Soccer player Kenzie Shaw is drafted by the New Jersey Hurricanes, where one of her new teammates is her all-time idol Sutton Flores. Already convinced Sutton is the best player ever, Kenzie falls under the team captain’s charm as a person too. Sutton already has a girlfriend, a player from another team, in a relationship that’s more convenient than loving. Neither Sutton nor Kenzie can deny what they feel for the other but Kenzie won’t get involved with Sutton if she’s not single.

I was worried, reading this so soon after Kate Christie’s The Road to Canada, that I wouldn’t be able to appreciate it the way it should. I shouldn’t have been. The soccer game scenes were excellent, and there was just enough of them to build tension but not so many that the romance falls in the background. I really liked the fact that while the national team played a part, most of the story takes place while the players are with their major league team.

I loved Kenzie from the start, her awkwardness is so adorable I was laughing right from the first scene. Not because she’s ridiculous but because she’s so cute. Sutton is an interesting character too, with flaws she’s aware of and the desire to do better. The chemistry between Kenzie and Sutton is obvious, and I liked how the author makes sure pretty soon that we know it’s not only about Kenzie being a fan girl (even though she is) or Sutton having the reputation to fall for rookies (even though she does). The characters believe what’s between them is different, and I believed it with them.

One thing that keeps coming back in reviews is how the sexual harassment part was dealt with, both by the author and the team. It does feel unresolved, obviously something happened between the last chapter and the epilogue that we don’t know about, and it makes the ending feel rushed. But the way the team fails to address the problem doesn’t surprise me. I’m aware more and more women have spoken up and keep speaking up against sexual harassment, including in professional sports, but the journey to making things right isn’t a straight line and I can completely see a manager reacting the way the Hurricanes’ manager does, even in a post #MeToo world. Whether his threats would have held if the players had called his bluff doesn’t matter, all that matters is that they believe they would have. However famous or talented they are, he holds the power. It’s still very often true today.

I received a copy from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

I have liked most of the books I've read by M. Ullrich and I love love love soccer (yes, three loves and I don't regret any of them, I love playing it, love watching it, and the third love just because). So, trying out this book was a no brainer for me. And I enjoyed it so much, just as much as I thought I would.

Kenzie is a rookie who has gotten drafted by the Hurricanes (in NJ). Sutton is the leader and veteran on the team. Kenzie has had a crush on Sutton since she was much younger, and it doesn't go away when they start playing together either. In fact, it gets more intense.

Of course, it wasn't a straightforward sort of romance between them. Women's soccer, just like most sports in the real world have a complicated relationship with their gay/lesbian players even today (although some of the various Women's National Teams around the world have started to change that a little).

The subplot was so so sucky, not in a writing way, but, a thematic way (it was written amazingly), but, the topic. Ugh. How am I reading this in 2019 and the topic/theme can still be used. Ugh.

I also found that I not only liked the main characters, but, also the secondary characters too (Taylor was cool and very straightforward). Liking both types of characters doesn't happen often for me while reading lesfic, so, this was a nice change.

It was a fun ride. Also, Go Boston Blazers (and Breakers *sniff sniff sob*

I received this book via Netgalley thanks to Bold Strokes Books.

Okay, so I have a lot of mixed feelings about this book. On one hand, I love the attention to detail with regards to how professional sports are played - from being called to the national squad, training, travel, and how sports management works. There's also the intense relationship between star in the making, Kenzie Shaw, and the superstar, Sutton Flores. On the other, almost all the conflicts that arise are solved too quickly - like the sexual harassment plot line. It occurs really late in the book - to the point where I was wondering how it would get resolved. Almost everything happens off screen, so there's not too much tension with regards to that, and I feel like it was used to springboard into another conflict that felt equally contrived.

If it was played more as a straight romance, with Sutton, a bit of a love'em and leave'em type, but loyal to those she's truly attached to, and Kenzie, the doe-eyed newbie, I think I would have liked it better. Especially since both characters are extremely interesting to just read about. There's more than enough to pull from that to get through the book, but the last 2/3's of the book felt more like it was thrown together to add to the drama than anything meaningful.

I'm a big fan of FF soccer stories and M. Ulrich's addition to the subgenre is a really enjoyable one. I enjoyed the character development in this and the building of their relationship. It had a good pace and I especially liked some of the messages that it sends to younger readers, things like not getting into a relationship with someone who is already with someone and not immediately having sex if you are not comfortable with it. I thought these aspects of the story were well done and portrayed a different message from other FF romances I've read. I also liked the aspect of the story that was added with the trainer. To avoid spoilers, I will just say that it added to the story and took it in a different direction from what I was expecting.

I found the story to be very engaging and one that showed very strong women characters, which was another major plus. It is refreshing to see strong portrayals like this.

I would highly recommend this book, even if you are not a soccer fan. It is a very enjoyable read.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.

College phenom, Kenzie Shaw, joins the Jersey Hurricanes and is both anxious because she’s a rookie and because the team is led by superstar Sutton Flores who she’s crushed on forever. Funny and charming, I really enjoyed the story, especially in the beginning when the mc’s began pushing their friendship into a relationship. There were also great soccer details and I was eating them up gleefully. That was 80-82% of the book. Where it got dicey for me was when an incident of sexual harassment came into play.

It didn’t feel realistic to me that ownership and management would downplay such serious accusations, especially given the stature and non-stature of the two parties involved. Then the domino effect on the mc’s relationship, just why? But I still recommend and give 4.25 Red Stars for the soccer and the hot players.

Plucked from the Headlines!
So, where do I begin? Let me start here...I enjoyed reading this book as it evoked so many different emotions...Intrigue, Outrage, Frustration, and Disgust. When I started reading the book, I was intrigued by the chemistry that Sutton & Kenzie had. Although it was inevitable that they would end up together, I was a bit apprehensive about how quickly Sutton was willing to get into a relationship. But then I guess it makes a difference when you meet someone you truly care about and are meant to be with!
Then about three quarters into the book, I was completely outraged by the despicable behavior of the assistant trainer who felt/believed that he could act inappropriately and get away with such bad behavior. And as if his behavior was not damaging and insulting enough, I was completely frustrated and disgusted by the stance that the team owner took after complaints of sexual misconduct were brought to his attention. This is truly the first book that I have loudly uttered the words "are you kidding me?" And I'm still asking the question...is that how you respond to such abhorrent allegations? I must say, I am not at all surprised that Kenzie was not believed (given how many women have not had a voice or safe place for such a long time) but it is still infuriating.
It really was good to see Sutton stand for what is right and do her best to make sure everyone on the team (and especially someone she cared about feel safe and not have to see their abuser at work). Despite the challenges faced, Sutton and Kenzie still continue to play the sport they both love but I was left a bit wanting because I found myself wondering whether there was any repercussion for the assistant trainer and team owner.
Thank you M.Ullrich for writing a compelling story about finding love and the challenges faced by female athletes such as pay equality and sexual harassment. I highly recommend this book!

I'm not a huge fan of soccer, but anyone with a pulse had to have been affected by the USWNT's run this summer. The soccer scenes here were just the perfect amount so that I learned some things but never got bored with detail. I really liked the fangirl vs longtime celebrity crush aspect, and when each realized they had feelings for each other, Sutton did the right thing and broke it off with her sometime girlfriend. At the high point of the conflict, Sutton again did what was right for everyone involved (even if the readers hated it!), and the tournament final game had the perfect ending. The epilogue was adorable!

I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.

Kenzie is one of the best sought out rookie of the year when she pick up by the NJ Hurricanes soccer team and one of best thing about it is she be playing with Sutton who is seasoned player which she had a long time crush on her.

