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Polo Fever
Not yet published
Expected 21 May 26She ran from the spotlight . . . straight into his stable.
As the assistant to one of fashion's most powerful designers, Ashley has always stayed out of frame - until her secret romance with the face of his latest menswear line, tennis star Chris Courtney, is exposed in a single, perfectly-timed paparazzi shot. In the space of a day, Ashley's career, reputation, and privacy are torn apart by the press.
With nowhere to turn, she escapes to the countryside to stay with family, hoping to disappear. But solace comes in an unexpected a quiet stable and a beautiful horse. That is, until she's caught trespassing by none other than international polo icon, tabloid regular, and infuriatingly charming Mateo.
Horses? Zero experience. Polo players? Definitely off-limits.
As Ashley's thrust into a world of high-stakes games and elite scandal, she finds herself at the centre of a yet another storm, one where passion and power collide, and her heart might just be the biggest risk of all.
As the assistant to one of fashion's most powerful designers, Ashley has always stayed out of frame - until her secret romance with the face of his latest menswear line, tennis star Chris Courtney, is exposed in a single, perfectly-timed paparazzi shot. In the space of a day, Ashley's career, reputation, and privacy are torn apart by the press.
With nowhere to turn, she escapes to the countryside to stay with family, hoping to disappear. But solace comes in an unexpected a quiet stable and a beautiful horse. That is, until she's caught trespassing by none other than international polo icon, tabloid regular, and infuriatingly charming Mateo.
Horses? Zero experience. Polo players? Definitely off-limits.
As Ashley's thrust into a world of high-stakes games and elite scandal, she finds herself at the centre of a yet another storm, one where passion and power collide, and her heart might just be the biggest risk of all.
368 pages, Paperback
Expected publication May 21, 2026
200 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
January 20, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Aria for this advanced reader’s copy in exchange of my honest review.
I didn’t expect to love this book so much!
I dived into this book knowing absolutely nothing about Polo and now I’m obsessively looking for the summer schedule! What a fun and sweet way to learn about a new sport. As a fan of sports romance I jumped at the chance to read what I could already tell from the blurb was going to be a sweet and easy read.
I absolutely ADORED the setting and the plot. As a romance reader I often struggle to find stories that stick to a plot and feel more than just a long conversation between the main characters but this one had a great and consistent story.
I loved how realistic the main characters were, you can see yourself in both Ash and Mateo at times, showing the deep, raw feelings humans experience both in their professional and personal lives.
Mateo was a complicated person, lots of baggage but good at heart. I enjoyed getting to see the layers of his character. He stayed true to himself and did what a lot of people tend to do: sacrifice his happiness for his career. It was inspiring to see him come to terms with his past issues and becoming a better version of himself on and off the field.
Ash was a phenomenal representation of a young adult trying to find her way in the world. It takes time and effort to find what your passion is and it’s so easy to get stuck in a job you don’t necessarily love but don’t hate enough to take the leap of finding a new one. She was strong, bold, stubborn and thankfully a smart woman who went through hell and learned from it. She put herself first and never looked back, a true queen.
They had good chemistry but I wished we got to see the early stages of their relationship. The side characters were also fun and a great addition to the story.
Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this book and if you’re a fan of sports romance, I definitely recommend adding this one to your TBR!
I didn’t expect to love this book so much!
I dived into this book knowing absolutely nothing about Polo and now I’m obsessively looking for the summer schedule! What a fun and sweet way to learn about a new sport. As a fan of sports romance I jumped at the chance to read what I could already tell from the blurb was going to be a sweet and easy read.
I absolutely ADORED the setting and the plot. As a romance reader I often struggle to find stories that stick to a plot and feel more than just a long conversation between the main characters but this one had a great and consistent story.
I loved how realistic the main characters were, you can see yourself in both Ash and Mateo at times, showing the deep, raw feelings humans experience both in their professional and personal lives.
Mateo was a complicated person, lots of baggage but good at heart. I enjoyed getting to see the layers of his character. He stayed true to himself and did what a lot of people tend to do: sacrifice his happiness for his career. It was inspiring to see him come to terms with his past issues and becoming a better version of himself on and off the field.
Ash was a phenomenal representation of a young adult trying to find her way in the world. It takes time and effort to find what your passion is and it’s so easy to get stuck in a job you don’t necessarily love but don’t hate enough to take the leap of finding a new one. She was strong, bold, stubborn and thankfully a smart woman who went through hell and learned from it. She put herself first and never looked back, a true queen.
They had good chemistry but I wished we got to see the early stages of their relationship. The side characters were also fun and a great addition to the story.
Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this book and if you’re a fan of sports romance, I definitely recommend adding this one to your TBR!
Want to read
January 8, 2026She’s got a new one! Let’s go
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley and Aria & Aries for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Pole Fever was my second book by Katherine Reilly, Ride The Wave being the first, and I was really excited to read this new book, but perhaps I had too high expectations.
