I’m not really a fan of sport romance but this was set in high school so I wanted to try. And I’m glad I did. This story is so wholesome. I love this book so much. I love Francesca a normal amount, I promise!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

3.5 stars

Ughhh I’m so disappointed in this book. I was so excited for this premise and the fact that I really enjoyed the first two books - so that fact that I really didn’t like this one is such a bummer.

I’m always a fan of a good rivals to lovers, especially wlw rivals to lovers but the execution of this trope in this book was off. The banter came off mean and made me slightly uncomfortable. In addition, the transition between rivals and lover was way too fast for my liking. I honestly felt like there was no character development for either of them and the book felt disconnected from the first two of the series.

I’m bummed that the series ended on such a low note for me but if you love vibes and don’t really care about plot, I would definitely recommend this.

We’ll always have peaches 😉

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review

This was NOT for me which was a disappointment after enjoying the first 2 books in this interconnected series. The “enemies” were just downright cruel to each other and I had no desire to see them as “lovers.” The pacing was all over the place and the characters were constantly going from hate to lust and were really wishy washy.

i will say, when i get an arc, i analyze more than i would if i was reading a non-arc; part of me is like, would i have felt the same way if i really sat down to think about it like this? normally i review and rate romance based off of vibes instead of plot and character development.

a big part of me was like JADE COME ON get out of scarcity mindset, you can get the job without cutting down another queer woman of color who only wants to be on your side!!!!!! thank goodness she eventually gets out of her own way and stops trying to bully francesca.

i knew they were both coaches going into this book, but i picked it up mostly due to how much i liked BET ON IT, one of Jodie's other romance novels, rather than this specific plot (though i'm all for more QTBIPOC romances!!). that being said, there was more work/coaching plot than romance, and i found the pacing a bit wonky. the romance developed pretty slowly at the beginning, before zooming up real fast (i don't love that they u-hauled, i would have liked more of a build up) towards the end where i was looking at the book progress and wondering when they were finally going to get together.

note that i got an arc of this book for free through netgalley.

Before getting into my review, I’m a huge football fan, so when I saw the premise being two women wanting to be football coaches, I was in. We’re following Jade Dunn, who is a teacher and the assistant coach of Greenbelt’s football team. She seems like a shoo-in to replace the soon-to-retire head coach until Francesca comes into the picture. From that point on, the real fun begins.

From the start, it’s clear Jade doesn’t want to talk to, let alone like, Francesca Lim. Thankfully, Lim doesn’t let that deter her and instead decides to double down. It even goes as far as Dunn and Lim attending the weekly poker night at the head coach’s house. It seems like the two can’t stop running into each other, yet the attraction is unmistakable there. Coupled with the competition to find a place on the coaching staff, things aren’t nearly as picturesque in this small-town romance.

While I adored seeing how Dunn and Lim warmed up to each other, it was hard to read about how Jade was downright rude and dismissive to Francesca. I know that part of that was her trying to deny her attraction, but it was frustrating. Lim was trying her best to find a place in the town, along with possibly finding a new friend in Jade. While things worked out in the end, Jade’s behavior was annoying.

Regardless, the attraction and romance between Francesca and Jade were scorching once it finally got underway. These two were like moths to a flame, and once they touched, it was like they couldn’t stop. One thing I always adore about Jodie Slaughter’s books is the intimacy she injects into them. Seeing the two connect both physically and emotionally made for a great reading experience.

I do like the third-act-conflict Jodie Slaughter added, as it felt like something different. It truly made the book feel so much more real. Jade made some bad choices, and they came with some unsavory consequences. I can’t say that I didn’t chuckle at just picturing how the entire thing played out. No matter, I enjoyed this book, and if you’re looking for some sporty sapphic romances, make sure to add Ready to Score to your list.

If you want a cute one sided rivals to lovers story this is it! I loved Franny and her energy with Jade a must read I was truly so into this read. And the spice made sense I love that!!!!

DNF"d at 4%

I just was not feeling this one. I'm not sure if football in the summertime was why but it was not pulling me in at all. I will probably circle back in the fall to try it via audio.

Overall the dislike of the two characters in the work place was not my favorite set up for a rivals to lovers.

Rival to lovers of two teacher vying for coaching position of their High school football team. Jade Dunn has spend years as assistant coach and she isn’t going to let Francesca Lim swoop in and take the top coach position just it’s finally opening up. The Rivalry is really one sided as Lim wants a coaching position with the team but she knows she’s not ready for head coach so doesn’t understand Jade’s animosity. Lim wants to work with Jade on and off the field.

The characters are determined and likeable. There is some things that pulled me out of the story becoming they seemed unrealistic (how long were they in that bar bathroom uninterrupted?!?). However I overall enjoyed this romance. There is lots of yearning with a spicy payoff.

I really could not get into this romance. Franny and Jade never felt right together, they never had chemistry and the “enemies” part of their relationship was just Jade being cruel. There are so few women in football I hated to read of one woman tearing down another for any amount of time. It also dragged on and on. After 3 tries of Jodie Slaughter, I think I need to give up and accept that her books are not for me.

I desperately wanted to like this book but knew from the first page I wasn’t going to because of the writing. The “enemies” portion felt very catty/childish and I wasn’t a fan of that, it pulled me away from the actual romance part.

I really enjoyed this book! It was the perfect mix of sports romance and enemies-to-lovers tension. The banter and back-and-forth between the two FMCs was sharp, fun, and full of chemistry—the slow burn and angst leading up to their first encounter was everything I hoped for.

Beyond the romance, this book did an amazing job shedding light on the challenges women face in male-dominated spaces. The fact that both leads are women of color added an extra layer of complexity and depth that made their journeys even more compelling.

This book was great. I really loved how they talked about Texas football and how it is really a huge part of the community. I also thought it was very important. How they went over racial and queer aspects of living in certain places. Overall, it was very Hallmark adjacent, which I loved.

A fun, spicy romance with some excellent banter and fun characters! I really enjoyed the dual POV of this book, and how both women had their own goals but also were drawn to each other. The spice was spicing, although I do feel like it went from 0-100 real fast. But besides that, I had a great time reading this, and it's great for people who want a good romance with heart and heat!

This was a quick, sports Sapphic read! Im not a big sports person, but I could see how passionate they both were for the game and that was fun to read about. The spicy scenes were quite spicy and hot! And the tension between the two main characters was good, overall, I'd say this is a 3.5 star read for me. Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for my digital ARC!!

cute fun and adorable this book was a delight to read. While not my favourite of the trilogy, it was an adorable conclusion to the series. The dynamic between Francesca and Jade was filled with so much tension and playfulness that I could not look away or put the book down.

I appreciate NetGalley for providing this ARC!

This story features a classic enemies-to-lovers theme, highlighting the contrast between the optimistic "sunshine" character and the grumpy one. Francesca is an art teacher at a new school, while Jade is trying to become the head coach at her Southern high school. When Francesca also seeks that position, tensions arise.

Unfortunately, I didn’t feel any chemistry or friendship between Francesca and Jade, and their romance seemed forced by the plot rather than developing naturally. However, I did enjoy the storyline itself; it was unique yet relatable. Overall, it was a nice and quick read.

I loved the enemies to lovers story that Jade and Francesca had built together. I personally felt like their dynamic was unique and not like any story in the trope, that I’ve ever read before. Although, I am not a huge football fan, I felt as their passion for the sport was apparent and spilled over into their passion for each other. I definitely would recommend if you love spicy sports romance!

I very much wanted to like this book. It has all the elements I usually love. A rivals-to-lovers, sports, LGBT relationship sounds perfect to me. But I struggled with the writing, which I found to be pretty choppy. Also, I could not make myself like Fran. The name "Franny" alone bothers me (an arbitrary complaint that I don't even consider in my reviews), but her attitude just sealed it. I just wasn't a fan.

you could not pay me enough money to give enough a fuck about football for this book to have emotional pull with me, even as a lesbian, im so sorry but not at all actually. sorry sports gays

I loved Bet on It by Jodie Slaughter so I was excited to read this book. Though I i like an enemies to lovers book, I don't when adults act childish and actively try to hurt the other. I more like it when misunderstanding makes people "enemies." So this book was not for me. I found the main characters unlikeable, but not in an antihero way. I was excited to see queer women in a sports book but just didn't connect to this one. I will read other books by Slaughter, this one was just a miss for me.