Lorelei Romano is a great soccer player. and is in her junior year at college. Lorelei has a great boyfriend., a fun and exciting roommate and an awesome soccer team. Life is good - until her boyfriend breaks up with her and she looses her apartment. It's either live in her car or ask her twin brother if she can live in his house - the football house. Her brother says she can stay for the current semester - Brothers! He won't help her move and he assigned her a room on the third floor of his house - three flights - AND directly across from his best friend Luca Monroe..

She's always had a crush on Luca but as far as she can tell he doesn't know she exists. He is the grumpiest. He surprising helps her once in a while but lives the most regimented life she has ever seen. He schedules almost every moment of his life. Every moment of his day revolves around football, workouts, studying. He is determined to join the upcoming NFL draft.

Things begin to change when she runs into her ex-boyfriend. He is disrespectful and ugly with her and Luca sees it all. Her ex-boyfriend is also in competition with her for an internship she dearly wants. Luca decides to help her with her project so she can impress the professor. He opens up to her about why he is so determined to succeed - his grandmother. They visit his grandmother and then she understands. She is living in a home that is deteriorated, and about to go under. Lorelei decides to make the home her project. Utilizing social media and community partnerships her project helps turn the home around- all the while working with Luca who surprisingly makes time to help her.

Luca, Mr. Grumpy, finally admits he has always liked her and admires her but still cannot bring himself to upset her brother and tell him about their relationship. He makes her keep him a secret. She decides enough is enough and it is time to move on! Goodbye Mr. Grumpy!

Will he decide to make her a priority? Will he upset her twin, his quarterback, and tell him he is seeing his sister? Is he willing to risk his future for Love?

Join Lorelei and Luca on this journey to find out.

Audiobook:⭐⭐⭐⭐
Story:⭐⭐
Spice: 🔥🔥

Luca & Lorelei

The narrators did a wonderful job. I enjoyed the audiobook more than the story, so bravo and brownie points for good narrators.

This was my first football romance and I was mildy-whelmed.... just whelmed. Not good, not bad.
I thought it was good enough to continue but it also felt bland and unexciting.

I don't really know how else I could expand on this. It felt repetitive, a mix of a bunch of standard content, and now "oomf".

That is all.

Such a cute sports romance! We got Brother's best friend, forbidden love, friends with benefits, a golden retriever boy, and lots of spice!!

I listened to the audiobook and the narrators were very good. The did a nice job of bringing the story to life. The story is as a dual-POV, explicit, slow-burn college romance. The characters are good. The writing will keep you hooked; I finished it in a day. I enjoyed Luca's grandma, she was a quirky character. It is an angsty sports romance and the first book I have read of Jaqueline Snowe. I think that it is a book that several of my students who like romance will enjoy, although it is a little spicy. Nothing that they probably haven't read if they like open door romance books.

Overall, it's a cute book especially if you enjoy sports romance books.
Thank you to NetGalley for the audioarc to preview.

This works well as a college new adult romance. I am a sucker for a sports romance and this fits the bill well, although I would have preferred more actual sports content, especially since both our FMC and MMC are student athletes. If you like romances where the guy falls first and the girl thinks the guy hates her this will have you giggling. I was not familiar with either of the narrators prior to listening to this, but they both did an admirable job bringing the characters to life and the dual narration was well done. I am not sure this is a series I need to continue, but I highly recommend it for those who crave a new adult romance with loveable side characters (who will likely have their own books) and a solid romance without too much drama.

This was my first Jacqueline Snowe book but I fell in love immediately. This book was a little too steamy for my taste but that is not to say that I didn’t enjoy the book. I fell in love with all of the characters and to know that this is a series makes so happy that I get to continue with the supporting roles in this book. I love football and meeting these football guys was so much fun. I loved the grumpy male role falling for the soccer star. It was such a sweet feel good book and I highly recommend it.

I loved Luca and Lorelei’s love story! This book paced so well with fun spicy events captivating my attention. This book has a few similarities with the book Icebreaker by Hannah Grace. But I found this book more heartfelt in comparison.