I didn't know much about pole, I had a visual image, but I didn't know the rules or anything like that. The book takes the reader through all the stages and we get to understand what happens behind the scenes to make sure the games run smoothly for the team.
The MMC, Mateo, plays on a polo team and his love for the sport is enormous, he has been playing since he was young and is now trying to win the championship. On the other hand, we have the FMC, Ashley, who is spending some time with her brother after a scandal. The chemistry between Mateo and Ashley was built up gradually, which I liked, because it didn't seem like a meaningless relationship, where they are together just for the sake of it, but I think something was missing and I can't put my finger on it.
Even though Ashley feels insecure about trying to get into another relationship after what happened with her last one, I can't understand what the real problem is here. She worked in fashion, where everything comes down to appearance, and there's a conversation where she explains that even she wore a “mask” because that was the only way to survive in that professional environment. She falls in love with someone, fine. She gets her heart broken, alright. So why is she so afraid when someone is honest with her? When Mateo says that his work and his passion are important? Of course, it would take good organisation for the relationship to continue, but I think she gave too much importance to this unnecessarily.
I also felt that too many characters were introduced at once or too close to each other, so at a certain point I confused them all, even though I figured out who was who by the end of the book. The pace and writing were good. Perhaps I had too high expectations and that was a shame, as I feel it influenced my reading experience.
Pole Fever was my second book by Katherine Reilly, Ride The Wave being the first, and I was really excited to read this new book, but perhaps I had too high expectations.
I didn't know much about pole, I had a visual image, but I didn't know the rules or anything like that. The book takes the reader through all the stages and we get to understand what happens behind the scenes to make sure the games run smoothly for the team.
The MMC, Mateo, plays on a polo team and his love for the sport is enormous, he has been playing since he was young and is now trying to win the championship. On the other hand, we have the FMC, Ashley, who is spending some time with her brother after a scandal. The chemistry between Mateo and Ashley was built up gradually, which I liked, because it didn't seem like a meaningless relationship, where they are together just for the sake of it, but I think something was missing and I can't put my finger on it.
Even though Ashley feels insecure about trying to get into another relationship after what happened with her last one, I can't understand what the real problem is here. She worked in fashion, where everything comes down to appearance, and there's a conversation where she explains that even she wore a “mask” because that was the only way to survive in that professional environment. She falls in love with someone, fine. She gets her heart broken, alright. So why is she so afraid when someone is honest with her? When Mateo says that his work and his passion are important? Of course, it would take good organisation for the relationship to continue, but I think she gave too much importance to this unnecessarily.
I also felt that too many characters were introduced at once or too close to each other, so at a certain point I confused them all, even though I figured out who was who by the end of the book. The pace and writing were good. Perhaps I had too high expectations and that was a shame, as I feel it influenced my reading experience.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was my first Katherine Reilly book, and thank you to NetGalley and Aria for the ARC. I really enjoyed this novel; I read it across two days in two sittings.
It is quite fast-paced, easy to read, and a fun romance. It follows Ashley, a fashion assistant, as she’s involved in a paparazzi scandal with a famous tennis player. Looking to escape reality for a bit, she heads to Sussex to stay with her brother and help run his pub. Only whilst there, Ashley’s captivated by the local horses and, after being spotted by Mateo, she fast becomes involved in the world of polo and friends with the wealthy.
I love a sports romance, but I’ve never read one about polo before, so this was actually quite an interesting read, getting to learn more about polo and horses throughout the book. The sport does feature heavily in this book, which I liked because it directly relates to the characters and the plot; it isn’t just a subplot mentioned once or twice.
Ashley was a great FMC. The prologue is in Mateo’s POV, but the rest of the novel is from Ashley’s and I found that she was relatable, funny, and a good narrator. She’s kind, hard-working, and scared to let herself open up only to be hurt again.
But Mateo manages to change her mind.
I liked the progression of their relationship; it wasn’t too fast, but it wasn’t a slow-burn either. It built up chapter by chapter and we could see the push and the pull between the two characters.
I also enjoyed the side characters, such as Sam and Eric, all of whom had a good dynamic with the protagonists and impacted the plot, too.
The only thing I would say that I would’ve liked to have seen more of is the scandal surrounding Ashley and Mateo's relationship in the polo world. Other than Basilio and Mateo’s dislike, there wasn’t much that threatened Ashley and Mateo’s relationship. I would have liked to have seen a bit more danger surrounding it, like will they get caught by the paparazzi, and not just Ashley’s hesitance from her previous experience.
That being said, I did enjoy Polo Fever by Katherine Reilly.
It is quite fast-paced, easy to read, and a fun romance. It follows Ashley, a fashion assistant, as she’s involved in a paparazzi scandal with a famous tennis player. Looking to escape reality for a bit, she heads to Sussex to stay with her brother and help run his pub. Only whilst there, Ashley’s captivated by the local horses and, after being spotted by Mateo, she fast becomes involved in the world of polo and friends with the wealthy.
