| Title | : | The Long Game |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1668011301 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781668011300 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 384 |
| Publication | : | Expected publication September 5, 2023 |
Adalyn Reyes has spent years perfecting her daily routine: wake up at dawn, drive to the Miami Flames FC offices, try her hardest to leave a mark, go home, and repeat.
But her routine is disrupted when a video of her in an altercation with the team’s mascot goes viral. Rather than fire her, the team’s owner—who happens to be her father—sends Adalyn to middle-of-nowhere North Carolina, where she’s tasked with turning around the struggling local soccer team, the Green Warriors, as a way to redeem herself. Her plans crumble upon discovering that the players wear tutus to practice (impractical), keep pet goats (messy), and are terrified of Adalyn (counterproductive), and are nine-year-old kids.
To make things worse, also in town is Cameron Caldani, goalkeeping prodigy whose presence is somewhat of a mystery. Cam is the perfect candidate to help Adalyn, but after one very unfortunate first encounter involving a rooster, Cam’s leg, and Adalyn’s bumper, he’s also set on running her out of town. But banishment is not an option for Adalyn. Not again. Helping this ragtag children’s team is her road to redemption, and she is playing the long game. With or without Cam’s help.
The Long Game Reviews
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Adalyn and Cameron will have a Barnes & Noble exclusive edition with bonus content in Cameron's pov (yes, it's hörny, and yes it's unhinged boy obsessed stuff).
You can pre-order the exclusive edition here
All preorders links
here :)
THE LONG GAME (Sept 5) is a small-town, SLOWBURN (!!!!) romance with a dash of soccer and a lot of mutual disliking that slowly but heavily turns into highkey pining–and it does *not* belong to the spanish love deception universe.
TW (with mild spoilers) here! -
May I have your attention, please? Because guess what? My dreams have finally come true! Elena Armas has just released another breathtaking romance novel, and hold on tight because it's absolutely incredible! The characters she has created will make you swoon, burst into fits of laughter, hyperventilate, and send your temperature soaring! She combines my favorite trope, enemies-to-lovers, with the exhilarating world of soccer, giving off major "Bend it Like Beckham" and "Ted Lasso" vibes. And let me tell you, she has truly outdone herself with a grumpy hero as charming as a younger Beckham (with Roy Kent vibes) and a boss lady heroine who dons the facade of an ice queen while secretly yearning for kindness within, all while gracefully strutting around in intimidating stilettos.
Let me also mention that this is, by far, my favorite book by the author. Not only for the reasons I mentioned above, but because Cameron and Adalyn's fiery love story set in a small town feels incredibly genuine, engaging, swoon-worthy, and heartwarming.
Adalyn, after facing a major embarrassment that goes viral, finds herself exiled to a tiny town in the middle of nowhere, North Carolina, following a nerve-wracking breakdown. Leaving behind her demanding job at the Miami Flames FC, she takes on the role of manager for the Green Oak Warriors Young Club, a soccer team of little girls (one of whom insists on wearing a tutu instead of a jersey). Her neighbor and coach of the team, as well as her biggest pain in the backside, is the ex-British legendary goalkeeper, Cameron Caldani (correction: he's also half Italian, as evident from his last name and the correlation of his charm and extra hotness!).
Their initial disastrous encounter quickly turns into hate at first sight, fueling their fiery banter. Both Adalyn and Cameron carry their own demons, insecurities, and past traumas. Adalyn pushes herself to the limit to turn her team's management into a success story, hoping to redeem herself in the eyes of the media and earn her place back at her father's club. She even goes as far as convincing her biggest nemesis to work with her, hoping to win the approval of the parents of her young players. However, what she doesn't anticipate is the undeniable attraction she starts to feel for the man who despises her to the core and is just waiting for her to pack her bags and leave. Little does she know that Cameron Caldani is a warrior who would slay dragons just to be with her, hidden beneath his grumpy exterior! Will they be able to break down their barriers and open up to each other, risking the shattering of their own hearts?
Words cannot express how much I adored this book and how badly I want to adopt the incredible supporting characters, including Brandy, the blind and socially anxious goat, and San Sebastián, the rooster with nine lives. And let's not forget the two possessive cats, Willow and Pierogi. However, my absolute favorite supporting character award goes to little Maria, with her brilliant mind and the hilarious nicknames she comes up with for Cameron. She's an absolute cutie and so incredibly likable.
In conclusion, dear readers, do not miss out on this perfect reading experience! Elena Armas has crafted a story that will sweep you off your feet, make you laugh, and leave you yearning for more. With memorable characters, a captivating small-town setting, and a love story that will tug at your heartstrings, this book is an absolute gem.
And to the author, Elena Armas, thank you for sharing your incredible talent with the world. Your words have the power to transport us to enchanting places and touch our hearts in the most profound ways. I eagerly await your future works and can't wait to see what captivating stories you'll weave next.
Note: I have a strong feeling that there's a spin-off book in the works for Matthew and Josie! I already adore both of these characters and cannot wait to read their sequel in the near future!
A big thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me with a digital reviewer copy of this AMAZING BOOK in exchange for my honest opinions. I am truly grateful for the opportunity to dive into this literary masterpiece.
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This book gave me third degree (slow) burns. Best Elena Armas book, and I couldn't care less about soccer. Thanks so much to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. OKAY Elena Armas!!! Officially an auto-buy author. I've read her other two books, The Spanish Love Deception (5 stars) and The American Roommate Experiment (4 stars). Loved them both. HOWEVER, this book is no doubt my new favorite and I'm now placing it at the number one Elena Armas spot on my bookshelf. To absolutely no one's surprise, EA remains the reigning QUEEN of slow burn writing and The Long Game is slow burn perfection.
