This is such a stunning debut. I have a soft spot for the EPL, and Kallie Emblidge’s Two Left Feet did not disappoint the high hopes I had for it. It was so fun meeting Oliver and Leo and following them through the highs and lows of their relationship and what it meant in terms of their footballing careers. 10/10.

i did like the dynamic of the story, and the pacing made this a very enjoyable read.

both main characters, as well as the side ones we learn about, have different personalities which made this book easier to follow along, as it didn't read like they were more bland than a wet towel.

serving grumpy-sunshine, we follow oliver and leo. the first one is recovering from an injury, and is asked to train leo, whom oliver sees as his replacement. with time spent together, they start to realize there might be more than animosity and competitiveness between them, but navigating olivers new feelings and leos apparent bi-awakening as well as the spotlight that comes with being professional football players, is a tricky feat.

it was a great debut, even though i could've done with less football match sequences as i genuinely didn't care about who scored the penalties.

thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this novel. All my thoughts and opinions are my own.

My favorite romances give me that fluttering butterfly, feet-kicking giddiness--like I'm the one falling in love.
My favorite sports romances treat the sport like another character itself, with full-of-life descriptions that speak to the soul of a sports fan.

Two Left Foot did this all and beyond. In other words, I LOVED THIS BOOK!

The love story between Oliver and Leo is just unbelievably charming. They are so well matched, on the pitch and off, that every step of the story makes perfect sense, and their chemistry was the perfect combination of sizzling and sweet. Oliver was beautifully characterized as a natural leader and once-in-a-generation footballer who is also largely hidden, even by the people who know him best. Watching him manifest and embrace the next stage of his life was truly beautiful and inspiring.

And the writing itself was spectacular--beautiful, unique, evocative, breathtaking.

Sports romance fans rejoice! I'm confident you'll find a new favorite in Kallie Emblidge, just like I have.

Two Left Feet was one of my most anticipated 2026 releases. I was so excited about this soccer romance. But I’m throwing in the towel at 43%.

I tried, really, I did. Basically, this is a fine story. I liked seeing a Dutch coach. But one thing started to irritate me, and eventually it turned into anger.

Oliver is injured but desperate to return. Leo is the new player, trying to earn a regular spot on the team. All the players have nutrition plans. But they also drink. Alcohol, I mean. They get tipsy and drunk. During the season. Not just once but several times. The injured players go to a pub during a match. And drink pints like they’re spectators. After a match, they get drunk. At Oliver’s birthday party, they drink vodka straight from the bottle.

Come on. Maybe hockey players get drunk regularly during the season, but most footballers (the soccer kind) don’t. Some European clubs even have strict rules about alcohol.

And to finish my rant (I know this is nitpicking): why call it “Eindhoven” when it’s PSV? There are two professional clubs in Eindhoven.

So, my first 2026 read could’ve been a great one. Sadly, I got too mad to finish it. If you’re interested in this book, definitely check out other reviews.

I haven’t given very many 5* ratings in the last year, but this was really good. A little angst, but not so much that you’re almost miserable for the majority of the book, just waiting for the HEA. Also no third act breakup.

I always love a good sports romance and I love that this one gave us a great balance of romance/relationship building and the sport itself. So many just kind of reference the sport in the background, but the romance is 99% of the focus. This one is a true SPORT romance.
The relationship was beautiful and I love the support their team showed them at the end.

Other than wanting the spice to be spicier, because I’m a monster like that, 10/10 no notes.

“Tomorrow he’ll put everything back on the line and tonight he wants to be home with Leo, make him dinner and suck him off like a gentleman”


⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️Random notes from my read: CAN BE CONSIDERED SPOILERY⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️


* I’m not really sure why Leo is upset, but he’s going to need to get over it to make this duo work on the field
* Here we gooooo
* Wait, we don’t get to see the press conference? Booooo hiisssss
* Nicola is so lovely
* GET EM JOE



Many thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with an ARC and allowing me to provide my honest review

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this novel. All my thoughts and opinions are my own.

This review will be posted on Goodreads and Fable on June 25th, 2025.

Real rating: 4.25

What a phenomenal debut! And I don’t say that lightly. After the first chapter, I genuinely had to look up the author to confirm it was, indeed, their first published work. I’m astounded at how refined it is for just the first go.

The pacing of the novel is excellent. The characters, even the side and more background ones, all have distinct personalities that make them feel like real people and not just inserts. There’s maybe around 15 or so repeating characters in this novel, and even with a gap apart mentioning certain people, I never needed a refresher on who was who. The way they all talk and interact with one another is all different and unique.

Oliver is incredibly relatable at each stage of his recovery and subsequent (initially reluctant) friendship-turned relationship with Leo. There’s not a point where his actions don’t make sense. Even when he’s hot and cold, you can always understand why, like a glaring neon sign. Even sympathize or empathize with him, too.

Leo is an absolute ball of sunshine who refuses to take any shit from Oliver, either. He calls Oliver out on his bs and doesn’t back down. But in the same breath, he doesn’t have it in him to hold a grudge. When he’s sad, I’m sad. When Leo’s happy, I’d be hard-pressed to try and keep a grin off my face.

