This was a wholesome, cute, slow-burn YA love story with one of my favorite romance tropes: the grumpy one falls for the sunshine one.

I fell in love with the characters almost from the beginning, and both the two main characters, as well as the supporting characters were well fleshed out and felt like real people. The romance between Jack and Elliot developed slowly, which gave ample time for their friendship to deepen first, and for each of them to grow individually as a person. It had coming-of-age vibes, although friendship and budding romance were definitely the priority.

Although I'm not a big fan of soccer (or sports romance in general), the sports elements in this story were engaging and lighthearted enough that they didn't bother me at all, and the whole dynamic within the soccer team rounded the story off perfectly. The writing style was fluent and a great fit for YA - it was hard to put the book down once I started, and I finished it within a few days. I especially loved how there was no "gay panic" or general adversity against queerness in this book, which is a driving factor in many books of the same genre.

An easygoing, fluffy, and emotional romance read, not only for YA fans, that will put a smile on your face ❤️

>> I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. <<