I didn't, obviously, and most of these points still apply even after an additional fifty percent of reading.

Both of those statements remain true after reading this book: I still don’t like soccer, but I sure do love when the women playing it fall in love! But as the sparks between them start to ignite, will both players realise they care more about their relationship than making the roster? The most significant element is Grace struggling with how she sees herself without soccer when she’s sidelined with an injury and Pheobe is the one that steps up to fill her role. bc unlike cassie (who was straight up an asshole, a terrible friend, an imature partner, and a cocky dick) phoebe WAS actually a kind person. I had just finished a book that had such wonderful writing and the ending had been so intense ( Red Sister) that starting this book felt like rom-com light.I was treated to a fine romance between Grace and Phoebe with the game of soccer beautifully interspersed in the storyline. But when she's side-lined with an injury at just 26, a bold new upstart, Phoebe Matthews, takes her spot.

This book starts okay with Phoebe flirting really really hard and after Grace says that she's not interested in sex or relationship, Phoebe immediately backs off. They continue on in this fashion of willful ignorance because they never talk about anything until after a game when Grace makes a comment about Phoebe struggling with meds or something assuming that Phoebe has ADHD and that Phoebe knows about said ADHD. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average.While this story takes place in the context of high-stakes women’s soccer on a national and global scale, the focus of the novel is on Grace and Phoebe’s interiority and development and their powerful, simmering connection. The author's second book which is quoted as the MILF book was okay and I liked it enough but it wasn't as good.

The conversation around ADHD happened a lot later than I expected—because like Grace, I definitely thought Phoebe was already diagnosed—but I really liked it and how the conversation helped their relationship grow as well. They start out in a training camp and then then they're in New Orleans and then they're starting for one team but then there's so many discussions of playing world cup or nationals or whatever and as someone who is not a sportsball person, I was so confused the entire time because there's no underlying explanation of the fact that these are different teams. I get it, yes, expectations should be set but also I feel like this could've been discussed in a more tactful way? All in all, the cards really were dealt against me here—what with “baby girl,” third present, and soccer—so I’m definitely impressed that I had an overall enjoyable time. This results into what they consider their first fight and then somehow winds up with Grace making a doctor's appointment for Phoebe like her damn mother and Phoebe taking it as a sign of affection.

I'm sure there are worse things to pick up if you want something sapphic and sporty and yes it's a grumpy sunshine but not my favourite example of the trope. There’s so many small elements that I adored: the hair braiding, the shared love of soccer, the joy in playing the game together, the lovable trans and enby side characters, the sheer amount of queer energy across the teams, and more.