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

This was a bit of a struggle for me and I debated between 2 and 3 stars so we’ll say 2.5.

I felt like this was second chance but we really didn’t know their history. Every time it was brought up it was very vague, so it was hard to believe Colt moving had this lasting impact on both of them. They also never finished a conversation about their past and were just suddenly over it and fine. It all felt a little chaotic.

Overall this one just fell flat for me.

Unfortunately, I didn't like this book too much. Generally I'm fine with sport romances, I don't have a problem with them. However, this felt boring and basic. The characters felt bland, and annoying at the same time.

I had to dnf this quite early on, everything just wasn't for me. Even if I don't like books, I tend to finish them. Unless, I really don't like the writing style, and I'm sorry to say, that's what happened here.

Thanks Netgalley for the ARC📖🔆🗯️

Thank you to Netgally, Avon books and the author for the advanced copy of this book! Opinions are my own.

I rated this book 4.25 ⭐️
It was cute and fast paced and very easy to read. I love love love my sports romance books and this one was just as good.

We follow May, who wants to be a pro lacrosse player, and Colt, who is a pro lacrosse player, and their fake dating journey. With the female lacrosse team getting good press and outreach, they pretend to date until the team is happy.
But what happens when the feelings aren’t fake anymore?

Overall this was a good read, if you’re looking for something to get you out of a book slump this is the book for you!

A MUST READ !!

Such a good story !! And I will recommend this to anyone and everyone !!

Wow !!

This was a cute, light read. The characters were a bit stiff, especially the MMC, but overall I still enjoyed the book.

Thanks NetGalley and Avon books for the chance to review this book. I was hoping to go into this book and love it. The cover was a big plus and made me want to read it. But once I got started,for some reason, I couldn’t connect to the characters. I normally love the tropes within this book and sports books. Again thanks for letting me review

Whilst I read this book quickly, I feel like the characters didn't have the chemistry I wanted them to have. The miscommunication wasn't really justifiable in my eyes, like he left and they didn't try to communicate at all, that doesn't seem valid to them be so mad at each other!

I would read from this author again but with the hope the chemistry is better.

This was such a sweet and charming read! The story follows two lacrosse players whose chemistry both on and off the field made for an engaging and heartwarming read. The romance unfolded in a way that felt natural and sincere, and the ending was absolutely adorable—exactly what I was hoping for. If you’re looking for a feel-good story with sports, romance, and plenty of heart, this one is a win.

Delightful sports story following May Velasco is living her dream as a college lacrosse player, and CJ “Colt” Bradley who left New haven to become a professional player but when he is injured he returns to New haven to train her team. May is still hurt after he left her with no explanation and hates Colt but then a picture of them looking close is leaked to the press and her coach is delighted they agree to fake date.
Loved the main characters as truths are revealed plus a good insight into lacrosse and how the game is played.
This is a fun read and represents women's sport in a positive way.
Would recommend for a fun read.

DNF at 56%

I was really excited to read Cross My Heart because it features two tropes I love—fake dating and sports romance, especially with lacrosse, which is a personal favorite. Unfortunately, the execution just didn’t work for me. I found the male main character to be overly controlling, and I struggled to connect with the female lead, whose decisions often frustrated me. The setup involving the coach felt unrealistic and a bit forced, and the dynamic between the main characters didn’t feel natural or convincing. While the book had a lot of potential and I can see others enjoying it, I ultimately couldn’t move past my disconnect with the characters and decided to put it down.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for the opportunity to read this early copy.