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Racing Hearts: A Novel
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21 days and 01:18:19
50 copies available
U.S. only
When a competitive rower’s losing streak threatens her Olympic dreams, she must train for the summer with a hometown coach to win it all back in this irresistible opposites-attract romance.
Katherine Parker doesn’t just dream of rowing in the Olympics. She has a carefully crafted plan. With a strict training schedule, a meticulous diet, and no one else in her boat to slow her down, she’s as good as gold.
Then her boyfriend breaks up with her at the starting line of a big race and Kath comes in dead last. She’s swiftly kicked off the team and out of the Olympic Training Center—the only place she’s ever felt at home.
With one shot to win back her spot, Kath returns to her hometown to train with a new coach. The upside? Coach Adrian is hot. The downside? Instead of letting Kath follow her own training regimen, Adrian pushes her outside her comfort zone, urging her to try new things and let go of control.
With her Olympic dreams on the line, Kath will have to stick to her perfect plan, or find out if the key to winning—and happiness—is to embrace the part of rowing that makes it fun, one sweaty, sexy training session at a time.
Katherine Parker doesn’t just dream of rowing in the Olympics. She has a carefully crafted plan. With a strict training schedule, a meticulous diet, and no one else in her boat to slow her down, she’s as good as gold.
Then her boyfriend breaks up with her at the starting line of a big race and Kath comes in dead last. She’s swiftly kicked off the team and out of the Olympic Training Center—the only place she’s ever felt at home.
With one shot to win back her spot, Kath returns to her hometown to train with a new coach. The upside? Coach Adrian is hot. The downside? Instead of letting Kath follow her own training regimen, Adrian pushes her outside her comfort zone, urging her to try new things and let go of control.
With her Olympic dreams on the line, Kath will have to stick to her perfect plan, or find out if the key to winning—and happiness—is to embrace the part of rowing that makes it fun, one sweaty, sexy training session at a time.
Kindle Edition
Expected publication February 10, 2026
10032 people want to read
About the author
Ann Adams
1 book58 followersIn a past life, Ann Adams was a junior national champion, national medalist, and resident of the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Lake Placid, New York. She competed in sprint kayaking—a sport that’s a lot like rowing, except kayakers face the right direction and no one has ever heard of them. Today, she lives in Sacramento, California, where she spends most of her time analyzing public policy and going for moderate hikes with her husband and overly enthusiastic cockapoo. Mostly, though, she’s writing stories—especially those about women falling in love and finding their power.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 173 reviews
November 26, 2025
3.25 rtc.
Thank you to Ann Adams, Ballantine Books, and Netgalley for this arc.
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I got the arc?!?! the cover is gorgeous and ahhh, I'm so dang excited!!
Thank you to Ann Adams, Ballantine Books, and Netgalley for this arc.
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I got the arc?!?! the cover is gorgeous and ahhh, I'm so dang excited!!
October 22, 2025
Just look at this adorable cover and then do yourself a favor—read this heartwarming, inspirational book ASAP!
Ladies and gents, we’ve officially got a brilliant new debut author in romance town, and she’s here to steal your heart! This sports romance is everything I didn’t know I needed—it crushed me with feelings, made me giddy, overly emotional, and left me thinking, “This book is freaking amazing!” I haven’t seen such a sincere, emotionally rich, and slow-burn dynamic between a coach and athlete since Kulti. And rowing? What a refreshing and underrepresented sport in romance fiction! (The only other time I recall seeing it was with Elizabeth and Calvin in Lessons in Chemistry—and even that was for relaxation, not competition.)
Let’s talk characters—because they are EVERYTHING.
Katherine is a fierce, driven athlete. She’s prickly, rigid, ruled by routines and superstitions (including her sacred pre-race lemon bar). But those rules? They’re her armor. With a father absent and a chaotic childhood marked by instability and a free-spirited mother, Katherine clings to discipline as her way of surviving. Rowing began as a hobby and grew into her entire identity. It’s not just what she does—it’s who she is.
But after a disappointing season and a string of bad results, she loses her spot at the elite training facility—her one safe haven. Her best friend Sofi is now miles away, and Katherine finds herself back in her hometown, living with her herb-growing, yoga-teaching, incense-burning mother (where the kitchen sink has literally been replaced with basil). It's not ideal, but at least her mother’s romantic chaos is a thing of the past.
Just when Katherine thinks she’s hit rock bottom, she’s assigned to train at the local youth center—and who walks in as her new coach? Oh, just Adrian, the green-eyed, citrus-scented stranger she almost kissed at a regatta after-party. The same man she had an impromptu arm-wrestling match with over the last lemon bar at an Italian café. Yep. That’s him.
Adrian is charming, intuitive, adventurous, and adored by the teens he trains. His coaching style? The complete opposite of Katherine’s drill-sergeant mentality. He encourages rest, joy, connection. He listens. He adapts. He teaches her to fall in love with rowing again—but more importantly, he shows her how to love it for herself. Not just for the medals or structure. His methods are thoughtful, grounded, and unexpectedly brilliant. And soon, rowing isn’t the only thing Katherine finds herself falling for…
But falling for your coach? That’s a line she’s terrified to cross. To let Adrian in, she’ll have to break down the walls she’s spent a lifetime building. Could she risk it all for something real—something that might just change the course of her life forever?
Overall: Adrian deserves a role in the MCU as Citrus Man, with empathy as his superpower! I adored him. This book is motivational, tender, funny, and so beautifully written. It’s the kind of romance that inspires you to dream bigger, feel deeper, and breathe a little easier. I’m already adding this sensational new author to my auto-read list and can’t wait to see what she does next.
A very huge thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine / Dell for sharing this splendid, feel-good sports romance’s digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
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Ladies and gents, we’ve officially got a brilliant new debut author in romance town, and she’s here to steal your heart! This sports romance is everything I didn’t know I needed—it crushed me with feelings, made me giddy, overly emotional, and left me thinking, “This book is freaking amazing!” I haven’t seen such a sincere, emotionally rich, and slow-burn dynamic between a coach and athlete since Kulti. And rowing? What a refreshing and underrepresented sport in romance fiction! (The only other time I recall seeing it was with Elizabeth and Calvin in Lessons in Chemistry—and even that was for relaxation, not competition.)
Let’s talk characters—because they are EVERYTHING.
Katherine is a fierce, driven athlete. She’s prickly, rigid, ruled by routines and superstitions (including her sacred pre-race lemon bar). But those rules? They’re her armor. With a father absent and a chaotic childhood marked by instability and a free-spirited mother, Katherine clings to discipline as her way of surviving. Rowing began as a hobby and grew into her entire identity. It’s not just what she does—it’s who she is.
But after a disappointing season and a string of bad results, she loses her spot at the elite training facility—her one safe haven. Her best friend Sofi is now miles away, and Katherine finds herself back in her hometown, living with her herb-growing, yoga-teaching, incense-burning mother (where the kitchen sink has literally been replaced with basil). It's not ideal, but at least her mother’s romantic chaos is a thing of the past.
Just when Katherine thinks she’s hit rock bottom, she’s assigned to train at the local youth center—and who walks in as her new coach? Oh, just Adrian, the green-eyed, citrus-scented stranger she almost kissed at a regatta after-party. The same man she had an impromptu arm-wrestling match with over the last lemon bar at an Italian café. Yep. That’s him.
