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A Game of Two Hearts
Tess Kennedy isn’t where she thought she’d be at forty-six. She’s focusing on keeping things together as a single parent as she returns to a town that holds mixed memories. As she tries to build a new life for her family, she’s relieved that she’s finally in control of her own destiny. The last thing she’s looking for is a relationship.
Rowan Russell is living her regular, predictable life. She works hard and plays harder, to drown out the voice in her head reminding her of all the bad choices she’s made. When Tess’s return stirs up old, complicated feelings, she has to question whether she’s happy letting life happen to her.
When Rowan and Tess end up working together, they both need to decide how much they’re willing to risk for happiness.
Rowan Russell is living her regular, predictable life. She works hard and plays harder, to drown out the voice in her head reminding her of all the bad choices she’s made. When Tess’s return stirs up old, complicated feelings, she has to question whether she’s happy letting life happen to her.
When Rowan and Tess end up working together, they both need to decide how much they’re willing to risk for happiness.
281 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 2, 2022
64 people are currently reading
218 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
November 3, 2022
Tess recently moved back into a house where she lived with her family over a decade ago, before her husband’s job took them to another city. Now divorced, she looks forward to making her own choices and being independent, even if a lot of her time will be spent taking care of her two teenagers and making sure they pass their exams. One of her favourite memories from living in the area is playing rugby with the local club after her years as an international player, and she couldn’t be prouder of her daughter following in her steps. Part of why it’s such a good memory is Rowan, a younger player, now one of the senior players on the team but still one of the best. The attraction they both felt then doesn’t take long to come back to the surface.
A Game of Two Hearts is a gentle romance. It starts really well, with the author painting a relatable picture of a woman trying to get her agency back, in all areas of her life. Tess is an open book, whereas Rowan is more of a mystery, traumatized by her part in the accident that cost her mother her life and her younger sister her legs. Her guilt keeps her trapped in a life she doesn’t dislike but that lacks passion and true happiness. Until Tess comes back and they both fight their fears.
I enjoyed the first two-thirds of the book very much, but then it started slumping. The last part feels at once crammed and rushed, the bad guys’ behaviour exaggerated. That said, this is only the author’s second book and it made me want to check out their debut novel, Sleepless Nights. The story is good, the main characters are good, and so are most of the secondary ones. Tess’s struggle to juggle being on her own, falling unexpectedly in love, caring for her kids, helping her son through the divorce, all of that works very well. 3.5⭐️
I received a copy from the author and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
Read all my reviews on my blog (and please buy from the affiliation links!): Jude in the Stars
February 11, 2023
Lot of ticks for an excellent book. Felt real and really loved both main Characters with excellent supporting cast. Recommended.
October 25, 2022
4,5 ⭐️
November 27, 2022
A Game or Two Hearts is a simple contemporary romance with really nice main characters. Tess has just ended her marriage to her emotionally abusive husband and has moved back into her family home with her two kids. She quickly rekindles friendships with people she knew over a decade earlier. Rowan’s life is simple and revolves around work and rugby when Tess comes back into her life, Rowan is thrown for a loop. Tess and Rowan begin to develop a friendship and then Tess starts working for Rowan and her dad’s business. Shortly after, Tess and Rowan can’t resist the strong pull between one another and take their relationship to the next level. There’s a bit of family drama, lack of communication, and some immaturity but overall this is a quick, easy read.
March 15, 2023
A Game of Two Hearts
This is the first book I have read by Iona Kane. It was well written, and I enjoyed the premise. The characters had excellent chemistry. I look forward to more books by this author.
This is the first book I have read by Iona Kane. It was well written, and I enjoyed the premise. The characters had excellent chemistry. I look forward to more books by this author.
September 15, 2025
A Game of Two Hearts by Iona Kane is a sapphic romance that explores second chances, personal growth, and the complexities of finding love later in life. The story centers on two women, Tess Kennedy and Rowan Russell, who are brought back into each other's lives after years apart.
Tess, a single mother of two, has returned to her hometown seeking to regain control of her life after a divorce. She’s focused on her family and building a new future, with a relationship being the last thing on her mind. Rowan, a successful and seemingly predictable woman, is living a life that she's let happen to her, haunted by past mistakes and a sense of guilt.
The book excels at painting a relatable picture of a woman's journey to independence and self-discovery. Tess's struggles to balance motherhood, her own desires, and the unexpected return of feelings for Rowan are well-portrayed. The initial stages of their rekindled connection are gentle and feel earned, with the author doing a good job of showing the chemistry that still exists between them.
However, the pacing of the book seems to shift in the final third. Some readers have noted that the resolution feels a bit rushed and crammed, with certain dramatic elements feeling exaggerated. Despite this, the core characters and their development remain strong. Rowan's journey from being a woman trapped by her past to one who is willing to fight for her happiness is a compelling arc.
Overall, A Game of Two Hearts is a gentle and well-written romance with relatable characters and a satisfying, if slightly rushed, conclusion. It will appeal to readers who enjoy stories about second chances, personal growth, and the quiet power of finding love when you least expect it. While it may have some minor flaws in its final act, it's a worthwhile read for fans of contemporary sapphic romance.
Tess, a single mother of two, has returned to her hometown seeking to regain control of her life after a divorce. She’s focused on her family and building a new future, with a relationship being the last thing on her mind. Rowan, a successful and seemingly predictable woman, is living a life that she's let happen to her, haunted by past mistakes and a sense of guilt.
The book excels at painting a relatable picture of a woman's journey to independence and self-discovery. Tess's struggles to balance motherhood, her own desires, and the unexpected return of feelings for Rowan are well-portrayed. The initial stages of their rekindled connection are gentle and feel earned, with the author doing a good job of showing the chemistry that still exists between them.
However, the pacing of the book seems to shift in the final third. Some readers have noted that the resolution feels a bit rushed and crammed, with certain dramatic elements feeling exaggerated. Despite this, the core characters and their development remain strong. Rowan's journey from being a woman trapped by her past to one who is willing to fight for her happiness is a compelling arc.
Overall, A Game of Two Hearts is a gentle and well-written romance with relatable characters and a satisfying, if slightly rushed, conclusion. It will appeal to readers who enjoy stories about second chances, personal growth, and the quiet power of finding love when you least expect it. While it may have some minor flaws in its final act, it's a worthwhile read for fans of contemporary sapphic romance.
January 14, 2023
TLDR: A tepid romance plagued by exposition and inner monologue.
Sadly, I had a really tough time getting through this. Usually, authors try and pick the highlights of a romance when selecting scenes to move through plot. This book felt like the opposite was done.
Too much is happening off-screen that doesn't get made into a scene. I had moments where I was like, "Wait, what happened?" For example, the first date is summarized more than shown. The characters go out and almost immediately end up back at one of the character's homes. What happened? Did they talk about anything interesting? Were there any butterflies or tender moments?
This is a significant problem because the reader is repeatedly "told" about a situation rather than "shown" what the situation is. This means there is a lot of exposition and inner monologue. Thus, all dramatic/sexual tension is sucked out of the romance because readers don't get to witness sparks of interest being lobbed back and forth. Why are these characters falling in love? It's not clear.
And the romance itself suffers because of this. For example, we know the characters are interested in one another due to perspective switches. But nothing about their behavior indicates this might be true to the other. Showing up at someone's house to drive a kid to practice is a nice favor. But it isn't romantic. Friends do these things too. Then there's a strange absence of body language. There are some long gazes, but not much in the way of biting of lips or blushing or any of the other common signs that communicate interest.
So, I can't really recommend this, which is a shame because the premise is interesting. It just needed better execution.
Sadly, I had a really tough time getting through this. Usually, authors try and pick the highlights of a romance when selecting scenes to move through plot. This book felt like the opposite was done.
Too much is happening off-screen that doesn't get made into a scene. I had moments where I was like, "Wait, what happened?" For example, the first date is summarized more than shown. The characters go out and almost immediately end up back at one of the character's homes. What happened? Did they talk about anything interesting? Were there any butterflies or tender moments?
This is a significant problem because the reader is repeatedly "told" about a situation rather than "shown" what the situation is. This means there is a lot of exposition and inner monologue. Thus, all dramatic/sexual tension is sucked out of the romance because readers don't get to witness sparks of interest being lobbed back and forth. Why are these characters falling in love? It's not clear.
And the romance itself suffers because of this. For example, we know the characters are interested in one another due to perspective switches. But nothing about their behavior indicates this might be true to the other. Showing up at someone's house to drive a kid to practice is a nice favor. But it isn't romantic. Friends do these things too. Then there's a strange absence of body language. There are some long gazes, but not much in the way of biting of lips or blushing or any of the other common signs that communicate interest.
So, I can't really recommend this, which is a shame because the premise is interesting. It just needed better execution.
November 7, 2022
Love on the rugby pitch...
I felt very engaged with this story right from the start. Two rugby former teammates reconnect. One of them is recently divorced from a terrible husband and has moved back to town. She's retired from playing but has a daughter who also plays and wants to join the local team. Her former teammate is still playing and is a key person in the operations of the team. The two re-engage in their old friendship, and also begin to work together. Things get complicated, but over time their attraction becomes compelling.
Enjoyable read, with ups and downs that keep the dramatic tension alive but which make sense in the context of the circumstances and the characters' personalities and priorities. Good stuff!
I felt very engaged with this story right from the start. Two rugby former teammates reconnect. One of them is recently divorced from a terrible husband and has moved back to town. She's retired from playing but has a daughter who also plays and wants to join the local team. Her former teammate is still playing and is a key person in the operations of the team. The two re-engage in their old friendship, and also begin to work together. Things get complicated, but over time their attraction becomes compelling.
Enjoyable read, with ups and downs that keep the dramatic tension alive but which make sense in the context of the circumstances and the characters' personalities and priorities. Good stuff!
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September 29, 2023This was cute; I enjoyed that Tess and Rowan both grow as individuals as well as in their relationships with each other and others.
The clear antagonist of this book is toxic masculinity / patriarchy, and how it affects or shapes so many facets of one’s life. Tess bears the brunt of this with her ex husband Pete, and with the coworker Charlie, but Rowan and minor characters are not immune. While not necessarily toxic, Rowan feels she is indebted to her father in some way and puts her entire life on hold to help him. Tess’s son Archie internalizes Pete’s beliefs and throws them at Tess; Tess’s daughter Elsie has counsel Tess on multiple occasions…
The clear antagonist of this book is toxic masculinity / patriarchy, and how it affects or shapes so many facets of one’s life. Tess bears the brunt of this with her ex husband Pete, and with the coworker Charlie, but Rowan and minor characters are not immune. While not necessarily toxic, Rowan feels she is indebted to her father in some way and puts her entire life on hold to help him. Tess’s son Archie internalizes Pete’s beliefs and throws them at Tess; Tess’s daughter Elsie has counsel Tess on multiple occasions…
September 14, 2022
Loved This Book!
I enjoyed this book so much. It had so many emotions running at one time. Sadness, happiness, contentment, excitement and Loving! The story which revolved around Rugby or more the friendships and commitments actually wasn’t over the top. It was exciting and had an easy flow. The characters were solid. I love Rowan and Tess. They are the new couple to beat. Rowan and her life meets Tess and hers, makes for a wonderful love story. This writer has impressed me as this is her second book.(Now going to read her first one)
I enjoyed this book so much. It had so many emotions running at one time. Sadness, happiness, contentment, excitement and Loving! The story which revolved around Rugby or more the friendships and commitments actually wasn’t over the top. It was exciting and had an easy flow. The characters were solid. I love Rowan and Tess. They are the new couple to beat. Rowan and her life meets Tess and hers, makes for a wonderful love story. This writer has impressed me as this is her second book.(Now going to read her first one)
November 22, 2025
I came away from this book with a good feeling inside of me.The characters really rang true and their back stories gave you a good understanding of how and why they reacted in the situations they found themselves.There was a lot going on and you could really feel the changes taking place in the characters as they grew. Life is hard to navigate at times and this book does a good job of showing you that people can get through it without being perfect. It's definitely the little things that can make the big difference.
June 8, 2023
great read!!
This was such a great book! The characters were well written with emotional growth separately as well as together and their connection was beautiful. There are many rugby instances and language and not knowing about the game, I feel like I could go check them out now! (Especially Womens rugby 😂). It was incorporated perfectly, just the right amount for even the non-sports people.
This was such a great book! The characters were well written with emotional growth separately as well as together and their connection was beautiful. There are many rugby instances and language and not knowing about the game, I feel like I could go check them out now! (Especially Womens rugby 😂). It was incorporated perfectly, just the right amount for even the non-sports people.
October 17, 2022
Lovely book
I really enjoyed this sweet love story. The characters were quite relatable, especially Rowan and her inablilty to fully communicate how she was feeling without thinking (and overthinking) about it for awhile. I do wish there would have also been a happy ending for Becca, that sweet girl deserves to find love.
I really enjoyed this sweet love story. The characters were quite relatable, especially Rowan and her inablilty to fully communicate how she was feeling without thinking (and overthinking) about it for awhile. I do wish there would have also been a happy ending for Becca, that sweet girl deserves to find love.
January 4, 2023
Amazing but a little angsty
This was the first book I have read from this author and it definitely won’t be the last.
I loved the story and the characters were brilliant. What little angst there was worked well for the story.
This was the first book I have read from this author and it definitely won’t be the last.
I loved the story and the characters were brilliant. What little angst there was worked well for the story.
April 14, 2023
3 stars
I really enjoyed this book I'm not saying it was written well but it was definitely a good story line. I liked it a lot. the characters were so cute bro like yes. it's not very deep tho it's very surface topic written.
I really enjoyed this book I'm not saying it was written well but it was definitely a good story line. I liked it a lot. the characters were so cute bro like yes. it's not very deep tho it's very surface topic written.
April 22, 2023
Beautiful
I have been putting off reading this book but I'm really glad that I finally got around to reading it. The characters are beautifully written and none of them come across as one dimensional. If you enjoy a good romance I would definitely recommend this book.
I have been putting off reading this book but I'm really glad that I finally got around to reading it. The characters are beautifully written and none of them come across as one dimensional. If you enjoy a good romance I would definitely recommend this book.
November 24, 2025
The first instalment from Iona of adventures in life and love based around Haresby Rugby club. Loved the story and the characters - just like a rugby club - a mix of people with messy lives - falling in and out of love. All in all a rucking good read!
February 14, 2023
I really liked the story, although it was a bit slow burn. The MCs were well developed. All in all a good story of second chances and working through past failed relationships.
March 15, 2023
great read
Finding strength to break away from toxicity and finding yourself afterwards. Regaining your confidence and courage to find love that gives you your authentic self.
Finding strength to break away from toxicity and finding yourself afterwards. Regaining your confidence and courage to find love that gives you your authentic self.
March 20, 2023
great story
Loved the characters and the game
Very realistic storyline that you just can’t help but love them all except Pete lol
Loved the characters and the game
Very realistic storyline that you just can’t help but love them all except Pete lol
April 20, 2023
New Friends
After reading A Game of Two Hearts I came away with the feeling of having new friends. Rowan and Tess worked together with some angst. I highly recommend this book!
After reading A Game of Two Hearts I came away with the feeling of having new friends. Rowan and Tess worked together with some angst. I highly recommend this book!
July 1, 2025
Loved it
It should have been five stars but what happened after eighty percent ruined my day and I pray more authors stop doing that. Sometimes we just need a happy book.
It should have been five stars but what happened after eighty percent ruined my day and I pray more authors stop doing that. Sometimes we just need a happy book.
January 8, 2024
The history involving the main characters and Pete barely mattered, and the connection between past and present felt half-baked. Rowan and Pete had no interactions in the present timeline. From his perspective, she might as well could've just been a faceless person his ex-wife had moved on to.
Pacing was off in the second half, especially between the 50% and 80% marks. It felt like you were made to fill in the blanks. More important conversations could've been written into the story, especially with Rowan's uncommunicative nature being a big part of her character, but it was addressed in the end with a convenient gesture and an awkwardly-placed sex scene.
Pacing was off in the second half, especially between the 50% and 80% marks. It felt like you were made to fill in the blanks. More important conversations could've been written into the story, especially with Rowan's uncommunicative nature being a big part of her character, but it was addressed in the end with a convenient gesture and an awkwardly-placed sex scene.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 26, 2024
I've never seen a rugby tourney and know nothing about positions or kits or players or... yeah, ya get it? Total newb, but I absolutely feel I need to watch a game now because this book did a wonderful job describing in detail what a great spectator sport this is.
I enjoyed watching these two MC's grow into themselves and into one another's hearts. A load of learning curves and some lovely matching baggage when it came to self-esteem punches from exes; however, the sweet HEA made up for the cringy comments. Not a huge fan of pontification narrations. When characters ask themselves far too many questions, but I was able to skim paragraphs to get the meat. Overall, cute read and worth the evening enjoying it.
I enjoyed watching these two MC's grow into themselves and into one another's hearts. A load of learning curves and some lovely matching baggage when it came to self-esteem punches from exes; however, the sweet HEA made up for the cringy comments. Not a huge fan of pontification narrations. When characters ask themselves far too many questions, but I was able to skim paragraphs to get the meat. Overall, cute read and worth the evening enjoying it.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews