I devoured Elena Armas's previous book and was sooo excited for the opportunity to read this one as well. It did not disappoint. It was incredible! The story is engaging and realistic. You are transported to the small town and feel apart of the story. I hIghly recommend.

Elena Armas is back with another slow burn romance. This one might just be the best one yet. Taking place in a small town in North Carolina, Adalyn and Cameron are forced to work together to coach a soccer team of little girls. The characters really make the town come alive. Everyone is shipping this couple way before Cameron and Adalyn get it together. It's cute, steamy, and Cameron is every girl's dream.

I absolutely LOVED Armas’ first two books, and I was excited to see a new title in a new setting, football-centric… but this just didn’t quite work.
The enmity between the characters was pointless/didn’t make sense, their personalities were grating, and somehow made the romance that much more unbelievable…? Loved dual POV, loved the setting/side characters, loved the slow burn, but the whole thing felt choppy and incompletely puzzled together. Also this is a pet peeve that is admittedly a picky one, but it annoys me when children are given unrealistic dialogue/actions for their age groups. Yes, all kids are different, and I realize this bugs me more because I work with school-age children daily, but it still irked me.
I’d still love to see more from this author though!

Reading this book I really struggled to get into it. After seeing the reviews I feel like I did not get the vibes that everyone else had.

I struggled to connect with the characters and they seemed immature in the beginning. The first 50 pages fell really flat for me and I struggled to get even further. The enemies to lovers aspect was really not enemies to lovers and they had no real reason to be enemies. Overall, the romance just did not seem real to me. The chemistry was not there for me and I struggled to connect with them. The writing did not flow as well as her other books have for me. I did not get the gooey romance feeling I typically want in a book like this.

Thank you to Atria and NetGalley for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for my honest review

Loved this story! I couldn’t put this one down! I loved the surprise I didn’t see coming as well! The girl boss that figures out her worth made for a great read! Highly recommend!!

I feel like I read a completely different book from everyone else. There's so many great reviews for this and it just fell really short for me. I guess it's just a case of 'it's not for me'.

It was so hard to connect to the characters. Adalyn and Cameron were really annoying and immature in the beginning and it didn't get much better as the story progressed. This is suppose to be Enemies to Lovers, but they really had no reason to be enemies. Yeah Adalyn kind of bumped into Cameron with her car in reverse...enough for him to be completely fine and unscathed. Yet then she puts the car in drive and bumps a tree....the car again is completely fine, not even a scratch...yet Adalyn gets knocked unconscious....like what??

Then they just fight over everything. Yeah Cameron could be mad about the car thing, but what could Adalyn really be mad about? Why was she always instigating the hating? Just because he was a pro soccer player and she doesn't like pro soccer players?

The writing was choppy. There was no chemistry or connection for me. It just left me feeling blah.

Thank you to Atria and NetGalley for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is now officially my new favorite Elena Armas book! If follows Cameron and Adalyn who has just been banished by her father to a small town in North Carolina. Adalyn is an ice queen who is the opposite of a damsel in distress and Cameron is a grumpy guy with a soft spot only for her.
When I tell you I am absolutely obsessed with these characters I am not kidding. Adalyn and Cameron oppose each other a lot but you can tell they are made for each other. All the little things they did together had me smiling so hard. Their romance is definitely a slow burn and there are other tropes like caretaking and 'who did this to you.' I loved how the caretaking trope was done because Adalyn is a girl who has only ever taken care of herself. It took a lot for her to lose those walls and let Cameron support her in her battles. This book was also absolutely hilarious. The soccer team that Adalyn and Cameron coach had a lot to do with that and the banter! I also loved that this took place in the mountains of North Carolina which is where I live so I connected with the story even more because of that. The story had a lot more layers than just the romance. The plot was important and it was intertwined beautifully with the character growth. Lastly I want to mention that I was not expecting that plot twist at the end and it totally got me! The epilogue also hinted at a possible companion novel to come which is exciting. I loved this one and it's not one to miss!
Thanks to NetGalley and Atria for the ARC in exchange for a review!

Thank you to Simon and Schuster for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I absolutely adored this book, and as an Elena Armas stan, this perfectly lived up to my expectations. The plot was both entertaining and fast-paced, and was perfectly executed. From blind goats with anxiety to a team of 9-year-old soccer players, this was all-around adorable. Both Adalyn and Cameron were such interesting characters to read about that I could instantly connect to and I loved the dual POV between them, which allowed me to really get to understand them much better. I loved their romance as I thought it was perfectly paced (THE SLOWBURN WAS TORTURE THO) and the two of them worked so well together. The only reason that this book isn't a 5 star book is because in my opinion, it doesn't QUITE live up to Elena Armas' previous books, which I thoroughly enjoyed, and this one didn't hit as hard as I thought it would. However, I am in no way disappointed with it at all, and I still think it's a great read! A definite 4.5/5 stars and I would highly reccommend! THE LONG GAME is out SEPTEMBER 5th!