Adrian is charming, intuitive, adventurous, and adored by the teens he trains. His coaching style? The complete opposite of Katherine’s drill-sergeant mentality. He encourages rest, joy, connection. He listens. He adapts. He teaches her to fall in love with rowing again—but more importantly, he shows her how to love it for herself. Not just for the medals or structure. His methods are thoughtful, grounded, and unexpectedly brilliant. And soon, rowing isn’t the only thing Katherine finds herself falling for…
But falling for your coach? That’s a line she’s terrified to cross. To let Adrian in, she’ll have to break down the walls she’s spent a lifetime building. Could she risk it all for something real—something that might just change the course of her life forever?
Overall: Adrian deserves a role in the MCU as Citrus Man, with empathy as his superpower! I adored him. This book is motivational, tender, funny, and so beautifully written. It’s the kind of romance that inspires you to dream bigger, feel deeper, and breathe a little easier. I’m already adding this sensational new author to my auto-read list and can’t wait to see what she does next.
A very huge thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine / Dell for sharing this splendid, feel-good sports romance’s digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
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August 2, 2025
racing hearts
⌗ jul. 30 - jul. 31
⤿ 4 stars
༉ initial thoughts- spoilers ahead
it didn’t take long for me to get into this book, especially with the second chapter starting out with the scene of the lemon bar. the hunt for the lemon bar made the book fun from the very beginning. on another note, rowing is not a sport that i hear about often or have read about but i enjoyed myself as i was reading.
the plot was fun and seeing it unravel the way that is did was made the story compelling to me, the story and characters were fleshed out in an amazing way and i really enjoyed the story as i kept reading.
༉ characters - spoilers ahead
⤿ kath - i really liked katherine, i saw how her personality could be overbearing for many people but i also understood her need for structure especially with how she describes her upbringing. as someone who is also superstitious—not to the same degree but still—i really enjoyed that aspect of her character. let us also talk about the ex boyfriend… what was he thinking breaking up with her before a race, especially as important as that one. I found him insufferable and pretentious from the moment sofi and kath described him. her relationship with her mom was a complicated one but i understood her point of view because it clearly left an impact when she was younger that she carries into adulthood and i am glad she finally had a much needed conversation with her mother.
⤿ adrian - agreeing to arm wrestle a stranger for possession of a lemon bar i honestly so random but it made him likable. he was an amazing coach to both kath and the kids on his team and it was heartbreaking to see him not have confidence in himself because of his father. he was very adaptable to kath’s way of doing while still taking some control of the situation. teaching her to find the fun and love in the sport that she never noticed she had or lost. their relationship was sweet and i loved that it was truly sealed when kath could finally prove to herself that she can keep working towards her dream.
⤿ side characters - lets start with sofi, i think she was a great friend and supporter. seeing her character growth was fun even if it was just in the background. the kids in the junior team were funny, rohan and peter were a great addition to the story to really emphasize how much work can go into getting to a high level of sports such as kath’s. it shows the physical and mental obstacles that take place no matter the age and it added a great additional aspect to this story.
༉ final thoughts- spoilers ahead
i really enjoyed this book, the romance never seemed rushed even though they were attracted to each other from the beginning. the whole forbidden aspect of their relationship though temporary was fun to navigate and the characters themselves fit into the story very well.
༉‧₊˚. pre - read
don’t know a thing about rowing but honestly this book sounded to interesting. excited to get into it!!
ⓘ thank you netgalley & bellantine for this arc in exchange for an honest review
⌗ jul. 30 - jul. 31
⤿ 4 stars
༉ initial thoughts- spoilers ahead
it didn’t take long for me to get into this book, especially with the second chapter starting out with the scene of the lemon bar. the hunt for the lemon bar made the book fun from the very beginning. on another note, rowing is not a sport that i hear about often or have read about but i enjoyed myself as i was reading.
the plot was fun and seeing it unravel the way that is did was made the story compelling to me, the story and characters were fleshed out in an amazing way and i really enjoyed the story as i kept reading.
༉ characters - spoilers ahead
⤿ kath - i really liked katherine, i saw how her personality could be overbearing for many people but i also understood her need for structure especially with how she describes her upbringing. as someone who is also superstitious—not to the same degree but still—i really enjoyed that aspect of her character. let us also talk about the ex boyfriend… what was he thinking breaking up with her before a race, especially as important as that one. I found him insufferable and pretentious from the moment sofi and kath described him. her relationship with her mom was a complicated one but i understood her point of view because it clearly left an impact when she was younger that she carries into adulthood and i am glad she finally had a much needed conversation with her mother.
⤿ adrian - agreeing to arm wrestle a stranger for possession of a lemon bar i honestly so random but it made him likable. he was an amazing coach to both kath and the kids on his team and it was heartbreaking to see him not have confidence in himself because of his father. he was very adaptable to kath’s way of doing while still taking some control of the situation. teaching her to find the fun and love in the sport that she never noticed she had or lost. their relationship was sweet and i loved that it was truly sealed when kath could finally prove to herself that she can keep working towards her dream.
⤿ side characters - lets start with sofi, i think she was a great friend and supporter. seeing her character growth was fun even if it was just in the background. the kids in the junior team were funny, rohan and peter were a great addition to the story to really emphasize how much work can go into getting to a high level of sports such as kath’s. it shows the physical and mental obstacles that take place no matter the age and it added a great additional aspect to this story.
༉ final thoughts- spoilers ahead
i really enjoyed this book, the romance never seemed rushed even though they were attracted to each other from the beginning. the whole forbidden aspect of their relationship though temporary was fun to navigate and the characters themselves fit into the story very well.
༉‧₊˚. pre - read
don’t know a thing about rowing but honestly this book sounded to interesting. excited to get into it!!
ⓘ thank you netgalley & bellantine for this arc in exchange for an honest review
July 27, 2025
Thank you to Bantam, Dell, and NetGalley for the advance reading copy! 𝘙𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘴 is a captivating rowing romance full of chemistry and heart - a guaranteed hit for sports romance readers releasing in 2026.
Olympic hopeful Kath has just lost a race, her boyfriend, and her coach. Kicked out of the training center and forced to train with the coach of her former high school program, she struggles to see a path forward to her dreams. She resists Adrian's coaching style, ignoring requests from USRowing to prove her adaptability. But as she gives into the new training program and her feelings grow complicated, especially as she is evaluating Adrian for a junior national team coaching position, she'll have to decide where her priorities lie - or if rowing and love can share a place in her heart.
Rowing has played a large role in my life - I've filled a seat as a rower, projected a powerful voice as a coxswain, and provided athlete guidance as a coach. The sport doesn't receive enough attention, especially in the world of contemporary sports romance, so I've been eager to read this title since its announcement!
One of my favorite things about the sport, besides the challenge, dedication, and discipline, is this weightless feeling - a moment when you're in perfect sync with your crew, the rhythmic clicking of the oars in the oar locks with each stroke, the seamless glide over the water so smooth it's like glass. You feel almost as if you are flying. It's peaceful amidst the physically demanding and grueling requirements of the sport, and I love the balance and reward for hard work.
𝘙𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘴 embodies that feeling, portraying the devotion and obsession with the sport. The story even includes several rites of passage for any crew, and I love how it's such a great representation of the sport and the daily life of a rower for readers who are unfamiliar with the sport! I also love the creative liberties Ann included, merging the sport with necessary elements of a fantastic romance story. The characters are as vibrant as the beautiful cover design, leaping off the page with realistic dialogue and emotions. It's no surprise 𝘙𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘴 will translate to a screen adaption that is already in the works!