I wasn't sure what to expect going into it--sort of a sports romance? Cameron Caldani (*insert all the fire emojis*) is a famous retired pro goalkeeper living the small town quiet life in woodsy North Carolina, and Adalyn Reyes is the privileged daughter of a soccer club owner who is sent to said small town to work with him to coach a U10 girls soccer team. They live in neighboring cottages (hello forced proximity) in a wooded area of town (hello risk of wildlife encounters). Cue all the typical, adorable small town vibes--eccentric townspeople, festivals galore, everyone-knows-everyone, general shenanigans because Adalyn isn't used to the rural lifestyle a la Piper Bellinger/Naomi Witt. For being Elena Armas's first book in this style, she totally knocks it out of the park. I loved this more than so many other small town romances I've read. Literally felt like I was living in this little town and rooting for the girls' team and going to the local parties.
Things this book makes sexy that otherwise would (probably) not be: dirty farm animals. yoga with said farm animals. a sprained ankle. a pottery class. a blind goat. sno-cones. a bug infested cottage. meditation. a home beer brewing machine. crooked fingers. The list goes on. Cameron Caldani >>> Aaron Blackford and Lucas Martin. And let me tell you, I looooved Aaron Blackford. But I love Cameron Caldani more. He's tall, dark haired, green eyed, half Italian/half English with an English accent (think "love" and "darling" nicknames), covered in tattoos, a literal soccer star, super broody and at first judgmental of Adalyn because she struggles to do small town life but slowly falls in love and just knows she is THE one. Adalyn puts on a great facade of being stoic and cold but really is this melting puddle of insecurity and self-doubt that I felt to my core, and Cameron is there for it. He's there for her. He wants to help her slay her dragons but knows she's capable of doing it with or without him. Its stupidly romantic and spicy and tricks you into thinking its realistic, which is just the best type of writing.
And I cannot forget the girls soccer team!!! Maria Vasquez, the little nine-year-old with the mind of a full grown adult! Chelsea! Juniper! The tutu! The nicknames for Coach Cameron! The way Cameron interacts with these little girls (strong daddy vibes that I didn't realize I was missing in a book)! Everything about this is just one giant pile of sweetness. Anyways, I am now experiencing a book hangover and need to go tell everyone to read this when it comes out. 5 whole incredible sexy spicy fun endearing happy stars!!! -
A grumpy hero and an ice queen bad ass of a heroine, bring together a fiery of a chemistry romance that will have you wanting for more...
THIS BOOK! THIS BOOOOOOOOOOOK! Elena, my dear Elena... my lovely friend from far away, your stroking fingers and brilliant mind know what they are doing. YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING! I knew from the moment that you texted me about Cameron, that he was going to be my ultimate daddy that I have been craving for a while now. The daddy of all daddy's. Not that this is a daddy trope... **cough cough** but my daddy issues make me feel like a little girl, twirling her hair when reading more about Cameron. He is just so suave and rough simultaneously and it makes me melt. And Adelyn? Being a bad ass of a super star is an understatement. Her character as a whole makes me love her and admire.
Enemies to lovers is yet another understatement of what an incredible trope this story is. Cameron and Adelyn's initial interaction makes you instantly fall in love with their power chemistry. Two individuals from different worlds, collide and meet to help out a team of little girls and their little league soccer team. With time, and more unintentional interactions in this small town, Cam and Adelyn cannot deny that their undeniable chemistry is there. And though Adelyn has some internal battles of her own that keep her at arms length, she knows that denying her attraction towards Cameron is not something she can live with for a long time;
"You were looking at me the way you are now. Just like that. I didn't want it to end." His words were soft, barely a whisper.
"Like what?"
"Like I'm something precious. Worth look at." His face fell.
"Why would you think otherwise?"
"Because no one ever looks at me that way."
Their road towards getting to know one another leads them to really open up in ways they would never thought they ever would with a partner. And once Cameron sees her. Truly, honorably sees Adelyn and her touch exterior breaks down, he knows that she is someone that he wants. Someone he craves and will be addicted to from that moment on;
"She's not a prize to be won." I took the elastic from her."She's... not a game. She's more than something you win. She's more than a loss. She's everything that's worth playing for. She's everything in between."
Not only do we get this magical of a story featuring Cameron and Adelyn, but Elena has introduced side characters that will make you fall for them all. Especially Maria, and her anxious filled and blind goat, Brandy. These two are goofballs in the making and made my stomach hurt with how much I kept laughing at their interactions with Cam and Adelyn. And of course, we cannot forget San Sebastián, because Elena's love for Sebastian Stan a.k.a. Bucky, comes in a form of hilarious rooster in this story. Oh, and Willow and Pierogi, oh gosh. These two feline friends make me crack up. Their possessive streak is on a run and I love everything about it.
This story is beyond anything that Elena has written thus far. And as her friend, it is truly a beauty and honor getting to see her go through this journey. I am beyond proud of her. And after all is said and done, readers will want more of Cameron just as much as I do!
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Update: September 5th isn’t coming fast enough.
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Hello?! Screaming crying throwing up-
Dual pov?! He’s gonna be grumpier than Aaron what?!?! Sign me tf up bc sports romance is my bread and butter 🤭💘🦋💕 -
WHEN YOUR MOST ANTICIPATED READ BECOMES A NEW FAVOURITE BOOK OF THE YEAR. THE FEELING IS UNMATCHED.
♾️ stars rtc
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Dreams do come true🥹 thank you for having me as one of your arc influencers Simon and Schuster🫶
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HOW ADORABLE IS THIS ROMANCE ON A SCALE OF ZERO TO SEBASTIAN STAN? ‼️IT’S A SEBASTIAN STAN AND A HALF FOLKS‼️ ELENA’S IG STORIES HAVE ME HYPERVENTILATING. I CANNOT CONTAIN MY EXCITEMENT‼️
AND A HERO GRUMPIER THAN AARON, CHAOS, FEMALE RAGE, AND ANGSTY KISSING⁉️ FALL 2023 LETS GOOO
Edit- WE HAVE A TITLE😫😫 Elena if you see this🤭 I would love to go ABSOLUTELY INSANE for an arc🫶. Thanks tehe🥹
Edit #2- STUNNING COVER REVEAL ON INSTA I AM SCREAMING IT’S EVERYTHING I DREAMED OF AND MORE😭😭🐐 (idk how to remain calm until September 5th tbh🧍♀️) -
hi this is amazing, i loved every second, i will be back closer to release with a full review but just know cam is HOT
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edit: small town romance??? this is gonna be good (it better be)
wake up babe, we get a new Elena Armas book this September -
The Long Game is in my top 2 of favorite books of this year. And it's not number two.
