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Atlanta Cannons #2
The Marriage Rebound
Not yet published
Expected 25 Aug 26In 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
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
288 pages, Paperback
Expected publication August 25, 2026
About the author
Meka James
20 books310 followersI'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...
Best places to find me:
Blog:
http://mekasmusings.blogspot.com/
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/AuthorMekaJames
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/author_meka...
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
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.
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.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
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.
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.
June 29, 2026
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.
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.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
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.
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.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
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.
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.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
(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.
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.
July 27, 2026
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!!
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!!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
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.
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.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
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!
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!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Overall Rating: 3.5
Spice Rating: 🌶
This story follows Courtney and Sasha. The two fell in love and married quickly. As their relationship has progressed there is a distance between them that they've been ignoring. After an injury forces Courtney home from her overseas season, things aren't as easy to ignore.
I enjoyed the story overall and it is great to get a book that actually focuses on the relationship. There is definitely a lot of miscommunication and some immaturity with the two women. I do think that a marriage councilor would solve a large portion on their issues. Sasha could benefit from a personal therapist to work on her childhood trauma and how it is affecting her relationships.
I was a little surprised at how little these two knew about eachother, despite being married. Again, this was a fast burn romance to marriage, so maybe not completely unrealistic.
I think if you are looking for something fun to read, this is a good one. It reminded me of some of the romance-drama movies I used to watch as a kid, that I had no business watching. I loved Big Mama and I loved reading the dialogue between everyone. It felt like genuine conversation.
On a side note- I could not stand Denise.
Spice Rating: 🌶
This story follows Courtney and Sasha. The two fell in love and married quickly. As their relationship has progressed there is a distance between them that they've been ignoring. After an injury forces Courtney home from her overseas season, things aren't as easy to ignore.
I enjoyed the story overall and it is great to get a book that actually focuses on the relationship. There is definitely a lot of miscommunication and some immaturity with the two women. I do think that a marriage councilor would solve a large portion on their issues. Sasha could benefit from a personal therapist to work on her childhood trauma and how it is affecting her relationships.
I was a little surprised at how little these two knew about eachother, despite being married. Again, this was a fast burn romance to marriage, so maybe not completely unrealistic.
I think if you are looking for something fun to read, this is a good one. It reminded me of some of the romance-drama movies I used to watch as a kid, that I had no business watching. I loved Big Mama and I loved reading the dialogue between everyone. It felt like genuine conversation.
On a side note- I could not stand Denise.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Star Rating: 3.5 Stars
Headline: Messy, realistic conflict and high steam.
Review:
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
This is a solid sports romance that doesn't shy away from the ugly side of maintaining a marriage under the pressure of a professional athletic career. Courtney (WNBA player) and Sasha (housewife) are at a breaking point due to distance and poor communication until an injury forces them together.
Be warned, this can be a tough read. The relationship has a lot of red flags, and the conflict often felt heavy and stressful. It felt like both characters really needed individual therapy to address their personal issues—Sasha's loneliness and spending, Courtney's feeling unappreciated—before they could truly fix the marriage. The spice level is very high, but it often serves as a distraction from their deeper problems. A good read if you like high-angst, realistic relationship struggles, but it's definitely intense. 3.5 stars.
Headline: Messy, realistic conflict and high steam.
Review:
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
This is a solid sports romance that doesn't shy away from the ugly side of maintaining a marriage under the pressure of a professional athletic career. Courtney (WNBA player) and Sasha (housewife) are at a breaking point due to distance and poor communication until an injury forces them together.
Be warned, this can be a tough read. The relationship has a lot of red flags, and the conflict often felt heavy and stressful. It felt like both characters really needed individual therapy to address their personal issues—Sasha's loneliness and spending, Courtney's feeling unappreciated—before they could truly fix the marriage. The spice level is very high, but it often serves as a distraction from their deeper problems. A good read if you like high-angst, realistic relationship struggles, but it's definitely intense. 3.5 stars.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Netgalley for the arc and all opinions are my own.
I liked this marriage in trouble, second chance romance between Courtney and Sasha. From having a short whirlwind start of the relationship to being married, they are now figuring out who they both are in the marriage and to each other. Courtney is a basketball player in the WNBA and Sasha is her wife who was previously an exotic dancer and who is now at home with her cute little dog. They both want things from each other and they both have a type of love language and they both have to figure out how to love each other with their partners love language.
Some parts of the book were a little irritating from a little bit of the immaturity of the characters but overall I think it shows a really good representation of a marriage in trouble and how they can work on repairing the relationship and falling more in love with one another.
I liked this marriage in trouble, second chance romance between Courtney and Sasha. From having a short whirlwind start of the relationship to being married, they are now figuring out who they both are in the marriage and to each other. Courtney is a basketball player in the WNBA and Sasha is her wife who was previously an exotic dancer and who is now at home with her cute little dog. They both want things from each other and they both have a type of love language and they both have to figure out how to love each other with their partners love language.
