4 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and Blackstone for the audio ARC!

Loved the audio. Loved the narrators. They did a great job and I’m always a sucker for duel narrations. I love this series. I love this book. Eli is amazing and so is Becca. I am such a sucker for second chance romance. High recommend this whole series.

WOOOOOO. i really enjoyed book 1 of this series, but this one topped that for me. It is absolutely a trust the process book. It is heartbreaking and heart warming and the writing is excellent.

I really really enjoyed the MCs in this! They felt relatable and they had such strong personal growth that I never stopped rooting for them even when I feel like it would be easy tooo.

You’ll find:
-Basketball Romance
-Second Chance Romance
-Best Friend’s Brother
-Small Town Romance

I really enjoyed that we got the first chance & the second chance of the romance in this! That’s all i can really say without giving it away! 😉

The narration was done really well. I loved that it was a woman and a man. I loved audiobooks with different voices for the different POVs. My only ‘complaint’ was the male POV felt like it wasn’t a clear recording. Almost like he had a blanket over his microphone to make it sound muffled or far away. It didn’t take away from the audio as a whole.

Overall, the vibes were vibing and I had a great time!

Beneath the Stands by Emily McIntire is an emotionally intense and steamy continuation of her interconnected series. Becca and Eli’s relationship ignites quickly, going from zero to sixty in just a few chapters—a pacing that feels thrilling rather than rushed. Their chemistry crackles, leading to plenty of satisfying, steamy scenes that romance readers will devour. Since this is book two, the storyline is tightly tied to the events of the first book, and revealing too much would spoil both. What stands out most is how McIntire answers lingering questions from book one, giving readers the payoff they were hoping for. At the same time, she expertly lays the groundwork for book three, building anticipation with subtle hints and character development. Altogether, it's a gripping, sexy installment that leaves you eager for more.

The audiobook had me BLUSHING!!!!

Such a good book. I gave it 4.5. We have Becca, who is a college student, cut off by her father. She gets a job as the basketball manager. When she leaves her interview she literally runs into Eli Carson her best friend's (from back home) brother & new couch of the basketball team. Head coach decides Becca needs to learn more about basketball and tasks Eli to teach her.

Beneath the Stands is book #2 of The Sugarlake series, a small town romance series of 4 interconnected standalones by Emily McIntire.

Becca and Alina grew up together in the small town of Sugarlake, TN and have been life long friends. The same could not be said for Alina’s older brother, Eli. He was aloof and never all that friendly to Becca. Dispite that, Alina and Becca were with each other through thick and thin, even as they started getting older and going in two different directions. Alina stayed in Sugarlake to take care of her dad after their mom died, but Becca needed to get out of Sugarlake - and out from under her father’s thumb. He was the local preacher and she never quite lived up to his high expectations. So she moved to Florida to attend FCU.

But in the start of her senior year, when she mentioned to her parents that she planned on staying in Florida, even after graduation, her parents cut her off. In order to stay at school and in her off campus apartment, Becca needed to get a job. A friend recommended she try for equipment manager of the women’s basketball team. They had flexible hours and the pay was decent, so although Becca didn’t know much about the sport, she thought she would give it a shot. Unfortunately, the women’s team didn’t need anyone else, but the men’s team had an open spot. Even more unfortunately, guess who was the team’s new assistant coach…Becca’s best friend’s brother.

When reading Beneath the Stands, you can expect:
- Enemies to lovers
- Forbidden romance
- Best friend’s brother
- Workplace romance
- Second chance romance
- Substance abuse
- Family dynamics

This book, along with most of Emily McIntire’s writing brings some serious heat! I saw a post of hers once that said Becca and Eli walked to James and Wendy (from Hooked) could run - and she wasn’t lying! And the best part for me, personally, was every time Eli’s eyes darkened (IYKYK), he would call her by her full name, Rebecca - which also happens to be my name. Swoon!

Just like with Beneath the Stars and Beneath the Hood, this seemingly innocent contemporary romance, tackles some really deep subject matter around substance abuse as well as mentally abusive parents, so check your triggers.

So far, this was my favorite of the series. Now off to read Beneath the Surface, the fourth and final book of the series. Wish me luck!

Becca and Eli were most definitely enemies to lovers, in such a real and raw way. I love the way religious trauma can present itself and the damage it has upon people and the way that Becca had real character growth was everything! I also really like how we got to see the events from book 1 in a whole new perspective through Eli's eyes. I love how intertwined the series is so far!

3.5 ⭐️ I enjoyed this book. I liked the five year leap. It was a really nice surprise because I wasn’t totally sure where the story was headed for a while. Jumping ahead added new energy into the plot. It let us see how choices ripple out over time, and I enjoyed watching the characters navigate their new obstacles.
The ending was good and semi-relatable—tying up loose threads in a way that feels earned rather than forced. You really never know who the real toxic parent is, even in books, and McIntire nails that messy, human truth.
While the time jump adds spark, it also makes the middle feel a bit disjointed. Some plot threads build too slowly before the leap, then wrap up a little too quickly afterward.
Beneath the Stands is a heartfelt, twisty ride that’s full of relatable family drama and moments of genuine surprise. If you don’t mind a few bumps in pacing and enjoy a story that isn’t afraid to flip the script on who you think is “good” or “bad,” this one’s worth a read.

