Love and Sportsball is a delightful sports romance featuring Shae Harris and Khadijah Upton. Shae’s dedication to her team, family, and fans is admirable, and her confidence shines despite some insecurities due to Khadijah’s hesitancy to commit. Shae’s button downed and flirty charm, paired with her chivalry and retro date choice proves to be irresistible. The supporting characters, such as Jah, Nikki, Tina, and Courtney add spunky energy to the story. While the story spans six months and feels slightly rushed, the flirtatious banter, spicy scenes, and emotional growth make it an enjoyable read. I do wish that there had been some more complex conflicts between the pair to see them truly overcome a lot together. Dijah’s strict adherence to arbitrary rules adds some complexity, despite seeming slightly irrational, and the irony of her working for a WNBA team but not being into sports is humorous. It was quite comical to discover that’s why the novel isn’t called Love and Basketball!

What to expect:
- Light sports romance
- Flirtatious banter
- SPICY scenes
- Emotional growth
- Strong supporting characters
- Established queer women
- Loving families

#loveandsportsball #gocannons #harrishoney #sapphic #sapphicromance #gameofhorse

I love romance books with female athletes so I was on board with the premise of this one immediately. And I was not disappointed. The chemistry between Khadijah and Shae was perfection from the jump and I was rooting so hard for them to make a relationship work. I did feel like there was a bit too much will they or won't they and that was a smidge frustrating. Overall though this was such a fun read and I'm excited that this is the first book in a series. There were some intriguing side characters so I hope we'll get to see more of them in future books.

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**TL;DR:** This one might end up being very forgettable for me. But it was very fun in the beginning!
**Source:** NetGalley! Thank you so much to the publisher!

**Plot:** Dijah and Shae have a very spicy one night stand and the next week find out they’re now working together.
**Characters**: ****I genuinely liked Shae, she was chill and hardworking. But Dijah might have ruined the book for me. She was so uptight and in her own ass the whole time. Everyone else was fairly 2 dimensional.
**Setting**: Not the strongest by far. The only real setting I can recall with any clarity was Dijah’s office at the court.
**Romance**: I am honestly at this point still unsure why Shae kept pursuing Dijah, but she did and it worked out in the end but I don’t know that I buy the romance here.

**Thoughts**:

Love and Sportsball is a quick and spicy sapphic story that uses the ‘one stand and then whoops we work together’ trope. Thankfully there is no ‘boss and employee’ power imbalance here, but the two still need to tiptoe and figure out their relationship without upsetting the balance of the sports team. Shae is the star player with a bit of long and entangled romantic past, while Dijah is the new athletic trainer with a list and plan that she refuses to deviate from.

I honestly have already forgotten a lot of this one, and I finished it just a few days ago. I was very invested in the two women, and honestly loved Shae, but Dijah and her strict PLAN drove me up a wall and down again. I found myself frustrated by the lack of communication from her and I ended up so frustrated I gave up on her half way through. I’m not entirely sure why Shae kept pursuing her, honestly their chemistry was great at the beginning but I lost all sight of it by half way but the book continued out to a happy ending for them.

This one started off very full of promise and fun but I got really annoyed and lost sight of the chemistry. I can say I might also not care a lot for basketball? So perhaps that had something to do with my loss of interest? Either way this was fun but not my newest favorite thing.

3 out of 5 basketball courts

Thank you so much for this ARC opportunity! I really enjoyed it. This one is a sapphic sports romance and was a super easy and fun read. I loved the FMCs and their relationship. Very cute story.

If you’re looking for an easy, fun read, this is a good option. Every so often, I need a light, fluffy book that doesn’t have a lot of darkness or crazy plot twists. I feel like this book is exactly that. It wasn’t necessarily emotionally gripping, but I enjoyed it! I do wish we saw them official together longer!

Hard work has Khadijah Upton starting her dream job as an athletic trainer for the Atlanta Cannons. Then an evening of celebratory letting loose turns into a one-night stand with a beautiful stranger. It’s a reckless, wildly sexy encounter that Khadijah intends to forget…until her first day on the job lands her face-to-face with basketball star Shae Harris again.

Shae is a major player in every sense of the word, and Khadijah doesn’t plan to be the latest in a long line of “Harris Honeys.” Personal and professional just don’t mix. But Shae, who’s all about living life to the fullest, keeps tempting Khadijah to blur the boundaries. And the more Shae reveals about herself, the harder it is for Khadijah to resist her.

I loved the chemistry between the main characters. I love when a book starts out in the bedroom, then we have to deal with the fallout later, because — Oops! Now I have to work with you!? Totally up my alley. 🙂 Wonderful characters to read, engaging story, enjoyable writing. I'm looking forward to more from this author!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced digital reader's copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review!

THis is Meka James' first traditonally published book. I was a fan of her small town romances and when I read this description, I knew I had to read it. I love a sapphic book and this reminded me of Just Wright with a sapphic twist. Perfection

My husband is an athletic trainer so when I saw that this book had a protagonist who is an athletic trainer, I jumped at the opportunity to read it.

The book starts off with some hot and steamy chemistry between Dijah and Shae. I love it when books start off with a bang - it sets a great tone for the rest of the book.

All in all, I enjoyed this one, but I felt the storyline and the development of Dijah and Shae's relationship was a bit rushed. I felt like it ping ponged back and forth a bit without much depth to the story. It was enjoyable, but it also left me wanting more.

I liked that this book was a sports romance featuring a female athlete. We need more of these!

Steam level: 🔥🔥🔥

This was super cute and I enjoyed the playful banter between the two love interests. Interested to see more from this author.

A fun lighthearted romance that had me wanting more! I'm not a big sports person but basketball did not feel like the main part of the book at all and I loved the chemistry between Dijah and Shae. I am hoping there is a sequel to focus on some of the side characters of the book like Tina and Courtney,

I really enjoyed this! I am not a sports romance girly, so what better way to try one than one with lesbians? Khadijah's life plan, with milestones, and her resistance to giving up control felt very real. Shae second guessing herself and doubting Dijah's feelings as a result of that grip on control was a good reminder that we can get real caught up in our feelings and plans, and forget that relationships have two people. Both people need to feel comfortable, loved, heard, and supported in order to work. Then end felt a little fast, but still great fun.

I was so excited to see Meka James get a trad deal, as I’ve enjoyed her indie books, and I knew I had to get my hands on Love & Sportsball. This is a really fun, overall lighthearted romance. For a sports romance, the sports elements felt less centered than in others I’ve read (which isn’t a bad thing, and actually works really well with fact Dijah is not a sports person). I love the camaraderie and friendship with Shae and the Cannons team, and the ways they support one another and how Dijah gets folded into the team. The conflict also really fit Shae and Dijah’s personalities, and I love how things worked out in the end. This was such a fun read and I wonder if Courtney will be the next book - marriage in trouble, please and thank you!

Love and Sportsball by Meka James is an absolute delight! From the first page, I was hooked by James's superb writing style, which effortlessly keeps you engaged throughout the entire story. This sports romance is the perfect blend of steamy and sweet, featuring a fantastic opposites-attract trope with two incredibly different yet compelling main characters.

Khadijah Upton, an organized and focused athletic trainer, finds herself face-to-face with basketball star Shae Harris after a wildly sexy one-night stand. Shae is sweet, sexy, and patient, making it impossible for Khadijah to resist her charms. Their chemistry sizzles both on and off the court, and their dynamic kept me rooting for them from the very beginning.

James's attention to detail, from the songs in the club to the skating rink scene, adds a special touch that makes the book even more endearing. Dijah and Shae's journey is captivating, filled with heartfelt moments and intense passion. The side characters, from Khadijah's supportive family to Shae's loving relatives and the tight-knit team, added depth and relatability to the story, enriching the overall reading experience of this wonderful story.

I was thrilled to discover that this is the start of a series because I absolutely loved Tina and Courtney and can't wait to see their stories unfold. Consider me a loyal fan of the Atlanta Cannons and Meka James! *Love and Sportsball* is a must-read for anyone who enjoys a well-crafted, steamy sports romance.

**Book Review: Love and Sports Ball by Meka James**

In *Love and Sports Ball*, Meka James masterfully crafts a steamy and sweet sapphic romance that effortlessly blends intense passion with deep emotional connection. The novel introduces us to Khadijah Upton, an athletic trainer whose dream job with the Atlanta Cannons takes an unexpected turn after a wild one-night stand with Shae Harris, a magnetic basketball star.

The chemistry between Khadijah and Shae is electric from their first encounter, and James skillfully develops their relationship against the high-stakes backdrop of professional sports. Khadijah's determination to maintain professional boundaries is challenged by Shae's vivacious personality and persistent charm, leading to a gripping push-and-pull dynamic that keeps readers eagerly turning pages.

James excels in portraying the complexities of navigating personal and professional lives, especially in the high-pressure world of sports. Khadijah’s internal struggles and Shae’s unapologetic zest for life create a compelling narrative that explores themes of vulnerability, trust, and self-discovery.

The novel's pacing is perfectly balanced, with moments of intense romantic tension interspersed with heartfelt revelations that deepen the protagonists’ connection. James's writing is vivid and engaging, making the sizzling bedroom scenes and the emotional highs and lows equally captivating.

*Love and Sports Ball* is a delightful and invigorating read, offering a refreshing take on romance that is both thrilling and profoundly satisfying. Meka James has delivered a standout story that will leave readers rooting for Khadijah and Shae both on and off the court.