I was supposed to be buddy reading this book with Jess but I think it didn't work out lmaooo I'm still waiting for her to finish because I know she's going to love. BECAUSE YES, I feel like everyone will love it as soon as they read it.
If you love Meet Me Halfway by Lilian T. James or It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey, you're for sure going to love this one. It reminded me of MMH because of the love interest and how he is with the heroine. The heroine in The Long Game, Adalyn, has too much stuff on her plate, the weight is pushing on her shoulders and she feels so deeply alone. She has literally no one and you feel the sadness and aloneness whenever you're in her POV. That reminded me so much of Madison in MMH and if you love her, you're gonna adore Adalyn too. She's known as an ice queen but she just wants someone to see her and be there for her.
And then we have Cameron, the grumpy retired football (soccer) player who is living in this small town after putting down his goalkeeper gloves. No one knows why he retired or why he left LA, but now he's there and he wants a quiet, relaxing life. So when Ada moves next door, things get... not so quiet. And for sure, he's quite mean at first (reminded me a bit of Brendan from IHOS in that way), but then he quickly becomes so very soft for Adalyn. He sees her and cares for her, wants to protect her and spoil her rotten. He wants to be the safe place where she will land and he lets her know like IT'S SO CLEAR.
I don't want to give too much away because you have to experience this book on your own. But let me tell you that this romance is wonderful, so swoony, romantic af and deeply emotional. I cried way too much, mainly because of Adalyn and her story and you will find a conection with her instantly. And you will also adore the soccer aspect of the book, the girls, the team, the goats, the cats, the small town, the accidents and the romance. This book is filled to the brim with so many beautiful elements!!! And so I thank Elena Armas for blessing us with this story. -
TW//
I have heard nothing but good things about Elena Armas’ books, so when I got an email saying I could read this book on NetGalley, I hopped on the opportunity. The synopsis sounded really cute and I was looking forward to reading a fun romance.
However, things started to feel disappointing with this book right away. I hated Adalyn and Cameron right off the bat. They were both cocky, controlling, and honestly really insufferable. Adalyn wanted extreme control of her life and I get that she needed to be confident to maintain that control, but she still got on my nerves with how full of herself she was. Cameron was worse than Adalyn. He was controlling of the relationship and it gave me massive ick. Cameron felt like he needed to be a knight in shining armor for Adalyn instead of letting her deal with her own problems. He claimed he didn’t want to do that, but all of his actions after he started falling for her really boiled down to his need to “save” her. It got on my nerves so much, especially since I have experience with guys who think they're a knight in shining armor.
I was also getting nonstop second hand embarassment from how physical they’d get around other people. I get that they want to be physical with each other, but they’re literally working with a kids soccer team in an extremely smalltown. They’ve got to control their desires in public a little better.
Speaking of romance, this was supposed to be an enemies-to-lovers, but their whole reason for being enemies frustrated me. They were both too stubborn to admit that they could be wrong, so because of that they feuded with each other nonstop. Their first encounter was definitely awkward, but it was no reason to be enemies for so long.
I was hoping that the side characters would carry the story for me, but they didn’t at all. I found all the side characters annoying, especially Josie and the kids. It was super unrealistic, too, to have a nine year old kid give a speech like what a therapist would give. What should’ve been a powerful moment in the book turned into a cringey moment for me because it was a freaking nine year old child giving the life advice.
I hated how Elena Armas would jump from scene to scene with her writing. I’m not sure if it’s like this in her other books, but a scene would occur that seemed like it would be the start of a steamy or powerful scene… but then it would abruptly fastfoward to a new day. I desperately needed those scenes to be completely finished because I was curious about what would happen next, but most of the scenes felt incomplete from all the time jumps.
There were some loose ends in this book that frustrated me. Whatever happened with the chicken? And where’s the resolution to the energy drink drama? Plus, it’s clear that Matthew had some romantic feelings for Adalyn - why didn’t the story ever address that?
One last criticism before I dive into my two positives to this book: I hated how much “darling” and “love” were used in here. I was on the verge of ripping out my hair from annoyance at all those pet names.
On a more positive note, I found the hurt/comfort scenes to be cute. I think Cameron went a little overboard with how much he wanted to care for Adalyn, but I’d never read such intense hurt/comfort scenes in a book before so I enjoyed seeing how that trope could play out in a contemporary romance.
The only other thing I liked about the book were the cats. I loved how the cats played into the story.
As you can probably tell, I wasn’t a huge fan of this book. Unless Elena Armas’ characters and writing are drastically different in her other stories, I don’t think her books are for me. I think some people will like this book, but I just couldn’t find myself enjoying the time that I spent reading this book.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review an eArc of this book. -
I will never, not ever, be over Cameron Caldani and his too tight thermal shirts, his addiction to coffee, his begrudging sharing of said coffee, and the words that come out of his mouth.
Another stunner from Ms. Elena. Please expect a more thorough review of my utter devotion to come. -
I will be back to write a full review but just know that I AM IN LOVE WITH THIS BOOK AND I AM SO UPSET I FINISHED!!!
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Cameron. Thigh tattoo. Hot.
Okay, but also this was equal parts swoon and sexy for me. I felt seen by so much of Adalyn. I was foaming at the mouth for these two to get together and when they did, it was entirely worth that wait. Loved. -
Elena just dropped this book off at my doorstep & laced it with crack because the second i started reading i could not put it down.
This is by far her best book yet. Her writing has improved so much with this book i fell in love with every single word. These characters are the best she’s ever written and that’s saying a lot because i adore her other characters. The Long Game is dual pov, grumpy x grumpy, small town romance, dislike to lovers!!!!! oh and lots of goats!need i say more?? I’ve never laugh so much yet. Words can not explain how much i adore this book.
Adalyn, the main female character is extremely relatable & wants nothing more than to make her father proud of her. When she gets shipped off to a small town in the middle of nowhere due to an embarrassing viral video of her. Her father thinks this will be good for her & his company with her out of the way. Not only is she managing a soccer team of nine year old little girls wearing tutus in this small town but she also has to deal with her hot British / Italian neighbor aka the team’s coach aka the former famous goalkeeper Cameron Caldani aka her worst nightmare. (sounds like a cute meet-cute waiting to happen 🤭)
But that’s not all, the main shinning star of this entire book is 9 year old Maria & her smart mouth. That girl deserves everything.
So do yourself a favor & pick this book up because this is one you don’t wanna miss. It’s the perfect fall book & it will leave you laughing & smiling & just feeling so cozy & warm 💗
Thank you Elena for giving us these amazing characters. I will always have a special place in my heart for them 🫶🏽 -
4'5, en realidad.
No supero este libro y lo muchísimo que me ha encantado. Tenía las expectativas altas, que me las había creado yo mismo porque esta novela tiene todos los clichés que adoro: pueblo pequeño, vecinos de cabaña, grumpy x grumpy, ¿se puede pedir algo más? Yo creo que no. Os confieso que ha superado por completo mis expectativas.
La novela empieza con Adalyn, que debido a un incidente en su trabajo, se ve obligada por su padre a irse a un pueblo perdido en las montañas, a ayudar a salir a flote al equipo de fútbol local. Por supuesto, ahí conocerá a Cameron, que no es otro que su vecino de cabaña y no os cuento más porque tenéis que descubrir esta historia.
Considero que el libro va de menos a más y no porque el inicio no sea bueno, ni mucho menos, sino que empieza a surgir poco a poco, tanto la caracterización de los personajes, así como todo lo que empieza a surgir entre ellos. Si os gustan los libros muy, muy slow-burn lo vais a amar. Por mi parte, tengo que confesar que no me suelen gustar los libros con ese cliché pero en este libro está tan bien llevado que lo he amado por completo.
¿Podemos hablar de Cameron? Porque menudo CRUSH. No supero a este personaje. Además, gracias a Elena por incluir dos puntos de vista porque me tenía LIVING. No tengo absolutamente nada malo que decir sobre él. Es todo lo bien que hay en la vida y más. Adalyn, por el otro lado, también me ha encantado, como poco a poco pierde su coraza y en el fondo, no es más que otro ser de luz.
No quería terminar el libro e intenté leerlo despacio para poder disfrutarlo más, pero es que una vez que empiezas, es difícil parar. No me queda más que recomendaros que lo leáis cuando se publique. Id a por él. -
The Long Game by Elena Armas
Romance | Forced Proximity | Grumpy x Grumpy | Small Town
•Adalyn Reyes gets into an altercation with the team’s mascot. This is the same team that she works for and her father owns. Adalyn’s father sends her to North Carolina to redeem herself by helping a struggling soccer team, the Green Warriors. Adalyn meets the coach, goalkeeper prodigy, Cameron. Could Cameron be useful to Adalyn’s mission?
•Think snail pace, slow burn. If you love a slow burn than this might be your cup of tea. I liked the plot and it contained some really sweet memorable moments. The ending had a small plot twist but it wasn’t fundamental to the plot. This was my first book I’ve read from Elena Armas and I’m interested to hunt down her other books.
Feels: like a cute slow burn romance.
★★★★ 4/5
(Received an ARC copy from #Netgalley) -
Tuve la oportunidad de leer este libro antes gracias BookUp México y a ver, creo que este libro llegó para mostrarnos otro lado de Elena cono escritura que no sabía que necesitaba leer.
Con una vibra preciosa, risas, personajes que se sienten reales y un ritmo ameno, The Long Game nos habla de poder abrirnos a otras personas sin miedo alguno.
Este libro sale el 5 de Septiembre (mi cumpleaños) y se me hace algo bien bonito porque cuando lo leí se sintió como un regalo adelantado.
¡Lo van a amar! -
Hm...I mean, I had a decent time reading this, but I've never felt so detached from characters?? They fell totally flat for me and the whole grumpy thing didn't work at all because he was calling her darling on basically page 2.
Liked the soccer vibes, and was fully picturing Roy Kent from Ted Lasso, but this felt incredibly amateur. -
My first soccer romance read and it did not disappoint!! Adalyn & Cameron were the best team and I absolutely loved the small town vibes. Elena continues to weave the cutest slow burn romances, and I love this happy ending! I have a feeling we may be getting another book in this particular world she’s built, and I’m on board! Pick this one up as soon as it hits shelves!
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted ARC. -
3.5⭐️After a PR disaster with the Miami Flames soccer team, Adalyn’s father sends her to middle of nowhere North Carolina where she is tasked with turning around a small, local team. What she didn’t expect was for soccer legend Cameron Caldani to be helping out as well, especially because no one knows he’s there. While the two start off with a true meet disaster and a bit of rivalry, the back and forth turns into something so much more.
What I loved:
-All the soccer talk! Total Ted Lasso vibes
-How both Adalyn and Cam had their own insecurities and past traumas that they worked through
-The wonderful Green Oak Warriors teammates. If the book has kids under 10 in it, I’m always a fan
-Cam! He was grumpy and guarded at first but ah did he totally win me over
-The surprises revealed at the end and an epic epilogue
What didn’t work:
-Adalyn’s clumsiness and over the top reactions bothered me at times
-While the story was a slow burn, I didn’t feel invested in the build up. A spark was missing between the two, and I found the steamy scenes to come out of nowhere
Thank you Atria for the ARC! This is out 9/6 -
♾️⭐️s NO ONE SPEAK TO ME 😭 my girl is 3/3 like I knew she would be. As soon as I found out Elena was writing a small town romance I knew we’d be in for a treat! This was so funny, charming and swoon worthy to the max!!! I am not joking Cam saw Aaron and Lucas and said MOVE OVER. THAT MAN HAD ME IN SHAMBLES 🫠🫠🫠🫠
Adalyn and Cam are a perfect grumpy pair and seeing them with the local kids soccer team were actually so many of my favorite moments in the book. Elena knocked it out the park creating a small town you can’t help but fall for. This book had so much heart and so many characters I’m just obsessed with. I NEED MORE! 👀
This book is for my rom-com, slow burn peeps and listen the burn here is slow but it’s soooooo worth it I promise. A true comfort book for me now and one of my favorite reads of the year so far ❤️
****thank you Atria for sending me an ARC copy -
100⭐️ ~ i need to collect my thoughts before i can write my review (essay)
Ok wow this book was absolutely incredible- I went into it knowing that I would love it I mean, small town, double grumpy, sports romance, animals, slow burn, he falls first, literally written by my fave romance author etc. etc. and then all the surprise tropes/characters, it was bound to be a success!! I'm gonna split this up into sections to try and make it coherent because lord knows my thoughts are completely scattered.
Adalyn, love of my life, literally like looking in a mirror more often than not. When she’s first introduced, we don’t really get much from her i.e., we see her through the eyes of other people, what they think of her, what she thinks they think of her etc. It’s not until a little bit further into the book that we start to learn more about who she is, what she enjoys, what motivates her etc. At first (and take this with a pinch bc I trust Elena with my life and would never actually doubt her) I was a little worried bc I was like I DON’T KNOW WHO ADA IS WHY DON’T I FEEL CONNECTED TO HER, and then I paused and was like oH the author is a genius. The pace and way that we learn about Ada as an individual feels very intentionally reflective of how she learns about herself. All this time, she’s behind a barrier of what other people are gonna think and feel that she never really does anything for herself, so when she gets more comfortable with Cameron and in Green Oak, we start to see her come into herself, realign her priorities, and start to put herself and her needs first, and then we get to see the real her. The whole ‘I don’t have panic attacks…..wait…I might’ was literally ME; not to get too personal but the way I spent most of my teenage life thinking I was immune to anxiety, meanwhile [insert extensive list of anxiety symptoms]. This was very personal and very cathartic to read, and see her take those steps and accept the help that she was offered- I’m so beyond happy that she got the safety and security she was rOBBED of up until that point. The self-awareness she gains – and although Cameron played a HUGE part in her healing, I don’t want to give him all the credit- and the progress she makes, confronting the difficult emotions OMG the scenes where she’s opening up to him, all those lines about him being the first to make her feel like this, admitting that she’s scared etc. DUDE- I felt those scenes so so deeply. Her dragging up the last of her hope and courage and being so vulnerable and open with him, giving him the power to hurt her but trusting that he won’t, and then it paying off- isn’t that what everyone wants. Her strength and tbh a little bit of her stubbornness to put herself there and be prepared to shoulder another hit if it came, not closing herself off because of the past was amazing to read, and I admire her so so much. Her finding the nurturing and soft kind of love in the girls and Josie, seeing her physically (the hug she gave Josie at her booth where they did the lil squeeze, the celebration hug which made me bawl) open up, as an observable manifestation of how much she’s emotionally opened up to the town almost made me sob (it actually did, I teared up many times). In short, seeing so much of myself in her character and then seeing her overcome my fears and anxieties and get that happy ending was – is – the reason I read, but also the reason I’ll always trust EA. The skill she has at articulating such powerful, intense emotions, and making it resonate with so many people (she didn’t think of me writing this and yet here I am, feeling like it was written for me) on such a deeply personal level is, a gift and I am so glad she decided to start writing these stories.
Onto Cameron, my sweet, soft angel baby Cameron- I love this man with all my heart (and my kidneys, a lung, part of my liver). He is, everything. He really is. A man who goes to therapy because he knows he can’t deal with his trauma alone, has two cats who he calls his family, who (and I shed actual tears here) knows how to braid hair, albeit really badly, who finds joy in looking after people – let me stop before I water damage my keyboard from the tears. He was in love with her from the very beginning, before he even realised what was happening, I will take no argument on this. The way he didn’t even have to be in love with her to be in love with who she was and all those things she saw as difficult or bad – I LOVED that he didn’t do that bs thing where the mmc is like ‘ur not difficult ur perfect’ – no, he said yeah girl you can be difficult, and you’re stubborn, and we are gonna butt heads and I love you more for it. Being told you’re too much, too loud, too crazy, too stubborn, too sensitive, too whatever all your life, and internalising it to the point where you don’t allow yourself to be any other way because it doesn’t fit that mould- for someone to tell you that you’re not too much and that they can handle it, that they wANT to handle it, to engage with those parts of you- I’m inconsolable. The “I see you” – that just about broke my brain and my heart AND IT’S WHAT SHE DESERVES. What I particularly love about him (besides the obvious) is that even though everything in him wanted to burrito her in a blanket and protect her from everything, he saw what she needed and respected her and her boundaries enough to be like okay I’ll be here if you need me, just shout, you got this. And ofc he didn’t get this right away, but the way he paid enough attention (all those long deciphering looks and head tilts) to figure out what she needed, the way he made the effort to learn- he didn’t assume or think he knew better – he did his best until he knew (by figuring it out or by her telling him, which she did and the communication in this book has me gagged and in an early grave I love it so much I’m gonna show it to my therapist as my end goal) what she needed, and then completely respected it. The way he relived his trauma, opened up to her first, because he knew she needed to be shown that trust before she felt comfortable enough to open up herself. When he said you’re ‘safe’ GOOD LORD!!! The word choice is so intentional in this book, and it is so clear that the author chose these words with a specific feeling in mind, it just elevates everything so much.
By far, one of my favourite scenes is the third act conflict – which feels criminal to say bc I personally am not a fan of the third act conflict BUT- and I didn’t expect this and it shattered my heart. This particular conflict is not one where he messed up, she’s mad, he apologises, its fine (I mean, kinda but hear me out). When he messes up and she’s hurt over it, he doesn’t engage in an argument, he doesn’t defend himself, he spends the entire time listening to how it made her feel, acknowledging what he did and how it hurt her, and bro- this is what makes me scream and cry until I throw up – when she starts to go back and those negative patterns of thinking start resurfacing because she’s in a hurt space where she feels she’s lost control and is unsafe, and she starts internalising the blame and putting those walls back up, HE!! I need a sec, he doesn’t argue about what he did, he argues about how it’s not her fault. I explained this awfully but this scene made me feel these intense, visceral emotions, so I can’t be blamed for my incoherence. The line “That’s alright, I’ll be your punching bag” is what truly sealed my love for this man, and this book tbh – I read that and had to close the book, heart in my throat, stomach in SHREDS – that line is so powerful and holds so much feeling – his love for her, his understanding that she feels unsafe and so she’s gonna lash out to protect herself AND NOT BLAMING HER FOR IT BUT WEATHERING IT BECAUSE HE KNOWS SHE JUST FEELS UNSAFE AND THIS IS THE ONLY WAY SHE KNOWS HOW TO DEAL – it’s the way he’s telling her that no matter what happens he’s not going anywhere. The fear of abandonment is so real so if someone said this to me I would immediately burst into tears and never recover, so reading this was- I audibly made a sound. I also really loved that throughout this whole conflict, the dominant feeling for both of them was still how much they loved each other. More often than not, in a conflict the characters start disliking each other and its like huh?? So seeing them both hurting and dealing with this, and keeping it separate from their feelings was so heart-warming and so reassuring like yes you can have a horrible argument or disagreement etc. someone can do something that hurts you despite good intention, and you can still maintain that love for each other and work through it. Therapy has been really silent since this scene came out just saying….
Speaking of free therapy, the side characters have once again stolen my heart. One thing EA will never do, and that’s write a 2D side character. These characters were complex and had whole lives off-page that informed who they are when we meet them and how they interact with the main characters. Matty, Josie, Maria, Maricela, Brandy, the cats (I know Andrew has a story but I hate that mfker so I’m not including that narcissistic rat in the list) – everyone had a story and each of them was given the space and time to tell that story. Sometimes it was painful, sometimes it was hilarious, but it was always with a wisdom and a sense of ‘this brought me to where I am rn and I’m happy where I am so there’s no use being bitter’. I need to see a Matt and Josie sequel, there I said it – I need it more than I need food or sleep rn. I loved how these supporting characters weren’t plot tools, but they did give us insight into the different qualities of our main characters i.e. we saw a different side of Ada when she was with the girls, with Josie etc. and the fact that we only ever see Matt via phone call.. and he’s the loml, says a lot about the quality of writing and the commitment to all the stories within the larger story.
The plot was really good, I love that it was kind of happening in parallel to her emotional journey, almost as a reflection of it- it made the story really coherent and easy to follow and just, being able to see all the moving parts coming together smoothly was really great. I loved the lil plot twist we got, it was unexpected but also made so much sense – I love when we get one piece of info dropped at the end that makes me need to pause and do a montage of all the relevant scenes with this new perspective – so fun I loved it- and the line in the epilogue when she’s going to kick the ball and she says the thing – I screamed. I love them so much, and the convo she has with him on the phone where she’s like ‘well I’m [redacted] and [redacted] so I win’ was GOLDDDDDD I love how it made so much sense not just to me as a reader but also to the other characters that they just accepted it and took it in stride!!!
Some of my fave scenes/lines bc I’m losing the ability to be articulate (as always happens when I think about EA couples and how much I love them for too long):
- The signet ring scene, towards the end (I sobbed)
- I’m gonna talk about this till I die – the punching bag line and everything he said after that.
- The scene where he braids Maria’s hair (that whole scene- good god)
- His POV where he sees Willow with Ada and is like damn bro I want her to pet me instead
- �� Stargazing
- When he accepts the red binder
- When he asks the ref about the tutu (he loves those girls so much and I need a novella or bonus scene after they have kids, I need to see him as a dad, begging on my knees)
- The CONSTANT USE OF PLEASE – I kept misreading the tone and that’s on me, but the effect that the pleases had on my brain needs to be studied.
- When she uno reverses the love
- When she punches the rat
- The ferret metaphor; and any other metaphor conversation
- The scene where she runs to him at the end, and everything quietens – I don’t wanna compare books bc this is it’s own masterpiece bUT the scene at the end of TARE where rosielucas also have a ‘everything went silent’ moment – what kind of crack is in those scenes bc both times I read them I kid you not everything went silent for me too.
It's just the constant, quiet, gentle way that he loves her – he doesn’t overwhelm her with loud confessions or gestures, everything he does is to make her life easier, any gift- she can use, any act of service or words of affirmation are so specific, so tailored to her and the situation that it’s impossible not to notice how emotionally intelligent he is, how in tune he is with her needs and fears in particular, how desperately he wants to be there for her. This book feels like that really long hug you need when you’re spiralling or having a bit of a sob, the kind that brings you back, grounds you. Speaking of, the way they both use each other’s touch to secure themselves, to ground them- I was going insane. This book is for the physical touch girlies, the words of affirmation, acts of service, pride and prejudice (2005) girlies, the ones who need to be told they’re doing a good job, and that it’s okay if they don’t have the energy to smile (as long as when she does it’s his NO ONE LOOK AT ME) and be friendly all the time because they need all their emotional resources to just survive, and get through the day. The praise in this book send me into shock, I’m in shock, I’m not okay- it’s the way every time he said it I sat there silently just processing like HUUUH,, absolutely gut wrenching.
“What a beautiful, brave woman. My chest hurt just by looking at her.”
“You do. You have.” HUUUUUUH
“This is us” - the way this line is burned into the backs of my eyelids,, this. Is. Us. GOD,, the “we” “us” “home” moments have me biting the pillow to stop from sobbing
“…the babies, the farm of baby goats if she wanted.” No bc first, him being scared of goats is ADORABLE, second- this is so significant,, ik it’s only a goat bUT HEAR ME OUT,, he would live with these things he’s terrified of (he literally flinches when they’re near him) JUST BC SHE WANTED THEM- she didn’t even ask,, but he’s like IF SHE WANTS I’LL DO IT 🤺🤺i love this man so much.