At its core, 𝘙𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘴 is not only a passionate exposition for rowing, but also a hopeful story for young women with big dreams. Kath is so driven and, while stubborn, I related to and admired her dedication. Her character development is immense but natural, and Ann handled this crucial growth with the ease of a seasoned writer. Adrian is patient and intuitive, and he made for a supportive love interest and coach. I was rooting for the pair from their first meeting - which is a scene with strong chemistry that continues throughout the book!
This debut has such a perfect balance of exciting rowing and swoon-worthy romance, and I'm hoping for more rowing books from Ann! I can't wait for readers to fall in love with Kath and Adrian, Ann's writing, and maybe even rowing, too!
Olympic hopeful Kath has just lost a race, her boyfriend, and her coach. Kicked out of the training center and forced to train with the coach of her former high school program, she struggles to see a path forward to her dreams. She resists Adrian's coaching style, ignoring requests from USRowing to prove her adaptability. But as she gives into the new training program and her feelings grow complicated, especially as she is evaluating Adrian for a junior national team coaching position, she'll have to decide where her priorities lie - or if rowing and love can share a place in her heart.
Rowing has played a large role in my life - I've filled a seat as a rower, projected a powerful voice as a coxswain, and provided athlete guidance as a coach. The sport doesn't receive enough attention, especially in the world of contemporary sports romance, so I've been eager to read this title since its announcement!
One of my favorite things about the sport, besides the challenge, dedication, and discipline, is this weightless feeling - a moment when you're in perfect sync with your crew, the rhythmic clicking of the oars in the oar locks with each stroke, the seamless glide over the water so smooth it's like glass. You feel almost as if you are flying. It's peaceful amidst the physically demanding and grueling requirements of the sport, and I love the balance and reward for hard work.
𝘙𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘴 embodies that feeling, portraying the devotion and obsession with the sport. The story even includes several rites of passage for any crew, and I love how it's such a great representation of the sport and the daily life of a rower for readers who are unfamiliar with the sport! I also love the creative liberties Ann included, merging the sport with necessary elements of a fantastic romance story. The characters are as vibrant as the beautiful cover design, leaping off the page with realistic dialogue and emotions. It's no surprise 𝘙𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘴 will translate to a screen adaption that is already in the works!
At its core, 𝘙𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘴 is not only a passionate exposition for rowing, but also a hopeful story for young women with big dreams. Kath is so driven and, while stubborn, I related to and admired her dedication. Her character development is immense but natural, and Ann handled this crucial growth with the ease of a seasoned writer. Adrian is patient and intuitive, and he made for a supportive love interest and coach. I was rooting for the pair from their first meeting - which is a scene with strong chemistry that continues throughout the book!
This debut has such a perfect balance of exciting rowing and swoon-worthy romance, and I'm hoping for more rowing books from Ann! I can't wait for readers to fall in love with Kath and Adrian, Ann's writing, and maybe even rowing, too!
January 1, 2026
first book of 2026 down!!!
full rtc 🚣♀️
full rtc 🚣♀️
July 28, 2025
Racing Hearts isn’t just a love story, it’s a love letter to rowing, grit, and to never letting the hard days win & it happens to be one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever read.
Kath Parker is a determined, fierce, and absolute badass National Team Rower. But, she has some routines that maybe aren’t the most helpful. After losing her spot at the training center she’s forced to relocate to her hometown and train under Adrian, a young coach with unconventional coaching methods. Racing Hearts is everything you want in a romcom: laughable moments, main characters that make you swoon, and a plot you can’t stop reading. However, Racing Hearts was so much more than that.
As a former rower, Racing Hearts made me feel seen. Women who row (besides coxswains) aren’t small but large and powerful. It felt so. good. to see a main character who was strong and tall and muscular and who WANTS to look that way. As someone who rowed collegiately for 4 years, I wish there was a character like Kath I could have looked to during those hard days. I can’t help but think we need more people like her. Kath Parker is a character you want to see on a movie screen.
Adrian is a man that I’m convinced could only be dreamed up when you hit the 6k eyes glazing over mark of a 10k erg test. He is so perfect. The way he empowers Kath & never ONCE puts her down makes me wish I had a coach like him (besides the fact he’s gorg.) His ability to see Kath, meet her where she is, and uplift her is *chefs kiss*! Plus…his nickname being Citrus Man? YUM!
The side relationships in Racing Hearts took me by surprise. Kath‘s relationship building with her mom was by far one of my favorite parts. It was so delicate and beautiful it made the story a thousand times better. When a sport takes over your whole life- sometimes the most important relationships to us become collateral damage, to see Kath grow and recognize things was powerful. Plus the highschoolers were perfect, that’s all.
Racing Hearts is a story that will live on in me forever. It’s a love letter to rowing, hard work, and to looking on the bright side. I don’t think I could love a contemporary romance more. Thank you to Ann Adams for writing such an incredible story, you have made all of the blisters, the erg tests, and the tears worth it. :)
Thank you Dell Romance & Ann Adams for the e-arc.
All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Pre read thoughts: i need this in my hands now! ROWING ROMANCE YAYAYAYAYAYYAAY! I can’t WAIT to devour this one (whenever I may read) 💌💌
Kath Parker is a determined, fierce, and absolute badass National Team Rower. But, she has some routines that maybe aren’t the most helpful. After losing her spot at the training center she’s forced to relocate to her hometown and train under Adrian, a young coach with unconventional coaching methods. Racing Hearts is everything you want in a romcom: laughable moments, main characters that make you swoon, and a plot you can’t stop reading. However, Racing Hearts was so much more than that.
As a former rower, Racing Hearts made me feel seen. Women who row (besides coxswains) aren’t small but large and powerful. It felt so. good. to see a main character who was strong and tall and muscular and who WANTS to look that way. As someone who rowed collegiately for 4 years, I wish there was a character like Kath I could have looked to during those hard days. I can’t help but think we need more people like her. Kath Parker is a character you want to see on a movie screen.
Adrian is a man that I’m convinced could only be dreamed up when you hit the 6k eyes glazing over mark of a 10k erg test. He is so perfect. The way he empowers Kath & never ONCE puts her down makes me wish I had a coach like him (besides the fact he’s gorg.) His ability to see Kath, meet her where she is, and uplift her is *chefs kiss*! Plus…his nickname being Citrus Man? YUM!
The side relationships in Racing Hearts took me by surprise. Kath‘s relationship building with her mom was by far one of my favorite parts. It was so delicate and beautiful it made the story a thousand times better. When a sport takes over your whole life- sometimes the most important relationships to us become collateral damage, to see Kath grow and recognize things was powerful. Plus the highschoolers were perfect, that’s all.
Racing Hearts is a story that will live on in me forever. It’s a love letter to rowing, hard work, and to looking on the bright side. I don’t think I could love a contemporary romance more. Thank you to Ann Adams for writing such an incredible story, you have made all of the blisters, the erg tests, and the tears worth it. :)
Thank you Dell Romance & Ann Adams for the e-arc.
All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Pre read thoughts: i need this in my hands now! ROWING ROMANCE YAYAYAYAYAYYAAY! I can’t WAIT to devour this one (whenever I may read) 💌💌
July 31, 2025
4 Stars – Olympic dreams, hometown heat, and one sweaty, slow-burn romance 🛶🔥
Okay, I did not expect to care this much about rowing, but here we are.
Katherine Parker is laser-focused on her Olympic dreams. She's got the spreadsheet, the protein shakes, the no-fun lifestyle—all of it. She’s the kind of girl who probably color-codes her playlists and hydrates like her life depends on it (and honestly, it kinda does). But then, life slaps her mid-race—boyfriend dumps her at the starting line (rude), she tanks the race, and suddenly her dreams are sinking faster than her boat.
Enter: Coach Adrian. Local legend. Tall, smirky, mysterious. Basically the rowing world's answer to Mr. Darcy if Mr. Darcy had biceps, a kayak, and no time for your drama. He's not just hot—he’s emotionally competent. And that should be illegal. But he's also not here to play by her rigid rules. He’s going to break down her walls, both mental and emotional, whether she likes it or not. Spoiler: she doesn’t. At first.
The enemies-to-lovers energy? Chef’s kiss. The training montages? Sweaty, tense, and unexpectedly flirty. Their banter? Peak. He pushes her to let go, to live a little, and to remember why she fell in love with the sport in the first place—not just the gold.
There’s a great balance of emotional vulnerability, character growth, and delicious tension that builds like a perfect stroke rhythm. Plus, the romance doesn’t eclipse Kath’s ambition—it compliments it. She’s never forced to choose between love and her goals, and honestly? That’s refreshing as hell.
Final thoughts: Racing Hearts is for the girlies who like their sports romance with a little burn (in the quads and in the heart), their characters messy-but-determined, and their HEAs earned one sweaty training session at a time. Four stars and one protein shake raised in salute 🥇💪💙
thank you Ballantine, Fell, Netgalley and the author for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
Okay, I did not expect to care this much about rowing, but here we are.
Katherine Parker is laser-focused on her Olympic dreams. She's got the spreadsheet, the protein shakes, the no-fun lifestyle—all of it. She’s the kind of girl who probably color-codes her playlists and hydrates like her life depends on it (and honestly, it kinda does). But then, life slaps her mid-race—boyfriend dumps her at the starting line (rude), she tanks the race, and suddenly her dreams are sinking faster than her boat.
Enter: Coach Adrian. Local legend. Tall, smirky, mysterious. Basically the rowing world's answer to Mr. Darcy if Mr. Darcy had biceps, a kayak, and no time for your drama. He's not just hot—he’s emotionally competent. And that should be illegal. But he's also not here to play by her rigid rules. He’s going to break down her walls, both mental and emotional, whether she likes it or not. Spoiler: she doesn’t. At first.
The enemies-to-lovers energy? Chef’s kiss. The training montages? Sweaty, tense, and unexpectedly flirty. Their banter? Peak. He pushes her to let go, to live a little, and to remember why she fell in love with the sport in the first place—not just the gold.
There’s a great balance of emotional vulnerability, character growth, and delicious tension that builds like a perfect stroke rhythm. Plus, the romance doesn’t eclipse Kath’s ambition—it compliments it. She’s never forced to choose between love and her goals, and honestly? That’s refreshing as hell.
Final thoughts: Racing Hearts is for the girlies who like their sports romance with a little burn (in the quads and in the heart), their characters messy-but-determined, and their HEAs earned one sweaty training session at a time. Four stars and one protein shake raised in salute 🥇💪💙
thank you Ballantine, Fell, Netgalley and the author for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
November 23, 2025
I was in the middle of a run while I listened to the last few chapters and they were so inspiring and helped me push through!
I knew nothing about rowing when I started this book and I felt like it was such a fun introduction to the sport! I absolutely loved the characters! I loved how Kath progressed as a character and was able to gain some confidence in herself through the help of Adrian!
This is such a fun and different sports romance I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review! 🫶🩷
I knew nothing about rowing when I started this book and I felt like it was such a fun introduction to the sport! I absolutely loved the characters! I loved how Kath progressed as a character and was able to gain some confidence in herself through the help of Adrian!
This is such a fun and different sports romance I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review! 🫶🩷
July 28, 2025
3 ☆
Thank you Ballantine for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
What a wildly impressive debut book. It’s so well constructed and so visibly evident the amount of heart that went into every element of within the story. The writing was beyond immersive that nearly every scene painted clear cut pictures in my mind. Let’s make it clear that Ann Adams will be making waves in everything she touches.
Racing Hearts follows Katherine who’s a competitive rower. Upon a series of unfortunate placings in competitive events, she finds herself kicked out of her training center, dropped from her sponsorships, and sent home to train with a local coach. Enter Adrian. He’s a high school rowing coach with a growing reputation amongst the eyes of professionals. A laidback, adaptable coach who thrives off of personal connection and a regimented, strong-willed rower who flourishes with order and consistency make a contradictory duo. But when walls start to crack and breakthroughs begin arising, how will there newfound connection begin to affect their dreams?
This was my first ever sports romance book with rowing and it was so fun. Adrian and Kath had a charming meet cute. From their first encounter, as a reader, you could already see their sparks begin to fly. But what began to lose me a part of the way through was a bit of the setting and the elements where Adrian and Kath would have their more personal heart to heart moments. I get that this is a sports romance, one of my all time favorite tropes, and am fully aware of the fact that it plays such a huge role into the book. What I struggled with was the fact that we never got to see these characters outside of anything to rowing or an extension to it. Yes they’d go to yoga, but that was apart of their training schedule. Yes they went to an arcade, but that was to teach Kath she can still have fun amidst training. Yes they had time off, but all conversation would center back to it all being about rowing. I wanted to get to know these characters outside of that a bit. Even with conflict, it all centered around rowing. Like the lack of confidence in coaching abilities, or that lack of confidence in competing abilities. Their romantic relationship thrived off of bonding to rowing, and I get having that first middle ground connection, but what else between these characters connects them? It just seemed Kath and Adrian were only tied together via rowing. If there’s one thing I get, it’s just how much time and effort, blood and sweat goes into being a professional athlete and making it big. But maybe it’s my own naivety of simply being unaware of JUST how much time really consumes these professional athletes day to day life (nothing but awe and respect!), but I just wanted to know these characters a bit more—see what their connection looks like outside of rowing, even if it was just a smidge.
With all that said, I want to highlight the fact that this is still an utterly dignified debut. I still really enjoyed it, and believe that when it enters the world come February 2026 it will meet the hands of readers who will love and cherish this story. I’m so excited to see the movie adaptation of this and all that Ann Adams will do in the future.
Thank you Ballantine for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
What a wildly impressive debut book. It’s so well constructed and so visibly evident the amount of heart that went into every element of within the story. The writing was beyond immersive that nearly every scene painted clear cut pictures in my mind. Let’s make it clear that Ann Adams will be making waves in everything she touches.
Racing Hearts follows Katherine who’s a competitive rower. Upon a series of unfortunate placings in competitive events, she finds herself kicked out of her training center, dropped from her sponsorships, and sent home to train with a local coach. Enter Adrian. He’s a high school rowing coach with a growing reputation amongst the eyes of professionals. A laidback, adaptable coach who thrives off of personal connection and a regimented, strong-willed rower who flourishes with order and consistency make a contradictory duo. But when walls start to crack and breakthroughs begin arising, how will there newfound connection begin to affect their dreams?
This was my first ever sports romance book with rowing and it was so fun. Adrian and Kath had a charming meet cute. From their first encounter, as a reader, you could already see their sparks begin to fly. But what began to lose me a part of the way through was a bit of the setting and the elements where Adrian and Kath would have their more personal heart to heart moments. I get that this is a sports romance, one of my all time favorite tropes, and am fully aware of the fact that it plays such a huge role into the book. What I struggled with was the fact that we never got to see these characters outside of anything to rowing or an extension to it. Yes they’d go to yoga, but that was apart of their training schedule. Yes they went to an arcade, but that was to teach Kath she can still have fun amidst training. Yes they had time off, but all conversation would center back to it all being about rowing. I wanted to get to know these characters outside of that a bit. Even with conflict, it all centered around rowing. Like the lack of confidence in coaching abilities, or that lack of confidence in competing abilities. Their romantic relationship thrived off of bonding to rowing, and I get having that first middle ground connection, but what else between these characters connects them? It just seemed Kath and Adrian were only tied together via rowing. If there’s one thing I get, it’s just how much time and effort, blood and sweat goes into being a professional athlete and making it big. But maybe it’s my own naivety of simply being unaware of JUST how much time really consumes these professional athletes day to day life (nothing but awe and respect!), but I just wanted to know these characters a bit more—see what their connection looks like outside of rowing, even if it was just a smidge.
With all that said, I want to highlight the fact that this is still an utterly dignified debut. I still really enjoyed it, and believe that when it enters the world come February 2026 it will meet the hands of readers who will love and cherish this story. I’m so excited to see the movie adaptation of this and all that Ann Adams will do in the future.
Want to read
August 4, 2025Contemplating requesting this arc👀
November 24, 2025
this was such a cute story! one of my favorite parts of this book was katherine, the fmc, who is a rower, practicing to be in the olympics! i love the olympics and anything that mentions them honestly. i loved katherine’s drive and passion and it makes her such a great role model to read about. i also loved adrian, her new coach!!! what a fun dynamic?! their relationship was so fun to watch grow and the chemistry was undeniable! i definitely recommend picking this one up.
December 21, 2025
When the guy smiles into her skin? Who knew that would be a new romance trope I'd absolutely fall for?
I've been reading romance novels for a while now, and I feel confident when I say that Ann Adams has written a fresh, sports-adjacent romance with Racing Hearts. I’m not entirely sure how I first came across this book, but the cover reveal? That sealed the deal, I had to read it.
In Racing Hearts, our leads Adrian and Katherine meet while arm wrestling for a lemon bar (yes, you read that right), and the rest is history. The story dives deep into the relentless grind of being an elite athlete chasing an Olympic dream. It delivers the realistic push and pull of life in professional sports: the mindset, the discipline, treating your body like a high-performance machine, and the constant pressure of fighting for the top spot. But also stopping to rest, valuing your mental health, and reconnecting to the ethos of a sport. In this case Ann Adams really commits to character development, rowing, and the importance of healthy coaching...and it shows.
I couldn’t help but think of several real-life Olympians while reading, and even the movie The Boys in the Boat came to mind. The themes of impactful coaching, loving your sport, and finding identity through it are core to this novel. Racing Hearts is about more than romance it’s about: passion, ambition, team work, and partnership.
Ann Adams might be a debut author, but she’s already a top-roster read for me. Did I mention this book is being adapted into a movie?! LOVE.
Huge thanks to Ballantine| Dell Romance for the digital ARC!
I've been reading romance novels for a while now, and I feel confident when I say that Ann Adams has written a fresh, sports-adjacent romance with Racing Hearts. I’m not entirely sure how I first came across this book, but the cover reveal? That sealed the deal, I had to read it.
In Racing Hearts, our leads Adrian and Katherine meet while arm wrestling for a lemon bar (yes, you read that right), and the rest is history. The story dives deep into the relentless grind of being an elite athlete chasing an Olympic dream. It delivers the realistic push and pull of life in professional sports: the mindset, the discipline, treating your body like a high-performance machine, and the constant pressure of fighting for the top spot. But also stopping to rest, valuing your mental health, and reconnecting to the ethos of a sport. In this case Ann Adams really commits to character development, rowing, and the importance of healthy coaching...and it shows.
I couldn’t help but think of several real-life Olympians while reading, and even the movie The Boys in the Boat came to mind. The themes of impactful coaching, loving your sport, and finding identity through it are core to this novel. Racing Hearts is about more than romance it’s about: passion, ambition, team work, and partnership.
Ann Adams might be a debut author, but she’s already a top-roster read for me. Did I mention this book is being adapted into a movie?! LOVE.
Huge thanks to Ballantine| Dell Romance for the digital ARC!
August 1, 2025
3.5 stars, this was a cute book! I was instantly drawn into the book and the beginning was really good. It got a little slow and a little too repetitive in the middle for me. It was almost halfway through the book before Kath decided to trust Adrian’s plan which was a little bit annoying. But I did really enjoy watching the two of them fall in love and watching Kath let go.
The standard third act breakup is such a snooze fest for me, we really need to stop doing this. A third act conflict is okay but why does there need to be a breakup?? It feels very frustrating.
Kath’s love confession at the end did make me tear up and the epilogue was super cute.
The standard third act breakup is such a snooze fest for me, we really need to stop doing this. A third act conflict is okay but why does there need to be a breakup?? It feels very frustrating.
Kath’s love confession at the end did make me tear up and the epilogue was super cute.
2026
October 21, 2025Valentine's Day TBR
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Dell
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Dell
July 29, 2025
Kath is a rigid and organized gal who’s a little stuck in her ways—until everything she cares about is turned upside down. With the help of Adrian, she must learn to undo everything she thought she knew in order to achieve her dreams.
This book was so cute and a real breath of fresh air. Who doesn't love great character development, an imperfect but smart and charismatic FMC, and a soft, kind, and adorably fun MMC?
If you're in need of a good book that's more than just a fluffy romance (not to say fluffy romances don’t have their purpose—they do!), but also has a strong plot, problem-solving skills, and lovable characters, I’d highly recommend Racing Hearts by Ann Adams.
Special thanks to netgalley and the author for this free arc in exchange for my review
This book was so cute and a real breath of fresh air. Who doesn't love great character development, an imperfect but smart and charismatic FMC, and a soft, kind, and adorably fun MMC?
If you're in need of a good book that's more than just a fluffy romance (not to say fluffy romances don’t have their purpose—they do!), but also has a strong plot, problem-solving skills, and lovable characters, I’d highly recommend Racing Hearts by Ann Adams.
Special thanks to netgalley and the author for this free arc in exchange for my review
August 30, 2025
Thank you to Ballantine / Dell and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I absolutely love the rare sports romance where the FMC is the athlete (or where they're both athletes), and this one really delivered!
I really enjoyed the dynamic between Adrian and Kath -- it was steamy, and fun, and so heartwarming. I could really see how they fit together and why they worked so well. We weren't just told, we were shown. I also really loved Kath's growth and the special attention paid to other relationships, particularly with her mom and her best friend. It all tied together so well. Nothing felt random or out of place, it was just one cohesive, wonderful story. This was an excellent debut, and I can't wait to see what this author writes next!!
I absolutely love the rare sports romance where the FMC is the athlete (or where they're both athletes), and this one really delivered!
