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Contested
Not yet published
Expected 1 Sep 26Two rivals. One team. A line neither can cross without losing everything.
Sebastian Nguyen has spent years outrunning two things: Marcos Reyes and the truth about his sexuality. Transferring to the Melbourne Mustangs should have been a fresh start, but Marcos stealing his position only feeds old rivalries between new teammates. As pressure mounts, so do the feelings Sebastian has buried for years, simmering in charged glances, late-night arguments, and a heat he can’t ignore.
Marcos Reyes has always understood the game. What he doesn’t understand is why Sebastian gets under his skin in ways no one else ever has. One reckless night shatters everything he thought he knew, pulling him into a secret, intensely physical connection that quickly turns addictive—and terrifyingly real.
As the team struggles, their on-field tension turns explosive, and their chemistry becomes impossible to ignore. What begins as rivalry twists into something hotter, messier, and far more dangerous: a secret relationship in a league where being out could cost everything.
When that rivalry blurs into passion, stolen moments turn steamy and complicated, and the stakes climb higher with every match.
But when the final whistle blows, will they still choose each other?
This is Book One of Sebastian and Marcos’ romance. Expect rivalry, heat, complications, and an unresolved ending—their happily ever after awaits them in Book Two.
Contains MM Spice.
Set in the high-stakes world of professional AFL, Contested is a steamy MM rivals-to-lovers sports romance. This contemporary dual POV romance is perfect for readers who love forced proximity, bi awakenings, forbidden workplace dynamics, and explosive on-field chemistry. Delivering angst, locker room tension, and hard-won vulnerability, this LGBTQ+ romance will be your next obsession.
Tropes:
• Enemies to lovers/rivals to lovers
• Forced proximity (same team)
• Emotional slow burn, physical fast burn
• Secret relationship (closeted)
• Bi awakening (MM / gay romance)
• Sports romance (AFL/pro football)
• Hurt/comfort
• Locker room tension
Sebastian Nguyen has spent years outrunning two things: Marcos Reyes and the truth about his sexuality. Transferring to the Melbourne Mustangs should have been a fresh start, but Marcos stealing his position only feeds old rivalries between new teammates. As pressure mounts, so do the feelings Sebastian has buried for years, simmering in charged glances, late-night arguments, and a heat he can’t ignore.
Marcos Reyes has always understood the game. What he doesn’t understand is why Sebastian gets under his skin in ways no one else ever has. One reckless night shatters everything he thought he knew, pulling him into a secret, intensely physical connection that quickly turns addictive—and terrifyingly real.
As the team struggles, their on-field tension turns explosive, and their chemistry becomes impossible to ignore. What begins as rivalry twists into something hotter, messier, and far more dangerous: a secret relationship in a league where being out could cost everything.
When that rivalry blurs into passion, stolen moments turn steamy and complicated, and the stakes climb higher with every match.
But when the final whistle blows, will they still choose each other?
This is Book One of Sebastian and Marcos’ romance. Expect rivalry, heat, complications, and an unresolved ending—their happily ever after awaits them in Book Two.
Contains MM Spice.
Set in the high-stakes world of professional AFL, Contested is a steamy MM rivals-to-lovers sports romance. This contemporary dual POV romance is perfect for readers who love forced proximity, bi awakenings, forbidden workplace dynamics, and explosive on-field chemistry. Delivering angst, locker room tension, and hard-won vulnerability, this LGBTQ+ romance will be your next obsession.
Tropes:
• Enemies to lovers/rivals to lovers
• Forced proximity (same team)
• Emotional slow burn, physical fast burn
• Secret relationship (closeted)
• Bi awakening (MM / gay romance)
• Sports romance (AFL/pro football)
• Hurt/comfort
• Locker room tension
375 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication September 1, 2026
About the author
Finn .
7 books37 followersFINN has been writing for pretty much as long as he’s been capable of insisting he “had an idea for a book.” He started at around age six and never really stopped, despite several early masterpieces being tragically lost to time. (Or maybe the dumpster, who knows?) Along the way, he’s also picked up singing, songwriting, voice acting, and whatever other creative outlets didn’t zap him when he stuck a fork in.
For years, FINN bounced between half-finished drafts and shifting styles. Then, one hot summer night in 2018, he found himself tucked into the corner of a pub almost bigger than the town it was in. Listening to the smooth sounds of people stumbling around and botching, he penned the opening chapter of what would become his debut novel, If Walls Could Talk. For the first time, the story felt honest enough to have true staying power.
He finished the first draft in a month, learned the hard truth about editing shortly after, and eventually crossed the line from “some guy who writes” to “published author.” FINN now focuses on emotionally driven stories with sharp edges, quiet moments, and characters who tend to feel too much—or not at all.
For years, FINN bounced between half-finished drafts and shifting styles. Then, one hot summer night in 2018, he found himself tucked into the corner of a pub almost bigger than the town it was in. Listening to the smooth sounds of people stumbling around and botching, he penned the opening chapter of what would become his debut novel, If Walls Could Talk. For the first time, the story felt honest enough to have true staying power.
He finished the first draft in a month, learned the hard truth about editing shortly after, and eventually crossed the line from “some guy who writes” to “published author.” FINN now focuses on emotionally driven stories with sharp edges, quiet moments, and characters who tend to feel too much—or not at all.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.25
There is something incredibly satisfying about a book that defies its tropes' limitations, that ignores what everyone has written before and reinterprets rivalry, friendship, and love.
On paper, this is just another rivals-to-lovers romance between two competitive guys who find themselves on the same team: Sebastian Nguyen and Marcos Reyes.
To be honest, when I started the book I was expecting something similar to Hooks In or Game Misconduct. But what Contested does differently is to move away from those expectations. A kiss doesn't automatically mean harmony, and a punch doesn't necessarily mean war. "Why did you kiss me?" is asked calmly. "You misunderstood me" isn't said with anger or resentment.
This is a story that takes its time, and it feels as though every time Seb and Marcos take a step forward, something forces them back to the drawing board. They see a bit more, they understand a little better, they adjust their expectations and try again.
As a story, this is not a HEA. For the sake of my poor heart, I really hope the second book in the series gives them the happy ending they deserve.
That said, I really appreciated how both the story and their relationship evolve. And I actually loved the ending. It left me with the same feeling the ending of Normal People did.
But, dear gods, Finn, that was mean!
When it comes to the writing, I did struggle a little. I saw a review claiming this book might be AI generated, but I don't think that is accurate and I choose to believe the author when they say that generative AI wasn't used. The writing was a bit confusing at times but the story was clear in a way, for example, Fresh Ice was not for me.
A lot of my struggle came during the two longer Australian football sequences. I found myself wishing the book had been about a hundred pages shorter. And somehow I also would have happily read another two hundred pages.
I'm really looking forward to seeing Finn's writing style evolve and to finding out where this story goes next.
Thank you to Fortified / BookBuzz.net and NetGalley for providing an eARC for an honest review!
There is something incredibly satisfying about a book that defies its tropes' limitations, that ignores what everyone has written before and reinterprets rivalry, friendship, and love.
On paper, this is just another rivals-to-lovers romance between two competitive guys who find themselves on the same team: Sebastian Nguyen and Marcos Reyes.
To be honest, when I started the book I was expecting something similar to Hooks In or Game Misconduct. But what Contested does differently is to move away from those expectations. A kiss doesn't automatically mean harmony, and a punch doesn't necessarily mean war. "Why did you kiss me?" is asked calmly. "You misunderstood me" isn't said with anger or resentment.
This is a story that takes its time, and it feels as though every time Seb and Marcos take a step forward, something forces them back to the drawing board. They see a bit more, they understand a little better, they adjust their expectations and try again.
As a story, this is not a HEA. For the sake of my poor heart, I really hope the second book in the series gives them the happy ending they deserve.
That said, I really appreciated how both the story and their relationship evolve. And I actually loved the ending. It left me with the same feeling the ending of Normal People did.
But, dear gods, Finn, that was mean!
When it comes to the writing, I did struggle a little. I saw a review claiming this book might be AI generated, but I don't think that is accurate and I choose to believe the author when they say that generative AI wasn't used. The writing was a bit confusing at times but the story was clear in a way, for example, Fresh Ice was not for me.
A lot of my struggle came during the two longer Australian football sequences. I found myself wishing the book had been about a hundred pages shorter. And somehow I also would have happily read another two hundred pages.
I'm really looking forward to seeing Finn's writing style evolve and to finding out where this story goes next.
Thank you to Fortified / BookBuzz.net and NetGalley for providing an eARC for an honest review!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
For those who prefer to read a series rather than a standalone novel, I think you will be pleased because there will be plenty of angles to explore in future books. For me, I wish I would’ve gotten a little bit more. I guess what I’m trying to say is that it very much felt like the first book of a series. Because it is.
I really like how the two main characters come from different cultures and how there are essentially three languages at play between them (I guess four if you include body language lol). I enjoyed learning about the characters backgrounds and their family situations. I also appreciate how the characters don’t always meet your expectations. For example, the one you are expecting to be confident in their sexuality might not actually feel that way. Or the one you’re expecting to want to go slow may surprise you and want to go all in. It certainly keeps you on your toes. The characters cannot be more different, and yet you will find that they are drawn to each other. And as a reader you become invested in them because they are both dealing with their own realities and insecurities, and essentially just trying to figure out who they are. Those questions are left open at the end of the book and will most likely be explored further in future books.
I went into this novel not knowing much about rugby, so I will say some of the sports-centered scenes really seemed to drag on sometimes. I may have even started skimming at some point. But that is a personal preference, and if you love rugby, then you will find that those scenes are full of detail and excitement.
Speaking of scenes that are full of detail and excitement, the spicy scenes are just as drawn out as the rugby ones. I was pleasantly surprised because I was under the impression that this author does not write spice that often (based on the dedication of his previous book “The Outsider.) I think the pacing from their being enemies to when they finally cross that boundary is pretty believable. Especially the reactions and all that. And then it just gets better.
The ending of this book definitely piqued my interest in reading the next one. The players are left at a crossroads, and it’s very difficult to predict how they will move forward. I was not prepared for that ending. If you’re not prepared to commit to reading the next book in the series, then this one will obviously feel unfinished. It’s supposed to be that way.
Overall, I would say that the author created a great foundation from which to build upon in future books. I’m very excited to see where the love star goes, and I will definitely be reading the next one.
Disclaimer: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I really like how the two main characters come from different cultures and how there are essentially three languages at play between them (I guess four if you include body language lol). I enjoyed learning about the characters backgrounds and their family situations. I also appreciate how the characters don’t always meet your expectations. For example, the one you are expecting to be confident in their sexuality might not actually feel that way. Or the one you’re expecting to want to go slow may surprise you and want to go all in. It certainly keeps you on your toes. The characters cannot be more different, and yet you will find that they are drawn to each other. And as a reader you become invested in them because they are both dealing with their own realities and insecurities, and essentially just trying to figure out who they are. Those questions are left open at the end of the book and will most likely be explored further in future books.
I went into this novel not knowing much about rugby, so I will say some of the sports-centered scenes really seemed to drag on sometimes. I may have even started skimming at some point. But that is a personal preference, and if you love rugby, then you will find that those scenes are full of detail and excitement.
Speaking of scenes that are full of detail and excitement, the spicy scenes are just as drawn out as the rugby ones. I was pleasantly surprised because I was under the impression that this author does not write spice that often (based on the dedication of his previous book “The Outsider.) I think the pacing from their being enemies to when they finally cross that boundary is pretty believable. Especially the reactions and all that. And then it just gets better.
The ending of this book definitely piqued my interest in reading the next one. The players are left at a crossroads, and it’s very difficult to predict how they will move forward. I was not prepared for that ending. If you’re not prepared to commit to reading the next book in the series, then this one will obviously feel unfinished. It’s supposed to be that way.
Overall, I would say that the author created a great foundation from which to build upon in future books. I’m very excited to see where the love star goes, and I will definitely be reading the next one.
Disclaimer: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 17, 2026
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy! (this will be long, i’m a babbler)
okay so…this was a surprisingly difficult book to gather my thoughts on?? but i think i didn’t totally hate this…sometimes a book is allowed to just be fun and silly and simply about two people falling in love.
i started the book a little unsure since i wasn’t immediately connecting with the story or the characters, but around the halfway point i really started to get into it. the story flowed much better (though it still had some bumps), and by the end i was completely hooked and sat for the sequel.
i really liked seb and marcos, i just wish we’d gotten to know them more as individuals. we learn a lot about their families and how they see each other, but i wanted more of who they were outside of the romance. i think the story would’ve benefited from digging deeper into that:/
i did appreciate that the romance actually took its time. as an avid hater of the love at first sight trope, i loved the slower build. the downside is that it sometimes dragged, and a few chapters felt more like filler than actual plot.
the biggest thing holding this back for me was the writing. over halfway through, the style started to feel repetitive, with a lot of paragraphs following the same formula. the prose was often choppy and a little stiff, and there was a lot of telling instead of showing, which made some of the emotional moments fall flat.
i also loved that the sport actually mattered!!! too many sports romances forget they're supposed to be about! sports! this one absolutely did not. though some of the football scenes definitely went on a little too long...
overall, though, this was a really fun read and i’m very excited to read more of seb and marcos’ story <3
some extra thoughts (but you owe me a penny):
- loved the table of contents. normalize those again.
- the chapter titles needed another editing pass.
- finn, i know you've done your time on Ao3. i recognize that. i respect that. i see you.
- way too many background characters. i did not need to know all of their names i'm sorry.
- free marcos from his horrible dad?? god forbid a man learn the native language of the woman he loves??? EEYUCK!
thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy! (this will be long, i’m a babbler)
okay so…this was a surprisingly difficult book to gather my thoughts on?? but i think i didn’t totally hate this…sometimes a book is allowed to just be fun and silly and simply about two people falling in love.
i started the book a little unsure since i wasn’t immediately connecting with the story or the characters, but around the halfway point i really started to get into it. the story flowed much better (though it still had some bumps), and by the end i was completely hooked and sat for the sequel.
i really liked seb and marcos, i just wish we’d gotten to know them more as individuals. we learn a lot about their families and how they see each other, but i wanted more of who they were outside of the romance. i think the story would’ve benefited from digging deeper into that:/
i did appreciate that the romance actually took its time. as an avid hater of the love at first sight trope, i loved the slower build. the downside is that it sometimes dragged, and a few chapters felt more like filler than actual plot.
the biggest thing holding this back for me was the writing. over halfway through, the style started to feel repetitive, with a lot of paragraphs following the same formula. the prose was often choppy and a little stiff, and there was a lot of telling instead of showing, which made some of the emotional moments fall flat.
i also loved that the sport actually mattered!!! too many sports romances forget they're supposed to be about! sports! this one absolutely did not. though some of the football scenes definitely went on a little too long...
overall, though, this was a really fun read and i’m very excited to read more of seb and marcos’ story <3
some extra thoughts (but you owe me a penny):
- loved the table of contents. normalize those again.
- the chapter titles needed another editing pass.
- finn, i know you've done your time on Ao3. i recognize that. i respect that. i see you.
- way too many background characters. i did not need to know all of their names i'm sorry.
- free marcos from his horrible dad?? god forbid a man learn the native language of the woman he loves??? EEYUCK!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the e-arc!!
pardon me while i screech because OH MY GAWD???? i don't like sports and i didn't know what afl was before this book and i had to google it. if i had to describe it, it would be a cross between sports and the long standing starcrossed romance of maxton hall (or at least the feeling it gave me) if thay makes sense?
i admit i did not particularly care about the romance for the first quarter of the book because it was so much back and forth of kissimg and distance and i hate to say it but after marcos and sebastian slept together the first time (not a spoiler) the story really took off and i really started to care.
the thing about rivalry is, especially the long standing for years kind, there is a very fine line between love and hate and i thought this book toes that line so well. the tension between seb and marcos is absolutely palpable and while sometimes a little long for my taste, the sex scenes are actually really hot. not just the physical aspect but just how charged it always feels.
i loved the 'falls first, falls harder' trope here too. spoilers ahead!! it's crazy to me that amidst the rivalry and fights sebastian has been in love with marcos since he was fourteen!! i read this on the train and it left me :0 in public. i thought that this also brought up jow homophobia permeates the industry and how a single comment can affect their rest of their careers. i was torn because i understood seb's pov here and it broke my heart that they have to hide it.
of course i also liked the family dynamics of the both of them. loren has accepted marcos (albeit reluctantly) and i hope seb gets to meet marcos' big family someday even though he's mot on a different team.
ngl the ending of this book broke me because wdym they both accepted that they love the other only for seb to have to move to another team (sydney storm fr??) for his family. i am SO SAT for book 2.
quotes for vibes.
"loren stared at him, then looked at sebastian. in that moment, sebastian felt his worlds shift, inching closer together."
"from the first time they kissed, marcos' head had been in a whirl about everything."
"bye, bye, bao. i love you." to "he fucking loved marcos reyes."
also marcos calling seb by his viet name and complimenting him secretly in spanish is the sweetest thing. send tweet.
pardon me while i screech because OH MY GAWD???? i don't like sports and i didn't know what afl was before this book and i had to google it. if i had to describe it, it would be a cross between sports and the long standing starcrossed romance of maxton hall (or at least the feeling it gave me) if thay makes sense?
i admit i did not particularly care about the romance for the first quarter of the book because it was so much back and forth of kissimg and distance and i hate to say it but after marcos and sebastian slept together the first time (not a spoiler) the story really took off and i really started to care.
the thing about rivalry is, especially the long standing for years kind, there is a very fine line between love and hate and i thought this book toes that line so well. the tension between seb and marcos is absolutely palpable and while sometimes a little long for my taste, the sex scenes are actually really hot. not just the physical aspect but just how charged it always feels.
i loved the 'falls first, falls harder' trope here too. spoilers ahead!! it's crazy to me that amidst the rivalry and fights sebastian has been in love with marcos since he was fourteen!! i read this on the train and it left me :0 in public. i thought that this also brought up jow homophobia permeates the industry and how a single comment can affect their rest of their careers. i was torn because i understood seb's pov here and it broke my heart that they have to hide it.
of course i also liked the family dynamics of the both of them. loren has accepted marcos (albeit reluctantly) and i hope seb gets to meet marcos' big family someday even though he's mot on a different team.
ngl the ending of this book broke me because wdym they both accepted that they love the other only for seb to have to move to another team (sydney storm fr??) for his family. i am SO SAT for book 2.
quotes for vibes.
"loren stared at him, then looked at sebastian. in that moment, sebastian felt his worlds shift, inching closer together."
"from the first time they kissed, marcos' head had been in a whirl about everything."
"bye, bye, bao. i love you." to "he fucking loved marcos reyes."
also marcos calling seb by his viet name and complimenting him secretly in spanish is the sweetest thing. send tweet.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
ARC REVIEW –
Marcos and Sebastian have been rival footy (AFL) players since their junior years and oh would ya look at that – they end up playing for the same AFL team this season, having to navigate their old and new feelings toward each other!!!
It is made extremely clear that this book is book one on the story of Seb and Marcos – so the story is not yet finished. Whilst I wanted their story wrapped up in a neat little bow, I have high hopes the wait will make their happily ever after all the sweeter in the next book.
Lots of sports romance “rivalries” do not feel like real rivalries – the changing dynamics between Sebastian felt Marcos felt real and natural. And their changing dynamics physically (sex!!!) was definitely something to get excited about.
I love sports romances and I tend to find myself glossing over the sport elements of sports I am not familiar with, but not here – I love footy and I love knowing what is going on!! (although this story makes the ruck seem like the absolute #1 rockstar position in a footy game which, not so sure about that) (also, Seb bleeding everywhere that one game and still playing – this book must predate the blood rule) (also RIP the centre bounce, I loved reading about you).
I loved the exploration of diversity in this book and different languages. Although, Marcos’ family brought me a lot of sadness in that no one is on the same page in the family with three languages being used and it seems no one but Marcus knows them all and he is used as the translator / interpreter for his whole family (also: would have LOVED for ‘sign’ to be named as Auslan) – not a large point in the plot and maybe used as a tool to show how sweet, caring and compassionate Marcos is to initially soften him to the reader – I was just thinking about this a lot.
I love GAYFL!!! I cannot wait for the rest of their story!!!
Thank you to NetGalley and all for the ARC!
Marcos and Sebastian have been rival footy (AFL) players since their junior years and oh would ya look at that – they end up playing for the same AFL team this season, having to navigate their old and new feelings toward each other!!!
It is made extremely clear that this book is book one on the story of Seb and Marcos – so the story is not yet finished. Whilst I wanted their story wrapped up in a neat little bow, I have high hopes the wait will make their happily ever after all the sweeter in the next book.
Lots of sports romance “rivalries” do not feel like real rivalries – the changing dynamics between Sebastian felt Marcos felt real and natural. And their changing dynamics physically (sex!!!) was definitely something to get excited about.
I love sports romances and I tend to find myself glossing over the sport elements of sports I am not familiar with, but not here – I love footy and I love knowing what is going on!! (although this story makes the ruck seem like the absolute #1 rockstar position in a footy game which, not so sure about that) (also, Seb bleeding everywhere that one game and still playing – this book must predate the blood rule) (also RIP the centre bounce, I loved reading about you).
