The Marriage Rebound

Atlanta Cannons #2

by Meka James

In this spicy emotional sports romance, a WNBA star must

Should she blow the whistle on her relationship?

Atlanta Cannons star Courtney Johnson should be soaring after a winning season with her basketball team. So why does she feel she’s falling short off the court? Courtney loves her gorgeous fiery wife and their passionate life. But the heat that brought them together keeps igniting flare-ups about everything, and being told she’s not doing enough is taking a toll…

Sasha Adams-Johnson gave up her job as an exotic dancer to be a doting housewife. But she didn’t count on the woman she loves being on the road more than she’s home. When her feelings of loneliness are too much, retail therapy adds even more strain to her tenuous marriage…

Then a broken arm forces Courtney to sit out the European league, and Sasha finally has more time with her wife. But is it a case of "be careful what you wish for"?   

If they can learn to listen and work as a team, the change could be the rebound they need. After all, they’re playing for the greatest prize there is…

From showing up to glowing up, the characters in Afterglow Books are on the path to leading their best lives and finding sizzling romance along the way. Don’t miss any of these other fun titles…

Love and Sportsball by Meka James

The 7-10 Split by Karmen Lee

Break Point by Yahrah St. John

Genres: Romance, Lesbian, Queer, Sports, LGBT, Contemporary, Adult

288 pages, Paperback

First published August 25, 2026

About the author

I'm a stay at home mom of 4 kids and have been happily married to my husband for 11 years and counting. I lead a pretty basic and straightforward life and use writing and reading as my escape.

Best places to find me:

Blog:
http://mekasmusings.blogspot.com/

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/AuthorMekaJames

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/author_meka...

Reviews

[chloereadsallday]

The Marriage Rebound by Meka James is a very beautiful sapphic sports romance. I especially enjoyed the fact that this book is about a marriage on the rocks. You don't see that too often, and I wish I did! I loved that it features a WNBA player. I would love to see that more often as well in books! In this story there was a lot of pain and emotion. Which balanced the romance well. Both main characters were well developed and unique. The dialogue was gorgeous. I loved the depth, passion, and true anguish. It felt so real. I couldn't stop rooting for these two! This book was my first by Meka James and I can't wait to read more! I loved that it was a quick read as well. Easy to read and enjoy in one day.

Thank you so much to Harlequin - Romance for this advanced copy via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Eros Rose]

“Tell me what you want, baby.”
“You,” she said softly before pressing her lips to mine.
“All I ever want is you.”

If you are looking for a sapphic, sports romance:

-WNBA superstar FMC
-complex relationships
-miscommunication trope
-martial woes
-soft spice
-under 300 pages
-based in Atlanta
((Book 2 in an interconnected standalone series))

If Meka James is writing it, I’m reading it.
When I seen that she was releasing book 2 of the Atlanta Cannons series I couldn’t wait to read it.

This story gave me whiplash.
The relationship between Courtney and Sasha was annoying. Both FMCs were extremely immature & almost borderline toxic. I was physically reacting to immersive reading their storyline. Unless I missed it, their ages weren’t specified. But, it wasn’t hard to assume that they were too old to be acting like they were.

I’m all for working through a marriage plot. But, I finished this story thinking those two needed to call it quits.

I enjoyed the soft spice & desire for the marriage to work from each FMC. Courtney was easily my favorite of the two. She’s the big sibling who dotes on her sister, she’s a WNBA player, she has a solid friend group who loves and supports her. There’s a lot to love about her as a solo character.

Maybe if more of the story had real effort being it into assessing the marriage, making some changes, therapy, etc that this would’ve been higher rated read for me.

Book 1 has kept the #1 one spot in this series for me, so far. While I wouldn’t reread this book. I’d happily read book 3 if she writes it.

[bree]

3/5 stars ✨

i had higher expectations for this one 🥲 i'm also a miscommunication trope hater, so that could also be why i didn't enjoy this as much as i hoped i would. courtney & sasha simply didn't strike me as two people who belonged together. they had such major differences in values (finances, children, time, etc) and i don't feel like the "solutions" were realistic or properly fleshed out. both of these women needed to seek therapy immediately 😭 they behaved so immaturely when it came to their emotional capacity, expressing themselves, or even having empathy towards one another. both of them were so "me, I, me" and i was annoyed with it. idk. i wanted more. i did love the audiobook narration though. A.M. Elizabeth Kay & Angel Pean did a great job, as per usual!

[Jordan Fischer | julietfoxreads]

Absolutely LOVED The Marriage Rebound by Meka James! It's an ff romance between a basketball player and a former dancer who have become disconnected from their relationship and have to find each other again. Y'all I was SO thrilled when I saw that this was a marriage in crisis book - one of my favorite tropes that's honestly pretty hard to find! There's nothing like seeing two people who already love each other find a better way to connect with each other - the intimacy is already there, so the focus is on character and relationship development, which I LOVE.

WNBA player Courtney is a fixer who is constantly giving in to what Sasha wants, while fuming over their finances and her responsibilities. And Sasha is desperately lonely as her professional athlete wife is never home and walks away from arguments, avoiding arguments at every cost. Since their relationship moved SO fast in the beginning, they really needed to learn how to communicate, especially after Courtney gets injured and they have to spend a LOT more time together. I LOVED how they are able to work through their problems through supportive family and friends - most want their marriage to succeed and really do have great advice. And it was so nice to see them fight for each other, even though they stumble along the way.

The Marriage Rebound is out on August 25. Sports romance lovers who are looking for something fresh and different, GET THIS ON YOUR TBR!

[Ebony]

I'll start with this is very well written and the sex scenes are a fun time. I can feel the physical attraction they have for each other. That's about it. It was really hard to see the actual love between them. If we had more of an insight into the beginning of their relationship, maybe I'd be more understanding of why they are so set in trying to stay together. There were no redeeming qualities about their relationship. They of course end up staying together and everything works out with no real work being done. I get this is a romance and it was always going to have a happy ending where they end up together but sometimes that happy ending can and needs to be two people breaking up. It made no sense to keep them together. This was such a toxic relationship. I really enjoyed the first book but this was disappointing to read. I have higher hopes for a healthier relationship in book 3.

[Madison Warner Fairbanks]

Marriage Rebound by Meka James
Atlanta Cannons series #2. Contemporary sapphic diverse sports romance. LGBTQ, own voices. Lack of communication troupe.
Atlanta Cannons WNBA star Courtney Johnson and stripper Sasha Adams-Johnson fell for each other and got married two days later in Las Vegas after a winning game. Sasha quit her job to be a full time wife. She thinks it might be time for a baby, but Courtney isn’t there yet. Sasha is spending money and drinking day and night with her friends and isn’t there when Courtney is home. Or if she is there, all they seem to do is fight. They love each other passionately, but is it enough to survive day-to-day life?

Getting married so quickly didn’t give them time to really talk about what the wanted or their goals as a couple or family. Or anything really. All Courtney’s friends are still in party mode. Brunch, clubbing and the single life.
My biggest wish for them while reading was talking to each other. And Sasha needed to hear too.
A bit stressful and angsty until they figure out how to communicate.

Fortunately, this is a romance and of course, hea. A fun and creative new thing for Sasha to keep busy.

🎧 I listened to an audiobook narrated by A.M. Elizabeth Kay and Angel Pean who created great profiles for these characters, bringing them to life. The performances game me visuals so I could see the story as it progresses.

[Carly (carly_reads_queer)]

A beautifully raw and authentic journey through conflict, miscommunication, and hurt.

This was a gripping and tension filled romance where the happily ever after was well earned. The chemistry and heat between Sasha and Courtney simmered throughout and their frustration and pain was palpable.

In the end this was a story of growth, communication, and choosing each other. And a beautiful reminder not to take those we love for granted.

With an adorable yorkie, a chosen family who wasn’t afraid of honesty, and heat that burned up the page this was a remarkable second chance romance.

What you’ll get:
•Sapphic Romance
•Marriage in Crisis
•Basketball Player/Ex-Stripper
•Opposites Attract
•Injury
•Caretaking
•Hurt/Comfort
•Home for the Holidays
•Chosen Family

[Heather]

Established couple for the win! Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for an advance review copy for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Perhaps not my favorite trope but I was excited to read Marriage Rebound and I am so happy I did! I loved how the author portrayed the couple even with all the ups and downs of not only a marriage but basically a long distance marriage where true communication isn’t the top priority due to upbringing, experiences and personalities.

After a whirlwind romance, Courtney asked Sasha to marry her. Fast forward two years and we have Courtney working hard to provide for Sasha and her sister and we have Sasha, a stay at home wife with no regard for finances. Don’t get me wrong. I enjoyed Sasha’s character and especially her arc. But alas, she was quite selfish and immature to begin with. Unfortunately for them both, neither truly communicated their sides as Sasha was one to fight and demand and Courtney was one to dismiss and disengage. Their chemistry is top tier but it’s not quite enough for a successful relationship.

Through many ups and downs and a forced rest due to a wrist injury, these two can finally talk. Or not. Or maybe…It may take some meddling, some openness and some emotional awareness to move forward and strengthen the foundation of their relationship.

I recommend reading and finding out how Courtney and Sasha can get a rebound on their marriage, and each other.

[CeCe novelnlit]

Audiobook read/ALC

Overall: 3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
Plot: 3.75 ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨💫
Characters: 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ending: 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️

Narration: 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

When the honeymoon phase passes following a whirlwind romance and a quickie wedding, will there be enough to overcome the relationship woes plagued with emotional baggage, stubbornness, and an insane amount of miscommunication?

The relationship struggles between Courtney and Sasha were so real, you felt you were in the trenches with them. While some of the dialogue and phrasing felt a bit repetitive at times, this book does a great job of showing how tough marriage is and the work needed to make it work.

Good listen for those wanting a sapphic sports romance.

Thanks NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for the ALC.

[Demetri Papadimitropoulos]

Love, Marriage, and One Extremely Expensive Yorkie
Meka James’s “The Marriage Rebound” follows two wives who can read each other perfectly in bed and almost nowhere else
By Demetris Papadimitropoulos | August 9th, 2026

During the Atlanta Cannons’ championship run, Courtney Johnson can hear an arena roar and still feel the silence of one woman. Meka James’s “The Marriage Rebound” opens with Courtney nearly at the top of her sport, but the scoreboard is already measuring the wrong thing. Courtney believes she has spent three years proving her devotion to Sasha Adams-Johnson. She works through fatigue, finances an expensive household, helps support her younger sister, and treats responsibility with almost devotional seriousness. Sasha sees the same ledger and reaches the opposite total. Her wife is rarely home. Love is plentiful here. Agreement about what counts as love is not.

Everything about their marriage fits inside a plane ticket to Phoenix. Courtney sees a last-minute first-class fare and another example of Sasha’s casualness about cost. Sasha sees a wife unwilling to make room for her at the largest moment of Courtney’s career. She stays home. Then, when the Cannons win, she refuses to congratulate Courtney. The choice is petty and exact: Sasha makes Courtney feel excluded from her own triumph because Sasha feels perpetually excluded from Courtney’s life. Thousands of strangers can cheer. The one missing voice still wins.

Money is where the quarrel gets its clearest grammar. Sasha shops when she is lonely; Courtney works because she is frightened of failing the people who depend on her. The more Sasha spends to anesthetize the empty hours, the more Courtney feels compelled to earn. The more Courtney works, the lonelier Sasha becomes. Their household runs on a bleak little feedback loop. Even Vuitton, the magnificently indulged Yorkie Courtney buys partly to keep Sasha company, belongs to it. He is comic relief in couture and outsourced companionship with a grooming bill.

Erotically, these women are almost embarrassingly fluent. “The Marriage Rebound” is explicit, sometimes extravagantly so, but the sex proves more than desire. Courtney and Sasha read each other’s bodies with an attention they often withhold from ordinary conversation. They know when to push, yield, watch, tease, wait. In bed, responsiveness is immediate. At breakfast, in the car, over airfare or children, it becomes strangely theoretical. James’s slyest contradiction may be that Courtney and Sasha already possess the arts of observation and adjustment their household keeps forgetting. Not every encounter needs the acreage it receives, but their repeated physical competence is part of the point: desire is the one part of this marriage that still responds on cue.