Sutton who is seasoned player that has girlfriend every season but right now she has girlfriend who played on another team but when she meets Kenzie she feels something different about this woman as they work together their chemistry is hard to deny. The sexual harassment part of the book didn't like how it was handle but it made it's point I guess.

They are both likeable characters. I did like how we got see games and how she went into details about soccer even though I think it's boring to watch.

Kenzie is picked up by the NJ Hurricanes soccer team. Her long time super crush, Sutton Flores, is on the team. She is afraid she is going to make a fool out of herself. And she does. Sutton is a seasoned star soccer player. She is in a relationship that is one year strong, but has a reputation for bedding the rookies and leaving them.

This is a sports story revolving around soccer. There are not a ton of action scenes and when they do grace the pages, they are not extremely long. I don't follow soccer and was confused with some of the terminology. I know that I've looked up what a hat trick is before several times, but for some reason it never sticks. Regardless, I was still able to follow along OK.

There was too much focus made on the fact that Kenzie was a super fan. With a mega crush on Sutton Flores. The author tried to have us believe that Kenzie liked Sutton for all the right reasons. But then would repeatedly fall back to mentioning the infatuation. It felt more like an unbalance to me. Especially since their beginning was initiated by attraction and not necessarily anything deeper.

The best part of this book is in the middle when Sutton and Kenzie are juggling getting to know one another but trying to keep things discreet. They have a lot of sweet moments together.

My biggest pet peeve happened in this book. I will never, ever, understand why anyone outside of junior high would ask someone else to be their girlfriend. There are so many alternatively more mature ways of locking things down.

I've seen a lot of reviewers that were not pleased with the sexual harassment aspect of this story. I didn't mind it. Since it was somewhat recent news as far as USA gymnastics goes, it felt relevant and like something that could happen. I'm not sure the execution was on point, though. There was something off, although I couldn't explain to you what that is.

Also, Sutton's immature way of handling things felt contrived to bring angst and drama at the 3/4 mark of the book. I suppose you could say that it is within her character since she was described to be a bit childish. But I thought she was more childish in a playful way. Not in an idiotic way.

Overall, this was just OK for me. I like sports and I like romance. It ticks off those two boxes. But the fact that Kenzie was a super fan prevented me from connecting with them as a couple the way I would have liked to. There were definitely some sweet moments. Enough for me to be OK recommending this.

I recommend to those who enjoy reading romance, sports, soccer, hot butch athletes, red hair, and nipple pinching.

Obviously, Top of her Game is a sports romance - specifically set in the world of women's professional soccer. Kenzie Shaw is drafted onto her hometown team which also happens to be the team her teenage (and young adult) crush, Sutton Flores, plays for. As Kenzie finds her place within the team, she spends more time with Sutton and there's an unmistakable connection. For Sutton, as a seasoned soccer player with a reputation of a new girlfriend every season, there's something different about Kenzie and her shy sense of humour that she can't seem to resist. As the season progresses, the relationship moves from teammates to more.

Ullrich writes captivating game scenes - even as a non-sports fan I was captivated by the action on the field and was able to follow the plays easily. She recreates the energy and excitement wonderfully on the page - it almost made me want to watch a few soccer games. I liked both the characters of Kenzie and Sutton but the romance between them just didn't work for me for a number of reasons, mostly as there was a part of me that couldn't see why, from Sutton's perspective, Kenzie was different from her other relationships and that the obvious hero worship wasn't as much of a factor in the attraction she felt for Kenzie.

For soccer fans - this will likely be a sure thing. Because I'm not a big sports fan, I didn't get as swept away by the premise and didn't love this one as much as Ullrich's other books.

I was pleasantly surprised by this one. I am not a big sports fan personally, but the author does a good job of keeping my attention during the parts that actually involve soccer. The real content of this story comes more from the characters getting over obstacles present to them after being a couple than them actually getting together. There was a decent amount of non-relatoonship drama and the story took turns I hadn't anticipated. I really liked that it was not predictable to me.

My only complaint really just comes from what one of the main characters classifies as "waiting to have sex." It wasn't a deal breaker, but I couldn't help but feel like it crossed the line a bit of what is or isn't have sex.

I received this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review form Bold Strokes snd Books and NetGalley.

I did not like this book at all, I thought the story was particularly bad, but the writing was not great either. The story is basically two hot soccer players meet and fall in love, then their is a lot of things that keep them apart. I thought that the story was boring, the soccer scenes were actually pretty good, it was everything else that wasn't.

Kenzie ans Sutton are tow soccer players who are playing on the same team, Kenzie has had a crush on Sutton since she was a child and when she meets her is super infatuated. This is the first thing that bothers me, these two fall in love in like five minutes. Also I do not understand the point of putting Rhea in the book at all. She was a poorly used plot device so there is a small conflict as to why the characters cannot be together. So after Rhea gets dumped Kenzie and Sutton date in earnest. There are minor characters like Taylor who are simple put there as another plot device to call the protagonist on her bullshit or to offer some seriously immature side comments.

So Kenzie and Sutton fall in insta love, and apparently time is supposed to be moving quite quickly in the book, but it does not feel that way as a reader. in one chapter we are in March and the next we are in November, and there was nothing to show time movement except the two of them falling more in love with each other. The time jumps felt weird.

I thought that as main characters both of them were okay, Kenzie was infantilized, and Sutton seemed a little bit like a predator at time. It was really weird how possessive she was, and how she got angry at Kenzie for small things. I did think that Sutton only got with her because she was a fan, and not necessarily because of anything else. I mean seriously they fell in love with one look. I believe wholeheartedly in love, but not love that happens in 30 seconds of meeting someone.

I also thought the ending was really rushed. This book was easily 15 chapters too long, and the ending just happened. There was no buildup, not explanation, just Sutton giving up her soccer career that she loved so much to have a baby. It was pretty terrible.

Also I hated the sexual harassment scene, There should have been a warning at the beginning of the book, because it was upsetting to read about and for people who have experienced this it seemed like a trivial part of the book that was there to add another conflict. Oh and lets talk about the final conflict the way they handled the trade and the sexual harassment would have never happened in 2019. They would have taken it a lot more seriously. I did not like this book one bit and I am not sure if I will read others by the author.

Being an avid soccer fan, most especially of the USWNT and CANWNT, I tried not to compare players in the book to RL players. Once I managed that (no easy feat, believe me!), I enjoyed this book a great deal.
That being said, I could see certain aspects of my favourite players in these characters. Nothing wrong with that though because these characters were their own women. The chemistry between Sutton and Kenzie started off stilted, but that happens when hero-worship complicates things. I was pleased that their relationship grew past that though. There is a disturbing wrinkle in the plot, and I'm sure it reflected real life. Unfortunately, I could completely believe the actions of a man who wanted to put the club first. Shameful, but it happens. (Washington...just sayin')

The soccer was brilliantly written here, and it's obvious that the author is an avid fan.

This is the perfect book for any fan of women's soccer, no matter who they root for or where they live.

As a big soccer fan (yes, very cliche for a lesbian) I was wanted to read this book as soon as I saw the cover. What is not to love about soccer and a romance between 2 players right?

The story is about a soccer star Sutton Flores and a rookie drafted out of college Kenzie Shaw whose hero, ofcourse, was Sutton while growing up. The story spans their season with the New Jersey Hurricanes and the bumps and glitches as they embark on a relationship. It follows the expected romance book path and leaves you with the feeling of an enjoyable read with like-able characters in them and a sprinkle of soccer. It probably won't give you big emotional reactions but if you are looking for a nice romance that's neatly wrapped up with a happy ending (oops, spoiler) than be sure to pick this one up. The writing is good, easy to read, nice story line and characters who come across as real people.

I fell in love with Top of Her Game by M. Ullrich.

This is a story about two women who are players in women’s major league soccer. That fact alone would have interested me since both my partner and I love watching women’s soccer, and my partner especially follows both the Canadian and the U.S. women’s teams. Add in a lovely romance and you have us both hooked. That is exactly what happened with this book.

This is the story of Kensie Shaw and Sutton Flores. Kensie is a recent graduate from Penn State and the top rookie draft pick for her home state team, the New Jersey Hurricanes. There she meets and will be playing with her idol, Sutton Flores. Sutton is a superstar soccer player known for being a top player on the field, and unfortunately sometimes a player off the field. The two become friends first as teammates, but gradually the connection between the two grows to much more than just teammates and friends. There are hurdles that could derail the growing attraction. At least one of the hurdles could mean the end of their careers in soccer.
This is a well-written sports story and romance from an author who obviously follows soccer. She did a great job of writing these characters and showing the two grow as a couple as the story unfolded. It was easy to see the attraction from Kensie to Sutton since she already started with her earlier teenage crush. Sutton had to grow a bit in the story, but I felt the author did a good job showing that growth.

I did not have an issue with the way the sexual harassment plot line was used in the tale. In the workplace, unless the abuser is at the top of the power chain, he or she has to hide what they want to do. Successful abusers learn to be really good actors. This means that when the abuse happens, it is often a surprise to the victim and invisible to others around them. I actually believe the author was pretty realistic in the way she handled this issue. It did cause a lot of the angst in the story, and rightfully so.

Despite the sexual harassment issue, this is a beautiful sports-related romance that I thoroughly enjoyed. I will issue a trigger warning here. This story does have one scene of attempted workplace sexual harassment. If that would cause you problems, you might want to read another of Ms. Ullrich’s novels.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.

I love women's soccer and really enjoyed the soccer scenes. They were well written and easy to visualize. I have to say that while the romance was sweet, it felt like this book belongs more in the young adult category. It just seemed simple until the sexual harassment portion. This book is good and recommendable, especially if you like characters right out of college. Maybe at 50 I just can't relate anymore.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

ARC received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a nice sports romance from Ullrich. I’m not a huge soccer fan since it’s not a major sport where I live, but I still enjoyed the soccer background and didn’t think there was too much emphasis on the soccer scenes.

This features MC Kenzie, a rookie about to play her first season in a women’s soccer league and Sutton, a long time player who is also Kenzie’s idol and crush. The two have instant sparks, but Sutton has a girlfriend (who plays for a different team in the league). I liked that even though it was obvious that the two had developed feelings for each other, nothing happened until Sutton broke it off (I also give kudos for how she did this).

The romance from here on is pretty standard and sweet, with plenty of nice chemistry between the two. I also liked that they didn’t just fall into bed with each other after this, another rarity in lesfic. So, up until around the 75% mark, things were going swimmingly, but then a sexual harassment storyline pops up. This involves one of the MCs and was just.... kinda unbelievable. In the current political landscape I didn’t buy for a minute that the issue would have been handled the way it was, and even if it was, all the MCs had to do was go to the press and the whole thing would have swung their way. I also didn’t buy how Sutton handled this, and thought the breakup was too contrived. I’ve knocked a star off for those two reasons.

That said, I did enjoy the romance and that there’s an epilogue that provides some closure (some idea of what happened to the harasser would have been good). It’s a solid romance, and sports fans are sure to enjoy. 4 stars.

4.5 stars - When I read the premise of this book, god knows I had high expectations. Maybe some of those expectations were unrealistic. Who knows? All I know is that I was not disappointed and there isn't a greater feeling than hyping up a book in your head and have most of your expectations met. I freaking loved this book!

Fresh out of college, rookie Kenzie Shaw is recruited by the New Jersey Hurricanes where she gets to play alongside Sutton Flores, National Team player and Kenzie’s massive celebrity crush. There’s an instant chemistry between the two players, but when they decide to give it a shot, politics and a sexual harassment case threaten to keep them apart.

