Catching Feelings

Varsity #2

by Emily Charlotte

The first rule for a drama-free senior year? Don’t fall for the mysterious new football transfer. A swoony young adult romance full of undeniable chemistry and school spirit perfect for fans of Lynn Painter and Friday Night Lights, from the author of Heart Check.

When Sabrina and Tyler meet by accident outside (okay, inside) the football locker rooms, it’s not a big deal. After a rocky summer, Sabrina is focused on leading the Spirit Committee to its best year ever, while Tyler is eager to leave behind the mess from his old school with a second chance playing football as a transfer. Neither is looking for romance.

But as the team’s newest (and most eligible) varsity athlete, Tyler is suddenly the center of attention. And Sabrina is busy dodging Ryan, her longtime flirtationship who is determined to take her to the homecoming dance. Ryan is exactly the kind of chaos Sabrina doesn’t need, so she asks Tyler to go as friends instead. Eager to fend off other unwanted advances, Tyler is happy to accept.

Of course, this was before Sabrina realized Tyler is Ryan’s cousin. But as long as they’re just friends, everything should be fine. Tyler is less willing to ignore the connection he feels toward Sabrina, but he’s also desperate to keep his past buried. When the chemistry between them becomes impossible to deny, can their carefully laid plans survive the fallout, or will secrets and social pressure threaten everything they’ve built?

Genres: Romance, Young Adult, Sports Romance, Sports, Contemporary, Friends To Lovers, Football

304 pages, Paperback

Expected publication September 1, 2026

Reviews

[Sarah]

I GOT THE ARC??? I'M SOOOO FREAKING EXCITED!! 😆🧡💙

[liz ౨ৎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5! this book had me so smiley and giddy!!

[⋆˚୨ৎ˚⋆ Kim ⋆˚୨ৎ˚⋆]

⋅˚₊‧ ୨ 𝒫𝓇𝑒-𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒹 (4/29/2026): ୧ ‧₊˚ ⋅ I won a giveaway on the author's page for this ARC and it just came in the mail today! I'm super excited to head back to Hamilton Lakes and see Sabrina (my absolute fave character!) and Tyler!

Thank you to Emily Charlotte and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for the physical ARC in exchange for an honest review. Catching Feelings will be officially published on September 1st, 2026!

[A. Diella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Catching Feelings by Emily Charlotte
Release Date:September 1st
Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Age rating:14+
Spice:none

Thank you NetGalley for this arc! This was SO CUTE! I had so much fun reading this one. Tyler and Sabrina were very relatable, and I want to be friends with them. The chemistry between them was amazing. I giggled an a LOT during this, and couldn’t stop smiling. The friendships were really good, it’s rare for me to actually enjoy the friendships in a romcom, so I was happy to like this one. I was so invested that I actually stayed up reading instead of doomscrolling, which hasn’t happened in ages. It was just so good, and happy feeling. Definitely add this to your tbr!

[Cassandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was very lucky/fortunate/honoured to read an early copy of Catching Feelings and ommmmgggg Emily Charlotte you have done it UHGAIN. The chemistry? Off the charts! The yearning? Incredible. The warm-and-fuzzy feeling of kicking your feet as you watch two main characters slowly fall in love?!? Healed me.

I love reading romance because the characters have to do so much inner work to let themselves be happy and let the other person into their lives. Emily has such a knack for this and for writing characters with so much heart, her work is such a joy to read.

Also the cover is SUPER CUTE BAHHH

[Summer · Rating 5 out of 5]

My thoughts:
New football romance alert!! This was so good! I absolutely loved Heart Check and when I heard Emily was writing a football romance I freaked out!
Tyler and Sabrina’s relationship was so sweet! I loved their locker room meet-cute and the insta-attraction between them!
I was so happy with all the football talk hehe. I’m a football girlie through and through and am so happy to have another amazing football romance!
I loved seeing Harper and Dawson again! They’re so cute and in love ☺️
This was one of those books where you finish it and immediately want more! I was so sad when it was over!
I definitely recommend Heart Check AND Catching Feelings! This is quite possibly my new favorite football romance 🤭

Tropes:
🧡friends to lovers
💗insta-attraction
🧡he falls first
💗locker room meet-cute
🧡golden retriever MMC
💗secret relationship
🧡found family
💗football romance
🧡boy obsessed
💗high school romance
🧡dual pov
💗”ruin the friendship”
🧡no spice!

Content:
- 4.5☆
- spice: .5* (kissing only/closed door. Innuendo)
- language: 🗣️🗣️🗣️ (9 f-words. 51 a-, s-, d- words. 2 b-words)
- TW/CW: divorce. Fear of disappointment. MC is falsely accused.
*multiple gay side characters. Present often.

Huge thank you to Emily Charlotte, NetGalley, and Simon Teen for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

[Birdie Schae · Rating 5 out of 5]

As usual, I am wholly obsessed with Emily Charlotte’s writing! Catching Feelings is as warm and comforting as the knowledge that you belong somewhere. Another romantic coming-of-age story from my queen!