Ooooh, how I wanted to love this... book 1 in the series was 5⭐️ why was this one 2⭐️ (and I think I'm being generous given how mad I am at it)? I hated both MCs (particularly Eli). The pacing of the book was all wrong. They went from I hate you to I will die if I can't touch you in less than 50 pages. School was starting, then it was Christmas, then it was March Madness, and all in a 100 pages, with no real connection or evolution in between. And that 5 year jump right in the middle of the book was downright insulting. I was already not super involved up to that point, but I completely disconnected at that point and skimmed the rest of the book because I just did not care about what was happening anymore. And in that second half, we already know what happens because we've already seen it all from Eli's sister's perspective in the first book. Had I not read the first book in the series, which I absolutely adored, I probably would not have powered through this one, and now I wish I didn't.

I’m getting so attached to the characters in this series! I love how they are interconnected but follow completely different plots and tropes. I really enjoyed the story for this book, but wasn’t crazy about parts of the narration. I would give the plot 4.5 stars and the narration 2.75. I can’t wait to continue on with this series! It even left on a bit of a cliffhanger

Becca, Eli, and the small town of Sugarlake are the perfect ingredients for a second chance romance. Every family has their secrets but Becca and Eli’s family secret hold the power to destroy them. The love of a lifetime, new beginning, and the power to make your life your own sets the tone for a perfect ending!

Liked it (rounded up)

So, I rounded up because GR doesn't allow 1/2 stars and I always feel bad rounding down.

I discovered this was the debut series (I think?) and it shows. Good news, Emily's writing has grown so much since this series. I did not read book 1, but it didn't take away from the story for me.

Maybe I'm at the age now where I don't connect with college students anymore. Maybe it just wasn't the story for me. I'm not sure what it was, but i just didn't connect with either of them.

It was entertaining enough. Enemies to lovers, workplace romance, forbidden romance, coach/student, best friend's brother. All the tropes lean to me loving this story, but I feel like there was just too much that wasn't believable or too far fetched. I just couldn't suspend reality enough I guess. There was also a lot that was alluded to in the story that we didn't get to see as readers. I would've loved to see more of the sneaking around at away games.

The banter and the spice was fantastic and I'm glad I read the book, I just don't think I'll continue with the series.

Liam DiCosimo and Brittany Pressley did wonderful jobs with the audio.

Thank you, NetGalley for the audio.

This is book two in the Sugarlake Series and although I haven't done book one yet, I don't feel like I missed anything as they seemed to run concurrent to one another, whereas it was only towards the end when we discovered the couple from book one were together. It's definitely one I want to go back and read. (I will say there was a little confusion as books one, three, and four are all listed as book three on the cover).

I had mixed feelings about this book. I felt like it ran the gambit of emotions. The relationship has the tension we know and love from enemies to lovers, and their ability to not resist one another was engaging and fast-paced. And for those who need the details, the spice was definitely spicing. I loved the independent woman vibe that Becca has going on. Her wanting to stand on her own two feet and live life on her terms. Wanting to break that generational, religious bond with her family. But then things fell off a little for me. When we skip ahead five years, it was one of those, WTF moments. I felt like it was truly difficult to understand her motivations and add in there were a couple of things that felt like plot devices but were never given a resolution, and I was left wondering what the heck was going on. That being said, I also think it's important to remember that she was still young and so I was able to see past a lot of it. I felt the second half of the book was more angst-filled. I mean, she was planning his wedding, what sort of torture was this?

This is a dual narration by Brooke Bloomingdale and Liam DiCosimo. I thought Brooke was the perfect voice for Becca. Her performance really captured the essence of a young woman wanting to forge her own path with the innocence and naïveté that go along with that. The subtle and not-so-subtle voice changes for different characters were flawless, it was incredibly easy to know which character was speaking and the emotion that went along with it. Liam was great as Elliot, and I really enjoyed his performance of the character. When it came to the male characters, Liam did a brilliant job of making them identifiable. I did struggle when it came to the feminine voices, for me it became distracting as they didn't particularly sound the way one would want a female portrayed. The production was great with no major issues. Overall, an enjoyable listen.

The book includes family and religious trauma. Addiction. Alcoholism. Emotional abuse and gaslighting. Friends that aren't really friends. Heartbreak and angst. And a HEA.

Thank you so much for providing me with a copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

Emily McIntire has always been one of my favorite authors, so when I heard about the opportunity to listen to this audiobook I couldn't resist. I read the original version of this story when it was first released, so I was eager to hear it brought to life through a narrator and try to detect the revisions made. The original book was a 5 star read for me, so this audiobook edition had a lot to live up to.

If possible, I would rate this 6 stars! It surpassed every expectation. The narrator did a fantastic job!

This charming romcom with a sports twist is one of the more delightful love stories! It really shines a light on mental health, particularly how family therapy can help with addiction. There's a good mix of drama and romance, which adds to the fun. I just wish the character development was a bit deeper, but overall, it's a great watch!

Thank you Netgalley and Emily McIntire, for the ALC.

Unfortunately this one missed the mark for me. The story line didn't quite grab me and pull me in...

Nothing special.

I didn’t have any major complaints, I just couldn’t connect with the story or the characters. It didn’t hold my attention at all. The chemistry between the main characters wasn’t anything remarkable either. I also didn’t like the five-year time jump—I think the book would’ve worked better if it had been written in a format that alternates between past and present chapters.

All in all, it’s not terrible, there are definitely some positives, but it’s not a book I’ll remember.

𝑹𝑬𝑨𝑫 𝑰𝑭 𝒀𝑶𝑼 𝑳𝑰𝑲𝑬:
♡ coach x student
♡ second chance
♡ lots of push/pull
♡ best friend’s brother
♡ breaking free of toxic family

𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑻𝑯𝑶𝑼𝑮𝑯𝑻𝑺:
I really enjoyed this book! There was sooooo much tension between Becca and Eli. They start out as enemies, then we move into coach x student, mix in a little workplace, book ended with second chance. Which might feel like a lot but Emily blended them seamlessly.

Becca was FIERY and Eli didn’t take her sass lol. The way they grew on each other during their time together while she was at college was fun and then BAM “5 years later.” Eli is engaged to someone else and having his wedding in the same small town that Becca ran home to for her toxic family. Both characters had some hard realizations and choices to make regarding what they wanted for themselves. Thankfully there’s a HEA!

For me personally, the basketball aspects were too tiny and the lust was too big, but I know many readers that will enjoy the book exactly for that reason. I found an old cover that would fit better with the overall sexy atmosphere of the book. Anyway - the southern accent makes for some fun variation in the audiobook that the narrators transported wonderfully.

𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐛𝐲 𝐄𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐌𝐜𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐲𝐫𝐞

🏀🎧🔥✨⛹🏼☀️

Review:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️

Becca Sanger has lived in the shadow of her parents her entire life. Manipulated and controlled by both her mother and father, she decides to break the tie & go solo. She finds herself a job on campus with the basketball team, where she smacks right into her best friend’s brother, Elliot Carson. Literally.

Going from Enemies, to friends, to lovers, Eli and Becca find themselves entangled in more ways than they expected. And despite her best intentions, that scares Becca. After growing up witnessing her parent’s miserable relationship and listening to the web of lies they spun, she doesn’t believe she can ever love anyone without getting hurt. So she leaves and runs back to Sugarlake, committing to the very life she swore to herself she never would. Back under her father’s thumb. That is until 8 years later, when Elliot Carson barges back into her life with his fiancé, needing help to plan their wedding.

First of all…what the F*CK. I guess this is what I get for going into this story blind. Because I was NOT expecting to be thrown so far into the future so soon and I really wasn’t expecting Eli to rock up with a fiancé. Talk about breaking my heart!?😭

I really enjoyed that sense of divine intervention and what’s meant to be will be. It felt that Becca and Eli were always meant to be together, from the very start.

I’m so glad the pair of them got their happy ending eventually but that ride was WILD. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this listen & I would recommend to anyone who enjoys:

🏀 Second chance romance
✨ Enemies to lovers
🏀 Best friends brother
✨ Forbidden romance
🏀 College/Sports
✨ Found family
🏀 Overcoming family trauma

Thank you to @itsemilymcintire @blackstonepublishing and @netgalley for the audio arc.

#audiobookreview #bookstagramuk #romancereadersofinstagram #romancebookrecs #bookreviewersofinstagram #bookreview #romancebookreview #secondchanceromance #sportsromance

Some spoilers so beware.
So I think the only thing that stopped this from being a 5 star was the ending...
I felt liked it was a bit rushed and would have loved to have seen a bit more of them together.

Small town Romance.

MMC - Elliot Carson
MMF - Rebecca Sanger

Becca (Rebecca) just wants to start her own life, on her terms. Only thing is - She cant escape from her family.
She's the preacher’s daughter and the town's disappointment.

Eli (Elliot) was the towns next NBA superstar but after a career ending injury his plans have changed,

I loved Becca so much but I was just screaming at her to tell her parents to F-Off and live her best life.
Its something about a southern accent... It always does it for me.
While I did like Eli I felt it strange that he didn't go home after his mother died, I get it but it still felt weird
that he just didn't believe what his sister was saying,

This was the first book I have read in the series and I will be buying all 4 books when available.
But after looking at the others the biggest question I have for Emily is --- Are we getting a Jeremy book??????
I NEED MORE OF HIM!!!!!

All the other characters in the book were good and looking forward to finding out their story,