Thrust by Rachel Spangler

Thrust Reviews

• 
  Jude in the Stars

  Women with swords, do I need to say more? Probably not but I do have a lot to say about this book. I think Thrust was written for me. I love sports romances, any sports, even sports I don’t know (read my review of
  Catch and Cradle for my thoughts on Lacrosse). But fencing? Probably my favourite.
  
  At thirteen, Jess is already a fencing prodigy. She’s also queer and has the biggest crush on her eighteen-year-old team captain Lauren. Lauren is not only brilliant, she’s also kind, and doesn’t tease or make fun of the younger athlete when she tries to kiss her. She lets her down ever so gently and even agrees to go out on a date with her in the future, when Jess is on her first run to the Olympics. Ten years later, Jess comes back to Buffalo a couple of months before the Tokyo Olympics and the chemistry between them, now that they’re women and not a child and a young adult anymore, is stronger than ever. Palpable in every word, every look, every breath. The connection, the inevitability only gets more obvious when Jess convinces Lauren to coach her until she has to leave for Japan.
  
  My child took fencing classes for a few years. I have a lot of reasons to be proud of her, from who she is to various achievements over the years. But there’s something special, a different taste of sort to the pride of seeing your child take their mask off after a hard-won point, there’s beauty in the sweat sticking their hair to their face, the breathlessness, the look of determination. Like all sports, fencing is demanding, it takes discipline and will, but it’s also graceful, almost ethereal despite the undeniable strength and sometimes brutal effort. Can you tell fencing is one of my favourite sports to watch? In that regard, the final scenes before the epilogue (yes, there’s an epilogue) are pure joy. Because if a child’s sweaty face becomes a thing of beauty, can you imagine what it must feel like when it’s the woman you love on the strip?
  
  The reasons for which characters refuse to give in to the attraction often feel artificial to me, contrived. That’s not the case here at all. On the contrary, they have a completely valid reason: Jess needs to focus on the Olympics and Lauren doesn’t want anything that could happen between them to interfere. To quote Jess, “I’m focusing on the steak and not the peas”: Olympics first, romance second.
  
  What makes it even more plausible is that it’s a temporary reason. They’re not taking chastity vows with no real hope of respecting them. Resisting for a couple of months should be manageable, right? Yeah, think again. I have to say, I admire their sense of ethic. That said, how many athletes marry their coach? Then again, in their case, the wariness makes total sense. All the more so as trauma in Lauren’s past has taught her to protect herself, to avoid opening herself up.
  
  I love Lauren. I love both MCs, really, but Lauren is the one my heart went for. I love that she can disagree yet understand and vice versa. Sometimes I fall in love with characters, but in this book, I fell in love with the way Jess loves Lauren, the way she sees her, all of her. And my heart broke for Lauren, for all the times she couldn’t see herself in the same way.
  
  It’s not news but man, Rachel Spangler writes chemistry so well. Sure, this book is about fencing, it’s about training, it’s about the Olympics. But the story it tells is one of chemistry. The first kiss is sweet, the second one is a revelation, the third one is oh so hot. I’m not even going to go into the sex scenes. Read the book.
  
  Among the secondary characters, I’ll mention three, starting with the best friends: Kristie, Lauren’s best friend, is the best friend I’d want. She’s inappropriate and supportive and a breath of fresh air. Haley is Jess’s teammate but also her competition, which doesn’t always make being supportive easy. At first, I wasn’t going to mention the last one, Enrico, the owner of the club where Jess and Lauren met and where Lauren coaches now. But who would have thought he’d be the one to make me cry? Not just once but twice? The character turns out to have a lot more depth than it seems in the beginning.
  
  As I wrote above, I love sports romance novels so much. Sports and food. They’re the two topics that imply passion as well as, for the former, intensity and, for the latter, sensuality. In real life, music can evoke strong emotions too, or arts or movies or so many other things. But it’s more difficult to imagine music you’ve never heard, or a painting you’ve never seen. Imagining food made with ingredients you’ve come across or the excitement of a close game comes more naturally, at least to me. When you add that intensity, that sensuality to romance, things can get explosive. Like in Thrust. When I reviewed
  Modern English a few months ago, I wrote that it was probably my new favourite book by Spangler. Not anymore.
  
  I received a copy from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
• 
  pipsqueakreviews

  When a hero looks at you like you're a hero...
  
  Fantastic! This is a sweet love story that started with an adorable crush by 13 year old Jess on an 18 year old Lauren and I fell in love with it right away. Everything felt so darn right - The characters were so easy to love, the chemistry was outstanding and the storyline was so good. 
  
  I adored both MCs. Jess is a natural go-getter, confident and highly motivated even as a child. I love how she bravely pursued Lauren with a kiss at 13 and subtle rejection turned into something positive. Lauren is mature and nurturing and the way she let young Jess down gently, speaks volumes about her character. And when the story fast-forwards 10 years with Jess returning home as an Olympian fencer to cash in on the promise of a date with Lauren, which somehow evolved into Lauren becoming her coach, I love how things stay the same but are also different. Jess grows into an amazing woman and fencer but her feelings are unchanged. Lauren remains awesome despite having created her own demons along the way. There is still reason for them to not be together but their chemistry is so good now, it takes little for Lauren to give in to her feelings. And I love how they complement each other and how they look at each other too.
  
  I tried to fence briefly in university so I enjoyed the fencing storyline a great deal. And even though I don't think it's realistic for Jess and Lauren to try to wing it at the Olympics, I didn't care. It's irrational but I understand why Jess picked Lauren as a coach. Jess is gifted but wired differently and Lauren appears to be the only one she respects enough to work under. So that worked for me.
  
  Spangler delivered a fantastic story and I'm hoping for a toaster-oven sequel between a certain Olympian and amateur. 
  
  I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
• 
  Imme van Gorp

  DNF @26%
  
  I’m sorry, but this simply just wasn’t very good. I really wanted it to be. Hell, I was expecting it to be, but it just wasn’t.
  
  The plot already makes absolutely zero sense.
  The idea is that Jess has had the hots for Lauren since she was 13 years old while Lauren was 18. Obviously that wouldn’t work, and Lauren doesn't remotely feel the same way, so Lauren jokingly makes a pact with tiny little Jess that she would get to collect on a date with Lauren if she ever made it to the Olympics (and they were both adults). Okay, sounds fair (albeit sappy, but we love sappy), right?
  Yea, okay, so. Jess makes it to the Olympics, and she comes knocking on Lauren’s door. Or, well, at Lauren’s workplace’s door, because apparently this woman doesn’t own a house (I mean, she does, I’m assuming, but you would think that she doesn’t). They reunite (awkwardly) and agree to have this date. Which, by the way, was the most stiff and impersonal date in the history of dates. They only talked about fencing, and about nothing else. But, hey, they seem to think the chemistry was sizzling and sparks were flying, so who am I to tell them there is more chemistry between a wet piece of cloth and a bland piece of paper than between either of them?
  Okay, so yea, after this world-class first date, Jess is still totally over the moon in awe of Lauren, and Lauren has apparently decided that she has never been this enamoured with another person either. Right, okay, sure. I’m not seeing it, but you do you.
  But, no, they don’t listen to “you do you”. No, they don’t do anything logical with this apparent love between them. Instead, Lauren randomly decides to play the martyr and is like “oh no, sorry Jess, we are perfect together, but we’re not having a second date ever again. Please leave our hometown and never come back, because you deserve soooo much more (what is this ‘more’ exactly?? We don’t know) and I want nothing more than for you to get everything you want! Because apparently nobody cares about you like I do even though we’ve only talked for like a day after not having seen each other for 10 years!!” Sure. Makes no sense, but whatever. Again, you do you.
  Jess, however, takes this.. in stride, I guess? She doesn’t respond with something akin to “nah, I wanna come back and have a second date. What the hell are you even on about?” Instead, she’s like “Aha, yes. Makes sense. Sure.” Ummmmm. Yea, colour me confused. Jess, honey, I thought this woman was the love of your life or something?? You’ve waited ten years for this and that’s your response?? Alright…
  After thinking about it for a minute, though, Jess, by some weird mental aerobics, decides that Lauren would actually be the perfect coach for her. Because Lauren cares. And that’s apparently all the qualifications an Olympics coach needs. Not to mention that this would mean they don’t get to be in any kind of relationship at all, because she would be her literal coach… So, yea. Sounds like a great idea, right?
  So, when Jess tells Lauren that she is going to be her coach, Lauren is like “oh my god? Really?? Lil’old me?” and apparently her whole big speech of “you need the best” doesn’t apply to Jess’ actual career, because she’s totally ready to be her (underqualified) coach, but not date her?????
  And that was the moment I threw in the towel.
  
  None of this was logical and there was zero feeling to it.
  These two women had no apparent connection, no chemistry, and didn’t know the first thing about each other. For Jess it’s obviously all a big childhood fantasy, which, I mean, doesn’t seem like a great basis for a relationship, but that I can at least understand. Lauren, however, has no excuse to be so into Jess. I mean, why is she? Is it because Jess is a successful fencer? Is it because she’s hot? It can’t be for her personality, because that one doesn’t exist other than Jess giving complete “I want Lauren” attitude.
  It's all ridiculous and I didn’t like it. It had zero depth, and not even in a fun way.
  I feel no inclination to see them pining for each other while training together when it doesn’t even make sense they’re not just dating instead of working together in the first place. It’s dumb.
• 
  JulesGP

  I was gone from GR for about a month due to 24 hour streaming capabilities for the Olympics. Afterwards, it was hard to wean myself off sports because I’m such a big fan and it was amazing to view all of these incredible women athletes in action. Thankfully, I read Thrust prior to the Olympics so I was thrilled to see the fencing and to have the context already in place.
  
  As for the book, Thrust is your typical blazing hot Spangler sports story. Jess Kidman is the super Freshman and Lauren Standish is the senior captain on their championship high school fencing team. Of course, Jess is going to be crushing on Lauren but age gaps in your teen years are cavernous. Years later, olympian Jess is on a one way mission to get the gold medal and in her mind, win the only gal she’s ever loved.
  
  Just like with Spangler’s other sports’ books, there’s just enough expertise to guide the newcomer into understanding the athletes and the competitions. There is no lag or dull spot. The rules, strategies, and maneuvers are seamlessly weaved into the narrative to give it more punch rather than to drag it down.
  
  Jess is a fireball of a competitor on and off the piste. She’s gaming for Lauren but people have to meet you halfway and the former star has to fight some personal demons before she’s ready to accept love. But when it happens, the author brings the heat.
  
  Highly recommend, especially if you need another olympic fix. 4.5 stars.
• 
  Sandra

  Rachel Spangler and a sports novel are a perfect duo, a winning combination. What I love is that Rachel chooses not only universally known sports, but also disciplines like curling (in Fire & Ice) or, as in Thrust, fencing. As a Swiss, I'm no stranger to these sports, as Switzerland has won several medals in both sports. And who can resist women with swords?
  
  Jess Kidman was already a fencing prodigy at the age of 13 and far ahead of all her peers. She also knew early on that she was a lesbian, at least since she fell madly in love with her team captain Lauren Standish. Lauren, who is five years older, doesn't fall for her charms (yet?) and rejects her with great subtlety. But she agrees to a date when Jess is on her way to her first Olympics. Ten years later, Jess is on her way back to Buffalo.
  
  Since a drastic event, Lauren has been living back in Buffalo, working at the same fencing club where she first discovered a fascination with the sport. Having had her dreams crushed far too soon, she now only sets small goals that she is sure she can achieve. When Jess returns, if only for a few months before the Tokyo Olympics begin, she catches Lauren off guard. Never did she expect Jess to ever ask for the date.
  
  Jess may not be the prodigy anymore she once was, as her successes have little to do with miracles, but everything with her extreme willingness to do everything and then some for her sport. In her current form, she has only one opponent who can be dangerous to her on the road to gold, and it drives her crazy that she hasn't yet found a way to decipher her opponent. But all her dedication and commitment are to no avail, she just can't find a coach who can push her and keep her going, get the best out of her. Although, actually, she knows exactly who would be the perfect coach for her. Now it's just a matter of convincing Lauren of that too.
  
  I wondered if Jess' feelings for Lauren were still real or if she was clinging to her feelings as a thirteen-year-old. But Rachel and Jess did a great job of convincing me and Lauren of her love. The chemistry between the two was definitely hot and palpable. And I promise you it' gets really hot when they got further than kissing.
  
  Jess and Lauren are wonderful personalities who are very different in many ways, which is precisely why they complement each other so well. Jess is very ambitious and makes extremely high demands on her mind and body. She is career-driven and focused to reach her dream. Lauren was also once very ambitious and I wanted to know what happened that she gave up her dreams. That she sometimes doubted the abilities that others saw in her. I really liked how Jess managed to slowly get her out of her shell and that she started dreaming bigger again. And together they are unbeatable.
  
  Fencing is a demanding sport, technical, intense, and also mentally very demanding. The protective clothing and mask make everything somehow impersonal, so it is even more beautiful to see the emotions when they take the mask off their face. There are some fight scenes during the story but you understand them even if you have no idea about this sport. Sports, like love, are all about feelings, among other things. And Rachel Spangler puts both on paper with conviction and emotions. I played handball for many years, I've been through all the emotions that sport can cause, from sky-high after a win to devastated after a loss. And believe me, winning is addictive.
  
  Also, the secondary characters are very important to the story, especially Lauren's best friend Kristie, and Jess's best friend, training partner, and sometimes opponent Haley. Kristie was hilarious and I would like to read a book where she finds her Mrs. Right.
  
  This is an exciting sports romance, a page-turner, which gives some insights into a discipline not everybody knows everything about. Highly recommended.
  
  My rating 5 stars
  ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review
  
• 
  Leah

  4.5 Stars
  
  “Thrust” by Rachel Spangler is a sports romance about fencing. I’ve never been a huge sports romance fan but I couldn’t resist reading about modern day women with swords.
  
  Jess Kidman is a fencing prodigy. She was on her varsity team at the age of 13 and fencing has been her life ever since. When Jess was 13, she also had a major crush on her team captain, Lauren Standish. Lauren, being 18 at the time, gently let her down and compromised by telling her she could ask her out again when Jess was on her way to the Olympics. Fast forward 10 years and Jess decides to come and collect on the promised date. She is also in need of a personal coach to prepare her for her time at the Tokyo Olympics. She has no love for the national coach and softly coerces Lauren, who is now a fencing coach, to coach her. Lauren has no experience with Olympic level coaching but with the way the two click, she knows she can be helpful for the sometimes difficult athlete.
  
  Jess and Lauren are such great characters, I really loved them. They are very different from one another but they complement each other very well whenever they’re together. Jess is an Olympian and she has the attitude that goes with it. She’s brash, confident, and knows exactly what she wants. Lauren, on the other hand, is more reserved and calm. She’s smart and takes the time to think things through and tries to see all sides. Her fencing dreams were unable to come to fruition because of problems that forced her to return home. She runs the local fencing club and has settled into her life being a coach. She accepts her life exactly as it is and isn’t looking for anything more.
  
  Lauren isn’t perfect but she’s perfect to Jess. Jess has always admired and loved Lauren and I was amazed that that hasn’t changed in the 10 years she’s been gone. Jess uses her time with Lauren to get to know the person Lauren is now and finds that she loves her even more. Lauren is slower to move on their attraction. She’s seen the negative side of what love can do and she has no interest in getting attached. She really doesn’t see a future between herself and Jess. With Jess’ talent she knows she’s on her way to bigger and better things. On top of that, she knows that even if a romance between them as coach and player isn’t forbidden, it is looked down on.
  
  I really loved how Spangler handled the drama and angst that came up. It fit with each character and their fears and was appropriate with the narrative. It didn’t feel like it was there to just add drama for the sake of drama. I love it when the drama/angst actually makes sense to the plot. Authors that can get me to read a story and not have me rolling my eyes are rare and this is one.
  
  So, I guess I should mention the fencing! It was fun and informative but without the info dump. I will admit to knowing nothing about the sport but I found it fascinating. Everything was written in a way that I could picture in my head the scene I was reading.
  
  I recommend this for readers looking for a well written romance with a big side plot of some sword fighting.
  
  I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
  
• 
  Gaby LezReviewBooks

  Clever title, clever plot, clever book. Rachel Spangler is a very talented author but when they write sport romances, they are at their best. I absolutely loved this one - as much as Edge of Glory - and even though Thrust is suitable for any time of the year, it's especially relevant now during the Olympics. 
  
  Rachel Spangler wrote this book at the height of the pandemic when the whole world tried to make sense of a new scary reality. We all struggled during those times, we still are, but artists were especially affected. But not Spangler, or at least, this novel doesn't show it. This book takes you through strong and complex emotions such as  angst, courage, fear, love... These emotions intertwine in a tangled web but as one of the characters put it, the secret to untie them is to “just start picking at different spots all at once until eventually something gives and shows you some hidden place where the whole thing is connected.” Like so, the complexities of the characters' relationships slowly but surely start to make sense in the chaos. Seeing those knots untie and connect is one of the best things of this book. 
  
  Fear not if, like me, you know nothing about fencing because Spangler cleverly gives the reader a crash course without dumping information or make it sound like a lesson. Furthermore, they make it interesting, fun and sexy. Yes, sexy. One of the mottos of this book is that "women with swords are sexy", and it is oh so true. Both main characters are believable, relatable and together their chemistry is scorching hot. The secondary characters are also endearing and I wish Spangler writes another book in this universe with a couple of them as leads. 
  
  For all fans of women loving women sports romances, this is highly recommended. 5 stars. 
• 
  Betty

  If you’re looking for a sports romance that is chock full of chemistry and characters that will make you swoon, then the book you are searching for is Thrust by Rachel Spangler. And no, the title does not mean what that little devil is whispering in your ear. The sport in this love story is fencing. This is about sexy ladies with swords. Well, maybe that little devil isn’t completely wrong.
  
  The two main characters in this story have known each other since their time on the same varsity fencing team. Jess Kidman was only thirteen at the time, but was allowed on the team because of her fencing skills. She had a major crush on eighteen-year-old Lauren Standish, the team captain, but the age difference then was too great for the two to be anything more than teammates. Fast forward ten years, and Jess is now at the top of her sport and headed for the Tokyo Olympics, but she needs a coach to help her get ready. She heads back to Buffalo where Lauren is working as a coach in a small fencing venue. Lauren wants to redeem a promise Lauren made to her ten years ago, and ask Lauren for help preparing for the Olympics.
  
  Rachel Spangler is known for writing excellent romances with characters that have so much chemistry between them it’s a wonder the pages of the books don’t burst into flames. This is definitely true for Jess and Lauren, and the attraction they have for each other. They are some of the best-developed characters I’ve seen in a while. Jess’ personality is exactly what I would expect from a top athlete with the skills and talent she has always had. Lauren is the perfect foil (See what I did there?) for Jess even with the trauma she has endured in the ten years apart. The secondary characters are equally well-developed, especially Kristie, Lauren’s best friend. The story is well-paced and interesting with just the right amount of conflict. The author also did a heck of a job researching the sport of fencing, and writing about it so convincingly. The romance…well, this is Rachel Spangler so the romance is perfect.
  
  I’ve marked this novel as a favorite of mine. It has my highest recommendation.
  
  I received an ARC from the author for an honest review.
  
• 
  Simone11

  I enjoyed this audiobook very much.
• 
  hubsie

  Ok I read it, I liked it, I found the characters intriguing and well fleshed out like only Ms. Spangler can do. But I still don't understand fencing, people. I logged on to the Olympics today to watch some matches with my new found knowledge and was thoroughly perplexed, and my short attention span soon found a cider and another book to start on my porch.
  
  Well done. Good read! Happy Olympics. Go Canada.
• 
  Netgyrl (Laura)

  4.5 🤺 I dare you not to fall in love with both Jess and Lauren
  
  I loved this book. And I totally loved both MCs. I am ready to read a book all about their lovely life together. You know that feeling? Like you would literally be entertained just reading about their normal every day drama free life? lol.
• 
  Cherie

  This was just ok. I got better the last 25%. Listened to the audio and the narrator was not to my liking.
• 
  CLAR

  If I were to estimate the likelihood of me enjoying a Rachel Spangler book, I would say that nine times out of ten I will surely love it. Thrust is a book that proves that point.
  
  From reading the blurb and the Prologue, I couldn't help but smile at the cuteness of the premise and the initial setup of the story. Right from the get-go, we could already tell Jess was gonna be a firecracker of a character. I loved the fact she was a redhead 'cause it's rare to see them in F/F books (yeah, why is that?).
  
  But although I liked these elements, I found myself putting the book down a number of times in the first 30% of it. It's rare for me to have a tough time immersing myself in a Spangler book, so I wanted to pinpoint what wasn't working. I noticed that in this portion, the characters spent loads of time being inside their own heads and their long ruminations were not pulling me in. This got me worried the book will end up an average read for me, and I wasn't ok with that 'cause my friends were all loving it! So clearly, I was missing something.
  
  Good thing my girl, Kristie (Lauren's best friend), turned things around! I love, love, love this woman so much! If I had a queer friend as fun as her, I'd absolutely keep them forever. She was just so funny—stealing the spotlight in every scene she was in 😆 Kristie's first session with Jess on the strip was where things started picking up, that I couldn't put the book down this time around. Her teasing helped me ease into the romance between Lauren and Jess. I'm not sure if Spangler has written a romcom yet, but if Kristie's character is anything to go by, she must!
  
  As for the sports, it got me comparing this to
  The Clinch. These two books tackle different sports, yes, but for some reason, I was having more difficulty picturing the moves and techniques here. It doesn't help that my knowledge of fencing is zilch, so this is a "me thing."
  
  After the lull in the first third, I started loving how Spangler was building Jess and Lauren's relationship through the stuff they did for each other. From the fight night Lauren arranged for Jess, to the words of affirmation they instilled in each other, there was no doubt these two were well on their way to have a solid, healthy relationship.
  
  I admit I was irked by Lauren's issue when it was proving to be a hindrance to their chance of moving forward. While I understand she experienced something that rendered her grief-stricken, I thought it was a little flimsy to have that as the reason why she started experiencing Impostor Syndrome. There was a bit of disconnect to her logic and how she processed that grief—well, to me at least. But people go through traumatic experiences differently, so I guess I shouldn't judge her too critically about it. It was just that, for a moment, I felt so sorry for Jess 'cause the woman she climbed a mountain for wasn't even willing to TRY to meet her halfway, which was thankfully emphasized by Haley (Jess' best friend).
  
  But in the end, how they resolved things had my heart aflutter 💕 A good sign of reading a great book is when you don't want it to be over, and I definitely had that feeling when I reached the Epilogue of Thrust. I wasn't ready to let go of these characters, so catching a whiff of something that tells me this isn't the last we'll see these women is giving me unadulterated joy.
  
  I don't know if this is simply wishful-thinking on my part, but did anybody else get a hint of that Kristie-Haley romance setup in the making? Crossing my fingers I'm right 'cause I'm already excited for it! 🤞🏻😍 Kristie was my favorite character in this book and Haley was a compelling one as well. They haven't even met yet, but I could already see the sparks flying by matching their individual personalities! ✨
  
  *Minor slip-up: IDK why it says 11 years later on the blurb. In the book, Jess and Lauren met 10 years after the former's confession.
  
  P.S. Love the cover! 🤺
• 
  khi

  Such an amazing read! I highly recommend!!!!
• 
  Pam Holzner

  I really enjoyed this but be warned that the characters are larger than life and a bit too good to be true.
• 
  Alex

  Uuuuuh I liked this book, Rachel Spangler rarely fails to deliver for me and this book didn't disappoint.
  
  When I was little I liked watching fencing at the Olympics, I felt that it was the closest thing to being a movie pirate or part of a book like The Black Arrow or Treasure Island, also, The Parent Tramp and Lindsay Lohan fighting Lindsay Lohan was the coolest thing ever, I even ask my parents for fencing classes, but that wasn't a possibility in my town or surrounding cities, so it was a no. That's why when I saw the helmets I had to read this.
  
  I liked the interactions between the characters, specially the beginning with the 13 yo and the 19 yo, because when I was 13 I felt like the oldest, wisest, more mature teen ever, so I could relate to Jess. Then when se appeared 10 years later intending to collect that promise it was so endearingly absurd and you had to love her.
  
  I'm always the responsible one, putting my parents and family first, so that make me empathize with Lauren and I think a lot of people tend to put a sense of duty before their own needs, so that should resonate with a lot of people.
  
  The fencing aspect was cool, I learn names and suff I didn't knew where involved, like the tons of clothing and different swords.
  
  After reading the blurb and how the book started I was afraid the romance was gonna be instat infatuation without substance, but I was wrong, the story developed nicely with sufficient hurdles and drama but nothing overwhelming that could take away my enjoyment of the plot.
  
  Overall this was a good read for me.
  
• 
  Sarah

  "Thrust" is a sports romance about fencing and this was my first book by Rachel Spangler.
  
  Fencing prodigy Jess Kidman has been in love with her former team captain Lauren Standish since she was a teenager. Their ways separate and 11 years later Jess comes back for Lauren now that their age difference doesn't matter anymore. Will Lauren also be the perfect coach for her to win her first gold medal at the Olympics?
  
  Overall this was a good read and I liked it, but didn't love it. The story seemed a bit too good to be realistic.
  
  Jess and Lauren are likable characters and Jess portrays an accurate image of a very competitive athlete in my opinion and I like how kind and sweet Lauren is and I think they make a great couple.
  Lauren's best friend Kristie is a nice addition to the story, because she is so funny and entertaining.
  
  I'd recommend this book to anyone who likes sports romances and/or fencing.
• 
  gloria ୨୧

  this looks delish
• 
  Amy

  Overall ⭐️⭐️⭐️
  Performance ⭐️⭐️
  Story ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
• 
  mili

  7/10
  
  Made me love fencing.
  
  Better and worse than I expected at the same time??
  
  I was very cautious when it came to this one even though it seemed really nice because I read only two Spangler's books and while the first one was really good I couldn't even finish the second one.
  
  So happy to say that I loved this one the most!
  
  It's a sport themed gxg book which I love but what I found myself liking the most is fencing.
  
  I was only now introduced to the sport (I've seen it only for a couple of seconds on TV before) and I was loving it. After I finished the book I went to all the fencing videos I could find so I could learn even more about it and then wached all the Olympic matches. I feel like Rachel Spangler did an amazing job writing this because not only did she deliver a nice romance story with two people with chemistry but she successfully taught everyone about this amazing sport that not many people really know of!
  
  While I really did like Jess and Lauren (and her best friend) I had some weird feelings about Jess being so hung up on liking Lauren. I mean she was barely a teen when she had a crush and I'm guessing it is a bit unbelievable to me to wait on someone for a decade. And then everything about being together forever so soon or whatever but I guess it was meant to be. And this is a story. Wish the romance was more slowburn, though.
• 
  Kexx

  Rachel is a class writer - I am always amazed by their brilliant writing which pulls me in, even though I know diddly squit about fencing, they make it an interesting and very readable plot. Highly recommended.
• 
  Jen

  Loved it
  
  I don’t generally care much for sports themed romances but I’ll always pick one up if it’s written by Rachel Spangler. I always come away from their books with a new appreciation for whatever sport is featured. I definitely enjoyed the fencing aspects of this novel, but I admittedly came here for the romance, and this book definitely delivered. Lauren and Jess were very well written and interesting characters and their chemistry together was off the charts. The drama/angst was well done and believable as well. This was a really enjoyable romance and I highly recommend it.
• 
  LeeBookie

  This was an awesome sports romance. There’s Olympic level fencing, heartfelt romance, and a nice dose of smoking hot chemistry.
• 
  Della B

  The best friend Kristie as she gets dressed for her first fencing lesson and match against Jess is laugh out loud gold!
  “Kristie held up the undershirt. “Uh, I think one of the arms fell off this one.”
  “That’s for your free arm. It’s not as important to cover as the one holding the weapon. “You’re right-handed, no?”
  “I am, but I’m also fond of my left arm as well. Shouldn’t we protect them both rather than play favorites?”
  
  Excerpt From
  Thrust
  Rachel Spangler
  This material may be protected by copyright.
• 
  emily

  This is my first book by this author and despite not being a sports person, I had a good time! I liked all the characters and enjoyed watching their relationship shift and evolve.
• 
  Kaila

  4/5 stars<\b>
  
  This was the perfect read after (and during) watching the olympics and paralympics obsessively over the last month or so. I still don’t really understand what’s happening when I watch the fencing, nor will anyone convince me that it is better than the swimming, but nonetheless this was a chemistry-fueled, intriguing romance. I have yet to read a Spangler that I haven’t enjoyed, especially her sports romances. This was really no exception, the characters were interesting, the romance was passionate and fiery, and the sports scenes were intriguing.
  
  My one gripe or issue with this book may be the life-long love plot line. This is definitely a personal taste thing, but childhood loves/connection and reconnection as adults just doesn’t tend to be my cup of tea. Now, with that out of the way, I still really did enjoy the romance. Jess is such a strong-willed and fiery character that barged back into Lauren’s life with so much intensity and passion. On the other hand, Lauren was a much more cautious, earnest and thoughtful character. I wouldn’t necessarily say they were opposites, but they were different enough that they seemed to fit together like puzzle pieces. Jess needed a coach that fully understood and supported her, and Lauren needed someone to remind her that she was worth it.
  
  The romance was both very passionate and chemistry-filled, and more emotional. I admit that it was the jump-of-the-page chemistry that got to me first. There was so much sexual tension boiling beneath every scene, especially during training. I could feel my heart racing at so many scenes, I was just waiting for them to combust. And combust they did, let me tell you folks, the build up in tension was definitely worth it. On another level, all of the training scenes also helped build a deeper bond between our characters, so it was very easy to transition into a meaningful romance. By the time we got to the end, I was ‘awing’ and ‘smiling’ at the sweet romance, just as much as I was excited by the sports aspect.
  
  This was definitely a perfect mix of the fiery from the romance, the fun and exciting from the fencing, and the heartwarming from the characters.
• 
  Evren

  I heard about this book for the first time maybe a month or so ago and I was intrigued. I read and loved Fire & Ice, so I wanted to see what Spangler could do with fencing. When she put out that review copies were available, I jumped at the chance to get to read this book. So, I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review and that’s what she’s going to get.
  
  Jess joined the varsity fencing team when she was 13, something that isn’t traditionally done. In her first year she became a state champ, came out, and was gently let down by her captain. Her captain did make a pact with her though, Jess could ask Lauren out again when she was on the road to the Olympics. Jess comes back ten years later in order to hold Lauren to that deal. Lauren has been through a couple of things over the past years and has wound up teaching/running a fencing club in a warehouse back where she grew up. Both of them have plans for the future, but can their plans mesh together?
  
  I don’t know what it is about Spangler’s writing, but she writes sports in a way where I want to know more about them. I want to learn about them, watch them, try them out. She did it with curling and now with fencing. Both were sports that I had no previous interest it, but now I want more. She wrote about the sport, and the characters’ love for it, in such a way where I felt drawn and compelled to feel the same way. It was amazing and awe-inspiring, but it also means that now I want to watch a bunch of fencing bouts.
  
  I adore every character that was in this book, with Ansel being the exception. Lauren and Jess are amazing characters who share such an amazing bond with each other. Lauren and Jess are both such passionate characters about all things fencing. Jess is a hot-head force of nature, but she’s not mean or stuck-up or anything like that. Lauren is the mom-friend, especially after the situation that brought her back home, but it’s clear that she cares for all of these people around her. I also want to know more about Haley and Kristie. Both of them intrigue me.
  
  This book was absolutely amazing. I was riveted to this book once I picked it up to begin reading it. Jess and Lauren have great chemistry together and share a connection that sparks almost instantly once Jess is back in town. The two are absolutely amazing together and I adored every scene where they were together, even if they were having a disagreement. There is the standard conflict towards the end, but it was handled relatively quickly. The conflict made sense and wasn’t drawn out over too many pages.
  
  This book is amazing, and I highly recommend that people pick it up and read it. I was blown away by how much I adored the characters together and how much this book made me want to learn fencing.
• 
  mar

  You know a sport book is good when they make you want to try the sport even those you have no idea what are the risk. It is exactly how Thrust felt about fencing. A silly bet between Jessica and Laurence when the first was only 13 years old and the other 18 years old. Jess always had a place for Laurence, a sweet gay crush of when she was younger ? Maybe. Being like she fences now, Jess kissed her, and after being gently pushed away by Laurence, she made a deal about a date: if she gets into the Olympic, both would have a date. Even tho she said yes ten years ago, who would have thought her beautiful red curly hairs would be enter the club a couple a month before the Olympics she was supposed to attend.
  
  It is kitsch, but I think there is something precious about this promesse. Knowing Jessica by her dynamic character, ambitious, it is a true honour to see her holding hope to see Laurence again. Laurence who doesn’t diminish her dreams about the fencing club, but who doesn’t dare to dream bigger at the risk of seeing everything being taken away. They bring harmony to each other and some peace. Their past is only the beginning of what will be build around trust.
• 
  Lesbian Romance Reader

  WOW! I got this as an ARC for an honest review.
  
  Wow! I never had any interest in fencing and this book made me want to start watching matches. After getting turned down by her teenage crush, Jess goes on to be a fencing champion with eyes on an Olympic medal. Her older crush, Lauren, goes on to working at the fencing club as an instructor/coach, not exactly where she saw her life going when she was 18. Fast forward 10 years and that's when the story picks up. The passion for the sport of fencing just leaps off the pages. It is written in such an engaging and active manner. I felt my heart beating faster for scenes. I don't know how Spangler made this story so exciting while setting up a romance story.
  
  This story made me want to go and order any other books written by Spangler. (Not start fencing because it sounds like a lot of exercise lol).
  
  Jae's SRC
  return to hometown
  genre you don't usually read (sports)
  character is a teacher/professor
  friends to lovers romance
  new to you author
  
  This story was so good writing this review makes me want to reread it again.