Such a gorgeous read. I was in love with the love. These two had me wanting for them to be OK together as a couple but also OK within themselves. The writing was just so heart felt. And boy did it tug on my own hearts feelings. Wowee. Top notch yes please let me.dive in to this romance and feel love exists. Thanks.
And if there is more to come. Yay!

The way the author added substance to a romance was appreciated. The author was able to tie in layers of the characters which gave substance to the storyline.

Set in beautiful Scotland Jenna and Geordie are old acquaintances from childhood drawn back to their home town. They become quickly enamoured with one another but ghosts from their pasts and problems from their present hinder them. This is a forbidden romance that is passionate and full of care. Great representation for dyslexia and chronic migraines, both of these added great depth to the story. Thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy.

I love romance books and I love rugby so I was hoping that would be everything I've dreamed off. While I enjoyed the relationship between Geordie and Jenna and the whole coach's daughter, stay away from her. I did find myself wanting just that little bit more. I certainly enjoyed it but it didn't keep me gripped and wanting to finish it in one sitting.
4/5 stars for me.

I unfortunately didn’t enjoy this book, I was sadly quite bored from it which is sad because the concept sounded pretty good to me! I don’t know if it’s me getting into a slump but I just found myself getting bored during the book. There were parts of the book that did make me smile and giggle at times.

Blindsided by You delivers a steamy romance with a fun rugby backdrop. The age gap and best friend’s younger brother tropes were fun as they always are, and there were definitely moments of chemistry between the characters that stood out. Family dynamics featured quite heavily in this read, which is always interesting, giving a clearer understanding of our characters and where they come from.
I enjoyed the banter and the emotional buildup, though at times the pacing felt uneven and the storyline a little chaotic.
Still, it’s an engaging read for fans of age gap, small town romance with a sporty twist.

This was such an adorable love story. Two people who had a connection young reconnecting as adults is perfect. The authors ability to write is incredible. Only 300 pages but I really felt like I was able to know these characters inside and out. Their flaws and strengths. Bring in different insecurities like failed romance, disabilities, and emotional abuse/control really helped feel like this romance was more believable and relatable. Also the emotional twist at the end definitely kept me on my toes. I never expected that kind of loss or suspense.

I wanted to love this book. I’m casually interested in rugby simply because of the big burly men and I love reading about them.

However this just kind of felt flat to me. It took a while for me to get into, the first several chapters felt rather repetitive as the two main characters were introduced. Then initial spark of interest between them was there but I didn’t really feel their growing connection.

There were very few strong rugby scenes, most of them revolving around practice or after matches.

The shock at the end was very jarring and heavy for a romance novel and felt more for shock value than anything. I think it was meant to really solidify the MCs getting back together but they were already strongly heading in that direction without that. Then the aftermath was just kind of glossed over. I was ready to give this three stars up until that point.

I think with some further professional editing, especially in the first 25-30%, this book could be solid.

I think this will turn out to be a good book once some more editing is done. This is an age gap, best friend's younger brother, coach's daughter romance.
What I liked about the book: I loved that we got to see the family dynamics between both characters. Usually you only get snippets. I also loved the relationships between the guys on the rugby team.

What I didn't like about the book: It felt incredibly slow, pacing wise. Jenna, our fmc, felt flaky as a character. Also not a fan of the miscommunication trope. That's just a personal dislike.

I think if more editing is completed and a look more into Jenna's arc throughout the book, I think it will be better come June 3rd!

I picked this up expecting a cute sports romance… and I got that, but also so much more. Caroline Corvin really delivered a story that felt warm, emotional, and a little addictive.

Geordie is back in his Scottish hometown after years abroad, playing amateur rugby for fun and trying to find his place again. What he wasn't expecting? Running into Jenna — his sister’s best friend, his coach’s daughter, and basically the girl he should 100% stay away from. But of course, things don’t stay platonic for long 😏

From the beginning, the chemistry between Geordie and Jenna was undeniable. I loved their easy banter, the tension, and how their connection grew quietly, almost naturally. The small-town setting made everything feel more intense (everyone knows everyone), and the “we probably shouldn’t be doing this” vibe was strong in the best way.

What really stood out to me was how grounded this romance felt. No fame, no glitz — just a guy who loves his sport and a girl who's trying to figure out her next steps. And the way Geordie cares for Jenna? Soft, thoughtful, completely swoon-worthy. “Sweetheart” hits different when it’s from him. 🫠

Bonus points for the rugby scenes feeling real without overwhelming the romance — it strikes a perfect balance.

📅 If you're into small-town romance with heart, spice, and just the right amount of emotional tension, mark your calendars for June 3rd!

Thank you to NetGalley and Caroline Corvin for the ARC — I’ll be thinking about Geordie for a while 💭

Blindsided By You is a best friends younger brother rugby romance set in Scotland. It features Jenna and Geordie who have grown up together and they both return home after years away and realise they have feelings for each other. This was an enjoyable read however I struggled with some chapters as I felt there were too many story lines at times and I think some of them we really didn’t need. There is a lot of rugby in this one which I didn’t mind and I did enjoy this one.

This book has some serious potential but ultimately I am giving it a 3.5/5 stars rating. It feels like there is some editing that could be done to make it flow a little better, but it’s not poorly written and the characters are enjoyable. I think that if there was a little more banter and tension between Geordie and Jenna this could have easily been a 4 star rating.

I would still recommend this book to other readers, especially those who like sports romance and rugby!

Thank you for the ARC opportunity NetGalley and Caroline Corvin!

Blindsided by you is definitely for all readers. It is a must read. If you love sports romance I recommend you to read this.

Well, I don't know what it was but reading this book just made me happy! I take that back, it was Geordie. The sweet, younger, golden retriever, rugby player - Geordie. Jenna is his sister’s best friend, & she’s 6 years older than him. Jenna & Geordie return to their small town in Scotland after years away, and notice each other differently. Did I mention that his rugby coach is her dad...her very protective dad?

The chemistry that Geordie & Jenna have is perfect from the start. There were so many flirty winks, and ‘honey’ or ‘sweethearts’ that made me giggle over and over. I always love a secret relationship that they try to play off as not really a relationship when everyone around them can see the feelings growing clearly!

I loved this book!! This Is not the first ive read of Caroline's work so I knew this was gonna be a good one😍 Jenna and Geordie🔥I loved them! I loved their chemistry and I loved their growth together! Geordie's teammates were amazing and so supportive❤️ I truly love when a couple gets their happy ending so I was buzzing when these two did🥰 keep up the amazing writing caroline! Cannot wait to read your future work🫶🏻

I personally DNF this book and so gave it a three star, as it's kind of in the middle of five. I think this book has great potential but I just didn't feel the connection with the characters personally, and I found it to be slightly boring. Book taste varies and I'm positive that others will enjoy it but I wasn't vibing with it much, so I decided to give a it a pause.

This one was honestly a surprise. Their chemistry was good. Every time he called her sweetheart, I melted a bit. It’s a slow burn with some sneaking around, and even when they try to resist, you can feel the tension building. I really liked how Geordie was protective from the start without being pushy. The story was cute and spicy, and I enjoyed the small town vibe, but I did get confused in a few parts. Still, it was fun and easy to read. Thank you so much to the author and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book early. I’m sharing my thoughts voluntarily and with genuine appreciation

4.5/5
When I got approved for this ARC I couldn’t have been more excited - sports romance, best-friends brother, reverse age gap? Abso-freaking-lutely! The fact that it was a rugby romance and I am a huge rugby fan was just the icing on the cake.

This book was about an amateur rugby player, Geordie, who had recently returned to his Scottish hometown after spending years working all around the world. He then reconnects with his older sisters best friend, Jenna. Jenna is the daughter of his rugby coach and is totally off limits. Almost instantly sparks begin to fly between the two. However trying to keep things quiet in a small town presents it’s own challenges.

The spice was amazing and every time Geordie called her ‘sweetheart’ I nearly swooned. They had such a cute relationship that was so cute. The way that from the beginning Geordie was so determined to take care of Jenna even when trying to deny his attraction.

Lets be real, there are so many sports romances around at the moment so what makes this one stand out? I loved the amateur element - so many sports romances are either about professional athletes or aspiring professionals. It was so nice to read about someone who was so passionate about the sport, just for a love of the sport!

When this book comes out on June 3rd I would recommend it for anyone who loves a sports romance x small town x forbidden romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author, Caroline Corvin for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book has a lot of potential, there are some edits that it could use and the flow could overall be a little better paced but I really enjoyed the actual story. This is a slow burn forbidden romance, the FMC is the best friend of the MMCs sister and there was a little sneaking around that made the storyline interesting. Jenna could be a little immature at times and I felt for Geordie for having to put up with her back and forth but the HEA was sweet.

I am giving this book a solid 3.25 stars.
This book has great potential! I do think it needs more work before publishing or maybe a re-publishing later on, like other authors do sometimes.
We have a PR specialist, Jenna, who moved home due to her Mother passing away. We also have an amateur rugby player (this is my first rugby sports romance! I love representation!), Geordie, who moves home.
Geordie's sister is Jenna's best friend.
I think what I had the most trouble with was the structure of the plot. The timelines are a little bit hazy, and the internal monologues are SUPER long.
The pace of the plot was also off for me, which made it feel choppy. This needs some work. I felt like I was a bit confused and looking for context a few times, so I had re-read certain parts.
I think editing is this books best friend as it is.
Even though I had issues, I do want to make it clear that I didn't hate the book, I just needed some tightening up.
Also, since this was my first Rugby book, I need some lessons in the game before I read another rugby book - and this is my fault, so I don't hold this against the author.
It is quick, quirky, and cute. I do feel it is worth the read. Particularly if you love sports romances and rugby!
Thank you to NetGalley and Caroline Corvin for opportunity to review this book!
Happy Reading!