I loved the exploration of diversity in this book and different languages. Although, Marcos’ family brought me a lot of sadness in that no one is on the same page in the family with three languages being used and it seems no one but Marcus knows them all and he is used as the translator / interpreter for his whole family (also: would have LOVED for ‘sign’ to be named as Auslan) – not a large point in the plot and maybe used as a tool to show how sweet, caring and compassionate Marcos is to initially soften him to the reader – I was just thinking about this a lot.
I love GAYFL!!! I cannot wait for the rest of their story!!!
Thank you to NetGalley and all for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I liked this well enough. I'm not usually a fan of quickly developed romances, but Marcos and Sebastian already having an established relationship (as rivals) provided a solid foundation for their budding romance (aka it wasn't a strangers to lovers situation). Despite their physical entanglements throughout the story, their development as a couple was actually rather slownburn. By the end of the novel, the question "what are we to each other?" has yet to be resolved. I honestly liked that writing decision. I thought it made the most sense given they were still getting to know each other ++ were still resolving other personal issues.
Marcos and Sebastian's characters had some depth and were decently explored. The writing regarding Sebastian's struggles as a closeted athlete and Marcos' self-discovery were pretty on par with what you'd expect from a novel like this. There was also a clear effort in fleshing out the MCs lives. The familial dynamics were written well, with their different cultural backgrounds actually being treated with thought and care.
I generally found the writing rather choppy. I noticed that the author had a tendency to stucture their sentences a certain way, producing a repetitive rhythm to the writing. Once I noticed it, it was hard to stop spotting it.
I'm not very familiar with football, and it'd be a lie if I said I didn't get confused during the game scenes. Unfortunately, the way they were written didn't hook me, and I found myself skimming several times. Other than the technical stuff, I wish sports culture (Australian sports culture, to be specific) was more prominent in the story. I honestly kept forgetting the entire thing was set in Australia. The discussion about homophobia in sports was kept surface-level and wasn't as in-depth as it could've been.
Overall, a decent sports romance novel.
Marcos and Sebastian's characters had some depth and were decently explored. The writing regarding Sebastian's struggles as a closeted athlete and Marcos' self-discovery were pretty on par with what you'd expect from a novel like this. There was also a clear effort in fleshing out the MCs lives. The familial dynamics were written well, with their different cultural backgrounds actually being treated with thought and care.
I generally found the writing rather choppy. I noticed that the author had a tendency to stucture their sentences a certain way, producing a repetitive rhythm to the writing. Once I noticed it, it was hard to stop spotting it.
I'm not very familiar with football, and it'd be a lie if I said I didn't get confused during the game scenes. Unfortunately, the way they were written didn't hook me, and I found myself skimming several times. Other than the technical stuff, I wish sports culture (Australian sports culture, to be specific) was more prominent in the story. I honestly kept forgetting the entire thing was set in Australia. The discussion about homophobia in sports was kept surface-level and wasn't as in-depth as it could've been.
Overall, a decent sports romance novel.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
(3.5 stars) At first this might seem like your typical sports rivals-to-lovers kind of romance novel, but after the first chapters it was clear to me this was a bit different.
Sebastian and Marcos are both Australian football players with a long standing rivalry, until they start playing for the same team and need to learn how to get along - this premise is nothing new but what hooked me was that the story really takes its time and everything develops quite slowly on both sides.
There's no sudden insta-love (ok, maybe a bit of a crush / unrequited attraction, but so suppressed it barely shows) and instead there are a lot of doubts, hesitations, a slow-build and tentative back and forth between them. Their relationship felt a bit more real because of that, and also because the author really goes into detail about what they're feeling and thinking. And that was probably the part that also didn't work so well for me - sometimes there was too much detail and it felt a bit repetitive, especially in the middle chapters, and could probably use a bit more of editing. The sports and football part is also quite detailed - I had to google about Australian football and what a ruck was - but it's written in a way I could more or less understand the games and what was going on, so I never felt completely lost.
As for the characters I loved both Sebastian and Marcos, and that the fact that they were from such different cultures and spoke different languages. And I enjoyed the bits we had with Marcos' family, especially his sisters, and wish we could've gotten more time with them.
And that ending ... damn, I knew this was book 1 and that we were not getting a HEA here, but it still hurt a bit. Will definitely read book 2 when it comes out.
Sebastian and Marcos are both Australian football players with a long standing rivalry, until they start playing for the same team and need to learn how to get along - this premise is nothing new but what hooked me was that the story really takes its time and everything develops quite slowly on both sides.
There's no sudden insta-love (ok, maybe a bit of a crush / unrequited attraction, but so suppressed it barely shows) and instead there are a lot of doubts, hesitations, a slow-build and tentative back and forth between them. Their relationship felt a bit more real because of that, and also because the author really goes into detail about what they're feeling and thinking. And that was probably the part that also didn't work so well for me - sometimes there was too much detail and it felt a bit repetitive, especially in the middle chapters, and could probably use a bit more of editing. The sports and football part is also quite detailed - I had to google about Australian football and what a ruck was - but it's written in a way I could more or less understand the games and what was going on, so I never felt completely lost.
As for the characters I loved both Sebastian and Marcos, and that the fact that they were from such different cultures and spoke different languages. And I enjoyed the bits we had with Marcos' family, especially his sisters, and wish we could've gotten more time with them.
And that ending ... damn, I knew this was book 1 and that we were not getting a HEA here, but it still hurt a bit. Will definitely read book 2 when it comes out.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The story itself was so good, so when I say I’m disappointed in this book, I’m not referring to the plot or story arc at all. The story follows two rival football players having to deal with their attraction head on after being put on the same team, and phew. I cannot imagine having to deal with the complicated feelings this situation brought to them, and I liked how they dealt with it. This really was such an interesting premise, which is the only reason I didn’t DNF this.
Unfortunately, the writing style of this book was the downfall of it. There was a big “this was not written at all by generative AI” disclaimer at the beginning of the book, which I’m inclined to believe! However, AI (specifically ChatGPT) tends to do a lot of choppy sentences and pauses. The writing in this book was *exactly* like that. Example from an actual part of the book:
“His breathing had gone uneven. His fingers kept flexing over and over at his sides, like his body wanted something to hold onto and refused to let itself reach for it. Marcos had seen him angry plenty of times. But this wasn't only anger.
It looked closer to fear. And that was
harder to look at.”
Now, I know that AI is trained on already written material, so this is most likely an example of where ChatGPT gets its default writing style. Sadly, I am not a fan of that writing style. So regardless of it being AI free or not, reading this book was unpleasant for me. I don’t like short, choppy sentences that tell instead of show.
I think this would’ve easily been a 5 star book for me otherwise.
The story itself was so good, so when I say I’m disappointed in this book, I’m not referring to the plot or story arc at all. The story follows two rival football players having to deal with their attraction head on after being put on the same team, and phew. I cannot imagine having to deal with the complicated feelings this situation brought to them, and I liked how they dealt with it. This really was such an interesting premise, which is the only reason I didn’t DNF this.
Unfortunately, the writing style of this book was the downfall of it. There was a big “this was not written at all by generative AI” disclaimer at the beginning of the book, which I’m inclined to believe! However, AI (specifically ChatGPT) tends to do a lot of choppy sentences and pauses. The writing in this book was *exactly* like that. Example from an actual part of the book:
“His breathing had gone uneven. His fingers kept flexing over and over at his sides, like his body wanted something to hold onto and refused to let itself reach for it. Marcos had seen him angry plenty of times. But this wasn't only anger.
It looked closer to fear. And that was
harder to look at.”
Now, I know that AI is trained on already written material, so this is most likely an example of where ChatGPT gets its default writing style. Sadly, I am not a fan of that writing style. So regardless of it being AI free or not, reading this book was unpleasant for me. I don’t like short, choppy sentences that tell instead of show.
I think this would’ve easily been a 5 star book for me otherwise.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I think this book is good for people who liked Heated Rivalry but wanted more sport and them to be on the same team.
I liked a lot about this book, especially in the beginning and at the end. The middle was a little bit of a slog for me personally, partly because the spice scenes weren't really my thing.
What did work for me:
- their relationships with their families. I actually wish there was even more of it. It was a very interesting dynamic.
- their interactions with their teammates. I think the dialogue is generally quite well-written.
- the romance in general is quite sweet
- the sports aspect
- the twists at the end
- I didn't mind that it didn't have a HEA (yet)
What wasn't for me:
- I liked the amount of football/Australian rugby, but I sometimes thought it was just there rather than being a fully fleshed out subplot.
- I didn't really feel the setting? I think that it would benefit from more specifics about Melbourne & general Australian culture impacting the narrative or even just sprinkled in somewhere to give more of an atmospheric feeling to the setting.
- I wish there was more about language, since the language differences were brought up so often. I wanted either some kind of subplot (learning each other's languages?) or some theme or way that it's impacting their lives. Especially for Marcos since his family can't even all communicate with each other because of their languages and I think that would impact his psyche
- I had kind of assumed they would have hate sex since they're rivals to start out with, but that never happens
I think this book is good for people who liked Heated Rivalry but wanted more sport and them to be on the same team.
I liked a lot about this book, especially in the beginning and at the end. The middle was a little bit of a slog for me personally, partly because the spice scenes weren't really my thing.
What did work for me:
- their relationships with their families. I actually wish there was even more of it. It was a very interesting dynamic.
- their interactions with their teammates. I think the dialogue is generally quite well-written.
- the romance in general is quite sweet
- the sports aspect
- the twists at the end
- I didn't mind that it didn't have a HEA (yet)
What wasn't for me:
- I liked the amount of football/Australian rugby, but I sometimes thought it was just there rather than being a fully fleshed out subplot.
- I didn't really feel the setting? I think that it would benefit from more specifics about Melbourne & general Australian culture impacting the narrative or even just sprinkled in somewhere to give more of an atmospheric feeling to the setting.
- I wish there was more about language, since the language differences were brought up so often. I wanted either some kind of subplot (learning each other's languages?) or some theme or way that it's impacting their lives. Especially for Marcos since his family can't even all communicate with each other because of their languages and I think that would impact his psyche
- I had kind of assumed they would have hate sex since they're rivals to start out with, but that never happens
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Anyone who knows me knows that I am not into sports and don't follow AFL, but for some reason I really enjoy sports romances... I have read numerous American football, soccer, ice hockey, baseball, tennis and even curling romances and somehow this is my very first AFL romance?! Are there others out there? I think I need more!
This book included a lot of football, and despite not being a sports fan and often preferring my shorts romances to be sparing with the sports detail, I actually really enjoyed the portrayal of the games included in this book - it played an important role in showing how the relationship between our two main characters, Marcos and Sebastian, changes and builds through the book, it also highlights moments of casual homophobia from other players and how the MCs, Marcos in particular as he comes to terms with his own sexuality, react to that emotionally.
The rivalry that the characters begin the story with is pretty quickly smoothed over, but I didn't mind that - it felt like a realistic situation and level of animosity for two rival players finding themselves on the same team for the first time. But if you're after a true enemies to lovers dynamic, this is not it.
Both characters felt fully fleshed out with their own lives and families and backstories and their relationship is building on page in a way that feels authentic, and not overly rushed.
I enjoyed every moment of my time reading this book and while I found the ending a little abrupt, I was pleased to learn there will be a book 2, because I wasn't ready for my time with Marcos and Sebastian to be over!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC.
This book included a lot of football, and despite not being a sports fan and often preferring my shorts romances to be sparing with the sports detail, I actually really enjoyed the portrayal of the games included in this book - it played an important role in showing how the relationship between our two main characters, Marcos and Sebastian, changes and builds through the book, it also highlights moments of casual homophobia from other players and how the MCs, Marcos in particular as he comes to terms with his own sexuality, react to that emotionally.
The rivalry that the characters begin the story with is pretty quickly smoothed over, but I didn't mind that - it felt like a realistic situation and level of animosity for two rival players finding themselves on the same team for the first time. But if you're after a true enemies to lovers dynamic, this is not it.
Both characters felt fully fleshed out with their own lives and families and backstories and their relationship is building on page in a way that feels authentic, and not overly rushed.
I enjoyed every moment of my time reading this book and while I found the ending a little abrupt, I was pleased to learn there will be a book 2, because I wasn't ready for my time with Marcos and Sebastian to be over!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you Fortified and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. I love a good rivals to lovers book! Sebastian spent his younger years not having much so he threw himself into his sport of football. He managed to make professional teams and is now going to be starting for the Melbourne Mustangs, which means more money. The only problem is he had to give up his position but a new position isn’t a bad thing, or at least that’s what he tell’s himself. He’s trying to be convincing and maybe it would work if he didn’t find out that his old position went to none other than his long term rival Marcos. The two can’t stand each other and their rivalry is well known but now they’ll have to find a way to play together. Things get more complicated when Sebastian kisses Marcos. Marcos is stunned, he’s not gay, but then why did he kiss back? As the two continue to try to play and win together, behind the season they’ll first fight their attraction but soon the want is too much. But what could their relationship mean for their careers? Will they choose each other if it means giving up their sport? Or is what they have something real? The tension and passion between Marcos and Sebastian was so good! I devoured FINN’s book! Full of chemistry, passion, spice, and tension! Though do suggest learning about Australian football before reading as it’ll help follow the sports aspects! Recommend if you like sports and rivals to lovers! There’s a cliffhanger/twist ending that left me needing book two!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Review of an advance copy from NetGalley. No incentive was provided in exchange for my honest opinion.
Marcos and Seb have the potential to be really interesting characters, but I feel like several things stand in their way.
But first, the good. I liked the representation of coming to terms with sexuality; it isn't always linear or clean cut. People's comfort level can vary dramatically based on context. Our main characters both face struggles coming to terms with who they are and what that might mean for their lives.
My gripes. The topic of Australian footballs is obviously pivotal to the storytelling, but honestly I felt like I'd missed a 101 course "Intro to". Few things are as frustrating as a reader, than reading terms, going to find definitions, only to discover they relate to other terms you don't know. If you're going to go niche like this, time to crack open a topic primer at the beginning.
The weird thing about this? Despite the setting, beyond the team names, very little about the story felt Australian. Change the names and I'm not sure you'd materially impact the story.
The writing style also bugged me; everything was "too" something. There is also a signature sentence style. References to "he" often had to accompanied by context clues to figure out who was the subject of a particular character.
The ending... nope. I get the choice, but it feels forced. There are sections that from my reading just don't advance the story. Give me less team background, and more on how the MCs are navigating their attraction in a hostile environment.
Marcos and Seb have the potential to be really interesting characters, but I feel like several things stand in their way.
