This was a fun sports romance featuring rugby- the first I’ve read. I loved Jenna and Geordie- they had the most amazing chemistry and a forbidden romance always makes it a more fun. Both returned back to their small town Claunie, which is at the edge of highlands in Scotland. Geordie to play and Jenna to launch her own PR business. I enjoyed their banter, the Scottish setting and the side characters, especially Skylar and Andy the grumpy dog. A good mix of romance and some more serious topics. I enjoyed the extra touches such as the cute dedication, playlist and Rugby positions and numbers and team players. Perfect for those who enjoy sport romance, small town, forbidden romance, reverse age gap and a little bit of miscommunication.

📚Blindsided By Yo📚
Arc review
Rating 3.5/4🌟
Release date: 3rd June 2025
I was so happy to be accepted to read this book before it came out
I loved this book and loved their relationship, but kinda wish they would've gotten out of their FWB relationship earlier
Loved how only Geordie could go near Jenna, and none of the other guys on the team could🤣
The ending was so cute but sad aswell 😢 😍

Set against the breathtaking backdrop of Scotland, this story follows Jenna and Geordie—childhood acquaintances who find themselves drawn back to their hometown. Sparks fly quickly, but ghosts from the past and challenges in the present threaten to pull them apart. This is a forbidden romance, brimming with passion and genuine tenderness. What truly stood out to me was the thoughtful representation of dyslexia and chronic migraines. These aspects were not just surface details—they added authentic depth to the characters and made the story feel even more grounded and human. Thank you to NetGalley for providing this advanced copy—I was completely swept away.

This was a great book! It has so much depth to the story and I really felt for the Main characters in this story! Highly recommend!

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.