I want to start by saying that I do consider myself a fan of Elena Armas’ books. Elena Armas brings diversity to the contemporary romance genre and an assured confidence that she will navigate classic rom-com tropes effortlessly. Which she has proven, time and time again.

However, I felt disconnected from a good portion of this book. I do think there’s two reasons for that: the soccer/football setting and the general plot structure. I’m not a soccer fan (nor could I tell you the basic rules of the game). However, I wasn’t going to let that deter me from reading another Elena Armas novel. But the soccer setting did keep me at arm's length from the book, despite it not taking up that much page space. I found myself having to Google some of the references (example: MLS) and scrambling to understand the setting. I wished there was a glossary and/or a greater depth in the story details to ground the readers into the soccer setting.

As for the general plot structure, I was frustrated with the way these chapters weren’t allowed to breathe. If I had to describe the novel in one word, it would be this: abrupt. I felt that way from the first chapter, when we’re thrown in media res into Adalyn’s messy situation (a situation and explanation which is coyly kept away from the reader until the 80% mark) and taken from Miami to North Carolina. There were chapters (such as the shed-office reveal) where I wanted to live in the moment for a page or two more and get an idea of what Adalyn was feeling and how she reacted. Instead, the chapter ends, and the plot jumps a few days forward to a new scene. The plot flow felt disjointed, which further disconnected me from the story.

I’ll admit—I was watching Ted Lasso (for the first time) as I read this novel. With that show being used as a comp to this novel, I was curious to know what was so great about it and how it factored into inspiring Elena Armas’ story. However, that proved to be a downfall for the novel. It made it easier to see how Cameron was essentially Roy Kent and Jaime Tartt’s love child. Cameron was prone to swearing, had a beard, and had a low, growling voice (Roy Kent); but he also had tattoos and a playful, sweeter nature (season three Jaime Tartt) once Adalyn got to know him. Additionally, there were plot points that I could pinpoint directly in the show. For example, Cameron received an opportunity to become a pundit on a sports talk show (Roy Kent’s season two arc? Sound familiar?). I’ll be the first to admit that there were moments when this novel felt more like Ted Lasso fanfiction than its own free-standing story. And those moments took me out of the story every single time.

The area where Elena Armas succeeded was with her characters and the romance. Of course, this novel was enemies-to-lovers and played well with that trope; if anything, the trope helped to boost the chemistry that Adalyn and Cameron had. I also appreciated the trauma and anxieties both characters were struggling with—and helped each other come to terms with. I did wish we had a little more conversation and depth about those traumas, but it did help bring the characters to life on page.

Overall, I don’t think this was the best Elena Armas novel. She is a romcom author that succeeds at creating chemistry and tension between her characters, despite the plot flow feeling clunky and the lack of depth from the story. (And don’t think I missed the way Elena Armas left the door open for a spin-off book about Matthew and Josie. Honestly, I’d read that because I’m curious to learn more about Josie!)

Thank you to Atria and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book.

Loved The Spanish Love Deception and The American Roommate Experiment so I was super-excited to find out there was a new read from Elena Armas.
Love the dual POV
Enemies to lovers
Proximity/living arrangement
Small Town
Soccer ⚽
Precocious little girls (Maria is my favorite)
Relatable characters
Steamy slow burn 🔥
Really hope there is a second volume in this story for a particular set of characters!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for e-ARC.

Another cute rom-com by our favorite Elena Armas. We leave behind the world of The Spanish Love Deception and The American Roommate Experiment and travel to the fictional town of Greek Oak, NC. After a PR fiasco, Adalyn Reyes has been banished from her bougie life in Miami. Here we find soccer legend Cameron Caldani coaching a rag-tag team of 10U players— the same team Adalyn has been assigned to manage. Add in a tetchy living situation, lots of Gilmore Girls/Stars Hollow vibes, and you’ve got yourself a winner!

✅ slow burn but lots of foreplay to keep you engaged
✅ small town
✅ soccer is life
✅ personal baggage
✅ one cabin
✅ workplace enemies to lovers
✅ “don’t call me darling”

If you’ve loved Elena Armas’s previous works, you’ll fall in love with Cam and Ada. 😉

CAMERON CALDANI 🥵🔥🧎‍♀️

Elena is the absolute queen of slow burn romances with the most rewarding moments. Longer review to come closer to publication date!

Tropes:
🏡 small town romance
👥 forced proximity
😠 dislike to lovers
⚽️ sports romance
❤️‍🔥 slow burn
🌤️ grumpy / sunshine
🥵 tall, bearded, tattooed, supportive, HOT hero with an accent

dual POV
5/5 stars ⭐️
1.5/5 spice level 🌶️

The Long Game immediately caught my attention from the first line and never let it go. I couldn’t put this book down!! I haven’t had the chance to read any of the authors other books, but I definitely will now!

