Only Between Us - Ellie K. Wilde ( 5 Stars!)

5 stars!

Tropes: fostered-MFC, fostered heroine, Professional-athlete-hero, Lift-each-other-up, equal-partners, supportive-partners, he falls first

This is a really sweet romance. I'm not sure how else to explain it. It is sweet without being overly sweet, although it breaches that boundary a bit. Sometimes authors go too far into the he-falls-first category and this one reaches that, but not quite.

The heroine understands the hero, doesn't hold the hero hostage for his feelings, and unlike most other heroines, is really bold and unapologetic for feeling desire for the hero. That was unusual and unique and I appreciated it. The hero acknowledges how the heroine is different than his ex. He takes care of her and wants to keep taking care of her the rest of his life. They embody partnership and that is a really sweet sentiment. Being there for the other person consistently and being open in communication is super important, and I am happy that this book highlighted that aspect.

Thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for the e-ARC

Racing Hearts - Ann Adams (5 stars)

 

5/5 stars

Tropes: professional athlete mfc, athlete mmc, mmc coaches mfc, partnership, equality, olympics, rowing. 

This is such a sweet ( not in a sickening way) romance. The thing that struck me immediately is that the heroine knows herself, which is a novelty in romance books, honestly. She is very aware of how other people perceive her, how important rowing is for her, and how she doesn't care what others think.

Katherine is physically strong, and this is consistently demonstrated rather than just hinted at.  She is also very logical and practical about why things work/do not work for her. Her physique is also that of an athlete and she has muscles that demonstrate it. However, Adrian loves the way she looks and shows true appreciation for her. 

Adrian is a wholly sweet hero who is almost the polar opposite of Katherine, yet they seem to mesh together really well. He doesn’t disparage her, and whatever she thinks are her shortcomings, he treats them as her core personality. He thinks she is extraordinary from the very beginning, and that is also a very refreshing take. He is a true partner to her and can support her and making her a better athlete for it. Even though she scoffs at him and doesn’t seem to understand why he means ( literally), he is patient with her and gives her space to catch up. 

He was written so well that I almost forgot what he looked like and what his last name was. That’s when you know the personality outshines the looks (although I'm a sucker for green eyes, brown hair combo). He's not perfect; he has faults, and Kath can pick up on his insecurities, making their pairing that much more natural. 

Thanks to Netgalley and Ballantine for the e-ARC