The plot gives Courtney an almost indecently useful fracture. After she retrieves a drunken Sasha and later tumbles down the stairs, the broken wrist takes Europe off the calendar and disables the woman who has made doing things for other people her preferred proof of love. Sasha cooks, tends, watches, touches; Courtney, suddenly unable to solve everything through labor, has to receive care. The cast cures nothing except the bone. It does, however, remove distance as an escape route. Courtney cannot fly away from the argument, and Sasha can no longer make absence carry every grievance by itself.

Reconciliation gets no free pass from the injury. At Thanksgiving, Sasha claims she has visited a fertility clinic without Courtney’s consent, unleashing a fight about children, work, money, and accumulated resentment. Later she admits she never went. She researched a clinic, lied to redirect an uncomfortable family confrontation, then allowed Courtney to keep believing the lie because she was angry. Even Sasha’s friends recoil. The gambit edges toward soap, but the excess earns something: for a while, divorce looks less like a failure of romance than adult good sense.

If Sasha supplies the novel’s most outrageous breach, Courtney supplies the slower damage. Sasha can be punitive, spend in retaliation, drink to numb loneliness, and treat a child partly as imagined insurance against being left. Courtney has normalized spending much of the year elsewhere. She ends difficult conversations by physically exiting them and too readily assumes that paying for a life equals participating in it. During their worst fight she uses Sasha’s drinking against her fitness for motherhood. James does not tidy either woman into the reasonable spouse. That matters, because the marriage is interesting only while leaving remains a defensible option.

Parental neglect has trained them in opposite reflexes. Sasha grew up with parents whose ambitions repeatedly placed her somewhere else, teaching her that love can be sincere and still choose another priority. Courtney learned a different lesson: become indispensable. Pay. Protect. Handle it. Need less. Sasha responds to fear by demanding proof that she has been chosen; Courtney responds by making herself necessary. Each tries to stop her own childhood from happening again. Each, with dismaying efficiency, manufactures the other woman’s evidence that it is.

Arguments, of course, are plentiful. Courtney and Sasha could medal in them. What they lack is not speech but a shared exchange rate. Courtney can point to bills paid, trips taken for work, gifts purchased, and responsibilities carried and ask how any of that could resemble indifference. Sasha can point to empty holidays, missed nights, and a house in which she keeps waking alone and ask how any of that could resemble marriage. Both have receipts. The trouble is that neither accepts the other’s currency.

Prose here stays close to speech: short-to-medium sentences, fragments, profanity, rhetorical questions, and little patience for decorum when somebody is angry or horny. Courtney counts costs, fatigue, work, and obligation; Sasha counts attention, appearance, inclusion, and shifts in emotional weather. Their syntax overlaps. Their attention does not. The dialogue has the rubbed-smooth phrasing of fights repeated too often, old accusations returning with new bruises. James’s imagery is concrete rather than ornate. Clothes, food, bodies, shopping bags, arenas, and rooms accrue meaning because they recur, not because the prose hangs lanterns on them. The narration is almost aggressively front-lit: we rarely have to wonder what a feeling is, only whether the woman feeling it has understood its cause. That directness suits the book’s heat and humor, even when it leaves little shadow for the reader to inhabit.

And yet James seldom lets an implication leave the room unattended. A scene dramatizes a wound, a narrator interprets it, a friend may offer a second reading, and a later conversation sometimes audits the whole account again. Eventually a relationship checklist makes the habit literal, sorting children, finances, and other fault lines into subjects for deliberate processing. That explicitness gives the reader almost total emotional access but very little interpretive privacy. The book often knows more than it needs to say.

Dual narration earns its keep because it gives the reader what Courtney and Sasha deny each other: both versions of the marriage at once. From Sasha’s side, Courtney can look like an affluent workaholic who buys her way out of intimacy. From Courtney’s, Sasha can look like a spoiled spouse who wants luxury without respecting the labor behind it. Neither version survives the switch in perspective. The spouses do not habitually lie to us; they misprice what the other gives. For much of the novel, only the reader can see both accounts. That privileged position produces much of the frustration: we spend pages knowing why a remark hurts before the spouse who made it understands what she has touched.

Iteration matters almost as much as alternation. Again: grievance, escalation, withdrawal, loneliness, erotic or domestic reconnection, then grievance. At first the cycle makes the relationship feel as tiring as Courtney and Sasha say it is. Then one variable changes. Courtney stays in a conversation she would once have abandoned. Sasha hears a limit without instantly translating it as rejection. A disagreement ends without somebody leaving the room. When recurrence changes the outcome, it becomes design. When it merely repeats the diagnosis, it becomes drag.

More revealing than the couple’s communication problem is the split between being indispensable and being intimate. Courtney has arranged adulthood so that everyone needs something from her, which gives her purpose and also a defense: how can she be neglectful when she is carrying so much? Sasha has arranged her life so thoroughly around being Courtney’s wife that there are too few places to put desire, pride, or loneliness when Courtney is gone. Teaching pole fitness eventually gives her somewhere else to put ambition. That does not cure dependency by résumé. It simply gives Sasha a life in which waiting is no longer the main occupation.

In the last third, the balance of blame shifts. Sasha receives the more visible syllabus of reform: the fertility lie, retaliatory shopping, drinking, withheld congratulations, and a life too thoroughly organized around Courtney all come due. Courtney changes too. She begins to understand that provision does not erase absence and, just as importantly, stops treating the nearest doorway as an argument-ending device. But the traveling work life responsible for so much of Sasha’s loneliness remains comparatively open-ended. James never turns Courtney into the sane spouse waiting for Sasha to finish being difficult. Still, one woman ends up doing more of the visible renovation.

The children question shows where that imbalance becomes convenience. Courtney may not want them; Sasha says she does. That difference could be irreducible, the sort no improved vocabulary can ethically solve. James partly eases it by letting Sasha recognize that her wish for a child is tangled with a wish for guaranteed presence, someone who cannot leave and perhaps a reason Courtney would stay home. The realization makes psychological sense. It also clears the sharpest obstacle just when reconciliation needs the road. The disagreement is postponed more than conquered.