Some parts of the book were a little irritating from a little bit of the immaturity of the characters but overall I think it shows a really good representation of a marriage in trouble and how they can work on repairing the relationship and falling more in love with one another.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Marriage Rebound is a fun sports-romance novel following an existing couple who is experiencing major relationship drama. I don’t know that I’d call it high angst, but it is definitely a high tension read. Both characters have flaws, and struggles and at the beginning, I had a hard time envisioning how they got together in the first place. By the end, I was rooting for both of them, if only they could learn how to communicate and be vulnerable with each other. Despite the emotional tension, this is a relatively easy read, perfect for that summer reality escapism.
Though this is the second book in James’ Atlanta Cannons series, I read it prior to having read book 1 and it reads just fine as a stand-alone novel (I have since read book 1 and enjoyed that one as well).
I received an ARC of this novel from NetGalley.
Though this is the second book in James’ Atlanta Cannons series, I read it prior to having read book 1 and it reads just fine as a stand-alone novel (I have since read book 1 and enjoyed that one as well).
I received an ARC of this novel from NetGalley.
Did Not Finish
July 26, 2026DNF 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 *
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 *
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I am not the biggest fan of romance where we are literally dropped into the middle of a relationship, but depending on the story, it can work. For this book, I don't believe it did. For one, the conflict between them starts too early on and is nonstop from there. There were some short reprieves to leave room for makeup sex, but I was rolling my eyes by the third disagreement.
I don't feel we ever had a real chance to enjoy them as a couple in love, so when the conflict starts, I wasn't invested in it being fixed. Sasha was insanely immature, however she is like 25 so it's understandable, but it made me really dislike her character. Courtney was controlling and also had issues with communicating.
Overall, the writing itself was good and the love scenes were hot but it wasn't an enjoyable read. I really wish we had more context for their relationship to balance out all the drama.
I don't feel we ever had a real chance to enjoy them as a couple in love, so when the conflict starts, I wasn't invested in it being fixed. Sasha was insanely immature, however she is like 25 so it's understandable, but it made me really dislike her character. Courtney was controlling and also had issues with communicating.
Overall, the writing itself was good and the love scenes were hot but it wasn't an enjoyable read. I really wish we had more context for their relationship to balance out all the drama.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Sasha & Courtney’s story is a second chance romance of sorts. They end up in a situation where their marriage is in a bad place. This book is about their journey in recognising how they went so wrong and if they can save their love.
I’m a huge fan of Meka’s books so I knew I’d love this book and I did. That mixture of Black love and the heat that Meka brings to the page makes this a good read.
Ps I love how being gay isn’t a huge deal in the book. It just is. With black family members of different generations actively embracing them.
If you’re looking for a sapphic sports romance with a lot of heart, this is the book for you.
Tropes
My Wife
Rediscovering Love
Found family
Spicemeter - 🌶️🌶️🌶️
I’m a huge fan of Meka’s books so I knew I’d love this book and I did. That mixture of Black love and the heat that Meka brings to the page makes this a good read.
Ps I love how being gay isn’t a huge deal in the book. It just is. With black family members of different generations actively embracing them.
If you’re looking for a sapphic sports romance with a lot of heart, this is the book for you.
Tropes
My Wife
Rediscovering Love
Found family
Spicemeter - 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I mistakenly went into this book thinking it was a relationship after divorce but it was so much better than that! It was working on a marriage in such a real world way that felt relevant. Sasha & Courtney’s hot & fast romance that led to a quick Vegas marriage while in the throes of NRE (new relationship energy) and then struggling with the actual reality of being married to a practical stranger was like a peak into my own life. While they stumbled and fell many times, I loved how they finally recognized their own patterns that were pushing them apart. It took work and several try agains to learn how to communicate with each other not at each other and that was truly beautiful.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I'm obsessed with the world of the Atlanta Canons. Mega James wrote it so well that I felt like I was perfectly entrenched with the team and I was just an onlookers with them or one of their friends.
This was such a great story of a marriage in trouble. I liked how she did a story of a couple that still wanted to fight for each other and still wanted each other. There are so many books that show the beginning of a relationships but never a relationship thats been settled. A couple that's been together for years.
Thanks to the NetGalley and the publisher for and ARC in exchange for an honest review as always, all words are my own.
This was such a great story of a marriage in trouble. I liked how she did a story of a couple that still wanted to fight for each other and still wanted each other. There are so many books that show the beginning of a relationships but never a relationship thats been settled. A couple that's been together for years.
Thanks to the NetGalley and the publisher for and ARC in exchange for an honest review as always, all words are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This. THIS. IS. IT.!!
I have been DYING to read a book like this, searching for a messy married couple. And this ARC opportunity provided by NetGalley fed me SO well.
Sasha, my baby, and her wife, Courtney, are going through some marriage struggles. A fractured wrist forces the WNBA player to “sit her ass down”, leading the wives to finally face their issues.
I loved, loved this forced proximity sports romance. 😍
You can feel the love two MCs have for one another. The growth they had to go through not to lose one another, was something. 😩
The spice 👌🏼👌🏼👌🏼 ugh, chefs kiss.
