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Hard to Beat
Georgia Hotchkiss, international rugby star, thought she had her priorities rugby first, everything else second. She's spent ten years building her career, chasing caps for her country and proving she can take every hit the sport, and life, throws at her. She doesn't do distractions, least of all love.
But then she shows up to her best friend’s wedding and finds both her teenage crushes waiting. There's Matt, all easy charm and way too easy to say yes to, and Erin, still spiky, still impossible to ignore.
Now, with the season heating up and the press watching her every move, Georgia is going to have to victory on the pitch, or a second chance at love. One wrong move could cost her both.
But then she shows up to her best friend’s wedding and finds both her teenage crushes waiting. There's Matt, all easy charm and way too easy to say yes to, and Erin, still spiky, still impossible to ignore.
Now, with the season heating up and the press watching her every move, Georgia is going to have to victory on the pitch, or a second chance at love. One wrong move could cost her both.
393 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 20, 2025
19 people are currently reading
254 people want to read
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November 23, 2025I am not sure where to start with this one.
It’s going to be a chaotic review, for which I apologise in advance.
I received and ARC and I am hopeful some of the mistakes I spotted aren’t there in the published book. For instance talking about it being a cold spring day in one chapter, only to say it’s September in the next. And no, it wasn’t a jump in time. It actually happens so often I feel like it was written with different timing and not everything was changed. Mentioning Canary Islands and saying they are Greek… well, nope, Spanish.
Aside from this pulling me out of the story at times, and I am willing to overlook it because ARC, there was the first romance…
I started this book thinking it was going to be a sapphic sports romance, only to have it be 50% female-male romance. Great for bi representation. Not something i particularly enjoy, especially not written like this. When it is astoundingly clear from the get go that this male love interest is a complete and utter douche.
I didn’t like how one relationship turned into the next, and I didn’t like the dark moment coming so late. I think the author missed some great opportunities to end fling 1 sooner, get the real relationship going earlier on, and skipping over a ridiculous dark moment. Where I think it could have been great with the self-doubt, mounting pressures of being a team captain, it just fell a little short.
Not a bad story, I particularly like the sapphic storyline, would have like some more of it.
It’s going to be a chaotic review, for which I apologise in advance.
I received and ARC and I am hopeful some of the mistakes I spotted aren’t there in the published book. For instance talking about it being a cold spring day in one chapter, only to say it’s September in the next. And no, it wasn’t a jump in time. It actually happens so often I feel like it was written with different timing and not everything was changed. Mentioning Canary Islands and saying they are Greek… well, nope, Spanish.
Aside from this pulling me out of the story at times, and I am willing to overlook it because ARC, there was the first romance…
I started this book thinking it was going to be a sapphic sports romance, only to have it be 50% female-male romance. Great for bi representation. Not something i particularly enjoy, especially not written like this. When it is astoundingly clear from the get go that this male love interest is a complete and utter douche.
I didn’t like how one relationship turned into the next, and I didn’t like the dark moment coming so late. I think the author missed some great opportunities to end fling 1 sooner, get the real relationship going earlier on, and skipping over a ridiculous dark moment. Where I think it could have been great with the self-doubt, mounting pressures of being a team captain, it just fell a little short.
Not a bad story, I particularly like the sapphic storyline, would have like some more of it.
October 22, 2025
I really like sports romances, make it sapphic and I must read it. I enjoyed reading Hard to Beat, but it took me a while to get into it fully because I spent like 30%-35% wondering why would a man be there. I later understood his purpose in the story but dear God did I hate every second he appeared, couldn’t stand him from the beginning, loathed him by the end.
I liked Erin and Georgia, the way they were written felt real. Messy, complicated, traumatized characters with the added complication of Georgia being pushed into the spotlight by becoming her rugby team’s captain and having expectations of how she should act and what she should say collide with what she wanted out of her private life. I liked Erin the most, she seemed to be the most mature character yet such an awkward cutie around Georgia.
Angst with a happy ending is one of my favorite tropes and this book delivered on that front. I liked that blatant misogyny, male audacity and how often it’s swept under the rug in our society was a main point of this book. In my opinion, Georgia could have raged for the entire book and it still wouldn’t have been enough.
Thank you to Lexi Greene and Booksirens for providing me with an eARC.
I liked Erin and Georgia, the way they were written felt real. Messy, complicated, traumatized characters with the added complication of Georgia being pushed into the spotlight by becoming her rugby team’s captain and having expectations of how she should act and what she should say collide with what she wanted out of her private life. I liked Erin the most, she seemed to be the most mature character yet such an awkward cutie around Georgia.
Angst with a happy ending is one of my favorite tropes and this book delivered on that front. I liked that blatant misogyny, male audacity and how often it’s swept under the rug in our society was a main point of this book. In my opinion, Georgia could have raged for the entire book and it still wouldn’t have been enough.
Thank you to Lexi Greene and Booksirens for providing me with an eARC.
November 21, 2025
For all my bisexual and sports romance peeps, this is a great read for you! I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
First off, please don’t discount bisexuality by calling this a sapphic romance. As seen in other reviews, those looking for a sapphic romance were blindsided by half the book. Georgia is a proud bisexual and her story imo shows a thoughtful representation of attraction to both men and women and how relationships differ.
Georgia’s story begins by being reunited with her high school crushes. One is easy and charming while the other is standoffish and more difficult to read. Matt sets the ball rolling and Georgia makes a go of it. It’s fairly easy and fun. I kept feeling like something was off and it may have been realized at some point ;). Along the way, Georgia and Erin spend some time together, getting reacquainted as adults. Maybe they might find more than friendship?
I can’t give everything away lol. Worth the read if you like sports romance, bisexual romance, learning to be yourself and not let others make you quiet, palatable… recommend!
First off, please don’t discount bisexuality by calling this a sapphic romance. As seen in other reviews, those looking for a sapphic romance were blindsided by half the book. Georgia is a proud bisexual and her story imo shows a thoughtful representation of attraction to both men and women and how relationships differ.
Georgia’s story begins by being reunited with her high school crushes. One is easy and charming while the other is standoffish and more difficult to read. Matt sets the ball rolling and Georgia makes a go of it. It’s fairly easy and fun. I kept feeling like something was off and it may have been realized at some point ;). Along the way, Georgia and Erin spend some time together, getting reacquainted as adults. Maybe they might find more than friendship?
I can’t give everything away lol. Worth the read if you like sports romance, bisexual romance, learning to be yourself and not let others make you quiet, palatable… recommend!
October 27, 2025
would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book
love a book about sport and women ... not enough of them....
love a book about sport and women ... not enough of them....
October 20, 2025
This was a fun story. I was mad about a man being there at first, since it’s marketed as a sapphic romance, and I’m not a fan of love triangles, but I’m happy that’s not the route the story went, and post-ending, I’m no longer mad about the man being there; I understand Matt’s purpose in the story. I liked the plot because I thought it was a unique start to a sapphic romance; however, the cost of that whole plot line was that I feel like we didn’t get to know Erin and their dynamic a lot. There were definitely some fun moments when the two of them were both flirting with her. I like the uniqueness, but the cost of the Matt plot line was that we didn’t get as much time to get to know Erin as a character and them as a couple. It’s a price that was worth it in the end, I feel, to make a good story, but I still wish we had gotten to spend more time with Erin.
The plot generally made sense, and there were never any moments where I felt someone was acting out of character. I really appreciated the maturity Erin brought to the table. I think that is in part because Matt is her foil. Still, she handles all the conflicts in an adult way while also showing a vulnerable human side and not being too serious to the point of being boring. These aspects of Erin are part of why I wish we’d spent more time with her. I do think that Georgia got over their falling out after Erin explained a little quicker than I would’ve. Still, I understand that it needed to be resolved sooner because of the flow of the story.
Overall, I liked the book a lot. It was well-rounded, I enjoyed both Georgia and Erin as characters, and I understood their motivations. A good time was had!
🌶️🌶️(2 on-page scenes)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 stars)
Thank you to NetGalley, BooksGoSocial, and Lexi Greene for the advanced copy! I received an advanced copy of teh book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.
The plot generally made sense, and there were never any moments where I felt someone was acting out of character. I really appreciated the maturity Erin brought to the table. I think that is in part because Matt is her foil. Still, she handles all the conflicts in an adult way while also showing a vulnerable human side and not being too serious to the point of being boring. These aspects of Erin are part of why I wish we’d spent more time with her. I do think that Georgia got over their falling out after Erin explained a little quicker than I would’ve. Still, I understand that it needed to be resolved sooner because of the flow of the story.
Overall, I liked the book a lot. It was well-rounded, I enjoyed both Georgia and Erin as characters, and I understood their motivations. A good time was had!
🌶️🌶️(2 on-page scenes)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 stars)
Thank you to NetGalley, BooksGoSocial, and Lexi Greene for the advanced copy! I received an advanced copy of teh book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.
October 10, 2025
3.5⭐️
Hard to Beat is a sapphic sports romance following Georgia, a rugby player and her reunion with two teenage crushes: Matt, the referee and Erin, her old team captain.
The premise of this book is really good. It’s realistic, it’s entertaining and all in all I did enjoy reading it. However, I did feel as though it didn’t reach its full potential for a few different reasons.
Firstly, seeing as this is advertised as a sapphic romance, we are kind of aware from the beginning the direction Georgia’s love life is going. Therefore, I feel the book spent too long in the first half with Matt before the romance with Erin took off. I’m not saying the plot with Matt didn’t work, in fact it was a really good plot that boosted the narrative, I just personally felt it would’ve felt more rewarding if there was more interaction between Georgia and Erin in the background that then led up to their main plot line. And in reverse, I think that the fall out from Matt was sort of forgotten about and could’ve been delved into more.
In terms of the romance with Erin, I did feel some moments could’ve lingered more. Lexi Greene does as incredible job at creating these incredible romantic scenes, without falling into too many cliches. They all feel natural and real and I wanted more! I’d just get into this amazing romantic scene and it felt like we left it immediately and I felt a bit like… oh? This was similar with some of the angstier moments where I felt we could’ve stayed more in a moment of disagreement or upset in some scenes for longer before moving on. It would make resolutions and the general plot slightly more satisfying.
Another thought I had was that the rugby and the romance could’ve tied slightly closer together however both elements individually I really enjoyed. I love rugby and the author has done an incredible job of seamlessly including it. I just hoped there would be slightly more interaction between romantic scenes and the rugby side of things.
Finally, there were a few inconsistencies with little things. Nothing major that affected the all round plot but they could’ve been avoided.
All that being said, I was genuinely hooked on this plot and these characters. Georgia was a realistic character and I enjoyed following her. I will say I loved Erin the most though. She just seemed like an amazing person and I really felt for her.
Whilst there was some things that could’ve pushed this book to be even better, it was an enjoyable read and Lexi Greene has the potential to become one even more amazing author. I look forward to seeing future novels from her!
Thank you for the arc in exchange for this honest review!
Hard to Beat is a sapphic sports romance following Georgia, a rugby player and her reunion with two teenage crushes: Matt, the referee and Erin, her old team captain.
The premise of this book is really good. It’s realistic, it’s entertaining and all in all I did enjoy reading it. However, I did feel as though it didn’t reach its full potential for a few different reasons.
Firstly, seeing as this is advertised as a sapphic romance, we are kind of aware from the beginning the direction Georgia’s love life is going. Therefore, I feel the book spent too long in the first half with Matt before the romance with Erin took off. I’m not saying the plot with Matt didn’t work, in fact it was a really good plot that boosted the narrative, I just personally felt it would’ve felt more rewarding if there was more interaction between Georgia and Erin in the background that then led up to their main plot line. And in reverse, I think that the fall out from Matt was sort of forgotten about and could’ve been delved into more.
In terms of the romance with Erin, I did feel some moments could’ve lingered more. Lexi Greene does as incredible job at creating these incredible romantic scenes, without falling into too many cliches. They all feel natural and real and I wanted more! I’d just get into this amazing romantic scene and it felt like we left it immediately and I felt a bit like… oh? This was similar with some of the angstier moments where I felt we could’ve stayed more in a moment of disagreement or upset in some scenes for longer before moving on. It would make resolutions and the general plot slightly more satisfying.
Another thought I had was that the rugby and the romance could’ve tied slightly closer together however both elements individually I really enjoyed. I love rugby and the author has done an incredible job of seamlessly including it. I just hoped there would be slightly more interaction between romantic scenes and the rugby side of things.
Finally, there were a few inconsistencies with little things. Nothing major that affected the all round plot but they could’ve been avoided.
All that being said, I was genuinely hooked on this plot and these characters. Georgia was a realistic character and I enjoyed following her. I will say I loved Erin the most though. She just seemed like an amazing person and I really felt for her.
Whilst there was some things that could’ve pushed this book to be even better, it was an enjoyable read and Lexi Greene has the potential to become one even more amazing author. I look forward to seeing future novels from her!
Thank you for the arc in exchange for this honest review!
October 12, 2025
Hard to Beat features a professional women’s rugby player reconnecting with her crushes from when she was a teen (Matt and Erin) at a friend’s wedding.
Overall I really liked this book. It was messy and chaotic and dealt with themes of queerness, being a woman in a primarily men’s sport as well as trying to be enough.
I found the romance part messy in a good way but still felt realistic. Georgia struggles with is she dating someone because he’s easy to be with or is he actually the best match, or is Erin the best match. And she’s doing this with a small media spotlight on her too.
I also enjoyed reading Georgia’s professional journey in rugby and becoming captain and trying to figure out how to be a good captain that is true to her self.
I do wish that the stuff with Matt from the first half of the book came back in a more significant way. It was concluded but I feel like it could have been expanded on.
As someone who doesn’t watch rugby or know the sport I did have to look up some of the terms. Maybe some stuff could have been explained more but I didn’t find it took me out of the book.
Thank you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Overall I really liked this book. It was messy and chaotic and dealt with themes of queerness, being a woman in a primarily men’s sport as well as trying to be enough.
I found the romance part messy in a good way but still felt realistic. Georgia struggles with is she dating someone because he’s easy to be with or is he actually the best match, or is Erin the best match. And she’s doing this with a small media spotlight on her too.
I also enjoyed reading Georgia’s professional journey in rugby and becoming captain and trying to figure out how to be a good captain that is true to her self.
I do wish that the stuff with Matt from the first half of the book came back in a more significant way. It was concluded but I feel like it could have been expanded on.
As someone who doesn’t watch rugby or know the sport I did have to look up some of the terms. Maybe some stuff could have been explained more but I didn’t find it took me out of the book.
Thank you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
October 13, 2025
I was given the opportunity to review an #ARC copy of this and I feel honoured to do so.
Hard to Beat was an absolute pleasure to read and I devoured it from start to finish. It’s a beautifully written bisexual love triangle between Erin, Georgia, and Matt, filled with tension, heart, and emotion.
Georgia, a pro rugby player with serious tough-woman energy, is such a standout character, and Erin’s unwavering support throughout their story is both moving and inspiring. The chemistry, the depth, and the emotional pull between them all felt so real.
The ending was lush and deeply satisfying, wrapping things up perfectly while still leaving me hoping there’s more to come. I’d love to see this story continue as part of a series, these characters definitely have more to give.
I hope this turns into a series, what perfect timing for a #womensrugby #romancebook!!
Hard to Beat was an absolute pleasure to read and I devoured it from start to finish. It’s a beautifully written bisexual love triangle between Erin, Georgia, and Matt, filled with tension, heart, and emotion.
Georgia, a pro rugby player with serious tough-woman energy, is such a standout character, and Erin’s unwavering support throughout their story is both moving and inspiring. The chemistry, the depth, and the emotional pull between them all felt so real.
The ending was lush and deeply satisfying, wrapping things up perfectly while still leaving me hoping there’s more to come. I’d love to see this story continue as part of a series, these characters definitely have more to give.
I hope this turns into a series, what perfect timing for a #womensrugby #romancebook!!
October 14, 2025
Georgia is a rugby player by gets involved with a male referee at her bff’s wedding.
Erin is her ex-captain from her teenage years and is sharing a room at the wedding. She’s also someone Georgia crushed heavily on.
Things I liked: rugby getting a share of the sports genre. Bisexuality being accepted and that’s that just like it should be. The epilogue which was a different way to catch up on the happenings.
Things I didn’t like so much: too much time given to the relationship with Matt although it did add to the story, it’s not really what I want to read in a sapphic book. Luckily a lot of it was closed doors.
All in all it was a good book and I look forward to reading more in the series.
Erin is her ex-captain from her teenage years and is sharing a room at the wedding. She’s also someone Georgia crushed heavily on.
Things I liked: rugby getting a share of the sports genre. Bisexuality being accepted and that’s that just like it should be. The epilogue which was a different way to catch up on the happenings.
Things I didn’t like so much: too much time given to the relationship with Matt although it did add to the story, it’s not really what I want to read in a sapphic book. Luckily a lot of it was closed doors.
All in all it was a good book and I look forward to reading more in the series.
March 10, 2026
the fact that it's advertised as a sapphic sports romance yet over 50% of the book is about a cringeworthy straight relationship is a crime in itself... expected so much more in general, was kinda okay.
January 7, 2026
Cured my reading slump.
Georgia Hotchkiss, international rugby player, has focused on her career as her top priority. Then she when she attends her best friend's wedding, she runs into her two high school crushes and immediately hits it off with Matt while Erin has her spikes out…
Bi girlies, where you at! Georgia delves into the attraction to men and women, and the differences inbetween. Not a love triangle, thankfully!
Hard to Beat literally tackled and beat up my reading slump like it was nothing worth mentioning. I fell into this one hard; the chemistry between the characters is so seamless and exciting.
We see the struggles of Georgia transitioning from team member to captain and the expectations rising alongside, including how you present yourself to your team and to the public, and tackling misogny.
It was sweet to see the calm and mature energy from Erin and would have loved to explore her character and their moments together further!
Georgia Hotchkiss, international rugby player, has focused on her career as her top priority. Then she when she attends her best friend's wedding, she runs into her two high school crushes and immediately hits it off with Matt while Erin has her spikes out…
Bi girlies, where you at! Georgia delves into the attraction to men and women, and the differences inbetween. Not a love triangle, thankfully!
Hard to Beat literally tackled and beat up my reading slump like it was nothing worth mentioning. I fell into this one hard; the chemistry between the characters is so seamless and exciting.
We see the struggles of Georgia transitioning from team member to captain and the expectations rising alongside, including how you present yourself to your team and to the public, and tackling misogny.
It was sweet to see the calm and mature energy from Erin and would have loved to explore her character and their moments together further!
October 17, 2025
🌟2.5🌟
Thank you NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for this ARC!
Unfortunately, I didn’t like this book as much as I was hoping to. Generally, the narrative’s outline was nice and made for a promising story, but it all just fell a bit flat for me.
Firstly, for me the characters lacked distinct personalities. Matt was incessantly described as a charmer and someone the ladies would swoon after…and that was it. He didn’t really have any defining characteristics to make him memorable, aside from him being a dick to Georgia later in the book which I feel was glossed over a bit too quickly. With Georgia, she too isn’t a very memorable character unfortunately. As for Erin, I liked her a lot more than Matt and Georgia. She was witty and flirty and seemed to genuinely care about Georgia and want something real with her too.