But don’t get me wrong! There were horny college students in this one too. But the friendship Luca and Lorelei formed gave the subplot of the story a breather from all the spice. For instance, I loved Luca’s grandmother. What a spitfire! How Lorelei also got close to her rounded out the story in such a meaningful way.

I enjoyed the general story, characters, and romance of this book, I’d give that aspect of the book a 4 out of 5. But I was given the opportunity to hear the advanced listener copy of the audiobook. Recently, I’ve read a lot of very good audiobooks, and sadly this one just didn’t quite measure up to previous ones. There wasn’t as much emotion carried forward in the audio for me. So I’d rate the audiobook a 3.75


Thank-you so much to NetGalley for the ALC 🫶🏻

Okay, so this was my book by Jacqueline Snowe and I gotta say, I enjoyed it! First Meet Foul is a classic grumpy sunshine trope with a sports twist. We've got Lorelei, the bubbly soccer star, and Luca, the grumpy football player who's all about his NFL dreams and taking care of his grandma.

They start out as roommates and try to keep things strictly "friends with benefits." But of course, feelings get involved, and the sparks fly!

I loved that this was told in dual POV. We get to see inside Luca's head, and oh boy, the internal struggle is real! He's all about control and sticking to his plan, but Lorelei throws a wrench in everything.

The narration by John William Maddux and Macie Miller was spot on. I'd never listened to them before, but they brought the characters to life and made the audiobook a real treat.

If you're looking for a cute and steamy sports romance with a touch of family drama, definitely give First Meet Foul a try!

What to expect:
* brother's teammate, roommate, and good friend
* forced proximity (roomates)
* football player x soccer player
* friends with (secret) Benefits
* dual POV

Thank you NetGalley and Spotify Audiobooks for an ALC of this audiobook. I voluntarily read it and gave an honest review.

Tropes:
Brother's Best Friend
Football/Soccer
Friends with (Secret) Benefits
Dual POV
Forced Proximity/Roomates

"If she learned the power her smile had on me, she could get me to do anything in the world"

I really enjoyed this ANGSTY New Adult Romance. I loved the dynamic between Lorelei and Luca and the narration made the book even better and more enjoyable. The characters were brought to life through the audio. I also loved the storyline of Luca working really hard on the field to provide for his grandmother.

3.5

a quick and easy listen! luca was kind of annoying at times, and there was quite a bit of repetition of the whole “my qb’s sister” blah blah blah, but i just rolled my eyes and moved past it lmao.

i liked the narrators a lot. no adjustment period like at all. i did prefer the female narrator’s version of luca OVER the male narrator’s version of lorelei.

🎧 listened to audiobook
#netgalley

I loooooved this audiobook!! Not only was the audio itself well done, but the story was so perfect!! This is the first Jacqueline Snowe book I have read and in the few weeks since I have read it I have finished the rest of this series! Highly recommend!

This was a fun, lighthearted and emotional dual POV new adult/college friends with benefits romance that has a soccer player falling for her brother's football playing friend despite not wanting or having time for anything real. Good on audio and perfect for fans of authors like Elle Kennedy, Rebecca Jenshak or Grace Reilly. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an audio review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

3.5/5 Stars

First Meets Foul is my first read by Jacqueline Snow and I can’t wait to read some more by her in the future.

This is Luca and Lorelei’s story. Lorelei moved into her brother’s football house for the year and one of her roommates happens to be Luca, his best friend. Who is a grumpy grump playboy who tries to stay as far away from Lorelei as he can.

But things between them start to heat up and the carefully constructed wall between them gets knocked down. But will their no strings attraction turn into anything more?

Lor and Luca were both fun characters, with totally different personalities. I felt for both of them when struggling to stay away from one another.

John William Maddux and Macie Miller did a great job narrating these two. They were perfect for this college aged romance.

Looking forward to seeing who Dean, Lorelei’s brother, will crave in the future!

Sports romances are my weakness, and First Meet Foul absolutely delivered! With its perfect mix of banter, tension, and heartfelt moments, this brother’s-best-friend romance hit all the right notes. I loved the dual narration on this audiobook it helped the story remain engaging for me the entire time.

Luca stole my heart from the moment he said, “vent or fix.” He’s not just a focused athlete trying to help his grandma, but also emotionally intelligent, caring, and utterly swoon-worthy. His push-pull with Lorelei, forbidden as it is, was deliciously angsty and full of charm. Speaking of Lorelei—she’s a force. Strong-minded and determined, she’s the perfect mix of sunshine and grit. She knows her boundaries, cares deeply for others, and is impossible not to root for.

Their chemistry was off the charts, and the progression from “just one time” to full-on emotional entanglement was captivating. The brother’s-best-friend trope was handled so well, adding just the right amount of drama without overdoing it. Plus, the dual POV gave so much depth to both characters, making their connection feel authentic and real.

Special shoutout to Luca’s grandma, who had me laughing out loud—what a fantastic side character!

If you love angsty, slow-burn college sports romances with witty dialogue, lovable characters, and plenty of heart, First Meet Foul is a must-read. Jacqueline Snow has me hooked, and I can’t wait to dive into the rest of the series.

I really enjoyed the dual narration and I love Macie Millers narration. Thank you for the ARC.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

An enemies-to-lovers story is all about how love can catch you by surprise. It often blooms when you least expect it, reminding us that sometimes our hearts know what we need, even when our minds are hesitant. No matter how hard you try to resist, love has a way of finding you at just the right moment!

First Meet Foul by Jaqueline Snowe is a perfect pick for fans of angsty, slow-burn sports romances. With sizzling chemistry, witty banter, and heartfelt moments, this brother’s-best-friend story delivers all the feels.

Luca Monroe is swoon-worthy—a driven athlete with a tender side, balancing NFL dreams, caring for his grandma, and his undeniable connection with Lorelei Romano. Lorelei, a determined and resilient soccer player, is navigating heartbreak and an intense internship rivalry, all while living across the hall from Luca in the football house.

Their forbidden dynamic crackles with tension, and the dual POV adds depth to their emotional journey. With standout side characters and just the right mix of humor and drama, First Meet Foul is a touchdown in the world of college sports romance.

Lorelei Romano is a junior in college, and a soccer star. Her twin brother, Dean, is the captain of the football team. The school year starts out great for her, she has a hot boyfriend, is moving towards her dream marketing career, and living with her bestie. Unfortunately, she is left heartbroken and about to be homeless, so she must move into the "football house" where her brother lives with some of his football teammates. Lo can't fight her attraction to Luca, even though she believes he hates her and romance with any of her brother's teammates is forbidden! Told in duel POV with duel narrators, this is a funny, romantic, and hopeful story.

Spicy sports romance trope as anyone who has read any Jacqueline Snow Novel should expect. She is the perfect read for fans of Meghan Quinn or Elle Kennedy type of authors. Lo, the FMC was a fun, spunky star soccer player and Luka a grumpy focused football star with forced proximity. These characters were fun and well developed, but my favorite was Luka’s grandma. I would love for the author to write a novel with all these characters but have grandma as the main character and a little less spice. The female narrator was perfect, the male narrator was food, but I would have expected a deeper male voice. The book may be a vulgar for those who aren’t into spicy scenes, but the story is cute (skip the spice scenes and enjoy the novel).

Audio

This sometimes hilarious, most of the time angsty romance is about Lorelei and Luca. Two collegiate athletes that are finding their way and hoping forever is in the cards!

The audio was really good. Engaging and the narrators did such a good job at switching between characters, especially from make to female and vice versa!

This story was so good and one that I was hooked on from the start. It took a bit for the steamy romance to start as they navigated their feelings and what they could be. As both juggled life and sports they had to decide of what they are is more.

The secondy characters were amazing. Luca’s grandma was a hoot and I could not get enough of her sass.

Luca and Lorelei though, gah these two have my heart. I love how much they both had to grow and that Lorelei knew her with. She didn’t mess around when it came to her heart and I loved that about her!

Such a lovely football centered romance. I didn’t think I was a sports romance girly but this book was so fun. Definitely worth a read.