Reviews with content warning for Abandonment - The Long Game

Reviews tagging 'Abandonment'

The Long Game by Elena Armas

10 reviews

mlottermoser's review against another edition

hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.75

Slow burn romance set in a rural town in the US. A retired UK goalkeeper meets his match in a big league exec banished to the small town where he is hiding. Sparks fly, baggage is discussed, and love conquers all.
Spicy. 3/5 chili peppers

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fairynanook's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

The book is too long so it feels like a slow read because not much is happening. But the romance is cute enemies to lovers.

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kathis_wonderland's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted relaxing 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

The Long Game by Elena Armas is the first book in the Long Game series. Adalyn lost her cool and a video of that goes viral. To save her reputation and her father's football club, she moves to a small town to manage a struggling soccer team. That the team is a group of nine-year-old girls and is coached by goalkeeping legend Cameron Caldani is a surprise for her. Adalyn and Cameron hated each other from the beginning, but there are other feelings as well.

I am turning out to be a big fan of Elena Armas' work! I love her writing style and the way she implements other language than English into the story. The Long Game was a really nice read. It was a little dark and challenging at times and my heart broke for Adalyn several times. Having to go through such things and having no real support system must be so hard. But she is fierce and strong. Cameron really worships Adalyn. I am sure he would do anything for her just to make her happy. There chemistry was so good! I couldn't wait for their first kiss! And that took ages! The book was not as steamy as I thought it would be. But it was sexy nonetheless.

I can highly recommend Elena Armas' books! The Long Game was a really nice read. Enemies-to-lovers, slow-burn, romantic and spicy! I can't wait for the next book in this series.

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hawkerkt's review against another edition

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Something about the writing did not jive. Also was not feeling starting the book in such a hostile attack.

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fkshg8465's review against another edition

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emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

After the cuteness and fun of Spanish Love Deception and The Roommate Experiment, this was a big let down - super cheesy, terrible storytelling, and everything I hate about the romance genre.

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carefulfearanddeaddevotion's review against another edition

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emotional lighthearted relaxing fast-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

4.25

It took me about a chapter to go from "God this woman is insufferable" to "won't someone please swaddle her, bury her under a mountain of pillows, and bring her whatever she wants?????". Cameron Caldani, you're so valid, because I, too, would protect Adalyn Reyes at all costs. What a sad little kicked puppy of a woman (affectionate) <3<3 Andrew Underwood, David whatever the fuck your last name is, sleep with one eye open.

Enemies to lovers trope? check. NO(!!!!) miscommunication trope? check check check. I cannot stress ENOUGH how happy I am with how that final fight went down. It was so so clear that Adalyn's reaction was coming from her past trauma, it wasn't out of nowhere, but at the same time, it wasn't really portrayed as being justified. The whole time she was thinking "damn why am I acting like this, stop pushing him away" (same queen) and Cameron, for his part, tried his hardest not to let her push him away. A tiny bit disappointed it didn't work, but happy it was resolved so quickly. Given both their pasts, it wasn't a conflict that made me go "this relationship won't last," but one that made me think it would.

Also Maria Vasquez? You will always be famous. What a fantastic little girl, loved her so so much. Perfect, no notes.

Also kinda glad we never found out why Cameron is so scared of goats? He just is, and that was funny and quirky and didn't really need explanation imo.

Not really sure I can explain why it's not a 5, but it was a very good R (X?) rated romcom. Not a frustrating read at all (looking at you, Sincerely Yours). Also didn't realize until the end that it was written by the same person who wrote The Spanish Love Deception which has been in my tbr for ages and I now own. This book def made me look forward to that one.

ETA: therapy mention? What a dub. More romcom characters should consider therapy

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itsmemiana's review against another edition

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funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective 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

5.0

CAMERON CALDANI WHERE TF ARE YOU???

this is a tradition for me to say on any Elena Armas book.... I loved this so much.

Elena Armas is officially an auto-buy author (let's be fr, she was the moment I read TSLD). I can't wait for the second book in this series (which I'm sure I know who it's about, and I already love those characters so I really can't wait to love them even more 👀). anything this woman writes, I will eat up like I'm starved (👀 understanders will understand hehe)

Cam and Adelyn were so so cute and I loved how grumpy but in love and obsessed with each other both of them were. I also loved how relatable but strong Adelyn was especially in the second half.

this was cute, funny, angsty and horny (so hot too) in all the right ways.

I've said this before and I'll say it again, if my man ain't written by Elena Armas, I don't want him.

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purplepenning's review against another edition

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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.

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drtx_bwt's review against another edition

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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

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sdupont's review against another edition

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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.*

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