I have been DYING to read a book like this, searching for a messy married couple. And this ARC opportunity provided by NetGalley fed me SO well.
Sasha, my baby, and her wife, Courtney, are going through some marriage struggles. A fractured wrist forces the WNBA player to “sit her ass down”, leading the wives to finally face their issues.
I loved, loved this forced proximity sports romance. 😍
You can feel the love two MCs have for one another. The growth they had to go through not to lose one another, was something. 😩
The spice 👌🏼👌🏼👌🏼 ugh, chefs kiss.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Sports romance
Marriage in trouble
Poor communication
Forced proximity
Dual POV - 1st person
Dual narration - A.M. Elizabeth Kay & Angel Pean
Both new to me narrators and they were lovely.
Book #2 Atlanta Cannons series
A wonderfully written marriage in trouble that was captivating. I enjoyed reading about a couple that had been together for a while finding their way through a tough time and working it out. Most romance books are about finding love not about what comes after the HEA. This one was emotional and dabbled on some tough topics which felt realistic and relatable.
Marriage in trouble
Poor communication
Forced proximity
Dual POV - 1st person
Dual narration - A.M. Elizabeth Kay & Angel Pean
Both new to me narrators and they were lovely.
Book #2 Atlanta Cannons series
A wonderfully written marriage in trouble that was captivating. I enjoyed reading about a couple that had been together for a while finding their way through a tough time and working it out. Most romance books are about finding love not about what comes after the HEA. This one was emotional and dabbled on some tough topics which felt realistic and relatable.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
This... did not work for me. The whole book is Courtney and Sasha having the same arguments, repeating the same actions that lead to arguments. They mention therapy but that never plays out (but they need it y'all) and tbh it felt like Sasha took the brunt of the blame and worked on changing whereas Courtney was just like 'that's how I show I care' and walking out on tough conversations. Idk. I really enjoyed the first book in the series and I was excited for this one but... Idk. I'm disappointed. And there was like, no basketball. That was one of the things I enjoyed about book one.
August 5, 2026
Thank you so much to Meka James and Harlequin for this gifted audiobook! All thoughts and opinions are my own 💕
This was so great!
I think both narrators did an amazing job at bringing the characters to life.
If you like real, messy, imperfect characters that maybe make you clutch your chest with their actions (because maybe you’d do the same thing BUT you’re WORKING ON IT)
Then this is the book for you!
Sapphic
Marriage in Crisis
Sports (adjacent - the FMC Courtney is a pro basketball ball player but games aren’t the main focus)
Found Family
This was so great!
I think both narrators did an amazing job at bringing the characters to life.
If you like real, messy, imperfect characters that maybe make you clutch your chest with their actions (because maybe you’d do the same thing BUT you’re WORKING ON IT)
Then this is the book for you!
Sapphic
Marriage in Crisis
Sports (adjacent - the FMC Courtney is a pro basketball ball player but games aren’t the main focus)
Found Family
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
June 26, 2026i am so sad to say that the high expectations i had for this book were not met :(
the prose is good, the dialogues coherent, i just found the characters (mainly Sasha) incredibly childish.
also, the miscommunication trope went too far, we basically had a big argument over nothing that went on and on for 70% of the book with the MCs refusing to talk to eachother about it for one reason or another.
i was really hopeful, considering that i love books about established couples, but the characters sadly got too much on my nerves to properly enjoy it :(
I thank Harpercollins publications and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion
the prose is good, the dialogues coherent, i just found the characters (mainly Sasha) incredibly childish.
also, the miscommunication trope went too far, we basically had a big argument over nothing that went on and on for 70% of the book with the MCs refusing to talk to eachother about it for one reason or another.
i was really hopeful, considering that i love books about established couples, but the characters sadly got too much on my nerves to properly enjoy it :(
I thank Harpercollins publications and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3/5 ⭐️ NetGalley
This was good, I just couldn’t get into it.
Sasha and Courtney have an interesting relationship, it’s more like distant roommates at the start. Growing apart was becoming a major problem and the injury was the perfect moment for them to show each other the support they really needed.
Some of the characters were hard to like, but I think that was intentional.
Overall a good story, but not one I would be reaching for to read again.
This was good, I just couldn’t get into it.
Sasha and Courtney have an interesting relationship, it’s more like distant roommates at the start. Growing apart was becoming a major problem and the injury was the perfect moment for them to show each other the support they really needed.
Some of the characters were hard to like, but I think that was intentional.
Overall a good story, but not one I would be reaching for to read again.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you so much to Meka James and Harlequin Romance for the arc! This was my first fully sapphic romance, I definitely enjoyed the spice in the book and how the author gave us real relationship problems. We got to experience the struggles between our FMCs and see them battle the troubles they had in their relationship. I couldn’t stand Sasha’s friend Denise at all, Courtney seems like she has good friends surrounding her, and Vuitton was the absolute cutest!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley for the eARC.
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