maeve's overbearing mother and Adrianna's... Getting dumped as a teenager?) are held back, then trip and stumble into the narrative to negligible effect, which is frustrating as neither of them get a particularly clear character arc because of it. They both end up sort of shrugging off the thing that was bothering them at the start (Maeve not being captain and Adrianna sleeping with her boss) without really addressing the underlying issue. Maeve doesn't have a confrontation with her mum, Adrianna doesn't address her fear of abandonment, the story just kind of ends with everyone being distracted by a new shiny thing.
The romances are... Fine. Kira clearly has something going on with her sexuality/being out, but there's nothing there once she and Maeve have their heart to heart. Jacob is present in the novel. I get that he's wrangling under his dad's control of his life and doesn't want to be Adrianna's boss or whatever, but he still is. The choice to make him a very bland nothing-man instead of leaning into that (either as a positive or negative - it can be sexy to abuse power a little!!!) is bleh.
My biggest gripe is that this book is fundamentally disinterested in football. The whole story takes place over the course of, like, preseason and 3 weeks of the season. It has no interest in (ENGLISH!!!) football culture and is super American throughout. Maeve has a crush on Rapinoe but I wouldn't trust her to even know who Rachel Yankey is. A bizarre and profoundly 2015-coded choice for a book set in England and written post-2022.
On the whole, I liked this book - enough to wish it was better.
Maeve and Adrianna's friendship is much more the star of the show than either romance and I wish there had been more of it to frame the conflict(s) better. The parallel narrative was a fun device to turn the "just talk to each other!!" to an exquisite level, there could have just been *more*. Their individual damages (Maeve's overbearing mother and Adrianna's... Getting dumped as a teenager?) are held back, then trip and stumble into the narrative to negligible effect, which is frustrating as neither of them get a particularly clear character arc because of it. They both end up sort of shrugging off the thing that was bothering them at the start (Maeve not being captain and Adrianna sleeping with her boss) without really addressing the underlying issue. Maeve doesn't have a confrontation with her mum, Adrianna doesn't address her fear of abandonment, the story just kind of ends with everyone being distracted by a new shiny thing.
The romances are... Fine. Kira clearly has something going on with her sexuality/being out, but there's nothing there once she and Maeve have their heart to heart. Jacob is present in the novel. I get that he's wrangling under his dad's control of his life and doesn't want to be Adrianna's boss or whatever, but he still is. The choice to make him a very bland nothing-man instead of leaning into that (either as a positive or negative - it can be sexy to abuse power a little!!!) is bleh.
My biggest gripe is that this book is fundamentally disinterested in football. The whole story takes place over the course of, like, preseason and 3 weeks of the season. It has no interest in (ENGLISH!!!) football culture and is super American throughout. Maeve has a crush on Rapinoe but I wouldn't trust her to even know who Rachel Yankey is. A bizarre and profoundly 2015-coded choice for a book set in England and written post-2022.
On the whole, I liked this book - enough to wish it was better.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 23, 2026
I want to preface this review by admitting that I have zero knowledge on anything that is football related which may be a bit surprising as I come from a city that lives for its football team but what can I say, I’m a hockey girl. With that being said, I love that sport romance books are what they say on the cover and no specific knowledge of the sport we are reading about is needed and we always learn something new. I especially love when those books focus on women’s sports as a joyous, empowering place for the characters and us as the readers. Kit also eludes to the fact that women’s sports are still somewhat overlooked and less funded than men’s but that doesn’t subtract from their importance or the fact that the Tigresses always have full stands. The characters in this book were also very complex and their growth was amazing. I love Maeve’s need to be the best (thanks to her mother) turns into her realising that she actually just needs to be happy and that Kira makes her happy and isn’t actually hoping for her downfall. Adriana is also always seen as the ‘fun time girl’ who won’t let anyone too close until she realises that Jacob is breaking her walls and she is the person who keeps her team together. I think how Kit wrote the characters to show their declining mental health from being apart and letting secrets come between the two best friends was very eye opening and that support systems are a must, whether that’s a best friend, partner, family or your entire team.
August 12, 2025
Okay, Couple Goals had me grinning like an idiot and occasionally muttering “oh just kiss already!” at the page.
We’re with the Tigresses football team, and things get spicy when a harsh new manager storms in with star striker Kira. Team MVP Maeve? Not impressed.
They clash instantly. But between the snarky digs and heated glares, Maeve can’t help noticing Kira’s… ahem… perfect form. (And not just her football form.)
Meanwhile, sunny midfielder Adriana has her own mission: coaxing the new boss’s grumpy son, Jacob, out of his sulky shell to help boost team morale.
Cue banter, sparks, and more than a few heartwarming moments.
I loved the balance here. The romance, strong female friendships, and a sports setting that actually feels alive and competitive.
The Maeve/Kira dynamic gave me all the enemies-to-lovers serotonin I crave, while Adriana’s subplot added sweetness and humour.
If you like sporty romance with friendship vibes and banter that could power a small city, this one’s a total win.
We’re with the Tigresses football team, and things get spicy when a harsh new manager storms in with star striker Kira. Team MVP Maeve? Not impressed.
They clash instantly. But between the snarky digs and heated glares, Maeve can’t help noticing Kira’s… ahem… perfect form. (And not just her football form.)
Meanwhile, sunny midfielder Adriana has her own mission: coaxing the new boss’s grumpy son, Jacob, out of his sulky shell to help boost team morale.
Cue banter, sparks, and more than a few heartwarming moments.
I loved the balance here. The romance, strong female friendships, and a sports setting that actually feels alive and competitive.
The Maeve/Kira dynamic gave me all the enemies-to-lovers serotonin I crave, while Adriana’s subplot added sweetness and humour.
If you like sporty romance with friendship vibes and banter that could power a small city, this one’s a total win.
August 23, 2025
A whole lot of fun in this book. Just the right amount of angst and smut to keep anyone happy. I love lesbians.
April 29, 2026
It was a sweet read. Love the football elements and the emphasis of friendship as well as dating. I like that it was set in fictional teams in a lower league.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews