Loved, loved, loved this queer love story about two rival members of the Cambridge rowing team who have different objectives when spending time together but the more time they do spend with each other, the more they are drawn together and not toward their initial goals. This was a fun enemies-to-lovers story that I found quite entertaining.

Lucas is the classic straight-A student, while George is the classic American jock. They’re forced to collaborate as teammates for Cambridge University’s rowing team, where Lucas is the coxswain and George is the stroke (yes those are both terms I learned from this book). After a mishap, George has to prove himself not only on the water but in the classroom. While Lucas is used to commanding George on the course, he agrees to tutor George in their coursework in exchange for George’s help getting the attention of Lucas’s crush. But desperate times call for desperate measures, including Lucas plotting to help George cheat on exams so he can stay on the team. But as exam week approaches and tensions are high, will they be swept off course or swept off their feet by each other?

To start, I loved this book. I’m entering my #SportsRomance era, and bonus points if it’s (unapologetically) queer. I’ve seen many comparisons to #RedWhiteAndRoyalBlue, and I have to say this lives up to that comparison: #EnemiesToLovers, British-American forbidden romance, bi awakening, and so many more. The only downside was that I didn’t love how much academic cheating played a major role; it helps to drive some key plot points, but at times it felt a bit excessive. That said, I’d read it again in a heartbeat. It’s a cinematic debut novel, and I can’t wait to read anything Zac Hammett puts out next!

Reviewed as part of #ARC from #NetGalley. Many thanks to Zando Projects/Slowburn for the #gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

Read this book if you love:
🐴 the polo scene in RWRB
🇬🇧 saying “proper banter”
🤓 equal parts nerdy and sporty flirting


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This review will be posted to Instagram @AutobiographiCole on or around the release date!
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This review will be posted to Instagram @AutobiographiCole on or around the release date!

This was such a fun read! I love a good slow burn, spicy, sports romance & this delivered!

Opposites attract
Forced proximity
Grumpy / Sunshine
Banter
Rowing

George is an American who fell into rowing as a sport. He's going to Cambrige and enjoying the college life while focusing on having fun and rowing. Then Felix, the coxswain of the Cambrige boat complains about athletes not being held to the same academic standards as other students. George needs Felix's help to pass his classes under the increased scrutiny. As one of the best students in his year, Felix is the only one who can get George up to snuff. Unfortunately, they really don't get along. However, as they work together a friendship develops and maybe something more. A cute romcom for people looking for a light summer read

See You at the Finish Line by Zac Hammett
⭐️⭐️⭐️

Zac Hammett’s debut novel offers a fun and authentic story. I appreciated the realness of Lucas and George—two characters who feel true to life in both their choices and struggles. Their journey through friendship, identity, and growth is messy, imperfect, and all the more relatable because of it.

Hammett doesn’t shy away from showing the awkward moments, poor decisions, or emotional highs and lows that make up young adulthood. While there were moments where the pacing felt uneven or the narrative could have used tightening, the heart of the story rings true.

Overall, See You at the Finish Line is an honest and raw coming-of-age story that captures the turbulence of early adulthood with empathy and insight. It was fun to learn some about English rowing. A solid debut that shows promise for what’s to come from this author.

This book was such a spicy slow burn! It's funny and irreverent. I found myself laughing out loud at George's ease and Lucas' discomfort.
George is an gorgeous midwestern all-American country club bro.
His teammate on the Cambridge rowing team is the adorable and neurotic brit, Lucas.
When calamity strikes, they make a deal: academic help for dating advice.
Top student Lucas comes up with a plan to help George finish his degree... at whatever cost.
The two fish-out-of-water navigate the competitive world of collegiate rowing. As they explore sexuality, dating, and misadventures, you watch them bring out the best in each other.
This Exchange is worth the price of admission:
Lucas looks surprised. "You're kind of a twink."
"Please -- I'm a twunk at best."
Lucas looks blank. "What's a twunk?"
"A hunky twink."
Lucas frowns. "I'm not even totally sure I know what a twink is."
"You're a twink, Lucas! Young, skinny, cute. How do you not know this?"

The sun is shining fiercely in Madrid, and so it did that one day in Oxford, when two rivals were about to find out that the finish line isn’t always where the race really ends.

George is an American charmer with more charm than study skills; Lucas is a focused perfectionist with a hopeless crush and no patience for idiots (especially George). But when an academic ultimatum and a matchmaking deal throw them together, their mutual dislike turns into something dangerously close to chemistry. You might guess where this is going, with exams looming, rivals circling, and a centuries-old rowing feud on the line, there’s only one thing harder than winning: admitting they might actually like each other.

