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katiejohns's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Sexual content, and Sexism
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders
pagebypaigebks's review against another edition
3.0
“Like she can finally be at ease. Like she was scared but now she’s okay. Because with me, she’s always, always safe.”
Thank you to Simon and Schuster Canada for sending me an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.
I've also posted this review on Instagram and my blog.
Instagram Post
Blog Post
Content Warnings: panic attacks, toxic relationships, gaslighting, mention of stalking
The premise of this book had a lot of promise! I loved the idea of a high end executive helping out a kids team. My favourite parts were Adalyn and Cameron's interactions with the players! The kids and the other townspeople were fun to read about and had funny moments that made me smile. Unfortunately, I would have liked to see more development from our main characters. So I didn't connect with them as much as I would have liked. However, the side characters really captured my attention with their backstories and personalities! Overall, the writing style was easy to follow and made this a quick read.
Thank you to Simon and Schuster Canada for sending me an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.
I've also posted this review on Instagram and my blog.
Instagram Post
Blog Post
Content Warnings: panic attacks, toxic relationships, gaslighting, mention of stalking
The premise of this book had a lot of promise! I loved the idea of a high end executive helping out a kids team. My favourite parts were Adalyn and Cameron's interactions with the players! The kids and the other townspeople were fun to read about and had funny moments that made me smile. Unfortunately, I would have liked to see more development from our main characters. So I didn't connect with them as much as I would have liked. However, the side characters really captured my attention with their backstories and personalities! Overall, the writing style was easy to follow and made this a quick read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Gaslighting
Minor: Stalking
purplepenning's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Strong Roy Kent / brunch daddy vibes, but alas — the story as a whole didn't work for me. I'm not sure how a book with a growly retired soccer player coaching a quirky small town U10 girls team while dealing with a menagerie of mischievous farm animals managed to both bore and annoy me, but it did. I couldn't connect with the boss babe main character, thought the story was slow-going until the last quarter, yet still felt the characters were under-developed.
I think I'll just have to accept that this author isn't for me. A previous title was a DNF and this one was one goat and a spunky 8-year-old away from the same fate.
I think I'll just have to accept that this author isn't for me. A previous title was a DNF and this one was one goat and a spunky 8-year-old away from the same fate.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, and Sexual content
Minor: Death of parent, Violence, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Abandonment
drtx_bwt's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Abandonment
Minor: Toxic relationship and Stalking
britwalsh16's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I’ve loved Elena’s other books, & this one was no different. I have a new view & love of soccer from this book. Carmen is so perfect! From Darling to Love, I was hanging on every word he said! and once he finally admitted his feelings for Ada, he never wavered & stood by her side no matter what! Where can I find a man like him? And I feel for Adalyn so much! Her dad is a piece of work, all she ever wanted was his love & he made it conditional, only ever caring about himself, she doesn’t deserve that! I’m so glad she found a man like Carmen! She deserves happiness!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Cursing, and Sexual content
Moderate: Toxic relationship
Minor: Death of parent and Violence
readwithria's review against another edition
emotional
funny
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
4.0
The Long Game was such a fun time!
I love Elena Armas’ writing so much, and The Long Game was another great book full of cute banter, lovable characters, and slow burn tension.
Read if you you love
⚽️ Sports romance
⚽️ Small town
⚽️ Grumpy/grumpy
⚽️ Forced proximity
⚽️ Caregiving
⚽️ Cute nicknames
⚽️ Even cuter animals
I will say that one of the reasons I don’t love “enemies” to lovers in contemporary romance is because the characters often don’t spend a lot of time actually liking each other because there has to be the setup of the meet messy, and this book was no exception. I think that the last 40 pages felt a bit rushed, and made the conflict and resolution feel like an afterthought.
This book was pretty much exactly what I’ve come to expect from Elena Armas, and I can’t wait to read what she writes next! 4 stars.
I love Elena Armas’ writing so much, and The Long Game was another great book full of cute banter, lovable characters, and slow burn tension.
Read if you you love
⚽️ Sports romance
⚽️ Small town
⚽️ Grumpy/grumpy
⚽️ Forced proximity
⚽️ Caregiving
⚽️ Cute nicknames
⚽️ Even cuter animals
I will say that one of the reasons I don’t love “enemies” to lovers in contemporary romance is because the characters often don’t spend a lot of time actually liking each other because there has to be the setup of the meet messy, and this book was no exception. I think that the last 40 pages felt a bit rushed, and made the conflict and resolution feel like an afterthought.
This book was pretty much exactly what I’ve come to expect from Elena Armas, and I can’t wait to read what she writes next! 4 stars.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Sexual content, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Toxic relationship, Violence, and Stalking
kat7794's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
slow-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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, and Cursing
meredith_williams_'s review against another edition
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
3.25
What is it about Elena Armas’s mediocre romcoms that continue to draw me in!? I liked the Spanish Love Deception (despite it’s complete lack of editing) and absolutely despised The American Roommate Experiment (so much so that it is the only book I’ve ever rated one star). And yet, The Long Game caught my eye while in line at Barnes and Noble and the next thing I know, it is being rung up with my other purchases. Is it the fun candy color covers? Is it the cutesy descriptions on the back? Or is it my own unique combination of optimism and masochism? At this point, I don’t know!
Overall, The Long Game is consistent with much of Armas’s previous writing style. There are a lot of overused pet names, bad millennial humor, slap stick physical comedy, and overall lack of subtlety when it comes to the actual romance aspect of the book. However, I do think Armas wrote a much better character arc for the FMC in this novel than she has done for those in her other books. Adalyn was a much more developed character and I think the pacing of her emotional journey was well done. The logistics of the plot as a whole flowed much better in this novel. (Although I still have a few questions. For example, why is a random family mystery being brought up 320 pages in?) I also thought the small town setting and slow burn romance were spot on.
I would say this is the author’s best work, but is that really saying much? I think I need to accept that Armas’s style just isn’t my personal favorite. If you’re looking for a light fall read, I would recommend The Long Game, but just know that you’ll have to set the book aside every 50 pages or so to physically cringe.
Overall, The Long Game is consistent with much of Armas’s previous writing style. There are a lot of overused pet names, bad millennial humor, slap stick physical comedy, and overall lack of subtlety when it comes to the actual romance aspect of the book. However, I do think Armas wrote a much better character arc for the FMC in this novel than she has done for those in her other books. Adalyn was a much more developed character and I think the pacing of her emotional journey was well done. The logistics of the plot as a whole flowed much better in this novel. (Although I still have a few questions. For example, why is a random family mystery being brought up 320 pages in?) I also thought the small town setting and slow burn romance were spot on.
I would say this is the author’s best work, but is that really saying much? I think I need to accept that Armas’s style just isn’t my personal favorite. If you’re looking for a light fall read, I would recommend The Long Game, but just know that you’ll have to set the book aside every 50 pages or so to physically cringe.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Sexual content, and Cursing
Moderate: Misogyny and Sexism
sdupont's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-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
5.0
Well it’s the Women’s World Cup tournament and what better way to honor and celebrate the occlusion than than to read a slow burn small town soccer romance? There is none! I adored this book. It was perfectly cozy and made me want to go visit a cabin (and I’m a certified beach girlie). Cameron and Adalyn are a perfect match. The grumpy x grumpy to I’d do anything for you and to support you vibes were *chef’s kiss* Cameron may be the swooniest book boyfriend. I lost count at the amount of times I gasped or squealed while reading because of his quotes or internal monologue. Adalyn is super relatable, I could identify with not feeling like you fit in and having such high standards for yourself that you can hurt your own feelings. These two really brought out each other’s softer sides, the vulnerability was portrayed well. Honorable mention to Maria she was both hilarious and insightful. She nearly brought me to tears at the end describing how Brandy the goat acts when she realizes it’s Maria hugging her. Out of the mouth of babes! I highly recommend this book. This is a must read this fall.
*I received the ARC for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
*I received the ARC for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship
Moderate: Violence and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Death of parent and Abandonment
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