So, obviously, Top of Her Game is a sports romance involving soccer and it’s everything I could’ve asked for. Ullrich does a wonderful job of balancing and blending the romance and sports elements into something that’s nearly perfect. A+ for the soccer game descriptions; it actually felt like watching a match.

I like that from the get-go, Kenzie and Sutton weren’t trying to resist their attraction to each other. The chemistry between the two leads was hot and didn’t feel forced at all. I’m thankful that even though Sutton had a player reputation, it was never a source of conflict between her and Kenzie.

This reads a little bit younger than most adult romances, probably because Kenzie is so young, but I wasn’t bothered by it. There’s also that mandatory 80% dramatic scene, but in this case it sorta made sense. I’m not happy about the “conflict” that arose and how it was handled. It made me so angry, but again, Ullrich used it as a way to comment on the politics of running a sports teams and white male privileges, and I can appreciate that. Even though it’s 2019 and with the #MeToo movement, I’m sure things like that still happen quite often.

I highly recommend it. Especially if you love women's soccer. And cute romances. Just do it :)

Tw: sexual harassment/assault.

Side note - if you follow M. Ullrich on Twitter, you undoubtedly know she’s a hardcore Earper and you can bet Wynonna made an apparition in this book. Loved it!

Thanks to Bold Strokes Books for providing me with a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review

Kenzie Shaw is a talented rookie soccer player playing in the US women’s major league. She’s drafted to play in New Jersey, alongside her idol and teenage-crush, Sutton Flores. Sutton is one of the top players in the game, a superstar who’s very loyal to her team players and family, but jumps from one relationship to the other. Both women feel a growing attraction to each other but when they decide to act on it, a sexual harassment case threatens to tear them apart. Will they be able to stay together and fight for what matters most?

I love a good lesbian sports romance book and if it’s soccer, even better. After all, I come from Argentina, the land of Maradona and Messi! This book has the perfect timing of being released in the aftermath of the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup which had unprecedented world coverage. For us lesbians, it’s really cool not only to enjoy the game but also to see some of these fabulous sportswomen being out and proud and fighting for women’s rights. So, a book like ‘Top of her game’ is right up my alley.

M. Ullrich is one of my favourite lesfic authors, I really liked her previous book ‘Pretending in paradise‘. Unfortunately, I’m a bit on the fence with this one, somehow it didn’t work fully for me though I’m aware that it’s just my personal taste and I might be in the minority here. I think that Ms. Ullrich did a great job with some of the soccer scenes, the descriptions of the intensity of the game or the stress to perform at one’s best the whole time. However, in the romance department, I didn’t feel the connection between the mains, their chemistry was just ok for me, maybe because the author tells more than shows it.

My other criticism is that the sexual harassment subplot wasn’t totally convincing. I don’t want to go into details to avoid spoiling anything, but it didn’t feel completely believable and even more, at some parts, it felt more like a plot device than a natural development. Considering how much sexual harassment is present in all sports, I praise Ms. Ullrich for dealing with this issue, though for me, this part of the story didn’t work as well as the soccer scenes. Having said that, if you are a soccer fan, I’d recommend you give this book a go.

Overall, a good lesbian sports romance recommended for soccer fans. 3.5 stars.

ARC provided by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

See all my reviews at www.lezreviewbooks.com

This is a Netgalley ARC review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

Top of Her Game by M. Ullrich is a sweet sports rom com. Sutton and Kenzie are women I’d be friends with. Their intimate dynamic was intense. Their friendships with their teammates was fun. I especially enjoyed the banter between Taylor and Sutton. At first I thought they were frenemies. I thought the jabs at lesbian relationship stereotypes was quite funny. Chapter 20 was by far my favorite.

I feel like this book also touches on multiple important social issues in a sensitive yet approachable manner.