I loved this. I havent seen challengers but if the movie is anything close to it, I would die for it. Full of chemistry and tension and I loved the tennis inclusion. so so good.

Katie Chandler serves up a sizzling rivals-to-lovers romance in Backhanded Compliments, blending fierce competition, soulmate magic, and undeniable chemistry. Tennis star Juliette Ricci is determined to be the best—until she’s matched against her biggest rival, Luca Kacic, and discovers they’re soulmates.

Their press conference jabs turn into late-night confessions, but with careers on the line, love feels like a dangerous distraction. Chandler crafts sharp banter, steamy tension, and emotional depth, making Juliette and Luca’s journey as gripping as a championship match. A must-read for fans of fiery competition and fated romance

The concept was different, and I was initially very interested in a sapphic enemies-to-lovers/fated mates sports romance. There was a lot of tennis right out of the gate. I’ve read more than 60 sports romances, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen one get so far down into the weeds so quickly and for so long. I incorrectly assumed we were focusing on tennis for sweaty girls and the vibes, not so much for a play-by-play on the page. I honestly wanted to DNF before the end of the second chapter.

The soulmate thing was maybe almost a nod to omegaverse? It really felt out of place within the story and more like it was planted to capture more readers without putting in the world-building effort that most fantasy romances require.

Third person narration was a choice. Sometimes it is done so well that it isn’t even noticeable, and in this case it made everything feel overly simplistic and disconnected. The dialogue is unemotional and robotic, and it all just felt tedious. I have read non-fiction that was more engaging and exciting.

Unfortunately, I can’t rate any higher than two stars. I really, really wanted to like it, because the world needs more mainstream sapphic romance books, but this book was not for me.