I don’t often dip my toe into why choose romances but I grabbed this one based on some early reviews. I really enjoyed the first 60%-70% of the book when the focus was largely on the relationship between Victoria, Mike, and Jonathan. I really loved their connections individually and as a throuple and of course the steam was steamy. Where this book lost me was it’s the introduction of the fourth, Tyler, at 80% of the book. There was not nearly as much character development so honestly it just felt forced and awkward. The book is also 500+ pages and almost felt like Tyler’s character deserved his own story.

I voluntarily read a gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me read this advanced copy along with letting me review it. I truly adored & loved Expanded Roster: A why choose sports romance written by Aimee Rivkin. Victoria & Mike were easily lovable characters in addition to having fantastic chemistry and good banter of friendship. The author wrote a great sports romance. This was a 3 star read that I read in two days. The female main character Victoria ends up needing some money and decides to post an online advertisment to have a guy join her in doing Only Fans content. She is also working as a equipment girl working for the baseball teams at the university she attends. The guy who shows up for the job she posted ends up being a baseball player in the team she works for named Mike. Also add one of his best friends on the team who has a crush on her. I enjoyed this ARC read and hope everyone will like it as much as I did when it comes out January 25th 2024.

When Victoria needs money so that her younger sister can go to college, she starts an OnlyFans account. When she posts a flier on her own college campus seeking a partner in her endeavor, she's surprised when Mike, the catcher for their college baseball team, shows up. As one of the clubhouse equipment managers, she's seen him around, but there is a strict no fraternization policy--and it doesn't help that Mike's teammate and best friend Jonathan seems to have a crush on her. After posting videos and earning money, their business partnership begins to involve more than the two of them... enter Jonathan... then Victoria's ex-step-brother, Tyler....

Most polyamorous novels are considered, well, pure smut. Particularly when they involve other "taboo" tropes, like virginity and step-siblings. But this book is incredibly well-written, well-thought-out, and ultimately well done. That's not to say it's not spicy--it is, very much so--but it also does have a plot, and a good one at that. It's on the longer side for a romance novel, but it almost has to be to lay the foundation for three romantic partners. I probably could have done without Tyler, who almost seemed like a toss-in addition at the last minute, but I didn't hate his existence either. If you're looking for an unconventional, steamy read with a dash of sports romance and LGBTQ positivity thrown in, this is a great option to pick up.

Thanks to the author for my eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

5 stars - 9/10

Thx NetGalley for the ARC — I didn’t love the beginning, it kinda just jumped right into the story without any buildup, but after that it was good. I like that we get all of the MCs POV but wish there was maybe a little more of Tyler. The spice was there & the relationships were cute (mmfm) with a decent HEA

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.
All thoughts and opinions are my own

I absolutely loved this book, from the start I was hooked. Victoria is a smart independent woman and she does everything she can for her sister even if she's nervous and or of her comfort zone. The fact that she was smart about it was great to, sometimes strong smart female characters seem to have all brainsells abandon them when they see some nice abs. She blurred faces, tattoos, did std testing, be safe was a main rule for them from the start. I think that was my favorite part, besides seeing her really come into herself and go for what she wants by telling these men what to do. The laughing during the sex was such a real detail to add that most authors don't include.
The fact that Jon and Mike were attracted to one another for the entire time and both kept their mouths shut baffled me, years and they never acted on it!?! I enjoyed that Victoria pushed them gently toward eachother. She's the real hero of the story. The on page chemistry was of the charts between all of them, i love that there was history between them and not just "oh he/she's sexy i want to fuck her/ him now". The instant attraction can be a good trope but its so much deeper when they get to know eachother at least a bit. I was honestly so relieved when Tyler turned out to not be a total dick, the whole rich jerk thing is very overdone.

Overall I loved this book and would say everyone should read it!

Thank you to Onsub Press & NetGalley for an ARC of this book, in exchange for my honest opinion.

Woah baby, did I start the new year out with a bang reading this book! Incredibly sexy, it draws you right in, and all characters you’ll fall in love with. This was also my first “why choose” romance and Aimee set the bar so high for it, I don’t think anything will EVER top this trope for me!

Victoria is a junior in college, and she also works as the equipment girl for her college baseball team. But even so, she needs money and a lot of it. She has a brilliant idea to film her first time having sex on camera to stream on onlyfans to make some quick cash; and advertises looking for a partner to do this with. Except the person who shows up is Mike from the baseball team. They shouldn’t do this because fraternizing isn’t allowed on the team, but they decide to go for it anyways. As it starts to feel like a relationship between the two of them, another baseball teammate Jonathan confronts them, and he ends up in bed with them too. You might think three would be a crowd… but it’s not. Everything is going perfectly for them until someone on campus recognizes Victoria and outs all of them on the campus Reddit page. Will Mike and Jon’s budding baseball careers be able to handle this blow? Can the three of them weather this storm together? Will Victoria need to leave school after all this is spread around campus? And most shocking, what happens when Victorias ex fake step brother finds out about all of this and wants to join in too? Is it possible everyone here can get a happily ever after?

Just do yourself a favor and pick up the book, I promise you will be obsessed and day dreaming about baseball bros forever!

Ok I loved the relationship between her, Mike, and Jonathan and then randomly after 75% her ex stepbrother gets invited in but not actually in the relationship, just as a bed buddy. And there is absolutely no chemistry whatsoever. Also there are some bad communication and trust issues that are never discussed and just glossed over. However, I loved the og relationship and how supportive everyone around them was (for the most part) and how comfy they were with each other, just being true to themselves and doing what they want regardless of society’s expectations. Also the ending scene was so beautiful.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

I would recommend if you're looking for (SPOILERS)
-mmfm NA open poly knot
-sports romance
-former step brother
-friends to lovers
-this is just a hookup
-forbidden romance
-queer rep
-sword crossing

I saw Esther screaming about this one so I knew I had to snatch it up and it delivered. Sex positive sex worker rep, Victoria needs money so decides to set up an OnlyFans account. In comes Mike who agrees to help her, experiencing his own money problems. Add in his best friend and secret crush Jonathan and suddenly they're onto something. I loved how low angst this was as they fell into a polyamorous relationship, Mike and Jonathan accepting their feelings for each other.

I loved the seperate character arcs of each character, yet intertwined they were, sex positive and queer and a great amount of steam as they figured things out. Add in Tyler, Victoria's former step brother who is a secretly not such an asshole. As Victoria figured out her family dynamics and the secret softness of her relationship with Tyler

This was just fun, steamy and has me so excited to read whatever Aimee writes next..

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!
I absolutely loved this story!

Victoria needs money and posts an ad for someone to film OF content with. Mike accepts the job without knowing it was her. She works for the baseball team he plays for and his best friend/teammate has a crush on her! They decide to film and keep it a secret. Once Jonathan gets involved, it’s an MMF romance. Add in an ex stepbrother, Tyler, and it gets even messier!

All of the characters turn out to be bisexual and it is a why choose romance! Also has an HEA. Pick this one up at the end of January!

Tropes:
Sports romance: baseball
Why choose: MMFM
LGBTQ+
Ex-stepbrother

I was super surprised with how good this story turned out. While I don’t typically read why choose because of how messy they can get this one was done nicely. I thought the characters were all pretty good but I did feel Tyler should have gotten more time in the story to get to know him. I also feel I have more of a fondness for Victoria and Mike just because we spend a lot of time in the book with them together. Overall, this was a pretty quick read that had lots of spicy moments but also some really cute moments between the characters.

First book of the year! 🥹
To be honest, I was weary about this one. I LOVE sports romance and why choose but I was going into this with Pucking Around still on my brain. This is definitely not the same. And that’s a good thing! I loved both for different reasons.

Expanded Roster had me laughing out loud at some parts and a little annoyed at some (come on girl, get it together lol) but damn, what a good book! I always say the best books invoke true feelings and this was one of them.

I might be secretly obsessed with Mike and that’s okay. Also, Tyler deserves more time in this book, I would have loved to learn more about him. It kind of felt he was thrown in.

OMG the steam.🔥 I read this book in one sitting. The characters are absolutely delightful. Victoria has to make money quickly and decides losing her v card on onlyfans is the way to go. She enlists one of the schools baseball players as a partner, but he is best friends (and has a crush on) another player that happens to have a crush on Victoria. She also has an ex-stepbrother (who fits into the group, how? That would be a spoiler). Anyway, there is MF, MMF, MM, MMFM and it is all hot. But also the writing is fun and while there is angst, it is with the world not between the characters so much. And of course there is an HEA, which I always find extra sweet in contemporary why choose rom coms. We all know the world can be cruel, and letting this group have a sweet ending, well it just makes me smile (also whew it’s hot). I was given an ARC

I was provided an advanced copy of this book by the author, (via netgalley) and feel particularly fortunate to have read this ahead of its January 2024 release.

I admit to feeling a little jaded with books about college students but found myself reading a book featuring exactly that, for the most part here. I have to say this is a bright shining rainbow strobe light in college romances.

This is a book where the FMC Victoria is working her heart out with a year of college to finish when she finds out her mother has a hefty tax bill which will impact her sister’s eligibility for tertiary funding. Despite her lack of dating experience she decides to start an OF page, and advertises for a ‘business partner’. Enter Mike, the catcher for the college baseball team who agrees to Victoria’s proposition, knowing full well his baseball bro Jonathon is smitten with Victoria and she’s technically off-limits to both as the equipment manager for the team. The story continues, developing into a why choose including Jonathon, and much later on, Victoria’s ex step-brother Tyler )no biological connection to be clear).

What Aimee Rivkin succeeds in doing with Expanded Roster is to not only give each character quite distinct voices and character arcs, but also write great scenes with these characters collectively that just work. There is so much said but a lot unsaid, as they navigate their evolving relationships with one another individually and collectively. It’s messy, there’s miscommunication and misunderstanding, but so much warmth, connectedness, and simply realising (initially as a triad) they want to be together though for each this comes with a potentially different cost.

Expanded Roster is set against the backdrop of baseball, alot of behind the scenes work involved, the injuries, the road to the draft and the after for those not in contention. Characters experience the ups and downs of social media infamy, college life in general, as well as individual life histories that are as varied as can be. None of the characters seem to set out with the aim of living their dynamic.

If I’ve not said it succinctly, this is a fantastic book, full of growth and learning experiences, where none of the characters have it all figured out, some with life pathways clearer than others. I found myself absolutely wanting everything for them that they wanted, especially when they felt they were undeserving .

What a great introduction to this genre for Aimee Rivkin!

Loved it.

[arc review]
Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
Release date: January 25, 2024

Expanded Roster is a why-choose/polyamorous, college sports romance (baseball), told in multi-pov.
Our main female character, Victoria, is a type-A and makes it a priority to look out for her younger sister while going to school for nursing and working at the baseball clubhouse.
When Victoria finds out that her mother is very behind on filing her taxes and that it puts her sister’s educational fund at risk, she takes matters into her own hands and starts an OnlyFans account.

I really enjoyed the dynamics between Victoria, Mike, and Jonathan. Their chemistry wasn’t forced and they were able to lay out some solid ground rules with each other.
Victoria was a strong character and I loved how self-assured she was of her sexuality and seeing her confidence grow as the story progressed.
I was a bit worried going into this knowing that there would be an element of step-sibling’s being intimate, but I think it really helped that Tyler’s character was a slower introduction to the group, as well as the fact that he previously knew Mike, and that we got to see his softer and mature side of caring for a sick parent and essentially being the breadwinner/person keeping the household intact.

The baseball stadium scene in Arizona towards the end was so sweet, I might have shed a tear or two.

My only qualms are with the miscommunication and the main conflict where Mike told Victoria not to close their account because it went against their established characterizations of “if you say stop, we stop” — which is not something to take lightly in a sexual environment.

- virgin heroine
- bisexual rep
- chronic pain rep
- he falls first
- “good girl”
- bestfriends/neighbours/teammates to lovers

A reverse harem romance that is spicy, spicy, spicy, spicy and it's nice! It's actually a sweet romance with a bit of angst and a whole lotta spice! A college aged virgin who needs cash fast does the only thing she can, sell her virginity, but ends up gaining cash and love! It sounds more nefarious than it is and it ends up being a fun read that has all the consent as well as all the fun. There are no forced activities or harm done to anyone, well other than to a stalker, but a stalker should feel a bit of consequence for their actions, right!?! The men of the harem are all respectful of the woman who centers them and eventually becomes respectful if not loving of each other. If you need a happily ever after, you'll get that here as well! This was my first book by this author and I will definitely be seeking out more books from them as soon as they write more!

So excited for this steamy sports theme romance! I've been looking to add some new titles to our collection and the summary grabbed me right away. What a concept! Can't wait to see how this one plays out out intended and look forward to sharing a full review and thoughts soon