But first, the good. I liked the representation of coming to terms with sexuality; it isn't always linear or clean cut. People's comfort level can vary dramatically based on context. Our main characters both face struggles coming to terms with who they are and what that might mean for their lives.
My gripes. The topic of Australian footballs is obviously pivotal to the storytelling, but honestly I felt like I'd missed a 101 course "Intro to". Few things are as frustrating as a reader, than reading terms, going to find definitions, only to discover they relate to other terms you don't know. If you're going to go niche like this, time to crack open a topic primer at the beginning.
The weird thing about this? Despite the setting, beyond the team names, very little about the story felt Australian. Change the names and I'm not sure you'd materially impact the story.
The writing style also bugged me; everything was "too" something. There is also a signature sentence style. References to "he" often had to accompanied by context clues to figure out who was the subject of a particular character.
The ending... nope. I get the choice, but it feels forced. There are sections that from my reading just don't advance the story. Give me less team background, and more on how the MCs are navigating their attraction in a hostile environment.
Review of advance copy
This book was my first ever ARC. I chose it because of the cover and then almost regretted it the instant I opened it and read the 'To Readers', which had me fearing I would cry at the end.
I am very glad I gave this book a chance. I read it within a day because I just couldn't put it down and needed to know what was going to happen. The diversity in the book was a surprise and a great addition as well, and the way the characters all interact with each other drew me in so much. It was as though I was placed within their lives which had already happened and hadn't just started because the book did.
I will say, I would have loved to see more of Sebastian and Marcos' life outside of their families and football. Though, I'm not going to complain as I got to spend a lot of time with these two characters who I fell in love with the instant they appeared on the page.
And the ending...
Overall, I recommend this book to MM lovers everywhere. You will not be disappointed!
I am very glad I gave this book a chance. I read it within a day because I just couldn't put it down and needed to know what was going to happen. The diversity in the book was a surprise and a great addition as well, and the way the characters all interact with each other drew me in so much. It was as though I was placed within their lives which had already happened and hadn't just started because the book did.
I will say, I would have loved to see more of Sebastian and Marcos' life outside of their families and football. Though, I'm not going to complain as I got to spend a lot of time with these two characters who I fell in love with the instant they appeared on the page.
And the ending...
Overall, I recommend this book to MM lovers everywhere. You will not be disappointed!
Review of advance copy
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I don't typically read mlm centered stories, but this gripped onto me and did not let me go.
Contested, an emotional dual pov rivals to lovers sports romance ft. Sebastian, an emotional man who struggles to communicate with his family, and is weighed down by public scrutiny of himself and the toxic masculinity that surrounds him. And Marcos, a down to earth family man, coming to terms with his sexuality and his new found relationship with his rival turned lover.
The best thing about this book, is the sports. Finn spends significant time developing the team through their practices, workouts, games, and personal relationships. Showing you how a shaky team filled with skillful members struggle their way into beating enemy teams. Almost giving the same excitement you feel when reading sports manga.
The next thing I loved, is how real Sebastian and Marco feel. They both struggle with their family, with communicating, they suffer and take time to reflect and feel and try to form healthy dynamics. It's just realistic. If your looking for something overly steamy and hot this may not be the book for you. But the emotional development is real, it pays off in the end, and the smut that this book does have feels rewarding after all the tension.
I'm really excited for the sequel.
I don't typically read mlm centered stories, but this gripped onto me and did not let me go.
Contested, an emotional dual pov rivals to lovers sports romance ft. Sebastian, an emotional man who struggles to communicate with his family, and is weighed down by public scrutiny of himself and the toxic masculinity that surrounds him. And Marcos, a down to earth family man, coming to terms with his sexuality and his new found relationship with his rival turned lover.
The best thing about this book, is the sports. Finn spends significant time developing the team through their practices, workouts, games, and personal relationships. Showing you how a shaky team filled with skillful members struggle their way into beating enemy teams. Almost giving the same excitement you feel when reading sports manga.
The next thing I loved, is how real Sebastian and Marco feel. They both struggle with their family, with communicating, they suffer and take time to reflect and feel and try to form healthy dynamics. It's just realistic. If your looking for something overly steamy and hot this may not be the book for you. But the emotional development is real, it pays off in the end, and the smut that this book does have feels rewarding after all the tension.
I'm really excited for the sequel.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Review of an Advance Copy Received from NetGalley
3 stars ⭐
Firstly, a huge thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with an ARC ♡
I'm not going to lie, I originally requested this ARC because it's set in Australia, and as an Australian reader, it's so rare to find books set here. That said, I would have loved to see more Australian culture and atmosphere woven into the story.
Marcos and Sebastian were both well developed characters and I really enjoyed watching their relationship unfold. The slow burn romance was well done and I especially loved that they were teammates, which made their growing connection even more exciting.
I also appreciated that the story ended with a "what do we mean to each other?" moment instead of a traditional happily ever after. It was a refreshing change from the usual romance ending and I wasn't expecting it! It also sets up the second book nicely and leaves me interested to see where their relationship goes next.
My main issue was with the writing style. The paragraphs were very short and often felt choppy, which made the reading experience less smooth for me. I noticed another reviewer mention the same thing, and I found myself agreeing. While this formatting works well on a phone or ereader, I'm not sure it will translate as well to a printed book.
3 stars ⭐
Firstly, a huge thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with an ARC ♡
I'm not going to lie, I originally requested this ARC because it's set in Australia, and as an Australian reader, it's so rare to find books set here. That said, I would have loved to see more Australian culture and atmosphere woven into the story.
Marcos and Sebastian were both well developed characters and I really enjoyed watching their relationship unfold. The slow burn romance was well done and I especially loved that they were teammates, which made their growing connection even more exciting.
I also appreciated that the story ended with a "what do we mean to each other?" moment instead of a traditional happily ever after. It was a refreshing change from the usual romance ending and I wasn't expecting it! It also sets up the second book nicely and leaves me interested to see where their relationship goes next.
My main issue was with the writing style. The paragraphs were very short and often felt choppy, which made the reading experience less smooth for me. I noticed another reviewer mention the same thing, and I found myself agreeing. While this formatting works well on a phone or ereader, I'm not sure it will translate as well to a printed book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was a solid sports romance, and the AFL setting really stood out. The sports storyline felt well researched and played a huge role in driving the plot, making the world feel authentic. As someone who wasn't familiar with AFL, I found myself looking up quite a bit of the terminology along the way, but I actually enjoyed learning about a sport you don't see often in romance. I also really enjoyed the complexity of Marcos's family dynamics, which added another emotional layer to the story.
For me, the balance between the romance and the sports wasn't quite there. At times, the AFL storyline took center stage, making the romance feel more like a subplot than the heart of the book. I wanted a little more emotional development between Sebastian and Marcos to match the intensity of their chemistry/rivalry/feelings.
If you're looking for a sports romance outside the usual baseball, hockey, or soccer rotation, this one is definitely worth checking out. This is book one of Sebastian and Marcos's story and ends with a HFN, leaving more of their journey for book two.
Thank you to Fortified, Finn, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
For me, the balance between the romance and the sports wasn't quite there. At times, the AFL storyline took center stage, making the romance feel more like a subplot than the heart of the book. I wanted a little more emotional development between Sebastian and Marcos to match the intensity of their chemistry/rivalry/feelings.
If you're looking for a sports romance outside the usual baseball, hockey, or soccer rotation, this one is definitely worth checking out. This is book one of Sebastian and Marcos's story and ends with a HFN, leaving more of their journey for book two.
Thank you to Fortified, Finn, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Contested follows Marcos and Sebastian who are rivals turned teammates on an AFL team and need to learn how to play together. There’s a lot of history there with their rivalry dating back to when they played in junior teams, and it takes a while for them to break out of those habits. They’re pretty prickly, and it does feel like their eventual closeness is earned, because of course their dynamic can’t flip a switch overnight.
The book is both pretty Aussie but not super Aussie at the same time. In some of the scenes where Marcos runs into Melbourne CBD, it was a bit confusing where he was coming from, which felt like the book was expecting the reader to come in with a bit of understanding of what the city is like. There’s also a ton of description of the footie scenes, which completely went over my head. But those things didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the book, I just processed it as Australianisms. (Romance reasons!)
Fair warning though, this book doesn’t have an HEA, but the author reassures at the end that Marcos and Sebastian will have their happily ever after in the following book.
The book is both pretty Aussie but not super Aussie at the same time. In some of the scenes where Marcos runs into Melbourne CBD, it was a bit confusing where he was coming from, which felt like the book was expecting the reader to come in with a bit of understanding of what the city is like. There’s also a ton of description of the footie scenes, which completely went over my head. But those things didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the book, I just processed it as Australianisms. (Romance reasons!)
Fair warning though, this book doesn’t have an HEA, but the author reassures at the end that Marcos and Sebastian will have their happily ever after in the following book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!
Contested follows Sebastian and Marcos, rivals turned teammates turned lovers, as they navigate a season in the AFL (Australian Football League). As a huge sports romance fan, I was super excited about the premise. It's a classic for a reason!
I'll start with the good: I loved the level of detail in the football scenes. Although I know it's an uncommon take, I really appreciate when the sport is actually present in my sports romances, and I definitely got that from this book (and I learned loads about a new sport to boot).
I also enjoyed the evolution of Sebastian and Marco's relationship, but I wish there had been a little bit more depth to it. It's very surface level for most of the story. Then feelings seemed to develop without them knowing...well, much of anything about each other outside of football. I would've loved to see them build more of an actual friendship earlier on.
Writing-wise, this could've used another heavy round of editing. There are a lot of choppy, fragmented sentences, and the Spanish was giving half-accurate Google Translate, which really pulled me out of the story. Additionally, for a book set in such a specific place (Melbourne), it lacked details to help situate the reader there. Instead, it felt like everything was happening in some nameless, generic city, with nothing to anchor it.
I will say, the ending definitely caught me. It was totally unexpected (in a good way), enough so that I might just pick up book two when the times comes, even though I wasn't feeling that way initially.
Contested follows Sebastian and Marcos, rivals turned teammates turned lovers, as they navigate a season in the AFL (Australian Football League). As a huge sports romance fan, I was super excited about the premise. It's a classic for a reason!
I'll start with the good: I loved the level of detail in the football scenes. Although I know it's an uncommon take, I really appreciate when the sport is actually present in my sports romances, and I definitely got that from this book (and I learned loads about a new sport to boot).
I also enjoyed the evolution of Sebastian and Marco's relationship, but I wish there had been a little bit more depth to it. It's very surface level for most of the story. Then feelings seemed to develop without them knowing...well, much of anything about each other outside of football. I would've loved to see them build more of an actual friendship earlier on.
Writing-wise, this could've used another heavy round of editing. There are a lot of choppy, fragmented sentences, and the Spanish was giving half-accurate Google Translate, which really pulled me out of the story. Additionally, for a book set in such a specific place (Melbourne), it lacked details to help situate the reader there. Instead, it felt like everything was happening in some nameless, generic city, with nothing to anchor it.
I will say, the ending definitely caught me. It was totally unexpected (in a good way), enough so that I might just pick up book two when the times comes, even though I wasn't feeling that way initially.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Sebastian and Marcos have been rivals for years, severely disliking each other since juniors. When they find themselves on the same team and having to work closely together, their fiery chemistry slowly develops into a secret physical relationship off the field. Marcos has a fairly typical awakening, Sebastian has known he was gay for years and suffered a lot from the casual homophobia all around him - which Marcos hadn't even realised before. There was plenty of sports time - it wasn't just there as vague basis for a romance background. For me the first part was a bit slow with a lot of information about their respective families (who had some nasty members) - presumably the necessity will become apparent in the second book. There was a good place chosen for the ending, without a painful cliffhanger.
Thanks for the advance copy via NetGalley, I am happy to leave a voluntary review.
Thanks for the advance copy via NetGalley, I am happy to leave a voluntary review.
July 19, 2026
2.5
i’ll start off saying this book did feel a little choppy sentence-wise. i did wish the dialogue between the two rivals was a little more scathing, it did feel pretty low stakes in terms of disses which i would feel like true rivals would have some ammunition locked and loaded. i didn’t really like the digs they made at each other, i guess they were realistic but the more racially charged ones got old pretty fast.
the progression of the romance didn’t feel quite smooth — it felt choppy, with inciting incidents happening at the drop of a hat, no build up.
i found the side characters to be a little too plentiful — there were so many names to memorize and i got so many confused.
family dynamics for marcos’s family was compelling. i liked the complexity and hated greg lol.
thanks to netgalley and the publishers for the arc!
i’ll start off saying this book did feel a little choppy sentence-wise. i did wish the dialogue between the two rivals was a little more scathing, it did feel pretty low stakes in terms of disses which i would feel like true rivals would have some ammunition locked and loaded. i didn’t really like the digs they made at each other, i guess they were realistic but the more racially charged ones got old pretty fast.
the progression of the romance didn’t feel quite smooth — it felt choppy, with inciting incidents happening at the drop of a hat, no build up.
i found the side characters to be a little too plentiful — there were so many names to memorize and i got so many confused.
family dynamics for marcos’s family was compelling. i liked the complexity and hated greg lol.
thanks to netgalley and the publishers for the arc!
Review of advance copy received from Sonstiges
I'm a sucker for sports romances and I especially like it if the sport theme isn't just a side note. I have no clue about Rugby but I was enjoying reading about it and ended up doing my own little intro-to- rugby research.
The story has heated rivalry vibes and we get to experience how Marcos and Seb turn from enemies to lovers.
The writing style took me a little while to get used to. The sentences are sometimes short and chopped which doesn't let the story flow.
It's at times almost whimsical and poetic.
"The night continued to move around him, loud and bright"
The romance develops slowly and I wish we could have been more involved in the process. The time jumps make you think a big chunk of the falling in lust/love happens off page.
I'd recommend this for sports romance lovers and can't wait for the second book 🏉
The story has heated rivalry vibes and we get to experience how Marcos and Seb turn from enemies to lovers.
The writing style took me a little while to get used to. The sentences are sometimes short and chopped which doesn't let the story flow.
It's at times almost whimsical and poetic.
"The night continued to move around him, loud and bright"
The romance develops slowly and I wish we could have been more involved in the process. The time jumps make you think a big chunk of the falling in lust/love happens off page.
I'd recommend this for sports romance lovers and can't wait for the second book 🏉
Review of advance copy
This book had a lot of potential but sadly I don’t think it’s for me.
While it’s set in the AFL world the book doesn’t feel “real”- for example it’s supposed to be set in Melbourne but there’s little to no descriptions of real life landmarks and when there’s descriptions, it is so generic as to be pointless.
What is good is the representation- the main characters are of Vietnamese heritage and the other Spanish who is able to use sign language as they have a deaf sister- the AFL is majority white, European so the diversity the author provides is appreciated.
So all in all it’s a mixed bag for me in regards to this novel- a lot of potential, some great characterisation, but also some generic descriptions which will make you scratch you head.
While it’s set in the AFL world the book doesn’t feel “real”- for example it’s supposed to be set in Melbourne but there’s little to no descriptions of real life landmarks and when there’s descriptions, it is so generic as to be pointless.
What is good is the representation- the main characters are of Vietnamese heritage and the other Spanish who is able to use sign language as they have a deaf sister- the AFL is majority white, European so the diversity the author provides is appreciated.
So all in all it’s a mixed bag for me in regards to this novel- a lot of potential, some great characterisation, but also some generic descriptions which will make you scratch you head.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I enjoyed Marcos and Sebastian's story as teammates and more. I like their dynamic and how they got to explore with each other. However, I felt like the writing left the character emotions and decisions very distant and mysterious from the reader. I couldn't always understand why they made the choice they did in the relationship.
It also took me a third of the way into the story to figure out what sport they were playing. It was not very clear. The descriptions of the games were good but unless you previous understand the rules of Rugby it was kind of confusing. There was a lot about Rugby and I feel like it could have gone into more to build Marcos and Sebastian's relationship. I was jilted by the sudden ending but interest to see where the next book goes
It also took me a third of the way into the story to figure out what sport they were playing. It was not very clear. The descriptions of the games were good but unless you previous understand the rules of Rugby it was kind of confusing. There was a lot about Rugby and I feel like it could have gone into more to build Marcos and Sebastian's relationship. I was jilted by the sudden ending but interest to see where the next book goes
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thanks for the advanced reading copy!
This book was such a wonderful blast, I read it in literally a morning cause I could not put it down! Normally I like a HEA but I was actually even happier that there are more books to come, I need more of Marcos and Sebastian.
This book was so well done, and the characters were so well realized and thought through. I loved their cultural backgrounds, their unique family lives, and their journey together (especially Marcos). I loved seeing them gain their chemistry both off and on field, and create a really wonderful relationship.
Would recommend to all looking for a great MM romance, with sports, rivals to lovers, representation and spice!
This book was such a wonderful blast, I read it in literally a morning cause I could not put it down! Normally I like a HEA but I was actually even happier that there are more books to come, I need more of Marcos and Sebastian.
This book was so well done, and the characters were so well realized and thought through. I loved their cultural backgrounds, their unique family lives, and their journey together (especially Marcos). I loved seeing them gain their chemistry both off and on field, and create a really wonderful relationship.
Would recommend to all looking for a great MM romance, with sports, rivals to lovers, representation and spice!
Review of advance copy
I had to jump on this book as soon as I saw there were ARC copies available after reading FINN's last book and I can say with certainty that this book did not disappoint.
The characters and diversity in Contested are amazing (especially Marcos and how he is handled). I will say I know nothing about the sport and I think some of the sport sections did go a little long, I can't say I was ever bored of it.
I cannot say how happy I am that there's going to be a second book and I just really wish I didn't have to wait for it.
I received an advance review copy for free, and am leaving my honest review.
The characters and diversity in Contested are amazing (especially Marcos and how he is handled). I will say I know nothing about the sport and I think some of the sport sections did go a little long, I can't say I was ever bored of it.
I cannot say how happy I am that there's going to be a second book and I just really wish I didn't have to wait for it.
I received an advance review copy for free, and am leaving my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5. I really enjoyed this! I thought the romance was sweet, and the story did a great job exploring the mixed feelings surrounding being publicly gay in professional sports. I also liked that the author didn’t always take the easiest or most predictable path with the subplots, which kept me invested throughout.
My biggest issue was the ending. It felt like a huge plot twist that came out of left field and while I understand it was setting up the sequel, it didn’t feel well established within this book. I also thought the writing could have been a little stronger. Overall, though, I enjoyed the characters and the story enough that I’m interested to see where the series goes next!
My biggest issue was the ending. It felt like a huge plot twist that came out of left field and while I understand it was setting up the sequel, it didn’t feel well established within this book. I also thought the writing could have been a little stronger. Overall, though, I enjoyed the characters and the story enough that I’m interested to see where the series goes next!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Contested is the kind of m/m romance novel that hooks you from the first chapter because the rivalry never feels forced. Sebastian and Marcos spend as much time getting under each other's skin as they do fighting their growing attraction, and that push-and-pull keeps the pages turning. The football backdrop adds plenty of energy without overshadowing the relationship, while the banter, frustration, vulnerability, and chemistry all build naturally. Readers looking for a rivals-to-lovers romance with plenty of heat, genuine conflict, and characters worth rooting for will have a hard time putting this one down. The ending leaves you eager to see where these two go next.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Contested is a Rivals to Teammates to Lovers.
Sebastian is a closeted gay man who transfers teams and finds Rival Marcos on the team also. The two have an intense rivalry but after a drunk night, Sebastian kisses Marcos to which Marcos runs away, questioning his newfound bi awakening. After another night of Marcos running away again, he decides that he shouldn't be running from his feelings. They begin a relationship in secret until Sebs sister finds out but promises to keep their secret. The book ends on a cliffhanger which Sebastian transfers to a new team and the men promise to be friends.
This book definitely exceeded my expectations! It was a fun read! Looking forward to book two!
Sebastian is a closeted gay man who transfers teams and finds Rival Marcos on the team also. The two have an intense rivalry but after a drunk night, Sebastian kisses Marcos to which Marcos runs away, questioning his newfound bi awakening. After another night of Marcos running away again, he decides that he shouldn't be running from his feelings. They begin a relationship in secret until Sebs sister finds out but promises to keep their secret. The book ends on a cliffhanger which Sebastian transfers to a new team and the men promise to be friends.
This book definitely exceeded my expectations! It was a fun read! Looking forward to book two!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 10, 2026
Where high stakes are, romance begins to blossom. What happens if you fall in love with your rival? This is the what happens between Marcos and Sebestian. I liked this book. Was interesting, very to say the least. I kept thinking to myself: what would happen between the characters? Though, I have to give it three stars as the spice level was too explicit for my taste. Recommend it tho if you like M/M and want to read spice.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Review of advance copy
To start this review I want to say that SHOWER SCENE?! That alone as made this book a five star read. Everything else around it was just a bonus for being good.
Sebastian and Marcos have been playing against each other since they were kids and both made it to the big leagues as rivals but get drafted onto the same team and have to learn to play together. *Chef's kiss*
I need the next book in my hands now so I know for sure these two get their happy ending. They LOVE EACH OTHER.
I recieved a copy of this book for my honest review
Sebastian and Marcos have been playing against each other since they were kids and both made it to the big leagues as rivals but get drafted onto the same team and have to learn to play together. *Chef's kiss*
I need the next book in my hands now so I know for sure these two get their happy ending. They LOVE EACH OTHER.
I recieved a copy of this book for my honest review
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