Oliver and Leo’s relationship builds organically. In the beginning, it’s (understandably) a push-and-pull, slowly laying the groundwork for a tentative friendship, to something more.

Overall, this was a remarkable and wonderful debut.

Kallie Emblidge, whatever you write next - I’ll be first in line.

🌈⚽️ MM soccer romance perfection ⚽️🌈

You ever pick up a book thinking “oh this is so gonna be my thing,” and then it actually is your thing in every single way? That was Two Left Feet for me. I requested it on NetGalley as soon as it popped up because it combines several of my favorite things: MM romance, sports, soccer, and love.

As someone who is mildly (read: wildly) obsessed with MM romance, I’ve read a ton, especially in the hockey world, because that seems to be the favorite among MM sports romance authors. So imagine my delight when I stumbled across a soccer romance that not only delivered but scored big. And during Pride Month? The timing couldn’t have been better.

Two Left Feet is the story of Oliver, the face of Camden Roses and soccer royalty in London. He’s cool, composed, deeply closeted, and suddenly... injured. Enter Leo, his possible replacement and an old youth academy talent with charm, skill, and the kind of personality that gets under Oliver’s skin in the best way. What starts with a lot of eye rolling and passive aggressive coaching slowly turns into friendship, and then into something deeper, messier, and far more beautiful than either of them expected.

I adored Oliver, particularly his internal struggles, his devotion to the sport, and his slow unraveling in the presence of Leo. And Leo? He was so charismatic and patient. Their dynamic gave me Everything for You by Chloe Liese vibes (another AMAZING MM soccer romance), but with its own unique spark. It’s tender and romantic and quietly devastating at times. (Yes, I cried during a smut scene. Don’t judge me. It was emotional, okay?)

Also, I usually struggle with third person POV, but it was so well done here. It added layers to both characters and made the story richer and more immersive. The writing is smooth, heartfelt, and witty in just the right spots.

This book made me ache in the best way because it’s not just about love, it’s about identity, fear, ambition, and learning to let people in. I wanted to wrap both Oliver and Leo in a hug and tell them everything would be okay. And isn’t that the magic of a great romance?

Whether you’re a soccer fan or not, whether you usually gravitate to MM sports romance or you're new to it, Two Left Feet is an amazing book. It’s sweet, emotional, full of tension (both sexy and plot wise), and totally satisfying. I can’t recommend it enough.

⚽️🌈 5/5 stars. For the boys. For the love. For the feels. 🌈⚽️

Thank you to NetGalley, Kallie Emblidge, and Ballantine/Dell for the eARC of this book.

I absolutely adored this book! The couple were everything, and I am a sucker for a sports romance! Dying to read more from this author, and amazing books from this publisher

LOVED this one sm. Oliver and Leo are so freaking cute and the slow burn was perfection! I’ll be honest, when I watch soccer now, I wonder who on the team is in love with who 🤷🏼‍♀️. It was just such a good story and I would totally recommend it!

It is such a tender and heartwarming book, I can’t recommend it enough.

Thank you Netgalley and Dell for the ARC!

Thank you for giving me more gay soccer romance! I didn't particularly like Oliver at first but he grew on me. The whole book felt like it took a little bit to find its feet but ended up being a fun romantic read.

This was such a cute MM sports romance! From the start the tension between Oliver and Leo is there and you can't help but root for the two of them as they struggle with being queer in professional football. The plot was great and kept me hooked throughout the entire book.
Oliver and Leo were such great characters and the evolution of their relationship is the highlight of this book as they grow from enemies/rivals to friends to lovers with some mishaps in between. I love sports romances and this was no exception. This was such a cute and fun read!

It’s so incredibly satisfying when you have a book that you think you will love and you actually DO.
I love mm romance books, obsessed might be a more accurate word for it actually, but the point is I read a lot of them, but I never managed to find one about soccer that I actually liked( to be fair, I haven’t searched all that much, I usually stick to hockey). But a few weeks ago I was talking to a friend that loves the sport and it dawned on me that I kinda wanted a mm soccer romance, and in some witchy way booksta just sent me a post where this book, Two Left Feet, was featured. Problem is the book was going to be published only next year. Fast forward sometime and Netgalley came through so here we are.
Two Left Feet is about a soccer(or football, call it what you like) player who ends up injured and has to train his possible replacement, Leo, a player that has been playing in less important teams. I liked Oliver immediately, he is such a good character, he’s flawed but you can’t help but root for him. He’s a player that has to hide his sexuality to play the sport he loves, he lost his father when he was a kid and he’s just determined not to have a life outside of soccer until his retirement. Of course this doesn’t go to plan but I just love this type of character, that comes out of his shell bit by bit.
The beginning of their relationship is so sweet, but there was an underline of sadness that made me restless. I wanted them to have this love, they are perfect for each other, but just like Oliver kept thinking about his job I couldn't help but also think what they would have to do to keep both facets of their lives, it was a little heartbreaking. I was crying during a smut scene because I kept thinking about how their situation was impossible and it couldn't last. That's how much this book wrecked me.
It is such a tender and heartwarming book, I can’t recommend it enough.

Thank you Netgalley and Dell for the ARC!