The“I know you don’t need me, or anyone else. I know you’re more than okay on your own. Jesus, Adalyn, that’s what pushes me to want to guard you like a goddamn dog.” - The way this sent me to my knees IMMEDIATELY.
“We made it, Coach” - I fully fell over and couldn’t get up, had to read the rest of the book sitting down. line where he says he’s thinking about saying […] but is worried she’d find it too corny 😭😭
I will most definitely be rereading this book/my fave lines when I need a lil comfort 🥹🥹 I’ll also sing this book’s praises till I lose my voice,, as Schmidt once said, NO NOTES!! (as usual)🫶🏻I’ve said it before and I’ve said it again, EA is my fave for a reason and THIS IS IT!!
P.S. the scene where he runs away carrying her, and the running Coach Camomile jokes, and the first breakfast scene, and those specific moments when she has these realisations of oH I’ve been settling- had to mention these bc wow. The scene where he tugs on her jacket w that smile- it reminded me of that one Gilmore girls scene w luke and lorelai where she’s on the phone and he’s pulling on her coat real soft,, my heart is so full of them 🥹
P.P.S. this is EA’s funniest book yet, the ‘com’ part of the romcoms never really stick out to me, like I usually go into a romcom expecting something sweet, cute etc. but I always know that I’m gonna get a proper belly laugh out of an Elena Arias book, and that,, is everything :’)
Px3.S. This review doesn’t even cover all my thoughts, but I loved this book so much, and I love that her characters are ‘just like me’ characters, so when they win or they go through something it feels like a personal win, idk that level of connection with a character makes the whole story feel that much more real & personal and it’s my fave thing ever.
Px4.S. Pierogi is the loml -
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me with a digital ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review!
I received an email inviting me to read The Long Game, and it came at the perfect time! I had just finished reading a string of novels that were all pretty dark in subject matter, so I was in the mood for a fun, lighthearted read. I've heard of Elena Armas's previous books, but I have never gotten around to picking one up. The description of The Long Game sounded adorable: a romcom in the vein of Ted Lasso, set in a small American town, with goats, fall festivals, and cute cottages? Sign me up! This story has the foundations of a really great novel, but unfortunately, it was not executed as well as it could have been.
Adalyn Reyes works for the Miami Flames FC - a club she is aspiring to someday lead. One day, she is caught on camera ripping the head off of the team's mascot in a heated exchange. The recording goes viral, and her father (the club's owner) sends her to a small North Carolina town to work for a girls' soccer team until the drama blows over. Much to Adalyn's dismay, a grumpy former professional English football star, Cameron Caldani, is coaching the team... and turns out to be her neighbor. Can she manage to work with him to steer the team to success? Or will the romantic tension between them only further complicate everything?
This is a difficult book to rate, because it has all of the elements to make up a delightful romance. There's an endearing setting, unique side characters, fun activities happening around town, and an attractive love interest - even mischievous animals pop up here and there. So, it should be a fun read. However, I found the story to be very difficult to get through, especially through the first 60%. It does get better after that, but if this hadn't been a NetGalley book, I would have almost certainly given up on it before then. I'll try to explain my biggest issues with The Long Game, because if these were fixed, I believe the novel would have been so much better.
First, the story starts off in a rather unbelievable way. I never bought into the setup of Adalyn's altercation with the mascot going so viral to the point where she is shipped off to the middle of nowhere to work with a team of mostly nine year-olds. Viral videos occur every day; they are often forgotten as quickly as they appear. I could never really see how the video was so bad that the only way for the team to not completely fall apart was to have Adalyn physically removed from Florida. Additionally, the team of girls Adalyn is sent to manage also feels random. The team's importance is eventually explained, but I spent 80% of the book wondering why a professional Florida soccer club would care about a small town's team of children in North Carolina. Adalyn's first interaction with Cameron is unrealistic, as well, and they both react so rudely to one another. Both of the characters are whiny, quick to anger, and hate each other without much of a reason. So, it was tough to get through this when everything felt so unrealistic, with unlikable characters on top of it all.
Additionally, there is far too much unnecessary repetition. It becomes truly grating to read if you are someone who gets annoyed by repeated phrases and actions. Adalyn hates being called anything but "Adalyn." That's fine, but she thinks about it and chastises people about it constantly. Cameron immediately calls her "darling" and "love," which, naturally, she hates. No matter how much she complains, he says it in what feels like every conversation with her. The characters are also repeatedly doing the same things, way more frequently than anyone would in real life. Cam is always humming, growling, and grunting. Adalyn is extremely clumsy and falls down at what appears to be every opportunity, which is then followed by Cam constantly picking her up. I legitimately had to take reading breaks, because I was so frustrated at reading the same details over and over.
The other major problem I noticed was the pacing. This book feels so long. There is a lot going on: the characters are coaching the kids team, Adalyn and Cam sign up to attend a list of town events throughout the season, the cottage where Adalyn is staying is a wreck, so there are many attempts to fix it up... and so on. Adalyn and Cam bicker nonstop, all the while growing more attracted to each other. The author tries to shove so much into this story, but she never gives each individual chapter enough time to develop and wrap up whatever scene is taking place at the time.
I am a sucker for cute, fluffy elements in romance. I love it when the characters are breathing in the autumn air as they sip on their hot cocoa and flirt under falling orange leaves. You get the picture. I thought this book was going to contain many charming moments, but it felt like most of the opportunities for sweet exchanges (there's a fall fair, a "Beer, Barbecue, and Boogie by the Lake," etc.) were short and skimmed over, and instead, most of the development between the love interests occurred at random times, such as on the property they shared or after practice. These scenes could have been merged together to create more genuine, sweet moments and to cut down on some of the unnecessary chapters. It would have made the pacing so much faster.
There are also very strange time jumps that skip over important character development. The one that annoyed me the most was after the first time the characters truly open up to each other, they apparently fall asleep on the couch. We go from them having a serious conversation to a time skip where they wake up the next day, and it took me so long to piece together what had happened (did they kiss? Did they cuddle? Adalyn explains it so vaguely in retrospect), when we could have just read about it as it occurred. Instead of jumping ahead, Armas should have let the scenes throughout the story play out in the moment for the characters.
This book isn't all bad. I struggled with rating this two stars versus three, because the last third did actually pick up quite a bit. Once the real romance started, it was more interesting to read. I liked Adalyn and Cameron as characters after they got over their initial hang-ups with each other and opened up. I found Adalyn's struggles of being perceived as cold and forgettable to be relatable. I also enjoyed reading about her feelings of female rage after working so hard towards her career goals, only to be manipulated by men. Cameron is an appealing love interest. He gives off strong Roy Kent vibes (although, I wish he had been developed a little more - I never quite understood what made him switch from hating Adalyn to wanting to give her the world). I liked how much Cam built Adalyn up and ensured she was protected. By the end of the novel, I found myself invested in their relationship and the small town.
A strong ending does not make up for the absolute slog it was to get there, though. Some parts of the novel were, in my opinion, pretty poorly written. It also felt as if everything except Adalyn and Cameron's relationship was put on a back burner about a mile away. For example, the novel hardly focused on the girls soccer team at all. I'm not even really sure how Adalyn was helping the team, beyond organizing them a bit. When it was important to her and Cam's relationship, sure, the team appeared. However, their games and their development as a team were barely shown. I expect the relationship in a romance novel to be at the center of the story, but the other elements that help a romance story stand out - such as the side characters, the plot, and the setting - should not be thrown completely to the wayside, either.
There is some heart to this story, and if it were better edited (with some chapters rewritten to cut down on the unnecessary scenes), it could truly be a good book. Even with as many issues as I had while reading, I still felt connected to the characters by the end. There's a hint that there may be a second novel set in the town, and I would even consider reading it. However, I can't really recommend this story as it is. There is too much going on, with threads that are not connected and far too much repetition. If you're very into love stories between grumpy characters, men helping women learn to put themselves first, and romances where the two main characters are always front and center together, you may enjoy this read. I would argue there is a plethora of other romances out there, though, that tie everything together better than The Long Game.
2.5 stars out of 5 stars, rounded down because I was just too bored and irritated for the first half to make up for the positive development at the end. -
I am not over Aaron or Lucas yet and Elena is giving us another boyfriend who is gonna make us fall in love? i can't contain the excitement at all! I'm literally SCREAMING!!
Absolutely can't wait✨ -
3.5/5⭐️
The Long Game was an average read for me. I am a bit disappointed because I was really excited. I felt like the first half was really slow. I didn’t connect to the characters a ton and I wasn’t super into the story. It did pick up about halfway though. When Cam and Adalyn started to actually interact more, then I enjoyed it. I liked the tension between Cam and Adalyn. Cam was definitely my favourite part of the book, he is so sweet and hot at the same time. Seeing him try to deny his attraction and feelings for Adalyn was so cute. I had a bit of a harder time connecting with Adalyn. I still liked her character but she didn’t impact me in a big way so I felt a bit disconnected. Little Maria was also so cute and funny. She’s so straight to the point and observant. When she lectured Cam near the end I was swooning, she’s the cutest little girl.
The praise!!! Cam was always telling her how amazing she was or how good she was doing and that did funny things to my stomach. Anytime he would try to hype her up, tell her she’s beautiful or how she deserves the world, I was actually swooning. I never felt like he did anything wrong, and he always owned up to his mistakes. I felt like Adalyn was a tad too harsh on him and maybe it’s because of the disconnect I felt with her but I wish she would have communicated more. I do get her view too as she’s been lied to and betrayed her whole life so I definitely sympathize with her as well. I’m team Cam all the way though! With everything considered, I still enjoyed this book and definitely recommend it. I believe a lot of people will love it and that I just wasn’t in the greatest mindset for this kind of book. -
Definitely one of my MOST anticipated romance reads of 2023 and it did not disappoint!!
Simon & Schuster made my day by sending me both a physical ARC copy AND providing early access to an ALC version. After flipping between both formats I have to attest the audio is the way to go with Frankie Corzo's excellent narration of recently fired soccer exec Adalyn and Shane East's swoony voicing of sexy former pro soccer goalie, Cam's accent!!
This is a must if you like enemies to lovers, small towns, comeback/second chance stories, sports romance, "good girl", slow burns, great mental health rep (anxiety & panic attacks (her)), SPICY, never feeling good enough, tattooed MMCs plus a coterie of goats, chickens and kids, oh my!!
If any of that sounds good you won't want to miss this newest from the best-selling former indie author Elena Armas of The Spanish love deception and The American roommate experiment fame. This one is a complete standalone and has lots of family drama and emotional depth too!!
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my early review copies. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book and all opinions are my own! -
why did i not know elena armas had a new book coming out?
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[edit]
“𝙄’𝙡𝙡 𝙖𝙡𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙜𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙨𝙠, 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚.”
I’m obsessed with a grumpy British man that has secy tattoos and lives in a cabin.
Once again Elena armas deleivereddddd. She just never fails to make you the biggest simp on her men that are written on paper😭 Their always that IDEAL man. Always able to create that tension on that page that make ur stomach churn and make the butterflies fly🤭🦋
I will admit though as much as I LOVED this book it didn’t give me that spark I had reading TSLD & TARE😫 but the story still hit in all the right places with all the emotional feels… however now that I finished this book I’ve got a question to ask😏😏 -
I know I'm going the minority here, but this book was a miss for me. Characters were a one-dimensional and romance has some cute moments the writing made it hard to get into it, sadly. So I ended pretty underwhelmed.
ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. -
I might raise this to 2.75-3 stars, but for now, it's sitting at 2 stars. This was such a massive disappointment. I absolutely adore The Spanish Love Deception, but I'm starting to think that book was a fluke and Elena Armas just isn't for me. Both The American Roommate Experiment and The Long Game were so incredibly boring, cheesy, and one-dimensional. I didn't care about the romance, any of the side characters, or the plot. I did like both of the main characters, but they could've been fleshed out so much more, especially Cameron. Overall, I spent most of this book just wanted it to be over and found myself skimming a lot of it, and I'm massively disappointed.
Thank you to Netgalley for the arc!