I love a sports romance, but I’ve never read one about polo before, so this was actually quite an interesting read, getting to learn more about polo and horses throughout the book. The sport does feature heavily in this book, which I liked because it directly relates to the characters and the plot; it isn’t just a subplot mentioned once or twice.
Ashley was a great FMC. The prologue is in Mateo’s POV, but the rest of the novel is from Ashley’s and I found that she was relatable, funny, and a good narrator. She’s kind, hard-working, and scared to let herself open up only to be hurt again.
But Mateo manages to change her mind.
I liked the progression of their relationship; it wasn’t too fast, but it wasn’t a slow-burn either. It built up chapter by chapter and we could see the push and the pull between the two characters.
I also enjoyed the side characters, such as Sam and Eric, all of whom had a good dynamic with the protagonists and impacted the plot, too.
The only thing I would say that I would’ve liked to have seen more of is the scandal surrounding Ashley and Mateo's relationship in the polo world. Other than Basilio and Mateo’s dislike, there wasn’t much that threatened Ashley and Mateo’s relationship. I would have liked to have seen a bit more danger surrounding it, like will they get caught by the paparazzi, and not just Ashley’s hesitance from her previous experience.
That being said, I did enjoy Polo Fever by Katherine Reilly.
Read
January 10, 2026Ashley siempre ha sido la persona que sostiene el caos desde las sombras. Acostumbrada a resolver crisis ajenas, su vida da un giro inesperado cuando un escándalo público la deja sin trabajo y la convierte en el blanco de la opinión pública. Buscando desaparecer del ruido y recomponer lo que queda de su autoestima, acepta refugiarse lejos de la ciudad, en un entorno dominado por el polo, tradiciones marcadas y personajes que no se impresionan por la fama ni los titulares. Allí conoce a Mateo, un jugador con un pasado exigente y una disciplina forjada a base de sacrificios, cuya vida gira alrededor del deporte y el control. El choque de dos mundos tan distintos despierta tensiones, atracción y heridas que ninguno esperaba enfrentar. Mientras ambos lidian con expectativas externas y decisiones que pueden cambiar su futuro, deberán decidir si es posible confiar de nuevo y apostar por algo real cuando todo parece estar en contra.
__
Falto que Mateo se redimiera.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.
__
Falto que Mateo se redimiera.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.5 stars
After majorly enjoying Ride The Wave, I was very curious to read more from Katherine Reilly. And if it's once again a sports romance, I"m SO down. As expected Polo Fever was a fun and easy read that totally distracted me from the real world. I didn't know the first thing about polo, but it turned out to be a fun world to discover. The writing was very fluent, which made the time go by insanely quickly and the romance was definitely believable, if not a little 'too good to be true' at some points. In terms of spice, I'd say it wasn't too much and pretty well written, but the only thing that bothered me was the third act breakup. I'm never a big fan of those, as it often results in a rushed ending. Nonetheless, Polo Fever was an amazing read and I'd definitely recommend!
After majorly enjoying Ride The Wave, I was very curious to read more from Katherine Reilly. And if it's once again a sports romance, I"m SO down. As expected Polo Fever was a fun and easy read that totally distracted me from the real world. I didn't know the first thing about polo, but it turned out to be a fun world to discover. The writing was very fluent, which made the time go by insanely quickly and the romance was definitely believable, if not a little 'too good to be true' at some points. In terms of spice, I'd say it wasn't too much and pretty well written, but the only thing that bothered me was the third act breakup. I'm never a big fan of those, as it often results in a rushed ending. Nonetheless, Polo Fever was an amazing read and I'd definitely recommend!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 25, 2026
After having loved both of Katherine Reilly’s previous books, I had high hopes for Polo Fever, and it did not disappoint!!
After running away to the countryside and finding solace in a gorgeous chestnut mare during a walk, Ash discovered that trespassing isn’t always bad (in the fictional world); it can lead to your dream job and a new chance at love.
I went into this book with no knowledge of Polo, but I loved the insight!
Tropes:
🏇🏽 Sports Romance
🐎 Witty Banter
🏇🏽 Polo Romance
🐎 Spicy 🌶️
Thank you Aria & Aries & NETGalley for the E-ARC!
After running away to the countryside and finding solace in a gorgeous chestnut mare during a walk, Ash discovered that trespassing isn’t always bad (in the fictional world); it can lead to your dream job and a new chance at love.
I went into this book with no knowledge of Polo, but I loved the insight!
Tropes:
🏇🏽 Sports Romance
🐎 Witty Banter
🏇🏽 Polo Romance
🐎 Spicy 🌶️
Thank you Aria & Aries & NETGalley for the E-ARC!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews