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Don't Hate the Player
"I know when I started hating you. What I can't tell is when I started loving you, too. Maybe I never really hated you at all."
Elliot is talented.
He's the youngest player on his varsity soccer team. The best defender. When the infuriating sunshine child he played against in the summer tournament shows up at Fredricks High, he's mildly annoyed. When that sunshine child is given a spot on the varsity soccer team, he's sure it's a mistake.
Jack is the new kid.
He's ecstatic to finally be able to try out for a school soccer team. He's less enthused to find himself on the same team as the angry defender from the summer tournament.
When the coach says they have to train together or they won't play in the first game of the season, Jack and Elliot grudgingly agree to work together . . . and find that maybe, they're just what each other needs.
Elliot is talented.
He's the youngest player on his varsity soccer team. The best defender. When the infuriating sunshine child he played against in the summer tournament shows up at Fredricks High, he's mildly annoyed. When that sunshine child is given a spot on the varsity soccer team, he's sure it's a mistake.
Jack is the new kid.
He's ecstatic to finally be able to try out for a school soccer team. He's less enthused to find himself on the same team as the angry defender from the summer tournament.
When the coach says they have to train together or they won't play in the first game of the season, Jack and Elliot grudgingly agree to work together . . . and find that maybe, they're just what each other needs.
345 pages, ebook
Published August 16, 2022
171 people are currently reading
1608 people want to read
About the author
Shelby Elizabeth
9 books49 followersShelby Elizabeth is a graduate of SUNY Potsdam (BA) and SUNY Empire (MAT), and is a teacher. She has been writing for most of her life, and Stars Begin to Burn, the first in the Celestials series, is her debut novel. She lives in upstate New York, surrounded by her family, friends, and cats. She is an avid fanfiction writer, and her stories can be found on www.fanfiction.net under the pen name "pokemon fan 98." Shorter original works have been published in regional magazines and journals.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 148 reviews
October 9, 2022
4.5 stars
This was such a sweet, heartwarming and uplifting coming-of-age story. I loved Jack and Elliot. Jack is adorable. I loved Jack's family and the friendships between the team players.
The story is very slow-paced with a lot of focus on soccer. It's also pretty straightforward in its plot and characters, but I liked that there was no unnecessary drama or miscommunication. It put a smile on my face more than once.
This was such a sweet, heartwarming and uplifting coming-of-age story. I loved Jack and Elliot. Jack is adorable. I loved Jack's family and the friendships between the team players.
The story is very slow-paced with a lot of focus on soccer. It's also pretty straightforward in its plot and characters, but I liked that there was no unnecessary drama or miscommunication. It put a smile on my face more than once.
September 5, 2022
I know if I don’t hold onto him, something inside me will fall apart, and I’m not sure if it can be put back together.
my heart hurts in the best way possible.
this was all kinds of wonderfully sweet, heart-warming goodness. the amount of times i had to put this down and just cover my face as i smiled so big and goofy at the cuteness was embarrassing.
i think if you enjoyed A Surplus of Light by Chase Connor, then you’ll enjoy this one! it has the same achingly soft innocence of adolescent love, naïveté and turmoil. it also has similar vibes to Heartstopper too! just in that pure innocent way, with how awkward and fumbling Jack and Eli were with each other. but also with the interjections of somber realities that made me bawl my eyes out.
”I didn’t think you could want me,” I admit.
His hand tightens on my shirt, clenching into a fist. “How could I not want you?”
“I’m used to not being wanted.”
this book slowly crept up on me. it was definitely a slow start. i wasn’t sure if i was gonna like it in the beginning since i was struggling to stay invested. i even debated dnfing a few times because it was taking me that long to find my stride with it— but i knew at its core, this story would be one i thoroughly enjoyed so didn’t want to give up. and im incredibly glad i continued😌
so don’t expect a fast-paced, action packed story, you’re not gonna find that here. the story’s pacing almost ebbs and flows, it hinders on the soft moments between the heroes, Eli and Jack, to push the narrative forward and how their relationship slowly grows and progresses. there was a beautifully subtly about the story and the writing style which captivated me the most and pushed me to keep reading.
”I’ve always loved summer. Long, bright days. [...] I used to wish I could scoop up some of the sunlight. Just reach out, grab a few drops, and save them for later.”
the emotional outbursts this evoked in me were like punches to the gut. i did not expect to get so choked up so often. at times it was like i was in physical pain from both the heart-achingly beautiful moments and the simplistic, brutal ones. my review will have a few minor, out of context spoilers so i can talk about why this book was so gut wrenching... so if that bothers you, stop reading now :) but if you want to indulge in some of the cuteness then you’re more than welcome to continue.
”Maybe it’s more accurate to say you get testy. Maybe not all the time. Definitely more than I get testy with you.”
“Because you’re usually the one that does something stupid.”
“If so much of what I do is stupid, why are you always right beside me?”
first off, just to get it out of the way, don’t expect much in regards to the “enemies” aspect— it’s brief and lukewarm at best. but im glad it wasn’t dragged out or too intense because it honestly didn’t suit either character to prolong any real hostility between them. it wasn’t either of their styles. they were both too precious to hold a grudge😭 this is YA, too, and the boys are 15/16 and in their sophomore year. so the story doesn’t have a lot of wild angst or anything, but it worked perfectly without relying on drama.
Jack Benson☀️
Jack. sweet, little sunshine child, Jack.
He’s more than a sunshine child, really. He’s an embodiment of the sun, full stop.
this boy really was sunshine incarnate, idk how you could read this book and not like him. he was so caring, sweet and pure. eurghhhh, i just adored him. and he was kinda dumb and clumsy, too, but in a cute way. it made him more endearing😭 i loved his relationship with his mum, how much he clearly loved and respected her— it was a beautiful extra element to the book.
but naturally, it was the way he loved and cared for Eli that was just... i just can’t articulate how stinking cute it all was.
im gonna list some of the cute af moments that were my favourites and explain why i was a sobbing mess half the time.
⟡ Jack’s obsession with Eli’s voice and his laugh???? i was sobbing, it was so beautifully written.
He smiles, a full smile, and my heart picks up its pace. He so rarely offers this smile, and in this moment I know I’m the one to have prompted it.
⟡ Jack’s protectiveness over Eli😩🥺 like he was ready to fight any bitch (literally) for hurting Eli in any way shape or form.
⟡ that to Eli, Jack is literally the sun??? his sun????
I’ve equated Jack to the sun since the moment I met him. Everything about him conveys brightness and warmth and light.
⟡ Eli getting a nose bleed after getting hit in the face by a football because he was too busy staring at Jack? relatable, honestly.
”It’s your fault, really,” Eli whispers. “I was distracted by you.”
⟡ Eli and Jack stargazing together? while Eli tells him stories about the constellations??? and Jack just sits and listens to him talk because he loves the sound of Eli’s voice?????
⟡ Eli buying Jack and orange hat because it’s the colour of the sun, just like Jack is his sun. and Jack being obsessed with that damn orange hat.
It’s not until the end of the day that I consciously recognize how often I’ve reached into my pocket to clutch that soft ski cap, mostly during classes I don’t share with Eli.
i could go on forever, they were just the definition of pure love.
Elliot “Eli” James🎹
Eli<3 loml. this boy broke my heart about 50 times while reading this book. it hurt so bad. i am the leader of the Eli protection squad🔪
i just ship Eli with happiness, honestly. the boy deserves the world and the pure, unconditional love Jack gave him. Eli was prickly, closed off, blunt and kinda grumpy. he didn’t have any friends and really struggled to make connections. and you get to watch him gradually flourish as he grows and accepts that he is worthy of love. honestly, whenever i cried, nine times of ten it was because of Eli. he was hands down my favourite character🥺
anytime he was shocked and confused when someone was nice to him, i wanted to throw myself against a wall.
when the team celebrated his birthday i was actually in the verge of a mental breakdown, i am not okay. then i had an actual breakdown when Jack and his family celebrated with Eli. my god. i was a mess, i was sobbing in my room at 1am, and im not even ashamed to admit it lmao.
just the way Jack’s mum, Mrs. Benson loved Eli too???? the way Eli walks home the first night after staying at the Bensons house for dinner... and just bawls his eyes out because that kind of love is unfathomable to him???? JAIL TO SHELBY ELIZABETH!!
The first time I met Mrs. Benson, this kind of attention and affection hurt me as much as it healed. It doesn’t hurt anymore.
Now it just feels like love.
I glance at Jack and meet his eyes, catching him studying me, and wonder if he can tell how grateful I am to experience what a family should be.
i loved how, while Jack really encouraged Eli to come out of his shell and make friends, he wasn’t reliant nor codependent on Jack. he just needed the guidance, that first push to be shown he has it in him to grow on his own.
the side characters were fun, too. they didn’t overwhelm the story but elevated it. again, they just added an extra layer that allowed both Jack and Eli to grow, to make friends and find a family that loved them back.
He’s all wobbly, and I put one of his arms around my shoulders to steady him. He seems surprised by my gesture, and then he smiles this lazy, warm smile.
“You act all grumpy, but you care,” Jack says. “You do.”
I’m very aware of his body leaning against mine, his hair brushing against my cheek. It’s as soft as I’d thought. “I’m not acting grumpy. You’re very annoying.”
the main reason this isn’t four stars is partly due to the slow start and my struggle in staying invested. and i thought the ending was slightly unsatisfying. i just wanted a few things to be resolved better, mainly with Eli’s family— instead the story is pretty open-ended (but still a HEA, don’t worry). but i guess they are 16, tying everything in a neat bow would be considered too unrealistic for some... i am not here for realism🧍gimme the cute shit all wrapped up in glitter and rainbows and unicorns shitting flowers, okay?
”I know when I started hating you. What I can’t tell is when I started loving you, too.”
but overall, this was just so sweet, pure, fluffy, heartbreaking, sad, show-stopping... you get the idea. if you’re in the mood to read a soft YA romance, then i highly recommend this one!
My heart skips a beat and then picks up in tempo, telling me something I won’t admit to and immediately deny. You love him, you love him, you love him.
Jack grins, and something inside me melts.
I love you.
June 14, 2023
3.5 Stars
A heart-warming coming-of-age story about two boys—polar opposites in personality and home lives—who bond over their love of soccer, forming a strong connection that turns quietly but surely from friendship into young love.
The characters were effortlessly likeable. Sunshiny and energetic Jack and grumpy and reserved Elliot made for a great opposites-attract pairing. Their relationship progression, starting with a fair bit of discord from Elliot’s side, moved so smoothly from a vague feeling of rivals, to teammates, friends, and eventually to becoming each other’s most treasured person.
This was YA in every sense of the term. It was sweet and innocent, but the emotional tones and social themes were well-presented and subtly explored in a way that will appeal to both younger and older readers alike.
If I had one niggle, it would be that this took a while to read. The pace was fairly slow, with a plot that was pretty much a day-by-day account of Jack and Elliot’s lives over the first few months of their school year. In this way, things sometimes felt repetitive—wake up, run together, school, soccer practice, matches against other schools, rinse and repeat.
Now, there’s nothing wrong with that, if sweet, simple, and easy is what your mood calls for—which mine did at the time—but I can already predict this will be too low angst and “uneventful” for a lot of my reader friends.
Despite the slow, slightly repetitive pace, I liked this story a lot. The sweet, feel-good vibe; the light angst; the first-love romance; the opposites-attract dynamic; the great cast of support characters; the subtle but beautiful tones of self-growth and sexual discovery were pitch perfect.
Overall, Don't Hate the Player really was a joy to read and I'll be keeping an eye out for more from this author.
A heart-warming coming-of-age story about two boys—polar opposites in personality and home lives—who bond over their love of soccer, forming a strong connection that turns quietly but surely from friendship into young love.
The characters were effortlessly likeable. Sunshiny and energetic Jack and grumpy and reserved Elliot made for a great opposites-attract pairing. Their relationship progression, starting with a fair bit of discord from Elliot’s side, moved so smoothly from a vague feeling of rivals, to teammates, friends, and eventually to becoming each other’s most treasured person.
This was YA in every sense of the term. It was sweet and innocent, but the emotional tones and social themes were well-presented and subtly explored in a way that will appeal to both younger and older readers alike.
If I had one niggle, it would be that this took a while to read. The pace was fairly slow, with a plot that was pretty much a day-by-day account of Jack and Elliot’s lives over the first few months of their school year. In this way, things sometimes felt repetitive—wake up, run together, school, soccer practice, matches against other schools, rinse and repeat.
Now, there’s nothing wrong with that, if sweet, simple, and easy is what your mood calls for—which mine did at the time—but I can already predict this will be too low angst and “uneventful” for a lot of my reader friends.
Despite the slow, slightly repetitive pace, I liked this story a lot. The sweet, feel-good vibe; the light angst; the first-love romance; the opposites-attract dynamic; the great cast of support characters; the subtle but beautiful tones of self-growth and sexual discovery were pitch perfect.
Overall, Don't Hate the Player really was a joy to read and I'll be keeping an eye out for more from this author.
July 26, 2022
"...You’re my sun.”
It's been a hot minute since I read a Young Adult novel, but when I saw the tropes on this one, I couldn't resist. In a nutshell, this was unputdownable! I don't even have much to say because I am honestly convinced it's one of those, you have to read it for yourself to experience it, type books. I'll just list all the things I loved so much:
💙 This was more of a sports romance than an enemies-to-lovers romance (which didn't bother me). I loved how much the author delved into soccer and how big of a part it played in the MCs lives and highschool experience
💙 I loved the camaraderie between the players on the team, it was so realistic and gave depth to the main characters
💙I loved how their relationship developed from mild animosity to deep friendship and how well that trajectory intertwined with their character development
💙 I loved their friendship. How supportive they were to each other in all the ways they needed support, how they instinctively sought each other out, how seamlessly they seemed to fit
💙 I FLOVEDDD the slow burn aspect because it was so absolutely necessary... y'all they didn't even kiss until 86%!! And yes this is a YA, meaning no smut, so just keep that in mind lol
While it didn't read like a coming of age story, it was very reminscent of it in the way the romance was introduced. The life stuff was more emphasized than the romance but didn't draw away from its importance. It also meant the romance was like a lingering enticing aroma in the background until it became more pronounced. Hope that makes sense 😂 Jack and Elliot were just so cute and I haven't stopped thinking about them! Gahhh it was wholesome and gave me all the feels. And with such beautiful writing to convey all those feels, it was just perfect to me
So yeahh if you love a good sports YA romance with the sunshine/grump trope then don't hesitate to pick this up!! I highly highly recommend!
It's been a hot minute since I read a Young Adult novel, but when I saw the tropes on this one, I couldn't resist. In a nutshell, this was unputdownable! I don't even have much to say because I am honestly convinced it's one of those, you have to read it for yourself to experience it, type books. I'll just list all the things I loved so much:
💙 This was more of a sports romance than an enemies-to-lovers romance (which didn't bother me). I loved how much the author delved into soccer and how big of a part it played in the MCs lives and highschool experience
💙 I loved the camaraderie between the players on the team, it was so realistic and gave depth to the main characters
💙I loved how their relationship developed from mild animosity to deep friendship and how well that trajectory intertwined with their character development
💙 I loved their friendship. How supportive they were to each other in all the ways they needed support, how they instinctively sought each other out, how seamlessly they seemed to fit
💙 I FLOVEDDD the slow burn aspect because it was so absolutely necessary... y'all they didn't even kiss until 86%!! And yes this is a YA, meaning no smut, so just keep that in mind lol
While it didn't read like a coming of age story, it was very reminscent of it in the way the romance was introduced. The life stuff was more emphasized than the romance but didn't draw away from its importance. It also meant the romance was like a lingering enticing aroma in the background until it became more pronounced. Hope that makes sense 😂 Jack and Elliot were just so cute and I haven't stopped thinking about them! Gahhh it was wholesome and gave me all the feels. And with such beautiful writing to convey all those feels, it was just perfect to me
So yeahh if you love a good sports YA romance with the sunshine/grump trope then don't hesitate to pick this up!! I highly highly recommend!
Read
September 5, 2022DNF @ 21% - I know a lot of my GR friends love this one but I’ve tried three times and I just can’t get into it. I can see how it’s cute but it’s wordy and slow for me and I don’t feel like I’m getting anywhere.
September 17, 2022
Super sweet, love a good YA book 🥰
October 22, 2024
This was soooo good. I thought it would be a funny little sports romance for my flight, and it turned out to be a really well-written story with complex characters. I adored the slowburn! Jack and Eli are sweet and I just adored how Jack's family instantly took Eli in. What a feel-good book.
October 21, 2022
This world of acceptance and normalization of gay relationships is one we all need to live in.
The enemies to friends to lovers plot is alive and well in this story of soccer players forced to be together. Unfortunately there is a little too much soccer in the beginning and then when things get going, surprisingly too little soccer description in the end.
There is a slow development of this relationship and even in their acceptance of and even their acknowledgement of their interest in each other. I take this as being gay is just normal here. And people accepting them as a couple is just fine. If that’s the case I love it. It isn’t my reality so I wished there was more showing how people responded, even if it was positive. These guys never mentioned being gay so falling for a guy might have been worth a “hmmm”.
These characters are fleshed out, from the soccer players to the mother, uncle, sister, and even the dog!
Very enjoyable.
The enemies to friends to lovers plot is alive and well in this story of soccer players forced to be together. Unfortunately there is a little too much soccer in the beginning and then when things get going, surprisingly too little soccer description in the end.
There is a slow development of this relationship and even in their acceptance of and even their acknowledgement of their interest in each other. I take this as being gay is just normal here. And people accepting them as a couple is just fine. If that’s the case I love it. It isn’t my reality so I wished there was more showing how people responded, even if it was positive. These guys never mentioned being gay so falling for a guy might have been worth a “hmmm”.
These characters are fleshed out, from the soccer players to the mother, uncle, sister, and even the dog!
Very enjoyable.
Read
January 22, 2023DNF
Just not in the mood. Might come back to read it.
Just not in the mood. Might come back to read it.
April 26, 2023
Don't Hate the Player is such a sweet rivals-to-lovers story! I had some reservations about the soccer aspect, thinking maybe the emphasis on the sport would overwhelm the plot, but it didn't. I'm pleased to say that even someone who isn't into sports will absolutely enjoy this book!
The characters are truly magnificent. All of them, even the side characters, play a huge role in this story. It's hard to choose a favorite, but I think I'd have to go with Jack. He's such a sweet sunshine child and is so great at breaking Elliot from his shell. Their romance was so sweet, and I loved watching them go from rivals, to teammates, to friends, to more! One thing I found particularly refreshing was that even though this was a mlm romance, not once was their orientation ever mentioned or questioned. Neither of them were confused about it, they just felt what they felt and it was beautiful. This book was solely about their romance, not their orientations, and I loved every second of it!
On top of having an engaging plot and wonderful characters, I also loved the writing style. Don't Hate the Player is so well written and I found myself hooked from the beginning.
If I were to complain about anything, it would be how we didn't really get to see Elliot's parents be confronted about how terrible they were. So many times I just wanted to give the poor boy a hug and I was just waiting for the moment when we'd see his absent parents get the verbal assault they deserved. Unfortunately, that didn't happen. I WANT SOMEONE TO TELL THEM HOW AWFUL THEY ARE!! Give me their phone number, I'll do it lol
But for real, this book is amazing. If you're a fan of YA romance then this is definitely worth a read. If a sequel ever comes out (which I really hope for because these boys have TWO more years of high school) I will 100% be getting it! I NEED MORE Elliot and Jack moments!! And so do you, so get to reading it!!
The characters are truly magnificent. All of them, even the side characters, play a huge role in this story. It's hard to choose a favorite, but I think I'd have to go with Jack. He's such a sweet sunshine child and is so great at breaking Elliot from his shell. Their romance was so sweet, and I loved watching them go from rivals, to teammates, to friends, to more! One thing I found particularly refreshing was that even though this was a mlm romance, not once was their orientation ever mentioned or questioned. Neither of them were confused about it, they just felt what they felt and it was beautiful. This book was solely about their romance, not their orientations, and I loved every second of it!
On top of having an engaging plot and wonderful characters, I also loved the writing style. Don't Hate the Player is so well written and I found myself hooked from the beginning.
If I were to complain about anything, it would be how we didn't really get to see Elliot's parents be confronted about how terrible they were. So many times I just wanted to give the poor boy a hug and I was just waiting for the moment when we'd see his absent parents get the verbal assault they deserved. Unfortunately, that didn't happen. I WANT SOMEONE TO TELL THEM HOW AWFUL THEY ARE!! Give me their phone number, I'll do it lol
But for real, this book is amazing. If you're a fan of YA romance then this is definitely worth a read. If a sequel ever comes out (which I really hope for because these boys have TWO more years of high school) I will 100% be getting it! I NEED MORE Elliot and Jack moments!! And so do you, so get to reading it!!
August 18, 2022
I had the honor of reading an advanced copy if this book, and let me tell you — it's absolutely adorable. Total "Heartstopper" vibes, with a golden retriever-esque sunshine boy and a closed-lipped grump. I loved seeing these boys grow closer and closer as they reveal bits and pieces of themselves to each other. And as a firmer soccer player, I enjoyed the sports aspect, as well. There's also a fantastic mother character, as well, who I really loved. Overall, a really sweet, clean M/M teen romance. Highly recommend.
dnf
March 17, 2024I tried. I really did try. It just was not for me. I get the slow burn, but I could not care less about all those conversations about soccer 🫣
Read it if you are into:
⚽️ soccer, with some sprinkles of soccer, and a bit more soccer
⚽️ MM romance
⚽️ high-school romance
⚽️ grumpy/sunshine
⚽️ enemies-to-lovers
⚽️ dual POV
⚽️ queer awakening
⚽️ slow burn
Read it if you are into:
⚽️ soccer, with some sprinkles of soccer, and a bit more soccer
⚽️ MM romance
⚽️ high-school romance
⚽️ grumpy/sunshine
⚽️ enemies-to-lovers
⚽️ dual POV
⚽️ queer awakening
⚽️ slow burn
June 27, 2024
This was a lovely book
"It confuses me that this sunshine child can be so fascinated with stars before I recall that the sun itself is a star. How can he not be gravitated toward other stars, then?
"It confuses me that this sunshine child can be so fascinated with stars before I recall that the sun itself is a star. How can he not be gravitated toward other stars, then?
September 11, 2022
Swoony
August 16, 2022
This book is the soft, sweet love story I needed in my life!
Seriously if I had to sum this book up in one word, it would be adorable. Eli and Jack are both darling boys who are struggling to find their place in their high school soccer team. They are very much opposites, but their opposing attitudes are like the sun and moon, and of course, opposites do attract.
Reminiscent of a Heartstopper-esque romance featuring soccer instead of rugby, Don’t Hate the Player is a sweet, slow burn romance that gave me all the warm fuzzies.
*I received and ARC of this story from Booksprout and this is my honest, voluntary review.*
Seriously if I had to sum this book up in one word, it would be adorable. Eli and Jack are both darling boys who are struggling to find their place in their high school soccer team. They are very much opposites, but their opposing attitudes are like the sun and moon, and of course, opposites do attract.
Reminiscent of a Heartstopper-esque romance featuring soccer instead of rugby, Don’t Hate the Player is a sweet, slow burn romance that gave me all the warm fuzzies.
*I received and ARC of this story from Booksprout and this is my honest, voluntary review.*
April 1, 2023
This is probably my own fault but despite this clearly being YA, I didn’t expect it to be aimed at such a young audience.
This was a sweet story, albeit a very long one. I often felt like it was just page after page of the characters going to school, soccer, the library, the cafe, the house and less filled with meaningful interactions.
Pleasant but a little uneventful .
This was a sweet story, albeit a very long one. I often felt like it was just page after page of the characters going to school, soccer, the library, the cafe, the house and less filled with meaningful interactions.
Pleasant but a little uneventful .
April 4, 2023
I have no idea why I read this book. I hate YA. And this didn't change my mind at all. It was extremely like wholesome? And so, so boring.
Read
September 11, 2024I love queer sports books and was especially excited to try this as I struggle to find football ones. Unfortunately though, this book had a word used at about 10% in that I honestly couldn’t believe I was reading once let alone four times in one page?? It seems I’m in the minority here as it’s been reviewed favourably but it was just an immediate DNF for me personally due to that.
August 14, 2022
I received a free ARC copy and am leaving a review voluntarily.
Oh, this story is all kinds of sweet, loving, adorable, and heart breaking all rolled into one package. How the author managed to make soccer a romantic activity, I will never know but she did and I’m so glad!
The main couple, Elliot and Jack, are so easy to like despite being so utterly different. But it’s because of their differences that the relationship ultimately works. They play off of each other so well and the gradual changes in their interactions as their feelings shift is so beautifully done. It feels like watching a real teenage couple fall in love for the first time—messy yet oddly adorable.
I’m not much of a sports person so I can’t say whether it was on par or not but it certainly felt realistic to me and using soccer as a common ground to build a relationship around worked brilliantly.
I’m so glad I gave this book a shot. The author scored a winning goal with this one.
Oh, this story is all kinds of sweet, loving, adorable, and heart breaking all rolled into one package. How the author managed to make soccer a romantic activity, I will never know but she did and I’m so glad!
The main couple, Elliot and Jack, are so easy to like despite being so utterly different. But it’s because of their differences that the relationship ultimately works. They play off of each other so well and the gradual changes in their interactions as their feelings shift is so beautifully done. It feels like watching a real teenage couple fall in love for the first time—messy yet oddly adorable.
I’m not much of a sports person so I can’t say whether it was on par or not but it certainly felt realistic to me and using soccer as a common ground to build a relationship around worked brilliantly.
I’m so glad I gave this book a shot. The author scored a winning goal with this one.
October 9, 2022
This was lovely. Sweet. Slow, but the good and interesting kind if slow, because the MC's get the time to know each other for months.
4,5 stars.
4,5 stars.
November 21, 2022
I was drawn in by the cover and then the summary convinced me to read it, but unfortunately for me it has the same problem a lot of alleged enemies to lovers books have, where the "enemy" part is pretty light and is moved on from pretty quickly. I still did find it a cute story, but it could use some polish and refining. The prose was sort of awkward and stilted at times. The characters felt a bit too mature at times too, especially for high school sophomores, and especially after what Elliot's gone through. On that note, his rich uncle was almost like a caricature, some sort of cartoon villain who literally would harrumph and walk into the kitchen to say how teenagers are so annoying or whatever, but never pose an actual threat or provide any sort of tangible conflict. I thought Elliot had an interesting backstory, but I wish he was a bit MORE emotionally repressed; instead it feels like he gets through it all a bit too fast after spending time with Jack, and Jack is a bit too magically understanding of Elliot. I get tired of contrived misunderstandings and pointless fights too, but I felt myself wishing there was a bit more grit and conflict in the latter half of the novel. The lack of any real resolution with Jack's parents at the end bugged me too.
Some of the dialogue felt a bit too... on the nose? Elliot talked a lot about how Jack is sunshine and all that and it felt just a bit too blatant. And speaking of Jack, even though he did seem like a sweet boy, I found it hard to suspend my disbelief that any teenage boy would pick up a job just to send his mom on a trip. That part of the story just felt kind of too unbelievable for me. And what was with Jack and showering? At the start of the book when he went on his runs, he wouldn't shower before school and would avoid it when he could, opting to wipe himself down in the sink at one point, and I was expecting there to be some sort of reason why he's like that but none ever came. He was just wandering around school stinking up the place and I couldn't not think about that when I was reading 😷
All that said, I still found it a cute and light read and enjoyed it, or at least the idea of it.
Some of the dialogue felt a bit too... on the nose? Elliot talked a lot about how Jack is sunshine and all that and it felt just a bit too blatant. And speaking of Jack, even though he did seem like a sweet boy, I found it hard to suspend my disbelief that any teenage boy would pick up a job just to send his mom on a trip. That part of the story just felt kind of too unbelievable for me. And what was with Jack and showering? At the start of the book when he went on his runs, he wouldn't shower before school and would avoid it when he could, opting to wipe himself down in the sink at one point, and I was expecting there to be some sort of reason why he's like that but none ever came. He was just wandering around school stinking up the place and I couldn't not think about that when I was reading 😷
All that said, I still found it a cute and light read and enjoyed it, or at least the idea of it.
March 17, 2024
If you enjoy slice-of-life stories and slow-burn romances, I think you’ll enjoy this! “Don’t Hate the Player” doesn’t really have a plot; we’re just following 2 boys (Elliot and Jack) as they’re forced to practice football together, and slowly become friends and fall in love.
I really liked Elliot and Jack as individual characters. Jack was outgoing and kind, and I enjoyed his relationship with his family – his mum was the sweetest, and their love for each other was so endearing. His difficult relationship with his sister was really interesting. I also liked seeing Jack’s interactions with his nephew (Hugh) and his cute chihuahua (Widget). The Benson family was just really loveable. Elliot was very introverted and methodical. His anxiety and lack of social skills were insanely relatable to me – he genuinely couldn’t hold a conversation or bond with other people, and he had no friends (he’s just like me fr 🥲). Elliot’s family was cold and didn’t care about him at all, so seeing Jack’s family accepting Elliot and basically adopting him was suuuuper sweet! 🥹
I really enjoyed Elliot and Jack’s relationship. Their bond progressed very naturally – Elliot was a bit apprehensive about Jack at first, but quickly started enjoying Jack’s companionship and their practice sessions. Seeing Jack break down Elliot’s walls, and Elliot starting to finally trust someone and feeling loved was very endearing! They cared a lot about each other, and the relationship was just really sweet. Their romance is veeeery slow – most of the book is dedicated to their friendship; they then start developing feelings for each other, but don’t immediately act upon those. I personally prefer slow-burns to insta-love, so I really liked the development of their relationship! I also like that coming out wasn’t a focus of this book. Obviously, I still really enjoy stories where characters figure out their sexualities, but I also crave queer stories where characters simply ~fall in love~, and that’s exactly what this book gave me.
I also appreciate the way the author incorporated sports into this book. Football was a very big aspect of this story, but it was never *too much*. I personally don’t like football (or sports in general lol), but the way the author wrote about football was very accessible here; she wrote enough for the readers to know what was happening, and for football-enjoyers to be happy (I think), but it was never too much to the point of making me feel bored.
There were a couple of things I think could’ve been better about this book – like Kenny (Jack’s friend) kind of disappeared halfway through the book; I would’ve liked to see more of Jack and his sister’s relationship; I also thought Elliot compared Jack to the sun waaaaaay too many times; Jack’s clumsiness at times felt cartoonish; and I don’t like that this is being advertised as enemies-to-lovers when it really isn’t that – but those are mostly just nitpicks. I think this book was very sweet and enjoyable, so if it seems like the type of story you’d enjoy, definitely pick it up!
I really liked Elliot and Jack as individual characters. Jack was outgoing and kind, and I enjoyed his relationship with his family – his mum was the sweetest, and their love for each other was so endearing. His difficult relationship with his sister was really interesting. I also liked seeing Jack’s interactions with his nephew (Hugh) and his cute chihuahua (Widget). The Benson family was just really loveable. Elliot was very introverted and methodical. His anxiety and lack of social skills were insanely relatable to me – he genuinely couldn’t hold a conversation or bond with other people, and he had no friends (he’s just like me fr 🥲). Elliot’s family was cold and didn’t care about him at all, so seeing Jack’s family accepting Elliot and basically adopting him was suuuuper sweet! 🥹
I really enjoyed Elliot and Jack’s relationship. Their bond progressed very naturally – Elliot was a bit apprehensive about Jack at first, but quickly started enjoying Jack’s companionship and their practice sessions. Seeing Jack break down Elliot’s walls, and Elliot starting to finally trust someone and feeling loved was very endearing! They cared a lot about each other, and the relationship was just really sweet. Their romance is veeeery slow – most of the book is dedicated to their friendship; they then start developing feelings for each other, but don’t immediately act upon those. I personally prefer slow-burns to insta-love, so I really liked the development of their relationship! I also like that coming out wasn’t a focus of this book. Obviously, I still really enjoy stories where characters figure out their sexualities, but I also crave queer stories where characters simply ~fall in love~, and that’s exactly what this book gave me.
I also appreciate the way the author incorporated sports into this book. Football was a very big aspect of this story, but it was never *too much*. I personally don’t like football (or sports in general lol), but the way the author wrote about football was very accessible here; she wrote enough for the readers to know what was happening, and for football-enjoyers to be happy (I think), but it was never too much to the point of making me feel bored.
There were a couple of things I think could’ve been better about this book – like Kenny (Jack’s friend) kind of disappeared halfway through the book; I would’ve liked to see more of Jack and his sister’s relationship; I also thought Elliot compared Jack to the sun waaaaaay too many times; Jack’s clumsiness at times felt cartoonish; and I don’t like that this is being advertised as enemies-to-lovers when it really isn’t that – but those are mostly just nitpicks. I think this book was very sweet and enjoyable, so if it seems like the type of story you’d enjoy, definitely pick it up!
August 6, 2024
I absolutely loved this book from start to finish. I really felt for Elliot and feeling like he was broken, unwanted, and unloved. Eliot found a family and the love he deserved. Jack was just a brilliant shine of sunlight that showed him the world. I loved jacks mum so much and is a mother we all deserve in life. All the background character were brilliant and I’d lobe to see them get their own stories.
June 21, 2023
3,5⭐️
March 22, 2023
I personally loved this. I was a high school soccer player so the story took me back on some of my experiences. I would absolutely recommend this one
March 15, 2023
4/5 stars
God this was just so sweet and heartwarming. This was more about the growth of both of the characters, Elliot (Eli) and Jack.
”I know when I started hating you. What I can’t tell is when I started loving you, too. And when that hate vanished.”
Jack is the literal embodiment of the sun. He is literally Eli’s sun and it’s just so heartwarming. Jack helped Eli so much by giving him encouragement and just make him feel loved. I was so close to tears so many times because of Eli’s family situation. Eli deserved the entire world. He deserves to be loved by someone like Jack, who gives him everything.
“you’re my personal sun.” […] “The day we met, at the summer tournament, you were dressed all in orange, and you were so bright and fast. It isn’t just running, though. It’s your personality. You’re so warm and vibrant, full of energy. I can’t help but feel better when I’m around you. You’re my sun.”
God this was just so sweet and heartwarming. This was more about the growth of both of the characters, Elliot (Eli) and Jack.
”I know when I started hating you. What I can’t tell is when I started loving you, too. And when that hate vanished.”
Jack is the literal embodiment of the sun. He is literally Eli’s sun and it’s just so heartwarming. Jack helped Eli so much by giving him encouragement and just make him feel loved. I was so close to tears so many times because of Eli’s family situation. Eli deserved the entire world. He deserves to be loved by someone like Jack, who gives him everything.
“you’re my personal sun.” […] “The day we met, at the summer tournament, you were dressed all in orange, and you were so bright and fast. It isn’t just running, though. It’s your personality. You’re so warm and vibrant, full of energy. I can’t help but feel better when I’m around you. You’re my sun.”
October 2, 2024
What a sweet, cute, charming read. This book gave me everything I wanted, starting as enemies, becoming friends, and ending as more. Elliot is someone I can relate to, being closed off, building walls around him, and refusing to let anyone in. Jake is the opposite, friendly, energetic, and full of upbeat energy that can bring anyone a smile. This book may have been slow, but the build-up was what made this book good. There are a few things I wish had happened by the end, especially with Elliot's family dynamic or more time getting to know the friends. Overall a great read, I would recommend this book.
May 10, 2023
Tropes: grumpy/sunshine, opposites attract,
Feels: 4/5
Steam*: 0.5/5
Angst: low
HEA: yes
Pairing: MM young adult
Triggers/potential icks: parental abandonment, guardian is a jerk
Whoops. This book was promoted as enemies to lovers. I knew it was a high school story but I didn't realize the characters would be 15 and 16, that it would never get to the lovers stage. LOL. Not my normal read. So wholesome. 😂
It was a cute story. Jack doesn't have his dad in his life, he's just raised by his mom. They've had things a little tough money-wise. But his mom is very supportive and loves him and they have a real close relationship. He also has a sister who had a teenage pregnancy and is raising a toddler. Jack is very sociable and sunny. They've just moved towns and Jack is joining the soccer team.
Elliot is from a wealthy family. He's being raised by his uncle because his parents aren't really interested in parenting, his mom is a famous photographer who is always traveling for her job. He hasn't seen his parents in 2 years. And he misses them. His uncle is not a great guy. Elliott is very antisocial. He doesn't realize how he comes off, he just doesn't have the social instincts. He's on the soccer team but he never socializes with his team. He's very aloof.
Elliot resents Jack to start. They're not really enemies because Jack doesn't feel that way towards him. But Elliot just has some negative feelings. Their coach assigns them to work together because Jack is new to the team and need some extra coaching. They start hanging out everyday for soccer and it turns into socializing. Jack helps pull Elliot out of his shell and improve his interpersonal skills. Jack introduces Elliot to his family and Elliot gets to experience positive familial relationships. Elliot helps Jack improve his game. They get protective of each other and defend each other and treat each other to special gifts.
It's a nice story. In a way I wish they had addressed their sexualities more, in that we never saw them acknowledge their journey in identifying their sexuality. They just at some point late in the book want to kiss the other person, realizing they are in love. Maybe that's intentional and it's supposed to be a positive thing about any type of sexuality being as normalized as it is? But it kind of felt like a bit of an emotional gap, less depth then it should have had.
I really liked Jack's relationship with his family and Elliott's involvement with it. It was nice to see Elliott get that experience. It was cute how clumsy Jack was. The number of times he fell was just funny. And Jack was very Energizer Bunny-esque. 😁
Some notable moments:
"I start a different stretch from the same position, reaching for my left foot, and when I look up again, Jack is sprawled on the ground, facedown. I jump to my feet before I realize he’s fine. He’s already standing. “Did you just pass out?” I ask, ignoring the pounding of my pulse. “I tripped.” “Over what? The ground is flat.” A flush enters his cheeks. “You can still trip on flat ground.”"
"I hate that I’m crying. I genuinely had a great time. Probably the best time I’ve had in ages. I feel warm and content . . . cared for. I hate that that’s why I’m crying."
"“You remind me of a bear,” Jack murmurs when we stop at the locker room door. I pause with the door partially opened, and raise an eyebrow. “You’re all gruff and strong,” Jack continues. His words are really loose now, and really quiet. His eyes are barely open, and I’m effectively holding him up. I can’t tell if he even realizes we stopped moving. “But inside you’re like a teddy bear with a rip. Sometimes I just want to hug you to make it better.”"
*FYI, I rate steam based on a combination of quality & quantity. I note kink separate from steam because I don't want to underrate steamy reads that don't have much kink."
Feels: 4/5
Steam*: 0.5/5
Angst: low
HEA: yes
Pairing: MM young adult
Triggers/potential icks: parental abandonment, guardian is a jerk
Whoops. This book was promoted as enemies to lovers. I knew it was a high school story but I didn't realize the characters would be 15 and 16, that it would never get to the lovers stage. LOL. Not my normal read. So wholesome. 😂
It was a cute story. Jack doesn't have his dad in his life, he's just raised by his mom. They've had things a little tough money-wise. But his mom is very supportive and loves him and they have a real close relationship. He also has a sister who had a teenage pregnancy and is raising a toddler. Jack is very sociable and sunny. They've just moved towns and Jack is joining the soccer team.
Elliot is from a wealthy family. He's being raised by his uncle because his parents aren't really interested in parenting, his mom is a famous photographer who is always traveling for her job. He hasn't seen his parents in 2 years. And he misses them. His uncle is not a great guy. Elliott is very antisocial. He doesn't realize how he comes off, he just doesn't have the social instincts. He's on the soccer team but he never socializes with his team. He's very aloof.
Elliot resents Jack to start. They're not really enemies because Jack doesn't feel that way towards him. But Elliot just has some negative feelings. Their coach assigns them to work together because Jack is new to the team and need some extra coaching. They start hanging out everyday for soccer and it turns into socializing. Jack helps pull Elliot out of his shell and improve his interpersonal skills. Jack introduces Elliot to his family and Elliot gets to experience positive familial relationships. Elliot helps Jack improve his game. They get protective of each other and defend each other and treat each other to special gifts.
It's a nice story. In a way I wish they had addressed their sexualities more, in that we never saw them acknowledge their journey in identifying their sexuality. They just at some point late in the book want to kiss the other person, realizing they are in love. Maybe that's intentional and it's supposed to be a positive thing about any type of sexuality being as normalized as it is? But it kind of felt like a bit of an emotional gap, less depth then it should have had.
I really liked Jack's relationship with his family and Elliott's involvement with it. It was nice to see Elliott get that experience. It was cute how clumsy Jack was. The number of times he fell was just funny. And Jack was very Energizer Bunny-esque. 😁
Some notable moments:
"I start a different stretch from the same position, reaching for my left foot, and when I look up again, Jack is sprawled on the ground, facedown. I jump to my feet before I realize he’s fine. He’s already standing. “Did you just pass out?” I ask, ignoring the pounding of my pulse. “I tripped.” “Over what? The ground is flat.” A flush enters his cheeks. “You can still trip on flat ground.”"
"I hate that I’m crying. I genuinely had a great time. Probably the best time I’ve had in ages. I feel warm and content . . . cared for. I hate that that’s why I’m crying."
"“You remind me of a bear,” Jack murmurs when we stop at the locker room door. I pause with the door partially opened, and raise an eyebrow. “You’re all gruff and strong,” Jack continues. His words are really loose now, and really quiet. His eyes are barely open, and I’m effectively holding him up. I can’t tell if he even realizes we stopped moving. “But inside you’re like a teddy bear with a rip. Sometimes I just want to hug you to make it better.”"
*FYI, I rate steam based on a combination of quality & quantity. I note kink separate from steam because I don't want to underrate steamy reads that don't have much kink."
February 18, 2023
(4,5 stars)
I read somewhere in the reviews that this was a slow burn romance, but I didn't realise it was sloooooooooooow buuuuuuuuuurn.
Seriously, it took those boys so long to finally get their heads out of their asses and be together that I couldn't help but being slightly annoyed. 😂😂😂😂
That's basically the only reason why I'm not giving this book the full 5 stars treatment, because the rest is pretty much PERFECT in my eyes!!
I fell in love with Jack and Eli pretty much instantly, and some the side characters (Jack's mom, Fred and Seth, Gavin, and Coach Lutz) managed to capture my heart as well.
I really liked the writing, too.
I'm not gonna say much about the sports aspects (because sports, ewww 🤢). I know enough soccer (football, actually. Fight me 😬) to know that some descriptions could've been tighter and more accurate, but who cares? I didn't come here for a lecture on the sport, and I suspect not many of us did.
If there's ever a sequel or several sequels to this (hear me out Ms. Shelby 🥺), I'd love to read more about Eli's family. Even that asshole Remington, honestly, if only to see him left in the dust when Eli's thrives and soars in spite of all the pain he inflicted. Same for Eli's awful parents. Essentially, I want to see Eli confront that gaggle of douchebags one by one and finally get the closure he deserves.
I'd also like to read more about Adrien. Something tells me that his backstory is one of pain, and that perhaps his parents' pressure or emotional neglect made him the way he is. I feel like he's not all bad and that maybe, just maybe, it'll just take the right person to open him up and make him love himself or something.
Anyway, I'm rambling.
I can't recommend this book enough. Read it, READ IT NOW!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️
I read somewhere in the reviews that this was a slow burn romance, but I didn't realise it was sloooooooooooow buuuuuuuuuurn.
Seriously, it took those boys so long to finally get their heads out of their asses and be together that I couldn't help but being slightly annoyed. 😂😂😂😂
That's basically the only reason why I'm not giving this book the full 5 stars treatment, because the rest is pretty much PERFECT in my eyes!!
I fell in love with Jack and Eli pretty much instantly, and some the side characters (Jack's mom, Fred and Seth, Gavin, and Coach Lutz) managed to capture my heart as well.
I really liked the writing, too.
I'm not gonna say much about the sports aspects (because sports, ewww 🤢). I know enough soccer (football, actually. Fight me 😬) to know that some descriptions could've been tighter and more accurate, but who cares? I didn't come here for a lecture on the sport, and I suspect not many of us did.
If there's ever a sequel or several sequels to this (hear me out Ms. Shelby 🥺), I'd love to read more about Eli's family. Even that asshole Remington, honestly, if only to see him left in the dust when Eli's thrives and soars in spite of all the pain he inflicted. Same for Eli's awful parents. Essentially, I want to see Eli confront that gaggle of douchebags one by one and finally get the closure he deserves.
I'd also like to read more about Adrien. Something tells me that his backstory is one of pain, and that perhaps his parents' pressure or emotional neglect made him the way he is. I feel like he's not all bad and that maybe, just maybe, it'll just take the right person to open him up and make him love himself or something.
Anyway, I'm rambling.
I can't recommend this book enough. Read it, READ IT NOW!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️
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