So I guess I’m into lacrosse now. It was bound to happen eventually, but like this book made it seem like so much fun and now I will actually look into the sport. Good times good times.

Cross My Heart is a solid sports romance with an engaging premise, but it didn’t fully engage or impress me.

*2-2.5 stars*
So I think this book is wrongly marketed as almost enemies to lovers, fake-dating. It's actually more second chance, and if I knew this I probably wouldn't have read it, although people who like that trope might enjoy it. Also the miscommunication in this book is BIG (and also sooo repetitive).

My main problems, except for the mismarketing, was just how out of proportion and dramatic the main 'problem' was. It seems everyone in Colt's hometown is mad at him for...leaving to go to college elsewhere?! I kinda understood May's frustration but not enough for it to constantly be bought up every chapter and for being the main obstacle to their relationship. This repetitiveness also made the book feel longer than it needed to be.

To be fair, I did like the south-asian representation and women in sports rep too. But sadly just not enough for me to enjoy the overall book.

Personal side note: Since Colt broke his ACL, I would have a liked a book centred around women in sports to at least bring up the big ACL problem in women's sports. (unless I missed it)

Thanks NetGalley for the eARC!

This was cute!

At first, I was very confused as to the ages of the main characters. And this carried on for a few chapters, I believe. But eventually, that was cleared up. I'm still not sure about those first few chapters, but eventually they switched to not being confusing. (I am aware that explanation was confusing, I have no idea how else to explain what I am trying to explain. Sorry.)

And this was a forced proximity, fake dating situation (and I always love that premise), so that was fun! But their chemistry wasn't always there, so it was a bit stilted at times.

We do get both of the main POVs in this, which is also great. I know a lot of people love when romances have that. Although, sometimes the POVs were weird because they would describe things in a way that I do not think someone their age would. (I don't know how else to explain that.)

Overall, this was cute, but sometimes it fell quite a bit flat.

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review! My Goodreads review is up and my TikTok (Zoe_Lipman) review will be up at the end of the month with my monthly reading wrap-up.

May and Colt are cute. I like them both a lot as characters. I wanted more chemistry building between them though. It would have also been nice to get more information about their past, families, and other aspects of their lives. I felt a little thrown into the plot.

I didn't realize this book was going to be so heavily sport based. The lacrosse element was cool though and something new to me. I liked the authors note at the end describing the origin of lacrosse, and that would have been a neat element to add into the story. This read as a little more YA.

I had the pleasure of reading Cross My Heart as an arc!

I loved that this book surrounded Lacrosse which was refreshing since most sports romance books surround hockey or football! I enjoyed that they focused on the women's side of sports since you don't see that all too often. I think the fake dating trope was fun but maybe a little unrealistic for social media to be following a college lacrosse players relationship. You could tell they had feelings for each other but they didn't give into those feelings right away. There was drama and a break up in their relationship before they could come together. I loved how Esha portrayed female empowerment and the challenges women go through while living in a "man's world".

This is my first read from Esha Patel and it was written well. The story was heartwarming and an easy read. Overall it was a 4 star book and if you love a fake dating, sports romance - you'll likely enjoy this book!

Thank you NetGalley and Esha Patel for the opportunity to read this arc!

This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future.

May achieves her ambition to be a college lacrosse player, only to find Colt is going to coach the team .will romance develop? Ideal reading for all lacrosse lovers.

I LOVED THIS! I am so excited that Lacrosse women finally get some representation in the book industry! I was so into this book and the fact that the author really knew about the sport was really awesome. THANK YOU!

this is probably my favorite of esha patel's 3 sports romances that i've read. it was sweet and i kept coming back to the dedication at the beginning of the book, and how that really felt like it was proven out.

this wasn't an abnormally short book by contemporary romance standards but i found myself wanting... more? i wanted more about may and colt's past, i wanted more may and colt moments in the present. i wanted more of may and her family and her culture. i honestly did not care much about the lacrosse bits, and this book got fairly detailed about the lacrosse (especially for a sports romance novel, where usually it's like oh hey someone plays sports! here's a tiny bit of what they do and then we're gonna talk around it for the rest of the book~), so if it was a page length issue, i would have muchhh rather had more romance than lacrosse bits. you're telling me that they basically lived together for 3 months and all we got was one scene where they slept in bed together?? i feel shortchanged.

i did think it was v interesting to see the reference about the indigeniety of stickball. part of me wishes there was more talk about it in the plot (there is more discussion about it in the author's note tho!), and part of me is like, this author is prob not the best person to do that, so it's probably a good thing they did not.

I would say finally not a hockey sports romance but in all honesty I love them though I will say it was super refreshing to read a new sport for once!!
This is a second chance romance troupe// forced proximity// fake dating
In my opinion this book has all the ingredients for a gripping romance book, you know the ones that make you giggle and kick your feet but also have you feeling for the main characters? Yepp that’s the one.

I really enjoyed seeing the characters progress in this story. The story was well paced and well written. I was hooked from the beginning and devoured it in just a few sittings.

I had a bit of a rocky start with this book. For the first 10%, I was a little confused about the characters’ ages—there seemed to be a mix between high school and college students, which threw me off at first. It also took me a while to figure out the setting, as the book didn’t clearly mention the location. I found myself wondering if it was in New Haven, Connecticut, but there was no confirmation until later. A simple mention of the state would have made things much clearer.

That said, once I got past the confusion, I really enjoyed the book. The focus on female sports was refreshing and empowering, especially as it revolved around lacrosse—an underrepresented sport in the professional world. The idea of women playing professionally in a sport like lacrosse was an interesting “fantasy” concept that I really appreciated, even if it did stretch the boundaries of realism a bit.

The protagonist’s stubbornness did get a little frustrating at times, as it felt like she was her own worst enemy in some situations. Still, it made sense for her character’s arc and added depth to her personal growth.

Overall, the book was a unique and engaging read once I got past the initial confusion. If you’re a fan of sports fiction with strong female leads, this might be right up your alley!

Out May 22, 2025

Thank you to net galley for providing me with this ARC!

As a college lacrosse enthusiast for years, I was excited to read the novel. The storyline helps to move the plot, but parts seem unrealistic (lacrosse hotbed in the midwest, fans suddenly showing up for college women's lacrosse games, and social media being all over a lacrosse relationship). At times, the main characters are underdeveloped over time, with Colt being fixated on May and May being stubborn. However, I do appreciate May's diverse heritage and representation of person of color on a college lacrosse team.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was cute!!

Fake dating done well in this sports romance!

I loved that both the FMC and MMC played lacrosse. That added an element of connection to their relationship. Both characters were lovable but a little under developed.

I didn't feel incredibly connected to either character or their connection. Butttttt this was a lovely lighthearted read,

I don't even know where to start with this one...

First of all, what I loved: a fresh take on sports romance. It being Not Hockey is why I signed up for this one. Also, forcing them to fake date as a way of forced proximity because they lurv each other but are too stubborn to get over what happened as teens? Brilliant! Loved it.

The things I didn't like: this is a second chance/missed opportunity romance, and if I'd known that going in, I probably wouldn't have requested it because second chance is generally not my jam. But they weren't just nemeses in high school. They were best friends who liked each other and danced around their feelings, getting close, and then he doesn't really say goodbye when his family leaves for Boston.

The prologue. Yet again proving that prologues are not needed and could be woven into the story.

The book heavily falls under Save The Cat beats and that means the first few chapters could've been cut and woven into the rest. The story doesn't really begin until Chapter 4. There's a prologue, Chapter 1 is 7 years later, and then Chapter 2 is another 3 months later, so I feel pretty validated saying this. The whole plot is also pretty slow in the Save The Cat kind of way. They start fake dating somewhere around 20%, and honestly, I gave up, searched the word "kiss" (not as many instances as I would've liked given this is Romance and a Fake one at that!) and kind of went from there, reading the last half.

Oklahoma is not The South. Idc if it's in the SEC now. It's not The South.

If you're not a fan of miscommunication that's really not-communicating, this book is not for you. Their whole angsty tension is based on the fact that Colt didn't say goodbye when his family left because he was scared because May meant so much to him. So he just ignored her and shot himself in the foot. This is mentioned early on. That's literally it though. That's what they have to get over. He liked her sooooo much he couldn't say goodbye. (Or text or call or FaceTime or DM in the seven years since?!?!?!) I'll be honest in saying I don't really feel like I missed much of their story skipping the middle part, given that it's a non-advertised Second Chance anyway. I still got their backstory and the tension from that, and from what I can tell, I just missed May being stubborn--which, on the one hand, she had right to be, but on the other, girl just read him the riot act and move on then. So I feel like I just missed the mega miscommunication trope.

I wasn't a fan of the writing style. It kinda felt like I was listening to someone repeat a story to me after the fact, even though it's first POV, rather than me being there, present, immersed in the story as it's happening around me. I think that voice and storytelling style CAN absolutely, 100% work. It just didn't work for me here, in this story. There were a lot of details that weren't necessary in the moment and felt thrown in in a tell-not-show way about clothing, setting, character descriptions. Especially when the story opens from MMC's POV and he's the one giving me the run down of FMC's outfit in a way I just don't believe a teenage boy would do.

And finally, why is this being pubbed by a British house??? Why not American?? I was legit confused by the American setting but the British quotes and spellings. The author is American, so this really confused me. Are Brits clamoring for an American college lacrosse books?

I wanted to love this one because of it being Not Hockey sport romance with a WOC as the FMC. It's written by a WOC who's also a Hawkeye. But this one just didn't grab me the way I was hoping.

2.5 rounded to a 3, but I'd be willing to give this author another shot for surrrre given what else I've seen from her titles!

A fresh outlook on sports romances? Of course Esha Patel has it covered.

Firstly, it is so nice to read a sports romance that isn’t just the typical hockey romance. It’s so refreshing and makes this an even more enjoyable read. That being said, let’s focus on specific elements of the book.

This is fake dating done right! Yes it’s obvious there are feelings there, but the two MCs don’t give in to it straight away and don’t immediately change into a “real” relationship. There is still a breakup, and still dilemmas in the relationship that build suspense at times.

The female empowerment element is written well and doesn’t feel like tokenism as it does in some other books. There’s a true message of empowerment and representation within typical male fields, which I hope will encourage more people to go into women’s sports.

Overall, a 4 star read. I would recommend to anyone who loves sports romances and/or fake dating, or is looking for something new to read. Esha Patels books will never let you down.

Cross My Heart by Esha Patel is a delightful sports romance that balances heart, humour, and a touch of drama. May Velasco has worked hard to secure a scholarship and join her college’s lacrosse team. Her focus is on proving herself on the field, but her plans are derailed when her childhood nemesis, CJ "Colt" Bradley, turns up as a training assistant for the team.

Colt, now a star of New Haven's pro lacrosse team, is the last person May wants advice from. Their tense history makes working together uncomfortable, but things take an unexpected turn when they're photographed in what appears to be a very intimate moment at a bar. The fallout from the photo isn't what May expects—while she's furious, the college sees it as an opportunity for publicity and the women’s lacrosse team gets more attention than it’s ever had before.

To keep her place on the team, May and Colt strike a deal to pretend they’re dating for the sake of the sport’s publicity. What starts as a staged romance soon becomes more complicated as the two find themselves in deeper emotional waters than they anticipated.

With its focus on female sports and its diverse representation, Cross My Heart is a breath of fresh air in the sports romance genre. Patel has crafted a fun and engaging story that mixes witty banter with real emotional stakes. The chemistry between May and Colt is electric, and their evolving relationship is both touching and entertaining.

If you're looking for a light-hearted, yet heartfelt read with a compelling storyline and great character dynamics, Cross My Heart is a fantastic choice. It's a book I’d recommend to anyone in need of a pick-me-up, and I’d love to read more from this talented author.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

I'm not gonna lie, I DNFed this book at about 30%

I love a good sports romance, so I was excited for this one. But after starting it... The use of Spanish words in the prologue felt forced, but I could let that go.

Really though - I just did not like this writing. I don't know how to explain it well but the sentences felts choppy. It felt like someone was repeating an event that happened rather than telling me a story that allowed me to immerse myself into the world. I kept hoping at any point I would feel more connected to the story or characters, but it was not happening. The dialogue was mid and that really can make or break a book.

Overall, this book was not for me.

3/5!

First time reading a lacrosse romance for me and what a great start. Sports romance, rivals to lovers AND fake dating what more could you ask for.
I found the focus on female sports a breath of fresh air and loved the diverse representation.
A solid fun book and would love to read more work from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for the Arc!