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Rooting Interest: An 831 Stories Romance
For fans of will-they-won’t-they courtship and women’s sports, a queer romance that will leave you breathless until the final buzzer.
When Jennifer Felix gets pulled off her NFL beat to cover the WNBA All-Star weekend, she doesn’t expect to find herself so taken with the sport, its fans, or one of its stars, crowd-favorite Natalie Czapski.
But as they move past their rocky start in the press room, Felix has to decide if she’s going to risk putting her heart out there for a woman who claims to be married to the game.
“Whether or not you’re a sports fan, you’ll cheer on Felix and Natalie, two women figuring out what they want in life. Rooting Interest is smart, nuanced, and desperately sexy.” —Amy Spalding, bestselling author of For Her Consideration and On Her Terms
When Jennifer Felix gets pulled off her NFL beat to cover the WNBA All-Star weekend, she doesn’t expect to find herself so taken with the sport, its fans, or one of its stars, crowd-favorite Natalie Czapski.
But as they move past their rocky start in the press room, Felix has to decide if she’s going to risk putting her heart out there for a woman who claims to be married to the game.
“Whether or not you’re a sports fan, you’ll cheer on Felix and Natalie, two women figuring out what they want in life. Rooting Interest is smart, nuanced, and desperately sexy.” —Amy Spalding, bestselling author of For Her Consideration and On Her Terms
221 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 27, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 352 reviews
February 1, 2026
had the best time and I don’t even know anything about basketball
Read
March 7, 2026I wanna be a wag so badly
May 10, 2026
4.5 stars rounded up to 5 for goodreads!
Though it's short and sweet, this book accomplishes a lot of ground in a short 200 pages. I'm impressed by the 831 Stories authors who can pack a very well constructed plot into a small package and this one is no exception.
This sapphic sports romance follows journalist Jen Felix on a new assignment she never asked for and certainly didn't want - covering the local WNBA team and, more specifically, the comeback of red hot all-star Natalie Czapski after a devastating injury. Felix knows nothing about the league, nor about Natalie, and all her focus is on getting the story right so she can return to her beloved and well-trodden football beat. Their paths keep crossing and their chemistry is undeniable, but Felix has journalistic ethics to follow and Natalie has a curse to break.
Emotional, steamy, and with electric chemistry, Rooting Interest does a fantastic job engrossing sports and non-sports fans alike, drawing you from the very start into Natalie and Felix's orbit. Disabato crafts believable dialogue and a complex plot that is made all the more impressive by how short of a story it is. This is one of those times where I was begging for an additional 100 pages, though the epilogue did help to satiate my curiosity as to where our two leads ended up (though it did nothing to cool down the spice that is dappled throughout the novel).
I wasn't expecting to really like this as much as I did, given that I'm not someone engrossed into the world of sports. Despite that, I found myself surprisingly engaged in the gameplay and details about the W. The banter and dialogue felt genuine and well crafted, and the supporting cast (Felix's two colleagues, Sean & Casey, as well as "Weesie," Natalie's friend from the league) provided enough outside influences without making the story feel too broad or overbloated.
While I was squealing and fanning myself at moments, this book also tackles some serious topics in a thoughtful and nuanced way - sports injuries and the pressure on top athletes, the gender pay gap for professional athletes, the subtle (and not so subtle) homophobia that still exists in top leagues, and navigating a public career as a queer person. As someone in the community myself, I love Felix's inner dialogue that shows how she is constantly navigating, exploring, and negotiating her sexuality and how it is presented in the world.
My only qualm that makes this a 4.5 star rather than a 5 star read for me was the swift resolution of the third act breakup. I needed a bit more to be satisfied and wanted to know more about how Natalie and Felix resolved their traumas separately and together to make their relationship work!
Cat Disabato has earned herself a spot on my "auto-read" author list and I'm thrilllllllled that she's already working on a spin-off for us (pls, Cat, if you're reading this, more of Weesie, PLSSS).
tropes: sports romance, celebrity romance, workplace, sapphic.
Though it's short and sweet, this book accomplishes a lot of ground in a short 200 pages. I'm impressed by the 831 Stories authors who can pack a very well constructed plot into a small package and this one is no exception.
This sapphic sports romance follows journalist Jen Felix on a new assignment she never asked for and certainly didn't want - covering the local WNBA team and, more specifically, the comeback of red hot all-star Natalie Czapski after a devastating injury. Felix knows nothing about the league, nor about Natalie, and all her focus is on getting the story right so she can return to her beloved and well-trodden football beat. Their paths keep crossing and their chemistry is undeniable, but Felix has journalistic ethics to follow and Natalie has a curse to break.
Emotional, steamy, and with electric chemistry, Rooting Interest does a fantastic job engrossing sports and non-sports fans alike, drawing you from the very start into Natalie and Felix's orbit. Disabato crafts believable dialogue and a complex plot that is made all the more impressive by how short of a story it is. This is one of those times where I was begging for an additional 100 pages, though the epilogue did help to satiate my curiosity as to where our two leads ended up (though it did nothing to cool down the spice that is dappled throughout the novel).
I wasn't expecting to really like this as much as I did, given that I'm not someone engrossed into the world of sports. Despite that, I found myself surprisingly engaged in the gameplay and details about the W. The banter and dialogue felt genuine and well crafted, and the supporting cast (Felix's two colleagues, Sean & Casey, as well as "Weesie," Natalie's friend from the league) provided enough outside influences without making the story feel too broad or overbloated.
While I was squealing and fanning myself at moments, this book also tackles some serious topics in a thoughtful and nuanced way - sports injuries and the pressure on top athletes, the gender pay gap for professional athletes, the subtle (and not so subtle) homophobia that still exists in top leagues, and navigating a public career as a queer person. As someone in the community myself, I love Felix's inner dialogue that shows how she is constantly navigating, exploring, and negotiating her sexuality and how it is presented in the world.
My only qualm that makes this a 4.5 star rather than a 5 star read for me was the swift resolution of the third act breakup. I needed a bit more to be satisfied and wanted to know more about how Natalie and Felix resolved their traumas separately and together to make their relationship work!
Cat Disabato has earned herself a spot on my "auto-read" author list and I'm thrilllllllled that she's already working on a spin-off for us (pls, Cat, if you're reading this, more of Weesie, PLSSS).
tropes: sports romance, celebrity romance, workplace, sapphic.
January 22, 2026
first of all go liberty 🗽
a very short and sweet wnba related romance! romance as a genre generally has not worked for me, but i knew i had to try again with this one. overall, i thought it was well done! i liked the writing and the dialogue, and thought there was a nice infusion of social commentary. i am curious how tried and true romance readers feel about the relationship given this is such a bite size look into it, but i personally liked the narrow view as someone who doesn’t typically enjoy romance.
i could not get over natalie having french braids as her signature style as a seemingly mid 30s player but maybe i just need to have more of an open mind.
probably closer to a 3.5
a very short and sweet wnba related romance! romance as a genre generally has not worked for me, but i knew i had to try again with this one. overall, i thought it was well done! i liked the writing and the dialogue, and thought there was a nice infusion of social commentary. i am curious how tried and true romance readers feel about the relationship given this is such a bite size look into it, but i personally liked the narrow view as someone who doesn’t typically enjoy romance.
i could not get over natalie having french braids as her signature style as a seemingly mid 30s player but maybe i just need to have more of an open mind.
probably closer to a 3.5
April 15, 2026
A gay WNBA-themed romance where a player falls for a journalist?!? Obviously I read this in one night
March 7, 2026
fun concept but wish we got more characterization for each of them
May 2, 2026
I am so gay. And I love sports, women’s sports. All of it, the competition the drama the complexities of the game itself, the community of it bringing people to a safe space, a space they can see themselves and be themselves. This is really a book that hm yeah sure is gay as hell. But also captures the initial feeling of finding this women’s sports community, realizing the bigger picture of it all, and embracing it. And I am a WAG at heart so this, this is art and such a fun read!! A short one too! I want more (threat).
“Athletes have to give up so much autonomy over many aspects of their lives. They never know when they might be traded, can’t predict when they go on a hot streak. So they scramble to control what can’t be controlled… The thing I’m trying to control is my own vulnerability, because being vulnerable also means being exposed to pain. Until now, I hadn’t been able to see how much avoiding hurt meant I also wasn’t giving myself the opportunity to feel joy, and pleasure.”
“What makes each game a marvel is that it’s full of surprises that aren’t written in the guide. The most stunning things happen when players have to follow their instincts. And the same is true for me; I am better when I know the rules but show up as myself.”
“Athletes have to give up so much autonomy over many aspects of their lives. They never know when they might be traded, can’t predict when they go on a hot streak. So they scramble to control what can’t be controlled… The thing I’m trying to control is my own vulnerability, because being vulnerable also means being exposed to pain. Until now, I hadn’t been able to see how much avoiding hurt meant I also wasn’t giving myself the opportunity to feel joy, and pleasure.”
“What makes each game a marvel is that it’s full of surprises that aren’t written in the guide. The most stunning things happen when players have to follow their instincts. And the same is true for me; I am better when I know the rules but show up as myself.”
April 28, 2026
4.25
Give me more WLW sports romances, NOW!!!!!
This was sooo fun to read as a comeback from my week-ling reading slump. Loved both of them, loved the chemistry and I loved the conflict. Thank you, Cat Disabato.
Give me more WLW sports romances, NOW!!!!!
This was sooo fun to read as a comeback from my week-ling reading slump. Loved both of them, loved the chemistry and I loved the conflict. Thank you, Cat Disabato.
March 15, 2026
THE SAPPHIC SPORTS ROMANCE THAT HAD ME KICKING AND GIGGLING THE ENTIRE TIME. I HAVENT READ A ROMANCE BOOK THAT HAD ME LOCKED IN LIKE THIS IN SOOO LONG
Read
March 7, 2026enjoyed the sports commentary, the romance was ok, not my fave 831 but fun to read!
January 28, 2026
Another cute romance novella from 831, and the first fully queer romance instead of another bisexual woman dating a man lol. Looking at you Exit Lane and Comedic Timing.
I liked the realistic portrayal of two queer career-driven women in the world of professional sports. It actually had a lot of sports action in it unlike a lot of sports romances. But quite light on the spicy scenes if that's more your jam.
It was refreshing to read a queer romance that's not centered around one or both characters being closeted. Although we see Felix come int0 her own identity more fully from being inspired by the WNBA player, the plot is not complicated by a 'coming out' plot line.
Wraps up a liiiiiiitle too quickly and cleanly for my taste, but that's a hard task with a romance novella.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the digital ARC.
I liked the realistic portrayal of two queer career-driven women in the world of professional sports. It actually had a lot of sports action in it unlike a lot of sports romances. But quite light on the spicy scenes if that's more your jam.
It was refreshing to read a queer romance that's not centered around one or both characters being closeted. Although we see Felix come int0 her own identity more fully from being inspired by the WNBA player, the plot is not complicated by a 'coming out' plot line.
Wraps up a liiiiiiitle too quickly and cleanly for my taste, but that's a hard task with a romance novella.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the digital ARC.
January 28, 2026
This was my first sapphic romance, and I’m genuinely glad this was the one I started with. I really enjoyed Felix and Nat’s story; and watching their character growth.
The WNBA backdrop was a great storyline. I appreciated how the book explored bias and stereotypes within the W and in sports in general. While I don’t fully agree with the idea that the WNBA is a “queer women’s sport,” I do agree that it is a women’s sport with a large and visible queer presence, both among players and fans.
At its heart, this story is about finding your own way and allowing yourself the space to grow. It is also about how doing that can quietly help others along the way.
