Published by Forever on June 30, 2026
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Rating:
Goodreads
A hockey team captain and a bubbly staffer mix business with pleasure when they start fake dating through the wedding season in this hot sports romance perfect for fans of Mariana Zapata and Elle Kennedy.
Darcy Kendrick is used to putting out fires. As an overworked admin to a hockey team, she’s seen it all. But nothing prepares her for accidentally DMing her very private, very NSFW fantasy to the subject of this fantasy: team captain Eric Tremaine. Nobody actually dies of embarrassment. Right?
But when a wedding invite puts them on a collision course with her chaotic family and his emotionally fraught past, Eric suggests a plan: they fake-date their way through the “Wedding Experience.” It’s mutually beneficial. Totally strategic. And definitely not real. Except between mini tacos, slow dances and lingering glances, Eric starts to wonder if the sharp-tongued assistant with a bottomless to-do list might be the one person who truly sees him. And for Darcy? The fire in her heart might be the only one she can’t put out.
It’s supposed to be fake. It’s supposed to be temporary. So why is it so hard to walk away?
She slipped into his DMs accidentally which opened the door to some romantic possibilities.
Eric and Darcy have a professional relationship, but after discovering they will both be attending the same wedding, they decide to be each other's plus-one for all the "Wedding Experience" activities. Facing family drama is a little easier with a partner, even a fake one.
I will never say "no" to a Sarina Bowen romance because I know it will be smart and funny with just the right amount of drama and emotion. I was already a HUGE fan of this world after reading Thrown For a Loop. So, I was giddy to be back with the Legends, but even more excited to get to know Eric better.
O Captain! My Captain! Eric was a total giver. He took his role as captain very seriously and was always providing support to his teammates...at all times. He was the same way with his loved ones, and it was starting to take its toll. I was glad that Darcy helped him find a quiet place and learn to set boundaries for the sake of his mental health. Regardless of all his inner turmoil, Eric was always a shining star, and I loved seeing him realize he wanted more for himself because I wanted more for him and that "more" was Darcy.
Darcy had quite the family drama, and being at her half-brother's wedding just amplified those "outsider" feelings she harbored. My heart ached for her, but there were also many surprises revealed during "The Wedding Experience" which pleased me. I felt so much better knowing Eric was there for Darcy, to support and stand up for her. Darcy was independent and capable, but it's always good to know someone is in your corner.
All the wedding festivities provided a fun backdrop as the romance unfolded. From the dance off to the maze race, there were many hilarious moments and lots of tiny food to delight me. [Bowen really had me thinking about tiny food, and I think she's right - it IS better than full-sized.] And, I loved the way the team was incorporated into the story. There were some great bromantic scenes which made me smile as well as group texts that always had me laughing.
Overall: My second outing with the NY Legends was outstanding! I laughed so much and cheered for Darcy and Eric as they made their way to their HEA.
Published by Dell on June 23, 2026
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Rating:
Goodreads
In this witty and heartfelt debut, a woman's impulsive journey across the pond after a broken engagement leads her to a new love—and a new version of herself.
Seeking a fresh start after leaving her cheating fiancé, Abby McIntyre makes a series of spontaneous decisions: She quits her job. She books a one-way flight to the UK. She even gets bangs!
Newly arrived in Liverpool, she lands a job with the Mersey Football Club and meets Lachlan Ramsay, the recently recruited Scottish star midfielder. Both lonely in a new city, the pair bond quickly, and Abby finds it nearly impossible to deny their chemistry—despite the nagging guilt she feels about Lachlan’s mysterious wife who didn’t relocate with her husband.
When Abby’s housing falls through, Lachlan insists she move into his massive penthouse. As they spend almost every waking moment together, Abby wonders if it’s possible that the world-famous footballer could be falling for her, too. But with her job and his marriage dependent on them staying firmly in the friend zone, can Abby risk being caught offside?
Crackling with witty banter and palpable sexual tension, Abby Offsides is at once a smoldering, slow-burn romance and a nuanced exploration of one woman’s journey to reclaim her own dreams and desires after years of living life on autopilot.
Looking to forget Boston and her broken engagement, Abby headed across the pond, secured a job with the Mersey Football Club, and struck up a friendship with one of the team's newest members. As Abby and Lachlan's friendship grew, things became more complicated between them, but Abby was not going to let this get her offtrack as she attempted to rebuild her life.
This was such a wonderful book! I am not the biggest fan of slow burn romances, but I adored the friendship between Abby and Lachlan so much that it didn't bother me. They were both nursing some wounds and kind of isolated as recent transplants. It was lovely that they could find some comfort in each other. They also engaged in some of the snappiest banter around which never failed to put a grin on my face.
Abby Offsides was a story about Abby course correcting. She had spent six years in a relationship that she knew wasn't right because sometimes it's easier to just stay the course, but doing this had negative repercussions on Abby's life. With some time and distance, Abby accepted what happened and was ready to take steps to get things back on track. She was perpared to try new things and make a name for herself, and she was lucky to have so many people who loved her cheering her on.
I definitely laughed a whole lot as I read this book, but I was slightly frustrated with both Abby and Lachlan. They spent a lot of time avoiding the elephant in the room aka the fact that Lachlan was still married. This was a BIG complication for them, but they failed to address it for a big part of the story. A bit annoying, but not a dealbreaker as everything else hit the right notes for me.
Overall: Abby Offsides was a fantastic slow burn romance filled with humor, heart, whip smart banter, and lots of tension. It was wonderful spending time with Abby and Lachlan, and all their friends as they both worked through some big life decisions and Abby slowly built a new life for herself.
*ARCS PROVIDED BY THE PUBLISHER
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