Secondly, Georgia’s initiation of a relationship with Matt made little to no sense to me. It felt more like she was with him only to actualise her teenage fantasies of being with him (which I think she knew) instead of being with him because she truly liked him. I feel that her lack of true feelings for Matt is exemplified on numerous occasions - when she can barely name any qualities she likes about him, doesn’t seem to have many profound physical manifestations of desire or want for him (which isn’t necessary in a romantic/sexual relationship) and is constantly mulling over “what ifs” about what could have been with Erin. As much as this was marketed as a sapphic romance (so we’re very aware of the direction the story will go), these tidbits made it painfully obvious where this was going as opposed to allowing some push and pull or yearning for and from both Matt and Erin - having some emotional pull from Matt AND Erin (not just Erin alone) would have made this feel more realistic for me, or even some more questioning on whether Matt is really the right choice for Georgia. Also, I feel we stayed with Matt and Georgia in their relationship wayyy longer than we should have, given how clear it was (to me at least) that she wasn’t nearly as into him as she was Erin.
Moving on, the writing style was okay, though there were chapters where it felt like we were just dropped into the middle of what was going on and it did leave me confused at times - various time skips in between chapters left me feeling the same way. My confusion was relieved by an explanation of where we were and what we were doing a couple lines or paragraphs later, but the initial confusion did take me out the story a bit. Additionally, it would have been nice to have some rugby terms explained as I myself am not a rugby fan, so looking up every word/term I didn’t know also took me out the story - leaving this book feeling like it was a book written by a rugby fan to be primarily enjoyed by rugby fans (that isn’t to say that I believe this alienation of non rugby fans was done on purpose). Although the rugby and sports aspects were very much incorporated into the narrative, it at times felt like a parallel narrative to the romance instead of being intertwined with the romance.
Despite my criticism, Lexi Greene should still be proud of what she’s written as I imagine writing a book and translating what’s in your head to an audience is not an easy feat! Should there be a second book (as hinted in the endnote), I would still be up for reading it and seeing Greene’s writing progress and improve 😌
(P.S. Some more editing would really help this book and improve its readability and the reading experience, particularly in the latter 50% of the story.)
TW: Sexual Content
Thank you NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for this ARC!
Unfortunately, I didn’t like this book as much as I was hoping to. Generally, the narrative’s outline was nice and made for a promising story, but it all just fell a bit flat for me.
Firstly, for me the characters lacked distinct personalities. Matt was incessantly described as a charmer and someone the ladies would swoon after…and that was it. He didn’t really have any defining characteristics to make him memorable, aside from him being a dick to Georgia later in the book which I feel was glossed over a bit too quickly. With Georgia, she too isn’t a very memorable character unfortunately. As for Erin, I liked her a lot more than Matt and Georgia. She was witty and flirty and seemed to genuinely care about Georgia and want something real with her too.
Secondly, Georgia’s initiation of a relationship with Matt made little to no sense to me. It felt more like she was with him only to actualise her teenage fantasies of being with him (which I think she knew) instead of being with him because she truly liked him. I feel that her lack of true feelings for Matt is exemplified on numerous occasions - when she can barely name any qualities she likes about him, doesn’t seem to have many profound physical manifestations of desire or want for him (which isn’t necessary in a romantic/sexual relationship) and is constantly mulling over “what ifs” about what could have been with Erin. As much as this was marketed as a sapphic romance (so we’re very aware of the direction the story will go), these tidbits made it painfully obvious where this was going as opposed to allowing some push and pull or yearning for and from both Matt and Erin - having some emotional pull from Matt AND Erin (not just Erin alone) would have made this feel more realistic for me, or even some more questioning on whether Matt is really the right choice for Georgia. Also, I feel we stayed with Matt and Georgia in their relationship wayyy longer than we should have, given how clear it was (to me at least) that she wasn’t nearly as into him as she was Erin.
Moving on, the writing style was okay, though there were chapters where it felt like we were just dropped into the middle of what was going on and it did leave me confused at times - various time skips in between chapters left me feeling the same way. My confusion was relieved by an explanation of where we were and what we were doing a couple lines or paragraphs later, but the initial confusion did take me out the story a bit. Additionally, it would have been nice to have some rugby terms explained as I myself am not a rugby fan, so looking up every word/term I didn’t know also took me out the story - leaving this book feeling like it was a book written by a rugby fan to be primarily enjoyed by rugby fans (that isn’t to say that I believe this alienation of non rugby fans was done on purpose). Although the rugby and sports aspects were very much incorporated into the narrative, it at times felt like a parallel narrative to the romance instead of being intertwined with the romance.
Despite my criticism, Lexi Greene should still be proud of what she’s written as I imagine writing a book and translating what’s in your head to an audience is not an easy feat! Should there be a second book (as hinted in the endnote), I would still be up for reading it and seeing Greene’s writing progress and improve 😌
(P.S. Some more editing would really help this book and improve its readability and the reading experience, particularly in the latter 50% of the story.)
TW: Sexual Content
October 15, 2025
I think I enjoyed this novel. I am having difficulties determining my final thoughts. Good fundamentals; the writing, the characters, the general plotline. It felt like this novel was split into two mostly separate pieces though and I didn’t really love that structure, or the first half.
NOTE TO PUBLISHER: This probably doesn’t matter to many people, but at one point they said the Canary Islands are a part of Greece. They are not; it is a part of Spain. This is such a simple thing to get correct that I am honestly confused.
Rating: C+ / 3-Stars
High Points:
-Georgia and Erin together. I loved the banter and their dynamic when they were together and communicating. I liked this couple. This is billed as a sapphic romance so I REALLY don’t think this is a spoiler.
-Given that this is tagged “Lesbian” (although its lesbian/bisexual so that isn’t great) I am glad that the hetero sex scenes were fade-to-black. The sapphic ones were definitely not!
-I like a novel with a lot of layers and this one certainly did. Family dynamics, career pressure, social media, romance; there was a lot to offer here.
-I like that the “men are garbage” theme was fairly strong.
Issues?
-The fact that halfish of this novel is a hetero romance. Maybe this is my bad that I picked this book, but I truly didn’t think it would be quite like this. Erin is almost nowhere to be found for a lot of the novel and I never connected with any part of the Matt plotline. I don’t know exactly what I expected, but it wasn’t this.
-There was too much rugby. As someone who doesn’t follow it, I also was relatively lost a lot of the time because they didn’t explain any of the terms. A sports romance can easily be written in a way that doesn’t exclude non-sports people and I think this one could use some improvement on that point.
-Grade gesture level: Weak, why bother.
-The plot was strangely structured and somewhat all over the place. The primary plotline/conflict in the novel wasn’t initiated until past the halfway point and I found myself practically getting whiplash when I realized that I was supposed to be caring about THIS now. It wasn’t bad, and the first half directly set up the later conflicts, but it still felt disjointed to me.
-The romance drama was entirely realistic yet somehow felt forced and convoluted.
Thank you to the author and publisher for providing a free ARC. This honest review was left voluntarily.
NOTE TO PUBLISHER: This probably doesn’t matter to many people, but at one point they said the Canary Islands are a part of Greece. They are not; it is a part of Spain. This is such a simple thing to get correct that I am honestly confused.
Rating: C+ / 3-Stars
High Points:
-Georgia and Erin together. I loved the banter and their dynamic when they were together and communicating. I liked this couple. This is billed as a sapphic romance so I REALLY don’t think this is a spoiler.
-Given that this is tagged “Lesbian” (although its lesbian/bisexual so that isn’t great) I am glad that the hetero sex scenes were fade-to-black. The sapphic ones were definitely not!
-I like a novel with a lot of layers and this one certainly did. Family dynamics, career pressure, social media, romance; there was a lot to offer here.
-I like that the “men are garbage” theme was fairly strong.
Issues?
-The fact that halfish of this novel is a hetero romance. Maybe this is my bad that I picked this book, but I truly didn’t think it would be quite like this. Erin is almost nowhere to be found for a lot of the novel and I never connected with any part of the Matt plotline. I don’t know exactly what I expected, but it wasn’t this.
-There was too much rugby. As someone who doesn’t follow it, I also was relatively lost a lot of the time because they didn’t explain any of the terms. A sports romance can easily be written in a way that doesn’t exclude non-sports people and I think this one could use some improvement on that point.
-Grade gesture level: Weak, why bother.
-The plot was strangely structured and somewhat all over the place. The primary plotline/conflict in the novel wasn’t initiated until past the halfway point and I found myself practically getting whiplash when I realized that I was supposed to be caring about THIS now. It wasn’t bad, and the first half directly set up the later conflicts, but it still felt disjointed to me.
-The romance drama was entirely realistic yet somehow felt forced and convoluted.
Thank you to the author and publisher for providing a free ARC. This honest review was left voluntarily.
October 14, 2025
📚 ARC Review 📚 Thanks to the author for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
The story follows Georgia, a professional rugby player approaching thirty, as she balances her sporting career with figuring out what she wants from life. The plot centres on this tension - her matches and ambitions running alongside her tangled romantic life, particularly her attraction to Matt (her ex-coach) and Erin (a former teammate).
I would have liked to see more of the romance with the person she ultimately ends up with, but I appreciated Georgia's characterisation. She’s impulsive, scared, avoidant at times - yet she's layered and feels real.
I particularly loved Erin ❤️ Serious and intense, she’s made mistakes that hurt Georgia, but her remorse and sincerity make her redemption compelling. The fact that she’s been secretly watching Georgia’s matches and showing that quiet yearning beneath her icy exterior - it’s wonderfully romantic. How can I not root for a woman who’s been pining for years, and is now so direct in her communication? I also loved the subtle signs of Erin’s growth, like how she no longer hides after a kiss - she simply steps away, "slow and unbothered". It’s lovely to see a character begin to feel safe and content in their sexuality. Plus, she cooks pasta and champions emotional intelligence - ❤️😍
I enjoyed the slow, simmering tension between Georgia and Erin, punctuated by bold moments that catch you off guard. I enjoyed the story’s portrayal of women’s sport, and its willingness to call out misogyny and biphobia. I also appreciated how the characters refuse to change just to be more palatable for others ❤️ oh, and there's some 🔥🌶 (including m/f & f/f).
There is some angst and a third-act breakup, but I was invested in Georgia’s journey. In the end, it’s a love story about finding the person who makes you shine 🌟
The story follows Georgia, a professional rugby player approaching thirty, as she balances her sporting career with figuring out what she wants from life. The plot centres on this tension - her matches and ambitions running alongside her tangled romantic life, particularly her attraction to Matt (her ex-coach) and Erin (a former teammate).
I would have liked to see more of the romance with the person she ultimately ends up with, but I appreciated Georgia's characterisation. She’s impulsive, scared, avoidant at times - yet she's layered and feels real.
I particularly loved Erin ❤️ Serious and intense, she’s made mistakes that hurt Georgia, but her remorse and sincerity make her redemption compelling. The fact that she’s been secretly watching Georgia’s matches and showing that quiet yearning beneath her icy exterior - it’s wonderfully romantic. How can I not root for a woman who’s been pining for years, and is now so direct in her communication? I also loved the subtle signs of Erin’s growth, like how she no longer hides after a kiss - she simply steps away, "slow and unbothered". It’s lovely to see a character begin to feel safe and content in their sexuality. Plus, she cooks pasta and champions emotional intelligence - ❤️😍
I enjoyed the slow, simmering tension between Georgia and Erin, punctuated by bold moments that catch you off guard. I enjoyed the story’s portrayal of women’s sport, and its willingness to call out misogyny and biphobia. I also appreciated how the characters refuse to change just to be more palatable for others ❤️ oh, and there's some 🔥🌶 (including m/f & f/f).
There is some angst and a third-act breakup, but I was invested in Georgia’s journey. In the end, it’s a love story about finding the person who makes you shine 🌟
November 13, 2025
I received an early copy of Hard to Beat via the publisher on Netgalley.
We have a 30 yo professional rugby player Georgia entangled romantically with Matt (a current referee) and Erin (a former team-mate and now coach to a young community team). The trio have known each other since their teen years so there's alot to unpack as Georgia muddles through a period of professional change in her life.
I don't want to give too much plot away other than to say there are mixed reviews about the time dedicated to one of these dynamics possibly at the expense of another. I tend to agree with this and this is one book where possibly longer might have been better (with some tight editing) to give attention to the individuals within that dynamic and fleshing things out a little more. What worked with one character paricularly was their steadfastness, knowing themselves and being clear with their boundaries. In another sense, the overarching dynamics' messiness gave a sense of realness, though I had a conversation with someone who felt it seemed there was more emotional investment (ie. more than just the page count) and connection with one (Matt) more than the other (Erin). I understand why they would feel that way.
The book is played in the preseason and then during the season so there is actual rugby in a book about rugby. It provided context for the relationships between Georgia and her teammates and coaches/owner, Erin and her team, and Matt in his position, which allowed for those underlying historical stereotypes and mysoginistic attitudes in women's sports to be navigated.
In all it was a good read - 3.5 stars rounded to 4 (no 1/2 stars here of course)
We have a 30 yo professional rugby player Georgia entangled romantically with Matt (a current referee) and Erin (a former team-mate and now coach to a young community team). The trio have known each other since their teen years so there's alot to unpack as Georgia muddles through a period of professional change in her life.
I don't want to give too much plot away other than to say there are mixed reviews about the time dedicated to one of these dynamics possibly at the expense of another. I tend to agree with this and this is one book where possibly longer might have been better (with some tight editing) to give attention to the individuals within that dynamic and fleshing things out a little more. What worked with one character paricularly was their steadfastness, knowing themselves and being clear with their boundaries. In another sense, the overarching dynamics' messiness gave a sense of realness, though I had a conversation with someone who felt it seemed there was more emotional investment (ie. more than just the page count) and connection with one (Matt) more than the other (Erin). I understand why they would feel that way.
The book is played in the preseason and then during the season so there is actual rugby in a book about rugby. It provided context for the relationships between Georgia and her teammates and coaches/owner, Erin and her team, and Matt in his position, which allowed for those underlying historical stereotypes and mysoginistic attitudes in women's sports to be navigated.
In all it was a good read - 3.5 stars rounded to 4 (no 1/2 stars here of course)
November 19, 2025
📚Hard to Beat
✍🏻Lexi Greene
Blurb:
Georgia Hotchkiss, international rugby star, thought she had her priorities rugby first, everything else second. She's spent ten years building her career, chasing caps for her country and proving she can take every hit the sport, and life, throws at her. She doesn't do distractions, least of all love.
But then she shows up to her best friend’s wedding and finds both her teenage crushes waiting. There's Matt, all easy charm and way too easy to say yes to, and Erin, still spiky, still impossible to ignore.
Now, with the season heating up and the press watching her every move, Georgia is going to have to victory on the pitch, or a second chance at love. One wrong move could cost her both.
My Thoughts:
I love Sapphic sports romances, and this is the first rugby one I've read, which I was excited about. As a sports books, it was pretty good. As a romance, it left something to be desired. I wish Erin and Georgia had more page time together early on in the story, even as friends or something that would show Georgia's conflicting feelings about Erin and Matt. Georgia was kind of a jellyfish throughout. Even her change of heart didn't really feel all that authentic. But I liked the epilogue. Erin and Rachel were the best characters, so I'd be probably be interested in Rachel's story.
Thanks NetGalley, Alma&Albany and Author Lexi Greene for the copy of "Hard to Beat" I am leaving my voluntary review in appreciation.
#NetGalley
#Alma&Albany
#HardtoBeat
#LexiGreene
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✍🏻Lexi Greene
Blurb:
Georgia Hotchkiss, international rugby star, thought she had her priorities rugby first, everything else second. She's spent ten years building her career, chasing caps for her country and proving she can take every hit the sport, and life, throws at her. She doesn't do distractions, least of all love.
But then she shows up to her best friend’s wedding and finds both her teenage crushes waiting. There's Matt, all easy charm and way too easy to say yes to, and Erin, still spiky, still impossible to ignore.
Now, with the season heating up and the press watching her every move, Georgia is going to have to victory on the pitch, or a second chance at love. One wrong move could cost her both.
My Thoughts:
I love Sapphic sports romances, and this is the first rugby one I've read, which I was excited about. As a sports books, it was pretty good. As a romance, it left something to be desired. I wish Erin and Georgia had more page time together early on in the story, even as friends or something that would show Georgia's conflicting feelings about Erin and Matt. Georgia was kind of a jellyfish throughout. Even her change of heart didn't really feel all that authentic. But I liked the epilogue. Erin and Rachel were the best characters, so I'd be probably be interested in Rachel's story.
Thanks NetGalley, Alma&Albany and Author Lexi Greene for the copy of "Hard to Beat" I am leaving my voluntary review in appreciation.
#NetGalley
#Alma&Albany
#HardtoBeat
#LexiGreene
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
January 22, 2026
This one was hard for me to rate. I did enjoy it, but I didn’t enjoy the love triangle for the first half of the book. I take full responsibility for my misunderstanding: I thought it was a sapphic romance based on the cover, but it is actually a true bi romance. It’s 50% a hetero presenting relationship, 50% sapphic. I was not a fan. Even if I did know I probably wouldn’t have been a fan. I prefer one love interest the entire book, but that’s just me.
The formatting of the ARC was ATROCIOUS to the point that I couldn’t read every other sentence because words were missing and incorrectly formatted. Thankfully, I’m so behind on my ARC reading that I was able to read this on KU, and there were no problems there.
The characters were likable enough. I didn’t appreciate how quickly Tam is to mistrust her supposed “best friend.” I liked Georgia and what she stood for— it was good representation of the double standard women in sports deal with. I liked Erin, but I got personality whiplash because her personality changed so quickly and for no reason. It felt like two different people. But I truly did like her.
Some of the teammates got a bit confusing, but I liked them. The high school team was really cute.
Overall, it was a good, quick read. 4 stars, I guess.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The formatting of the ARC was ATROCIOUS to the point that I couldn’t read every other sentence because words were missing and incorrectly formatted. Thankfully, I’m so behind on my ARC reading that I was able to read this on KU, and there were no problems there.
The characters were likable enough. I didn’t appreciate how quickly Tam is to mistrust her supposed “best friend.” I liked Georgia and what she stood for— it was good representation of the double standard women in sports deal with. I liked Erin, but I got personality whiplash because her personality changed so quickly and for no reason. It felt like two different people. But I truly did like her.
Some of the teammates got a bit confusing, but I liked them. The high school team was really cute.
Overall, it was a good, quick read. 4 stars, I guess.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 20, 2025
I was accepted by Lexi Greene to be a part of the ARC team for Hard To Beat and below is my honest review.
Hard To Beat is a slow burn, sapphic sports romance that follows main character Georgia as she juggles Rugby and her love life. It’s a realistic storyline that is written well. It’s also set in the UK which is a huge win for me, they’re my favourites!
I enjoyed this book! I particularly liked the characters Erin and Rachel (Rachel is the kind of friend you want, a ride or die!) I really love the rugby references and how were taken through Georgia’s career in Rugby, it makes me want to watch it!
There seemed to be quite a lot of time jumps that weren’t clear in my opinion. One minute we were talking about a Christmas tree and next it was March? I think they could have been clearer.
This book is advertised as a Sapphic romance however it does spend quite a lot of time in the first half focusing on Georgia and Matt’s relationship. The bisexuality representation is great and I love to see it, I just feel like it took up a large portion of the book when we could have focused more on the Sapphic element.