Thank you NetGalley and 831 Stories for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
The WNBA backdrop was a great storyline. I appreciated how the book explored bias and stereotypes within the W and in sports in general. While I don’t fully agree with the idea that the WNBA is a “queer women’s sport,” I do agree that it is a women’s sport with a large and visible queer presence, both among players and fans.
At its heart, this story is about finding your own way and allowing yourself the space to grow. It is also about how doing that can quietly help others along the way.
Thank you NetGalley and 831 Stories for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
April 5, 2026
a moment for the wags
April 23, 2026
I was swept up in this in a long overnight airport stay. I laughed. I blushed. I laughed some more. Honestly I just love gay sports. I love queer women and their gay sports!! Go Team!
March 17, 2026
2.5
super quick read! a bit too modern/ current for me (like mentioning the traitors, the moxy hotel in williamsburg, caitlin clark, etc????) but still nice to see queer romance representation
super quick read! a bit too modern/ current for me (like mentioning the traitors, the moxy hotel in williamsburg, caitlin clark, etc????) but still nice to see queer romance representation
April 24, 2026
Precies het romance boek waar ik van hou tbh. Voor mij relatable, want de hoofdpersoon is een overthinker en dat vind ik top. Ik wilde de hele tijd verder lezen!
February 22, 2026
an absolute delight. perfectly paced, great characters with chemistry that leaps off the page, and the exact right amount of tropes. novella length means there isnt a single wasted word. devoured it in one day, i couldnt put it down. a must read for sapphic wnba fans
February 20, 2026
To the booktoker who said this was 10/10 and probably only gushed about it because they want to continue being on 831’s pr list I hope you have the worst day ever.
The lack of tension, build up and just.. good banter is astonishing here. Everything falls flat. This doesn’t read like a romance either it reads like someone who really wanted to write about basketball but their outline included romance so they half assed it.
The writing is so choppy. I’m begging contemporary writers to stop writing books like screenplays and start writing them like BOOKS because every scene in this is so lacklustre, so limp and void of real experience that it’s a slog to get through the 224 pages (it actually could have been shorter because there so much repetition)
One moment she’s at a party and the next she’s back home after having ONE conversation. That’s it. What was the point??? There also A LOT of telling and not enough showing here which already puts up so many walls for characters who never really let them down.
The dialogue is woeful. It reads like two robots trying to have a conversation with each other. Nothing flows. Essentially it feels like we’re being hit over the head with the “these two are hot so they belong together” stick and the work isn’t being put in to make me believe it.
The romance is so one dimensional. They talk about basketball and reality tv and never dig deeper. This is single person pov which would be fine but we dont even get much insight into Jennifer who we’re following, we also never truly know who Natalie is outside of being a basketball player. I never really enjoy reading about “casual” romances anyways but this feels next level and the fact that it genuinely IS casual and Natalie never seems to actually take interest in Jennifer other than when having sex with her.
Ultimately a very “pick me” “I’m not like other girls” romance book which id be lying if I said i wasn’t already warned about when it comes to this publisher. Not sure these are the types of romances I gravitate to so ima hang up my 831 boots now and go read something with a little more depth. Don’t even get me started on that ending.
If you hate romances and are one of those people who like to mock the genre and see it as “less than” you will love this.
The lack of tension, build up and just.. good banter is astonishing here. Everything falls flat. This doesn’t read like a romance either it reads like someone who really wanted to write about basketball but their outline included romance so they half assed it.
The writing is so choppy. I’m begging contemporary writers to stop writing books like screenplays and start writing them like BOOKS because every scene in this is so lacklustre, so limp and void of real experience that it’s a slog to get through the 224 pages (it actually could have been shorter because there so much repetition)
One moment she’s at a party and the next she’s back home after having ONE conversation. That’s it. What was the point??? There also A LOT of telling and not enough showing here which already puts up so many walls for characters who never really let them down.
The dialogue is woeful. It reads like two robots trying to have a conversation with each other. Nothing flows. Essentially it feels like we’re being hit over the head with the “these two are hot so they belong together” stick and the work isn’t being put in to make me believe it.
The romance is so one dimensional. They talk about basketball and reality tv and never dig deeper. This is single person pov which would be fine but we dont even get much insight into Jennifer who we’re following, we also never truly know who Natalie is outside of being a basketball player. I never really enjoy reading about “casual” romances anyways but this feels next level and the fact that it genuinely IS casual and Natalie never seems to actually take interest in Jennifer other than when having sex with her.
Ultimately a very “pick me” “I’m not like other girls” romance book which id be lying if I said i wasn’t already warned about when it comes to this publisher. Not sure these are the types of romances I gravitate to so ima hang up my 831 boots now and go read something with a little more depth. Don’t even get me started on that ending.
If you hate romances and are one of those people who like to mock the genre and see it as “less than” you will love this.
February 15, 2026
Blussssshing the whole way through!! Maybe I should start watching basketball
October 22, 2025
Cat Disabato's debut was exceptionally well done! Considering we clock in at about 224 pages in the final copy, it was a well rounded/full bodied story with all the high points of a full length romance novel. As a journalist, I of course, really enjoyed Felix's character. As a writer who has had to (begrudgingly) cover sports when it's not my forté (it was Felix's, but she covered football, not women's basketball), I understand the disappointment of being switched to a beat (topic) that you don't prefer to cover or know much about. But a good journalist can pivot and make the beat their own, which is exactly what Felix did.
I also appreciated the journalism ethics that Felix pondered when considering becoming involved with Natalie. I think all the aspects of their relationship were really well done, considering the qualms on both ends (for Felix, her ethics and for Natalie, her worries over her performance). Both Felix and Natalie have an excellent friend group, and that definitely enhanced my reading experience. I love a friend group that is well represented, with friends who listen to each other and give solid advice. The character growth of both characters was nailed on the head.
I'll admit I know next to nothing about the WNBA, but Disabato does a great job in getting the reader to understand the lingo and game through her writing. The LGBTQIA+ representation is exceptionally important in the story, and it felt genuine (and I assume realistic, given that I have never watched WNBA). The whole time I was reading, I was thinking about the Disney Channel Original Movie "Double Teamed" and if that's the vibe you want in your book, but gay, you will definitely enjoy Rooting Interest when it releases in January 2026!
Thank you so much to the 831 team for the advanced copy!
I also appreciated the journalism ethics that Felix pondered when considering becoming involved with Natalie. I think all the aspects of their relationship were really well done, considering the qualms on both ends (for Felix, her ethics and for Natalie, her worries over her performance). Both Felix and Natalie have an excellent friend group, and that definitely enhanced my reading experience. I love a friend group that is well represented, with friends who listen to each other and give solid advice. The character growth of both characters was nailed on the head.
I'll admit I know next to nothing about the WNBA, but Disabato does a great job in getting the reader to understand the lingo and game through her writing. The LGBTQIA+ representation is exceptionally important in the story, and it felt genuine (and I assume realistic, given that I have never watched WNBA). The whole time I was reading, I was thinking about the Disney Channel Original Movie "Double Teamed" and if that's the vibe you want in your book, but gay, you will definitely enjoy Rooting Interest when it releases in January 2026!
Thank you so much to the 831 team for the advanced copy!
April 10, 2026
I loved this book. Very realistic viewpoint of the WNBA, the precarious nature of relationships for public figures, idiosyncrasies of lesbians’ self-esteem issues and, did I say the WNBA? My niece recommended this book to me and this set of books, 831. Well written contemporary romance is not my genre - hence the three stars – but this book is great at being well written contemporary romance. Except for a couple things: Felix or a character like Felix, would’ve known what the stripe is or what setting a pick is. I don’t like that she was so dumbed down in the beginning of the story. And maybe in the next book about the WNBA, the two main characters don’t have to be incredibly attractive in the stereotypical straight way.
March 26, 2026
Straight up, immediately going into my favorites folder! This is everything I want to keep reading this year!!!