Reading Kennedy Ryan’s “Before I Let Go” beside “The Marriage Rebound” clarifies their shared interest in Black romantic love after serious relational damage, while Chloe Liese’s “Ever After Always” offers another established-couple precedent. James keeps the household noisier and earthier: profanity, sex, shopping bags, and a spoiled Yorkie all remain in the room when the reckoning begins. She also gives work unusually concrete stakes. Courtney’s absences are not generic ambition but seasons, training, away games, overseas contracts, and a body whose earning power has an expiration date. When the wrist breaks, the household feels it in lost income as well as lost motion. Basketball is not decorative wallpaper here. It is the calendar on which the marriage keeps losing time. Courtney’s fear of stopping therefore has material teeth. The point is not that work excuses absence; it is that Sasha is asking for a different marriage from a woman whose career has been built around going where the season sends her. James is sharpest when she lets both facts remain inconvenient.

On and off court, both women are performers. Courtney plays before arenas and still aches for one particular person in the stands. Sasha once loved pole dancing partly because commanding a room made her feel powerful. Their public fights risk becoming phone-camera entertainment, while their private life keeps failing at the humbler work of noticing. Each knows how to hold an audience. Neither initially knows how to stop making the other one audition for reassurance. That is why the championship wound cuts so cleanly: Courtney can be celebrated by thousands and still feel abandoned by one.

Put the fireworks aside and the novel becomes more persuasive. The noisy events arrive first: championship, separation, drunken retrieval, injury, fertility blowup. What follows is smaller. Sasha buys Courtney flowers. Courtney chooses brunch over another workout. Sasha reaches toward the wine fridge and chooses iced tea. Courtney supports her return to pole work. They spend Christmas in their own house. None of these gestures would interest an arena, which is precisely why they matter. Earlier, objects often substitute for attention: the dog, the clothes, the house. By Christmas, the objects are smaller signs of shared time rather than replacements for it. A marriage cannot live indefinitely at championship volume.

Only at the proposed vow renewal does the rebound metaphor stop behaving like a sports pun. Courtney and Sasha originally married in Las Vegas after roughly two months together, carried along by attraction, adrenaline, and the sort of confidence that makes practical questions feel almost rude. Near the end, Sasha admits she once wanted a more traditional ceremony, especially one her grandmother could attend. Courtney asks whether she would marry her again. This answer comes after evidence: they have seen each other selfish, frightened, punitive, exhausting, and still capable of tenderness. The second ceremony would not repeat the first. It would revise it. The book wisely leaves some bills unpaid: Courtney’s future travel remains unsettled, and the children question has been deferred rather than solved.

Under the second proposal is the book James has actually earned: not a cured marriage, but a more legible one. I would rate “The Marriage Rebound” 79/100 and 3/5 stars, a strong and emotionally perceptive romance whose insights are sometimes dulled by the urge to explain them twice. Destiny would let Courtney and Sasha off too cheaply. Changed habits are harder, and more interesting. The first time they married, they did it on a hot streak. The next time, if they make it to the altar, they will arrive after the buzzer, with the house lit, Vuitton underfoot, and no crowd left to impress.

[Meg.RecsBooks]

audio / 2.5* / netgalley

If you ever wanted to read about your average couple in the ups and downs, this one is for you.
I wasn’t wow’d by the book, nor was i upset by it. It won’t be something i remember much about, although… I would like to see a dance.

The narrators did a good job.

Thankyou Harlequin Audio for the opportunity to listen to and review this book in advance of its release, all thoughts are my own.

[Ania]

DNF at 43%

Never in a million years did I expect to read the words "my impending nut" in a sapphic sports romance 🤢

This book is not for me. At this point in the story there has been nothing but negative drama, no background into how these two got together apart from the bare minimum facts. If you want me to root for an established couple going through a difficult time, I need to be at least slightly emotionally invested.

The characters are also each incredibly selfish, not even starting to attempt to solve their problems, arguing for what feels like no discernible reason.

I can't see what would have made them fall in love in the first place, so why would I want to be along for their working through the issues?

* Thank you to the publisher for an ARC of this book via NetGalley *

[Kelsie ✨]

Thank you to Harlequin for letting me read and review this book early. All thoughts are my own!!

The Marriage Rebound follows Courtney and Sasha who have been married for over two years. Courtney plays basketball for the WNBA, and Sasha stays at home with their dog. This book leans towards marriage in crisis as a main story trope, and it’s definitely clear that these two have a lot to work through before they’re done.

Courtney is away a lot because she feels like she has to be making money to provide for Sasha and Mya, Courtney’s sister. It stems from Courtney and Mya’s parents being pretty absent when they were growing up, and Court became Mya’s provider. The impact of that shows up in her romantic relationship with Sasha, as Sasha is used to having nicer things and enjoys spending money. Courtney doesn’t seem to realize that Sasha just wants her around more, even if that means she’s not making as much money.

Sasha wants to spend more time with her wife and doesn’t seem to recognize that Courtney is gone so much to provide the lifestyle that Sasha has. She was left alone a lot as a child, as her parents were always working. She constantly feels left behind and that people don’t actually want to be around her. It doesn’t help that when she and Courtney got married, Sasha stopped working. Therefore, there’s even more stress on Courtney to provide financially. She buys nice things to fill the empty time and space when she’s alone, but it untimely adds to the stress.

They aren’t connecting on a lot of fronts, which leads to the crisis aspect of their marriage. They had only been dating for two months when they got married on a whim one night after Courtney’s team won a game. They get to a point in this book where they recognize that they don’t know each other as well as they should for two people who are married, but it comes up at the end of the book. So, instead of spending time with these two learning more about each other and watching that relationship development on page, we spend most of this book watching them insult each other and fight about the same things over and over.

I really feel like they would’ve benefitted from therapy, both individually and as a couple. They mention it during one of their discussions, but they don’t follow up, at least not on page. Their personal histories were impacting each other in such a strong way that they couldn’t see from the other person’s perspective. They ended up fighting in circles for most of this book, and it got to a point where, as the reader, I wasn’t even sure if I wanted them to end up together.