And how?! ‘See You at the Finish Line’ is a flirty, fast paced queer romcom that makes your heart swoon a little (or a lot) this summer. It’s more than just about allies and enemies, it’s about something way bigger, and way more interesting. What happens when the real prize isn’t a trophy… but each other?

*also, a rowing romance?! That might be a first for me!*

Opposites attract? Check. Forced proximity? Double check. Grumpy / Sunshine? You know the drill by now!

As always, a special thanks to the author Zac Hammet, Zando Projects, and NetGalley for granting me the opportunity to read and review ‘See You at the Finish Line’ before it’s official publication on September 2nd.

I love a sports romance but I don’t like football and hockey is feeling seriously overdone, so when I came across a rowing romance, I immediately wanted to read this.

Well written, fun, and engaging, I liked this and look forward to reading more by the author but I ultimately wound up feeling like it was almost there, but was missing some small but vital ingredient.



Thank you to Slowburn and NetGalley for the DRC

Fresh and very enjoyable. I appreciated that it isn't the usual sport romance as I'm tired of seeing novels about hockey or football. Give me more of these less-used sports novels.

I requested this book for the point of difference with the rowing aspect. It's a NA MM romance with an enemies to lovers trope, though the enemies row for the same crew. It's set in the world of Oxford/Cambridge.

George is the seemingly "mindless" jock and Lucas is the brainy nerd. They couldn't be more different, and hence these aspects are the basis for their relationship. Initially they do dislike one another but George agrees to help Lucas woo his dream guy Amir, if Lucas helps him pass his final exams.

This is a tricky one to rate as it involves the characters being involved with other people. Readers who don't find that challenging might like it more. For those that do, I think this might be a bit of a turn off, particularly since there's quite some time spent in the book with other "pursuits" before George and Lucas (sort of) get their act together. And getting it together really took some time for both of them and when it happened I felt as if what happened took less time than the on-page escapades with the other love interests. In this way the book didn't find it's footing and seemed to skew away from the romance, and the issues confronting this pair. There were some other issues that, if spent more time on, might have made their relationship seem more convincing.

In the end enjoyed aspects of the book but it lacked the depth that would have made it more memorable.

3.5 stars

A wonderful summer read! This was a sweet friends to lovers romance that ticked all of my boxes. Would definitely recommend to fans of Red, White and Royal Blue.

I'm on the fence. Overall See You at the Finish Line was cute and had one of my favorite tropes (enemies to lovers), but didn't quite hit the mark for me.

I'm obsessed. This M/M sports romance served all the enemies-to-lovers feels with Lucas, the Cambridge cox, and George, the super charming rower. Their banter is next-level hilarious, and the slow burn? Chef's kiss. Even if you're not super into rowing, the drama and chemistry between them totally pull you in. It's just a really heartwarming, low-key steamy, and genuinely funny rom-com that hit all the right notes. Seriously, if you're looking for a feel-good read with amazing characters and major chemistry, this one's it.

This was such a cute enemies to lovers romance between two Cambridge rowing teammates. I enjoyed the reasoning behind George and Lucas getting close and helping each other.

George was my favourite. He was sincere, kind, and sweet from the start. I didn’t really warm up to Amir, though. He seemed nice but just didn’t feel like the right fit for Lucas.

Lucas as a character was frustrating at first, with his misjudgments about George, but he grew a lot. Their friendship slowly turned into something deeper, and the developed romance was so satisfying. I loved them as a couple and I loved the steamy scenes.

See You At The Finish Like is more friends-to-lovers than enemies-to-lovers, but the heart of the story doesn't change: it's sweet and sassy and dramatic!

The Cambridge vs Oxford boat race is one of these bizarre British things that you hear about but don't get how bizarre they are unless you dive deep into the rabbit hole.

The author does a great job to show the absurdity of the posh British society, without devolving to stereotypes "rich guys are bad guys". It is somehow part of ordinary university life in these prestigious universities!

Lucas and George are very distinct characters, the definition of opposites attract: George is a super handsome athlete who is well, a bit silly, projects confidence and charm. Lucas is an overthinking neurotic short demon with self esteem issues in the dating department, a star student who, quoting him, "found his calling screaming at jocks".

They complement each other perfectly, and after you get through the first pages you are going to love them while wanting to shout at them.

Student drama, college shenanigans, a lot of Britishness and an adorable love story!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

A Charming, Though Familiar, Row to the Top
See You at the Finish Line offers a fun and often genuinely charming ride through the competitive world of Cambridge University rowing, blended with a classic enemies-to-lovers romance. The premise immediately hooks you: George, the talented but academically challenged American import, clashing with the hardworking, romantically challenged Lucas. Their forced alliance – study help for dating advice – sets the stage for plenty of witty banter and comedic mishaps.

The novel truly shines when focusing on the dynamic between George and Lucas. Their journey from mutual annoyance to undeniable chemistry is well-developed and provides many smile-inducing moments. You really root for them as they navigate the cutthroat world of competitive rowing, facing off against rivals and their own insecurities. The descriptions of the training and races are engaging, giving a good sense of the physical demands and intense camaraderie (and rivalry) within the team.

However, while enjoyable, the plot occasionally leans into predictable tropes. The "will they or won't they" tension between George and Lucas, while sweet, plays out in a fairly standard way, and some of the obstacles they face feel a little too easily resolved. The subplot with Lucas's crush on Amir feels a bit underdeveloped at times, primarily serving as a catalyst for George and Lucas's interactions rather than a fully flesfleshed-out romantic pursuit in its own right. Similarly, George's academic struggles, while central to the initial premise, don't always feel as high-stakes as they could.

Despite these minor quibbles, the book's heart is firmly in the right place. The chemistry between the leads is undeniable, and their personal growth is satisfying to witness. If you're looking for a lighthearted, feel-good read with plenty of humor, a dash of competitive spirit, and a satisfying queer romance, this is definitely worth picking up. It's a delightful story, even if it doesn't break entirely new ground.

See you at the finish line was a lovely debut novel with my favourite trope - enemies to lovers. It was filled to the brim with humour and banter while also balanced with a captivating plot. The setting felt unique and fresh. I don't know much about rowing but I didn't need to either. All about the sport was explained throughout the story which I really liked. Lucas and George were both lovely MMCs with very different characteristics which made them such a great couple.
It was a quick and fun read!


Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for providing me with this ARC

There's more than a few moments that require a complete suspension of disbelief to make this sporty romcom work. But it does. Ultimately it's the strength of the characters - and especially the depth of George's - that make this book a success. George's try-hard attitude ultimately is his best attribute, though for being the guy who is 'good with the ladies' he's surprisingly terrible at communicating in general.

It's cute, it's sweet, and I definitely look forward to what Zac Hammett writes next. I'll definitely line up to read it.

Thanks Zando and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. This was incredibly cute! Lucas and George are on the rowing team at Cambridge. They need to win their race against Oxford, there’s just one problem they can’t stand each other. And when they lose Lucas is pissed and mouth’s off about how George is an idiot who’s not being made to do any actual school work. Cambridge decides that George needs to pass his exams for real if he wants to graduate and continue rowing. George’s whole future depends on rowing so he needs to pass these exams. But he hasn’t been doing the work, how’s he going to pass? Well him and Lucas are in the same program, surely Lucas will help him? There is no way Lucas is doing that, except he’s been struggling to talk to Amir, the guy he likes. George has no trouble hooking up with ladies. If George can help him get together with Amir then he can help George with his exams. The more they study and spend time together the closer they grow. They learn who each other really is and their growing attraction makes their goals complicated. Can George pass his exams? Can Lucas make a connection with Amir? Or will George and Lucas find what they need in each other? I enjoyed George and Lucas so much! George was so lovable, not the brightest, but it was so sweet! And Lucas attempting to talk to men and Amir was so funny! And I enjoyed their hijinks trying to help George pass his exams! Charming, hilarious, heartwarming, and spicy! If you like enemies to lovers highly recommend checking out Zac Hammett’s See You At The Finish Line!

I read this one in one sitting, and I don't have any regrets about it. I just couldn't put it down.

First off, the author does an amazing job at describing the vibe of the OxBridge style (I'm more familiar with Oxford than Cambridge, but I know there are similarities). If you are not familiar with Cambridge/Oxford Colleges, Regattas, Balls (yes, this is real, you see students wearing tuxedos and gowns in the street), I would suggest you do a quick search and have a look at some pictures, just to get inspired. It will help you understand the characters more (I think.)

The plot is fun, I quite liked it. A lot of the interactions feel real and raw. There is some fiction in there (it's still a book), and that's fun too. The romance part was well done and my heart broke a little when reading some parts for Lucas and George when (if you read it, you will know).

Pick it up if you like:
- MM Romance (this is open-door)
- British setting - there is tea, balls, guys wearing tuxes, and a lot of studying -
- Kind of Grumpy/Sunshine vibe
- Character Growth