A review by thespicyshybrarian
Sweat by Jonah Yorke

emotional reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

“‘Sweetheart,’ he whispers, like that’s my name now. It feels ironic, since my heart only feels sweet when it’s beating for Tommy.”

Overall: ⭐⭐⭐.5 / 5 (rounded up)
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️.5 / 5

This rivals-to-lovers college sports romance started off sucking me right in. I was intrigued by the narrative style, feeling like I was directly in the speaker’s head. The pace also seemed quick, which I appreciate, particularly for the genre (where I expect things to evolve quickly). And, while I ultimately enjoyed the read and will pick up the next book from this debut author, I did struggle with some things.

There’s a lot of heart in this story, especially from our boy Tommy. He’s a gem, through and through, even if it doesn’t start off feeling that way. His character, by the end, is everything. The kind of sweet and giving hero you want to save from the world and every bad thing in it. He has multiple opportunities to give in to his own immaturity and insecurities and I loved him more every time he didn’t take that easy route.

The plot also felt incredibly feasible, which I want in a contemporary romance. To me, it should feel like something that could realistically happen and, with all the immaturity and missteps by both Tommy and Rowan, this fits the bill. 

As for Rowan, he’s a conundrum. I both loved and was incredibly frustrated by him. He’s a layered, severely traumatized character, and that creates inconsistency, volatility, and downright meanness in some of his actions. Just as much as I wanted to smack him, I also wanted him to get everything he ever wanted. 

Rowan’s backstory is mysterious, only alluded to for most of the book, and I never felt like that topic was fully given its due. And while high-spice books can certainly tackle heavy topics, I’m not sure this one successfully balanced the two.

All that said, I think this book is easily 100 pages too long, likely more. I found myself skimming in sections where I a) wasn’t learning anything new or b) felt like I’d read that spicy scene already (maybe more than once). There’s a ton of on-page spice and, while much of it is well-written, it did start to feel redundant about halfway through.

Overall, it was a satisfying read that kept me entertained (for the most part) and scrolling. I think Yorke has tremendous potential to write something heartbreakingly profound. To me, Sweat gives a mere glimpse of what we could expect from this author.

Recommended for fans of emotional/angsty stories like Wrath, college sports romances with heat like those in the Sadenverse, and similar.

📚Fast facts📚
✨ College soccer romance
✨ Rivals-to-lovers
✨ Dual awakening
✨ Found family
✨ “You’re mine.”
✨ Confronting trauma & grief
✨ Allllll the feels / angsty
✨ Very open door
✨ Contemporary MM
✨ Standalone (first in a series)
✨ First person, dual POV, present tense

I am so grateful to the author and Gay Romance Reviews to have received an advanced copy of this story! This is my honest and unbiased review.
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