Thank you to the author and Dutton books for an advanced copy of this book.

It's weird for me to say that this funny, workplace romance was so triggering for me.

All I can say is that I relate to Annie's story in ways I wish I didn't. And I hope people read this, not only for the cute romance, but for the powerful parts of the story as well.

One on One is a cute sports romance that gives Ted Lasso vibes with the fun it offers. The writing wasn't immediately drawing me in but overall, a great book.

Amazing debut. Can't wait for more from this author! Was a true delight from start to finish. Incredible chemistry.

I love a good sports romance, and while this one doesn't really revolve around a MC playing a sport, I still like the forced proximity of working together for the sports team! Also, I love a second chance romance! This was heartfelt, charming, and fun!

Jamie Harrow's debut novel, One-On-One, is labeled as a "sports romance," however, neither character plays basketball. They work behind the scenes for a collegiate basketball team. It also definitely delves heavily into the darker side of collegiate sports and the politics of it.

Ben and Annie's relationship seemed to progress in a natural way as they went from work rivals into something more. I did think Ben was very rude to Annie about leaving the team, without having a lot of information as to "why" and then he quickly changed his views when he found out the real 'why.' Annie's character is likeable, her thoughts were funny and realistic. I think if we have dual POV, I may have connected with Ben more, but he just fell flat for the first half of the novel.

Although it was refreshing to have a story with the politics and hidden sexual harassments, I felt like the overall story was lacking. I think there was so much "basketball" and so little romance. I did like all the Philly references, but I think if someone wasn't familiar with Philly and basketball, they may not be as invested.

Tropes:
🏀Basketball-ish Romance (the MCs don't play basketball)
🎥Friends-to-Rivals-to-Lovers
🏀Forced Proximity
🎥Friendly in the past
🏀Slow Burn
🎥Workplace romance

TW: - Sexual content- Death of a parent- Sexual Harassment- Abandonment

*Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me an E-Arc in exchange for an honest review!*

I thought this was a great book and it came out at a really good time where people are becoming more interested in women and basketball. I thought the enemies to lovers side was really cute.

This is a bright, smart debut from Jamie Harrow. The cast of characters, both main and supporting, are well developed and the plot was engaging as well as thought provoking. Annie has been hopping from job to job, not quite finding fulfillment after abruptly leaving her university position with the Ardwyn Tigers after a traumatic experience her senior year. After 8 years, she returns to the college and struggles to reconnect with her previous colleague, Ben. There are often funny and honest miscommunications between the two of them as they work against each other, then together, and dislike turns to friendship and a romance. Both have to learn to trust each other and the connection they have, and Annie has to reveal a big secret that may keep them apart. I loved the pacing of the story and development of the relationship between Ben and Annie. The humor and the heart are perfectly mixed. I cannot wait to see what Harrow writes next.

One on One was engaging, heartfelt, smart. I really connected with and rooted for Annie and swooned over Ben. I'm not a super sporty person, so I'm always hesitant to pick up a sport romance, but I genuinely enjoyed the college basketball office setting.

It can be hard for me to deal with enemies-to-lovers, which this kind of was, but I felt the motivations and emotions of the characters were handled really well. The only slight issue I had was that the third act "breakup" left me a bit confused, which I think was the point - Annie was confused! - but it didn't totally work for me. Still, I liked this book a lot and will read whatever Jamie Harrow writes next.

One on One by Jamie Harrow is an amazing book! Tessa Bailey meets Abby Jimenez in this funny, quick-witted, yet heartwarming novel. Please check trigger warnings as this book does have some themes that may be triggering to readers.

This book was an absolute amazing story of Annie, an alumni of a basketball college where she grew up and spend every free time working for. She has been raised around basketball and it is in her blood. However after a horrible experience with a coach, she left abruptly and hurt her best friend and slight competitor Ben in the process. Now, years later she has returned to work on the marketing team, and her old "frienemy" wants her to leave as soon as possible. Trouble is, she wants to stay and is good at her job. Can they settle their differences to save the basketball team?

GO BUY THIS BOOK. It is so good. sports romance fans, enemies to lovers, slow-build romance fans will love this book!