I definitely think that this book would’ve benefitted from some flashbacks from when they met each other and decided to date. We don’t get to see the start of their relationship, only the current state. The current state is tension, arguments, and the inability to actually hear what the other person is saying. I’m not sure how many times one of them would say something, just for the other one to twist it entirely and throw it back in their face. It was really frustrating to read. They only decided to work on their relationship together within the last five percent of this book. So much of this book was conflict, so the abrupt ending did not help.

Ultimately, I wouldn’t be opposed to getting another book about these two, if only to see the development of their relationship after this intense storyline. I’m definitely still interesting in reading Meka James’ first book in this series, but this one was not for me.

[Sterling Sapphic Reads]

babes. BABES. I have been waiting for this book and Meka James absolutely delivered and I need to talk about it!
first — if you have not read or listened to Love and Sportsball yet I need you to stop what you are doing and go fix that immediately. like right now. I'll wait. it is so good and it is genuinely how Meka James became an instafan for me — and yes I use the term sportsball weekly in my actual life and I have zero regrets about that
okay. The Marriage Rebound.
Courtney Johnson is a WNBA star with the Atlanta Cannons — she should be soaring after a winning season but something off the court keeps pulling her down. Her gorgeous fiery wife Sasha gave up her career as an exotic dancer to be a devoted hypehousewife — but Courtney is on the road more than she's home, and Sasha's loneliness is quietly becoming something much bigger and more dangerous than either of them wants to admit. When a broken arm forces Courtney to sit out the European league and finally come home — well. be careful what you wish for. Because getting more time together is not the magic fix either of them hoped it would be. not yet anyway.
I need to say something I feel very strongly about and I will say it with my whole chest — WE NEED MORE ESTABLISHED COUPLE BOOKS. I said what I said. Give me the messy middle. give me the marriage that is worth fighting for but has to actually DO the fighting. give me two women who love each other deeply and are still somehow talking past each other. Meka James gave us that and I am so grateful.
This book made me FEEL things, babes. Frustration — like genuine put-the-book-down-and-breathe frustration about self-sabotage had me wanting to gently shake her through the pages... softness — because underneath all of it these two love each other so fiercely and you feel it. protectiveness — I wanted to wrap each of them up and tell her she was doing her best. AND then the spice.... oh the SPICE. Meka James said, " Let me write an established couple who still set each other absolutely on FIRE" and she meant every word of it. I was not prepared. I had to put my Kindle down for a hot sec.
What I love most about what Meka tackles here — the glimpses into the WNBA world feel so timely right now, and I am obsessed. The exploration of struggles that don't disappear just because you have money — so real and so important. women carrying enormous weights entirely on their own, while the people who love them don't even realize the load. Bratty babes with a mimosa who start checking themselves out in the mirror and begin gaining genuine self-awareness — I LOVED watching that arc. And lets not forget to mention the way community is shown here — how the people you surround yourself with can either lift you up or quietly encourage your own self-destruction — that hit me hard.
ALSO - Can we please talk about the complete lack of shame around Sasha's background as a dancer?? I LOVE THIS. I love it so much. More of this, please. always. if this resonates with you I also want to shout out A Little Kissing Between Friends by Chencia C. Higgins, The Night Off by Meghan O'Brien, and The Lay of You by Corrie McKay — all books that handle this with the same dignity and care.
Meka tackles genuinely tough topics in this book and she does it directly and with real intention. I blew through this in less than 48 hours and I am already desperate for more from the Cannons world she is building. more. please. I need it.

[ReadingTilTheBreakOfDawn]

This basketball lover was super excited to dive into a sapphic WNBA romance.

The Marriage Rebound is a sapphic marriage in crisis romance that had me excited for the bit of basketball we got and to see how a relationship that burned fast was going to hold up after two years, especially with one of the women gone a lot for work.

Courtney is a star player on her team and at the beginning of the story is on the cusp of winning the championship. She has Sasha in her corner, but not at away games and that happens to be a point of contention between them. With the championship on the line and maybe their marriage as well, how will Courtney and Sasha come together and figure out their differences so they can keep building on what they already committed to?

Since we are jumping right into a story of 2 people that are already together and have a history, I was wondering how Meka James was going to keep me pulled in. Right from the start, we see that Courtney and Sasha have major physical chemistry. It's like *BOOM*! Love to see it. But then we get into the drama and I actually got frustrated with the two women because if they would've just talked, things might not have gone as far as they did. We are told that their relationship started out fast and hot and was a total whirlwind romance that ended in marriage after only a short time. And maybe that's where I would've liked to see the story to begin with or in flashbacks, because I didn't have an understanding of who those characters were. I felt like I was being told about their relationship and never got to experience it. That's not to say that it didn't work. I just wanted to feel it more.

With that said, I liked seeing Sasha have her own life and friends that she could talk with concerning her problems and Courtney having the same. Those supporting characters helped me understand Courtney and Sasha as a couple and as individuals. Because, on paper, it seemed like Sasha was there as a "trophy wife" while Courtney was working to support and maintain the lives of not only Sasha, but her sister as well. She was burnt out. But Sasha in turn just wanted her wife home with her and not to work and be gone so much. This is where communication was a big factor for them and where my frustration grew a little bit because they were just fighting in circles with not being able to see each other's perspectives. You almost get to the point of wondering if you even want them together. BUT, when they finally did talk and figure themselves out, I wanted to see and feel where their relationship began.

Overall, I had high expectations going in and was excited to see where James was going to take a marriage in crisis romance. While not everything worked for me, I would like to read more about these two and the beginning of their relationship or maybe how they overcome everything and learn to communicate. Because they still had a lot to work on to make me believe that they could make their relationship work.

[Kimberlyyyreads]

Sapphic marriage in crisis? A truly underrated genre of sapphic romance's that we desperately need more of.

Thank you the HQ for the e-arc!

Meka James, I was unfamiliar with your game 😩!!

The Marriage Rebound is a angsty marriage in crisis romance between in WNBA star, Courtney and her wife, Sasha. Their relationship has always been a whirlwind, but what happens when they both are faced with the difficulties of marriage.

I came in wanting a complex romance story and that is exactly what we got. Courtney is a fixer, she is so used to taking care of the people she loves most in life. She particularly spent her entire childhood raising her younger sister, and she still finds herself in the position of a provider. Sasha is the complete opposite, coming from a household in which she has often been ignored she's used to being on her own and fending for herself.

Courtney and Sasha both have different ideas as to what their relationship should look like, relationships aren't perfect and I think Meka did a great job at showing readers this.

Courtney and Sasha both are inherently loving characters. Their love for each other is visible but their personalities' often clash against one another. I love a romance that challenges the main couple to compromise and communicate through challenges they face.

The conflict within their relationship was honestly very valid, and watching them work through it was really worth it in the end. Especially seeing the effort they both were putting in.

I do believe that both Courtney and Sasha, could have benefited from seeing a relationship counselor. Especailly given that Sasha has existing issues with alcohol. They both also had childhood experiences that impacted their relationship, I think talking things through with a professional really could've helped them strengthen their relationship.

Distressed sapphics for the win! I had a great time reading this, and I hope that others will as well. This book deals with complex subjects in which the characters may appear "difficult" or "too much" but both are genuinely trying their best even if it's not perfect.

[Andrea (looseleftlesbian)]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

At first I really thought I wouldn’t be able to finish this. Sasha really bothered me with her immature actions. Buuuut I’m so glad I didn’t give up and kept reading. I think the fact that we get to see the inner dialogue of both MCs is so important. You see their reasoning, thoughts, rational of things and it makes sense. It also makes it frustrating at times because just talk to each other!!! There’s a moment where Sasha tells Big Momma about how she feels like Courtney is reminding her of her parents by working all the time. From then on, I can see why she was acting like she was. Does it excuse some of her immature behavior? No. But it explains it. It’s real and raw. I could see where some people wouldn’t like this, but it grew one me. Yes, I usually don’t prefer so much angst and messiness but I think the author does an amazing job at depicting what goes on in real relationships, not book relationships.

I enjoyed seeing the characters from the other book and catching up with them. I see a potential third book with a couple I clocked and I hope I’m right.

I did feel as if the MCs all of a sudden opened their eyes and minds. I think I would’ve appreciated maybe seeing them in therapy together and seperate. I think coming to the conclusion that they did, especially Sasha, would have benefitted from hearing these things from a professional rather than friends. I was happy that they came to the conclusion but I did feel as if the problems were solved a little too quickly with how deeply rooted they were in trauma.

Overall, even though I don’t like the miscommunication trope, the author’s writing was excellent. She kept me wanting more and I did find myself pulled in with the drama and angst. I think if you’re looking for a more “romance book” type of love where everything is nice, this isn’t for you. If you want a raw, messy but real love to read about, this is your book!

[emerson]

I was really excited for this one. I always enjoy a sports romance and it was refreshing to get a romance about an established relationship trying to make it work. 

Problem was, they weren't established in more than name. These two were two strangers that were attracted to each other and got married without knowing more than the other person's job. And because of that, I didn't care about their relationship at all. 

Courtney was my favorite of the two, and while she had some growth, she was also in the right about 90% of this book. Sasha was a self absorbed disaster, and while her arc was pretty great, I was annoyed by her for nearly the entire novel. She was kind of the worst partner in the world and while she ends up self aware of it, I couldn't see what exactly she brought to Courtney that justified Courtney staying. It was more Courtney's morals and the kind of person she was that kept them together. 

By the end of this book, while Sasha has had a complete personality revamp and while I do believe they have saved their marriage, I don't feel like they read like a couple. They still don't know each other, really. They don't know how to lean on each other, they don't even seem to be the kind of people who can watch the same shows or talk for hours about nothing. I just don't see a foundation in their relationship, and that stopped me from enjoying the book the way I wanted to. I think I would have been more affected if they'd loved each other for a long time and have lost a spark or have grown as people or along those lines. But this book needed to convince us that they even liked each other and didn't make the space to do that. 

This was admittedly a fast read and an easy one that that, and I enjoyed the first book in the series, but this one didn't live up to that. I did like seeing the book one characters, though it's been quite a while since I've read it. There were actually quite a few side characters in this book, and even more names than people because Courtney and Sasha had different names for some of them. Sasha's friends were distinct enough that I didn't get them confused, but they didn't serve much purpose other than to call her out on her bs, and that was disappointing to me. 

Overall, it's a story worth telling, and I quite enjoyed reading a book that used the words "my wife" in it all the time, but it just didn't stick the landing for me. 

[Parker]

Thank you to Harlequin Romance - Carina Adores for providing a digital advanced reader copy via NetGalley for me to be able to read and leave an honest review.

I was intrigued with the plot, a WNBA player and her wife as they navigate a rocky relationship while dealing with all the outside pressures that come with celebrity, travel, and parents that have never shown any interest in their kids.

I like a sports romance, but I didn't find this one very "sporty". Yes, Courtney plays in the WNBA and the Euro League, it is her career and it is treated like rather than concentrating on the basketball. If you are entering thinking this will be more about the game, than about how the game impacts relationships, just know where the focus actually is.

Sasha and Courtney had a bit of whirlwind romance, getting married soon after meeting, and maybe not taking the time needed to actually get to know one another at more than a surface level. Sasha's character didn't connect with me and I found it difficult to root for their relationship.

There were moments where I thought, Oh, they actually see each other, but those were short-lived before they both returned to the behaviours that got them to where they were.

The dialogue was strong throughout the book and with chapters written from a dual point of view it helped to get the insight into what each of them wanted from a relationship and where they thought they were doing well or not. I did find the characters both rooted in what they thought a relationship should be, but never actually telling the other what they needed or wanted from them.

If you like reading about a couple who love each other, but can't seem to get out of their own ways to change the dynamics of dysfunctional relationship, with a side of sports, then take a read of this one.

[Heather]

This is the second book in the Atlanta Cannons series, and it features two characters who previously appeared in book 1 - Courtney (a WNBA player) and her wife Sasha. They met and got married in a short amount of time, and this book is about their lingering baggage, challenges in their marriage, and how they navigate both of these things when Courtney is forced to be at home with Sasha instead of playing overseas in the EuroLeague due to a wrist injury.

I admit that for the bulk of this book, I had a difficult time garnering any empathy for Sasha and I had more compassion for Courtney. Sasha has emotional trauma from her relationship with her parents, and copes with Courtney's long absences due to WNBA travel with spending a lot of money and drinking too much alcohol. It seemed so immature to me that I just could not root for her until she got some sense knocked into her. Courtney has abandonment issues because her parents focused on each other instead of her and her sister, so she thinks that she has to constantly work in order to financially take care of her sister and Sasha - which takes her away from both of them physically and time-wise. To me, this at least was a more reasonable excuse for her behavior in this book.

I liked how much time was spent on each character so that we could understand motivations and behaviors. And it was neat to read the interactions that Courtney and Sasha had with their own friend groups to show the importance of a support system. This book had very little basketball and a lot of relationship development. I felt like Courtney and Sasha's relationship was believable because of the challenges they had to overcome. Overall this is a well-written story about two queer women with a lot of chemistry and a lot to learn.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for honest feedback.

[Elysha Smith]

The Marriage Rebound follows secondary characters from Love and Sportsball as they star in this troubled marriage romance book. Courtney is a WNBA star, who is married to Sasha, a former exotic dancer. Their is rife with up and downs, and brought to a forefront when Courtney is injured and forced to stay home.

This is definitely an emotional and more complex book with a lot of big feelings. It focuses on an established couple with a rocky romance that is forced to spend time together and confront those difficulties.

The concept itself is a unique one. I liked having an established couple, something you don’t see too often. I also liked the idea of trying to save the marriage, and showing a lot of the lows of the relationship as well. And both characters forced to answer the question is this something I want to save. It’s realistic to a degree and emotional.

Both Courtney and Sasha have their flaws to say the least. Neither character comes off as great at times and both can be frustrating. They aren’t always likeable but again it feels real, with two people deep in this relationship that’s broken and trying just to preserve themselves.

I did also like them trying to work through their problems. I’m not sure how I felt about the ending over all and it felt a bit too tied up neatly with a bow.

The pacing was a bit jumpy at times and I did find sometimes it would jump further ahead in the timeline and not be clear.

This book isn’t for everyone. If you want an emotional book about trying to save a marriage on the rocks then this is a good choice, especially being a diverse sapphic romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Shelby Campbell]

The Marriage Rebound by Meka James was a read I was NOT expecting to enjoy as much as I did! Marriage in crisis is a trope I don't reach for very often, but I really enjoyed how intricate Meka James made the issues within this relationship. It wasn't just one surface-level problem that could be fixed with a single conversation. There were layers to their struggles, their history, and the things they were both bringing into the marriage.

I also really enjoyed the family dynamics woven throughout the story. Between absent parents, an involved younger sister, and Sasha's protective grandmother, Big Mama, there were so many different relationships influencing the main couple and adding depth to the story. I loved getting to see both sides of the marriage struggle and understand where each of them was coming from.

My biggest complaint was the HEA. I was hoping for something that felt a little more rewarding after everything these two went through, and their big solution being that they agreed to go to couples therapy left me wanting MORE. Honestly, I would have loved to see them actually go through therapy throughout the book and work through some of these issues on page. I think that could have made their resolution feel so much more satisfying!

And Sasha, GIRL. PLEASE RE-EVALUATE YOUR FRIENDSHIPS. There was one friendship in particular that was SO toxic that I was practically screaming at the book for her to wash her hands of this woman. I needed her to see the red flags because GIRL, WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE?! 😭

I did really enjoy the spicy moments, and this book definitely has me curious enough to go back and read book one in the series. Overall, The Marriage Rebound was another enjoyable sapphic romance to add to my ever-growing list!

[Febe]

The marriage rebound is a book about basketball star Courtney and her wife, ex dancer, Sasha. Their marriage is in a crisis and throughout the book they try to work on their marriage and try to solve their problems.
The book starts in media res, which was a bit confusing to me as I hadn’t read the first book in the series and therefore did not know the characters yet, which is totally on me. In the beginning, I thought both characters were insufferable. I thought Courtney only cares about her money and Sasha only cares about herself. However, as the story came along, I started to understand both sides of their relationship problems and Courtney and Sasha started to grow on me. I did wish that they started to listen to each other more early on as only at 65% of the story do they try to solve their problems.
I really loved the character development of both Sasha and Courtney.
I loved the side characters and especially Denise and Tanisha because of how they put Sasha back in her place. Denise did get annoying at times but that might just be because I did not really understand her. It might be interesting to get a story about Denise.
I would’ve loved a bit more insight into the beginning of Courtney and Sasha’s love story. There were some blinks of the beginning, but I think a flashback chapter would’ve been nice to fully understand how their relationship came to be.
In general, the story was fine, but it could’ve been a bit more interesting in my opinion, therefore I give it 3 ⭐️
Thank you NetGalley for giving me an ARC in exchange for my review.

[Misha]

(rounded up from 4.5)

This was one of the more realistic romance novels I have had the pleasure of reading. The premise is simple enough: a marriage in trouble because one of the wives is a WNBA star who equates marriage with providing financially for her wife, and the other is a stay-at-home wife who shops because she is lonely and feels abandoned by her overworked spouse. The two remain at cross purposes in conversations, and we slowly peel back the layers to understand their childhood trauma and impulsive marriage coming into play now that they spend time together for a while and discover a very fractured relationship.

Meka James does an excellent job setting up characters who are likeable but deeply flawed and using alternating POV chapters to explore each of their perspectives about their relationship and why they react the way that they do to each other's comments. There are no conveniently easy answers, just two people shaped by their past trauma talking past each other by focusing on their own perspectives, as is so common in relationships.

As wonderful as it is to have a light and fluffy romance, now and then you need a story about real people going through real life problems and trying to work through them because at the heart of it all is their shared love. I can't pretend not to love that approach to a romance novel: the messiness after the whirlwind romance and the real feelings after the honeymoon phase.

[Kat Reads Skulls]

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advance reader copy! All opinions expressed are my own 🖤

This was a quick and dramatic sapphic romance. I don’t consider it a sports romance because it wasn’t really about the sport and didn’t get into many details about basketball, Courtney just happened to be a basketball player.

First off, I LOVE that this is framed as established couple that is already married, but working on themselves to make that marriage work better and survive their decisions. More established couples in the sapphic space please! It’s a nod at the reality that marriage isn’t an automatic HEA while still being an escape. Also, the absolute respect shown towards Sasha’s past and her friends current jobs as strippers was so refreshing to see! LOVE!

The writing itself was a bit dialogue heavy to me, but that’s personal preference. These two are toxic as hell and most of their conflict is miscommunication because they won’t set aside their pride and LISTEN to each other, and Sasha’s immaturity. I followed the drama, ate it up, told my wife all about it, and finished the book in an afternoon!

*minor spoilers below*
Denise needs to grow up. She was the bane of my existence this whole book and while I’m glad she was honest and eventually took herself out of the equation as soon as Sasha stood up for herself, she is awful. I’m begging for the next book to be Tina/Tanisha because Nisha is such a sweetheart!!

[diamondinthepages]

The Marriage Rebound by Mika James was such a fast-paced read, and I really enjoyed getting another WNBA-centered sapphic romance!
Courtney and Sasha had a whirlwind relationship, they fell hard, got married in Vegas pretty quickly, and unfortunately never took the time to have some of those deeper conversations a marriage needs. A few years later, all of those things they avoided are finally coming back to bite them, and their marriage is very much on the rocks.
I loved the ultimate resolution and that this is a story about fighting for your marriage instead of immediately walking away from it. However, I wish we had gotten more time with Courtney and Sasha actually rebuilding their relationship. So much of the book focuses on everything going wrong that, by the time they start working things out, I didn't feel like I had enough time to enjoy them being happy, healthy, and in love again. I wanted more of the rebound part of The Marriage Rebound!
I also struggled with Sasha because I felt like she instigated a lot of their problems, which made it harder for me to root for her at times. Courtney, though? I was rooting for that woman the entire way.
Overall, this was a quick, entertaining second chance at your own marriage romance. I just wish we'd gotten a little less time watching their marriage fall apart and a little more time watching them remember why they chose each other in the first place.

[Chaptersxchill]

ARC REVIEW

This was such a refreshing read for me, especially because I haven’t fully gotten deep into sports romances yet. This one really pulled me in and felt like a great entry point into the genre.

What I loved most was the dynamic. It felt different from anything I’ve read before, and I really appreciated getting a story centered around a same-sex marriage in the sports world. It added so much depth and emotion to the story in a way that felt real and grounded.

Courtney and Sasha’s relationship felt layered and complicated in a very human way. They are dealing with distance, miscommunication, emotional burnout, and the weight of expectations, and it made their marriage feel honest rather than idealized.

I really enjoyed seeing how their relationship shifted when they were finally forced to slow down and be in the same space. It brought out a lot of tension, reflection, and moments where you could see both love and frustration existing at the same time.

The sports element also added a nice backdrop without overwhelming the relationship side of the story, which I appreciated as someone still new to sports romances.

Overall, this was emotional, character driven, and refreshing. A great introduction for me into sports romance and especially into a dynamic I had never read before. I’m really glad I picked it up.

[Jessica Womble]

WNBA sports romance + former dancer + marriage in crisis, say less!

Courtney and Sasha had the kind of initial attraction and chemistry that was absolutely INTOXICATING, but this story reminded me that chemistry alone won’t carry you when life starts LIFING.

What I loved most was watching these two continually find their way back to each other. No matter the obstacles, the outside noise, or how messy things got, they kept choosing each other. But choosing each other wasn’t enough, they had to actually put in the work.

Learning how to communicate. Learning each other. Being honest about what they needed. Navigating the things that were keeping them apart instead of allowing them to become bigger than their love. I really appreciated that Meka James showed the less glamorous side of happily ever after, the part where love requires patience, vulnerability, growth, and a whole lot of effort.

Courtney and Sasha weren’t perfect, and honestly, that’s what made their relationship feel so real. Their journey was messy, emotional, passionate, and ultimately about remembering why they chose each other in the first place. And don’t we all just want to be chosen & have someone pivot for our needs when the time comes. 🥰

And can we talk about the WNBA representation?! 🏀🔥 I LOVE seeing women’s basketball woven into romance, and this was such a fun addition to my sports romance reads!

[BookishLatinaJenn (Jennifer)]

WNBA romance + a marriage in crisis + two women who still very much want each other? Yes, pls.

Courtney and Sasha had chemistry for DAYS, but I really appreciated that this story didn’t pretend chemistry was enough to sustain a marriage. These two had legitimate issues, and I understood both sides of their frustrations. Watching them work through communication, loneliness, expectations, and learning how to actually show up for each other gave this romance more depth than I expected.

I especially loved that their HEA wasn’t about magically fixing everything. It was about choosing each other and doing the work. Sometimes love means being willing to pivot, listen, grow, and meet your partner where they are. 🥹

And the Atlanta setting and WNBA backdrop were such a fun addition! Give me more women’s sports romance, please!

🎧 A.M. Elizabeth Kay and Angel Pean did a fantastic job with the narration. Their performances added personality and emotional depth to Courtney and Sasha and made this a really enjoyable listen.

Tropes & Vibes:
🏀 WNBA/Sports Romance
💍 Marriage in Crisis
💞 Second Chance Romance
✨ Opposites Attract
🗣️ Communication & Relationship Growth
🏡 Finding Your Way Back
👩🏾‍❤️‍👩🏾 Black Queer Romance

Thank you to Harlequin Audio, The Hive (HTPHive), NetGalley, and Meka James for the ALC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Gabe]

The Marriage Rebound follows WNBA star Courtney Johnson after a winning season with her team, the Atlanta Cannons. Courtney and her wife Sasha are going through a rough patch in their marriage. When Courtney isn't able to play in the Euro league due to injury, it forces her to stay home and confront the issues she and Sasha are having. This leads to lots of ups and downs as the couple tries to get to know each other again and learn how to communicate better.

I enjoyed the first book in this series but this second installment fell a bit flat for me. I was expecting an exciting sports romance but this book shockingly didn't contain a lot of sports, even though the main character is a basketball player. The majority of the book centered around conflict between Courtney and Sasha. While some readers will enjoy this, it's not my preference. I will say, by the end of the story, both characters improved in their conflict resolution skills. If you enjoy books centered on one conflict between two characters and don't mind that it's more sports adjacent than containing actual sports content, then you will enjoy this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced readers copy of this book!