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.*

This was a mix between fine and good. It was not anything special to me.

Maria was absolutely my favorite character in this book. I just loved how she bonded with Adalyn & really helped Adalyn grow.

The reason for Adalyn & Cameron to be "enemies" was not a reason. I feel like Adalyn was supposed to be portrayed as someone who didn't need to be taken care of and that she could do things herself, but I think it was VERY obvious that she needed someone to take care of her. The way she strived to impress her father was not her being independent or headstrong to me.

I didn't enjoy the overuse of pet names by Cameron to Adalyn ESP when they were supposed to be enemies.

I don't feel like the back story of this book was strong enough to be the baseline. I feel like she should have gone after David instead of the mascot because the mascot was just talking.. He wasn't the one hurting her.

Cameron was indeed swoonworthly, while a little cringe with his use of pet names. He just genuinely felt like a good dude. So why was it so hard to get along with her in the first place. Also why hate on her clothes SO MUCH. Let her wear what she wants. IDC if you're in the mountains.

Anyways, I thought that it was fine as long as you don't think about things too much. The more I thought about this book when I sat down to write the review, the more I found I questioned it.

Thanky ou to Netgalley and Atria books for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and were not influenced in any way.

This fits into your stereotypical romance women gets "punished" and sent to random small town where she meets a "celebrity" in hiding. DNF AT 23%





**********************************I received an ARC for my honest review from NetGalley. **************************************

Absolutely a delight! The Long Game is a witty, sweet, enemies to lovers story. It definitlely gives Ted Lasso vibes, and fans of Elena Armas will adore this book.

This book was a lovely mix of Stars Hollow meets Hallmark movie. With spice. It has amazing slow burn and pining that ends in a very satisfying last third.

At times it was almost too sweet, but Armas has such skill with writing sincerity within her characters. Cam and Adalyn are wonderful to spend time with.

I will say that I wish the book spent more time on the soccer. I know some people are not fond of the plot getting in the way of the romance, but with both characters being so entrenched in soccer, it seems off that so little time is spend on the field during the games.

Characters are the main drive of this book and these characters are winners.

I am sure this book is for someone--it just is not me.

Adalyn has a fall from grace and her father's major league soccer team. She gets shipped off to a small town to help a little league soccer team...where lo and behold a former Major League Soccer player is currently coaching the team.

The characters were flat and unbelievable. Situations with each character felt rushed and not explained. Honestly, I did not find any of the characters remotely likable.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

Loved this new one from Elena Armas! The enemies-to-lovers trope is uniquely done. Cameron as a MMC is supportive and trusting, which is incredibly refreshing (plus he’s got some Roy Kent vibes). Adalyn’s interaction with Sparkles was a hilarious, perfect catalyst to connect the two lovers. I adored how she found her home and family in North Carolina.

This was a book worth reading if you love a slow burn, slow to spicey parts but this book was so good i couldnt put it down cameron and addalyn are so cute and i love the banter and meanness they both show and how he just takes care of her when she sprains her ankle i just love it

I was really excited to have the opportunity to read The Long Game, as I am a fan of Elena Armas' work. But...this one didn't connect with me. I had a really hard time getting into the book and didn't feel like I got hooked until I was about 70% done with it. I loved the sass and bickering between the two characters, Adalyn and Cameron, to start out with but found it irritating as the story went on. I just couldn't get into it.

Loved all of the banter!!!! Enemies to lovers was amazing and they were so fun! I really enjoyed the side characters. The girls on the team were the best! The way that he broke down her walls and he wasn't phased by any of her hang-ups was beautiful. The patience of a saint! :)

I did not like the cliffhanger and I am not a fan of having to wait for the next book!

This book is everything for people who want to read about a Roy Kent variant coaching youth soccer in rural North Carolina while also falling in love with an overworked corporate city girl, and I ate it up! I absolutely loved this book and it had me laughing, giggling, kicking my feet, and screaming! I was going through every emotion but it was worth it. The setting and plot of putting our main characters together to coach a youth soccer team was great. As a soccer girlie, I loved it. Also these girls were great and I loved the relationship both Adalyn and Cameron had with them, especially with María. The relationship between Adalyn and Cameron themselves was also perfect. They definitely got off on the wrong foot and are stubborn and competitive in their own way but they just got each other and we’re made for each other. Cameron just knew Adalyn and accepted her for her and saw her as she was. He fell and he fell hard. Adalyn also fell just as hard and I loved seeing how her experiencing that kind of love and patience from not just Cameron but the rest of her town helped her grow and realize what had been wrong with how she’s been treated by the people she was trying so hard to please.

Overall, I loved this book and highly recommend you read it when it comes out!

Read if you like…
•forced proximity
•small town romance
•Ted Lasso and Roy Kent
•slow burn
•dual pov
•🌶️

2.5⭐️

I wanted to like this book so much because I was obsessed with TSLD. But I ended up just waiting for this to be over so I can move on to a different book.

This book had all the right parts to be a great read but for some reason they didn't really go well together. the book felt SO long and started dragging for me after the 25% mark and it just felt meh.

Overall its ok and if you have nothing else to read then give it a go but don't expect anything great.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy. This was a fun read with an added soccer bonus for me. I liked how Adalyn developed some sense and self worth during the book.

If you loved Spanish Love Deception or the American Roommate Experience, then you will LOVE this book! I love a good enemies to lovers story, and this delivered. Not to mention the former Soccer star MMC was a treat! Loved the banter between the main characters!

This was my first Elena Armas book and it definitely won't be my last. Such a fun romance with just the right amount of tension and banter between the love interests and a great cast of supporting characters except for her dad and former love interest. They are in fact the worst, but necessary for the story. Overall, four stars and can't wait for others to enjoy it when it comes out in September.

"The Long Game" is about a disgraced soccer dynasty heiress and what happens when she is sent to work with a junior soccer league in rural North Carolina. While there, she meets a stern recluse who happens to be a major soccer star. Sparks fly and hijinks ensue. Eventually, I really got into this, but it did take a little while. It didn't feel like the chemistry between these leads was as evident as with the leads in Armas's previous books.

A soccer themed romance about a woman banished to a small town to run a little league team and the gruff coach who has his own secrets. A quick enjoyable read featuring many interesting and quirky characters.

Shoutout to NetGalley for the ARC!
This was a solid 4 star read for me. I loved the North Carolina storyline and the super slow burn. Small town, enemies to lovers, forced proximity? Check, check, check. The Miami plot line was a little silly and unbelievable, which is why I knocked a star off, but the banter and unbelievably captivating cast of characters made up for it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Shuster for an arc in exchange for an honest review!

I LOVED the Spanish Love Deception, but I did not like The American Roommate Experience so I was hesitant with this book at first.. However, I really enjoyed it - the banter made me laugh out loud, the location made me want to visit, and I have zero interest in soccer but now I want to be a GM of an all girls team and give them shorts that mimic tutus.

I did think the blurb comparing this book to It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey is deceiving since it is no where near as spicy as IHOS. There is some spice, but Armas thrives in tension which we definitely got that here. It gives off sweet, small town vibes that I hope we can get back to soon since I fell in love with *almost* every side character. Overall it was the perfect summer read and pulled me right out of my reading slump so I highly recommend.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for this Advanced Readers Copy of The Long Game by Elena Armas!