Sidelined

I've received a ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. A cute sports romance novel that features a seriously HOT assistant coach and drum roll please... Another BLONDE heroine. Seriously does authors not know there are people out their with brown/black hair? But I digress. Overall, the story was simple and sweet, and there wasn't anything that really stood out. Cute plot and likable characters, what more can I say? It's a good and easy read if you're looking for something to pass the time with.

This book was an amazing read. When I started the book, I was expecting just another underdog romance where the heroine overcomes all obstacles and ends up with the guy in the end. Though you could say that was the general storyline, I was happily surprised. The amount of comedy and the intelligent banter between the main characters was so enjoyable and the slow build of their relationships hook me in on an emotional level. There were times where I wanted to scream at both of them and I could not put the book down! I would recommend this book to anyone that enjoys a good sports based romance with the unique twist of them both being coaches rather than players.

Find this review and more at kimberlyfaye reads. I found Sidelined intriguing since I first read the blurb. A female head football coach in an antagonistic enemies to lovers romance with the man she beat out for the job? Come on, that has my name written all over it. It gave me a nice mix of football, feminism and feels. Sidelined was a quiet romance. It wasn’t exactly a slow burn, but things between Charlie and Connor built slowly. There wasn’t a lot of on the page heat, but what it lacked in sexy times it made up for in character development. I have to say, though, I didn’t always love Charlie or Connor. It was difficult to get a read on each of them at times and I had a tough time understanding their motivations. But something about them together just seemed right though, even if they were better at pushing each other’s buttons than opening up to each other and confronting their feelings. As frustrating as I found the way they danced around each other at times, I couldn’t help but root for them. Thankfully they got it together before it was all said and done and I got the swoony feels I needed from their story. I particularly appreciated the take on traditional gender roles and the strength of Charlie’s character. It takes a strong woman to put up with the misogyny she did and not roll over. I think it’s something that a lot of readers will find relatable, even if what they deal with doesn’t occur on a football field. I know I sure did. I’m all for female empowerment – in and out of the bedroom – in my books, so I really connected with that storyline. Sidelined was my first Suzanne Baltsar book, but it won’t be my last. I can’t wait to see what she gives us next, but in the meantime I’m going to check out her backlist. I received a complimentary copy of this book for review consideration. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Favorite Quotes: “I’ve already heard all the whispered rumors and passive-aggressive insults, so if you have an issue with the fact that I wear a bra instead of a jockstrap, you can come to me directly. I have no tolerance for bullshit.” “We coach. We fight. We coach. We fight. We’ve got a good routine going.” Romantic adult relationships should come with a warning—nobody talked about the hazards of those the way they did about smoking. Mediocre men were celebrated. Highly skilled women were doubted.