3.75 ⭐️
This book was a tough one for me to rate. I am a huge Spanish Love Deception fan and I think my expectations were to have the same feeling about The Long Game that I do for TSLD. What I’ve come to realize is that Elena Armas loves her heroes. She writes heroes that women will love and that appeal to every fantasy. Cameron Caldani is no exception and he is the epitome of grumpy, hot, ex-futbol(soccer) star, who wants to do nothing more than take care of his woman. I thoroughly enjoyed Cameron for this very fact, knowing this about him, but it was a stretch to imagine that he would wait for thirty seven chapters (!!!!) to fully act on his desires for Adalyn.
And I guess that’s why it’s called The Long Game—Cameron is willing to prove to her that she is worthy of receiving care and attention and love even if it takes a long time to do it or for her to believe it. This is the slowest of slow burns and while I really do love the tension typically built up from a slow burn, it frustrated me to come to the end of multiple chapters where the MCs are ultra flirty and touchy and dropping hints as to how they feel and then turning the page just to see that the timeline jumps to the next day or a week out. It just felt like that tension was lost and I couldn’t believe that they wouldn’t have acted on it sooner than they did. There is, however, one very memorable scene in a she-shed office of sorts and Armas is at her best when writing a sex scene, so I think I was disappointed to see that it was past the 85% mark before we get her in her prime. Once Adalyn and Cam act on their mutual pining, the chemistry was spot on and the sexual energy was everything I love from Armas’s writing. There’s a nice little plot twist at the end that I didn’t see coming and I’m curious to see how Matt and Josie’s story plays out. Ultimately what happened in the last 20% of the book is what I wished I got more of in the beginning—can’t live without you attraction, I’ll do anything for you devotion, and karma seeking its revenge. Tell me Armas’s next book starts out the way this one ended, and I’ll be back for more.
I received this book as an advanced copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

I thought this book was super cute and would definitely recommend it for students to get for their parents if they were into a romance genre. It really enjoyed reading it and read it all in one morning.

I LOVED this. The slow burn burned so good. Everything about this was top tier for me and I loved every second reading this. Elena Armas is an autobuy for me.

So fun! This is not a life-changing book by any means, but just a carefree, easy read. The pacing felt spot-on.

The Long Game by Elena Armas was a delightful story. I feel so honored to have the opportunity to read and review it before its release!
This was really cute and fun! I loved the chemistry between Cam and Adalyn and thought they worked well together.
TLG has well-developed, likable characters and is one of my favorite romance books I’ve read this year. I look forward to reading other books written by the author.
The perfect summer romance read!

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and Atria Books for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

This was the best type of slow burn. Adalyn and Cameron are so good together. Both a bit grumpy and jaded, but they grow and learn to trust together.

After an embarrassing incident at work Adalyn is forced to move to a rural town to help a girl’s little league soccer team. When she arrives she meets Cam, a retired professional soccer player who happens to be the coach for the Green Oak Warriors. They’re instantly at each other’s throats. As time passes they learn to work together to help the girls and both learn that there is more to the other than meets the eye.

I loved this book! There is some spice but the slow build up really allows the relationship to blossom and the tension to grow before the spicy scenes. Cameron is my new favorite book boyfriend, he’s caring, protective, fiercely loyal, and oh so very hot!

This advance reader copy was provided by Atria Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This writing style didn’t mesh with my reading preferences, but I think this is a book a lot of people will really love.
Grumpy/grumpy & easy to picture Cam as a Roy Kent type, lots of enemies to lovers vibes and content and if you like kids & soccer you’ll probably really enjoy this.
Not for me, DNF @ 30%

I will read anything by Elena Armas! The Spanish Love Deception and The American Roommate Experiment were 5 ⭐ books for me so I was stoked to get my hands on The Long Game.

While this one is probably more of a 4.5 ⭐ for me, I still loved it! It was a slow burn but the connection between the characters was just gahhhhh! So cute! Coach Cam might be one of my favorite MMCs at the moment. He's grouchy (but secretly a softie), doesn't hide his feelings, and is a retired soccer player (and I'm a sucker for those soccer players). Adalyn is stubborn as hell but I loved her growth throughout the book.

The setting was also adorable. Small town, a soccer team made up of a bunch of cute 9-year-olds, goat yoga, Josie, set in the fall. I can't wait for Josie's story in the next book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

I wasn’t sure if I would enjoy this one going into it, but I was pleasantly surprised. I didn’t like TSLD, loved TARE, and this one goes somewhere right in the middle

3.5/5 stars, rounded up to 4
I did enjoy this book for the most part. I thought the romance between Adalyn and Cameron was well done. I feel like Adalyn came off as a weak character and was overly dramatic at times. While I understand it is part of her character, I did find it to be annoying and over done at times.
Elena Armas is an auto buy author for me and I LOVED her other two books. This one fell a little bit flat for me, but was still enjoyable.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Spice: 🌶️.5/5

Did anyone else picture Cam as Rhett of Rhett and Link YouTube fame? No? Just me, the girl who knows nothing about football/soccer players?

Adalyn Reyes loves the Miami Flames, so much that she’ll do everything to advance her career with them. Even move to the middle of nowhere North Carolina to try and make things right with her dad/boss after a blow up at a major club event. There she meets retired player Cameron Caldani, and they team up to revamp the Green Warriors, a team of young girls who love their blind goats and tutus.

This was sports romance with minimal sportsballing, which I loved as a non-sports girlie. It was a classic Elena Armas slow burn and the payoff was 💯. The kids team was ADORABLE and I really related to the main character as a person who never wants to be taken care of. The end mentioning therapy to help folks work through self improvement was also absolute perfect, and a special shout-out to Cam’s praise. 👀

I am a fan of Elena Armas and she is an auto-buy author for me. That said, this book missed the mark for me. I liked the idea of the storyline and that it is set in the world of soccer. The chemistry of the main characters is great, BUT I didn't love the characters or the situations they were put into. I really wanted to like this one, but it was just okay.

Spoiler / TW: Ada is used and abused by her father and ex and presents as very naïve and weak. She comes into her own eventually, but for most of the storyline she is this angry, inept young woman. Her character arc was not strong enough for me to enjoy reading about her.

Thank you netgalley for the arc !

Rating: ★★★★★

Spice: 🌶️🌶️

I dare say this is the best book Elena Armas has written by far. The plot, the chemistry, the humor, is just top notch. I mean give me a small town sports romance and I will eat that shit up. Give me a British man and I will eat that shit up. Give me a slow burn and I will what? Eat that shit up. I love Adalyn and I related to her a lot. The fear of not measuring up, of not impressing or having your parents be proud of you. And let's just clear it up that her decapitation of the team mascot was 100% real and justified. Cameron is so grumpy but he really is just a big softie. I love a case of the guy falls first and harder. Don't even get me started on Cameron saying "Ada, Darling" 😩. From start to finish this book had me. If you didn't really care for tsld or it's sequel, I would 110% recommend trying this one. I will be seated for Josie and Matthew's story 🙏🏻

Cute!! This book definitely has a different vibe compared to Armas’s first books. This seemed lighter and a little fluffier, but no complaints from me. I do think it felt a little too drawn out; that seems to be a common variable with her books, but I still enjoyed it.

4⭐️

I am a big time sucker for any book involving women in sports (in any capacity) and this one was cute to boot! I am obsessed with Cam + Adalyn’s love story on top of the small town of Green Oak!!

The goat yoga, the fall festival, the pottery class, the carrying (literally), not to mention the thigh tattoo of it all?! I think is is my favorite from Elena Armas thus far!

This was a slow burnn, but the best kind of slow burn. It made the progression of Cam and Adalyn’s relationship from dislike to lovers feel real and natural that can sometimes get lost in an insta love book. All of the silly town antics included just helped me remember what is so special about a small town book and why I love the trope so much - not to mention the girl’s soccer team had me rolling! Let’s be real Mariá was the real MVP!

There were a few scenes were I just wanted more of, and some backstory I wish we would’ve got (like how Josie and Cam knew each other for example), but this one had me SWOONING throughout. Also that epilogue 👀 I’m going to need book two sooner than later!

PS I wouldn’t be mad about a Robbie love story in the future 🫶🏻

Read if you like:
❤️‍🔥 dislike to lovers
✨ close proximity
⚽️ women in sports
🏡 small towns
🌩️ grumpy x grumpy
🐱 cat daddies
🎥 Ted Lasso
🐐 baby goats
✌🏻 dual pov

There was so much potential in this story. Adalyn stole my heart instantly with her fierce yet vulnerable personality. I loved the Ted Lasso vibes and the small town setting. Cameron’s character had the makings of a great love interest but his personality just never came together for me. Maybe we needed more chapters from his perspective? I am unsure.
Rounded from 3.5 to 4 stars

Adalyn & Cameron are 🔥🔥🔥

I had mixed feelings about Adalyn. I related to her in a lot of ways - trying to always be in control, compartmentalization of feelings, and never wanting to ask for help or admit defeat. She was truly a warrior, but sometimes I wish she would have just talked to her dad about her feelings and not let things get to where they did.

Cameron was great! He was broody but sweet and caring. He isn’t my typical MMC - not a soccer guy & not a fan of guys with cats. I had a hard time fully understanding some of his thought process post house breakin, but I don’t think that detracted from the story much.

I enjoyed Adalyn & Cameron together and I love how he was there to support her in the end. He made her the priority and put his pride aside, which I love and respect in a guy.

Thank you for the ARC. All thought and opinions are my own.

I loved this book; it was easily my favorite of Elena Armas's. Adalyn is a soccer club exec who works for her father but he sends her away to a rural town after she is caught on camera in an altercation with the team's mascot. She's sent away under the guise of working with, what turns out to be a little league soccer team coached by a retired famous soccer star, Cameron. They lock horns immediately, but are forced to work together.

Things I liked: the slow burn chemistry, my god! The nuanced treatment of female rage, frigidity vs. emotion, and how impossible a balancing act that is to manage. Likeable children! Relatable sports content! Mental health representation! Goats!

Things I didn't like: I felt like the little twist was a little unnecessary but I wouldn't say it detracted.

5/5, awesome, enjoyable rom com.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If Schitt’s Creek and Ted Lasso had a baby, it would be this book! Cameron and Adalyn were such fun grumpy/sunshine, opposites attract characters to get lost in! I loved the small town vibes and fell completely into the story.

I will say, I wasn’t as enamored with Cameron and Adalyn’s relationship as I wanted to be. I think he was too grumpy for too long and I kinda got annoyed with it. But overall it was an entertaining story (the soccer girls were a riot) and I am such a Elena Armas fan, it is definitely a book you want to check out for yourself!

The Long Game comes out 9/5! Thank you @atriabooks for the complimentary copy! {all opinions are my own}

I LOVED this book! I wanted more of her standing up for herself in every aspect, but it really made the story unlike just another romcom. It had heard and romance. Armas is definitely one of my favorite authors.