Cute Second Chance Romance!

Razor was crushed when Ashton turned her down, but now she has the opportunity to join a softball team Ashton coaches, and she cannot say no to Ashton. It’s not ideal, but Ashton has to ignore the regrets her past self-made regarding Ashton, but it’s getting tricky with Razor being so kind, and a great influence on the team.

Loved this! Sports romances always need a delicate balance to make sure they are not too heavily focused on the romance or the sport, and Anna achieved the perfect balance. It was about the people and the team, especially when it wasn’t just Ashton involved in the team who Razor had past connections with. Razor had reason to be wary, and she was very aware of the events that happened that made her stop playing softball early in the first place. Despite how she felt and her wariness, she put her heart and soul into mentoring and helping the other members of the team to excel, which made me love her.

Ashton was a bit of a mystery, but as she reconnected with Razor all the truth about the past for both of them was being revealed and process of healing had started. Even though she had heart Razor in the past, Ashton was determined to try and be better this time, starting by trying to avoid her feelings to save them from any complication that could harm the team, then learning she was only harming herself by holding back. The feelings she had for Razor was stronger than she seemed to think, and Razor’s willingness and commitment to the team was clearly factoring into making her fall even further for her.

I enjoyed every moment of the story and when it all started to blow up with drama and scandal that threatened to take Razor out of Ashton’s life again, I loved her commitment to making sure Razor didn’t carry the hurt and blame this time. They had a strong, solid connection that I adored, and couldn’t wait for them to get the happy ending they deserved.

An interesting story about a group of softball players that learn to be a team...both athletically and emotionally. The emotional part played a big part in the story.
I liked how the jealousy, disrespect and laziness became friends, loyal and hardworking.
The romance was hot and scary because I kept worrying a scandal would arise. But we didnt get the typical 2/3's of the story break up. Thankfully the one lover didn't believe the negative stories or suggestive photos she was shown. More realistic.
But there is a shocking event. And it will make you scared, angry and feel helpless not to mention creepy. This brings the entire team and coaches together.
The story had a nice even pace, never a slow down. All characters are interesting and have side stories of their own. But the main character, Razor is the main focus. And how she got the nickname Razor is dangled throughout. Which makes you very curious. That was very clever.
Not your usual softball story. More about coming together as a team, rather than winning.
I was given this ARC in exchange for an honest review

College freshman Kelly “Razor” Mitchell boldly asked out senior star pitcher Ashton Sharpe and was crushed when Ashton turned her down. Seven years later, Ashton is one of the team’s coaches and shows up on Razor’s doorstep asking her to don her gear once more. Razor is cautious. She hung up her cleats early for a reason. But Ashton is very persuasive and as beautiful as ever, and Razor can’t help but hope the longing in her gaze has nothing to do with softball.

Ashton has few regrets, but one is turning down Razor’s request for a date back in college. Ashton can’t think about what-ifs now, or how great Razor looks, or her dormant feelings stirring. A crisis has left the university softball team without a catcher, and their best solution is the one person Ashton never expected to see again. Ashton and Razor’s coach-player dynamic gets tricky as the sparks fly faster than a line drive. As they struggle with old feelings and new discoveries, the season seems endless. Plus, Razor is sure Ashton won’t want to explore romantic possibilities once she discovers the real reason Razor abruptly departed the team all those years ago.

Delicious. Loved the tension between these two as they walked the line. Perfect buildup. I don't know much about softball, but the sports aspect felt realistic to me. The characters were realistic and flawed. Loved this one!

I received an advanced complimentary digital copy of this book from Netgalley. Opinions expressed are my own.

This was an enjoyable read. Storyline was well thought out with some twist. The setting in the south was new and fun with backdrop of college athletics. The main characters had redeemable qualities that draws the reader in and over all was a nice read.

For a debut novel I felt Coming up Clutch was a solid effort from Anna Gram. It wasn’t what I would call your typical sports romance, as there was an element of mystery and deception and even an (alarmingly short) court case thrown in. The real stars of the show were the softball team, and I especially liked Razor’s idea of using an arcade to get the girls to bond and her cranky pitcher to trust her.

While the mystery subplot was an interesting way to bring Razor’s past and present together and to explain in more detail why she left the team, at times it felt a little forced and kinda obvious who the “bad guy” was. I think if Gram had spent a little more time with Razor and Ashton in the present and fleshed out their relationship a little more it would have made their romance more immersive and believable . As written, the romance felt a bit rushed in the beginning and then paused and picked back up later in the book.

Overall however, I’d have to say this is a solid debut novel and will be keeping an eye on Ms. Gram’s future work. I’d recommend this book for those that are fans of sports romances and are maybe looking for a bit more than your typical story. 3.5 stars

Ashton is an assistant coach and PhD student with one of her former teammates and one of both their former coaches. They lose their catcher and don't have another ready, and so they go to Razor, who is 25, but, has 1 year of eligibility left. She also has a lot of history with not just Ashton, but, the older asst. coach as well.

Oh, and she has to fit in with all the rest of her new teammates too. Of course Ashton and Razor find themselves falling in love, but, both have baggage and they could both lose so much. It was an interesting book, but, there was a lot of softball, but, not a ton to convince me exactly why I should believe that Ashton and Razor like each other.

Really good book. This was a slow burn sports romance, that had a bit of second chance romance to it. The characters were well written, and the main characters were made for each other. There's a bit of drama and angst throughout this book and quite a bit of tension, and anything to do with softball or any sport is a good read too me. I would recommend this book to my friends and family, and I look forward to what's next from this author.

Coming Up Clutch is a fast-paced sports romance where ex-teammates become coach and player.

This one fell short for me. I felt that there was a lack of development between their characters and the idea that all their tension stemmed from then-freshman Razor asking then-senior Ashton out seven years ago and still being hung up on the girl she'd said no to all that time ago seemed underwhelming. I would have liked to have seen more then-vs-now backstory into their relationship as teammates. There was so much in this book that could have been more fully explored, that the story seemed to be rushed at points, with the author telling us what happened more than letting us actually see what happened.

I am rating this three stars, because the story is engaging and there is deeper nuance to the characters than at first glance that is well done and well-written.

Since this review is under 4 stars I will not be posting it on my Instagram.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books for the chance to read this eARC.

Coming Up Clutch by Anna Gram is a compelling sapphic romance that skillfully blends heartfelt emotion with darker, more complex themes. Set against the backdrop of personal growth and evolving relationships, the novel offers a well-written narrative that captures the highs and lows of navigating love, identity, and adversity.

Gram’s prose is engaging, and the character development stands out as a highlight of the story. The protagonists grow not only in their relationship with each other but also in how they confront personal struggles, making their journey feel both authentic and deeply rewarding. The romance is tender and genuine, but what sets this book apart is its willingness to explore challenging moments, giving the story emotional depth and resonance.

Coming Up Clutch is a strong addition to the sapphic romance genre—both heartwarming and unafraid to tackle real, difficult issues. Readers looking for a meaningful, emotionally layered love story will find a lot to admire here.

I really enjoyed this, engaging characters from the first page and a predictable romance that delayed just enough to make the outcome more enjoyable.

My only frustration was chapter endings on cliffhangers and starting the next chapter to a write up of the resolution and not a scene with the resolution itself. I wanted more of the conflict to play out on the page and not just read about it second hand after the fact. Thanks to this writing style, the sex scene felt out of place as most other major moments had been glossed over to happen off the page. It felt like the author wanted to write an erotic scene despite it feeling out of place from the rest of the book.

I enjoyed this debut novel by Anna Gram. The book had excellent chemistry from the beginning. There was angst outside of the MCs, but not directly relating to the MCs. 

I enjoyed reading the growth of the MC. It is a good softball story that I will come back to read again. 

For a debut novel, Gram excelled in telling her story. I see that there are areas of growth. I look forward to what she will bring us next.

3.75⭐️
As you maybe already know, I'm a sucker for sports romances. But here in Switzerland, softball isn't that big, and therefore I don't know much about it, and I can't judge the part about the game.

Kelly “Razor” Mitchell was a talented college softball player. When she quit her sport very suddenly, various rumors quickly circulated as to why. Ashton Sharpe had only played with Razor for one year before transferring overseas, and something she regrets to this day is that she didn't give Razor a chance to date back then.

Seven years later, Ashton is now one of the team coaches trying to solve a crisis in the team. She tries to convince Razor to play another season to help the team. And maybe there will even be a second chance for the two women.

What I really liked was the dynamic in the team and how it changed. How it initially consisted of individual players and only came together to form a real team after some time and some team activities. I know this from my own experience in the team sport of handball. And I also know how much better you play as a team when the atmosphere and camaraderie is good. The author also addresses important issues such as bullying, intrigue and attempted sexual assault, which unfortunately still happen in sport. The story is very realistic for the most part and I was drawn in right from the start by all the different levels that are well interwoven.

I especially liked Razor right from the start, she is an exciting, combative, and caring person, an absolute team player who we get to know really well over time. Ashton is also a good egg, caring, hard working, and lovable. Both take their responsibility for the team and their jobs very seriously and don't let their feelings for each other tempt them to break the rules. The second chance, slow-burn romance is very nice.

The supporting cast is very well integrated and brings a lot of depth to the story.

It looks like this is Anna Gram's debut novel, and I look forward to reading more of her stories.
An interesting and exciting sports romance.

Thank you to Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley for receiving an ARC.

Softball romance? Yes, please. There's romance, sports, mysterious tension, and more. I would definitely read more by this author.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

A really good sports romance, with a second chance trope that focus not only in the romance but the characters past overall. The chemistry between Razor and Ashton is undeniable and the slow burn only adds more enjoyment to the whole book. The treatment of heavy topics in the book is also done masterfully and carefully, though there might be some people who would appreciate some specific TWs.

A solid debut.

Coming Up Clutch by Anna Gram delivers a compelling second-chance romance with genuine, hopeful interactions between Razor and Ashton. The story thoughtfully addresses trauma-related mental health and past sexual abuse with sensitivity. Strong plot progression and well-developed characters make this an engaging and emotionally resonant read.

I first want to thank Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books for giving me the opportunity to read Coming Up Clutch by Anna Gram. This review is solely my own opinion. I LOVED this book! Coming Up Clutch reminded me why I absolutely love sports romance stories. The story follows Kellie "Razor" Mitchell, a softball sensation that suddenly leaves the game and doesn't look back. Then there's Ashton. She was a pitcher who played in Japan after leaving college and now coaches a college softball team while working on her PhD. Razor and Ashton briefly played on the same softball team, and during this time, Razor asked Ashton out. Ashton, not so gentlely, told her no. 5 years after Razor abruptly leaves the sport, Ashton needs her help. She is going into the season without a catcher. Razor agrees to help, and their feelings for each other rekindle from there. The story was great, a great mix of sports, romance, and other subplots. I definitely recommend this read. I will most likely purchase when it gets released this month on the 15th. I gave this book 5 stars.

I am always up for a sports romance. Ashton Sharpe and “Razor” Mitchell played one year of college softball together. Ashton graduated and went on to play in Japan. Now she is back as an assistant coach for a college team. After their star catcher is injured the head coach reaches out to Razor. She left college early and has one year left of eligibility. Razor decides to take up the challenge.

I like softball and understand the sport. There is tension between Razor and the star pitcher as they learn to trust each other. Razor also has guilt over an incident that happened when she was previously playing. And there are coaching issues as well. The story almost reads as a YA novel until almost the end. There are romantic sparks between Ashton and Razor but they choose to delay any actions until after the season.

Overall I enjoyed the story. I like that the couple doesn’t break rules to be together. The scheming felt far fetched but I went with it as part of the story. And I thought the team building and coming out storyline brought some added realism. This is seemingly a debut novel and I will look forward to what the author writes next. (3.5 Stars)

I was instantly excited by the premise here — former teammates have a new chance to get to know each other as player and coach — with an overlay of sport psychology and a bit of past trauma.

Anna Gram’s debut novel is solid — there’s enough good detail to appeal to a former softball player, and good character development. I knew there was a twist coming with one of the secondary characters, but didn’t figure it out before Razor did. Love that the author was able to keep me in suspense.

Great slow burn romance with a couple spicy scenes — I’d love to see Ashton and Razor show up in another novel, to see how their life turns out.

Excellent work by an author that’s definitely one to watch!

This one is perfect for anyone that loves the sport. It’s a heavy focus and not enough focus in the romance. It’s sad because I think there is a good book here but it needs the focus to shift to the growing attraction and relationship between the characters.

Thanks to NetGallery and the Publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

Anna Gram's Coming Up Clutch is another welcomed and worthy addition to the sports romance shelf. This slow burn romance elegantly balanced the coach/player dynamic with the age bump in characters. I also appreciated the inclusion of mental health aspect of sports and all it demands especially at the collegiate level. Overwhlmingly enjoyed!

Thank you to Bold Strokes Books, Inc. | BSB genre and NetGalley for providing an eARC for a honest review.