I recommend this to anyone who loves a Sapphic sports romance!
Overall, I give this 3.5 stars (rounded to 4 for Goodreads and Amazon)
Thank you Lexi for allowing me to read and review!
Hard To Beat will be released on 21st November 2025!
Hard To Beat is a slow burn, sapphic sports romance that follows main character Georgia as she juggles Rugby and her love life. It’s a realistic storyline that is written well. It’s also set in the UK which is a huge win for me, they’re my favourites!
I enjoyed this book! I particularly liked the characters Erin and Rachel (Rachel is the kind of friend you want, a ride or die!) I really love the rugby references and how were taken through Georgia’s career in Rugby, it makes me want to watch it!
There seemed to be quite a lot of time jumps that weren’t clear in my opinion. One minute we were talking about a Christmas tree and next it was March? I think they could have been clearer.
This book is advertised as a Sapphic romance however it does spend quite a lot of time in the first half focusing on Georgia and Matt’s relationship. The bisexuality representation is great and I love to see it, I just feel like it took up a large portion of the book when we could have focused more on the Sapphic element.
I recommend this to anyone who loves a Sapphic sports romance!
Overall, I give this 3.5 stars (rounded to 4 for Goodreads and Amazon)
Thank you Lexi for allowing me to read and review!
Hard To Beat will be released on 21st November 2025!
November 12, 2025
3.25✨
This year was my first year reading sapphic sports romance and I came to really enjoy the trope so for a second I thought I misread the genre and thought maybe it was a love triangle. Once I got more into the book, I noticed why it would point as a love triangle, not a huge fan of them so I was a little bummed out. The characters Georgia & Erin were very real, relatable characters, from their fears, their bravery, messy complicated
My favorite was Erin, she was such a lovable character which made me sad that there was a lot of the relationship between Georgia & Matt, I wanted more of Erin but overall what we got to know of her made her very lovable and mature. the chemistry & evolving of their relationship was very sweet but I would have loved more romantic parts of them. The misogyny of men here was handled amazingly and I loved Georgia for it, the way misogyny is usually swept under the rug because men will be men was the main point of the book unlike when women defend themselves is seen as problematic was on point. Georgia did what many women stay quiet about and she deserved to get more angry.
The end tied it up sweetly & it was funny to read that part, overall it was an enjoyable read, thank you NetGalley for giving us the opportunity to read this arc
This year was my first year reading sapphic sports romance and I came to really enjoy the trope so for a second I thought I misread the genre and thought maybe it was a love triangle. Once I got more into the book, I noticed why it would point as a love triangle, not a huge fan of them so I was a little bummed out. The characters Georgia & Erin were very real, relatable characters, from their fears, their bravery, messy complicated
My favorite was Erin, she was such a lovable character which made me sad that there was a lot of the relationship between Georgia & Matt, I wanted more of Erin but overall what we got to know of her made her very lovable and mature. the chemistry & evolving of their relationship was very sweet but I would have loved more romantic parts of them. The misogyny of men here was handled amazingly and I loved Georgia for it, the way misogyny is usually swept under the rug because men will be men was the main point of the book unlike when women defend themselves is seen as problematic was on point. Georgia did what many women stay quiet about and she deserved to get more angry.
The end tied it up sweetly & it was funny to read that part, overall it was an enjoyable read, thank you NetGalley for giving us the opportunity to read this arc
October 17, 2025
If you are looking for a nice sapphic romance with good representation of rugby, this book is for you !
In Hard to Beat, we follow Georgia, her friends and her professional career. There's everything in the book, the up and downs of being a public figure, the life that keeps on rolling and the different obstacles women face in sports and in life in general.
The first part felt a bit long because you know, from the beginning, that this is a sapphic romance so the heterosexual part of it was a bit too long in my opinion. I kept wondering how it will fall out and even if I had my doubts, I was completely wrong. I love how this whole part of the story played out and was talked about in different moment of the book.
I also loved the whole romantic aspect of Erin and Georgia relationship and how everything was so logic but heartbreaking. Georgia felt real to me and I really loved that.
The support and love those women have for each other was so good as well ! If you want a story about women supporting women with a touch of rugby and a good banter, this book is for you !
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC !!
In Hard to Beat, we follow Georgia, her friends and her professional career. There's everything in the book, the up and downs of being a public figure, the life that keeps on rolling and the different obstacles women face in sports and in life in general.
The first part felt a bit long because you know, from the beginning, that this is a sapphic romance so the heterosexual part of it was a bit too long in my opinion. I kept wondering how it will fall out and even if I had my doubts, I was completely wrong. I love how this whole part of the story played out and was talked about in different moment of the book.
I also loved the whole romantic aspect of Erin and Georgia relationship and how everything was so logic but heartbreaking. Georgia felt real to me and I really loved that.
The support and love those women have for each other was so good as well ! If you want a story about women supporting women with a touch of rugby and a good banter, this book is for you !
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC !!
October 13, 2025
“Hard to Beat” is a book about sports and love, where neither runs completely smoothly. When it comes to love, it’s about being open to it, dealing with past crushes, and recognizing the people they have each become. Actions from the past don’t always define the present, and sometimes a person isn’t quite who you expect them to be.
There’s also a journey of self-discovery for the main character — figuring out who they are, what they stand for, and where they belong. The sports side focuses on performance, ambition, and the differences between men’s and women’s participation in sport, along with the consequences of those differences and the double standards or expectations that sometimes exist.
The content and the impact on each main character are beautifully written. At times, I found the pacing a bit slow or thought some events could have moved faster, but overall it’s definitely worth 3.5 to 4 stars.
#booksiren
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of this book.
There’s also a journey of self-discovery for the main character — figuring out who they are, what they stand for, and where they belong. The sports side focuses on performance, ambition, and the differences between men’s and women’s participation in sport, along with the consequences of those differences and the double standards or expectations that sometimes exist.
The content and the impact on each main character are beautifully written. At times, I found the pacing a bit slow or thought some events could have moved faster, but overall it’s definitely worth 3.5 to 4 stars.
#booksiren
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of this book.
November 4, 2025
A cute, fun, sapphic sports romance! It has a good amount of sport, not so much to bore non rugby fans but still a proper sport subplot. I really liked the second chance romance, though I wish we didn't lose so much time that we could have had them bonding to her being with Matt.
I really like the large focus on how female athletes are treated, particularly by the media, pundits and losers online because It's such a prevalent problem in women's sports circles but not often touched on in sports romances. I also enjoyed the focus on the struggle of being a good captain and team mate while also having to remain palatable to sponsors etc.
All in all a good read, just wish it was a bit longer so we got more time with Erin and Georgia!
Thanks to BooksGoSocial and Netgally for an arc in exchange for an honest review!
I really like the large focus on how female athletes are treated, particularly by the media, pundits and losers online because It's such a prevalent problem in women's sports circles but not often touched on in sports romances. I also enjoyed the focus on the struggle of being a good captain and team mate while also having to remain palatable to sponsors etc.
All in all a good read, just wish it was a bit longer so we got more time with Erin and Georgia!
Thanks to BooksGoSocial and Netgally for an arc in exchange for an honest review!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 17, 2025
Arc Read
This was my first time reading a FFC relationship. Lexi you did a great job on your book! I hope you are so proud of it!
For me I don't care for the narrator writing style. If this book had been written in POV it would have been a 5 stars. I will also mention that this book is on the conservative side for the smut which I wasn't expecting given the age of the characters in this book. Had the characters been in high school or college that would have been on point.
What I did love is how relatable this book can be for someone as part of the LGBTQ community. At some point all of us go through a similar situation where someone wants to closet us because of whatever they have going on in their lives and that is hard to handle and navigate.
This was my first time reading a FFC relationship. Lexi you did a great job on your book! I hope you are so proud of it!
For me I don't care for the narrator writing style. If this book had been written in POV it would have been a 5 stars. I will also mention that this book is on the conservative side for the smut which I wasn't expecting given the age of the characters in this book. Had the characters been in high school or college that would have been on point.
What I did love is how relatable this book can be for someone as part of the LGBTQ community. At some point all of us go through a similar situation where someone wants to closet us because of whatever they have going on in their lives and that is hard to handle and navigate.
November 3, 2025
This was a confusing read to say the least. I enjoyed the character development of Georgia, but too much time was spent and lost on the connection between Georgia and Matt. I know the saying is "don't just a book by its cover", but I was expecting a story that was mainly sapphic. I was left with a heterosexual narrative for the majority and a short and sweet story between Georgia and Erin. The epilogue helped some at the end, but I didn't feel the connection between the two characters. Especially when a portion of their romance was them not talking and on the verge of breaking up. It was not my cup of tea.
The book itself was well written however just not what I was hoping for or looking for when it came to this story.
The book itself was well written however just not what I was hoping for or looking for when it came to this story.
November 2, 2025
3.5 stars
I love Sapphic sports romances, and this is the first rugby one I've read, which I was excited about. As a sports books, it was pretty good. As a romance, it left something to be desired. I wish Erin and Georgia had more page time together early on in the story, even as friends or something that would show Georgia's conflicting feelings about Erin and Matt. Georgia was kind of a jellyfish throughout. Even her change of heart didn't really feel all that authentic. But I liked the epilogue. Erin and Rachel were the best characters, so I'd be probably be interested in Rachel's story.
Thank you to NetGalley and author for the opportunity to read and review.
I love Sapphic sports romances, and this is the first rugby one I've read, which I was excited about. As a sports books, it was pretty good. As a romance, it left something to be desired. I wish Erin and Georgia had more page time together early on in the story, even as friends or something that would show Georgia's conflicting feelings about Erin and Matt. Georgia was kind of a jellyfish throughout. Even her change of heart didn't really feel all that authentic. But I liked the epilogue. Erin and Rachel were the best characters, so I'd be probably be interested in Rachel's story.
Thank you to NetGalley and author for the opportunity to read and review.
January 10, 2026
I’ll start with my negative as there’s only one, I felt like the relationship with Matt went on too long and not enough with Erin.
It was a good read, a friends- enemies- lovers is always a trope I enjoy, I think it really got the point across about women’s sport being valued as less than men’s which whilst it wasn’t the focus of the book I thought it was such a great moment.
I also loved how Erin stood her ground about being pushed back in a closet, nobody deserves that. Overall a good book, I can’t wait to read more from this author
*full disclosure I was given this book by the author in exchange for an honest review*
It was a good read, a friends- enemies- lovers is always a trope I enjoy, I think it really got the point across about women’s sport being valued as less than men’s which whilst it wasn’t the focus of the book I thought it was such a great moment.
I also loved how Erin stood her ground about being pushed back in a closet, nobody deserves that. Overall a good book, I can’t wait to read more from this author
*full disclosure I was given this book by the author in exchange for an honest review*
March 8, 2026
As others have already said, my major criticism of this is whilst the tagline is that it’s a ‘sapphic sports romance’ it’s really not. It’s much more a bisexual romance where the first 50% is focused on Georgia’s relationship with a man. We are spared a lot of graphic details about the sexual side of that relationship (thank goodness!) and it’s obvious which way Georgia’s going to go, but for some, this will be a major turn-off. There’s also some pretty offensive homophobia in this, some from external characters but also some of Georgia’s own internalised homophobia. She gets there in the end but there are some considerable ‘bumps in the road’ on the way…
December 25, 2025
i went into this book not knowing what to expect, only knowing it was a sapphic romance and that it was rugby related. despite knowing virtually nothing about rugby, and much less about what was coming, i really enjoyed georgia’s story. i ate up the matt callout on live television, cheering in vindication like i watched the interview live (i am aware of the kind of pr nightmare that comes with it, sorry westcliffe pr team).
i loved seeing georgia and erin reconnect after years of no contact, and having them get to know each other again and grow together was really compelling
i loved seeing georgia and erin reconnect after years of no contact, and having them get to know each other again and grow together was really compelling
November 6, 2025
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Georgia of rugby player coming to 30. She's trying to figure out once you once in life a long with a sporting career.
She is attracted to Matt her ex-coach and Erin her teammate. There is something between Georgia and Erin.
In the book there is some male/ female and female /female.
This book is all about George's journey.
Georgia of rugby player coming to 30. She's trying to figure out once you once in life a long with a sporting career.
She is attracted to Matt her ex-coach and Erin her teammate. There is something between Georgia and Erin.
In the book there is some male/ female and female /female.
This book is all about George's journey.
November 9, 2025
Having to go home for a friend's wedding, Georgia finds herself confronted with crushes, messy past relationships, and the unpredictable side to love she's always tried to avoid. Will she overcome her doubts and open herself up to what could be? You'll have to read and find out for yourself!
If you like strong-female-athlete protagonists, emotional arcs, and romances that build gradually, this is the book for you!
If you like strong-female-athlete protagonists, emotional arcs, and romances that build gradually, this is the book for you!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews