What do you think?
Rate this book
Ava Enters the Group Chat: A Closed-Door Sports Romance
Not yet published
Expected 2 Feb 27Wrong Number. Right Guy. One Big Secret.
When Ava, a giraffe keeper who wants nothing to do with fame, is accidentally added to a group chat of men she assumes are coworkers, she plans to quietly leave. Instead, she stays--and quickly becomes part of the easy banter and unexpected friendship.
What she doesn't realize? The chat is made up of a pro football team. Including Hudson--the quarterback she already turned down in real life because his very public career is exactly what she's trying to avoid.
As Ava and Hudson start talking privately, real feelings begin to grow. But when Hudson realizes who she is, he makes a risky he won't tell her the truth just yet. First, he'll prove he's more than the spotlight.
Now, with crossed paths, growing chemistry, and a secret that won't stay hidden forever, Hudson risks losing the one woman who never cared about his fame in the first place.
When Ava, a giraffe keeper who wants nothing to do with fame, is accidentally added to a group chat of men she assumes are coworkers, she plans to quietly leave. Instead, she stays--and quickly becomes part of the easy banter and unexpected friendship.
What she doesn't realize? The chat is made up of a pro football team. Including Hudson--the quarterback she already turned down in real life because his very public career is exactly what she's trying to avoid.
As Ava and Hudson start talking privately, real feelings begin to grow. But when Hudson realizes who she is, he makes a risky he won't tell her the truth just yet. First, he'll prove he's more than the spotlight.
Now, with crossed paths, growing chemistry, and a secret that won't stay hidden forever, Hudson risks losing the one woman who never cared about his fame in the first place.
368 pages, Paperback
Expected publication February 2, 2027
About the author
Emma St. Clair
63 books4,350 followersEmma St. Clair is a USA Today Bestselling Author who loves sassy heroines, witty banter, and love stories with heart and humor. She has an MFA in Fiction and lives in Katy, Texas (go, Tigers!) with her hubby, five children, and Great Dane. Her favorite place to write is tapping on her phone while on the elliptical machine. No Emmas have been hurt in the writing of these novels. (Yet.)
Want a free novella? Grab Upping the Ante here: https://emmastclair.com/ante
You can follow the day-to-day on instagram @kikimojo.
Want a free novella? Grab Upping the Ante here: https://emmastclair.com/ante
You can follow the day-to-day on instagram @kikimojo.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews
July 26, 2026
(I received a complimentary advance copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)
Emma St. Clair does it again!
I have fallen in love with each of her books, for a plethora of reasons, and all of them can be found in this book.
1. The Cheese
Yes, the book is cheesy. Yes, it can be silly. Yes, it may not be entirely believable (PA to giraffe keeper is far fetched—turn it into a zoology student who couldn’t find a job out of college so took the PA job to work up to it, and that would have been better! Or some other reason to justify that Ava wanted to work with animals.)
However, the cheese and silliness and playfulness between characters is the charm of St. Clair’s books! Her character relationships are so believable because they tease each other (doing it well, I might add), and you can see the bond they have beneath it. I was giggling and laughing out loud at some of the group texts, and even at the letters and in person interactions. (Tangent, but Hudson’s letters?? Yes please!) So yes, there is cheese. No, it’s not for everyone. Does it help this reader to escape reality and enjoy a cute book? Absolutely! It may not be your cup of hot cocoa, but it sure is mine!
2. Character Relationships
I touched on this briefly already with the cheese, but the banter and the friendships we see throughout the book are so cute. I loved the football players and their camaraderie, but especially how soft and sweet they were with Ava and Hazel. I also loved that Ava connected with Presley, and that she realized that her own hindrances were keeping her back, not that Presley wasn’t interested. I would love to see more of their relationship now that they are spending time together!
Family relationships aren’t always easy, so I loved that St. Clair showed that—with Ava and her dad, Hudson and his dad, Ava and her step-mother, Ava and Presley, etc. Even Hudson and his mom showed growth, and as an added benefit, his mom raised him right! I mean, “Anne of Green Gables”? Priceless. (And on that note, a man that willingly reads “Pride and Prejudice” without being directly asked to??? I died dead.)
3. No Spice
Clean rom coms are my jam! This is a hallmark for St. Clair, which may be controversial, but it is a hill I am willing to die on: you do not need explicit scenes for character growth, relationships, or tension. The sparks between Ava and Hudson leap off the page, without the added scenes. You can still giggle and cry and gasp in all the right places. Enough said.
4. The Romance
Ah, the romance. The heart of the story. That meet cute was something else, for sure! I can honestly say that I’ve never read another book with a fake make-out session in a walk-in fridge that ends up with bloody hands from broken glasses. Believable? …meh. Freaking cute and setting the tone for more banter? Absolutely!
Ava and Hudson are so cute together, and I adore that Hudson was patient with Ava and let her come to her own conclusions instead of trying to force something. He never tried to change her, loved her work uniform and glasses, and took the time to get to know what makes her tick. He is long suffering and shows Ava that not all public relationships are going to end up the same way—he keeps their kisses private, as promised, and knows that she isn’t in it for the fame. Win-win!
Ava takes some time to let down her tower gates, (iykyk), but once she does? She knows what she wants and she doesn’t mess it up. Sold!
On the flip side…
A few thoughts for improvement:
Ava’s backstory and desire to be out of the public eye was totally believable! However, I would have liked to have a bit more information to bolster that character growth. We get bits and pieces throughout, which I love! But maybe a flashback or her dad talking about the accident more would have been helpful. That being said, I loved that we saw how Ava had a complicated relationship with her dad and yet still loved him, persevered, and actually talked to him! Underrated, imo. I also think it would have been cool to see them play together or to co-write a song or something.
I do also wish we got a bit more from the football players. BUT. If the reason behind the lack of Gunny, Polo, and Sherlock content is that this is eventually going to be a series and the rest of them will find love… I will be sat and stop complaining!
Overall!
This is a 5-star read for me because it is the type of book that I personally love. It may not be for everyone, but as a cute, opposites attract rom com? Sign me up! There are a few things that I would consider tweaking, as mentioned, but I would reread this in a heartbeat and I would bet that I would still be giggling and smiling at it just the same as the first time through. I could probably go on and on and elaborate on all the points made, but instead, I’ll just wait for the official release and reread it then!
Emma St. Clair does it again!
I have fallen in love with each of her books, for a plethora of reasons, and all of them can be found in this book.
1. The Cheese
Yes, the book is cheesy. Yes, it can be silly. Yes, it may not be entirely believable (PA to giraffe keeper is far fetched—turn it into a zoology student who couldn’t find a job out of college so took the PA job to work up to it, and that would have been better! Or some other reason to justify that Ava wanted to work with animals.)
However, the cheese and silliness and playfulness between characters is the charm of St. Clair’s books! Her character relationships are so believable because they tease each other (doing it well, I might add), and you can see the bond they have beneath it. I was giggling and laughing out loud at some of the group texts, and even at the letters and in person interactions. (Tangent, but Hudson’s letters?? Yes please!) So yes, there is cheese. No, it’s not for everyone. Does it help this reader to escape reality and enjoy a cute book? Absolutely! It may not be your cup of hot cocoa, but it sure is mine!
2. Character Relationships
I touched on this briefly already with the cheese, but the banter and the friendships we see throughout the book are so cute. I loved the football players and their camaraderie, but especially how soft and sweet they were with Ava and Hazel. I also loved that Ava connected with Presley, and that she realized that her own hindrances were keeping her back, not that Presley wasn’t interested. I would love to see more of their relationship now that they are spending time together!
Family relationships aren’t always easy, so I loved that St. Clair showed that—with Ava and her dad, Hudson and his dad, Ava and her step-mother, Ava and Presley, etc. Even Hudson and his mom showed growth, and as an added benefit, his mom raised him right! I mean, “Anne of Green Gables”? Priceless. (And on that note, a man that willingly reads “Pride and Prejudice” without being directly asked to??? I died dead.)
3. No Spice
Clean rom coms are my jam! This is a hallmark for St. Clair, which may be controversial, but it is a hill I am willing to die on: you do not need explicit scenes for character growth, relationships, or tension. The sparks between Ava and Hudson leap off the page, without the added scenes. You can still giggle and cry and gasp in all the right places. Enough said.
4. The Romance
Ah, the romance. The heart of the story. That meet cute was something else, for sure! I can honestly say that I’ve never read another book with a fake make-out session in a walk-in fridge that ends up with bloody hands from broken glasses. Believable? …meh. Freaking cute and setting the tone for more banter? Absolutely!
Ava and Hudson are so cute together, and I adore that Hudson was patient with Ava and let her come to her own conclusions instead of trying to force something. He never tried to change her, loved her work uniform and glasses, and took the time to get to know what makes her tick. He is long suffering and shows Ava that not all public relationships are going to end up the same way—he keeps their kisses private, as promised, and knows that she isn’t in it for the fame. Win-win!
Ava takes some time to let down her tower gates, (iykyk), but once she does? She knows what she wants and she doesn’t mess it up. Sold!
On the flip side…
A few thoughts for improvement:
Ava’s backstory and desire to be out of the public eye was totally believable! However, I would have liked to have a bit more information to bolster that character growth. We get bits and pieces throughout, which I love! But maybe a flashback or her dad talking about the accident more would have been helpful. That being said, I loved that we saw how Ava had a complicated relationship with her dad and yet still loved him, persevered, and actually talked to him! Underrated, imo. I also think it would have been cool to see them play together or to co-write a song or something.
I do also wish we got a bit more from the football players. BUT. If the reason behind the lack of Gunny, Polo, and Sherlock content is that this is eventually going to be a series and the rest of them will find love… I will be sat and stop complaining!
Overall!
This is a 5-star read for me because it is the type of book that I personally love. It may not be for everyone, but as a cute, opposites attract rom com? Sign me up! There are a few things that I would consider tweaking, as mentioned, but I would reread this in a heartbeat and I would bet that I would still be giggling and smiling at it just the same as the first time through. I could probably go on and on and elaborate on all the points made, but instead, I’ll just wait for the official release and reread it then!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 29, 2026
I loved this one. I have really liked Emma St Clair books in the past but THE COVER is what drew me in to this and moved it to the top of my TBR list. Is Ava’s job a real thing? (Do ultra-rich people keep giraffes? IDK). Maybe had to suspend a little disbelief there, but it was a fun addition to the rom com formula.
Also, I had a hard time believing that Ava didn’t figure out Hudson/Boss were the same person sooner. She’s a smart cookie… and girl, the signs were there 😂
Even still, I loved this one. St Clair is one of my favorite clean romance authors to recommend to my teenage daughter and I will forsure be recommending it to her upon publication in February!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Also, I had a hard time believing that Ava didn’t figure out Hudson/Boss were the same person sooner. She’s a smart cookie… and girl, the signs were there 😂
Even still, I loved this one. St Clair is one of my favorite clean romance authors to recommend to my teenage daughter and I will forsure be recommending it to her upon publication in February!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 26, 2026
Thank you Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for the ARC
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Emma St. Clair has done it again! I absolutely adored Ava Enters the Group Chat from the very first page and couldn’t put it down. Honestly, I adore anything Emma writes, and this one was no exception.
The accidental group chat premise was so much fun and had me smiling the entire time. The banter between the characters was hilarious, witty, and felt so natural. Ava was such a lovable heroine, and Hudson completely stole my heart. Their chemistry was sweet, heartfelt, and had me rooting for them from the beginning.
I loved how this story balanced laugh out-loud moments with genuine emotion. The secret, the slow building romance, and the reminder that there’s more to a person than their public image made this such a feel-good read.
If you’re looking for a charming, closed-door romance with fantastic characters, amazing banter, and all the butterflies, this one is an absolute must read. Another five star winner from Emma St. Clair!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Emma St. Clair has done it again! I absolutely adored Ava Enters the Group Chat from the very first page and couldn’t put it down. Honestly, I adore anything Emma writes, and this one was no exception.
The accidental group chat premise was so much fun and had me smiling the entire time. The banter between the characters was hilarious, witty, and felt so natural. Ava was such a lovable heroine, and Hudson completely stole my heart. Their chemistry was sweet, heartfelt, and had me rooting for them from the beginning.
I loved how this story balanced laugh out-loud moments with genuine emotion. The secret, the slow building romance, and the reminder that there’s more to a person than their public image made this such a feel-good read.
If you’re looking for a charming, closed-door romance with fantastic characters, amazing banter, and all the butterflies, this one is an absolute must read. Another five star winner from Emma St. Clair!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
You've Got Mail, classic Rom-Com vibes! 🔥🙌🏻💖
Holy cow! This book IS clean but man is it hot! Steamy, sexy, and hilarious! Kisses only, but Ava and X (shhh!) have us begging they kiss all the way back in chapter 3! That meet cute was 🔥🔥! And the way Emma St. Clair kept his name 🤫 for as long as she did? 👏🏻 Excellent writing!! Their chemistry just. Kept. Growing! And that man? Scrum-did-ily-umpscious 🤤, sooo protective and thoughtful! Then Ava takes care of him?!😍😭 That tender-hearted woman has met her match and we're just getting started! They match each other's energy and thoughtfulness so well! Eeek!
Ava, a giraffe keeper, has one rule: no attention, please. Give her the towers and baby giraffes, but not fame or notoriety. She's had enough news stories thanks to her very famous parents and the car crash that almost ended all of their lives. These days, she's happy working for the esteemable Maxine, and does not need a love interest, thank you very much.
Enter an unexpected group chat with unknown numbers. These guys- they have to be guys, right? - are hilarious and Ava can't help but eavesdrop on their conversation throughout the night. The same night she met and rejected a pro-football player who is determined to respectfully woo her! The letter writing?!?! 🔥😭 Her DRESS 🤯 The HALLWAY 🫠 I MELTED!
I adored this book and can't wait for it to come out!! The third act tension was beautifully done! No cliche or unnecessary drama, no crazy plot hole or refusing to have a conversation- it was perfect! And the ending- what a full circle monument! 10/10 ⭐ I literally cried (from joy) 😭💖 What an amazing book.
When you read it, see if these hilarious moments make you laugh out loud too:
MEAT TARTS ☠️🤣😂🤣😂 I'M DYINGGGGG
"Sure, you can take bubble baths" 😂
"I'll bet" 🤣🤤
"You have a soul?" 😂😂
"Nice to meet you"
"As it turns out, X is afraid of giraffes." 🤣
"He's hangry"
Marco is k-i-l-l-i-n-g me in this apartment scene!
The hilarious play on a quarterback sneak!
Troupes: SLOW BURN, meet cute, he falls first, protective MMC, adorable FMC, secret identities, football players (mainly their thighs, IYKYK), HEA
Spice: 1/5 🌶️
Gore: 0/5 🩸
Language: 0/5 👀
Triggers: parental abandonment
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to Thomas Nelson Fiction and NetGalley for this ARC!
Holy cow! This book IS clean but man is it hot! Steamy, sexy, and hilarious! Kisses only, but Ava and X (shhh!) have us begging they kiss all the way back in chapter 3! That meet cute was 🔥🔥! And the way Emma St. Clair kept his name 🤫 for as long as she did? 👏🏻 Excellent writing!! Their chemistry just. Kept. Growing! And that man? Scrum-did-ily-umpscious 🤤, sooo protective and thoughtful! Then Ava takes care of him?!😍😭 That tender-hearted woman has met her match and we're just getting started! They match each other's energy and thoughtfulness so well! Eeek!
Ava, a giraffe keeper, has one rule: no attention, please. Give her the towers and baby giraffes, but not fame or notoriety. She's had enough news stories thanks to her very famous parents and the car crash that almost ended all of their lives. These days, she's happy working for the esteemable Maxine, and does not need a love interest, thank you very much.
Enter an unexpected group chat with unknown numbers. These guys- they have to be guys, right? - are hilarious and Ava can't help but eavesdrop on their conversation throughout the night. The same night she met and rejected a pro-football player who is determined to respectfully woo her! The letter writing?!?! 🔥😭 Her DRESS 🤯 The HALLWAY 🫠 I MELTED!
I adored this book and can't wait for it to come out!! The third act tension was beautifully done! No cliche or unnecessary drama, no crazy plot hole or refusing to have a conversation- it was perfect! And the ending- what a full circle monument! 10/10 ⭐ I literally cried (from joy) 😭💖 What an amazing book.
When you read it, see if these hilarious moments make you laugh out loud too:
MEAT TARTS ☠️🤣😂🤣😂 I'M DYINGGGGG
"Sure, you can take bubble baths" 😂
"I'll bet" 🤣🤤
"You have a soul?" 😂😂
"Nice to meet you"
"As it turns out, X is afraid of giraffes." 🤣
"He's hangry"
Marco is k-i-l-l-i-n-g me in this apartment scene!
The hilarious play on a quarterback sneak!
Troupes: SLOW BURN, meet cute, he falls first, protective MMC, adorable FMC, secret identities, football players (mainly their thighs, IYKYK), HEA
Spice: 1/5 🌶️
Gore: 0/5 🩸
Language: 0/5 👀
Triggers: parental abandonment
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to Thomas Nelson Fiction and NetGalley for this ARC!
Read
August 28, 2026Ava gets accidentally added into a group chat with three people she doesn't know on the same day she meets a handsome stranger in the giraffe facility where she works. In a wild coincidence, these men are the same person and she spends the book creating a friendship with both of them.
I really enjoyed the slow burn and the outside friendships that the mmc and fmc both have. The group chat with the other football players makes me think we will get a series with each of them being a lead.
While there were a few elements that made me roll my eyes because they were cheesy, this was a really fun time and I enjoyed each time I picked up this book.
If you are going to be upset that one main character lies to another, this one probably won't be for you!
More about this book:
Mistaken identity
Celebrity x normie
Football romance
Text banter
No spice or language
3.75 stars
Thank you netgalley and the author for an early ebook. This book isn't out until 2027, but the author has a lengthy backlist with a lot of no spice sports romcoms. If All Else Sails and Just Don't Fall were good!
I really enjoyed the slow burn and the outside friendships that the mmc and fmc both have. The group chat with the other football players makes me think we will get a series with each of them being a lead.
While there were a few elements that made me roll my eyes because they were cheesy, this was a really fun time and I enjoyed each time I picked up this book.
If you are going to be upset that one main character lies to another, this one probably won't be for you!
More about this book:
Mistaken identity
Celebrity x normie
Football romance
Text banter
No spice or language
3.75 stars
Thank you netgalley and the author for an early ebook. This book isn't out until 2027, but the author has a lengthy backlist with a lot of no spice sports romcoms. If All Else Sails and Just Don't Fall were good!
July 29, 2026
A giraffe keeper and a quarterback fall in love in an unorthodox way. Ava Enters The Group Chat is just cheesy enough to be enjoyable. I am a huge sucker for text messages in books and this one is no exception. I really enjoyed the banter between the boys.
August 19, 2026
3.5 ⭐️ rounded up
RTC.
RTC.
July 27, 2026
A Sweet Romance with a Satisfying Finish
I received a complimentary copy of this book and was under no obligation to leave a positive review.
Ava Enters the Group Chat is a sweet, clean romance with a fun and unusual premise. I especially enjoyed the group chat banter and the camaraderie between Hudson and his teammates. The football setting was another highlight for me, and I appreciated that Hudson’s reasons for keeping his identity hidden felt understandable rather than intentionally hurtful.
This was a slow-building story, and it took me a little while to become fully invested in the romance. However, I enjoyed the second half much more as the relationships deepened and the truth moved closer to being revealed. The letters added an old-fashioned twist that we do not often see in contemporary romance, while the mistaken group chat kept the story feeling playful and current.
The reveal was handled especially well, and I loved the way everything came together in the final portion of the book. The characters were given room to communicate, grow, and move forward, which made the ending feel warm and satisfying.
With its playful group chat, football setting, hidden identities, sweet romance, and strong finish, this is a charming choice for readers who enjoy clean romantic comedies with plenty of heart. Emma St. Clair continues to deliver stories that celebrate friendship, connection, and romance without relying on spice.
I received a complimentary copy of this book and was under no obligation to leave a positive review.
Ava Enters the Group Chat is a sweet, clean romance with a fun and unusual premise. I especially enjoyed the group chat banter and the camaraderie between Hudson and his teammates. The football setting was another highlight for me, and I appreciated that Hudson’s reasons for keeping his identity hidden felt understandable rather than intentionally hurtful.
This was a slow-building story, and it took me a little while to become fully invested in the romance. However, I enjoyed the second half much more as the relationships deepened and the truth moved closer to being revealed. The letters added an old-fashioned twist that we do not often see in contemporary romance, while the mistaken group chat kept the story feeling playful and current.
The reveal was handled especially well, and I loved the way everything came together in the final portion of the book. The characters were given room to communicate, grow, and move forward, which made the ending feel warm and satisfying.
With its playful group chat, football setting, hidden identities, sweet romance, and strong finish, this is a charming choice for readers who enjoy clean romantic comedies with plenty of heart. Emma St. Clair continues to deliver stories that celebrate friendship, connection, and romance without relying on spice.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Okay, I have to start this review with a slightly random giraffe story.
I've been following Tanganyika Wildlife Park on Facebook and keeping up with the story of Milani, their premature baby giraffe who has been fighting against some incredible odds. So when I happened to be reading a romance where the FMC works with giraffes and other exotic animals at the same time?
Perfect timing.
It made Ava's job and all the animal-related parts of the story even more enjoyable for me.
The actual romance begins with a wrong number. One of Hudson's new football teammates mistypes a single digit while adding someone to their group chat and accidentally adds Ava instead. At first she stays completely silent, but eventually the guys realize there's a mysterious stranger lurking in their chat.
And somehow... she stays.
What Ava doesn't realize is that her new group-chat friends are professional football players.
Meanwhile, Ava and Hudson have also met in real life because they technically work for the same person, Hudson plays for the football team while Ava works with the owner's exotic animals.
And they like each other.
There's just one fairly substantial problem: Ava wants absolutely nothing to do with fame or the media. Her parents were once famous themselves, and she knows firsthand how badly that kind of attention can affect someone's life. Dating a professional quarterback isn't exactly compatible with her desire to stay far, far away from the spotlight.
Things get even more complicated when Hudson realizes that Ava is ALSO the mystery woman from his team group chat.
He knows...
She doesn't!!!
You can probably see where this is heading. 😂
Rather than immediately telling her, Hudson decides he wants Ava to get to know the real him first (the person behind the fame and football career) and hopefully give him a genuine chance.
I really liked them together. Their relationship was sweet, the group-chat setup was fun, and I enjoyed watching their connection develop both online and in real life.
The story itself is also fairly peaceful for a romance. There isn't constant over-the-top drama, and sometimes that's exactly what you want.
At the same time, I think that's also what kept this from becoming a higher-rated read for me. I kept wanting just a "little more" from everything. A little more intensity, a little more tension, a little more depth in certain moments... just something to give the story an extra push.
Nothing was particularly wrong with it. I had fun, I liked the characters, and I enjoyed the romance. It simply never quite reached that point where I became completely obsessed with it.
Overall, Ava Enters the Group Chat is this cute, easygoing sports romance with a fun mistaken-number premise, lovable group-chat shenanigans, a sweet couple, and !!!!Very importantly!!! GIRAFFES.
Honestly, my timing couldn't have been better.
3.75⭐
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. All opinions are my own.
I've been following Tanganyika Wildlife Park on Facebook and keeping up with the story of Milani, their premature baby giraffe who has been fighting against some incredible odds. So when I happened to be reading a romance where the FMC works with giraffes and other exotic animals at the same time?
Perfect timing.
It made Ava's job and all the animal-related parts of the story even more enjoyable for me.
The actual romance begins with a wrong number. One of Hudson's new football teammates mistypes a single digit while adding someone to their group chat and accidentally adds Ava instead. At first she stays completely silent, but eventually the guys realize there's a mysterious stranger lurking in their chat.
And somehow... she stays.
What Ava doesn't realize is that her new group-chat friends are professional football players.
Meanwhile, Ava and Hudson have also met in real life because they technically work for the same person, Hudson plays for the football team while Ava works with the owner's exotic animals.
And they like each other.
There's just one fairly substantial problem: Ava wants absolutely nothing to do with fame or the media. Her parents were once famous themselves, and she knows firsthand how badly that kind of attention can affect someone's life. Dating a professional quarterback isn't exactly compatible with her desire to stay far, far away from the spotlight.
Things get even more complicated when Hudson realizes that Ava is ALSO the mystery woman from his team group chat.
He knows...
She doesn't!!!
You can probably see where this is heading. 😂
Rather than immediately telling her, Hudson decides he wants Ava to get to know the real him first (the person behind the fame and football career) and hopefully give him a genuine chance.
I really liked them together. Their relationship was sweet, the group-chat setup was fun, and I enjoyed watching their connection develop both online and in real life.
The story itself is also fairly peaceful for a romance. There isn't constant over-the-top drama, and sometimes that's exactly what you want.
At the same time, I think that's also what kept this from becoming a higher-rated read for me. I kept wanting just a "little more" from everything. A little more intensity, a little more tension, a little more depth in certain moments... just something to give the story an extra push.
Nothing was particularly wrong with it. I had fun, I liked the characters, and I enjoyed the romance. It simply never quite reached that point where I became completely obsessed with it.
Overall, Ava Enters the Group Chat is this cute, easygoing sports romance with a fun mistaken-number premise, lovable group-chat shenanigans, a sweet couple, and !!!!Very importantly!!! GIRAFFES.
Honestly, my timing couldn't have been better.
3.75⭐
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I truly enjoyed this new read from Emma St Clair and was thrilled to get an advanced copy to read for my honest review.
I’ve read some books from her Appies and Texas Sheetcake series before, and the signature banter, wit and found-family that Emma is known for are all in this book. Thank you, Emma! It was a fun and wonderful read!!
The narrative kept me wanting to find out what happened next and I finished this 400pager in two days—maybe too farinto the night than I should have, but last night’s sleep depravity is tomorrow’s problem.
This book felt like a breath of fresh air to the usual modern rom-com novel offering, in that I didn’t feel like I was reading the same tropes being recycled with a new cover. Side note: the cover is amazing; well done design team! The title and design had me curious to know more and get stuck in reading this.
My favorite things were:
** the group chat conversations (I saw some reviews say that took away from their experience, but I found it a fantastic and witty addition to the dual POV storyline). If you loved the author’s Appie series, you’ll love this. ;
** the interesting side-characters and found-family feels…. which make me think and hope this book is a lead into a book series with these characters…AND I AM HERE FOR IT!!!!!!!!!!! (Marco texting-style…read the book and you’ll understand the joke);
** connecting the professions of pro-football and giraffe zookeeping for a clean but ultra swoony romance between the MCs
A couple of things that are of note, but didn’t ruin the read for me, personally:
1. This is published by a Christian publisher, but this isn’t a Christian romance. Like, at all. It’s clean romance, but faith isn’t mentioned. One of the side characters does talk about if he had a girlfriend he would romance her all day…. “And all night”. And the characters do drink alcohol; mention drinking, clubbing, too.
2. The tension in the book is that Ava’s trust will be broken when she eventually finds out the big secret that comprises 3/4 of the book. It’s what the MMC is worried about since he is the one who is breaking her trust. A bit of inner dialogue and conversations between male characters are on this “broken trust” issue. But it all gets resolved by the two MC’s in the last 10% of the book without a fuss at all. There’s no drama or major tension between the characters of what is a supposedly big deal. To me, this bit felt too conveniently wrapped up in a bow, because the page count was nearing, but to be frank, this is a HEA book. It’s what we expect, so just bring on the happiness and let’s chalk that up to a dilemma that was solved and move on to the happy ending. 😆
To sum it up, I would ABSOLUTELY read the next in the series (if there is one?!?! I’m hoping there is) and am looking forward to seeing more from Emma St Clair.
I’ve read some books from her Appies and Texas Sheetcake series before, and the signature banter, wit and found-family that Emma is known for are all in this book. Thank you, Emma! It was a fun and wonderful read!!
The narrative kept me wanting to find out what happened next and I finished this 400pager in two days—maybe too farinto the night than I should have, but last night’s sleep depravity is tomorrow’s problem.
This book felt like a breath of fresh air to the usual modern rom-com novel offering, in that I didn’t feel like I was reading the same tropes being recycled with a new cover. Side note: the cover is amazing; well done design team! The title and design had me curious to know more and get stuck in reading this.
My favorite things were:
** the group chat conversations (I saw some reviews say that took away from their experience, but I found it a fantastic and witty addition to the dual POV storyline). If you loved the author’s Appie series, you’ll love this. ;
** the interesting side-characters and found-family feels…. which make me think and hope this book is a lead into a book series with these characters…AND I AM HERE FOR IT!!!!!!!!!!! (Marco texting-style…read the book and you’ll understand the joke);
** connecting the professions of pro-football and giraffe zookeeping for a clean but ultra swoony romance between the MCs
A couple of things that are of note, but didn’t ruin the read for me, personally:
1. This is published by a Christian publisher, but this isn’t a Christian romance. Like, at all. It’s clean romance, but faith isn’t mentioned. One of the side characters does talk about if he had a girlfriend he would romance her all day…. “And all night”. And the characters do drink alcohol; mention drinking, clubbing, too.
2. The tension in the book is that Ava’s trust will be broken when she eventually finds out the big secret that comprises 3/4 of the book. It’s what the MMC is worried about since he is the one who is breaking her trust. A bit of inner dialogue and conversations between male characters are on this “broken trust” issue. But it all gets resolved by the two MC’s in the last 10% of the book without a fuss at all. There’s no drama or major tension between the characters of what is a supposedly big deal. To me, this bit felt too conveniently wrapped up in a bow, because the page count was nearing, but to be frank, this is a HEA book. It’s what we expect, so just bring on the happiness and let’s chalk that up to a dilemma that was solved and move on to the happy ending. 😆
To sum it up, I would ABSOLUTELY read the next in the series (if there is one?!?! I’m hoping there is) and am looking forward to seeing more from Emma St Clair.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.25 Stars
"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."
This was a very cute and funny and adorable little clean romance.
Football player falls for Giraffe handler - who would never date a famous person because of her parents! So football player has to fight really hard and slightly unethical to win her over.
It was a cute book - but I wanted more. It was so slow and we only get like three kisses and nothing more. It wasn't bad but it could've been so much better.
I really liked all the friends and the giraffe parts and family drama, but it should've been more of all of that and of course more of the falling in love parts and the personal meetings. Just more of everything.
And I also hope that the text messages in the book will be better readable before the final book comes out - because it was really hard to do it in this review copy!
But still - I really enjoyed reading it. It was so funny and adorable!
click ► HERE! to buy the book!
"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."
This was a very cute and funny and adorable little clean romance.
Football player falls for Giraffe handler - who would never date a famous person because of her parents! So football player has to fight really hard and slightly unethical to win her over.
It was a cute book - but I wanted more. It was so slow and we only get like three kisses and nothing more. It wasn't bad but it could've been so much better.
I really liked all the friends and the giraffe parts and family drama, but it should've been more of all of that and of course more of the falling in love parts and the personal meetings. Just more of everything.
And I also hope that the text messages in the book will be better readable before the final book comes out - because it was really hard to do it in this review copy!
But still - I really enjoyed reading it. It was so funny and adorable!
click ► HERE! to buy the book!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I received a complimentary advance copy of this book. This is my honest and voluntary review.
Sometimes you just get that feeling that a story is going to be great right from the start! I couldn’t stop smiling by chapter two, and by chapter three, I was laughing out loud! Not only that, but the swoon hits “where’s my fan?” level.
Ava is such a fun FMC, and her thoughts on food had me laughing out loud! I can’t tell you how many times I smiled reading her PoV. Oh, and Hudson? The man knows how to woo! He buys books for her. Need I say more? The chemistry between these two is amazing.
The storytelling is really clever, and I loved the twist on the You’ve Got Mail trope. With a lean towards different communication methods throughout the story, the first chapters standout as a solid foundation for the connection between the main characters. I especially appreciated the approach to and view of certain decisions — important points are not glossed over. The implications and consequences are right there alongside the inner conflict. At the same time, the story is vibrant with great pacing, wonderful banter, little details that bring something special to the story, and wonderful side characters.
On that note, I want to briefly mention two side characters. I have this feeling that Gunny has a story to tell. And if that story would include Presley ... Well, let’s just say the hope of reading a book about these two characters one day refuses to be extinguished.
As for this story, I adored the chapter titles, especially the red herrings (in the context of this novel, that feels like a pun, but it’s not.)
Overall, I’ve waited a long time to read this story, and it did not disappoint. I loved it!! In fact, this one is among my all-time favorite stories! I’m so glad I read this amazing romcom!
Content:
Sports Romcom (laugh-out-loud funny)
Intimacy level: Kisses Only
Language: No profanity | Only mentions that a character cursed | Some innuendo
References to: fate
Alcohol
Sometimes you just get that feeling that a story is going to be great right from the start! I couldn’t stop smiling by chapter two, and by chapter three, I was laughing out loud! Not only that, but the swoon hits “where’s my fan?” level.
Ava is such a fun FMC, and her thoughts on food had me laughing out loud! I can’t tell you how many times I smiled reading her PoV. Oh, and Hudson? The man knows how to woo! He buys books for her. Need I say more? The chemistry between these two is amazing.
The storytelling is really clever, and I loved the twist on the You’ve Got Mail trope. With a lean towards different communication methods throughout the story, the first chapters standout as a solid foundation for the connection between the main characters. I especially appreciated the approach to and view of certain decisions — important points are not glossed over. The implications and consequences are right there alongside the inner conflict. At the same time, the story is vibrant with great pacing, wonderful banter, little details that bring something special to the story, and wonderful side characters.
On that note, I want to briefly mention two side characters. I have this feeling that Gunny has a story to tell. And if that story would include Presley ... Well, let’s just say the hope of reading a book about these two characters one day refuses to be extinguished.
As for this story, I adored the chapter titles, especially the red herrings (in the context of this novel, that feels like a pun, but it’s not.)
Overall, I’ve waited a long time to read this story, and it did not disappoint. I loved it!! In fact, this one is among my all-time favorite stories! I’m so glad I read this amazing romcom!
Content:
Sports Romcom (laugh-out-loud funny)
Intimacy level: Kisses Only
Language: No profanity | Only mentions that a character cursed | Some innuendo
References to: fate
Alcohol
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
"*How is it even possible* that I feel for two different men...?"
A light hearted, clean contemporary romance with relatable characters and a unique trope; a love triangle between TWO people.
Ava loves her job as a giraffe handler. She has a cozy home, a good friend and giraffes! What more could a girl want? When her boss pushes her (lovingly) outside of her comfort zone, she meets a famous football player with impressive thighs (lol) who shares her mutual dislike for parties. They have instant chemistry! The only problem with Hudson Herring is that he is famous, and Ava has sworn never to date someone famous. Avoiding her feelings for Hudson, she spends more time texting with the guys in a group chat that she was accidentally added to. But is one of them someone she already knows?
This book swept me off my feet so quickly. Im not sure how Emma St. Clair can create so much chemistry between two people in their first meeting! If that didn't hook me, which it did, then the easy banter, outside friendships, and loveable characters definitely won me over.
Something I enjoyed about this book is that each character is truly their own person. I can picture a face for each one, I like each character, and I would honestly want to hear more about their stories! Is the author planning more books in this series?? I would read them!
Another thing I enjoyed was the relationship between the two MCs! Witty banter, and realistic communication immersed me in their relationship. We get the multiple points of view, which immerses is in each of the characters lives, thoughts, and friendships.
And also a compliment to the author, it is so refreshing to read a CLEAN romance book!! But clean doesn't mean boring, Emma St. Clair sure can write a fun story that left me wanting to read more of her books.
If you are looking for a fun and light hearted read, that has depth of characters and depth to the story, I definitely recommend this book!
"*How is it even possible* that I feel for two different men...?"
A light hearted, clean contemporary romance with relatable characters and a unique trope; a love triangle between TWO people.
Ava loves her job as a giraffe handler. She has a cozy home, a good friend and giraffes! What more could a girl want? When her boss pushes her (lovingly) outside of her comfort zone, she meets a famous football player with impressive thighs (lol) who shares her mutual dislike for parties. They have instant chemistry! The only problem with Hudson Herring is that he is famous, and Ava has sworn never to date someone famous. Avoiding her feelings for Hudson, she spends more time texting with the guys in a group chat that she was accidentally added to. But is one of them someone she already knows?