You can hear my interview with the author Jamie Harrow on my podcast Books and the Bees

I picked this ARC up because one of my favorite contemporary romance authors, Jessica Joyce, recced it at a book event I attended and I thought the premise sounded fun. I'm not sure this really qualifies as a sports romance since neither of the MCs plays a sport (he's a former college basketball player who becomes the director of analytics for the basketball team at his former university) and she is the former student manager of the basketball team who left abruptly and returns years later to make hype videos for the team. This isn't a second chance romance, neither Ben nor Annie were ever involved with each other when they were students but more of a enemies to lovers or rather, a frenemies to lovers because even at the start, when the two are very much at odds with each other, it's hard to buy that they're true enemies.

There is a big subplot in this book concerning why Annie left so suddenly and it has to do with the former head coach of their college basketball team. There's some really good commentary about college sports and athletes and the way they're sometimes exploited and it's good and important commentary and the romance feels almost secondary to that. I just wish that romance had been pushed a bit more. I don't mind the closed door sex scenes (not why preference but also not a reason for me to dislike a book) but the overall growth of their relationship feels both slow and yet rushed at the end.

Secondly, I really disliked Ben's reaction to Annie's revelation - I wish he'd been more supportive. His initial reaction is very self-centering and I'm glad Annie calls him out for it. As she says, it's not about him in this instance and it really made me irritated at him.

Content notes: off page parental death, mention of parental abandonment, off page recollection of sexual harassment between boss and employee;

After abruptly leaving Ardwyn University eight years ago, Annie returns to her alma mater’s basketball program as a video producer making hype videos and social media content. Annie’s co-worker in college, Ben, is still with the team as the director of analytics and harbors resentment towards Annie for abandoning him and the team with no goodbye. 

Throughout the season, tensions rise between Ben and Annie as they compete for their jobs and the truth comes out regarding Annie’s abrupt departure. It all comes to a head during the team’s Cinderella run in the March Madness tournament!

Ben and Annie’s natural progression from animosity to romance felt realistic and beautifully written. The side characters brought great depth, and the Beach House was a great addition and relatable. Jamie’s love and knowledge of college basketball shine throughout the book while also spotlighting men’s college basketball regarding sexism, politics, and pressures placed on players and staff.

Tropes
Single FMC POV
Enemies-to-lovers
SLOW BURN
Workplace/courtside romance
Miscommunication 

TW/Sensitive topics
Workplace sexual harassment
Death of parent 
Parental neglect
Racism in college sports

Jamie Harrow’s debut, ONE ON ONE, wrecked me in all the best ways! It has me laughing on page one, crying within the first few chapters, and constantly flipping back and forth between the two in perfect balance. It releases tomorrow, so if you haven’t pre-ordered already, make sure to head to your local bookstore to grab it!

I was enraptured by this story! Jamie’s voice was hilarious, but also so deftly handled the more serious elements of this story. Her depiction of working on campus as an adult was so spot on, and she handled the conversation of abuse in college sports with so much respect. And BEN AND ANNIE WERE EVERYTHING! They were so sweet and clearly perfectly paired. The spice was excellent, with me switching between happy tears, laughter, and needing a spray bottle to cool down. I loved every second of this book and can’t wait to put it on my shelf!

Another reviewer pointed out if this could be considered a sports romance when neither of the MCs actually play the sport (the MMC played in college and they both work sports related jobs) and I do have to agree with the questioning.
One On One leans heavy into the darker side of collegiate sports and the politics of it, which I give props to because you don’t see it often; just a heads up, don’t go into it expecting a classic sports romance.

It took me a hot minute to really enjoy myself with this read. The pacing felt a bit off, which made for a bit of whiplash when trying to get into the story and care about the characters, whose interactions left a bit to be desired.
And I did enjoy our FMC Annie as we got to know her. You get little tidbits of her past that come together throughout the story and help you feel connected with her. *warning* This book and her storyline deal with SA and death of a parent in her past. The way it’s discussed and how she deals with life was very realistic and felt respectful, which was appreciated.
BUT our MMC Ben… yikes. I wanted to like him. It’s just so hard to. He was dull and I found myself disliking the interactions between him and Annie.

Overall, it was okay. And I am excited to see what this author releases in the future.
Recommended to those looking for a deeper read, light on the romance, heavier on the growth.

This was a strong debut enemies to lovers sports romance set in the world of college basketball that sees two former friends competing to save their jobs.

While the pacing was a bit slow at times I did like the banter between the two main characters. The spice level was low but the emotional depth was high as this book takes on the toll and prevalence of sexual misconduct in sports. Good on audio narrated by Kyla Garcia.

Recommended for fans of authors like Rebecca Jenshak or Liz Tomforde. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!

(Actual: 4.5⭐, rounded up) Thank you NG and Dutton for both this eARC *and* my finished paperback copy! This book was such a TREAT! To be honest, I went into reading this book a bit hesitant, unsure if I'd really be able to immerse/enjoy myself in it considering I don't follow a lot of sports (least of all basketball). That said— did they *truly* even really play much b-ball? LOL jk. Regardless, I had such a great time reading this novel and found it to be very engaging right from the start! I love Second Chance Romances ("SCR[s]") AND the Rivals-to-Lovers tropes and so, while there was some miscommunication thrown in (aka: one of my *least* favorite tropes), I didn't mind it all too much because it still made sense within the context of the story. I found both Ben and Annie to be endearing once they really started to get out of their own way/shells, particularly the latter's sense of humor and use of it as a means of deflection (i.e., yes, a part of me did feel very ~seen~ lol). Lastly, while I am *always* a fan of duel POVs in my reads, I thought the 3rd-person POV fit better and was executed well by the author to fully convey the scope of both MCs emotions, ideals, and struggles. Overall, a strong debut and I look forward to Harrow's work in the future!

Jamie Harrow is one to watch. Her debut is atmospheric, fast-paced, and full of banter as snappy as a Final Four game. Really, really loved this one.

This was a sweet debut novel with lots of potential! I liked the overall premise, well developed side characters and how it balanced a heavy subplot regarding sexual harassment. I don’t see a lot of basketball romances and thought it was unique that neither of the MCs were athletes but instead the support staff. I wished I had felt more chemistry between the MCs and there was an epilogue due to more abrupt ending.

I don’t think I’ve ever read a book quite like this. When you keep trying to think of what to say, but really just want to tell everyone to go read it already? It’s funny, and sexy, and definitely feminist, and pumped me up the way the movie Hoosiers does just rooting for Annie and Ben. And frankly, it just left me with a big happy heart full of all the feelings.

One on One is a sports romance, but not of ball players specifically. It’s between two people who just really love the game of basketball. Ben has worked in analytics for Ardwyn University’s basketball team much longer than he ever considered (since college) and Annie finds herself also working for her alma mater making hype videos when no other prospects pan out. This is a case of coeds thinking they knew the other person when, and then discovering their assumptions have lead them to not really knowing one another at all. As with any heated misgivings, the banter is brilliant and the slowburn sizzles with anticipation. I was really glad this was single point of view because the reader gets to feel everything from Annie’s expectations. This just amps up the mystery, the curiosity, and the tension of not knowing what Ben’s thinking and also of him not being aware of why Annie left basketball to begin with. Ben’s motives are only interpreted through his actions and the way he interacts with Annie runs from antagonistic, to playful, to tender, to heated. And this is exactly what I’m looking for in a romance—multidimensional characters that are unexpectedly delightful.

I highlighted so many sections of this book. I think it’s because I wanted to remember the feeling. The dialogue is so so good but the internal thoughts, the looks, the excitement and mood are what made this book a standout. I also really liked that this wasn’t a typical young, dumb, and horny sports romance with coeds, and the older me appreciated the depth that Harrow gave Ben and Annie who have bigger issues at hand than how to pass college algebra. It’s also clear that Harrow has first-hand knowledge of the game through the team camaraderie, love for college basketball, and general enthusiasm that sports can bring to a campus. I still am amazed that this is a debut and will proudly fly my Ardwyn blue in support of this winner of a story. I can’t wait to see what else Harrow has in store for romance readers. I received an early copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Steam: 🪭🪭.5
Favorite quote: “Numbers aren’t real, Radford.”
Feelings: 🏀🏀🏀

4⭐️ This book grew on me as it went along. I’m not a big fan of the miscommunication trope, so the beginning was a bit rough for me, but it got so much better as it went on. I enjoyed the rivals-to-lovers journey and seeing them slowly open up to one another. Once Ben warmed up to Annie, he was the sweetest!

I loved this book! Jamie is a talented writer and it's clear she understands and knows the world of basketball. I absolutely adored Annie. I can't wait to read more from this author!