What do you think?
Rate this book
Triple Threat
Not yet published
Expected 8 Dec 26From the author of the “exquisite” (The New York Times) Backhanded Compliments, a steamy sports romance about a disgraced tennis star, the ex-pro who becomes her coach, and the soulmate they share. Perfect for fans of Challengers and Carrie Soto Is Back.
Octavia Ricci has spent her entire life proving she doesn’t need anyone—especially not her father, the controlling coach who built her career and broke her spirit. But after a public meltdown at the Australian Open, the icy Grand Slam champion isn’t sure if she ever wants to play again. She agrees to take it one tournament at a time, now under a new coach, determined to find her footing and love of the game again.
Ariel de Cordova was once the next big thing in tennis until a devastating injury ended his career. Now, with his confidence shot, he’s not sure he can handle another player’s comeback story—especially not a player as volatile as Octavia. But as they practice, they both tentatively open up about their experiences and begin to heal their deepest wounds.
The only stable, grounding presence in Octavia’s life is her soulmate and partner, Leo Mantovani. But he has two soulmarks on his wrist, and when Leo shakes hands with Octavia’s new coach for the first time, Ariel turns out to be Leo’s other soulmate. Knowing the optics of a player and coach relationship aren’t ideal, they decide to keep their relationship secret and surface-level.
While Octavia, Ariel, and Leo fight to keep their relationship private, the tennis world is watching their every move. But when the spotlight turns harsh and old wounds resurface, they’ll have to decide if love is worth risking their careers, their reputations, and their hearts.
Octavia Ricci has spent her entire life proving she doesn’t need anyone—especially not her father, the controlling coach who built her career and broke her spirit. But after a public meltdown at the Australian Open, the icy Grand Slam champion isn’t sure if she ever wants to play again. She agrees to take it one tournament at a time, now under a new coach, determined to find her footing and love of the game again.
Ariel de Cordova was once the next big thing in tennis until a devastating injury ended his career. Now, with his confidence shot, he’s not sure he can handle another player’s comeback story—especially not a player as volatile as Octavia. But as they practice, they both tentatively open up about their experiences and begin to heal their deepest wounds.
The only stable, grounding presence in Octavia’s life is her soulmate and partner, Leo Mantovani. But he has two soulmarks on his wrist, and when Leo shakes hands with Octavia’s new coach for the first time, Ariel turns out to be Leo’s other soulmate. Knowing the optics of a player and coach relationship aren’t ideal, they decide to keep their relationship secret and surface-level.
While Octavia, Ariel, and Leo fight to keep their relationship private, the tennis world is watching their every move. But when the spotlight turns harsh and old wounds resurface, they’ll have to decide if love is worth risking their careers, their reputations, and their hearts.
352 pages, Paperback
Expected publication December 8, 2026
About the author
Katie Chandler
2 books143 followersKatie Chandler is a romance author, who loves adding a speculative twist to her kissing books. She is passionate about writing joyful queer love stories that are full of tenderness, angst, and spice. You can usually find Katie writing with a full caffeine iced beverage, a Taylor Swift album blasting, and her yellow lab, Blue, who makes sure her feet are toasty and that she takes regular breaks to give him treats. When not writing, Katie spends her time watching tennis with her snuggly black lab, Bunny, chasing her thieving chocolate lab, Bear, who thinks her socks are his chew toys, and wondering where her glasses are (they’re nestled in her hair).
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 221 reviews
Did Not Finish
June 27, 2026thank you to netgalley for the arc in exchange for my honest opinion. potential spoilers ahead so read with caution!
this was my first katie chandler book, and i understand she has another sapphic tennis novel that includes one of octavia’s sisters (i believe). reading that ahead of this one may have made this a bit better/explained more, but i still felt meh about it, DNFing at 52%.
i love a poly romance, this is not my first. the “forbidden” aspect of the coach/player thing could have been super fun to explore. however, the “soul marks” i was extremely confused by. was this intended to be magical realism? lol i was v confused.
once leo and ariel realized they were soulmates, it became extremely insta-lusty, and i lost interest. shattered because i really would have liked to have explored that dynamic a bit; figuring out how to fit ariel into this longtime relationship between leo and octavia, while figuring out how to toggle that with the coaching relationship. bummer this one didn’t hit for me ☹️
this was my first katie chandler book, and i understand she has another sapphic tennis novel that includes one of octavia’s sisters (i believe). reading that ahead of this one may have made this a bit better/explained more, but i still felt meh about it, DNFing at 52%.
i love a poly romance, this is not my first. the “forbidden” aspect of the coach/player thing could have been super fun to explore. however, the “soul marks” i was extremely confused by. was this intended to be magical realism? lol i was v confused.
once leo and ariel realized they were soulmates, it became extremely insta-lusty, and i lost interest. shattered because i really would have liked to have explored that dynamic a bit; figuring out how to fit ariel into this longtime relationship between leo and octavia, while figuring out how to toggle that with the coaching relationship. bummer this one didn’t hit for me ☹️
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I wanted to mix it up a bit when I chose this book to review. It’s been a while since I’ve read a book with multiple partners, and this definitely wasn't what I expected.
This is one story that leads with deep feelings. It’s mainly about a female tennis champ and a male tennis ex-champ who becomes her coach after she suffers a meltdown on the tennis circuit.
It’s a complex situation with deep emotions, heightened pressure, physical injury, and trying to find your way in a professional tennis circuit where everyone knows everyone and the competition is fierce.
The author dove deep into the characters, the development of the characters, and their connection to each other. The male lead and his son were my favorite characters.
Kind, soft-spoken, and sweet, both of them have qualities that balance the high-strung, trauma-laden Octavia. Her husband, Leo, is also a sweetheart, but I really missed the fact that the author held back the deeper parts of his story.
The author seemingly blends all of them together into a slow-burn connection. The support of each other and development of a tight unit was beautiful. The touch of magical elements was unexpected and a great way to tether them.
Overall, Triple Threat is a beautifully entertaining, supportive, mildly messy, triple love story about family ties and building new families. While there is some triple and m/m action, I found it to be steamy and almost respectful.
~~~~
* I voluntarily read an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
* Full review - https://amidlifewife.com/triple-threa...
This is one story that leads with deep feelings. It’s mainly about a female tennis champ and a male tennis ex-champ who becomes her coach after she suffers a meltdown on the tennis circuit.
It’s a complex situation with deep emotions, heightened pressure, physical injury, and trying to find your way in a professional tennis circuit where everyone knows everyone and the competition is fierce.
The author dove deep into the characters, the development of the characters, and their connection to each other. The male lead and his son were my favorite characters.
Kind, soft-spoken, and sweet, both of them have qualities that balance the high-strung, trauma-laden Octavia. Her husband, Leo, is also a sweetheart, but I really missed the fact that the author held back the deeper parts of his story.
The author seemingly blends all of them together into a slow-burn connection. The support of each other and development of a tight unit was beautiful. The touch of magical elements was unexpected and a great way to tether them.
Overall, Triple Threat is a beautifully entertaining, supportive, mildly messy, triple love story about family ties and building new families. While there is some triple and m/m action, I found it to be steamy and almost respectful.
~~~~
* I voluntarily read an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
* Full review - https://amidlifewife.com/triple-threa...
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
ARC Review 2.75**** Rounding up to 3
Thanks to NetGalley for the Triple Threat ARC. My opinions are always my own so take them with a grain of salt, but Triple Threat unfortunately didn’t work for me. Don’t get me wrong author can write well, and the plot was interesting enough to keep me reading to the end, though I had pacing issues about 60% in, it just slowed. I just feel like several key pieces to the story either didn’t work or felt like an afterthought thrown in. For example the “soul mates” aspect and the markings on peoples wrists with the name of your soulmate. For me, it was explained too late in the story after being dropped casually into sentences beforehand, like we’re already supposed to know. Doing some research there is a book about one of our fmc’s sister where I’d assume the soul mark concept is better explained? I thought it was an important part to their story in understanding the rare occurrence they themselves are in, but concept was just casually worked in. Wanted more history explained of this phenomenon unlike in real life.
The romance itself between our three mc’s was too mild for it being an unconventional and supposedly exciting throple. There was barely any pushback at all. The ex wife I thought would cause a ton of drama, she only kicked up some dust. Overall, I didn’t feel the spark between these three as much as I’d hoped I would.
Thanks to NetGalley for the Triple Threat ARC. My opinions are always my own so take them with a grain of salt, but Triple Threat unfortunately didn’t work for me. Don’t get me wrong author can write well, and the plot was interesting enough to keep me reading to the end, though I had pacing issues about 60% in, it just slowed. I just feel like several key pieces to the story either didn’t work or felt like an afterthought thrown in. For example the “soul mates” aspect and the markings on peoples wrists with the name of your soulmate. For me, it was explained too late in the story after being dropped casually into sentences beforehand, like we’re already supposed to know. Doing some research there is a book about one of our fmc’s sister where I’d assume the soul mark concept is better explained? I thought it was an important part to their story in understanding the rare occurrence they themselves are in, but concept was just casually worked in. Wanted more history explained of this phenomenon unlike in real life.
The romance itself between our three mc’s was too mild for it being an unconventional and supposedly exciting throple. There was barely any pushback at all. The ex wife I thought would cause a ton of drama, she only kicked up some dust. Overall, I didn’t feel the spark between these three as much as I’d hoped I would.
June 11, 2026
Is it safe to say that I loved this more than backhanded compliments? Because I did!
I love the idea of soulmates but I also love the idea of being able to love someone who isn’t your soulmate. How Ariel gets both? Idk but I love it!
Let me start off by saying Eduardo was so freaking cute! I loved his relationship with Ariel and the relationship he created with Octavia & Leo.
I absolutely devoured this book and adored every single main & side character.
Everyone was going through their own hardships and I’m happy that they helped each other in so many ways.
I wish we got more of Leo! The one thing I felt was missing was chapters in his perspective. I really wish we had even just a few! I don’t understand why he didn’t since he’s the one with two soul marks that brought the triple threat together. This still 100% deserves the 5 star rating I just think a few Leo chapters would have made it even better!
I have loved both of Katie’s books so far and I will continue to wait it out for more!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an arc for my honest review!
I love the idea of soulmates but I also love the idea of being able to love someone who isn’t your soulmate. How Ariel gets both? Idk but I love it!
Let me start off by saying Eduardo was so freaking cute! I loved his relationship with Ariel and the relationship he created with Octavia & Leo.
I absolutely devoured this book and adored every single main & side character.
Everyone was going through their own hardships and I’m happy that they helped each other in so many ways.
I wish we got more of Leo! The one thing I felt was missing was chapters in his perspective. I really wish we had even just a few! I don’t understand why he didn’t since he’s the one with two soul marks that brought the triple threat together. This still 100% deserves the 5 star rating I just think a few Leo chapters would have made it even better!
I have loved both of Katie’s books so far and I will continue to wait it out for more!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an arc for my honest review!
August 5, 2026
4 stars
Wow, I did not expect this book to happen the way it did, but I LOVED it! Such a fun read set in the high-intensity world of tennis, it follows Octavia's journey in finding her place in that space after her father dies. She has the help of her boyfriend Leo and new coach Ariel who... enter magical element: are soulmates. This is such an interesting twist to the real world, and the story follows them as they grapple with what that means for all of their relationships.
It's told in dual, third-person POV from Octavia and Ariel's perspective, which was fine, but I would've loved to have had Leo's POV as well, since he is a part of this throuple situation as well. The characters are all very emotionally mature and communicate so well, so that's a bonus. Nevertheless, since Octavia's main struggle was also with her family and father's passing, I think a bit more of the family dynamics could've been portrayed. But maybe it was also just the fact that I experience third-person tellings as a bit removed, always, that hindered this connection for me.
Overall, I really loved this story, the characters (shoutout Eduardo—such a cutie), the writing, and vibes. Thanks so much to NetGalley and Atria for this ARC!
Wow, I did not expect this book to happen the way it did, but I LOVED it! Such a fun read set in the high-intensity world of tennis, it follows Octavia's journey in finding her place in that space after her father dies. She has the help of her boyfriend Leo and new coach Ariel who... enter magical element: are soulmates. This is such an interesting twist to the real world, and the story follows them as they grapple with what that means for all of their relationships.
It's told in dual, third-person POV from Octavia and Ariel's perspective, which was fine, but I would've loved to have had Leo's POV as well, since he is a part of this throuple situation as well. The characters are all very emotionally mature and communicate so well, so that's a bonus. Nevertheless, since Octavia's main struggle was also with her family and father's passing, I think a bit more of the family dynamics could've been portrayed. But maybe it was also just the fact that I experience third-person tellings as a bit removed, always, that hindered this connection for me.
Overall, I really loved this story, the characters (shoutout Eduardo—such a cutie), the writing, and vibes. Thanks so much to NetGalley and Atria for this ARC!
July 30, 2026
Apparently I know even less about tennis than I thought. What I DO know is I love why choose, and this delivers! 3.75 ⭐️
While reading this I did get flashbacks to watching Challengers (because it does have a lot in common) but I really liked our 3 main characters. I do think it’s an interesting writing choice to show the POV for Octavia and Ariel, but not Leo’s. It didn’t bother me, it just makes me wonder why we got those two and not him.
I thought the magical realism was believable enough - especially because I knew what I was signing up for when I went into this. The soulmate marks are a cool concept and I bought into it. Especially because it’s how we get to see some romantic variation.
The spicy scenes were good and the forbidden relationship with a coach was hot. Personally I wouldn’t have been upset if this leaned more into the romance and a bit less into the tennis, but I’m sure others would disagree.
It also showed a lot of character development across the timeline, and I finished reading with a smile on my face because it’s so cute and a little sappy.
Thank you to the publisher and author for the ARC through NetGalley
While reading this I did get flashbacks to watching Challengers (because it does have a lot in common) but I really liked our 3 main characters. I do think it’s an interesting writing choice to show the POV for Octavia and Ariel, but not Leo’s. It didn’t bother me, it just makes me wonder why we got those two and not him.
I thought the magical realism was believable enough - especially because I knew what I was signing up for when I went into this. The soulmate marks are a cool concept and I bought into it. Especially because it’s how we get to see some romantic variation.
The spicy scenes were good and the forbidden relationship with a coach was hot. Personally I wouldn’t have been upset if this leaned more into the romance and a bit less into the tennis, but I’m sure others would disagree.
It also showed a lot of character development across the timeline, and I finished reading with a smile on my face because it’s so cute and a little sappy.
Thank you to the publisher and author for the ARC through NetGalley
June 6, 2026
Thank you to Atria and NetGalley for the arc!
Rtc
Rtc
July 24, 2026
I’m a sucker for a good poly romance, and Katie absolutely delivered with Triple Threat. 🎾❤️
After the death of her father and coach, Octavia is left trying to figure out what comes next. While his passing is complicated because he wasn’t the best man, she’s grateful to have one constant in her life: Leo, her soulmate.
Soulmates, you ask? Let me explain. In this world, everyone is born with a faded name on their skin. Once they meet their soulmate, that name darkens into permanent ink. Leo and Octavia are lucky to have found each other…but Leo was born with two soulmate names. He knows the second name, but the person destined for him no longer goes by it.
Enter Ariel, a former pro tennis player whose career ended after a devastating injury. Now navigating chronic pain and raising his young son, Eduardo, Ariel never expects to cross paths with his soulmate. But fate has other plans when he becomes Octavia’s coach. What begins as an arrangement with no strings attached quickly grows into something any of them could have imagined. Instead of becoming complicated, Leo having two soulmates creates something incredibly beautiful.
I loved that Ariel was a single dad because Eduardo added so much heart to the story while also strengthening everyone’s connection through tennis. Watching these three realize they were meant to build a life together was so rewarding. Ariel’s chronic pain representation was especially moving, highlighting the lasting physical and emotional toll that professional athletics can have and how difficult it can be to let others in.
I flew through this one and was genuinely sad when it ended. I could have happily spent so much more time with these three. They were all so different individually, but together they became the perfect team. Also, loved the ending! ❤️🎾
After the death of her father and coach, Octavia is left trying to figure out what comes next. While his passing is complicated because he wasn’t the best man, she’s grateful to have one constant in her life: Leo, her soulmate.
Soulmates, you ask? Let me explain. In this world, everyone is born with a faded name on their skin. Once they meet their soulmate, that name darkens into permanent ink. Leo and Octavia are lucky to have found each other…but Leo was born with two soulmate names. He knows the second name, but the person destined for him no longer goes by it.
Enter Ariel, a former pro tennis player whose career ended after a devastating injury. Now navigating chronic pain and raising his young son, Eduardo, Ariel never expects to cross paths with his soulmate. But fate has other plans when he becomes Octavia’s coach. What begins as an arrangement with no strings attached quickly grows into something any of them could have imagined. Instead of becoming complicated, Leo having two soulmates creates something incredibly beautiful.
I loved that Ariel was a single dad because Eduardo added so much heart to the story while also strengthening everyone’s connection through tennis. Watching these three realize they were meant to build a life together was so rewarding. Ariel’s chronic pain representation was especially moving, highlighting the lasting physical and emotional toll that professional athletics can have and how difficult it can be to let others in.
I flew through this one and was genuinely sad when it ended. I could have happily spent so much more time with these three. They were all so different individually, but together they became the perfect team. Also, loved the ending! ❤️🎾
June 22, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
I would take my review with a grain of salt, because I think there is a lot that would be enjoyable to other people, but it just didn’t work for me because of my personal taste.
In being with a total me problem, I just did not connect with the characters. Something was missing and I didn’t feel any spark with any of them. The book was written pretty well, but if I don’t care about the characters, I won’t like the book. Which is hard when it’s a romance book because you want to feel that chemistry.
Maybe it was just too cheesy and/or sexual for my taste, but pretty much right off the bat I felt myself not connecting to the characters.
I love sports romances, but I feel like I need to learn to not pick up ones about tennis, just because I end up not really liking them. It always sounds so fun in theory, but when I read it, I can’t get into it. I feel like “Carrie Soto” ruined me because I actually liked that tennis novel, so then I feel like I’ll like other ones, but I never do. There was a lot of tennis in the beginning, then a little in the middle, but it took the back burner for the romance side of it, then it was at the end again. Every time it was talked about, I lost even more interest. I’d rather have more of a build up of the romance than the tennis matches.
I wish we would have seen more of a build up of Leo and Octavia‘s relationship than just being thrown into it. They were already super lovey-dovey, but I didn’t really have a reason to root for them to be together because I never saw them build up to that connection. It was nice to see Leo and Ariel learning to love each other. It was slightly instalove, at least instalust, between all of them. I know they were soulmates, so I guess it is just built in that they would love each other, but I still wanted more. It mentioned that Octavia and Ariel knew each other before and had a bit of connection, but that wasn’t explored or talked about very often. We had scenes with Leo and Ariel getting to know each other, but it wasn’t enough for me.
I also wish there was a little bit more explanation on how the soulmate aspect worked. It was pretty self-explanatory, but I still wish it was explained more. I almost wish the soulmate aspect wasn’t in there at all. It didn’t really affect the book that much. It still would have worked if it was the drama of Ariel being introduced to Leo and Octavia’s relationship and how that would all work with them already being a couple, and Ariel being her coach.
It was pretty spicy. There were so many sex scenes. Way too many for me. They were written well, but not something I want to read! I’d rather see them build on their romantic chemistry than their sexual chemistry.
The three of them were very open and communicated with each other which I liked to see.
This book felt really long too. Too much happened. Not only did we have the tennis plotline, and then them navigating their relationship, but we also had Octavia with the trauma from her dad and the drama with her sisters, but we also had Ariel and his son, with Carmen. There was whole other plotlines happening on top of the main plot of the novel. I think it needed to focus on one, maybe two things, and take the rest away. Those extra moments did add depth to the story, but it was too much on top of me not really caring about a lot of what was happening.
If you love tennis, this is perfect for you. I think if you connect with the characters, you’ll be totally fine and like this book. Even if you don’t really love tennis, but love romance novels, you will still probably like this. Even though there is a lot of tennis throughout, I would say you could get past it in order to enjoy the book. As long as you like the romance between the three main characters.
One thing that threw me off, which is so picky, but it kept on talking about how Leo had a beard, but on the cover, neither of the male characters had a beard. It was weird to me that the cover didn’t match the description. But that is nothing really to do with the actual story.
I would take my review with a grain of salt, because I think there is a lot that would be enjoyable to other people, but it just didn’t work for me because of my personal taste.
In being with a total me problem, I just did not connect with the characters. Something was missing and I didn’t feel any spark with any of them. The book was written pretty well, but if I don’t care about the characters, I won’t like the book. Which is hard when it’s a romance book because you want to feel that chemistry.
Maybe it was just too cheesy and/or sexual for my taste, but pretty much right off the bat I felt myself not connecting to the characters.
I love sports romances, but I feel like I need to learn to not pick up ones about tennis, just because I end up not really liking them. It always sounds so fun in theory, but when I read it, I can’t get into it. I feel like “Carrie Soto” ruined me because I actually liked that tennis novel, so then I feel like I’ll like other ones, but I never do. There was a lot of tennis in the beginning, then a little in the middle, but it took the back burner for the romance side of it, then it was at the end again. Every time it was talked about, I lost even more interest. I’d rather have more of a build up of the romance than the tennis matches.
I wish we would have seen more of a build up of Leo and Octavia‘s relationship than just being thrown into it. They were already super lovey-dovey, but I didn’t really have a reason to root for them to be together because I never saw them build up to that connection. It was nice to see Leo and Ariel learning to love each other. It was slightly instalove, at least instalust, between all of them. I know they were soulmates, so I guess it is just built in that they would love each other, but I still wanted more. It mentioned that Octavia and Ariel knew each other before and had a bit of connection, but that wasn’t explored or talked about very often. We had scenes with Leo and Ariel getting to know each other, but it wasn’t enough for me.
I also wish there was a little bit more explanation on how the soulmate aspect worked. It was pretty self-explanatory, but I still wish it was explained more. I almost wish the soulmate aspect wasn’t in there at all. It didn’t really affect the book that much. It still would have worked if it was the drama of Ariel being introduced to Leo and Octavia’s relationship and how that would all work with them already being a couple, and Ariel being her coach.
It was pretty spicy. There were so many sex scenes. Way too many for me. They were written well, but not something I want to read! I’d rather see them build on their romantic chemistry than their sexual chemistry.
The three of them were very open and communicated with each other which I liked to see.
This book felt really long too. Too much happened. Not only did we have the tennis plotline, and then them navigating their relationship, but we also had Octavia with the trauma from her dad and the drama with her sisters, but we also had Ariel and his son, with Carmen. There was whole other plotlines happening on top of the main plot of the novel. I think it needed to focus on one, maybe two things, and take the rest away. Those extra moments did add depth to the story, but it was too much on top of me not really caring about a lot of what was happening.
If you love tennis, this is perfect for you. I think if you connect with the characters, you’ll be totally fine and like this book. Even if you don’t really love tennis, but love romance novels, you will still probably like this. Even though there is a lot of tennis throughout, I would say you could get past it in order to enjoy the book. As long as you like the romance between the three main characters.
One thing that threw me off, which is so picky, but it kept on talking about how Leo had a beard, but on the cover, neither of the male characters had a beard. It was weird to me that the cover didn’t match the description. But that is nothing really to do with the actual story.
July 31, 2026
Thank you so much to Atria Books for the ARC via NetGalley!
Backhanded Compliments was one of the first ARCs I ever received so it was an absolute honor to continue to explore this world as an early reader. Ever since reading Backhanded Compliments, I’ve been very intrigued by Octavia and I was so glad to have the chance to explore her story.
Octavia is a true eldest daughter, especially in how she seeks to protect her younger sisters from her pain. Despite her own strained relationship with Antony, she works hard to ensure that doesn’t impact how her sisters view him. This kind of protective nature bleeds into her relationship with Leo, and then with her new coach, Ariel. Octavia is very interesting to read and I really love how her story wrapped up.
Ariel’s point of view surprised me in this book. Reading from the perspective of someone who had their tennis career ripped from them due to injury was hard, but it provided a unique look at the sport. Also, I really appreciated diving into his relationship with Eduardo. I feel like we got to know Ariel very well and get to see where his priorities lie.
Leo is who I wish we got more from. He gives big golden retriever energy and I love that. However, I wish we got a little bit more depth in his character. The fact that the book lacked his perspective was something that disappointed me because I really wanted to understand his life with two soul marks.
Overall, I enjoyed this story a lot. It is unique and something that we typically do not see in the romance space. Coming off of seeing Challengers for the first time made me very much think, “They could’ve just done this.”
I’m excited to see what Katie Chandler writes next!
Backhanded Compliments was one of the first ARCs I ever received so it was an absolute honor to continue to explore this world as an early reader. Ever since reading Backhanded Compliments, I’ve been very intrigued by Octavia and I was so glad to have the chance to explore her story.
Octavia is a true eldest daughter, especially in how she seeks to protect her younger sisters from her pain. Despite her own strained relationship with Antony, she works hard to ensure that doesn’t impact how her sisters view him. This kind of protective nature bleeds into her relationship with Leo, and then with her new coach, Ariel. Octavia is very interesting to read and I really love how her story wrapped up.
Ariel’s point of view surprised me in this book. Reading from the perspective of someone who had their tennis career ripped from them due to injury was hard, but it provided a unique look at the sport. Also, I really appreciated diving into his relationship with Eduardo. I feel like we got to know Ariel very well and get to see where his priorities lie.
Leo is who I wish we got more from. He gives big golden retriever energy and I love that. However, I wish we got a little bit more depth in his character. The fact that the book lacked his perspective was something that disappointed me because I really wanted to understand his life with two soul marks.
Overall, I enjoyed this story a lot. It is unique and something that we typically do not see in the romance space. Coming off of seeing Challengers for the first time made me very much think, “They could’ve just done this.”
I’m excited to see what Katie Chandler writes next!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
DNF at 33%
The soulmarks intrigued me but weren’t explained well enough. Maybe it was explained better in the first book, but I didn’t know this was a series/interconnected standalone. I just wasn’t convinced of the chemistry between the throuple enough to continue. It felt instahorny and the magic system felt a little nonsensical. I’ve attempted to read this for weeks, and felt myself putting reading it off. Unfortunately, just not for me.
Anticipated Publication Date: December 8th, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria books for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
The soulmarks intrigued me but weren’t explained well enough. Maybe it was explained better in the first book, but I didn’t know this was a series/interconnected standalone. I just wasn’t convinced of the chemistry between the throuple enough to continue. It felt instahorny and the magic system felt a little nonsensical. I’ve attempted to read this for weeks, and felt myself putting reading it off. Unfortunately, just not for me.
Anticipated Publication Date: December 8th, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria books for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
Did Not Finish
September 6, 2026I went into this blind, and unfortunately, these tropes were just not for me! I'm not a why choose girlie and the magical realism hit me out of left field and didn't really make sense to me. I do enjoy magical realism, and I think it would've hit more with me if there was a bit more world building to make the soulmate stuff make sense. I'm sure this is a great book for someone who loves why choose though!
Thank you so much to NetGalley & Atria for the gifted ARC
Thank you so much to NetGalley & Atria for the gifted ARC
Want to Read
June 11, 2026"For fans of Challengers" let's all just LIVE !!!!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Triple Threat: Immersive tennis world built on predictable romance tropes and confusing magical realism (DNF at 40%)
This was a book I was genuinely looking forward to because of the tennis theme. With the recent release of The Open Area and excellent tennis movies like Challengers or Perfect Match (the movie about Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi), I was excited to add another sports romance to my TBR.
As far as the tennis theme goes, the author definitely delivered. In the author‘s note in the beginning, she explicitly states that she took some liberties—such as adding a women’s tournament to an all-male tennis club. For a casual reader like me, who isn’t a die-hard tennis fan, it was highly informative. I absolutely loved how central the sport remains to the plot and how well-researched the technical details felt. I highly dislike it when sports are used merely as a gimmick to make a character seem desirable, so the authentic portrayal here was a major plus.
However, the setting quickly became too much because no character seems to exist outside the tennis bubble. Every love interest, family member, and even the children are involved in the sport. While people in niche industries often stay within their circles, it still didn’t feel quite realistic (and frankly, I would have loved to see more diversity in terms of professions). After doing a little research, I discovered that this is actually the second novel in a series of interconnected standalones (covering the four sisters), so it definitely makes more sense, though it still bugged me.
While the sports element is strong, the romance subplot feels a bit flat. For once, anyone familiar with Perfect Match or Steffi Graf’s story will experience a strong sense of déjà vu here—because, let’s face it, it’s the same old story about a father who’s also a tennis coach and abuses his position. I know that many other sports novels tend to feature similar storylines, but since this one is about tennis, I couldn’t help but notice it. I also rolled my eyes hard when it turned out that one of the players in the book was struggling with their performance and another stepped up as the coach to help. This, too, is something I’ve read way too many times before—and I’m not even the most avid sports romance reader. At least the gender-swap (a FMC struggling instead of a MMC) was a nice touch.
As a healthcare professional working in an orthopedic unit, I also struggled with the medical inaccuracies. The MMC is a former pro dealing with a career-ending injury, but the depiction of severe, debilitating chronic pain from a complex fracture sitting down nearly a decade later is highly unrealistic and completely pulled me out of the story. Other minor details, like sudden confusing timeline jumps across global locations (Australia, Brazil, LA, Monaco) and plot inconsistencies—such as the FMC knowing a child's exact age but not his identity—further disrupted the flow.
Ultimately, the romance and the magical realism elements led to my DNF. As a fantasy reader, I often find that magical realism features weak world-building, and that was the case here. The concept of people being born with soulmate marks that change color upon first touch felt like the most ridiculous way to force people together and claim it was “fate.”
In this story, the FMC’s long-time partner (whose frequent label as "partner" felt stilted given the traditional FM relationship in the beginning of the story) has two soulmate marks. As the story progresses, it turns out that the second mark belongs to the coach, with whom the FMC had already shared some emotional tension. The polyamorous dynamic was something that was given with the book title and the blurb, but what bugged me, was how unbothered the characters were by the reveal, which was actually no problem at all, because the FMC and her partner decided a long time ago that when he met his second soulmate, they would be a package deal and offer only a threesome. The immediate shift into a casual arrangement with the coach felt flat, lacked emotional depth and true romantic connection, and felt far too convenient overall.
I read 21 chapters (40%) up to their first sexual encounter before deciding to drop the book. Please keep in mind that my review only covers the first half of the story, and it may take a different turn later on. Additionally, readers should note that my critique is biased by my general dislike for the magical realism genre. If you are solely looking for a deeply immersive tennis novel or like magical realism with fated mates concepts, this might work for you, but the romance and overall story did not work for me.
This was a book I was genuinely looking forward to because of the tennis theme. With the recent release of The Open Area and excellent tennis movies like Challengers or Perfect Match (the movie about Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi), I was excited to add another sports romance to my TBR.
As far as the tennis theme goes, the author definitely delivered. In the author‘s note in the beginning, she explicitly states that she took some liberties—such as adding a women’s tournament to an all-male tennis club. For a casual reader like me, who isn’t a die-hard tennis fan, it was highly informative. I absolutely loved how central the sport remains to the plot and how well-researched the technical details felt. I highly dislike it when sports are used merely as a gimmick to make a character seem desirable, so the authentic portrayal here was a major plus.
However, the setting quickly became too much because no character seems to exist outside the tennis bubble. Every love interest, family member, and even the children are involved in the sport. While people in niche industries often stay within their circles, it still didn’t feel quite realistic (and frankly, I would have loved to see more diversity in terms of professions). After doing a little research, I discovered that this is actually the second novel in a series of interconnected standalones (covering the four sisters), so it definitely makes more sense, though it still bugged me.
While the sports element is strong, the romance subplot feels a bit flat. For once, anyone familiar with Perfect Match or Steffi Graf’s story will experience a strong sense of déjà vu here—because, let’s face it, it’s the same old story about a father who’s also a tennis coach and abuses his position. I know that many other sports novels tend to feature similar storylines, but since this one is about tennis, I couldn’t help but notice it. I also rolled my eyes hard when it turned out that one of the players in the book was struggling with their performance and another stepped up as the coach to help. This, too, is something I’ve read way too many times before—and I’m not even the most avid sports romance reader. At least the gender-swap (a FMC struggling instead of a MMC) was a nice touch.
As a healthcare professional working in an orthopedic unit, I also struggled with the medical inaccuracies. The MMC is a former pro dealing with a career-ending injury, but the depiction of severe, debilitating chronic pain from a complex fracture sitting down nearly a decade later is highly unrealistic and completely pulled me out of the story. Other minor details, like sudden confusing timeline jumps across global locations (Australia, Brazil, LA, Monaco) and plot inconsistencies—such as the FMC knowing a child's exact age but not his identity—further disrupted the flow.
Ultimately, the romance and the magical realism elements led to my DNF. As a fantasy reader, I often find that magical realism features weak world-building, and that was the case here. The concept of people being born with soulmate marks that change color upon first touch felt like the most ridiculous way to force people together and claim it was “fate.”
In this story, the FMC’s long-time partner (whose frequent label as "partner" felt stilted given the traditional FM relationship in the beginning of the story) has two soulmate marks. As the story progresses, it turns out that the second mark belongs to the coach, with whom the FMC had already shared some emotional tension. The polyamorous dynamic was something that was given with the book title and the blurb, but what bugged me, was how unbothered the characters were by the reveal, which was actually no problem at all, because the FMC and her partner decided a long time ago that when he met his second soulmate, they would be a package deal and offer only a threesome. The immediate shift into a casual arrangement with the coach felt flat, lacked emotional depth and true romantic connection, and felt far too convenient overall.
I read 21 chapters (40%) up to their first sexual encounter before deciding to drop the book. Please keep in mind that my review only covers the first half of the story, and it may take a different turn later on. Additionally, readers should note that my critique is biased by my general dislike for the magical realism genre. If you are solely looking for a deeply immersive tennis novel or like magical realism with fated mates concepts, this might work for you, but the romance and overall story did not work for me.
August 2, 2026
Ok this is my fault for not fully reading the book synopsis, but the magical realism took me completely by surprise. It’s not my favorite genre, but I’ve read a few, but I knew going into them that they were magical realism. I do think this book would benefit from being marketed that way!
I know it’s common for magic to have little to no explanation in magical realism, however in this story it felt more like a crutch for the romance to lean on in order to get them closer, faster. While the spice is really well written, the throuples chemistry was a little shallow. There wasn’t much tension built up between Octavia and Ariel before they were all together. I think in terms of poly rep it was really positive in many aspects, if not a little lust driven?
That being said, this is also a very spicy sports romance with a poly relationship that I do think will still appeal to a lot of readers.
Thank you Atria and NetGalley for the ARC!
I know it’s common for magic to have little to no explanation in magical realism, however in this story it felt more like a crutch for the romance to lean on in order to get them closer, faster. While the spice is really well written, the throuples chemistry was a little shallow. There wasn’t much tension built up between Octavia and Ariel before they were all together. I think in terms of poly rep it was really positive in many aspects, if not a little lust driven?
That being said, this is also a very spicy sports romance with a poly relationship that I do think will still appeal to a lot of readers.
Thank you Atria and NetGalley for the ARC!
August 2, 2026
2.5 stars
This was so back and forth for me. First, and this is on me for not being more discerning when reading the description — the magical aspect of the soul marks felt really jarring to me. I wish it had just been a decision for them all to be together. I usually love magical realism but this was the ONLY magical element and not super well explained. Second, why did we only get Ariel and Octavia’s perspectives? It was a weird choice and left me feeling like we didn’t get to know Leo as well as we should have by the end. Finally, I didn’t love the 3rd person narration in this. Just felt a bit off.
There were things I liked! Mature communication, the way Ariel’s injury and pain were handled, the sister relationship. All in all it wasn’t right for me, but could definitely hit for the right audience.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was so back and forth for me. First, and this is on me for not being more discerning when reading the description — the magical aspect of the soul marks felt really jarring to me. I wish it had just been a decision for them all to be together. I usually love magical realism but this was the ONLY magical element and not super well explained. Second, why did we only get Ariel and Octavia’s perspectives? It was a weird choice and left me feeling like we didn’t get to know Leo as well as we should have by the end. Finally, I didn’t love the 3rd person narration in this. Just felt a bit off.
There were things I liked! Mature communication, the way Ariel’s injury and pain were handled, the sister relationship. All in all it wasn’t right for me, but could definitely hit for the right audience.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 26, 2026
Thank you to Atria for the ARC! I really enjoyed this one. I was a little hesitant when I realized it was same world as Backhanded Compliments which I struggled with. I think both stories could work without the soulmates aspect. HOWEVER! Triple Threat felt like it worked a lot better with it.
In Triple Threat we Have 3 characters, Octavia, Leo, and Ariel. All 3 are immersed in the tennis world and Octavia and Leo have been soulmates and in a relationship for a while. Leo is a rare person who has two soulmates and when he touches Octavia’s new tennis couch, he finds his second.
What I really loved about this was seeing the relationship between Ariel and Octavia form as two people not soulmates, as well as welling all 3 together. It never felt forced and like they had to be together, and it felt like a very slow build to a strong relationship.
I also really loved how they all dealt with their individual traumas and worked together.
I had a fun time with this!
In Triple Threat we Have 3 characters, Octavia, Leo, and Ariel. All 3 are immersed in the tennis world and Octavia and Leo have been soulmates and in a relationship for a while. Leo is a rare person who has two soulmates and when he touches Octavia’s new tennis couch, he finds his second.
What I really loved about this was seeing the relationship between Ariel and Octavia form as two people not soulmates, as well as welling all 3 together. It never felt forced and like they had to be together, and it felt like a very slow build to a strong relationship.
I also really loved how they all dealt with their individual traumas and worked together.
I had a fun time with this!
August 16, 2026
Okay, this was SPICY 🥵 and you add tennis into the mix? Sign me up! 🎾 This was such a fun read, and I especially loved the relationship the FMC has with her sisters. Growing up, I also played tennis with my sisters, so that part of the story felt especially relatable to me.
Beyond the spice, I loved all the tennis talk and the focus on Ariel and Octavia’s mental and physical healing journeys. Watching them support each other in the ways they could, while still keeping their individual journeys authentic, was beautiful to see. I just wish I had felt a stronger connection with Leo, but I know love triangles/trios can be tricky to pull off.
Thank you, Atria, for the early advance copy! 💕
Beyond the spice, I loved all the tennis talk and the focus on Ariel and Octavia’s mental and physical healing journeys. Watching them support each other in the ways they could, while still keeping their individual journeys authentic, was beautiful to see. I just wish I had felt a stronger connection with Leo, but I know love triangles/trios can be tricky to pull off.
Thank you, Atria, for the early advance copy! 💕
Did Not Finish
August 2, 2026dnf at 20%
might try again when the audiobook is released but so far, it took me four days to read 20% of a 300-page romance, i should just call it. don’t understand how this is a poly romance and only two of the characters have POVs. they keep telling me that the female character and one of the male characters are soulmates but we barely see them interact. in fact, none of these characters feel like they exist outside of the world of tennis. if i did finish, it would probably be a three-star.
might try again when the audiobook is released but so far, it took me four days to read 20% of a 300-page romance, i should just call it. don’t understand how this is a poly romance and only two of the characters have POVs. they keep telling me that the female character and one of the male characters are soulmates but we barely see them interact. in fact, none of these characters feel like they exist outside of the world of tennis. if i did finish, it would probably be a three-star.
Did Not Finish
August 24, 2026DNF @ 39%
I feel the soul mate bond isn't detailed enough early on, and after the boys find out about their mating bond I feel it becomes too sexual too quickly...like the characters don't really know each other. I totally understand the initial attraction and being interested in that but all three being together within the first fourth percent, just feels...wrong? Maybe that's not the right word. But it just feels like they don't even know each other and I wish we had more build up.
I feel the soul mate bond isn't detailed enough early on, and after the boys find out about their mating bond I feel it becomes too sexual too quickly...like the characters don't really know each other. I totally understand the initial attraction and being interested in that but all three being together within the first fourth percent, just feels...wrong? Maybe that's not the right word. But it just feels like they don't even know each other and I wish we had more build up.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Want to Read
July 3, 2026🎾💞 Triple Threat 💞🎾
📖 Bookish Thoughts
My full review will be shared closer to the publication date.
✨What to Expect
• Sports Romance
• Polyamorous Romance
• Soulmates
• Coach x Athlete
• Second Chances
• LGBTQ+ Rep
• Tennis Setting
_ _ _
📅 Pub Date: December 8, 2026
Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy.
📖 Bookish Thoughts
My full review will be shared closer to the publication date.
✨What to Expect
• Sports Romance
• Polyamorous Romance
• Soulmates
• Coach x Athlete
• Second Chances
• LGBTQ+ Rep
• Tennis Setting
_ _ _
📅 Pub Date: December 8, 2026
Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy.
Read
July 10, 2026Thanks Atria Books & NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
The whole soulmate thing was so ???? to me. Gave me the ick. I probably should’ve read the blurb before reading it. Overall this wasn’t for me :-(
The whole soulmate thing was so ???? to me. Gave me the ick. I probably should’ve read the blurb before reading it. Overall this wasn’t for me :-(
Read
August 24, 2026*****DNF*********
I'm sorry, I did try. I should have maybe taken this ARC offer with more consideration. It marketed itself as similar to Challengers, which tbh I didn't even like that much. So really, that's on me!
What got me was the weird magical realism soulmate tattoos? It was a jarring and abrupt pivot and did not really work with the otherwise contemporary sports romance.
Thank you to the publisher and also sorry and my bad.
I'm sorry, I did try. I should have maybe taken this ARC offer with more consideration. It marketed itself as similar to Challengers, which tbh I didn't even like that much. So really, that's on me!
What got me was the weird magical realism soulmate tattoos? It was a jarring and abrupt pivot and did not really work with the otherwise contemporary sports romance.
Thank you to the publisher and also sorry and my bad.
July 9, 2026
Oh? My? God??? Yeah I absolutely loved this one!! Did I realize this was part of an interconnected series and was the second book? No, but you best believe I placed a hold for the first book immediately. I seriously enjoyed the sprinkle of magic realism when it came to the soul mark and found it fascinating when Leo and Ariel connected. I was blown away with how much depth and complexity all three characters had and how they all balanced each other out. I do wish we got some chapters from Leos perspective to understand more of him and his family's history, but maybe there was more from Backhanded Compliments that I'm unaware of. Either way, I think the writing and pacing throughout was done really well. Octavia's growth was beautiful to read and I loved how Ariel was able to help her work through her mental barriers that brought back her love for tennis. There's so much love shared between the three of them that I couldn't help but feel all warm and mushy inside...and yeah the spice was phenomenal as well!!
I'm entering my queer tennis for real!!
Thank you NetGalley and Atria for the arc in exchange for my review!
I'm entering my queer tennis for real!!
Thank you NetGalley and Atria for the arc in exchange for my review!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Atria Books, NetGalley, and Katie Chandler for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own.
As someone who knows next to nothing about tennis, I was a little unsure whether Katie Chandler's latest novel would resonate with me. My worries were completely unfounded. Though the novel takes place in the high-stakes world of pro tennis, at its heart, this is a story about complex relationships, grief, and personal growth with a bit of a twist. Taking a "standard" sports romance and imbuing it with just a touch of magical realism, Chandler incorporates the concept of soul mates (people fated at birth to be together) with a welcome matter-of-factness, letting the reader to simply accept it as part of the story's reality without dwelling too heavily on the idea or adding complex lore.
The novel, though written in the third person, provides two distinct POVs: Octavia, a former tennis prodigy who bears emotional scars from her father (and coach), and Ariel, a former tennis superstar whose storied career was cut short because of a catastrophic injury. After Octavia's father dies, she goes through a kind of emotional meltdown and personal reckoning. She loses spectacularly on one of tennis's biggest stages, injuring Ariel's son in the process, and takes several months to even think about returning to competition. When she does, she wonders whether she ever even enjoyed the sport, or was simply fulfilling her father's wishes.
When she sees Ariel again, their relationship is strained at best, but they're able to come to a fragile truce with the help of his son, no worse for wear after his injury. Following an afternoon practice with the two of them, Octavia starts to wonder whether Ariel might be exactly who she needs to get her game together again.
For his part, Ariel has spent his life suffering in the aftermath of his injury, and even more so, separated from any emotional entanglements. When he meets Octavia's soulmate, Leo, the attraction is immediate, but he thinks, ill-fated--until he realizes that Leo actually has a second soulmate: him.
As the three of them navigate the tricky path of a multi-person relationship, Octavia must decide whether being a high-profile tennis player is really what she wants, all while struggling with the residual grief from her father's death. Ariel must decide whether to put himself first and learn to trust again after so many years of heartache. Leo must decide whether pursuing his second soulmate may risk losing his first, especially since Ariel is Octavia's coach.
There were so many things I loved about this novel. Even though I'm not a tennis fan, the author brought the glittering lights of the court to life without adding confusion or complexity. The writing style was crisp and well-paced; slowing down and offering the emotional scenes (particularly revolving around Ariel's chronic pain and disability) room to breathe when needed, and ratcheting up the tension and intrigue during competition sequences.
The disability representation very well done. In many novels, disability representation is reduced to a trite sentence or two. This novel allowed the care and grace to show the emotional complexity (and, often, devastation) of disability. The scenes where Ariel refuses at first to ask for help were heartbreaking, but even more so were the scenes where he finally allows himself to be vulnerable enough to accept it despite his fear. The relationship between Ariel and Leo illustrates this tenderness beautifully, and for me was one of the highlights of the novel.
Similarly, the LGTBTQIA+ community was represented well in the novel and not as an afterthought or to "check a box." Though there was plenty of complexity in the relationship between Octavia, Ariel, and Leo, acceptance and inclusion was at the core of their dynamic, and other non-CIS het couples anchoring the story kept it feeling like tokenism.
Finally, this novel tackles grief in many forms: "traditional" grief following the death of a loved one, grief for a future that was never realized (in the case of Ariel's injury), and grief for a person you never got to be while under someone else's control. Octavia struggles with her father's death, but even more so, she sees how differently she was treated compared to her sisters, who enjoyed a more stable, less controlling dynamic. The scenes between Octavia and her sisters felt incredibly authentic to me, especially as the novel progressed and Octavia began to come into her own. Ariel's resentment and bitterness over the man who inadvertently caused his career-ending injury is incredibly poignant, and I appreciated that the author didn't just tie everything up with a neat "forgive and forget" bow.
This was my first Katie Chandler novel and I'm excited to go back through and read her back catalog. She has a gift at writing tenderness and vulnerability that resonates even if you don't identify directly with the characters, and her approachable writing style allows you to get lost in her words and simply be carried by the story. Even if you're not a tennis fan, I encourage you to give this story a try. The relationships and personal dynamics shine through the novel, allowing the characters to take center stage.
As someone who knows next to nothing about tennis, I was a little unsure whether Katie Chandler's latest novel would resonate with me. My worries were completely unfounded. Though the novel takes place in the high-stakes world of pro tennis, at its heart, this is a story about complex relationships, grief, and personal growth with a bit of a twist. Taking a "standard" sports romance and imbuing it with just a touch of magical realism, Chandler incorporates the concept of soul mates (people fated at birth to be together) with a welcome matter-of-factness, letting the reader to simply accept it as part of the story's reality without dwelling too heavily on the idea or adding complex lore.
The novel, though written in the third person, provides two distinct POVs: Octavia, a former tennis prodigy who bears emotional scars from her father (and coach), and Ariel, a former tennis superstar whose storied career was cut short because of a catastrophic injury. After Octavia's father dies, she goes through a kind of emotional meltdown and personal reckoning. She loses spectacularly on one of tennis's biggest stages, injuring Ariel's son in the process, and takes several months to even think about returning to competition. When she does, she wonders whether she ever even enjoyed the sport, or was simply fulfilling her father's wishes.
When she sees Ariel again, their relationship is strained at best, but they're able to come to a fragile truce with the help of his son, no worse for wear after his injury. Following an afternoon practice with the two of them, Octavia starts to wonder whether Ariel might be exactly who she needs to get her game together again.
For his part, Ariel has spent his life suffering in the aftermath of his injury, and even more so, separated from any emotional entanglements. When he meets Octavia's soulmate, Leo, the attraction is immediate, but he thinks, ill-fated--until he realizes that Leo actually has a second soulmate: him.
As the three of them navigate the tricky path of a multi-person relationship, Octavia must decide whether being a high-profile tennis player is really what she wants, all while struggling with the residual grief from her father's death. Ariel must decide whether to put himself first and learn to trust again after so many years of heartache. Leo must decide whether pursuing his second soulmate may risk losing his first, especially since Ariel is Octavia's coach.
There were so many things I loved about this novel. Even though I'm not a tennis fan, the author brought the glittering lights of the court to life without adding confusion or complexity. The writing style was crisp and well-paced; slowing down and offering the emotional scenes (particularly revolving around Ariel's chronic pain and disability) room to breathe when needed, and ratcheting up the tension and intrigue during competition sequences.
The disability representation very well done. In many novels, disability representation is reduced to a trite sentence or two. This novel allowed the care and grace to show the emotional complexity (and, often, devastation) of disability. The scenes where Ariel refuses at first to ask for help were heartbreaking, but even more so were the scenes where he finally allows himself to be vulnerable enough to accept it despite his fear. The relationship between Ariel and Leo illustrates this tenderness beautifully, and for me was one of the highlights of the novel.
Similarly, the LGTBTQIA+ community was represented well in the novel and not as an afterthought or to "check a box." Though there was plenty of complexity in the relationship between Octavia, Ariel, and Leo, acceptance and inclusion was at the core of their dynamic, and other non-CIS het couples anchoring the story kept it feeling like tokenism.
Finally, this novel tackles grief in many forms: "traditional" grief following the death of a loved one, grief for a future that was never realized (in the case of Ariel's injury), and grief for a person you never got to be while under someone else's control. Octavia struggles with her father's death, but even more so, she sees how differently she was treated compared to her sisters, who enjoyed a more stable, less controlling dynamic. The scenes between Octavia and her sisters felt incredibly authentic to me, especially as the novel progressed and Octavia began to come into her own. Ariel's resentment and bitterness over the man who inadvertently caused his career-ending injury is incredibly poignant, and I appreciated that the author didn't just tie everything up with a neat "forgive and forget" bow.
This was my first Katie Chandler novel and I'm excited to go back through and read her back catalog. She has a gift at writing tenderness and vulnerability that resonates even if you don't identify directly with the characters, and her approachable writing style allows you to get lost in her words and simply be carried by the story. Even if you're not a tennis fan, I encourage you to give this story a try. The relationships and personal dynamics shine through the novel, allowing the characters to take center stage.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Advanced Reader Copy
I went into Triple Threat interested by the combo of professional tennis, soulmates, and a throuple romance. It took me a little while to settle into the story, but by the second half, I was totally invested in the characters and their relationships.
Chandler gave me strong multi-community representation (LGBTQ+, disability, parenthood) that felt believable, thoughtful, and well-woven into the characters’ lives rather than reduced to a character flair.
That said, it took me some time to emotionally connect with the characters. Early on, I found Octavia and Leo difficult to warm up to, while Ariel sometimes came across as overly desperate (no man is perfect, but Ariel was close). The first portion of the book also spends a ton of time on the technical specifics of tennis (several uninterrupted pages at a time). While readers who love tennis might like it, I was skimming some of those sections because they didn't feel necessary to the plot.
Even though it is a throuple romance, the story focuses on only two main perspectives. I didn't necessarily need another full point of view or for Leo to suffer for the sake of drama, but I was hungry for insight into Leo's internal struggles. It would have helped me feel even more connected to him.
Following three main characters' lives could have felt like a lot, but the author paced events well, making the characters’ relationship progression feel realistic. I especially appreciated that the characters didn't immediately fall into obsessive, all-consuming love. Their relationship grew over time through vulnerability and shared experiences, and it was really well-balanced. Each character had something different to offer and something different they needed from the others.
The intimate scenes were also somewhat hit-or-miss for me. In the first half especially, I didn’t have enough of an emotional connection with the characters for some of those scenes to fully land. With three people in the relationship, Chandler gave us the full spectrum of intimate exploration that sometimes felt clustered together. I really appreciated the enthusiastic, consistent consent and check-ins throughout the romance. The author really hit their stride with the scenes leading up to the final intimate scene, offering the reader satisfying closure, connecting to the characters' growth and the emotional resolution that had been building.
I struggled with the “soulmark” worldbuilding. I would have loved an “author’s note” or quick primer before diving into the story to care for my early confusion. As the story progressed, though, the rules found their way to me and weren't as complicated as I had expected. Overall, not a negative point.
My biggest struggle was with how easily some of the difficult conversations were resolved. The characters had tons of opportunities to explore complicated emotions and messy situations, but everyone felt too perfectly-adjusted and mature, so the conversations only took a page or two to reach an understanding. I wanted more room for discomfort, uncertainty, or struggle before everything was resolved.
Around the middle of the book, though, something clicked for me. From there, it felt easier to invest fully in the characters and their journey. The relationship developed naturally, and even additions that could have felt gimmicky instead added meaningful layers to the story and Octavia's growth.
Overall, Triple Threat took some time to win me over, but once the characters began to open up and their relationships had room to develop, I enjoyed the story and looked forward to picking the book back up every time I put it down. With believable representation, excellent consent, strong pacing, and a romance that grows rather than rushing toward instant obsession, this was an engaging read—even if I occasionally wished the emotional conflicts had been allowed to stay messy for a little longer. Maybe I’m greedy, but this story had the content and character to have been a two-part series.
I went into Triple Threat interested by the combo of professional tennis, soulmates, and a throuple romance. It took me a little while to settle into the story, but by the second half, I was totally invested in the characters and their relationships.
Chandler gave me strong multi-community representation (LGBTQ+, disability, parenthood) that felt believable, thoughtful, and well-woven into the characters’ lives rather than reduced to a character flair.
That said, it took me some time to emotionally connect with the characters. Early on, I found Octavia and Leo difficult to warm up to, while Ariel sometimes came across as overly desperate (no man is perfect, but Ariel was close). The first portion of the book also spends a ton of time on the technical specifics of tennis (several uninterrupted pages at a time). While readers who love tennis might like it, I was skimming some of those sections because they didn't feel necessary to the plot.
Even though it is a throuple romance, the story focuses on only two main perspectives. I didn't necessarily need another full point of view or for Leo to suffer for the sake of drama, but I was hungry for insight into Leo's internal struggles. It would have helped me feel even more connected to him.
Following three main characters' lives could have felt like a lot, but the author paced events well, making the characters’ relationship progression feel realistic. I especially appreciated that the characters didn't immediately fall into obsessive, all-consuming love. Their relationship grew over time through vulnerability and shared experiences, and it was really well-balanced. Each character had something different to offer and something different they needed from the others.
The intimate scenes were also somewhat hit-or-miss for me. In the first half especially, I didn’t have enough of an emotional connection with the characters for some of those scenes to fully land. With three people in the relationship, Chandler gave us the full spectrum of intimate exploration that sometimes felt clustered together. I really appreciated the enthusiastic, consistent consent and check-ins throughout the romance. The author really hit their stride with the scenes leading up to the final intimate scene, offering the reader satisfying closure, connecting to the characters' growth and the emotional resolution that had been building.
I struggled with the “soulmark” worldbuilding. I would have loved an “author’s note” or quick primer before diving into the story to care for my early confusion. As the story progressed, though, the rules found their way to me and weren't as complicated as I had expected. Overall, not a negative point.
My biggest struggle was with how easily some of the difficult conversations were resolved. The characters had tons of opportunities to explore complicated emotions and messy situations, but everyone felt too perfectly-adjusted and mature, so the conversations only took a page or two to reach an understanding. I wanted more room for discomfort, uncertainty, or struggle before everything was resolved.
Around the middle of the book, though, something clicked for me. From there, it felt easier to invest fully in the characters and their journey. The relationship developed naturally, and even additions that could have felt gimmicky instead added meaningful layers to the story and Octavia's growth.
Overall, Triple Threat took some time to win me over, but once the characters began to open up and their relationships had room to develop, I enjoyed the story and looked forward to picking the book back up every time I put it down. With believable representation, excellent consent, strong pacing, and a romance that grows rather than rushing toward instant obsession, this was an engaging read—even if I occasionally wished the emotional conflicts had been allowed to stay messy for a little longer. Maybe I’m greedy, but this story had the content and character to have been a two-part series.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was the sweetest most healing book to read, especially after reading Backhanded Compliments just a few months ago. I absolutely adore Octavia, Leo, and Ariel—they are so sweet and genuine together. Also, another soulmate!au book in this economy!? Sign me up😋 When I first found out about Backhanded Compliments, that it was sapphic, and a soulmate au book—I immedietly got my hands on a copy. I absolutely devoured Juliette and Luca's book. I was so interested in Octavia and Leo and his secret other soulmate. So, when I saw Triple Threat, I just knew I had to read it!
Octavia Ricci has a troubled relatonship with tennis—mainly because of her father, who was more of a controlling coach. He built up her career, placed extremely high expectations on her, and broke her spirit. Leaving her to pick up the pieces. After a public meltdown in the Australian Open—Octavia isn't sure if she even wants to continue playing. It's because of her meltdown—and a broken nose—that fate leads her to Ariel De Cordova. Ariel was once the next big thing in tennis, until a devastating injury resulted in the end of his professional career. He's unsure if he is prepared to help Octavia with her comeback—especially since he's still struggling in the aftermath of his career ending injury. They agree to take their coach/player relationship on a trial run, one tournament at a time. It seems to work quite well, even as they both open up about their experiences, slowly healing their deepest wounds. Enter Leo Mantovani, Octavia's soulmate/partner, and the stable presence in Octavia's life. He has two soulmarks, one is Octavia's and it turns out that after shaking Ariel's hand for the first time, the other soulmark is Ariel's. Knowing how the public may react about the situation they are in, a coach and a player being involved, they decide to keep their relationship a secret and surface-level. While juggling to figure out what she really wants with tennis, trying to keep their relationship a secret, and their hearts in one piece—Octavia, Ariel, and Leo must navigate the tennis world while figuring out what it is they really want in the long run.
This was honestly one of the easiest reads—it played like a movie in my head and seeing all the healing that was done was absolute perfection. I love a good soulmate!au romance—especially since it takes me back to when I first discovered soulmate au fanfics. I absolutely loved Backhanded Compliments, but Triple Threat has completely stolen my heart. I love the dynamic between Octavia, Leo, and Ariel. They are all so incredibly sweet with each other and seeing the bond they formed was so heartwarming. It's really something when you can feel the love through the words you're reading and that's how it felt for me with this. I also loved being back in the tennis world, which is funny because I don't know a single thing about tennis. Well, I know more now because of this universe😇 Octavia, Leo, and Ariel helped each other heal—physically and mentally—and there is no better form of love than finding your person and knowing that they'll be there to help you pick up the pieces when you thought there was nothing left to salvage. Big huge fan of this whole entire book, from beginning to end. Everything was perfectly placed, each chapter, scene, and character. I can't wait to see what comes next for the Ricci sisters🩷
Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books, and Katie Chandler for this ARC of Triple Threat in exchange for an honest review!
Release Date: December 8, 2026💜🎾
Octavia Ricci has a troubled relatonship with tennis—mainly because of her father, who was more of a controlling coach. He built up her career, placed extremely high expectations on her, and broke her spirit. Leaving her to pick up the pieces. After a public meltdown in the Australian Open—Octavia isn't sure if she even wants to continue playing. It's because of her meltdown—and a broken nose—that fate leads her to Ariel De Cordova. Ariel was once the next big thing in tennis, until a devastating injury resulted in the end of his professional career. He's unsure if he is prepared to help Octavia with her comeback—especially since he's still struggling in the aftermath of his career ending injury. They agree to take their coach/player relationship on a trial run, one tournament at a time. It seems to work quite well, even as they both open up about their experiences, slowly healing their deepest wounds. Enter Leo Mantovani, Octavia's soulmate/partner, and the stable presence in Octavia's life. He has two soulmarks, one is Octavia's and it turns out that after shaking Ariel's hand for the first time, the other soulmark is Ariel's. Knowing how the public may react about the situation they are in, a coach and a player being involved, they decide to keep their relationship a secret and surface-level. While juggling to figure out what she really wants with tennis, trying to keep their relationship a secret, and their hearts in one piece—Octavia, Ariel, and Leo must navigate the tennis world while figuring out what it is they really want in the long run.
This was honestly one of the easiest reads—it played like a movie in my head and seeing all the healing that was done was absolute perfection. I love a good soulmate!au romance—especially since it takes me back to when I first discovered soulmate au fanfics. I absolutely loved Backhanded Compliments, but Triple Threat has completely stolen my heart. I love the dynamic between Octavia, Leo, and Ariel. They are all so incredibly sweet with each other and seeing the bond they formed was so heartwarming. It's really something when you can feel the love through the words you're reading and that's how it felt for me with this. I also loved being back in the tennis world, which is funny because I don't know a single thing about tennis. Well, I know more now because of this universe😇 Octavia, Leo, and Ariel helped each other heal—physically and mentally—and there is no better form of love than finding your person and knowing that they'll be there to help you pick up the pieces when you thought there was nothing left to salvage. Big huge fan of this whole entire book, from beginning to end. Everything was perfectly placed, each chapter, scene, and character. I can't wait to see what comes next for the Ricci sisters🩷
Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books, and Katie Chandler for this ARC of Triple Threat in exchange for an honest review!
Release Date: December 8, 2026💜🎾
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
For fans of:
-Pucking Around
-Pucking Sweet
This emotional sports romance follows Grand Slam champion Octavia Ricci as she struggles to rebuild both her career and her sense of self after a public meltdown at the Australian Open. Determined to rediscover her love of tennis, she begins working with Ariel de Cordova, a former tennis prodigy whose own career was cut short by a devastating injury. As the two grow closer through their shared experiences, Octavia's longtime partner and soulmate, Leo Mantovani, unexpectedly discovers that Ariel is also marked as his soulmate. What begins as a complicated connection quickly deepens, forcing the trio to navigate their growing feelings while keeping their relationship hidden from a tennis world eager to scrutinize their every move. With careers, reputations, and their hearts on the line, Octavia, Ariel, and Leo must decide whether love is worth the risks that come with living in the spotlight.
One thing about me is that I love a public meltdown. Octavia's spectacular unraveling at the Australian Open, culminating in her accidentally breaking a ball kid's nose with a tennis ball, catalyzes one of the book's strongest elements: her emotional journey. Following the recent death of her father, who was also her controlling and emotionally abusive coach, Octavia is forced to confront the reality that much of her identity has been shaped by his expectations. She begins to question whether she ever truly loved tennis or was chasing the approval of a man who could never give it. The novel delivers a thoughtful exploration of grief, trauma, and self-discovery.
One aspect that initially threw me was the soulmate element. I wasn't expecting the paranormal component and found myself struggling to understand the rules of the soulmate system at first. This may be explained more thoroughly in the previous book, but as someone coming into the series here, I felt a bit lost in the beginning. I was also somewhat unconvinced by Ariel's decision to coach Octavia after the incident involving his son (the ball kid). While I understood the narrative purpose behind bringing them together, it required a greater suspension of disbelief than I could fully muster.
That said, what ultimately won me over were the relationships. I loved the role Ariel played in helping Octavia rediscover joy in tennis and challenge the damaging beliefs her father had instilled in her. Watching him slowly help her rebuild her confidence, both on and off the court, was incredibly rewarding. I also adored Leo's unwavering support throughout the novel. While Ariel became Octavia's source of healing within tennis, Leo remained her emotional anchor outside of it. The balance between those relationships felt authentic and deeply caring. What impressed me most was how thoughtfully the polyamorous relationship was developed. Rather than focusing solely on the trio's relationship, the book takes the time to build each connection individually, allowing Octavia, Leo, and Ariel to develop meaningful relationships with one another, both separately and together. Their dynamic felt healthy, supportive, and emotionally mature, making it easy to root for all three characters.
I received this eBook ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley, Katie Chandler, and Atria Books for the opportunity to review *Triple Threat*. This review has also been posted on my Goodreads: @jack-pusloskie. Be sure to check out my Goodreads profile for more book reviews and recommendations.
-Pucking Around
-Pucking Sweet
This emotional sports romance follows Grand Slam champion Octavia Ricci as she struggles to rebuild both her career and her sense of self after a public meltdown at the Australian Open. Determined to rediscover her love of tennis, she begins working with Ariel de Cordova, a former tennis prodigy whose own career was cut short by a devastating injury. As the two grow closer through their shared experiences, Octavia's longtime partner and soulmate, Leo Mantovani, unexpectedly discovers that Ariel is also marked as his soulmate. What begins as a complicated connection quickly deepens, forcing the trio to navigate their growing feelings while keeping their relationship hidden from a tennis world eager to scrutinize their every move. With careers, reputations, and their hearts on the line, Octavia, Ariel, and Leo must decide whether love is worth the risks that come with living in the spotlight.
One thing about me is that I love a public meltdown. Octavia's spectacular unraveling at the Australian Open, culminating in her accidentally breaking a ball kid's nose with a tennis ball, catalyzes one of the book's strongest elements: her emotional journey. Following the recent death of her father, who was also her controlling and emotionally abusive coach, Octavia is forced to confront the reality that much of her identity has been shaped by his expectations. She begins to question whether she ever truly loved tennis or was chasing the approval of a man who could never give it. The novel delivers a thoughtful exploration of grief, trauma, and self-discovery.
One aspect that initially threw me was the soulmate element. I wasn't expecting the paranormal component and found myself struggling to understand the rules of the soulmate system at first. This may be explained more thoroughly in the previous book, but as someone coming into the series here, I felt a bit lost in the beginning. I was also somewhat unconvinced by Ariel's decision to coach Octavia after the incident involving his son (the ball kid). While I understood the narrative purpose behind bringing them together, it required a greater suspension of disbelief than I could fully muster.
That said, what ultimately won me over were the relationships. I loved the role Ariel played in helping Octavia rediscover joy in tennis and challenge the damaging beliefs her father had instilled in her. Watching him slowly help her rebuild her confidence, both on and off the court, was incredibly rewarding. I also adored Leo's unwavering support throughout the novel. While Ariel became Octavia's source of healing within tennis, Leo remained her emotional anchor outside of it. The balance between those relationships felt authentic and deeply caring. What impressed me most was how thoughtfully the polyamorous relationship was developed. Rather than focusing solely on the trio's relationship, the book takes the time to build each connection individually, allowing Octavia, Leo, and Ariel to develop meaningful relationships with one another, both separately and together. Their dynamic felt healthy, supportive, and emotionally mature, making it easy to root for all three characters.
I received this eBook ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley, Katie Chandler, and Atria Books for the opportunity to review *Triple Threat*. This review has also been posted on my Goodreads: @jack-pusloskie. Be sure to check out my Goodreads profile for more book reviews and recommendations.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of Triple Threat. I’ve really enjoyed Katie’s writing so far, and while this wasn’t a top favorite for me personally, I still found myself deeply invested in the characters and the emotional journey they shared.
Let me start by saying:
I genuinely loved the heart of this story. The soulmate concept mixed with the idea of choosing love outside of fate was such a refreshing twist. I adore soulmate lore, but I also love when a book explores the possibility of loving someone who isn’t “written” for you — and somehow, Ariel gets both. I didn’t expect to enjoy that angle as much as I did.
The Characters & Their Connections
Ariel was the standout for me. He’s such a sweet, grounded character, and his relationship with Eduardo added so much warmth and depth to the story. Eduardo wasn’t just a cute kid thrown in for vibes — he genuinely strengthened the bond between all three adults and made their dynamic feel more meaningful.
Octavia’s grief was handled with so much care. Losing her father — someone who wasn’t always kind or easy to love — left her in a complicated emotional space. Her connection with Leo felt steady and comforting, like a lifeline she clung to while trying to rebuild herself.
And then there’s Leo, the man with two soulmate marks.
He’s the reason this entire trio exists.
He’s the bridge between Octavia and Ariel.
He’s the one carrying the weight of fate on his skin.
Which is exactly why I kept wishing we had chapters from his perspective.
My One Big Wish: Leo POV
The story was rich, emotional, and beautifully layered… but Leo’s voice was missing. He’s the character who ties everything together, the one whose existence creates this “triple threat,” and the one navigating the complexity of having two soulmates.
I wanted to understand his internal conflict — the fear, the longing, the confusion, the hope. Even just a few Leo chapters would’ve elevated the entire book for me. His perspective felt essential, and its absence left a small gap in an otherwise beautiful story.
What I Loved
Ariel being a single dad — Eduardo added so much heart
The soulmate concept and how it expanded beyond fate
The emotional support each character offered the others
The tennis backdrop tying their lives together
The chronic pain representation
The ending (sweet, warm, and satisfying)
The way Katie writes relationships with so much tenderness
I devoured this book and genuinely adored the main trio and every side character. Everyone was dealing with their own struggles, and watching them lift each other up was beautiful.
Why It’s 3 Stars for Me
Poly romance just isn’t my preferred trope.
That’s the only reason this lands at 3 stars instead of higher.
Even with that personal preference, I still enjoyed the story more than I expected. The emotional beats landed, the characters were lovable, and the soulmate twist kept me hooked. Katie’s writing continues to shine, and I’ll absolutely be reading whatever she releases next.
Final Thoughts:
This was heartfelt, warm, and unexpectedly tender. I flew through it and genuinely wished I could spend more time with these characters. Even though poly romance isn’t my thing, Katie made this trio feel real, supportive, and beautifully connected.
Thank you again to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC — I’m excited to see what Katie writes next.
Let me start by saying:
I genuinely loved the heart of this story. The soulmate concept mixed with the idea of choosing love outside of fate was such a refreshing twist. I adore soulmate lore, but I also love when a book explores the possibility of loving someone who isn’t “written” for you — and somehow, Ariel gets both. I didn’t expect to enjoy that angle as much as I did.
The Characters & Their Connections
Ariel was the standout for me. He’s such a sweet, grounded character, and his relationship with Eduardo added so much warmth and depth to the story. Eduardo wasn’t just a cute kid thrown in for vibes — he genuinely strengthened the bond between all three adults and made their dynamic feel more meaningful.
Octavia’s grief was handled with so much care. Losing her father — someone who wasn’t always kind or easy to love — left her in a complicated emotional space. Her connection with Leo felt steady and comforting, like a lifeline she clung to while trying to rebuild herself.
And then there’s Leo, the man with two soulmate marks.
He’s the reason this entire trio exists.
He’s the bridge between Octavia and Ariel.
He’s the one carrying the weight of fate on his skin.
Which is exactly why I kept wishing we had chapters from his perspective.
My One Big Wish: Leo POV
The story was rich, emotional, and beautifully layered… but Leo’s voice was missing. He’s the character who ties everything together, the one whose existence creates this “triple threat,” and the one navigating the complexity of having two soulmates.
I wanted to understand his internal conflict — the fear, the longing, the confusion, the hope. Even just a few Leo chapters would’ve elevated the entire book for me. His perspective felt essential, and its absence left a small gap in an otherwise beautiful story.
What I Loved
Ariel being a single dad — Eduardo added so much heart
The soulmate concept and how it expanded beyond fate
The emotional support each character offered the others
The tennis backdrop tying their lives together
The chronic pain representation
The ending (sweet, warm, and satisfying)
The way Katie writes relationships with so much tenderness
I devoured this book and genuinely adored the main trio and every side character. Everyone was dealing with their own struggles, and watching them lift each other up was beautiful.
Why It’s 3 Stars for Me
Poly romance just isn’t my preferred trope.
That’s the only reason this lands at 3 stars instead of higher.
Even with that personal preference, I still enjoyed the story more than I expected. The emotional beats landed, the characters were lovable, and the soulmate twist kept me hooked. Katie’s writing continues to shine, and I’ll absolutely be reading whatever she releases next.
Final Thoughts:
This was heartfelt, warm, and unexpectedly tender. I flew through it and genuinely wished I could spend more time with these characters. Even though poly romance isn’t my thing, Katie made this trio feel real, supportive, and beautifully connected.
Thank you again to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC — I’m excited to see what Katie writes next.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.25 stars. This book was very interesting to me because it felt different reading it than most romance books do. I'm not quite sure how to describe it, but I'll give it my best go at it. The entire book, I felt like I was almost like I was watching the story though a window, or like I was a fly on the wall. Usually when I read a book, I get so immersed in the story that I feel like I'm in the book. But this book just didn't give me the immersive feeling for some reason.
It may have something to do with how the story was structure. Really, there are three main characters in this book: Octavia, Ariel, and Leo. However, we got alternating POV chapters from Octavia and Ariel only, nothing from Leo's POV. I felt like the author wanted to bring us into the relationship, but not completely. The entire time, I just felt as if I was only understanding half of what was going on. I think you either do all three POVs or keep it as a single POV.
Digging a little deeper, it felt very disjointed because we were constantly in a different location but barely given any insight into what was going on between the previous setting/scene and the next. There is something to be said about including transitional scenes into a story because it helps connect the overall plot better. But we were missing those transitional scenes and just going from one big moment to the other. It just felt very disconnected, which didn't help me immerse myself into the book.
Tagging on to that, the lack of transitional scenes didn't help the character development of the MCs. It was as if I was watching people at the table next to me in a restaurant; I could overhear what they are talking about, but I didn't really understand who they are, what their motives are, their histories, etc. There are brief moments from their backgrounds that made it through: Octavia's traumatic relationship with her late father/coach, Ariel's injury, Leo's brother's suicide. Aside from that, there was not really any character development, so they didn't feel like fully developed characters. Which means that I just didn't understand the relationships and the chemistry between each of them because I barely knew who they were.
With all that being said, while I was reading the book, I felt so much love on the page. The story itself was just a really heartwarming story without being cheesy or cringy. Everything we did know about the characters made them likable. There weren't any annoying drama and frustrating reactions by the characters that are often in romance books. It was just a lovely story to read without it being too sugary-sweet.
Last thing I want to talk about is the small magical realism included in the novel. In this world, the name of a person's soulmate is inked on their wrist from birth or a young age - usually, if you do have one (some don't). When they meet their soulmate, the ink becomes very pigmented - essentially, it tells people when they've met their person. I like the idea of this in a sense... but it was so much on the back burner that it just felt unnecessary? Almost lazy writing to be honest, because I feel like it was used as an easy way to get the characters to do what the author wanted them to do. I don't know - that is the one part of the novel that did feel very cheesy and odd and just not needed.
Thank you to Atria and NetGalley for this e-arc.
It may have something to do with how the story was structure. Really, there are three main characters in this book: Octavia, Ariel, and Leo. However, we got alternating POV chapters from Octavia and Ariel only, nothing from Leo's POV. I felt like the author wanted to bring us into the relationship, but not completely. The entire time, I just felt as if I was only understanding half of what was going on. I think you either do all three POVs or keep it as a single POV.
Digging a little deeper, it felt very disjointed because we were constantly in a different location but barely given any insight into what was going on between the previous setting/scene and the next. There is something to be said about including transitional scenes into a story because it helps connect the overall plot better. But we were missing those transitional scenes and just going from one big moment to the other. It just felt very disconnected, which didn't help me immerse myself into the book.
Tagging on to that, the lack of transitional scenes didn't help the character development of the MCs. It was as if I was watching people at the table next to me in a restaurant; I could overhear what they are talking about, but I didn't really understand who they are, what their motives are, their histories, etc. There are brief moments from their backgrounds that made it through: Octavia's traumatic relationship with her late father/coach, Ariel's injury, Leo's brother's suicide. Aside from that, there was not really any character development, so they didn't feel like fully developed characters. Which means that I just didn't understand the relationships and the chemistry between each of them because I barely knew who they were.
With all that being said, while I was reading the book, I felt so much love on the page. The story itself was just a really heartwarming story without being cheesy or cringy. Everything we did know about the characters made them likable. There weren't any annoying drama and frustrating reactions by the characters that are often in romance books. It was just a lovely story to read without it being too sugary-sweet.
Last thing I want to talk about is the small magical realism included in the novel. In this world, the name of a person's soulmate is inked on their wrist from birth or a young age - usually, if you do have one (some don't). When they meet their soulmate, the ink becomes very pigmented - essentially, it tells people when they've met their person. I like the idea of this in a sense... but it was so much on the back burner that it just felt unnecessary? Almost lazy writing to be honest, because I feel like it was used as an easy way to get the characters to do what the author wanted them to do. I don't know - that is the one part of the novel that did feel very cheesy and odd and just not needed.
Thank you to Atria and NetGalley for this e-arc.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 221 reviews