This is the first book I've read by Sara and won't be the last. I was given the opportunity to read the ARC of this book and was thrilled when I received the notification it was in my library. I was in the middle of reading another book and opted to start this one and have the other wait a bit until I finished Not Your Biggest Fan. I have no regrets either. I started in on a Tuesday evening and finished the story the next evening.

Harlow cracks me up. She's the woman I wish I could be. What she says is basically my internal dialogue every day. In the line of a food truck in Central Park, Harlow finds herself behind a well-built muscular guy buying chicken skewers. Something she's learned her lesson to never buy after spending the night on the toilet with a terrible case of food poisoning. She tries to warn him that he isn't making the right choice but he takes no heed to her input. In fact, he makes a bet with her that he won't get sick. Since she's in New York for work and knows she'll never see him again, she agrees. If he doesn't get sick, she owes him dinner. If he does get sick, he owes her dinner. This is all in chapter 1.

Chapter 2 had me laughing so hard. Andy quickly experiencing the effects of food poisoning had me in tears. Reading about him vomiting into a garbage can in Central Park, then trying to get back to his hotel before everything comes out the other end was not on my bingo card. His vulnerability, and the humor of his escapade, was just hilarious. The icing on the cake was him waiting for the elevator at the hotel only to see Harlow stepping out of the elevator as he's stepping on, sweating bullets trying not to crap his pants. Harlow's delight with the scene in front of her was top notch and for her to tell him he owes her dinner and to send a note to her room was chef's kiss.

She has no idea he's a wide receiver for the NFL and super famous. She thinks this is just a New York fling that'll fizzle out once they both return to their homes. Her in Green Bay and him in Seattle. When she returns home and finds herself still texting him, she's pleasantly surprised but also realistic. He said he was between jobs. She sure neither of them have the finances to travel to keep seeing each other. Then she answers a knock at her door and Andy is standing there on her front porch. Is he a stalker? Is he there to off her? What is going on? She still doesn't know his true identity so she's right to be curious, and concerned, about why he'd show up at her house randomly.

The rest of the book had a lot of humor and I was all for it. I didn't find it to be too much or become juvenile. Big Steve, Harlow's dad, will forever be Danny DeVito in my mind while reading this book 🤣 He's an interesting character, that's for sure!

I'm so excited for Dex's story. I loved how he was introduced throughout this book and always told Andy like it is. He held nothing back and had me cracking up.

Thank you Sara Ney and The Author Agency for allowing me the opportunity to read the ARC of this book. I thoroughly enjoyed every page! I cannot wait for this to be released to everyone so they can also enjoy this. I already plan to listen to the audio version as soon as it's released.

Sara is a new author to me, and what a treat to read this ARC! The wit and banter is beyond, it was absolutely hilarious, I just loved the texts from both Andy and Harlow, between each other and their friends. It really had me laughing for most of the book. Harlow is straight up, zero filter, says it like it is with so much sass, she was brilliant. Andy, well he was just too dog golden retriever. I would have happily kept reading and reading their story, definitely a great Rom Com read.

I’ve been a Sara Ney fan forever and this was yet another comfort read for me. Not Your Biggest Fan was a perfect blend of witty banter, humor, and spice. I won’t say this is heavy on spice, but just enough to make the toes curl and your heart to flutter.

Andy and Harlow are so freaking cute… the first few chapters had me giggling so hard. This was the perfect sport romance to curl up with!

This book is pure rom-com gold! Harlow James is a quirky, ambitious app creator, and Andy Burke is a confident NFL star with a secret sweet side. Their chemistry sizzles from the moment they meet over a food truck mishap, and the playful banter keeps you smiling the whole way through.

It’s the perfect mix of humor, heart, and heat—complete with opposites-attract vibes, an adorable meet-cute, and a hero who falls hard (swoon alert!). This one delivers a light, fun, and totally addictive romance that’ll leave you grinning. If you’re into witty love stories with a touch of spice, this one’s a touchdown! 🏈💙

Rating: 4 stars

If you're looking for a rom-com with tropes like hidden identity, he falls first and harder/obsessed MMC, MMC is NFL player and a lot of funny, witty, quirky side characters plus some spice - this one is worth checking out.
I could go without so many mentions of MMC's ex, though. I mean, I'm not opposed to some ex-drama when the plot calls for it, but thinking about your ex during (supposedly) great bang is a no from me - and a FEW times at that.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.

This was such a fun one to read and I loved every moment. Harlow and Andy were so much fun to follow and I need to go and read all of Ney's backlog now.

Harlow James, a talented programmer, finds herself in New York City, to promote her new dating app, Kissmet. While waiting in line at a food truck, she strikes up a conversation with a charming stranger, Landon “Andy” Burke, the hottest NFL free agent in town. Their conversation takes an unexpected turn when Andy, who happens to be staying at the same hotel as Harlow, falls ill with food poisoning. This chance encounter sets the stage for a delightful RomCom.

Both Harlow and Andy are incredibly likable characters, and it’s easy to root for their eventual happy ending. However, one aspect that prevents this book from reaching its full potential is the rapid development of their relationship. While their initial attraction is undeniable, it feels a bit too instantaneous, leaving the reader wanting more depth and character development. I would have appreciated a few more chapters that delved deeper into their interactions and allowed their connection to grow stronger. I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley for my honest review.

I love Sara Ney's books and this one was another great read! Harlow and Andy were so cute together!! I loved it!

Harlow and Andy meet in a not-so-cute way in Central Park and it was kind of hilarious. They end up running into each other again and start to hang out, but Harlow does not know that the man she is spending time with is a famous football player. She's not into sports and it was really fun. I loved everything about this. They were great together, their back and forth was so much fun to read, and I was pleasantly surprised with how everything worked out. Super cute, fun, lighthearted read that was just what I wanted! Now I want to go read more Sara Ney books as they are all so great!

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book

Thank you NG and Montlake for an e-arc!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pub date: January 28, 2025
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Tropes:
🏈 Sports Romance
🏈 RomCom
🏈 Different Worlds
🏈 Hidden Identity
🏈 Opposites Attract
🏈 Slow Burn
🏈 Small Town Girl
🏈 He Falls First

Andy is a famous athlete and Harlow is a dating app creator. Harlow doesn't know that Andy is a famous athlete. They meet in Central Park, and then in the hotel they're both staying at. They spend a day/night together in the city, and Harlow believes that's the only time they'll ever see each other. But, Andy has other plans.

I've enjoyed the story. It was cute. I liked the banter between them, especially the text messages. I enjoyed the side characters, especially Harlow's dad. He made me laugh out loud. The ending was a bit rushed for me. They decide to be together, but I would have loved to see more of their relationship developing. Overall, great story!

3.5⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Tropes:
💙secret identity
🏈nfl player hero
💙software developer FMC
🏈he falls first
💙meet-cute
🏈obsessed MMC
💙opposites
🏈rom com

This was one of those reads where I did find it cute, fun and enjoyable and entertaining a cute rom com BUT I really couldn't get connected to the story or characters at all.

Andy and Harlow had this meet cute and I did enjoy how Andy fell for Harlow when he least expected it and was busy trying to get his career situation underhand. The banter and text messages were super fun to read as is typical of Sara's books.

I did not feel any chemistry or connection between these two characters. Obviously I wouldn't call it miscommunication or lying but he tried to hide who he was which caused some issues in the story for me.

Again a cute n fun book like Sara typically writes I just couldn't connect . Sara is great at rom com so if you like these tropes it may be a hit for you.

Thank you NetGalley, Montlake and Sara Ney for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first book by this author and the writing style wasn’t a fit for me.

I requested this book because it mentioned Green Bay and I’m from WI so I got excited but the representation of GB was a bit off.

The premise was cute but the characters were kind of flat and slightly cringy for me. I liked some of the texting banter but struggled with the MMCs behavior, some of his phrasing and most of his internal monologue.

The end also felt rushed…he shows up, there slightly overblown conflict, they make up, fast forward 2 months, surprise and the end?

Again, I think some would enjoy this but it wasn’t for me.

Thank you to Montlake and NetGalley for an ARC of this book, in exchange for my honed opinion.

I was really looking forward do this one because the synopsis sounded so good. But I just could not get into it, the storyline felt juvenile and so far fetched. Sadly I had to DNF this book, because it wasn’t for me. I would still try another book by this author, I just don’t think this one was for me.

***3.5/4 Stars***

This was one of those reads where I liked it, I found it enjoyable but I didn’t really connect with the characters. I liked Harlow and Andy/Landon but didn’t love them, so it’s always a bit wonky when deciding on a rating but I also can’t deny that some of the situations they found themselves in were unique ~ the “meet cute” ~ and fun ~ like their first “date”, though there were some cringe/eye rolling moments ~ but such is life.

Overall, I did like Harlow. I thought she had a good head on her shoulders ~ despite her dad (who was OTT but meant well) driving her craycray. Landon/Andy. I didn’t have any issue with him keeping “who” he was from Harlow, in fact I understood and kind of liked that, but sometimes being in his head had me going WTF?!. But he was still a good guy through it all. Their journey was unique and fun, a bit insta in some easy, but I don’t really have an issue with that. I liked their bantering, whether it was in person or via text, and I could see them becoming more, the longer they were together.

While there wasn’t any major angst, there was a bit of drama towards the end that was dealt with quickly. And the situation with Green Bay being described the way it was had me scratching my head, but I rolled with it. As for the supporting cast of character…Big Steve was definitely a scene stealer in every way. I loved Kevin and Lydia and Harlow’s crew definitely made things interesting. And then we have Dex. I’m going to have to prepare myself for him because if being in Landon’s head had my eyes rolling, I’m kind of afraid of what Dex will do to me. But, I am looking forward to his book considering what we know about him…

~ Copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley ~

Alright, let's dive into "Not Your Biggest Fan" by Sara Ney! 📚✨

Review
"Not Your Biggest Fan" is a delightful rom-com that had me laughing out loud and swooning in equal measure. Harlow James, the creator of the dating app Kissmet, is in New York to secure advertisers. She’s a sassy, small-town girl who can’t help but meddle in other people’s business. Enter Landon “Andy” Burke, the NFL’s most-wanted free agent, who she meets at a food truck. Their chemistry is off the charts, and their banter is pure gold. 🌟💖

The story takes a fun twist when Andy and Harlow end up in the same hotel, leading to a weekend of mind-blowing connections. But after the weekend, Harlow returns to her life in Green Bay, only to have Andy show up at her door, thanks to Kissmet’s matchmaking magic. The romance is steamy, the characters are lovable, and the plot is engaging. 🏈🔥

Rating
I’d give this book a 3.9 out of 5. It’s a fun, sexy read that’s perfect for fans of contemporary romance. 🌟📚

Thanks
A big thank you to NetGalley, Montlake, and Sara Ney for the ARC. I had a blast reading it! 🙌📖

If you’re looking for a light-hearted, feel-good romance, "Not Your Biggest Fan" is definitely worth a read! 💖📚

This was an entertaining romance told from a dual POV. I liked the main characters and the idea of them meeting like they did and Harlow having no idea who Andy was. The story was believable enough and the bantering between Harlow and her dad was really entertaining. I didn't care for the many conversations via text message as they were tiring to read and sometimes cringeworthy. I liked that there was not third-act-break-up.
All in all an enjoyable romance!

This is just a fun, lighthearted romance.

Landon aka Andy and Harlow randomly meet in the middle of Central Park and then again in the hotel they are both staying at. They have one amazing day together in the city and Harlow thinks that is it, she won’t even see the man again. However, Andy has other things in mind.

There is an instant connection between the two of them. I love the banter they share. Harlow is absolutely clueless for the longest time about who Andy really is (a major NFL star) and I love that Andy can truly be himself with her. I just enjoyed the two of them together.

This is a super fast paced story, it is fun, lighthearted that mixed some laughs with a little spice.

If you’re looking for a hidden identity, opposites attract, he falls first, sports romance check this one out.

This book was fine. I think it was a bit unrealistic. Not the meeting part, but just how quickly the reconnected. I enjoyed the chemistry.

I had to DNF this at 50%.

I was trying to give the two main characters the benefit of the doubt, but they were both walking, immature red flags.

The concept was intriguing and adorable, but once I dove in, there was zero chemistry and the writing style just didn't do it for me. I felt absolutely nothing but cringe.

There was a lot of "LOL"-ing and very weird, bland text exchanges that were so awkward, and it nearly took the entire 50% of the book to get through one day. I could tell that this was going nowhere and in a very poorly written way.

I did peruse Goodreads for some intel on Sara Ney, as this was my first read from her, and there are tons of good reviews on other books, so I might give her a chance in the future or I'm in the minority in the dislike of writing and the "telling" style of writing rather than "showing" through actions, compelling dialogue and scene setting.

And for the love of god, can we please stop putting real people on book covers? Let my little imagination create these characters, not be overshadowed by whatever the person on the cover represents.

Harlow and Andy’s entire relationship is so entertaining. Their first meeting is not cliché, so it’s refreshing to see something different and that is hilarious. I love the moments with Harlow’s dad because he is so innocent and eccentric. The book never has a dull moment and has me turning the page in anticipation of the next amusing scene that will happen. I wish the book was a little longer, so their relationship could’ve developed more because they went full-force-too-fast for me.

This was a funny read. I loved the banter between Harlow and Andy and the text conversations between Harlow and her friends and Andy and Dex. What a great meet cute story for them to tell their kids!

I enjoyed watching the friendship develop between them, when she had no idea who he was and they could just both be themselves. When Harlow finds out who Andy really is I think she handles it really well, and it shows how strong her feelings are for him that she takes the time to listen and weigh her options.

A great read, with lots of funny moments and plenty of spicy ones too!