This book swept me off my feet so quickly. Im not sure how Emma St. Clair can create so much chemistry between two people in their first meeting! If that didn't hook me, which it did, then the easy banter, outside friendships, and loveable characters definitely won me over.
Something I enjoyed about this book is that each character is truly their own person. I can picture a face for each one, I like each character, and I would honestly want to hear more about their stories! Is the author planning more books in this series?? I would read them!
Another thing I enjoyed was the relationship between the two MCs! Witty banter, and realistic communication immersed me in their relationship. We get the multiple points of view, which immerses is in each of the characters lives, thoughts, and friendships.
And also a compliment to the author, it is so refreshing to read a CLEAN romance book!! But clean doesn't mean boring, Emma St. Clair sure can write a fun story that left me wanting to read more of her books.
If you are looking for a fun and light hearted read, that has depth of characters and depth to the story, I definitely recommend this book!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
✔️sitz baths
✔️goofy boy bros
✔️family drama
✔️too many shoes
Thank you Thomas Nelson Fiction + NetGalley for the ARC! I received a complementary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
tldr: if you’re looking for an easy on the brain read, a will they wont they romance, a banter filled sports romance, or just an excuse to laugh out loud — You will love this book!
Group chats is one of my top micro tropes, and this book is full of them! I think it’s particularly special when men are teasing with one another while not being toxically backhanded. I definitely had a few moments reading these text messages in this book and actually laughed out loud at all of the men’s perspectives on the random topics they’d text about. It made all of the side characters feel very rich in depth and purposeful to the plot!
I really enjoyed the female companionship/ camaraderie that happens between multiple sets of the female characters as well! Particularly loved Avas boss being a woman, though I felt like the competition of wanting the football team to be successful wasn’t really detrimental to the story as it could have been for the plot (especially for the will they/ wont they for each others careers)
For me personally this book isn’t something I’d ever read again, but I would definitely recommend it to any romcom lover to give it a shot!
key notes:
- incredible banter & tension, this being closed door romance is something I don’t usually gravitate towards however, I genuinely felt like the story kept me reeled in without needing the spice to validate their true connection
- I did find it a bit hard to decipher who was who, and I did have to create a little note to remember their identities correlations.
- this book was about 150 pages too long seeing as how there wasn’t much of any other plot other than the main one.
- Ava‘s backstory felt a little brushed over for how much it seemed to affect her decision making.
✔️goofy boy bros
✔️family drama
✔️too many shoes
Thank you Thomas Nelson Fiction + NetGalley for the ARC! I received a complementary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
tldr: if you’re looking for an easy on the brain read, a will they wont they romance, a banter filled sports romance, or just an excuse to laugh out loud — You will love this book!
Group chats is one of my top micro tropes, and this book is full of them! I think it’s particularly special when men are teasing with one another while not being toxically backhanded. I definitely had a few moments reading these text messages in this book and actually laughed out loud at all of the men’s perspectives on the random topics they’d text about. It made all of the side characters feel very rich in depth and purposeful to the plot!
I really enjoyed the female companionship/ camaraderie that happens between multiple sets of the female characters as well! Particularly loved Avas boss being a woman, though I felt like the competition of wanting the football team to be successful wasn’t really detrimental to the story as it could have been for the plot (especially for the will they/ wont they for each others careers)
For me personally this book isn’t something I’d ever read again, but I would definitely recommend it to any romcom lover to give it a shot!
key notes:
- incredible banter & tension, this being closed door romance is something I don’t usually gravitate towards however, I genuinely felt like the story kept me reeled in without needing the spice to validate their true connection
- I did find it a bit hard to decipher who was who, and I did have to create a little note to remember their identities correlations.
- this book was about 150 pages too long seeing as how there wasn’t much of any other plot other than the main one.
- Ava‘s backstory felt a little brushed over for how much it seemed to affect her decision making.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5⭐️
•𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰•
{𝑨𝒗𝒂 𝑬𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑮𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒑 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒕}
🦒 Release Date: February 2, 2027 🦒
.
.
.
GAHHH!! This book was so stinkin’ CUTE!! (I may take after Guy #2/Polo with my capitalization—IYKYK 😂) I haven’t read such an entertaining and adorable romcom in a long time. It was exactly the fun read I was looking for to keep me entertained for the short spurts I’m able to read while taking care of my baby ☺️
I’ve become a bit persnickety with the typical romcom tropes, and nicknames are something that are either a big hit or miss for me, but the nicknames in this story were perfect! They fit the characters so perfectly while not making me want to roll my eyes every time they were mentioned—a big win in my book 🤭
Speaking of tropes, the opposites-attract trope was written to perfection in this story! Their meet-cute…absolutely ADORABLE! The fliiiirting!! Swoon 🫠 Ugh, I couldn’t get enough of Hudson & Ava 🫶🏻 They were perfect for each other in every possible way which made for an absolutely scrumptious romcom!
There were so many unique aspects to this story, such as Ava being a giraffe keeper—I don’t think I’ve ever read a story that includes giraffes so casually before. I love that this book didn’t feel like every other romcom out there!
The group chat intruder was also such a fun addition to the plot, making it the entertaining read that it is. I was definitely cheesing through every single text thread 😁 The guys were just as hilarious as they thought they were 🤭 Honestly, all of the characters were highly enjoyable to read about!
If you’re looking for a very entertaining few hours, go read this fantastic book! I can guarantee that you won’t be disappointed 😆
.
.
.
I received a complimentary ARC of this book from NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Publishing. All opinions listed are purely my own.
•𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰•
{𝑨𝒗𝒂 𝑬𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑮𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒑 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒕}
🦒 Release Date: February 2, 2027 🦒
.
.
.
GAHHH!! This book was so stinkin’ CUTE!! (I may take after Guy #2/Polo with my capitalization—IYKYK 😂) I haven’t read such an entertaining and adorable romcom in a long time. It was exactly the fun read I was looking for to keep me entertained for the short spurts I’m able to read while taking care of my baby ☺️
I’ve become a bit persnickety with the typical romcom tropes, and nicknames are something that are either a big hit or miss for me, but the nicknames in this story were perfect! They fit the characters so perfectly while not making me want to roll my eyes every time they were mentioned—a big win in my book 🤭
Speaking of tropes, the opposites-attract trope was written to perfection in this story! Their meet-cute…absolutely ADORABLE! The fliiiirting!! Swoon 🫠 Ugh, I couldn’t get enough of Hudson & Ava 🫶🏻 They were perfect for each other in every possible way which made for an absolutely scrumptious romcom!
There were so many unique aspects to this story, such as Ava being a giraffe keeper—I don’t think I’ve ever read a story that includes giraffes so casually before. I love that this book didn’t feel like every other romcom out there!
The group chat intruder was also such a fun addition to the plot, making it the entertaining read that it is. I was definitely cheesing through every single text thread 😁 The guys were just as hilarious as they thought they were 🤭 Honestly, all of the characters were highly enjoyable to read about!
If you’re looking for a very entertaining few hours, go read this fantastic book! I can guarantee that you won’t be disappointed 😆
.
.
.
I received a complimentary ARC of this book from NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Publishing. All opinions listed are purely my own.
August 10, 2026
I really enjoyed reading Ava Enters the Group Chat. It's my first read from Emma St. Clair, and I have to say I found a new favorite author.
This book is no spice closed-door romance with all the hilarious banter and antics from the football team, characters that feel real and are believable.
I loved the characters in this book, not even just Ava and Hudson; his teammates were great characters too. I wish there were more from this universe, and I hope there will be more books to come with these characters, and a series will come from it.
Ava likes her quiet life. Because she grew up with her parents being famous, she has grown to want to go out of her way to be as private as she can be. So when she meets Hudson, her boss's new quarterback, she chooses not to pursue their instant connection. What she didn't account for was being accidentally added to a group chat that just so happens to be with Hudson and his teammates. She doesn't know that the person she has been sharing private messages with is the football player she turned down, the same football player that she is also getting to know as himself and not just his alter ego "boss." She might come to find that maybe some risks are worth taking after all.
It was so fun to see the guys teasing each other and being absolutely funny but also genuine too.
I loved the banter and hilarity in this book. There were so many times I was laughing; it was just so much fun to spend time reading and seeing Hudson and Ava build their relationship up was really wonderful to see.
Thank you, NetGalley, Thomas Nelson Fiction, Thomas Nelson, and Emma St. Clair, for the early copy of this wonderful read. I truly enjoyed it.
This book is no spice closed-door romance with all the hilarious banter and antics from the football team, characters that feel real and are believable.
I loved the characters in this book, not even just Ava and Hudson; his teammates were great characters too. I wish there were more from this universe, and I hope there will be more books to come with these characters, and a series will come from it.
Ava likes her quiet life. Because she grew up with her parents being famous, she has grown to want to go out of her way to be as private as she can be. So when she meets Hudson, her boss's new quarterback, she chooses not to pursue their instant connection. What she didn't account for was being accidentally added to a group chat that just so happens to be with Hudson and his teammates. She doesn't know that the person she has been sharing private messages with is the football player she turned down, the same football player that she is also getting to know as himself and not just his alter ego "boss." She might come to find that maybe some risks are worth taking after all.
It was so fun to see the guys teasing each other and being absolutely funny but also genuine too.
I loved the banter and hilarity in this book. There were so many times I was laughing; it was just so much fun to spend time reading and seeing Hudson and Ava build their relationship up was really wonderful to see.
Thank you, NetGalley, Thomas Nelson Fiction, Thomas Nelson, and Emma St. Clair, for the early copy of this wonderful read. I truly enjoyed it.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Ava Enters the Group Chat is a sweet, closed door romance built around an accidental text, mistaken identities, and an unlikely connection. Ava is a giraffe keeper for the owner of a professional football team and prefers a quiet life. When she meets Hudson, the team’s newly traded quarterback, there is immediate chemistry but Ava quickly shuts down the possibility of a relationship because Hudson’s high profile career represents exactly the kind of attention she wants to avoid. Ava is accidentally added to a group chat belonging to several members of the football team. Rather than kicking her out, the players invite her to stay, with everyone using nicknames to protect their identities. Ava soon develops a particularly close friendship with one member of the chat, unaware that he is Hudson. What follows is a playful You’ve Got Mail style romance in which Ava gets to know Hudson both in person and through their anonymous conversations. Thank you NetGalley for this eARC!
Ava Enters the Group Chat was a cute story but read like a Young Adult romance to me. The accidental group chat premise was a new direction that I was interested in exploring but I think the format of the text messages read more YA than adult here and it was hard to stay interested. I did like the banter between Ava, Hudson, and the other football players but wish the plot had a bit more depth. Ava's family situation helped but wasn't enough to captivate me. My favorite part is the classic You’ve Got Mail appeal of falling for someone anonymously while simultaneously getting to know them in real life. Overall, it was a light hearted closed door romance about found family, mistaken identities, sports romance, and some giraffes involved.
Ava Enters the Group Chat was a cute story but read like a Young Adult romance to me. The accidental group chat premise was a new direction that I was interested in exploring but I think the format of the text messages read more YA than adult here and it was hard to stay interested. I did like the banter between Ava, Hudson, and the other football players but wish the plot had a bit more depth. Ava's family situation helped but wasn't enough to captivate me. My favorite part is the classic You’ve Got Mail appeal of falling for someone anonymously while simultaneously getting to know them in real life. Overall, it was a light hearted closed door romance about found family, mistaken identities, sports romance, and some giraffes involved.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own💫
Group chats, bickering between a friend group, a girl in a boys' group chat, letters, chocolates, guitar and football players all in one book? Are you kidding me? My first 5 star Arc woohoooooo 🥳🥰
Y'all, you need to read this book. If you're looking for a fun, wholesome and extremely hilarious read with flirting that is just so good, a bunch of football players who will have you laughing constantly, and friendships that you can't help but love, this is your book.
I genuinely doubled over laughing so many times at their antics. And I'm a sucker for group chats, so the fact that we got so many of them? Yes please. I loved seeing all the ridiculous conversations, the teasing and the constant bickering.
I also absolutely loved the friendships in this book. Like, give me 3-4 guys who are constantly bickering, annoying each other, making fun of each other and still having each other's backs, and I am sold. There's just something about a good friend group that makes a book so much more fun to read.
Also, Glasses is such a cute nickname ❤️ And Marco being a Taylor Swift fan? I loved that little detail so much.
Honestly, I ended up loving pretty much all of the mmc's friends and now I need books for them too. Especially Marco's. Like why do I already want their stories. Can we please get books for all of them?
There was just so much to love here—the humor, the friendships, the group chats, the flirting, the little romantic gestures, and all the adorable moments. It was such a fun read and genuinely made me so happy while reading it. ❤️
Highly, highly recommend this one!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Group chats, bickering between a friend group, a girl in a boys' group chat, letters, chocolates, guitar and football players all in one book? Are you kidding me? My first 5 star Arc woohoooooo 🥳🥰
Y'all, you need to read this book. If you're looking for a fun, wholesome and extremely hilarious read with flirting that is just so good, a bunch of football players who will have you laughing constantly, and friendships that you can't help but love, this is your book.
I genuinely doubled over laughing so many times at their antics. And I'm a sucker for group chats, so the fact that we got so many of them? Yes please. I loved seeing all the ridiculous conversations, the teasing and the constant bickering.
I also absolutely loved the friendships in this book. Like, give me 3-4 guys who are constantly bickering, annoying each other, making fun of each other and still having each other's backs, and I am sold. There's just something about a good friend group that makes a book so much more fun to read.
Also, Glasses is such a cute nickname ❤️ And Marco being a Taylor Swift fan? I loved that little detail so much.
Honestly, I ended up loving pretty much all of the mmc's friends and now I need books for them too. Especially Marco's. Like why do I already want their stories. Can we please get books for all of them?
There was just so much to love here—the humor, the friendships, the group chats, the flirting, the little romantic gestures, and all the adorable moments. It was such a fun read and genuinely made me so happy while reading it. ❤️
Highly, highly recommend this one!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Having read several of Emma St. Clair’s books, I’ve come to expect stories that are heartfelt, clean, and laugh out loud funny — and this one absolutely delivers.
Quarterback Hudson Herring is determined to rebuild his career after a rough rookie year in Tennessee. When he’s traded to Houston, he quickly bonds with his new teammates. A group chat soon forms, and Hudson is added… except his number is entered incorrectly. To everyone’s surprise, the owner of that wrong number starts responding. Once the mistake is fixed, the guys decide to keep the mystery contact, labeling her “Imposter.” It doesn’t take long to discover the imposter is a woman.
Ava has worked for wealthy Maxine Knies for years — first as her personal assistant and now as her senior giraffe keeper. Max collects exotic animals and also happens to own the Houston football team. During a team event on Max’s property, Ava and the new recruit meet under wildly unexpected circumstances. Sparks fly instantly, but Ava has a firm rule: never get involved with anyone famous or publicly recognizable.
Things become even more complicated when the players realize the imposter is Ava — and that Hudson has developed a huge crush on her. His teammates, well-meaning but relentless, bombard him with romantic advice, making the situation even more entertaining.
I laughed my way through this book, and it was impossible not to fall in love with these wonderfully quirky, lovable characters. Emma St. Clair blends humor, heart, and charm in a way that makes this story an absolute delight.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All comments and opinions are my own.
Quarterback Hudson Herring is determined to rebuild his career after a rough rookie year in Tennessee. When he’s traded to Houston, he quickly bonds with his new teammates. A group chat soon forms, and Hudson is added… except his number is entered incorrectly. To everyone’s surprise, the owner of that wrong number starts responding. Once the mistake is fixed, the guys decide to keep the mystery contact, labeling her “Imposter.” It doesn’t take long to discover the imposter is a woman.
Ava has worked for wealthy Maxine Knies for years — first as her personal assistant and now as her senior giraffe keeper. Max collects exotic animals and also happens to own the Houston football team. During a team event on Max’s property, Ava and the new recruit meet under wildly unexpected circumstances. Sparks fly instantly, but Ava has a firm rule: never get involved with anyone famous or publicly recognizable.
Things become even more complicated when the players realize the imposter is Ava — and that Hudson has developed a huge crush on her. His teammates, well-meaning but relentless, bombard him with romantic advice, making the situation even more entertaining.
I laughed my way through this book, and it was impossible not to fall in love with these wonderfully quirky, lovable characters. Emma St. Clair blends humor, heart, and charm in a way that makes this story an absolute delight.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All comments and opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I absolutely loved the concept of this book, and the approach was so unique. Hudson really struggled with his decision to keep the truth from Ava, and it was nice seeing both sides of the argument coming from Tyson/Marco and Gunny. And the way Hudson made the decision was mature - he looked at both sides, weighed the importance against the morality, and took his decision like a man. I really liked Gunny's character (does he get a book later?). And the relationship among the men was so fun to watch, with them being so different yet still supporting each other in a realistic way.
Ava was a fun character and it was interesting to see her takeaway from her childhood and how it affected her adulthood. I did notice one minor inconsistency that troubled me throughout the book (though not enough to dock a star). At the very beginning, during the party when she first started receiving the text messages, she suspected that Guy#4 was at the same party as her and also hiding from people. Then when she finally met him, that suspicion completely went out the window and she didn't even entertain the thought that Boss and Hudson could be the same person until it was made blazingly obvious at the end. Obviously the way it worked out did fit, but I felt like she should have suspected something was up much earlier. Or at least a little earlier?
The banter in this book is outstanding and I laughed out loud more than a few times while reading this. I would absolutely recommend this book to others and I will always recommend this author as she is one of my favorites.
Ava was a fun character and it was interesting to see her takeaway from her childhood and how it affected her adulthood. I did notice one minor inconsistency that troubled me throughout the book (though not enough to dock a star). At the very beginning, during the party when she first started receiving the text messages, she suspected that Guy#4 was at the same party as her and also hiding from people. Then when she finally met him, that suspicion completely went out the window and she didn't even entertain the thought that Boss and Hudson could be the same person until it was made blazingly obvious at the end. Obviously the way it worked out did fit, but I felt like she should have suspected something was up much earlier. Or at least a little earlier?
The banter in this book is outstanding and I laughed out loud more than a few times while reading this. I would absolutely recommend this book to others and I will always recommend this author as she is one of my favorites.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 23, 2026
Given the title, you can expect to see back and forth between multiple characters through message exchanges. This book centers around Ava, a giraffe keeper for a wealthy football team owner. Ava is inadvertently added to a group chat that includes members of that same football team. On the same day that Ava is added to the chat, she meets Hudson when they both escape to the giraffe barn on the property to avoid the party they are both supposed to be attending. Rather than delete Ava from the chat, the team members decide to keep the chat going, but with everyone maintaining anonymity by using nicknames. It is later revealed that one member of the group chat is Hudson. Throughout the book, Hudson and Ava continue to chat with one another through chat while not revealing their true identities while they also begin to develop a relationship in person.
Similar to Emma St. Clair’s other sports romances, this one was also a bingeable, fun, closed-door romance. The best parts (imo) were the group chat exchanges. The personalities of each member of the team came through and there was clear camaraderie between the team members.
One thing that took me out of the story was that having volunteered and worked in zoo settings in the past, the idea that a PA could transition to a giraffe keeper seemed a bit far-fetched for me, but I was able to put that aside and enjoy the story.
Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for sending this eARC for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
Similar to Emma St. Clair’s other sports romances, this one was also a bingeable, fun, closed-door romance. The best parts (imo) were the group chat exchanges. The personalities of each member of the team came through and there was clear camaraderie between the team members.
One thing that took me out of the story was that having volunteered and worked in zoo settings in the past, the idea that a PA could transition to a giraffe keeper seemed a bit far-fetched for me, but I was able to put that aside and enjoy the story.
Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for sending this eARC for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
August 1, 2026
I’m conflicted, but I give this a four star rating because of how unique the story is, how hilarious the writing is, and because I genuinely enjoy Emma St Clair’s writing.
The characters were so incredibly diverse and entertaining. The story is one I can safely say I’ve never read before, lol. And the chemistry between the main characters was palpable. This was a cozy novel and I would say that I don’t think I noticed or minded one bit.
My criticism? There were some perspectives I don’t quite agree with. I also think there was a point when the book felt a bit drawn out. I could get over that, but I did struggle with these outdated ideas that boys and girls can’t be friends.
O
Sure, the FMC probably can’t be genuine “friends” with two guys she has a crush on and her guilt stems from that. But that blanket statement that boys and girls can’t be friends unless they’re single is bizarre and rubbed me the wrong way. I don’t even have straight guy friends, but the idea that both parties will magically develop attraction beyond their control that leads people to betray their partners is kind of toxic.
I get how people can see things that way, especially if they have been cheated on, but that’s not really a reality for the FMC. Overlay, this is less of a criticism of the existence of that way of thinking, and more so that I don’t think that way so content that revolves around this idea makes me want to disengage a bit.
Anyway, besides that I definitely enjoyed this novel.
The characters were so incredibly diverse and entertaining. The story is one I can safely say I’ve never read before, lol. And the chemistry between the main characters was palpable. This was a cozy novel and I would say that I don’t think I noticed or minded one bit.
My criticism? There were some perspectives I don’t quite agree with. I also think there was a point when the book felt a bit drawn out. I could get over that, but I did struggle with these outdated ideas that boys and girls can’t be friends.
O
Sure, the FMC probably can’t be genuine “friends” with two guys she has a crush on and her guilt stems from that. But that blanket statement that boys and girls can’t be friends unless they’re single is bizarre and rubbed me the wrong way. I don’t even have straight guy friends, but the idea that both parties will magically develop attraction beyond their control that leads people to betray their partners is kind of toxic.
I get how people can see things that way, especially if they have been cheated on, but that’s not really a reality for the FMC. Overlay, this is less of a criticism of the existence of that way of thinking, and more so that I don’t think that way so content that revolves around this idea makes me want to disengage a bit.
Anyway, besides that I definitely enjoyed this novel.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5 stars
Ahh, so this was so good! It was funny, heartwarming and full of romance. I adore Emma St. Clair’s books and I was so excited to read Ava Enters the Group Chat!
The group chat between the characters was a lot of fun! You really got to know Ava, Hudson, and the side characters. I wanted to laugh out loud while reading their interactions. The side characters were so funny and I hope they get their own books. Ava and Hudson were both unique and a lot of fun to read about, it was interesting to get to know them.
Ava just wanted a quiet life and she wasn’t looking for romance. But Hudson wore down her walls. Hudson was just trying to get his life under control. Their romance was cute! It was a slow burn as they got to know each other. They had a connection but they took it slow. They both learned to let each other in and chase after their dreams.
I really enjoyed this book and I would totally recommend it! It has giraffes, football players, found family, and random texts that will leave you laughing. I am so hoping that there will be more to come for these characters. Ava Enters the Group Chat is a closed door romantic comedy..
Book Highlights
Found family
Texting chats
Football player
Giraffe keeper
Found family
Music and fun
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher through Netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
Ahh, so this was so good! It was funny, heartwarming and full of romance. I adore Emma St. Clair’s books and I was so excited to read Ava Enters the Group Chat!
The group chat between the characters was a lot of fun! You really got to know Ava, Hudson, and the side characters. I wanted to laugh out loud while reading their interactions. The side characters were so funny and I hope they get their own books. Ava and Hudson were both unique and a lot of fun to read about, it was interesting to get to know them.
Ava just wanted a quiet life and she wasn’t looking for romance. But Hudson wore down her walls. Hudson was just trying to get his life under control. Their romance was cute! It was a slow burn as they got to know each other. They had a connection but they took it slow. They both learned to let each other in and chase after their dreams.
I really enjoyed this book and I would totally recommend it! It has giraffes, football players, found family, and random texts that will leave you laughing. I am so hoping that there will be more to come for these characters. Ava Enters the Group Chat is a closed door romantic comedy..
Book Highlights
Found family
Texting chats
Football player
Giraffe keeper
Found family
Music and fun
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher through Netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I absolutely loved this book! I kept giving myself reading time limits so I could get some cleaning done and catch up on the other ARCs waiting on my TBR, but this story had me hooked from the very first chapter. Every time I told myself, “Just one more chapter,” I couldn’t stop until I finished with a huge smile on my face.
As someone whose all-time favorite movie is You’ve Got Mail, this book was right up my alley. The cast of characters completely melted my heart—giraffes and all!
Ava is determined to stay out of the spotlight after growing up with two famous parents and spending her childhood in the public eye. She’s happy living a quiet life until she meets Hudson. Once she discovers he’s the star quarterback recently traded to her boss’s team, she refuses to pursue the connection. But when she’s accidentally added to a football team group chat because her phone number is one digit off, she can’t resist the hilarious banter with these larger-than-life players. She especially connects with one member, “Boss,” through private messages. Watching these tough football players show their funny, genuine sides was one of my favorite parts of the book. As Ava gets to know both Hudson and his alter ego, she realizes some risks are absolutely worth taking.
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for the free advanced copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
As someone whose all-time favorite movie is You’ve Got Mail, this book was right up my alley. The cast of characters completely melted my heart—giraffes and all!
Ava is determined to stay out of the spotlight after growing up with two famous parents and spending her childhood in the public eye. She’s happy living a quiet life until she meets Hudson. Once she discovers he’s the star quarterback recently traded to her boss’s team, she refuses to pursue the connection. But when she’s accidentally added to a football team group chat because her phone number is one digit off, she can’t resist the hilarious banter with these larger-than-life players. She especially connects with one member, “Boss,” through private messages. Watching these tough football players show their funny, genuine sides was one of my favorite parts of the book. As Ava gets to know both Hudson and his alter ego, she realizes some risks are absolutely worth taking.
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for the free advanced copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
"Trust is the most important currency in relationships. Once you lose it, it's really hard to get it back."
"A piece of advice: If you're ever trying to write a romantic letter to a woman, don't do it with three friends figuratively and literally reading over your shoulder, offering unsolicited-and often terrible-suggestions."
"Maybe I'm thinking about this all wrong. It's not whether I can be with someone famous. It's if I could stand not being with a person for that reason and that reason alone."
I absolutely loved this! Definitely a new favorite by Emma St Clair, I honestly don't think there was any aspect I didn't enjoy. I would love if she made this a series focused on the other football teammates from the group chat! That dynamic - their personalities, humor and found-family support system - was one of the best parts.
I loved the You've Got Mail-type trope, with two strangers crossing paths both in an anonymous chat and in real life without (initially) realizing it. One of my very favorite parts was when the teammate with sisters forced all the guys to watch it and then come up with a plan how to make it work in real life. I laughed so much in this book!
I also appreciated the real-world issues and emotions. There were legitimate challenges for both Ava and Hudson to work through individually and together, and their journey doing so as 20-somethings was both realistic and mature. And of course, the romance was positively swoony! There was loads of chemistry, humor and tenderness. I loved the way Hudson pursued her while also trying to be careful not to manipulate the situation. Ava had reasons to be shy of fame, but I appreciated the perspective and decision she arrived at. An absolute delight from beginning to end!
"A piece of advice: If you're ever trying to write a romantic letter to a woman, don't do it with three friends figuratively and literally reading over your shoulder, offering unsolicited-and often terrible-suggestions."
"Maybe I'm thinking about this all wrong. It's not whether I can be with someone famous. It's if I could stand not being with a person for that reason and that reason alone."
I absolutely loved this! Definitely a new favorite by Emma St Clair, I honestly don't think there was any aspect I didn't enjoy. I would love if she made this a series focused on the other football teammates from the group chat! That dynamic - their personalities, humor and found-family support system - was one of the best parts.
I loved the You've Got Mail-type trope, with two strangers crossing paths both in an anonymous chat and in real life without (initially) realizing it. One of my very favorite parts was when the teammate with sisters forced all the guys to watch it and then come up with a plan how to make it work in real life. I laughed so much in this book!
I also appreciated the real-world issues and emotions. There were legitimate challenges for both Ava and Hudson to work through individually and together, and their journey doing so as 20-somethings was both realistic and mature. And of course, the romance was positively swoony! There was loads of chemistry, humor and tenderness. I loved the way Hudson pursued her while also trying to be careful not to manipulate the situation. Ava had reasons to be shy of fame, but I appreciated the perspective and decision she arrived at. An absolute delight from beginning to end!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
This book hooked me from the title alone. The adorable cover was an added bonus, walking through a bookstore this would definitely have caught my eye.
Firstly, I loved the fact that each chapter is numbered and titled, I love when books do that. It is highly appreciated!
Secondly, I loved the characters. They were so great. Ava and Hudson were adorable. Ava was such a sweetheart, and Hudson was so charming. I also loved the side characters. The whole group chat was so fun. I loved that each person had their own personality, which could also be seen through their text messages. I loved the whole anonymous thing, and Ava being called 'Imposter' in the group chat because she was not meant to be in there, but the guys wanting her to stay was also a sweet moment.
I think there is a fun story here as well as to messaging anonymous people, like through social media, we genuinely don't know who is on the other end. It's crazy but can be a fate like moment! The way the story is written is amazing. Nothing is rushed or overdone. It's a beautifully written story!
Overall, this story was sweet and super funny. It's just a really cute read.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
This book hooked me from the title alone. The adorable cover was an added bonus, walking through a bookstore this would definitely have caught my eye.
Firstly, I loved the fact that each chapter is numbered and titled, I love when books do that. It is highly appreciated!
Secondly, I loved the characters. They were so great. Ava and Hudson were adorable. Ava was such a sweetheart, and Hudson was so charming. I also loved the side characters. The whole group chat was so fun. I loved that each person had their own personality, which could also be seen through their text messages. I loved the whole anonymous thing, and Ava being called 'Imposter' in the group chat because she was not meant to be in there, but the guys wanting her to stay was also a sweet moment.
I think there is a fun story here as well as to messaging anonymous people, like through social media, we genuinely don't know who is on the other end. It's crazy but can be a fate like moment! The way the story is written is amazing. Nothing is rushed or overdone. It's a beautifully written story!
Overall, this story was sweet and super funny. It's just a really cute read.
August 1, 2026
This book immediately sucked me in. Their meet cute may be a new favorite. It was so sweet and I was smiling so big. How can I love two characters so quickly?
Alright, it’s another Emma book win. I mean Ava and Hudson were so wonderful but you know the football guys STOLE the show. (I just needed to be like Marco for a minute.) There were so many laughs and sweet moments. There’s football, there are giraffes, there are (kind of) secret identities, and through it all there is just the loveliest story.
The girl friendships were also so wonderful and I just loved how they thrived throughout.
I’m just going to throw a few of my notes down here that I had while reading!
-Oh my gosh…the four guys. Gold. They are just SO much fun. The group chat is hilarious. The way they all volunteered together.
-I didn’t know a pretend, not actual kiss could be so hot.
-there’s some “you’ve got mail” vibes and obviously I’m a fan of that.
-oh my gosh! The letters!
-the growth of Ava and Presley’s relationship made me so happy!
CW: closed door (make outs only), divorce.
Thank you so much to netgalley, Thomas Nelson fiction and Emma St. Clair for allowing to me to read an early copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Alright, it’s another Emma book win. I mean Ava and Hudson were so wonderful but you know the football guys STOLE the show. (I just needed to be like Marco for a minute.) There were so many laughs and sweet moments. There’s football, there are giraffes, there are (kind of) secret identities, and through it all there is just the loveliest story.
The girl friendships were also so wonderful and I just loved how they thrived throughout.
I’m just going to throw a few of my notes down here that I had while reading!
-Oh my gosh…the four guys. Gold. They are just SO much fun. The group chat is hilarious. The way they all volunteered together.
-I didn’t know a pretend, not actual kiss could be so hot.
-there’s some “you’ve got mail” vibes and obviously I’m a fan of that.
-oh my gosh! The letters!
-the growth of Ava and Presley’s relationship made me so happy!
CW: closed door (make outs only), divorce.
Thank you so much to netgalley, Thomas Nelson fiction and Emma St. Clair for allowing to me to read an early copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
August 10, 2026
Content warnings:
* No spice
* No language
* Death of a parent, past
* Mentions of a car accident, past
* Complicated family dynamics
This book wins ALL of the banter, yearning, and slow burn awards!!! If you want to laugh (and scream a little when you just want the main characters to actually get together), you NEED to read this book!
I do have to say that I strongly disagree that London Fog ice cream would taste bad. I had Earl Gray lavender ice cream in Universal once and it was AMAZING! Ice cream preferences aside, this book was so much fun! I truly cannot remember the last time I laughed so much reading a book. Emma St. Clair really nailed the group chat dynamics between a bunch of guys, which was hilarious! The main characters are automatically people you want to root for and the side characters are all so amazing you could read books about each and every one of them. You should set your calendar notifications now for February 2nd because you won’t want to miss Ava Enters the Group Chat when it comes out!!
I received an advanced review copy of this book and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
* No spice
* No language
* Death of a parent, past
* Mentions of a car accident, past
* Complicated family dynamics
This book wins ALL of the banter, yearning, and slow burn awards!!! If you want to laugh (and scream a little when you just want the main characters to actually get together), you NEED to read this book!
I do have to say that I strongly disagree that London Fog ice cream would taste bad. I had Earl Gray lavender ice cream in Universal once and it was AMAZING! Ice cream preferences aside, this book was so much fun! I truly cannot remember the last time I laughed so much reading a book. Emma St. Clair really nailed the group chat dynamics between a bunch of guys, which was hilarious! The main characters are automatically people you want to root for and the side characters are all so amazing you could read books about each and every one of them. You should set your calendar notifications now for February 2nd because you won’t want to miss Ava Enters the Group Chat when it comes out!!
I received an advanced review copy of this book and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 6, 2026
Ava, a giraffe keeper for an eccentric football team owner, accidentally gets added to a group chat. Unbeknownst to her, it’s a group chat of players from that football team. Instead of leaving the group chat, she finds herself drawn in to getting to know the guys while simultaneously falling for one of the players she met a team event. Ava wants to avoid the spotlight due to her own past, but she can’t avoid her growing feelings. Will Hudson be able to convince her to give him a chance before she figures out he is both people she’s falling for?
Did I pick this up because it had a giraffe on the cover and I was intrigued? Yes. You absolutely have to suspend disbelief when reading this story, but once you do the story is very cute. I found myself invested in these giraffe with British celebrity names and this fictional football team. This was an easy read, and I enjoyed that Ava had an interesting backstory with her famous parents. The side characters were all delightful, and I found this overall to be a fun read. (3.75/5)
Thank you to Emma St. Clair, Thomas Nelson Fiction, and NetGalley for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review.
Did I pick this up because it had a giraffe on the cover and I was intrigued? Yes. You absolutely have to suspend disbelief when reading this story, but once you do the story is very cute. I found myself invested in these giraffe with British celebrity names and this fictional football team. This was an easy read, and I enjoyed that Ava had an interesting backstory with her famous parents. The side characters were all delightful, and I found this overall to be a fun read. (3.75/5)
Thank you to Emma St. Clair, Thomas Nelson Fiction, and NetGalley for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Does the premise for this rom-com feature a few too many unlikely coincidences to remain entirely believable? Maybe. Do I care? No, not really! Because these characters are just so lovable and their romance is so sweet that all I wanted was to spend more time with them and their group chat bantering.
A lot of the relationship is developed over texting, phone calls and letters. It's mainly focused on Hudson trying to win Ava over, despite her rule against ever dating anyone famous. So it's very low on steam/spice, which was a plus for me. I prefer swoony over steamy in my romances. (But this might not be a plus for everyone.)
Aside from the romance, I also loved the friendships in this, and I'm totally hoping for companion books for all the guys from the group chat. I also loved the You've Got Mail commentary! And I loved that there was no unnecessary third act break-up drama.
I received a complimentary copy of this book via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
A lot of the relationship is developed over texting, phone calls and letters. It's mainly focused on Hudson trying to win Ava over, despite her rule against ever dating anyone famous. So it's very low on steam/spice, which was a plus for me. I prefer swoony over steamy in my romances. (But this might not be a plus for everyone.)
Aside from the romance, I also loved the friendships in this, and I'm totally hoping for companion books for all the guys from the group chat. I also loved the You've Got Mail commentary! And I loved that there was no unnecessary third act break-up drama.
I received a complimentary copy of this book via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews