Take a photo of a barcode or cover
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Fun, but totally a brick of a book.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Sexual content, Grief, Car accident
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The plot was good. I was expecting a slow burn throughout the entire book but that was only the case for the first quarter of the book where there was obvious tension between the protagonists. The middle was slightly boring as there weren't many interesting events that happened like the first part of the book. The plot kind of stalled a little and remained there for a couple hundred pages which I'm not a huge fan of. The method of resolving the conflict between the two protagonists caught me off guard and the ending was a little underwhelming. Overall, I really enjoyed the beginning and certain parts of it, but the ending and middle is slightly lacking in depth.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Chronic illness, Car accident
Minor: Violence
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I enjoyed this book. I love a good sports romance, and it was also good. I like how the “conflict” wasn't one-sided, where only one character had cons and needed to grow. Both characters had some development by the end of the story and seemed self-aware. The characters were also unique compared to other sports romances I've read. There were layers to the characters, with backstories, making them feel more real. I also love how Ana ties her series together. The mentions of characters from her other series are fun.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Violence
Also wanted to add. Like Ana’s other books there is some mature content included but it doesn’t take away from the plot and if you aren’t big on reading it or feel uncomfortable with it I found it easy to skim until it was over, or skip all together.
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I would instantly give this book 5 stars but there were just times where I felt it didn’t deserve the full 5. I LOVED the fact that this wasn’t a typical ‘I want you but I can’t have you’ book. Their personal issues were we thought through and I felt like I was making choices with the characters. I loved their development and how well it went with the story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Medical trauma, Car accident
Moderate: Cursing, Vomit, Alcohol
Minor: Death
emotional
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Car accident
Moderate: Medical content, Grief
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders
adventurous
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Before I start, I'm very happy I used my Audible credit for this book because I really enjoyed the English accents both narrators used!
I'm a sucker for a sports romance, and I had heard really good things about this book before I started it (this was also the first Ana Huang book I've read), and I found the storyline and characters really interesting and full of depth! I felt that I got to know both Asher and Scarlett and their backstories, and their chemistry was so fun to listen to and hear! From their first interactions into the last chapters, I thought their relationship definitely fit what they both wanted.
I listened to this over a few days at work, and while it's sometimes hard for me to pay attention to audiobooks over more than a few days, I found this was really easy and quick to fall back in line and remember what was going on where I picked up. The storyline didn't feel rushed at all, and I think Ana did a tremendous job at explaining and depicting chronic pain and the life of a professional athlete.
The main thing keeping me from rating this 5 stars is that I felt the book was a bit too long and drawn out. The audio is a little over 16 hours, and I don't listen to it sped up that much (usually 1.2x or 1.5x), so I found a few chapters containing more filler information and that kind of took me out of it.
All in all, I do think this is a good sports romance book, and it definitely has me looking into more of Ana's books!
I'm a sucker for a sports romance, and I had heard really good things about this book before I started it (this was also the first Ana Huang book I've read), and I found the storyline and characters really interesting and full of depth! I felt that I got to know both Asher and Scarlett and their backstories, and their chemistry was so fun to listen to and hear! From their first interactions into the last chapters, I thought their relationship definitely fit what they both wanted.
I listened to this over a few days at work, and while it's sometimes hard for me to pay attention to audiobooks over more than a few days, I found this was really easy and quick to fall back in line and remember what was going on where I picked up. The storyline didn't feel rushed at all, and I think Ana did a tremendous job at explaining and depicting chronic pain and the life of a professional athlete.
The main thing keeping me from rating this 5 stars is that I felt the book was a bit too long and drawn out. The audio is a little over 16 hours, and I don't listen to it sped up that much (usually 1.2x or 1.5x), so I found a few chapters containing more filler information and that kind of took me out of it.
All in all, I do think this is a good sports romance book, and it definitely has me looking into more of Ana's books!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Medical content
emotional
hopeful
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Sexual content
Moderate: Car accident
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Cw: chronic pain, car accident, medical content , graphic sexual content, knife violence, murder
🌟 Sports Romance
🌟 Forbidden romance
Ana Huang could write a recipe for buttered toast and I'd savour every word.
I went into this with a little trepidation. Most romance novels are around 300-400 pages. Normally when it's 500+ you're heading towards more fantasy romance territory where you need world building etc to establish the story. So I was thinking, at 600 pages, a contemporary sports romance, I really hope this isn't going to be a ton of filler or drag out the story. But it's Ana, so I trusted the process.
Blissfully, every page was needed. I loooooooved this book. I'm gonna be honest, I was disappointed when I was nearing the end because I could've read these two for forever.
Back to the actual substance of the story. Forbidden romances are always pure gold, there's that little undercurrent of anxiety that I always feel just waiting for that moment they get caught. This didn't disappoint on that front.
It also didn't disappoint on the romance front, Asher was just utterly besotted with Scarlett and I majorly swooned MANY times.
On a more serious front, I really appreciated the representation of chronic pain and how it impacts not only people's daily lives, but mentally as well. It wasn't relied upon as something to feel sorry for, it was just an accurate portrayal of life with chronic pain and the ups and downs that come with it. I also loved that Scarlett allowed Asher in and allowed him to take care of her. She didn't put her pride in front of her comfort (been there, regretted that), and he was so attuned to her and attentive to her pain and limitations. It was so sweet I could throw up.
As for the third act breakup, which AH is so fond of 🤣 The betrayal was disappointing but I KNEW that scenario would happen. Not specifically, but related to his "hobby" and I was screaming NOOOOOOO at the book and ready to throw it across the room when it arose. What I adore the most about Ana's heroines is they don't just shrug off betrayal, lies, or whatever causes the conflict, they take their space and make the H work for it.
You should read this if you think Ted Lasso could've really been doing with a spicy storyline. I was getting Jamie Tartt vibes from Asher. And if you love a forbidden romance (specifically brothers enemy/rival), this is so far up your street it's outside your door.
🌟 Sports Romance
🌟 Forbidden romance
Ana Huang could write a recipe for buttered toast and I'd savour every word.
I went into this with a little trepidation. Most romance novels are around 300-400 pages. Normally when it's 500+ you're heading towards more fantasy romance territory where you need world building etc to establish the story. So I was thinking, at 600 pages, a contemporary sports romance, I really hope this isn't going to be a ton of filler or drag out the story. But it's Ana, so I trusted the process.
Blissfully, every page was needed. I loooooooved this book. I'm gonna be honest, I was disappointed when I was nearing the end because I could've read these two for forever.
Back to the actual substance of the story. Forbidden romances are always pure gold, there's that little undercurrent of anxiety that I always feel just waiting for that moment they get caught. This didn't disappoint on that front.
It also didn't disappoint on the romance front, Asher was just utterly besotted with Scarlett and I majorly swooned MANY times.
On a more serious front, I really appreciated the representation of chronic pain and how it impacts not only people's daily lives, but mentally as well. It wasn't relied upon as something to feel sorry for, it was just an accurate portrayal of life with chronic pain and the ups and downs that come with it. I also loved that Scarlett allowed Asher in and allowed him to take care of her. She didn't put her pride in front of her comfort (been there, regretted that), and he was so attuned to her and attentive to her pain and limitations. It was so sweet I could throw up.
As for the third act breakup, which AH is so fond of 🤣 The betrayal was disappointing but I KNEW that scenario would happen. Not specifically, but related to his "hobby" and I was screaming NOOOOOOO at the book and ready to throw it across the room when it arose. What I adore the most about Ana's heroines is they don't just shrug off betrayal, lies, or whatever causes the conflict, they take their space and make the H work for it.
You should read this if you think Ted Lasso could've really been doing with a spicy storyline. I was getting Jamie Tartt vibes from Asher. And if you love a forbidden romance (specifically brothers enemy/rival), this is so far up your street it's outside your door.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Sexual content, Car accident
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Medical content, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Chronic illness, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Blood, Medical content, Car accident, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Violence, Grief, Alcohol
Minor: Child death, Death, Vomit
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
“I’ve been here since day one, darling. I was simply waiting for you to join me.”
My audible credit always goes to Ana Huang books, but sadly, this one ain't really my favorite. It's a story about a ballet teacher that's going to be the teacher to these two athletes, her brother and her brother's nemesis, where at some point, Asher ended up being the only one left to train since the Scarlett's brother has an emergency. Anyways, it was fun seeing the two of them actually go from strangers to somewhat friends to lovers. You can definitely see the tension between the two of them. Asher apparently is not the usual athletes who sleeps around and has a total fuck boy era, so you can really actually fall for him together with Scarlett.
The only downside and the main reason why I did not truly love the book is because it was nothing special. The relationship between them is already something I have read in different books but of course, different profession. The conflict was also very typical. I was just seriously enjoying the story and nothing else.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Sexual content