I really enjoyed the dynamic between Adrian and Kath -- it was steamy, and fun, and so heartwarming. I could really see how they fit together and why they worked so well. We weren't just told, we were shown. I also really loved Kath's growth and the special attention paid to other relationships, particularly with her mom and her best friend. It all tied together so well. Nothing felt random or out of place, it was just one cohesive, wonderful story. This was an excellent debut, and I can't wait to see what this author writes next!!
October 17, 2025
4.5 stars
I want to thank the publishing company and author for giving me an ARC of this book for a honest review in return! Racing Hearts follows Kathrine who is a competitive rower hoping to race in the Olympics.
Throughout the story she trains with a coach, Adrian, that works in her hometown after having multiple losses resulting in the possibility of never being able to achieve her Olympic dreams. Kath is an extremely detail-oriented and routine driven individual and Adrian works to try to push her out of her comfort zone.
I was hooked on this book from the first chapter and the iconic lemon bar! I honestly never wanted to put the book down and got so into the writing style, the plot, the conflicts throughout, and the pacing was perfect!
The highlight of this book for me was how well written the main characters relationship was and how much thought was put into their individual characteristics. I immediately fell in love with Kath and Adrian and felt like I had a really good grasp on who they are as individuals which made the story that much more enjoyable.
Overall, this book was absolutely amazing and I’m shocked at the fact this is a debut novel due to how much I enjoyed it!
I want to thank the publishing company and author for giving me an ARC of this book for a honest review in return! Racing Hearts follows Kathrine who is a competitive rower hoping to race in the Olympics.
Throughout the story she trains with a coach, Adrian, that works in her hometown after having multiple losses resulting in the possibility of never being able to achieve her Olympic dreams. Kath is an extremely detail-oriented and routine driven individual and Adrian works to try to push her out of her comfort zone.
I was hooked on this book from the first chapter and the iconic lemon bar! I honestly never wanted to put the book down and got so into the writing style, the plot, the conflicts throughout, and the pacing was perfect!
The highlight of this book for me was how well written the main characters relationship was and how much thought was put into their individual characteristics. I immediately fell in love with Kath and Adrian and felt like I had a really good grasp on who they are as individuals which made the story that much more enjoyable.
Overall, this book was absolutely amazing and I’m shocked at the fact this is a debut novel due to how much I enjoyed it!
August 13, 2025
4.5⭐️
Did I know anything about rowing when I started this book? Absolutely not. Do I now have newfound knowledge about the sport and understand how it works after reading this book? Let’s go with a confident maybe!
Despite not knowing a thing about rowing I still loved this book! It didn’t take away from the experience of the story at all! I love when a romcom is filled with layers of depth and emotion. We witness the characters go through many up and downs throughout the story but they never let that stop them. I enjoyed the communication and passion that was woven between the characters. This is such a well rounded book and of course filled with swoon worthy lines! 🤭
I thoroughly enjoyed everything this book had to offer! Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the eARC and the opportunity to read and review honestly!
Did I know anything about rowing when I started this book? Absolutely not. Do I now have newfound knowledge about the sport and understand how it works after reading this book? Let’s go with a confident maybe!
Despite not knowing a thing about rowing I still loved this book! It didn’t take away from the experience of the story at all! I love when a romcom is filled with layers of depth and emotion. We witness the characters go through many up and downs throughout the story but they never let that stop them. I enjoyed the communication and passion that was woven between the characters. This is such a well rounded book and of course filled with swoon worthy lines! 🤭
I thoroughly enjoyed everything this book had to offer! Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the eARC and the opportunity to read and review honestly!
December 29, 2025
Thank you to PRH Audio for the ALC of this book!
This was my first rowing book, and it did not disappoint! Adrian and Katharine were so cute to watch together. I love that he helped her work towards her goals and feel more confident in himself, and she did the same for him. Their romance truly was inspirations watching them both work so hard together. I also loved watching Adrian coach his youth team, and the bonds that Kat formed with some of his team kids 🥹 Their TikTok filming sessions were adorable! Overall, this book was a fun one, and I think my Sports Romance girlies will like this one!
This was my first rowing book, and it did not disappoint! Adrian and Katharine were so cute to watch together. I love that he helped her work towards her goals and feel more confident in himself, and she did the same for him. Their romance truly was inspirations watching them both work so hard together. I also loved watching Adrian coach his youth team, and the bonds that Kat formed with some of his team kids 🥹 Their TikTok filming sessions were adorable! Overall, this book was a fun one, and I think my Sports Romance girlies will like this one!
September 1, 2025
4.5 stars! This book was set near my hometown and I used to watch the rowers from my parent’s house that overlooks a reservoir which made this nostalgic for me. The characters had great chemistry and I thought it was really well done. So much so I binged it in 24 hours. The rowing descriptions were so helpful and I really enjoyed the writing.
Themes:
Player/coach (not weirdly done: consent & age appropriate)
He falls first
FMC has strict routines she obsesses about
MMC focuses on being flexible and going off instinct
Themes:
Player/coach (not weirdly done: consent & age appropriate)
He falls first
FMC has strict routines she obsesses about
MMC focuses on being flexible and going off instinct
September 27, 2025
ty to netgalley for this arc especially because this got me out of my slump!!
i honstly was so excited for kath’s character growth since the first page and safe to say ann adams delivered. this was everything i could’ve hoped for. i loved loved loved the inclusion of the other characters and it didn’t feel like they had too little or too much effect on the book — just the right amount. adrian was a MAN (affectionately) and that’s all i have to say about him. kath and adrian had the perfect relationship in my eyes and by perfect i mean the perfect chemistry, realism, emotions, and support.
loved kath loved adrian and i can’t wait to read more from this author!
i honstly was so excited for kath’s character growth since the first page and safe to say ann adams delivered. this was everything i could’ve hoped for. i loved loved loved the inclusion of the other characters and it didn’t feel like they had too little or too much effect on the book — just the right amount. adrian was a MAN (affectionately) and that’s all i have to say about him. kath and adrian had the perfect relationship in my eyes and by perfect i mean the perfect chemistry, realism, emotions, and support.
loved kath loved adrian and i can’t wait to read more from this author!
August 9, 2025
2.75/5✨
⤷ 𝒷𝓇𝒾ℯ𝒻 𝓈𝓊𝓂𝓂𝒶𝓇𝓎
Kath Parker prefers to call her superstitions routines. If she follows her exact plan, no matter if she wins or loses she'll know she did all she could. Her inflexibility becomes an issue when she loses the Rowing World Cup. She is dropped by her coach, her sponsors, and her boyfriend. She's forced to move back home to train with a high school rowing team and their hot coach Adrian who Kath has a brief romantic history with. As Kath adjusts to Adrian's unusual coaching style, she begins to loosen up and her technique starts to improve. Of course, they also start to fall in love, but the summer won't last forever and Kath needs to win the Pan Am's and provide an unbiased review of her new coach to earn her place back with USRowing.
⤷𝓂𝓎 𝓉𝒽𝑜𝓊𝑔𝒽𝓉𝓈
Racing Hearts was fairly mid, but I didn't hate it. The writing was impressive for a debut author. I liked the side characters and the light, summery vibes. I also can appreciate the importance of a good lemon bar, iykyk. Rowing romances is a pretty niche sub-genre so this was definitely the first that I've read of its kind. I definitely enjoyed that unique aspect, but honestly it started to get a bit too much. I understand that that's Adrian and Kath's connection and that the plot is centered on Kath preparing for the Pan Am's but it got to a point where it felt like it was the only thing they had in common. Literally all of the dates and conflict revolved around rowing. It got a little ridiculous when she started using rowing metaphors while they were sleeping together. Additionally, the plot took a while to start up and Kath's inflexibility got a little annoying as she stubbornly refused to adapt and listen to others. Also, why can't we leave TikTok out of contemporary romances?? It played way too important of a role to this plot for my liking.
𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓷𝓴 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓽𝓸 𝓝𝓮𝓽𝓖𝓪𝓵𝓵𝓮𝔂 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓓𝓮𝓵𝓵 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓪𝓻𝓬. 𝓐𝓵𝓵 𝓸𝓹𝓲𝓷𝓲𝓸𝓷𝓼 𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝓶𝔂 𝓸𝔀𝓷.
⤷ 𝒷𝓇𝒾ℯ𝒻 𝓈𝓊𝓂𝓂𝒶𝓇𝓎
Kath Parker prefers to call her superstitions routines. If she follows her exact plan, no matter if she wins or loses she'll know she did all she could. Her inflexibility becomes an issue when she loses the Rowing World Cup. She is dropped by her coach, her sponsors, and her boyfriend. She's forced to move back home to train with a high school rowing team and their hot coach Adrian who Kath has a brief romantic history with. As Kath adjusts to Adrian's unusual coaching style, she begins to loosen up and her technique starts to improve. Of course, they also start to fall in love, but the summer won't last forever and Kath needs to win the Pan Am's and provide an unbiased review of her new coach to earn her place back with USRowing.
⤷𝓂𝓎 𝓉𝒽𝑜𝓊𝑔𝒽𝓉𝓈
Racing Hearts was fairly mid, but I didn't hate it. The writing was impressive for a debut author. I liked the side characters and the light, summery vibes. I also can appreciate the importance of a good lemon bar, iykyk. Rowing romances is a pretty niche sub-genre so this was definitely the first that I've read of its kind. I definitely enjoyed that unique aspect, but honestly it started to get a bit too much. I understand that that's Adrian and Kath's connection and that the plot is centered on Kath preparing for the Pan Am's but it got to a point where it felt like it was the only thing they had in common. Literally all of the dates and conflict revolved around rowing. It got a little ridiculous when she started using rowing metaphors while they were sleeping together. Additionally, the plot took a while to start up and Kath's inflexibility got a little annoying as she stubbornly refused to adapt and listen to others. Also, why can't we leave TikTok out of contemporary romances?? It played way too important of a role to this plot for my liking.
𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓷𝓴 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓽𝓸 𝓝𝓮𝓽𝓖𝓪𝓵𝓵𝓮𝔂 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓓𝓮𝓵𝓵 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓪𝓻𝓬. 𝓐𝓵𝓵 𝓸𝓹𝓲𝓷𝓲𝓸𝓷𝓼 𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝓶𝔂 𝓸𝔀𝓷.
August 20, 2025
Thank you for this copy of Racing Hearts!
I had so many emotions with this book, I was captivated from the beginning. I was emotional, but mostly giddy because who doesn’t like a good CoachxAthlete trope 🫣
Katherine is strong but always displays a different persona to the world, she’s careful and abides by the rules. That persona is obviously a way of taking control and her way of surviving.
She was left to feel like she had nothing else after a disappointing season and having lost what feels everything AND having to return to her hometown, but insert Adrian and her life is about to take a different route when she clashes with her new coach, and they don’t agree on the same things.
Adrian is charming and there’s not one immune to his charm. I love him, he’s very charismatic and is an overall good person. And slowly Katherine is realizing that she is falling for the coach.. but that can’t happen. But maybe it can? Can she let her guard down with him? It’s a risk she needs to keep thinking about.
Overall: I sure did love it, I loved that it left you feeling everything you didn’t think you could. Like anything is possible. And not everyone is who they seem to be. Also who knew I’d like Rowing as much as it did. Or maybe it was just Adrian 🫣
I had so many emotions with this book, I was captivated from the beginning. I was emotional, but mostly giddy because who doesn’t like a good CoachxAthlete trope 🫣
Katherine is strong but always displays a different persona to the world, she’s careful and abides by the rules. That persona is obviously a way of taking control and her way of surviving.
She was left to feel like she had nothing else after a disappointing season and having lost what feels everything AND having to return to her hometown, but insert Adrian and her life is about to take a different route when she clashes with her new coach, and they don’t agree on the same things.
Adrian is charming and there’s not one immune to his charm. I love him, he’s very charismatic and is an overall good person. And slowly Katherine is realizing that she is falling for the coach.. but that can’t happen. But maybe it can? Can she let her guard down with him? It’s a risk she needs to keep thinking about.
Overall: I sure did love it, I loved that it left you feeling everything you didn’t think you could. Like anything is possible. And not everyone is who they seem to be. Also who knew I’d like Rowing as much as it did. Or maybe it was just Adrian 🫣
December 8, 2025
What a debut from Ann Adams.
Look: I am not an athlete. I was, technically, in high school. Now, my Olympic dreams are limited to trips to Paris to cheer from the sidelines (an incredible trip, obviously).
I was still so, so locked in on Kath’s intensity and passion for rowing. The details here were visceral, intense—you feel like you’re right in the boat with her. Her determination, her drive for structure and rules—you could feel so acutely both how necessary and at times crippling her routines are to her.
Kath’s relationship with Adrian evolved so beautifully. Yes, there’s romance and glorious tension (including some scenes that had me sweating) but what got me the most was how intimately they came to know each other—and how much they raised the other up.
Adrian is high EQ, sees her when no one else does, and is so patient and careful with how he coaches and pushes her. Kath, in turn, challenges him without putting any expectations on his shoulders. From their very first meeting, they are charmingly cute together.
Add in plot beats that work, great side characters (loved her BFF and the TikTok-obsessed high schoolers) and you’ve got a fun, easy, sweet read that hits.
Thank you to the author for sharing an early copy! Views entirely my own.
4.5 ⭐️ rounded 🆙
Look: I am not an athlete. I was, technically, in high school. Now, my Olympic dreams are limited to trips to Paris to cheer from the sidelines (an incredible trip, obviously).
I was still so, so locked in on Kath’s intensity and passion for rowing. The details here were visceral, intense—you feel like you’re right in the boat with her. Her determination, her drive for structure and rules—you could feel so acutely both how necessary and at times crippling her routines are to her.
Kath’s relationship with Adrian evolved so beautifully. Yes, there’s romance and glorious tension (including some scenes that had me sweating) but what got me the most was how intimately they came to know each other—and how much they raised the other up.
Adrian is high EQ, sees her when no one else does, and is so patient and careful with how he coaches and pushes her. Kath, in turn, challenges him without putting any expectations on his shoulders. From their very first meeting, they are charmingly cute together.
Add in plot beats that work, great side characters (loved her BFF and the TikTok-obsessed high schoolers) and you’ve got a fun, easy, sweet read that hits.
Thank you to the author for sharing an early copy! Views entirely my own.
4.5 ⭐️ rounded 🆙
September 24, 2025
I’m actually a little torn about this one. The first half of the book was a tough read as Kath was insufferable in her inflexibility. I understand it’s part of her character, but I think this passed the line of elite athlete and more into rude and conceited. She reminds me of Carie Soto but Kath falls short. TJR was able to find a balance for Carrie that made her come off as off putting and strict where Kath was frustrating and exhausting.
That being said I loved the second half!!! Adrian was a saint dealing with Kath and I loved their romance. I loved the subplots with the high school students and I loved how easily the end wrapped up so that we didn’t have to deal with a whole conflict of interest forbidden romance story line (my least favorite in adult romance books, key word: adult, why can’t two consenting adults be together fr). The only thing I will say is I think Sofi and Kaths relationship was an off subplot. It wasn’t bad per say but it didn’t really make me feel much as it was neglected in favor of the high school students (which ofc I didn’t mind because I loved those kids, I just thought this would be important to note)
The second half really brought it up for me and saved this book from being 1-2 stars
That being said I loved the second half!!! Adrian was a saint dealing with Kath and I loved their romance. I loved the subplots with the high school students and I loved how easily the end wrapped up so that we didn’t have to deal with a whole conflict of interest forbidden romance story line (my least favorite in adult romance books, key word: adult, why can’t two consenting adults be together fr). The only thing I will say is I think Sofi and Kaths relationship was an off subplot. It wasn’t bad per say but it didn’t really make me feel much as it was neglected in favor of the high school students (which ofc I didn’t mind because I loved those kids, I just thought this would be important to note)
The second half really brought it up for me and saved this book from being 1-2 stars
September 16, 2025
This was so much fun!! My husband (and all my in-laws) rowed and now coach, so it was fun seeing a more niche sport get this kind of representation! And yes, I did feel very cool when I understood the rowing terminology😌
This had perfect blend of sports, romance, and personal growth for the characters. The FMC, Kath, was very stubborn (girl the OCD in me sees the OCD in you) but I loved how Adrian slowly got through to her. All of the little woven connections and points of growth made for such a sweet story. The external conflicts felt reasonable and proportionate in terms of stakes. This man believes in her SO HARD and it was lovely watching her start to believe in him too. The mutual support and encouragement of their relationship was beautiful and mature. Not to mention, they have incredible chemistry and the tension was divine. This man is HOTTTTTTTT!!
Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for the free eARC!🥰
This had perfect blend of sports, romance, and personal growth for the characters. The FMC, Kath, was very stubborn (girl the OCD in me sees the OCD in you) but I loved how Adrian slowly got through to her. All of the little woven connections and points of growth made for such a sweet story. The external conflicts felt reasonable and proportionate in terms of stakes. This man believes in her SO HARD and it was lovely watching her start to believe in him too. The mutual support and encouragement of their relationship was beautiful and mature. Not to mention, they have incredible chemistry and the tension was divine. This man is HOTTTTTTTT!!
Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for the free eARC!🥰
August 8, 2025
This was such a delightful and debut from Ann Adams and I definitely got to learn more about competitive rowing. This story is about of letting go of expectations, self growth, and never giving up on your dreams.
I could relate to Kath with how she likes to stay organized and keep to her routine, because that’s kind of how I am. But I admire her determination in wanting to achieve her goals. Everything changes for Kath with the help of her handsome coach, Adrian and what she discovers are maybe more important than Olympic dreams.
I will say Adrian is just the sweetest, especially with the lemon bars. Racing Hearts is definitely worth the read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for an ARC copy for review
I could relate to Kath with how she likes to stay organized and keep to her routine, because that’s kind of how I am. But I admire her determination in wanting to achieve her goals. Everything changes for Kath with the help of her handsome coach, Adrian and what she discovers are maybe more important than Olympic dreams.
I will say Adrian is just the sweetest, especially with the lemon bars. Racing Hearts is definitely worth the read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for an ARC copy for review
August 13, 2025
Thank you to Dell and NetGalley for the arc!
This was a really solid romance debut! I thought it was extremely well written and well thought out, and the writing style was excellent. I haven't read any rowing romances (row-mances?), so I was super excited to get into this one! I thought the meet cute was absolutely adorable (loved the arm wrestle over the lemon bar), and I thought that Adrian and Kath worked very well together! I really like the opposites attract trope, and I thought this was very well done. I did find Kath a bit annoying for the first bit of the book, but it wore off as her character was developed further. Overall, I thought this was a solid debut romance, and I'll definitely be reading whatever Ann Adams writes next!
This was a really solid romance debut! I thought it was extremely well written and well thought out, and the writing style was excellent. I haven't read any rowing romances (row-mances?), so I was super excited to get into this one! I thought the meet cute was absolutely adorable (loved the arm wrestle over the lemon bar), and I thought that Adrian and Kath worked very well together! I really like the opposites attract trope, and I thought this was very well done. I did find Kath a bit annoying for the first bit of the book, but it wore off as her character was developed further. Overall, I thought this was a solid debut romance, and I'll definitely be reading whatever Ann Adams writes next!
October 12, 2025
Well, I really liked this one! First off, I’m a total sucker for a water sport — and rowing?! Yes please! 🚣♀️
Katherine is the definition of a dedicated athlete. At the height of her career, she gets dumped by her boyfriend (and honestly… good riddance). He was an asshat, and she deserved way better. After losing her training spot, she heads home to a flighty mom and a coach now teaching high schoolers.
Back home, she learns to slow down, reconnect with the sport she loves, rebuild her relationship with her mother, and — of course — fall for her coach. Through all the ups and downs, she realizes he’s exactly what she’s needed all along.
This story felt light but still heavy-hearted — Katherine’s journey of learning to let go and find balance hit just right. Girlie is a badass little rower, and I loved every single page.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC — I ran to request this one, and I’m so glad I did! 💙
Katherine is the definition of a dedicated athlete. At the height of her career, she gets dumped by her boyfriend (and honestly… good riddance). He was an asshat, and she deserved way better. After losing her training spot, she heads home to a flighty mom and a coach now teaching high schoolers.
Back home, she learns to slow down, reconnect with the sport she loves, rebuild her relationship with her mother, and — of course — fall for her coach. Through all the ups and downs, she realizes he’s exactly what she’s needed all along.
This story felt light but still heavy-hearted — Katherine’s journey of learning to let go and find balance hit just right. Girlie is a badass little rower, and I loved every single page.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC — I ran to request this one, and I’m so glad I did! 💙
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to Netgalley and Ballantine books for the ARC!
The beginning of this book had me hooked right away! and the ending was so well-done and kept me guessing.
Katherine is a rower who is struggling to handle the pressure of everyone's expectations-especially her own. She is rule oriented and loves routine.
Aidan used to row in highschool, but is now coaching. He is adaptable, and wants to make rowing fun again for his athletes.
This was a great slow-burn, emotionally rich story that I really enjoyed. The pacing was well-done, and the character growth lent a lot to the overall plot.
Tropes:
opposites attract
mmc golden retriever
forced proximity
rower x rowing coach
The beginning of this book had me hooked right away! and the ending was so well-done and kept me guessing.
Katherine is a rower who is struggling to handle the pressure of everyone's expectations-especially her own. She is rule oriented and loves routine.
Aidan used to row in highschool, but is now coaching. He is adaptable, and wants to make rowing fun again for his athletes.
This was a great slow-burn, emotionally rich story that I really enjoyed. The pacing was well-done, and the character growth lent a lot to the overall plot.
Tropes:
opposites attract
mmc golden retriever
forced proximity
rower x rowing coach
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