[Alannah]

IM SO EXCITEDDD OMGG

[ryliekate_reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review of Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Publishing.
Publication Date: September 1, 2026

3.25 stars!
Catching Feelings by Emily Charlotte was a really cute book, and I absolutely adored the two leads. Sabrina and Tyler are both such genuine and caring people, and their relationship was so, so, so sweet. They each have scars from the previous school year, and together they grow to find that sense of belonging and discover the steps towards healing. Also, Tyler is a truly incredible person in this book, and is just so kindhearted and genuine.
While it did have some miscommunication tropes in it, I appreciated how they actually ended up talking it out AND that it didn’t last too long. The romance was very quick (definitely not slow-burn) but still very cute!
It is a no-spice book with some *spicier* kisses (level 3– descriptive, handsy, etc.), frequent innuendo, mildly frequent profanity (f-word is present).
Now, there were certain things present that personally felt a little uncomfortable (going against my beliefs/convictions) that did make it a little bit of a lower rating for me. There’s underaged drinking involving the leads, some heavily implied innuendo, and lusty attraction between characters. There is LGBTQ present— no hate or ill-will intended— with many of the side characters engaging in homosexuality.
Overall, this was a really fun book, and I recommend if you enjoy fast-paced, swoony, sports-centered, rom-coms, and adorable reads!!! The author has such a wonderful writing style!
Happy reading :)

Thank you so much to Simon & Schuster Publishing and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for a free, honest review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

[Nayeli Rose Hevezi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emily Charlotte is a genius.
Once again I am sobbing over how adorable the story is and I am just so obsessed with how Emily Charlotte writes her characters and the sweet and funny moments mixed into all of it. I’ve never been much of a football person but I genuinely forgot about it while reading this book, I finished it in 2 days and I already miss it. Being back in Hamilton Lakes felt like going back to one of my homes, and reading about Harper and Luke again?! My hearttttttt!!!!!
I cannot wait for everyone to fall in love with Tyler and Sabina and I can’t wait for what’s to come!!!!

[Clara :) · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ - Catching Feelings

I am still screaming because I finally got to read my ARC of Catching Feelings!! 😭 After being obsessed with Heartcheck, I already knew Emily Charlotte was going to deliver, but I was NOT prepared for how much I would fall for these characters.

This story follows Sabrina during her absolute mess of a chaotic senior year, which gets even more complicated when Tyler, the new star football player, shows up. What starts as a whirlwind connection quickly turns into something neither of them saw coming as they try to balance their feelings with all the senior year drama happening on and off the field! 🏈✨

The football aspect was handled so well, but what really sold it for me was Tyler. Usually in romance books, it feels like the guy is just there to be the "love interest," but Emily actually gave him so much depth and made him feel like a real human being. I felt like I actually got to know him as a person, which made his relationship with Sabrina hit ten times harder!!

Overall, this was such a sweet, solid read that lived up to all my expectations. I am so happy I got to read this one early and I’m already missing these two!

10/10 would recommend if you love a romance where the characters actually have personalities and a good sports subplot! 🏈❤️✨

[Danika]

A book dedicated to all the eldest daughters out there?! I'm so going to read it!

[Avery · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I say? This is another banger by Emily Charlotte and I’m not the bit surprised. I knew once I read Heart Check that her next book would be just as good. Of course I have to start out with the rating. This book was obviously 5 ✨ and I’m so glad I got the arc from NetGalley. I was so lucky that Both Emily Charlotte and NetGalley approved me to read both her first and second published books.

I can’t say how grateful I am to return to Hamilton Lakes for another year and another book that I got to see progress into something great and beautiful. I was honestly so excited when Sabrina and Tyler first crossed paths because they have so much chemistry together and if they didn’t end up together I’d be so sad but they did.

Tyler is such a green flag I loved his character so much. Also during the talent show his was ventriloquy that was something that I thought was really cute and I wished that the scene was longer because Tyler doing ventriloquy was such a cute trait/talent to have. I also loved that Tyler was always listening to Sabrina and trying to help her in any way that he could. Tyler was so sweet always had a smile on his face and he was just a ray of sunshine. Tyler was so considerate and he was always thinking about his friends and family before himself. Even though he had his own struggles and problems he was always willing to go through them with an open mind. Tyler only wanted the best for the people around him and I think that is why he was so lovable and so understandable with his peers and he just made such a good love interest and main character.

Sabrina is the type of person who wants everything to work out but she’s also a planner of the Spirit Committee. She has to make sure the nothing goes wrong and that everything works, except it doesn’t. Because life doesn’t always turn out how you want it to be and I think that that was the best part of this book: the uncertainty of it all because Sabrina wasn’t expecting to fall in love and she definitely wasn’t expecting to be thrown off course. I think that Sabrina needed someone like Tyler because I think they were each other’s missing halves. Sabrina and Tyler are just so good to each other that you know they’re couple goals. Did we get a few cameos from Harper and Dawson we did and did Dawson give Tyler about advice to stay away from the freezer? Yeah he did which I loved.

I just love how Sabrina and Tyler listen and appreciate each other. This book was somehow even better than the first, I would love to read more of Emily Charlotte’s books and I’m so excited to do so in the future. Like I said before this book is a 5 ✨for me and I just can’t get Tyler and Sabrina out of my mind. They live there rent free. I just wanted to thank NetGalley and Emily Charlotte again for allowing me to read the arc of Catching Feelings because I really enjoyed it. I also wanted to thank them for allowing me to read the first book in the Varsity series, Heart Check. Being able to read Heart Check as the first book I got on NetGalley is so special to me and I will always be forever thankful and grateful. Seeing Charlotte grow as a writer has been a privilege and a pleasure, I can’t wait to see what you write next 😁.

[caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had such a wonderful time with Heart Check, so was so excited to see the next book in the series! Sabrina was one of my favorite characters in the previous book and I just knew she'd have an interesting story.

As much as I loved Heart Check, Catching Feelings definitely moved me even more! I love a (secret) sad girl x (secret) sad boy story, which is precisely what this delivered. Both Sabrina and Tyler were wonderfully deep (I teared up multiple times while reading this) and I loved witnessing their growth. The drama and mystery around Tyler's transfer was so compelling and fun to piece together. It kept me super engaged and I absolutely devoured this book because of it. The pacing was perfectly done! Seeing both characters slowly open up to one another, culminating in the big reveal and drama was so fun (less so for the characters, obvi).

One of the main things I noticed with both Heart Check and now Catching Feelings is just how real the high school setting feels. While this is fictional and some of the drama definitely feels fictional, the characters themselves feel like such accurate high schoolers. The way they think, act, and feel is very accurate! No one ever feels too juvenile or too adult. They're mature, but still have a lot to learn. Many kudos to Emily Charlotte for nailing this! It really makes these books feel so nostalgic and sweet.

Aside from the main plot and the writing, I really loved how much depth there was to the side characters. It really feels like a cast from a high school drama that we slowly unwrap with each book. Ryan was my absolute favorite this book and I sincerely hope he gets a book because he has so much depth and potential! I will be tuning into the next book regardless of who it's about because I really do love this series and Emily Charlotte!

Thank you to Margaret K. McElderry Books for the ARC via Netgalley!

[Anouk · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cozy and swoon-worthy romcom full of heart and tenderness, perfect for a late summer evening 🏈

First of all, a huge thank you to the author and Simon & Schuster for sending me an early copy of this book and trusting me with her work. Having been absolutely enamoured by Harper and Luke's story, I couldn't wait to dive into another book set in Hamilton Lakes. So naturally, I was ecstatic to read Catching Feelings early. And what can I say? Emily did it again!

As with Heart Check, this book showcases the importance of community and teamwork, as well as why real friendships are so special - this is what you can call a realistic portrayal of the high-school experience 🏫 Add to that the immersive writing and fast pace, and you're fully swept off your feet.

We already got a glimpse of Sabrina in Heart Check, and it was great to get to know her better. She struggles to juggle her private life with all the responsibilities that come with being the president of the Spirit Committee 🗓️ She soon finds comfort in Tyler, the new football transfer. They start out as friends, but sparks fly, and it soon develops into something more. Tyler has secrets of his own, but at the end of the day, he's the ultimate golden retriever and is unbelievably sweet to Sabrina 🤭

I was also living for the little Harper and Luke snippets 🧣

4.5 ⭐️ ARC Review

[Ali · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

While Catching Feelings was one of my most anticipated reads of the year, it unfortunately left me feeling a bit underwhelmed by the novel’s end. Despite the robust characterization and level of detail, Charlotte’s sophomore foray into YA fiction elicited a convoluted mix of reactions from me.

Both Sabrina and Tyler were solid, engaging, and endearing protagonists. Sabrina’s charm and bubbly demeanor were infectious, while Tyler’s earnestness was unquestionably adorable. However, their narrative voices possessed a quite saccharine quality that caused most of the narration to feel cheesy, rather than natural. Perhaps this was due to the manner in which both characters seemed to over explain and describe everything, from their backstories to their very reactions during a conversation (having Tyler explain that he had to laugh, instead of just having him laugh, felt off). In my estimation, Charlotte relied a bit too much on the narration and not enough on the action itself during the first half of the novel. In doing so, she shortchanged the story to some extent, as the dialogue and active scenes were her true strengths.

The development of each character, as well as the pacing of the plot itself, seemed rushed. Given the amount of world building (at which Charlotte excelled both in Catching Feelings and Heart Check), one would think that the story took place over many months. The fact that it didn’t made for a few awkward moments. For example, at one point, Tyler remarked that Sabrina was always busy, after only having three short encounters with her. At another, Sabrina mentioned that they had been friends for a long time. Both instances were incredulous and unfortunately, pulled me out of the story temporarily. Charlotte’s intent to create nuanced protagonists to which readers of all ages can relate was successful (Sabrina’s and Tyler’s chemistry was great too!). However, the lack of interaction between Sabrina and her parents and Tyler and his parents (or his aunt and uncle, for that matter) created an imbalance in the emotional weight of their struggles. Had Charlotte included scenes with their families throughout the novel, she may have established a stronger and deeper connection to both characters’ experiences. As it was, the brief introductions to each set of parents felt more like an aside than the undercurrent for Sabrina’s and Tyler’s arcs.

While other reviewers have likened Charlotte’s novels to that of Lynn Painter, her writing style and storytelling remind me more of the author Abby Glines’s The Field Party series than anyone else’s work.

Ultimately, Catching Feelings was a cute follow-up to Heart Check and did make me wonder if there are other stories to tell within in the Hamilton Lakes universe. While my expectations were not met (which is my fault, not Charlotte’s), I do believe other readers will find the novel to be exactly what they need from a YA novel and love Sabrina and Tyler as much as they did Harper and Dawson, if not more.

Thank you very much to Margaret K. McElderry Books, Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing, and NetGalley for the privilege to read this ARC!

[Kelsie Bowler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I caught feelings for Catching Feelings!

Catching Feelings is a YA romance with two sweethearts for main characters. Sabrina is the overachieving head of the Spirit Committee trying to distract herself from her parent's recent divorce by giving Hamilton Lakes High School's Homecoming planning her all. Then she has a run-in with the new kid at school.

Tyler transferred from his own school to escape from some drama that he ended up as the center of. However, it doesn't take long for the girls at Hamilton Lakes to catch on that this new football player is CUUUUTTTEEEE. Sabrina and Tyler figure out that if they agree to be each other's homecoming dates it helps them out. Sabrina doesn't have to decline people asking her to the dance, because she doesn't have the capacity for a real date right now. Tyler gets a breather from all the girls flocking to him in attempt to stake their claim to the fresh meat on the Varsity football team.

I wish that I and this book in high school. Sabrina is a bit messy because she's got a lot going on. But she isn't looked down on by Tyler. He loves her for it and sees what she needs. She becomes a safe spot for Tyler during a diccifult transition from his friends and family back at home in Brownsville.

I have no critiques. I need to figure out how to become a film producer because Catching Feelings needs to be a movie so I can watch it over and over again.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

[Gia1314 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahhhh this is an ARC review of Catching Feelings! A BIG thanks to Emily Charlotte for letting me read her book early!! Ugh she's done it again! Another 5 star read! I was starting to almost get into a reading slump but this book pulled me right out of it! Sabrina is such a cutie and I love her so much! I relate to her need to keep everything perfect so much! Also Tyler is so sweet and lovable! This gave me all the good school vibes too! Emily Charlotte does good with sports romance be she actually includes the sport in sports romance! Tyler's number being 13 heheheh The yearning was great!
-⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
-🫑🫑🫑no spoilers butttt there's some very good tension
-Language: Mild but infrequent-ish language, there are f-words but nothing explicit
-Genre: YA sports romance
-Age rating: 14/15+ in my opinion depending on maturity
-Two first person POV's
-Pace: Fast
-Tropes: Acts of service, friends to lovers, found family, listenerXyapper
-Other things to consider: underage drinking, Igbta side character rep, POC side character rep, etc.

[Raegan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t know what it is about them, but Emily Charlotte’s books are always able to suck me in and make me incapable of putting them down! In this book, I fell in love with even more of her characters and got way too invested in their lives. I loved the found family in this so so much. I also really loved Sabrina! I related so much to her people pleasing tendencies and do-it-myself nature. Don’t even get me started on Tyler, because he is the absolute sweetest: golden retriever, good listener, i could go on for days. I thought the plot was interesting and the drama with his old school added good suspense. Overall I really enjoyed this book, which is no surprise considering how much I loved Heart Check as well! Highly recommend!!

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read this ARC and share my honest review!!

[Aria Ramsamooj · Rating 5 out of 5]

I felt every emotion in Catching
Feelings and I can't decide if it is great news or bad news. I only say this because, why was it so dang relatable. Bot Sabrina and Tyler made me feel every single emotion of their only to realize l've felt like them in more ways than one. Obviously not their relationship situation emotions but their lives outside of that. I love them together wholeheartedly, they make each other better and i feel so proud of both of them for everything they had to overcome to be with each other and love themselves. Also can we talk about the Harper Dawson cameos, like why are they so much friggin cuter than the last time I read about them. Now we just need to set Ryan up and my life's work will be complete! Please see about that Emily Charlotte, thank you!!! This was an Arc read so be sure to check this book out September 1st of this year! Thank you @netgalley

[leiidyy]

I CANT WAIT FOR THIS BOOK TO COME OUT!!!! sabrina was such a little cutie in Varisty #1 and im so deathly excited to hear more about her!!!!!

[norareadsromance21 · Rating 5 out of 5]

**Review of Adavanced Reader Copy from NetGalley!!!**

Ok I already love Sabrina! Yess Harper and Dawson! I love how Tyler loves football. Yes varsity! Awww what’s he giving up? Sabrina girl u can be behind schedule! OMG THE LOCKER ROOM SCEBE!!! Hahah why was he wearing headphones. Yes welcome him!!! Unless he doesn’t want to be welcomed bc he is sad. Awww he thinks she’s cute. Oh no I hate that he had to leave home! WHAT HAPPENED AT THE PARTY!!! Ryan no!!! Why is there no other option for Tyler?? I’m invested! Ooo are they enemies now? Haha Dawson. KATE UGH! I get you Tyler sometimes I just want to lay low :(. Aww Sabrina I hate when there’s tension too (with parents)!!! Also therapy yasss. Girl put urself first!! But have some fun. Yesss they were assigned together. This is a lot of attention on him! Aww they’re going to homecoming together as friends. BUT WAIT does she know Ryan is his cousin?? I hope Ryan gets his own book 💕💕💕. Aww Tyler wants to fix it. He’s listening & asking her questions awww. Aw they relate ❤️❤️❤️. Why’d he tell her? Aw she’s gonna keep it a secret & listen to him!! YES KEEP TALKING AND GO ON A DATE. Omg she found out! I am stressin’ for this girl. Good she’s a good thinker. I understand the feeling of lasts. Girl nooo! Girl protect ur safe space. Aww he’s putting up her posters!
They hooked up! Omg Tyler already knows more than Ryan lol. Omg Sabrina! Not to
Get back at Ryan for him saying you hooked up. Awww he feels at home 🥰. Why would he go home? Haha he does do puppets! Ooo college?? Boo lying 🤥 omg not the car!! Not the rumor abt him being kicked out! Girl it’s not ur fault about ur parents!! Tyler ur not trouble for ur parents they love you! The pep rally is so high school. Awww hug 🤗 yay for Not fading into the background. I love their car rides. There’s def more there.
The kiss 😘 football szn is the best!!! Oh no why is she gonna find out why he left!! Girl that’s for him to tell. Tyler is the best. Some guy I barely know!! Harsh. Yesss take Sabrina on a real date!!! Oooo not him thinking she’s similar to Kate 😣. Talk to ur fam kid!! This team cares abt you!!! Awww the letterman jacket. Stealing glances 😘. More kissing! And she’s still wearing the jacket 🧥💕💕. I love reading about football! Aw no one there but Sab is! Oh not the geelings of doubt about Ryan he’s gonna find out isn’t he??? These touches. Bathroom kiss but they don’t have anything confirmed between them.
Awww she’s less lonely with him. A man who thinks of her list aww. OOO GIRLFRIEND!!! a date? Haha not the mention of the freezer. awww they’re talking again. Omg he’s gonna tell her? Ok ig not. But they’re gonna tell Ryan! OMG RYAN NOOO. Why is she afraid. Why didn’t they tell him?? Fighting with his old friends oh no. Girl I understand the feeling of running at the sight of fights. Oh no. Girl he hurt someone bc he was trying to protect someone else.
Oh no Tyler feels like he has nothing left. Oh no. I feel Sabrina on cancelling homecoming when my own was cancelled my senior year bc of covid. Nothing to hang onto 😭😭. Why doesn’t Tyler tell any of his teammates! Why is Kate calling him!!? Oh no not his future. Oh boy Ryan why would you think that about Sabrina. Ooo Tyler to the rescue about homecoming! Awww strawberry milkshake!! Yay!! Oh he’s finally telling her about the fight. Awww yay Tyler’s part of the team!! With friends!! Oh geez his family is there!! Awww his friends
PUBLIC YAY! Awww sab’s mom is so sweet! Awww Dawson came to hoco! Omg KISS IN THE RAIN!!

EMILY CHARLOTTE YOU HAVE DONE IT AGAIN!!! Overall, I really enjoyed this book and finding out more about Sabrina & Tyler as the story went on with them both struggling with their own thing. I so badly related to Sabrina and I appreciated them having a homecoming in the rain! I WANT THAT TO BE A MOVIE ASAP!!!

Thank you to Simon & Schuster, NetGalley, and Emily Charlotte for this Advanced Reader Copy of Catching Feelings by Emily Charlotte out 9/1/26!!!

[Alannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for this eARC!

I was fortunate enough to get an ARC of Emily Charlotte's debut novel "Heart Check" last november and loved it so much! I also was lucky enough to be on the spirit comitee and help reveal the cover for "Catching Feelings". I've spoken to Emily a few times over Instagram messages and comments and she's such a sweet person and truly cares about her readers, which really shows through her writing!

"Catching Feelings" is about Sabrina, the president of the spirit comitee, a selfless kindhearted girl, who loves to help people through their own feelings but refuses to let other people see her own feelings, and Tyler, the new Football player in town, ready to keep his head down for his senior year, and escape his messy past school, who meet outside (well inside 😉) the football locker rooms. Neither of them are looking for a relationship, senior year is busy enough, but to get Ryan, Sabrina's long term flirtationship, and hoards of fans trying to get Tyler to take them to Homecoming, off their backs they decide to go to Homecoming together as friends. But then Sabrina realises that Tyler is Ryan's cousin, but as long as they stay just friends they should be fine, right? But the longer they stay friends, the harder it is to deny their chemistry, can they make a way to be together or will secrets and social pressure break them apart?

OKK so I LOVEDDDD this so much, I adore sports romances just because of the found family that comes with it and this did that so well even when Sabrina and Tyler tried to keep other people out. I loved how we kinda got to see them together before the end of the book, since most romances end up with the couple getting together on like the last pages, but also without it being an "insta love" trope, I think that was really well written in that way (coming from someone who despises insta love).

Ok so SABRINAAA omg, I loved her so much and related to her so much, this is kind of a minor spoiler so if you want to go in completely blind dont read this part but during the book she dealing with the divorce of her parents and just like her thought process around that and how she dealt with it was like really relatable to me and I really felt seen during those parts. Also Sabrina is just like such an iconic kind soul and I love her so freaking much, I strive to be like her.

And TYLERRR, where do I even start, he was such a freaking yearner for Sabrina omg and like he would listen to her and hear what she needed done, even tho she was just telling him because she likes to talk, and then do the things that needed to be done WITHOUT. BEING. ASKED. or ASKING. HOW. TO. DO. IT. and like yeah thats the bare minimum but men in real life suck so yk. And he's so kind and would do literally anything for his friends and just AHHHH I can't even explain it, I just love him.

All in all this was a great read, and one of my most anticipated reads for this year and IT. LIVED. UP. TO. IT. I really loved this, if you love friends to lovers, sports romances, Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce and true YA romcoms I think you will love this! Pre-order now, pub date Sep 1st 2026!

[Tiffany Wagner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much to Simonteen, Netgalley and the amazing author herself, Emily Charlotte, for letting me read this amazing book early and trusting me to give an honest review in return.

My rating:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (if I could rate it more, I would)
🏈Tropes📔
📔No Spice/YA📔
🏈football player x head of the Spirit Committee🏈
📔locker meet-cute📔
🏈sports rom-com🏈
📔insta-attraction📔
🏈he falls first🏈
📔dual pov📔

It's funny because it took me longer to actually sit down and write a review than it did to read the whole book. Like Heart Check, I DEVOURED this book. I loved it so freaking much, no one understands. It makes me wanna re-read Heart Check and Catching Feelings, but I won't because I'm saving them for when the paperback arrives. (Sep. 1st!)
Okay, first of all, I just wanna talk about how easily it was to read this book. I stayed up all night to read this book in a day, and I loved it so much. I love Emily Charlotte's writing style so much. It felt like one of those 2000s rom-coms that you wish you knew existed, then when you finally get to read it, it turns into your favorite movie ever, and that's exactly what this book did for me. It is now one of my favorite books of 2026.
Okay, now for the actual review lol.
Tyler freaking Holloway, ladies and gens. There's not much to say except I love this man so much. He is so sweet and kind, and I actually love his backstory and how there's some mystery to it because we don't find out what happened for a while. The whole book, I wanted to know so badly what happened, and then when we did, I was like... whoa. Besides his backstory, though, I loved HIM. The way he helped Sabrina (two specific times, iykyk) and the way he fits in right away with the football team were absolutely perfect. Also, the ending scene was THE best way to end the book. No one can convince me it wasn't. Also, this man made me giggle so much AGHHHHHH🤭Did I mention how in love I am with Tyler?
Now, for my queen, Sabrina. She is... LITERALLY my spirit animal. I related to Sabrina so much in so many different ways. I loved how she was so organized and how she really dedicated herself to being head of the Spirit Committee. Also, her rant about Gilmore Girls to Tyler was freaking hilarious. I couldn't stop laughing because of how true it was. She really opened my eyes about what team I'm on vs what team I SHOULD be on...lolll. I also loved her friendship with Ryan, but after they actually talked. I did find him annoying for a while because they wouldn't freaking talk, but it was for the plot, it's okay. I still loved him, and I think he has so much potential for a possible book (😉🤭pls, thank you in advance).
Anyway, overall, this book was obviously amazing in every way possible. I loved seeing Harper and Dawson together again, and Tyler and Sabrina are adorable in the best way possible. Their chemistry, banter, and personalities are everything, and I cannot wait to see them in any (maybe) future Hamilton Lakes books.
I enjoyed every minute of this book and am so, so grateful I got to read this masterpiece early. I almost wish it had taken me a week to read it because now I just feel sad I can't read it for the first time again. But I will be re-reading both Heart Check (which, you should definitely get if you haven't already) and Catching Feelings. Go pre-order this masterpiece and go read Heart Check (Hamilton Lakes book #1) if you haven't already, you won't regret it.💜🏈

[Emily Reister Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Received from Netgalley for review.

Senior year is starting and after a difficult junior year Sabrina is determined to have the best senior year yet. It's her last year with her best friends before they move all over the country for college, she's in charge of making the best homecoming dance their school has ever seen, and in order to make the most of it all she needs absolutely no drama. Especially not boy drama. But when she gets tasked with showing Tyler, the new football player transfer around, making him feel comfortable and welcome at school becomes a top priority. As they get to know each other and find the other to be a safe space for processing that they have been missing in their lives, they agree to go to homecoming together as friends. As their friendship deepens the "just friends" aspect of their relationship gets harder to maintain. Will they continue to build something special with each other or will they let their fear and insecurities come between them?

This story was very sweet. Though YA sports romance isn't a genre I read often, I very much enjoyed this and understand the appeal. This struck a good balance of the sport and school spirit aspect alongside the relationship building. I also really felt like the portrayal of teenagers was done well. They don't handle things perfectly, they react first then process later, but they care enough for the people in their lives to come back and work things out after they've had time to process. I thought Sabrina and Tyler were very cute together, even if I don't always love the "super big guy and teeny tiny girl" thing. I didn't find that to be overemphasized in a way that was annoying. I felt like the balance between following our main couple and getting to know the people around them was also quite good. The friends are very real people without taking up too much space or attention from the main story line. While I'm not a huge football person, I did appreciate how that was integrated and central to the plot without overtaking the plot.

This was a very fun and easy read and well composed for its target audience, balancing the romance with highlighting experiences and trauma that many high schoolers can relate to. Would definitely recommend and am interested in more in this world!

[Zurain Khuram · Rating 5 out of 5]

So here's my review gang:

Here's what you can expect:
🏈Friends to lovers
🏈Acts of service
🏈listener x yapper
🏈Yearning

💗Dual POV

Spice: none (This is a YA book)

Emily Charlotte is back, and much stronger and funnier than ever before. Err... what narcotics were put into this book? Because it encircled me with it's strong arm sculpted with words, and dragged me, tugging, everytime the horrendous thought of putting it down crept into my mind. Not that I wished to put it down, I only ever thought of the damned idea when my eyes grew sore, but no, couldn't, it was unputdownable (if that's a word). Let's talk about the plot, so well structured, and we'll paced, I could only gape at the execution of it all, and the writing? It made me laugh and feel touched and loved, oh and sometimes, the screen would go a bit blurry... Perhaps because of the inevitable relatability of the characters. They felt so real and so raw. Sabrina was SO likable, and it hurt watching her carry the world up the hill with her, she's so full of love and life and I ABSOLUTELY love love LOVEEEEEE her with all my heart, favorite character unlocked. And Tyler... MY LORD IS THAT BOY HOT AND CHARMING AS HELL. YEARNING IS SO BACK SOUND THE ALARM!!!!!!! THAT BOY IS THE YEARNIEST YEARNER IN ALL OF YEARNERANDA. The last time I read about a yearner LIKE THAT was 'Better than the movies'. Which reminds me of how BRILLIANT Emily's writing is, and how it is reminiscent of Lynn Painter's writing. RUNNING OUT OF WORDS GOT TO STOP, BUT IF THIS ISN'T ENOUGH TO MAKE YOU PRE-ORDER, I SHALL SEND RYAN YOUR WAY. (You can't say no that guy).

A bit about the book:
In this overwhelming romcom, two highschool seniors-steering clear of drama- find themselves drowning in it by the minute (drama that is). Watch as the two go from just friends to so much MORE.

Emily THANKYOU SO MUCH FOR LETTING ME READ THIS, I LOVE YOU AND THE HAMILTON LAKES UNIVERSE SOOOOOOO MUCH.

[Lucy A · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ☆

“‘You know, we all need someone to lean on sometimes. You’ve been there for me. Let people be there for you, too.’”

♫ | now playing
golden hour by JVKE

🎀🫶🏻💌💓⋆｡༄⋆ overall thoughts :
This book was amazing! It is a new favorite for me, and I’ll likely be adding a physical copy to my bookshelf after it comes out! The romance was just perfect, and Tyler was sooooo down bad. But it wasn’t just romance that made me give this five stars. The side characters were good too, and I love how supportive Sabrina’s and Tyler’s friends were. And the trauma they each had was not overlooked, but explored and I love how they held each other up through it all. This book really touched my heart as well. Yes, I did highlight lots of romantic quotes, but also so many that really showed how important healthy friendships and showing up for one another in rough times is. Anyways, I really enjoyed the dual povs! (That was so random after what I just said lol.) Dual povs I think really help readers/authors explore each character's minds, feelings, and personalities. It was a great choice for this particular novel.

↳ 🎧 sabrina+tyler :
drop dead
honeybee
afterglow

⋆｡༄⋆ tropes !
fake dating
grumpy x sunshine

✶⋆. I’m so excited to read the first book in this series! (yes, I read the second book first, don’t come for me)

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a free e-arc of this book.

More quotes because there are SO many good ones!
“This is what I wanted from my senior year. Scream-singing on dark roads, cherishing moments that will only come once, sharing one another’s joy.”

“‘Can I get you anything? Happy to drop off snacks or medicine or whatever at your place—’ Guilt pools in my stomach. Why does Tyler have to be so nice to me? Isn’t being hot bad enough?”

"There's one thing I’ve learned in the last few months, it’s that sometimes we just need to know our feelings aren’t so foreign to other people.”

[Emma Teagarden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much to Emily Charlotte and NetGalley for this ARC!!
4.5⭐️
To start off this review this book is perfect for the beginning of fall! It has the vibes of those first days of school, and the banter? Oh my gosh the banter between Tyler and Sabrina is so funny but so lovable at the same time!

Sabrina:
Sabrina is a head strong girl and if she wants something she is going to fight tooth and nail to get it.
With Homecoming season in full effect Sabrina and the rest of the spirit committee AKA my favorite girl group in a book I’ve ever read so far, are in full spirit mode to raise money for “the best homecoming ever” for their senior year.
While this is happening Sabrina is trying to hide for the demons of what happened over the summer/ spring, While also trying to stay drama free. Until she meets the new Football player on the Varsity team Tyler Holloway.

Tyler:
Tyler Just moved to Hamilton Lakes for a fresh start, he wants to stay hidden for his Senior Year, Sabrina wants the whole town to know him.
Tyler is troubled by drama that happened at his last school and is praying no one finds out. Tyler who was once trying to hide from the Limelight that Sabrina had put on him isn’t too sad once he gets to know her. And becoming
Carpool Buddies that (Redacted) Sometimes

Final thoughts:
This book trying was so cute I might like this a tiny bit more than Heart Check, This book made me laugh out loud and I couldn’t help but smile like a fool when reading this book! Both of the characters I could relate to on a very deep personal level, it was very hard to not like these characters!

Be sure to Preorder this beautiful book before September 1st for 1. The first print run gets the most beautiful purple spayed edges. And 2. Of you fill out the form you get some beautiful stickers designed by the amazing @haileyxhan on instagram

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers at Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing for giving me a free eARC copy in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Synopsis: Sabrina is busy as the spirit committee chair and trying to throw the best homecoming possible. The last thing she needs is any drama which is why she has been actively avoiding Ryan. Tyler is a transfer student looking for a new start on the football team and the school. The last thing he wants is to be the center of attention, but as the new athlete, he gets plenty of it. So, Sabrina and Tyler decide that in order to guard off attention from Ryan and the girls, that they will go to homecoming as friends. But as it turns out, they end up catching feelings for each other, but falling for each other becomes more complicated as Tyler's past comes to light.

I think this is a cute YA sports romance. It leans a little insta-love/insta-attraction, but I still overall enjoy the relationship. I like that Sabrina is a go-getter and ambitious girl. I wish that maybe she could have developed a bit more as far as addressing her people pleasing. Also, maybe a bit more with her mom because she was basically non-existent until the end, like Sabrina is all on her own. Tyler seems to be a nice guy, and I think he was able to grow a bit in learning to trust others. I'm glad his so-called old football buddies finally stepped up for him at the end of the book. Also, the whole resolution and clarification with the Ryan plotline was actually kind of hilarious. It may have been a miscommunication which might usually make me mad, but it fit Ryan's character and the made his previous reactions make more sense, as well as being a clear resolution to the problem.

[Ally · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Simon Teen for the E-ARC and the author for the travelling physical ARC that I got to read from to have the real experience and annotate!!

First of all please a round of applause for this absolute masterpiece holy moly! This book genuinely was everything I was craving from a romance and more. I was in a major romance slump and seeking out books from any other genre but this book single handedly brought me out of my slump.

Tyler is THE book boyfriend ohmygosh. He paid attention to everything Sabrina had to say, always listened to what she had to say without pushing her to share more and their relationship overall just has me yearning to one day have a relationship like theirs. The character depth of Tyler was absolutely wonderful and I just love him. His ability to handle problems level headed was so wonderful to see and his character was just so perfectly crafted I actually have nothing to say cause I’m stunned at how wonderful he is.

I really also loved the side plot of Ryan. I actually adore him and I hope he develops and frontal lobe and stops being a playboy because I totally see him settling down one day. I hope Emily decides to make a book about him cause I love his character overall. Also I love how he has so much love for Tyler and genuinely treats him like a brother. He gives such golden retriever mislead vibes ugh I love him so much. I wish Tyler gave him more attention and wouldn’t sneak around behind his back and blow him off, that was my only qualm with him.

If you are looking for a cute strangers to friends to lovers book with a form of found family and trust being developed, I would definitely recommend this book!!