Does it follow the blueprint of every other Elena Armas book out there? Yes. Do I fall for it and eat it up every time? Also yes, with a sports romance twist!

The author did a great job of having two grumpies who hate each other to live together in a cabin in the middle of nowhere.

It's a very slow burn, but the couple has an undeniable chemistry throughout the book.

I found the female character in this book to be one of the most interesting the author has ever written. The romance also evolved in a very natural way.

I really liked it.

Thanks Netgalley and Atria Books for the advanced copy.

I'm not sure what to think of this book. It wasn't bad but I also didn't love it. I did love the animals and little girls but the MMC was just okay. He was a great guy and perfect for the FMC but wasn't my new book boyfriend. The irony of going to a small town to help a soccer team and having a famous soccer player coaching them isn't lost on me. This screams Hallmark movie but open door sex scenes.

I wasn't crazy about Adalyn or Cam but they somehow work so well together. Props to those girls and animals though! They made the book IMO.

The Long Game by Elena Armas was such a great read! I really enjoyed the slow-burn romance and the depth of the characters. The chemistry between them was undeniable, and the plot had just the right mix of tension and heart. It kept me hooked from start to finish!

Elena Armas is a sensational author. I literally get giddy anytime she has something new coming out. The Long Game is nothing short of her previous work in terms of character building, falling in love with the small-town vibes, and her standard laugh-inducing entertainment. Armas was the first author to actually make me cackle out loud when reading, and she continues to do so. Highly recommend.

This book was such a fun read. I loved the plot and the characters. This was a slow burn, sports romance, grumpy sunshine [on both sides], small town romance and forced proximity, and I loved every minute of it.

Cameron Caldani was swoon worthy and the banter between him and Adalyn was amazing. They were forced to not only work together but live right next door to each other which was like a never ending nightmare for Adalyn - and I ate it up! This was a dual POV and it added so much to the story being able to get both perspective and seeing each side's walls come down little by little.

Cameron is a retired soccer star that moved to a small town in the middle of nowhere where no one would recognize him until Adalyn came into town - she was exiled by her father after an altercation she had while working for her dad. She was forced to write about a soccer team in the same small town Cameron was hiding out in. Excited for this new opportunity to get back on her dads good side, she arrived to this small town with more than one bad surprise. The soccer team she was covering was a team of little girls and to her surprise she was also expected to live in welll a shoe box would be a step up to where she was forced to sleep. BUT she had to stick it out and prove to her dad that, that altercation she had was just a really bad day. Being in proximity to Cameron didn't make things easy for her and he was not thrilled to have her there either.

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Publishing and Elena Armas for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Overall, I enjoyed this book! I felt that some of the dialogue was somewhat cringey, but I was still rooting for our two main characters. The flow of the story wasn't the smoothest, but it wasn't unreadable. I did find this book SO funny and found myself laughing out loud at times! I also love a good slow-burn, so the first half of the book was amazing. Overall, the story was cute and the plot was solid, I just didn't love the execution at times. I will, however, read anything Elena Armas writes!

I read this book when it came out and I have no idea how I missed reviewing it!

HOWEVER. This was my first Elena Armas book and it was delightful. Adalyn and Cam are just so...cool. Truly. They are cool, caring, and passionate about what they believe in and care about. Adalyn's situation in the beginning stressed me out, I'm not going to lie, but ultimately I was mad at all of the men at her job who were misogynistic pigs. Cam is a dream. I had a major reader crush on him! Plus, the idea that these two have to somehow work together (even though OBVIOUSLY they dislike each other) to help a 9-year-old girl's soccer team is adorable and perfect.

I definitely recommend this for fans of contemporary romance. This book is a great blend of sweet and spicy moments and I love the growth of both characters!

Thank you to @netgalley and @atriabooks for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

A Charming Rom-Com with Heart and Humor

Elena Armas once again delivers a delightful romantic comedy with "The Long Game," showcasing her signature blend of humor, heart, and a healthy dose of sports-themed banter.

Following the success of "The Spanish Love Deception," Armas proves her ability to craft engaging and relatable characters. Adalyn, a driven young woman determined to inherit her family's soccer franchise, finds her meticulously planned life thrown into disarray after a disastrous incident involving the team mascot. Exiled to a small town in North Carolina to manage a minor league team, she encounters a world vastly different from her glamorous life in the city.

The story introduces a charming cast of eccentric townsfolk, adding a delightful layer of humor and warmth to the narrative. The slow-burn romance between Adalyn and the enigmatic coach of the minor league team is a highlight, brimming with witty banter and a genuine connection that blossoms amidst unexpected circumstances.

"The Long Game" is a refreshing and entertaining read that celebrates the power of perseverance, the importance of embracing unexpected opportunities, and the enduring magic of finding love in the most unexpected places.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

#books #bookishlife #booklover #readingisfun #iowabookstagrammers #iowabookstagram #netgalley #atriabooks #thelonggame #elenaarmas

Thank you for the opportunity to review this advanced reader's edition. Unfortunately, I will not be able to give it the time required to write a thorough review and will be unable to read it for this purpose.

The Long Game is a fun romance between disgraced soccer exec Adalyn Reyes, whose father (who is also her boss) sends her to a small town in North Carolina to wait out the storm after her disastrous disgraceful moment and a retired soccer star who moved to the small town for peace. It's an interesting romance with several important details that completely change Adalyn's life.

I had mixed feelings about this book. While I did like the story and want to know what was going to happen between Ada and Cam, I did feel like it dragged out a bit. I also didn't find either of the characters to be totally likable but I do feel like that was on purpose. Cam really gave off Roy Kent (from Ted Lasso) vibes and I could only picture him as Cam the entire time. Ada did have a little bit of character growth towards the end too. While I had mixed feelings, I did like it enough to want to give book 2 a shot.

The long game was quite long and drawn out, I just needed more of a spark to feel drawn and invested.

Such a fun book for fans of Ted Lasso (especially if you’re a fan of Roy Kent!)

Thank you to net galley for the ARC!

I am a huge fan of the Spanish Love Deception, which was why I was drawn to read another one of her books.

I enjoyed The Spanish Love Deception, so I could not wait to read The Long Game. Plus, I am down for any version of a sports romance. Elena Armas does it again with this one!

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me.

I enjoyed the story and plot. The chemistry seemed to lack for me between the characters, but I still ate up their romance.

Thank you Atria for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

After a video of hers goes viral, Adalyn gets sent to a small town to help turn around a soccer team. There she's forced to work with Cameron, a soccer prodigy. In this dislike to lovers, a romance ensues.

I liked the lighthearted feel of the book. There were also some really cute moments. The dual points of view from the love interests really brought the story to life.

However, overall, I really did not like this book. I think that the main characters lacked depth and personality. The relationship, like the Fiancé Dilemma, relied so much on the fact that the two main love interests were physically attracted to each other. Relationships have to be based on more than just physical attraction! I also think Cameron tried to fix everything for her, and I really didn't like that. Did the romance come out of nowhere? Absolutely. Cameron was also not that interesting as a character. His personality was just being a famous soccer player, being scared of goats, and taking care of Adalyn. Adalyn was conceited and remained so for the entirety of the book, but she does soften slightly, and I mean minutely for Cameron, which isn't really saying much for character development.

Unfortunately I couldn’t relate to the characters in this story, and it had a hard time keeping my attention. It didn’t get interesting until about halfway through for me.

What a slow burn. Thoroughly enjoyed - such good chemistry. I’m already looking forward to book two as well as the authors other work!