4.5 stars

**Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.**

<b> Basics </b>

Author: he/him (US)
Genre: MM sports romance
Setting: US college
Themes: self-acceptance, trust, romance
Vibes: heated, emotional, caring

<b> Characters </b>

⚽️ Tommy - Uni student who looked up to Rowan as a kid and had to give up soccer due to family stuff
⚽️ Rowan - soccer star/team captain who may have unknowingly done something with Tommy's gf

<b> Pros </b>

+ Tommy goes to fight who his gf cheated on him with--Rowan (his ex-childhood soccer idol)--but ends up playing pickup soccer with him instead ⚽️
+ you know you're fvcked when you're more mad that your gf got to be with him than that she was with him 🤭
+ romance tropes: college sports (soccer), mutual pining, gay for you, hurt/comfort, daddy/boy (just in name, no age play), HEA
+ banter banter banter!
+ pet names: babyface, baby boy, good boy, my boy, daddy
+ such a fine line (absolutely no line) between locker room sports banter and gay flirting 🫦
+ not me crying at 30% 💔 goddamnit I think this is going to emotionally fvck me up and wreck my night
+ AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't breathe. I can't watch.
+ listen, it's totally on me for starting this at 7PM
+ Am I reading this in one sitting? Yes. Have I teared up multiple times? Yes. Do I NEED to finish this before I sleep? 1000% yes.
+ HEY! WHAT IS THIS SHIT AT 90%?!?!?!?!?! HEY AUTHOR!!!!!!! HEY!!!!!!!!! WHAT DO YOU MEAN!!!?
+ Wow. Beautiful.
+ I did not stop reading this from the moment I started to the moment I finished.
+ This being a debut is CRAZY. I will absolutely be reading whatever this author writes in the future.

<b> Neutral </b>

/ This has a lot of internalised homophobia so if that kind of thinking/talking would bother you, tread lightly with this one.
/ The phrase "little gay boy" is used as a term of endearment a lot. Not quite sure how I felt about it, but I'm also not a gay boy so I'm not sure how one would feel. Just thought I'd mention it.

<b> Cons </b>

- Wish there were more positive female characters (we have a strict/unsupportive mother, dying sister, and all other girls are "sluts" 😬). There is one nice lady, Row's "step-mom," but she's not a major character.

<b> Comp Recs </b>

+ Foxhole Court series* - Nora Sakavic (dark elements swirling around soft-boy uni sport romance)
+ Playing Offside* - Jax Calder (the scene on the field which explains everything iykyk)

<b> TW </b>

internalized homophobia, homophobic language & slurs, chemo/sick sibling, cheating, suicide attempts (referenced), panic attack, SA by parent (referenced), cancer death, funeral

What to expect:
⚽️ Football Player MCs
MM Romance
💕Emotional
🩺Grief & Illness
Homophobia
❤️‍🩹Healing
Happily Ever After

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“Whatever way you want me, I want that to.”

Sweat is a deeply emotional m/m romance debut that has been incredibly well-written; I never would have guessed this was the author’s first published work. The complex characters woven through these pages, with their feelings, hopes, dreams, and pasts, are written with such depth and filled with a deep well of emotion that pulled me into this story with ease.

I knew from the first chapter that I was going to enjoy this book, that I would be hooked until I read that last page, and it didn't disappoint. The relationship that Tommy and Rowan built was beautiful, full of trust and understanding, honesty and space for them to grow not only as a couple but as individuals as well.

What’s also exciting is that Sweat is going to be part of an ongoing interconnect series, and the synopsis for the next book, Salt, has me hooked already.

My god. Reading this book as a gay man actually causes heartbreak, some of the experiences mentioned in the book were very relatable and so relating to these characters was easy but at the same time incredibly hard emotionally.
I loved every second of this book, Rowan & Tommy coming the terms with their identities and the patience Tommy continued to hold for Rowan while he struggled with his past. And of course, Tommy with Erica.
The author has written in very real experiences that happen and keep it all very in touch with the real world, I think it was written perfectly & beautifully.

This was such a wonderful gem of a book. The romance was sweet and tender but still with those good spicy scenes. I was rooting for the characters the entire time and was in awe of the character development they both went through. The ending was satisfying and I am happy with the way everything wrapped up. I really loved this. I highly recommend this if you want a m/m college sports romance. And it's soccer!!!!

“Whatever way you want me, I want that to.”

Knowing this is a debut novel honestly feels surreal. The writing, the emotional depth, and the way the story handles such heavy and complex topics, it feels so assured and emotionally grounded.
This is not an easy story. Some moments weigh on you, asking you to sit with the same raw, unfiltered pain the characters endure. You watch Tommy and Rowan face things that could break anyone, but the beauty lies in how they begin to rebuild, piece by piece, with each other.
What moved me the most was the slow, tender way the story shows healing. It’s not instant. It’s messy and uneven, full of silence, fear, anger, and doubt. But it’s also full of care. Step by step, we see them grow—not only as a couple, but as individuals trying to make sense of themselves. Fears are faced, and in some cases, transformed. Self-hate starts to soften into self-compassion. What begins in survival turns into something steady and strong.
This book doesn’t pretend love fixes everything, but it does show how love, when safe and honest, can help people find their way back to themselves.
Knowing there’s a second book on the way, and that this story is the beginning of a full series is incredible. Even though the next book follows different characters, I’m so excited to stay in this world and see how it expands. If the emotional depth and care continue, this series is going to be something truly special.