This was such a wonderful and enjoyable read.
If you’re into sports romance, Cross My Heart by Esha Patel is definitely one to check out.
This was a wonderfully written romance story.
I absolutely loved these characters and really enjoyed getting to know them.
A sweet, fun and engaging read!

Yessss! Just yes! This book was just..everything.

Big thank you to the Avon Books UK and the author for the ARC via NetGalley!

Second Chance romance, fake dating AND It’s a sports romance, oh man YES I loved every second! I especially loved that it was a different sport than the usual romance’s we get, I LOVED hearing about all things lacrosse.

May is full of anger and sadness over the heartache she endured over a guy she once loved. She’s a big lover of lacrosse and it shows, she’s an absolute powerhouse on the field and a badass babe! She’s strong, loyal and feisty especially when it comes to a certain someone.

Colt, oh he melted my heart. He’s made mistakes and he owns up to them. He’s a true golden retriever hero. He’s kind, he’s caring but he doesn’t know how to handle some of the bigger feelings but when he does…gah swoony!

Watching these two grow and develop throughout the book has been one of my favourite things, to see them go from the sadness they both felt to the happiness they both deserve, I’m in awe. It was worth all the heart ache that some parts brought.

This author brought us two fantastic characters with a bunch of wonderful side characters who I would LOVE to get to know more about in the future. I had fun exploring the world of lacrosse, reading about the Holi celebrations and everything in between.

Cross my Heart is a second chance sports romance. It’s a book filled with fun and a touch of heart ache. It’s cute, it’s addictive and it’s one you’ll definitely want to read.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - Such an amazingly cute small town second chance romance with rivalry tension and an adorable MMC 🥹

🥍 Fake dating
🩷 Childhood Friends
🥍 Sports romance
🩷 Women in sport
🥍 Hate to Love
🩷 Small Town
🥍 One bed
🩷 Second Chance
🥍 Interracial Romance
🩷 Slow Burn

MayColt forever 🩷

Colt is such a damn cutie. He gives off major golden retriever energy and you cannot help but love him even through his faults!

May’s sass had me laughing so much. She is soo damn stubborn and loves so deeply that you cannot help but love her. She is strong and determined and through all the setbacks she does not falter. She is selfless and determined to path the way for the women in sport! We all need a May in our lives!🥹

Esha’s writing is so much fun to read. She expresses so much through the characters adding real struggles on both sides in a lighthearted and genuine way. The writing style makes it so easy to say one more chapter at 1am making it addictive and have you smiling so wildly at the characters and their interactions.

I will forever have so much love for Esha. She is an amazing person to get to know both through her writing and through our conversations. I really hope one of these days we get to meet 🩷

Thank you so so much to Esha and Avon for the ARC and a finished copy of this book. I am forever grateful 🩷

🩷 I’m going to need 5 working days to recover from the Acknowledgments 😭

Thank you so much to Esha Patel, Netgalley and Avon Books for sending me a digital arc of this book.

I got arcs of Esha's other two books, formula 1 romances, and absolutely fell in love with her as an author and as a person. To say I was excited to get an arc of her newest book is an understatement.
｡

I was a bit skeptical going into this one because, lacrosse? Really? It seemed like such a random sport to pick. But I trust her and was obviously going to read anything she came out with.
And I was pleasantly surprised.

I really loved our main characters May and Colt, seeing their relationship go from childhood friends to sort of rivals to fake dating and exploring their feelings throughout the whole process. There's a lot of miscommunication but I didn't mind it as the support these two had for eachother was so good.
Also, strong independent women chasing their dreams? Yes please!!
｡

I have to admit that I liked her formula 1 romances more but I think that's just because I've recently become a fan of the sport.

So if you're a sport romance lover I'd highly recommend you give this author a go.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books UK for the advance copy of this book to review. This was a quick read and I really enjoyed how it brought light upon the sport of lacrosse. I found Colt moved very quickly and his feelings seemed unbelievable at times. It wasn’t a slow burn like most relationships in books, especially when one of them made a mistake. Instead, he jumped right in and was honest with his feelings and I personally would have liked a little more time to learn more about both characters before jumping in. Overall, the book was very predictable without many surprises. I found the writing didn’t hook me or paint a picture like other books. The book itself was a good one time read if you wanted a different type of sports romance books, instead of the traditional hockey or football.

This was my first lacrosse romance, and it was very enjoyable. I would give it 3.5 stars, but Goodreads doesn't allow half stars. Colt and May's slow burn romance surprised me but also made sense in the context of the story. I did end the book wanting more of them, but I also appreciated the journey those characters took to get there. I do wish we got more scenes of them from the past because at times I didn't fully understand the hostility in the present. I was intrigued by their past and just wanted a touch more. May was such a great character, and I liked seeing her hold her own in every aspect of her life. Colt really was a golden retriever, and I liked how much he supported May, but I wish we got a little more of his story and dealing with rehabbing the injury. His mental block regarding lacrosse and how that affects his coaching ability was interesting, but I wish we got a little deeper into it. This book really felt like Mays, which I didn't mind, but in terms of the development for both parties I felt Colt's was lacking. I would recommend this book, especially to those who want a low-spice, slow burn romance, and I want to check out Esha Patel's other books.

4.5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Let's start by saying that I enjoyed this book and got an ARC from the author, so I want to thank her for that. It did take a little bit to get into with school and finals happening, but 4.5 is a solid rating from me.
First, I love the representation of women's sports taking off and getting the recognition they deserve. It has become a trend, especially with Caitlin Clark and all her success at the University of Iowa, and now with the Indiana Fever. So reading about that was very fun to see. We've both seen its effect on little girls and people getting women's sports.
Second, the romance was gorgeous and very realistic in my opinion. Colt is so down bad for May, it's not even funny, and sometimes May did get on my nerves for not seeing what was right in front of her. It is a slow burn, so just be aware of that, but I liked the storyline's fake dating aspect. I will say that May and Colt were "bad" at the "fake" part of their dating to get this sport well-known within the sports world. At one point, I was about to steal Colt for myself; he is such a golden retriever, it's not even funny. Put me in, Coach, May, if you won't take me, I will!!!
I'd recommend it to anyone who loves fake dating and slow-burning romance. Overall, great book.

I have this book a 2.5 ⭐️

The story fell really flat, I usually really enjoy sports romance but this one just wasn't for me!

I really enjoyed it in some parts but disliked it in others.

Thank you for sending me the arc

DNF’d @45%

The writing was boring and the dialogue felt drier than sand.

The story had potential but I just couldn’t bring myself to be interested.

I liked the fmc more than the mmc. The guy had no unique quality about him that stood out to me.

Overall, this book was a miss for me unfortunately.

ೃ⁀➷ Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books UK for the ARC! ♥︎

This is my first lacrosse romance book. I really enjoyed reading a new sport romance. I like the premise of this book. Second chance romance is one of my favorite books. I understand this is a YA book but I felt like the thing that tore them apart to be a little juvenile. I understand that they’re young so it’s hard to have a dramatic reason for a second chance. Colt not saying bye to May and that’s what drove a wedge between seemed unreasonable. But again, I get they were younger.

The perfect warm and fuzzy book I needed over the weekend.. Its one of my first lacrosse Romance that I am enjoying and to have my name again in the acknowledgements is such a good feeling. I enjoyed this book.

Sports romance, friends to lovers, second chance romance, fake dating tropes. A nice sweet read. I got the ARC from Avon Books UK | Avon via Netgalley. All opinions expressed are mine

Thank you Netgalley for the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book just fell a little flat for me - I didn’t engage well with the characters and wasn’t really sold or rooting for their romance! May and Colt are childhood “somethings” who both play Lacrosse and end up having a “Second Chance Romance” topped up with some fake dating on the lead up to a big championship. I enjoyed the sports element and some of the side characters but a lot just felt lacking.

I’ve read hockey and football and soccer and rugby, but I haven’t read lacrosse! And boy am I glad I added that to my “read” pile.

THOUGHTS 💭
🥍 This was a really good sports romance read with teammates and line dancing and second chances and friendship.
🥍 There are complex feelings of duty to one’s family and multi-generational livelihood, dreams that feel unattainable, and a grudge that our FMC holds against our MMC (who seemingly “easily” left our FMC and his family behind).
🥍 I simply adore a fake dating trope. It’s always SO good and then when real feeling develop (or rekindle)? Perfection.
🥍 I loved that a quinceañera and a Holi celebration were woven into this story! Having a half Mexican / half South Asian FMC enriched the story.
🥍 There’s this push and pull between May and Colt; the book features a slow burn that was frustrating, but exceedingly satisfying once they decided to be together “for real.”
🥍 This book was a bit slower than some of the others I’ve read by this author, but I still really enjoyed it!

Thanks so much to Esha Patel and Avon Books UK for the ARC of this book!

What a lovely sports/college romance and I loved the inclusion of women in sports as I feel that is a storyline/trope that is often missed in a lot of sports romances!! May, the FMC, was brilliant and I loved when the focus was on her.

The connection and romance between May and Colt felt very appropriate for the audience with limited sexual scenes but more of a focus on emotional connections.

There was also very in depth lacrosse analysis and storyline so if it’s a sport for you, you will LOVE this!!

Favourite Parts & Tropes: college and sports romance, women in sports, fake dating.

I loved how this book talked about the women’s side of professional sports. Something that is still not fully on par with the men’s side of the sports world especially women’s lacrosse. I grew up with a brother who played lacrosse so when I saw this arc I was immediately interested in it. I loved how both the MMC and FMC helped each other when it came to physical or mental blocks they both had within the sport itself. I felt the story moved along pretty well and glad we got an HEA for the characters. Thank you NetGalley, Esha, and publisher for the arc!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for this arc.

3/5 ⭐️ This was a cute easy read! I really enjoy sports romance books, and was originally drawn to this one as you don’t really see too many books about lacrosse. I enjoyed the balance of sports and romance in this story, but I did initially find this one a bit difficult to connect with at the beginning!

Overall this was a heartwarming read, and I did enjoy this book.

A fun, summer rom com with a sporty twist!
I didn't know anytihng about lacrosse before reading this book, but it provides a great backdrop for this story!
May is the perfect fiery FMC with a strong, determined outlook and a dedication to her sport.
CJ is the brave, but vulnerable MMC who has never forgotten his first love.
When CJ starts coaching May's lacrosse team, the two have to put their past behind them for the good of the team, but the past never stays in the past...
Cute, sweet and I loved every single one of the side characters too!

This book was like a little ray of sunshine! I’ve never read a lacrosse sports romance before, and it felt so fresh and exciting. The balance between the sports and the romance was spot on, and I loved the mix of fake dating with a second chance twist. It was sweet, a little bit spicy, and gave me all the warm, fuzzy feelings. The kind of story that wraps around you like a cozy blanket and leaves you smiling long after you’ve finished. Totally charming and unexpectedly delightful!

Super cute!!! I loved this second chance romance! I found May honestly super relatable and their slow burn had me on the edge of my seat waiting for them to finally get together