I loved the concept for this book and the characters, but the pacing was off. It took Ava and Grace until halfway through the book to have a conversation and then their communication seemed to dissolve again immediately afterwards. The end of the book also felt extremely rushed. This book could have used 50-100 more pages to really flesh out their relationship and give Ava and Grace more time to grow together. That being said, I loved Karmen Lee's writing and can't wait to read the sequel! I'm already so excited for Vini's book!

3 stars.

"The 7-10 Split" by Karmen Lee is a sapphic romance story featuring black love, second chances, and bowling. I have never read a romance novel that revolved around bowling, and since my husband was an avid bowler in his youth, and since I love LGBTQIA2S+ romances featuring BIPOC characters, I was quite excited to read this. Unfortunately, it was a mixed bag for me. I liked Ava and Grace on an individual level. They are both very solidly written characters with baggage and traumas. We come to understand them as people and figure out what drives and motivates them. The lackluster part is their love story. While Ava and Grace's reconnection becomes sweet over time, and while I grew to like their relationship, the reason for their friendship break-up had me pulling out my hair! It is truly one of the worst excuses for a relationship breakdown I have heard in all my time reading romance books. It was so silly, a giant miscommunication that could have been solved without drama or fanfare! I so very much appreciate that Ava and Grace's love story does not involve/revolve around homophobia or racism. That's a huge plus, but it does feel like there are large portions of the story that feel stagnant and a little repetitive. The beginning of the story, say, about the first 50%, drags on very, *very* slowly, but the last 15-20% of the book is totally rushed. It's just not very well-paced overall. There is not a lot of bowling action in this book. They play it once or twice together, and they coach other girls from their school while they are bowling, but these people and the bowling itself only exist to have Ava and Grace work together to drive the plot forward. It's much more focused on the fact that Grace and Ava are both teachers than it is that they were/are bowlers. Many readers will love this book, and while there are some aspects I appreciate, it wasn't my favorite book of all time.

Thank you to NetGalley, Karmen Lee, Harlequin - Romance, and Afterglow Books by Harlequin for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

2.5/5

This was one of my most anticipated reads this summer, but unfortunately, this did not work for me.

Ava and Grace were ok MCs and we also get fun side characters! However, this was my main gripe: the pacing. The pacing was honestly all over the place. It took a while to get to the main conflict and when we do, it faded into the background. There were also points where I got a bit lost because there was no indication that a certain time period had passed.

There was also, sadly, not much bowling. The bowling was an element I was particularly excited for, but Ava and Grace’s will they-won’t they and constant miscommunication took up about 80% of the book and made their overall chemistry feel off.

Because of this, the last 20% feels rushed. The resolution of the main conflict falls flat and feels incomplete since the stakes felt so low throughout. There were also a few random plot points thrown in near the end that were either solved off page or not solved at all. I wish this book did more showing than telling for me because I would’ve loved this even more if certain story elements were fully fleshed out.

But just because this didn’t work for me, doesn’t mean it won’t work for you! You’ll definitely love this if you enjoy funny sapphic reads, slow burns, and bowling was not your main draw for this book!

"The 7-10 Split" by Karmen Lee is a delightful romantic comedy that strikes all the right chords, blending humor, heart, and a touch of rivalry into a charming narrative.

From the outset, Lee crafts a compelling dynamic between protagonists Ava and Grace, former friends turned romantic rivals. The chemistry between them sizzles off the page, infused with witty banter and undeniable attraction. As they navigate their unexpected partnership in leading a high school bowling team, their journey is filled with hilarious mishaps, heartwarming moments, and plenty of ups and downs.

Lee's writing sparkles with wit and charm, drawing readers into the small-town Georgia setting and the quirky world of high school dynamics. The author deftly balances humor with genuine emotion, creating a story that is both laugh-out-loud funny and deeply touching.

One of the novel's strengths lies in its portrayal of Ava and Grace's relationship, which evolves from animosity to reluctant partnership and eventually, to something more. Their banter crackles with energy, and their interactions are infused with a sense of longing and vulnerability that adds depth to their characters.

While "The 7-10 Split" follows the familiar beats of a romantic comedy, Lee injects fresh energy and originality into the genre, keeping readers engaged from start to finish. The pacing is brisk, the dialogue is sharp, and the plot twists keep the story unpredictable and entertaining.

Overall, "The 7-10 Split" is a charming and enjoyable read that will leave readers smiling and rooting for love to conquer all. Karmen Lee has crafted a winning romantic comedy that is sure to delight fans of the genre. Whether you're a bowling enthusiast or simply a sucker for a good love story, this book is well worth a read.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a light hearted romance, which is often in short supply for LGBTQ books. This book reads like a Harlequin novel, which is wonderful because that's exactly what it is. There is angst and of course the big misunderstanding between the two lead characters (which wasn't centered around their sexuality), but it's all wrapped up with a happy ending which was just what I was looking for.

I am definitely in the crew of readers that desires more Black sapphic fiction in traditional publishing. Having read some of Karmen Lee's indie work, I was excited to see she got a publishing deal. The concept and cover art are fun and I was ready to dig into this small town romance. There was one big problem; that's all it dug into.

This is one of those low/no plot romances where it focuses almost primarily on the two characters and their relationship at the expense of everything else. There are other characters like coworkers and siblings, even the group of girls they are mentoring in bowling, but almost everyone is only there to serve the main plot which is to get Ava and Grace to fall in love. While I don’t hate it, I didn’t love it either. I needed more to buffer the story because to be honest, their romance was a super slow burn and I really hated the reason they had a falling out (it made no sense to me). Hate the miscommunication trope but I especially have a hard time when the reason doesn’t even fully make sense (I won’t spoil that).

I also can’t say I completely felt the chemistry between them. This might be because they had crushes on each other as teens and we are supposed to believe that continued ten years later but I never felt that supposed passion. Perhaps if we had more time of them getting to know each other as adults instead of Ava holding a grudge, it would have made sense. There were also some actions by other characters that felt as if they came out of left field towards the end of the book and I feel like this was just thrown in for drama. Felt very tacked on.

Overall, I liked the characters and the premise, plus it was well written, but the story never quite took off for me.

Ava Williams is surprised when the new AP science teacher at her small town Georgia high school is Grace Jones. They grew up as friends until their senior year in HS when Grace transferred to a private school. It’s been 10 years and now they are both teaching at the school they once attended. This is a nice sapphic romance, with a cute cover and I appreciate that the leads are POC. But the storyline is rather simple. They once shared a kiss, senior year they ended up on competing school bowling teams and now they end up co-coaching the new bowling team together.

I think what is missing for me is there wasn't a big heartbreak or angst they must overcome. Grace genuinely didn’t know why Ava wouldn’t communicate with her. The bowling scene starts some sizzle between the pair and leads to a date and more but I didn’t feel much about their reconnecting. It is a cute story, easy to read, but wont stay in my brain for long.

Unfortunately, I really wanted to love this one, but I just didn't. There were aspects that I really enjoyed. I loved the bowling backdrop to the story and I really did enjoy the overall story between these two. My biggest issues with the book, though, were that it just felt so LONG. But at the same time, I felt like it needed more to it. I felt like a lot of the big plot points of this book were just skimmed over. There were a lot of conversations that we should have seen happening and they were just passed by and later said that the conversation happened and made a huge difference in relationships. I just wish that some parts were delved deeper into.

I was excited about the storyline when I came across this book. While the premise was cute and the characters were likeable, this didn't give what I wanted it to give.

The story was super slow paced and the lack of action was a drawback for me. I prefer romance novels with a central plot, subplots, engaging conversations, and memorable moments, which were somewhat lacking here. A lot of important conversations were glossed over on page and it took a way from the overall story.

Additionally, I didn't feel a strong chemistry between the characters despite their thoughts indicating otherwise. Lastly, this felt more YA romance than adult romance.

Ok first I love the premise and just the sapphic concept of this book. What I didn't like is that it kind of gave me more YA vibes that i was expecting. That being said I love a good romance and this delivered. I liked the fact that they were on a bowling team and correct me if im wrong but this is a second chance romance and a enemies to lovers and I love all that. I just couldnt get past the YA feeling but its a quick cute read and I would read it again.

3.5 stars
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
When announcements were trickling in about the authors releasing books with the Afterglow imprint, Karmen Lee was the one I was most excited for, as I’ve read a few of her indie titles, and enjoyed them. Also, I’ll never stop being excited for Black sapphic representation! And in the sea of relatively “same-y” sports romances, focused on hockey or football, I loved that this one was about bowling, something I know a bit more about, albeit not on the competitive level.
The characters absolutely are the standout here, along with their developing relationship. Ava and Grace have a history as best friends and friendly rivals until they fell apart due to them not being able to reckon with the feelings between them. I enjoyed watching them being thrown back together and being forced to reckon with all the baggage and unresolved tension between them.
But as much as I really liked the romance, I felt like it wasn’t strong enough to fully carry the overall story. Yes, there was also the bowling competition aspect, but the book still felt oddly paced, with long stretches of not much happening.
But the story is sweet overall, and I’m excited that there’s more to come following supporting characters from this world. I recommend this book to readers looking for a Black sapphic romance, I’d recommend checking this out!

When I was in college, I took a bowling class. I thought this will fulfill my physical education requirement and be an easy A; I was wrong. The cover of The 7-10 Split by Karmen Lee transported me back to Crenshaw Lanes. The friendship between Grace and Ava is a complicated one that can simple be solved with a conversation. At times, it seems that Ava is hellbent on being mad at Grace for things beyond her control. That is annoying and very unattractive. Grace spends more time than I think is necessary apologizing and Ava doesn't apologize...enough. For an English teacher, she is horrible with words.
This was an okay story, I honestly was more interested in the drama of the bowling team than the romance between Grace and Ava. I do feel like there were a lot of additional characters added for dramatic effect that were not needed because when wrapping them up it felt rushed. Yes, all these characters centered around the bowling. I would certainly read more from Karmen Lee because this story at least made me pull out my old bowling shoes.

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TL;DR: This was just fun. Don't get in expecting a super deep or involved novel, but it was fun and unique with a focus on bowling.
Source: NetGalley, thank you to Harlequin for the eARC!

Plot: Old high school rivals become co-coaches for the teams bowling team and the lanes get hot!
Characters: I liked them, though I wish we'd gotten clearly motivations on a lot of what happens to them and their families.
Setting: A small town, with small town vibes. It was integrated well but not explained in depth.
Romance: I did really like the relationship between the two even if I feel like we didn't get all the details on what happened to them before? I was happy with where they ended up.

Thoughts:

The 7-10 Split is what I would call a super fun and light romance. It follows two women, one who has recently moved back home to become a teacher as they come together to co-coach a bowling team. The two once had an intense rivalry/friendship that ended poorly before high school graduation and bad feelings still linger. So they have to figure that out in order to save the team and of course they catch feelings in the process.

Overall my only big complaint about this story is that I felt like it was maybe too light on it’s touch? It was fun, and engaging and the chemistry was there on page! But any time we started to get just a hint of something deeper or more involved we were swiftly shown a different part of the story and the conflict/feelings where shared and solved off page with a little bit of throwaway mention.

So if you’re wanting something super easy and light - this is going to be the book. If you want something with a bit more meat, maybe not? I will definitely be continuing to read Karmen Lee in the future.

4 out of 5 bowling balls

This was a sweet, sapphic, second chance, sports romance (bowling! 🎳). I was so into the concept, and I really did love our main two characters, Ava and Grace! They were both lovely characters, and there were a few fun side characters, too.

However, I felt like parts of this story felt a little out of place or unnecessary. The conflict was kind of confusing and felt a bit juvenile considering the characters were supposed to be in their mid/late twenties. This is relatively low spice (maybe 2🌶️), which is totally fine, but there just wasn’t enough chemistry between them for me.

Overall, I would say this was a cute, quick read, but it could use a stronger reason for the initial falling out of the two main characters. This was a 3 star read for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book early.

General Description: Ava Williams has been petitioning for a bowling club at the high school she teaches at for the past four years. However, it's always shot down. Until, local bowling legend Grace Jones, returns to town as a teacher and suggests the club to the principal, who readily agrees. Ava is conflicted, especially because she is told she must coach alongside Grace, her high school nemesis. The women will have to face their past if they want to move forward with a bowling team, but will they be able to do it? What will their relationship develop into? Will the bowling team triumph? You'll have to read to find out!

The goods:
- The banter between Ava and Grace for me is top tier.
- The side characters were meddling in both of the women's lives and I was here for it.
- You do handle heavier topics such as moving, death, and discovering yourself as a person which I felt added depth to the book.
- The high school kids' commentary was hilarious

The loss of a star:
- A half start off is because of the lack of bowling information in this book. And this is because I am being nit-picky as a current high school bowling coach and someone who was on a high school bowling team for four years. It is called the 7-10 split but I had a lot of bowling logistical questions that weren't answered in the book.
- It ended way too quickly. I feel like the final resolution could have been quite a bit longer, which made the pacing of the book feel off for me.

Overall: If you're looking for a contemporary romance book, this would be a great next pick for you!

This book was honestly just a lot of fun. A sapphic second chance romance…um yes please

This was more of a cozy contemporary romance because there isn’t any underlying plot other than the romance plot line.

Ava and Grace were best friends for years and were on the high school bowling team together. That is until Grace moved and was suddenly competing for another team. A kiss between these two friends before the championship tournament was the last time they would speak to each other for 10 years. Now Grace is back in their hometown and recently got a teaching job at the high school where Ava also works. Both women have now come into their sexuality and can’t help but feel the tension connecting them, but can old friends become a new relationship while navigating re-starting up the girls bowling team at their high school.

This book was a quick read, low stakes second chance romance that I read in a single sitting. I giggled multiple times and not only did I love the two main characters, I loved this amazing cast of side characters.

My only issue with this book was the pacing. It was slow paced, and my personal preference is a medium to fast paced storyline. If you like cozy, slower paced books then I highly recommend this one!

I LOVED this book! Everything about it was amazing. The friendly rivals to not-so-friendly-rivals to co-workers/coaches and FINALLY to lovers. This was a bit of a slow burn but the scenes that were in it were steamy as all get out. I also loved how both Ava and Grace grew and realized that they had let too many people influence their relationship in the past and resolved to not let that happen again. Plus it had bowling?!?! YES PLEASE. This was my first book by this author but it will not be my last and I can't wait for Vini's story.

Thank you to netgalley and Harlequin - Romance | Afterglow Books by Harlequin for allowing me access to this book. I enjoyed this book so much it was hard to put down.

THE 7-10 SPLIT is a sapphic friends to rivals to lovers story about ava and grace, two estranged high school friends. after ten years of not seeing each other, they end up teaching at the same school and coaching the bowling team together, and along the way, some old feelings start to resurface. i absolutely loved their dynamic and i felt like the build up of their relationship was very well done, which can sometimes be tricky with rivals/enemies to lovers. along with that, i really enjoyed the cast of side characters and was very excited to find out vini's story is coming out next!! if you enjoy sapphic romances, rivals to lovers, and/or bowling, you should definitely read this book. thanks to netgalley and harlequin for the advanced copy! THE 7-10 SPLIT comes out may 21st!

This was fun and lighthearted! It’s not very deep, but it’s cute for what it is - you get bowling, second chance, teachers, and a bit of even enemies to lovers. The plot isn’t super deep, and you don’t get way into some of the back story, but I think that’s to be expected by a book this size.