Adalyn had many traits that make you love and hate her at the beginning, but slowly you realize who she really is. Cameron was easy to fall in love with. He’s full of snark, but truly he’s a softie. Their banter was just so perfect. This book had me laughing and tearing up at times.

The writing is this book was great. It was easy and quick to read. The story itself was amazing. The little girls from the soccer team were adorable! Maria will easily capture the hearts of most readers. Adalyn’s father was the worst. Overall, this book easily became a favorite!

Great read and totally liked it. I found me a new author to read books and liked it all. I will read more things from them. Read it.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

"Because you've just given me a reason."
"A reason for what?"
“To play the longest game I ever have."

if we’re being completely honest… i read the last 20% of this on a plane with my brightness dimmed. ALL. THE. WAY. DOWN. elena armas!!! girl!! if the stewardess had looked over my shoulder she would have spilt all the coffee and it still wouldn’t have been as hot as some of the scenes in this book!

ugh! thank you to netgalley and Atria books for an e-arc of this book!

i’m a big fan of ted lasso but an even bigger fan of Roy Kent and when I tell you that Cameron Caldani is the roy kent of the book world, I’m telling the truth. he’s angry 99.99% of the time EXCEPT when in the vicinity of iconic (Keeley Jones-esque), Adalyn Reyes. if these names mean nothing to you then think of Piper and Brendan from ‘It Happened One Summer’.

i love them so much. the support and respect they show each other was everything to me. i recommend this book to anyone and everyone regardless of your knowledge of soccer.

now if anybody needs me, i’m in the UK hanging around “the pitch” hoping and praying i find my own Cameron Caldani :)

Cameron Caldani is definitely on the top of the list of best book boyfriends, like, literally at the top! The author's previous books were good and the author has kicked it out of the park with this one. I absolutely loved it and finished it in two sittings. The banter between Cam and Adalyn was super fun and Can definitely has a saucy mouth. It is perfect for fans of tropes - forced proximity, small town/city girl and enemies to lovers. Adalyn is forcibly sent by her father to a small town to manage a kids team after a PR disaster and meets Cam, who is coaching those kids and is also an extremely popular professional soccer player. They both have sparkling chemistry which cannot be missed by the readers at all.

On the side ,there are cute kids and how can I forget to mention the cute goats also involved! With all the sassy banter, both characters are also battling their own insecurities and trauma in their lives and help each other in overcoming their fears. I didn't like Adalyn that much but Cam was too good to believe! Now I am definitely waiting to read Josie and her story!

This. Was. Amazing. I can’t get over how much I love Cam and Adalyn. Watching their relationship grow the whole book was amazing. Even the third act “breakup” was not unbelievable, when you knew the whole time that they both couldn’t stop thinking of the other. I loved the girls on the soccer team, and all the other funny moments—goats, cats, butting neighbors, all of Cam’s nicknames. It was such a joy to read, AND I hope there’ll be a book 2 based on the ending!

this book hit in all the right spots😩 the author never disappoints, and i cannot wait to see the cover in person!!

also pretty sure i have an obsession with cameron. (choose me over adalyn pls💔💔)

Adalyn Reyes is a disgraced soccer executive who is banished by her father to help a girl's soccer team turn itself around. She recruits the help of former soccer star Cameron Caldani, who is reluctant to help her and seems to want her gone. But she won't let him or anything else stand in the way of her helping the team, as this is her path to redemption.
I loved this story so much. I loved how Adalyn first met Cameron by hitting him with her car, it was hilarious. I also loved how she slowly won him over and how supportive and sweet he became towards her. She doesn't have a lot of people who are willing to stand up for her and treat her nicely and he definitely stepped up. If I could give this more than 5 stars I definitely would. I've read all of Elena Armas's other books and fell in love with them, and this one is definitely a winner too. I'm so glad to have received an ARC of it, because I've been dying to read it and hated waiting. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.

A sports romance between two couldn't be more different characters in a small town setting? Do tell me more.

Described as similar to Ted Lasso, as well as charming, a meet awkward, enemies to lovers, lots of cute animals, cute kids. I'm interested.

Unfortunately, the story itself fell flat for me.

Cameron is a retired professional British MLS player taking a breather in a small North Carolina town and is coaching the town's elementary school age girls soccer team. Adalyn is the type A executive of the MLS team her father owns and runs. After a poor decision gets recorded, released and quickly goes viral the decision to ship Adalyn to another area for a charitable assignment away from the team is made, and the two have a seriously awkward and uncomfortable meet.

I didn’t love either of the MC’s (I found Adalyn very immature and Cam was just … too much for my tastes), but the two learn, over time and much of the book, to work together for the good of the team. The wait for romance was long but this allows the reader to see the slow path to love. A lot of slow burn and some steam (much of which I personally found awkward - okay, it’s a lot of Can’s flowery try hard “sexy” talk that’s cringe).

While this one didn’t work out for me, I still appreciated Cam’s encouragement and support of Adalyn and can understand all the love that many reviews have for this title.