"I meet other people's needs instead of addressing my own. The thing I'm trying to control is my own vulnerability, because being vulnerable also means being exposed to pain. Until now, I hadn't been able to see how much avoiding hurt meant I also wasn't giving myself the opportunity to feel joy, and pleasure."
5/5!!! Would highly recommend to everyone!!
"I meet other people's needs instead of addressing my own. The thing I'm trying to control is my own vulnerability, because being vulnerable also means being exposed to pain. Until now, I hadn't been able to see how much avoiding hurt meant I also wasn't giving myself the opportunity to feel joy, and pleasure."
5/5!!! Would highly recommend to everyone!!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
3.5 🌟
started off the new year right by reading a cute romance
started off the new year right by reading a cute romance
February 23, 2026
a love story for queer women’s sports fans <3 this was so for me
February 28, 2026
Obviously, I loved this! I love the WNBA & women’s sports! It was so fun reading a book where the Indiana Fever, Indy, and some of my favorite players (Kelsey Mitchell & Caitlin Clark) were mentioned.
Also Invy nightclub being mentioned was INSANE
I will always recommend an 831 story romance!
Also Invy nightclub being mentioned was INSANE
I will always recommend an 831 story romance!
April 25, 2026
so very good. a swoon worthy read that ended too soon!! big fan stars maya and charlie mentioned!!!
Read
May 17, 20263.5/5
February 24, 2026
This book was so good and really makes me miss the WNBA and the W bar in cleveland. I love women’s sports!!! And women writers!!!
April 24, 2026
manifesting the wag life for me
January 13, 2026
In Rooting Interest we follow Felix, a sports journalist that whose magnum opus is supposed to be writing about the NFL. She gets placed on a project to write about the WNBA, specifically to cover the return of a star player - Natalie.
Felix is an avid nfl fan, but doesn’t know the first thing about basketball - she suspects she got the job because she’s queer and it’s the WNBA. After covering a story on Natalie and her comeback after her season-ending injury, their chemistry drives them to hook up and their very “casual” fling becomes much more than what either of them expected.
This wasn’t the most thrilling or bingeable sports romance I’ve read, but I do think this story is really special. It’s a story about two lesbian women who are already out and proud, and their lives don’t revolve around their queerness. Their lives revolve around their careers, and how they show up for their community and for their passions, so this isn’t a queer story where the main conflict is coming out, and the struggle with self acceptance. It’s a story about two women who are incredibly driven and want to succeed, and have to find a way to do so while also allowing themselves the beauty of falling in love and committing to another human being.
It’s a big love story to sports while also acknowledging how slow the world of sports has been to make life easier for its queer players and community of fans. It’s realistic in its critiques, gives its flowers to the WNBA for setting the standard, and at the end of the day is a really sexy story between a journalist and her source (scandalous!!!!). Low key I fell in love with Natalie a lil bit :/ I like them emotionally unavailable.
Felix is an avid nfl fan, but doesn’t know the first thing about basketball - she suspects she got the job because she’s queer and it’s the WNBA. After covering a story on Natalie and her comeback after her season-ending injury, their chemistry drives them to hook up and their very “casual” fling becomes much more than what either of them expected.
This wasn’t the most thrilling or bingeable sports romance I’ve read, but I do think this story is really special. It’s a story about two lesbian women who are already out and proud, and their lives don’t revolve around their queerness. Their lives revolve around their careers, and how they show up for their community and for their passions, so this isn’t a queer story where the main conflict is coming out, and the struggle with self acceptance. It’s a story about two women who are incredibly driven and want to succeed, and have to find a way to do so while also allowing themselves the beauty of falling in love and committing to another human being.
It’s a big love story to sports while also acknowledging how slow the world of sports has been to make life easier for its queer players and community of fans. It’s realistic in its critiques, gives its flowers to the WNBA for setting the standard, and at the end of the day is a really sexy story between a journalist and her source (scandalous!!!!). Low key I fell in love with Natalie a lil bit :/ I like them emotionally unavailable.
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