“A light blue and a dark blue, step by step.”Pretty confident I just became the world’s biggest rowing fan. Prior to reading Oar Than Friends I knew that rowing involved a boat, oars, someone yelling, and water. Now I’m determined to become an expert!

Kate Asters has just arrived to Cambridge University from Connecticut when she literally stumbles into Arthur OsbournCloud, Oz. The two immediately hit it off, sharing things they wouldn’t normally share with someone else but then their time is cut short.
Fast forward and they discover they are both on the row team for their rival’s team. Kate is a coxman for Cambridge while Oz is on Oxford rowing team.

Kate and Oz had a lot to overcome to be together. I loved how invested Oz was from the beginning. He was perfectly infatuated with his Yankee Doodle and willing to do what it took to make time for each other.
“Isn’t it a bit early to start planning dates? Not to mention, we’re both going to be very busy studying. Save for the fact we’ve only known each other an hour.” “Nothing’s too early when it comes to planning your dreams.”

The side characters of Charlie, Brooks, Imogen and Oz’s family were all so perfect. I’m excited for more of this Oxbridge series and what I hope will include them all! Also I’m ready to learn more about rowing.
Thank you @lulumoore and @valentine_pr_ for the ARC!
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🔥: “Tell me what to do. I’ll be your good boy. I promise.”

Oar Than Friends is the first book in the Oxbridge series. Kate Asterly has traveled across the pond on a rowing scholarship to attend Cambridge. When she meets Arthur Osborne-Cloud there is instant attraction, but he is a member of Oxford’s rowing team and they are rivals. Will the pair be able to build a relationship while their schools rivalries are trying to tear it down?

I am always up for a sports romance and liked the rowing angle in this book. I know nothing about rowing, but found it interesting to learn about in this book. I enjoyed the whole premise of this story and think the execution was good. There were just a few moments that I wasn’t a huge fan of, mostly times when Kate was second guessing her relationship with Oz. The characters in this book were a good pairing and I enjoyed following along with them as they tried to bridge the gap between their difference to become even better together. Overall this was an enjoyable romance read and I’m glad I gave it a shot!

"Oar Than Friends" by Lulu Moore is an exciting and captivating novel that takes us on a journey through the world of competitive rowing and the intense rivalry between two prestigious universities - Cambridge and Oxford. The story follows the lives of two main characters, Kate and Arthur, who are both passionate about rowing and determined to win at any cost.
This was my first book by this author and I really enjoyed her writing. The author does an excellent job of developing the characters and their relationship, which is both complex and compelling. Kate and Arthur come from different backgrounds and have different ambitions in life, but their love for rowing brings them together. The chemistry between them is sizzling, and the tension created by their opposing loyalties is palpable. The writing is engaging, and the plot is well-paced, with plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader guessing. The author's descriptions of the rowing scenes are vivid and realistic, capturing the intensity of the sport and the thrill of competition.
Overall, "Oar Than Friends" is an excellent read that will appeal to anyone who loves sports, romance, and drama. The book is well-written, with relatable characters and a fast-paced plot that will keep you turning the pages. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for an exciting and engaging read that will leave you wanting more.

Another amazing book by Lulu Moore!! I am a huge fan of Lulu and this did not disappoint.

Read this in one day after it pulled me out of a reading slump. I knew nothing about rowing but loved it like any other sports based romance.

This book is about a relationship blossoming between students of two rival universities who then end up competing in the same race. It is cute and funny and holds all the qualities I value in a book.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of this book, I can’t wait to read the next in the series. Highly recommend to any fans of sports romances even if rowing isn’t usually your thing.

#Review: *Oar Than Friends* - ARC - Lulu Moore
5/5✨

Even though it was my first encounter with this author, I've just fallen in love with her writing style 🥰. Thank you for offering me the chance to read this beautiful book.🤗

The story is about two indirect rivals, Kate and Arthur (or most often called Oz), who are part of the boat teams from Oxford and Cambridge Universities. Their first encounter was really funny and you could feel the sparkles lighting up between them in that right moment. It was an instant connection. But they didn't know the whole story about each other and they later find out that they were part of the rival team. Their relationship was forbidden from the beginning but they still tried to make it work.

I just loved how Oz was acting around Kate, he worshiped her and I adored the scenes were he left everything else behind and just ran to be with her. I also liked how Oz helped Kate overcome her insecurities and tried to make her see the best in her.

A plus to the story were the secondary characters, which completed very well with Oz and Kate. They were fun and supported their friends, no matter what. In Oz's corner were Charlie and Brooks and in Kate's corner were Imogen and Hannah. Each of them contributed so much to the whole story and I liked every part of it. It was nice to discover this whole new world of boat competition and it was an experience I really liked.

The end of the book was pretty real for me, not something which seemed too exaggerated and I liked that there was an extra chapter from the next book 👀. For that part I can only say that it's going to contain a story about fake relationship and I cannot wait to read that one too. 💙
I really, really recommend this book if you wanna read a romantic, fun, sports related story. Also, if you enjoy these next tropes, you should definitely give it a try: forbidden love, sports romance, love at first sight, he falls first, boy obsessed, secrete romance, athlete, Ivy League University, protector.

This was such a fun, unique take on a sports romance by bringing in the world of rowing. I don’t know much about the sport outside of the summer Olympics, but I do know the rivalry between Oxford and Cambridge is legendary. Using that as part of the rivals-to-lovers element added another interesting layer to the story.

Kate is an American come to Cambridge to study medicine abroad on a rowing scholarship as a coxswain. Arthur, or ‘Oz’ as he’s known to his friends, is a legend-in-the-making member of the Oxford team. When Kate quite literally stumbles on Oz before knowing who he is, an undeniable connection is formed that will have to overcome more challenges than just facing off on the river.

Oz gives full “he falls first x falls fast x falls hard” energy. He is absolutely a boy obsessed and it’s so sweet. His family puts him in the public eye even without his rowing notoriety, and the scandal they’re enduring has the attention heightened. Kate’s character felt very authentic to what I would imagine for a 19-year-old taking a giant leap of independence to study alone in a foreign country while also undertaking a strenuous course of study combined with being a student athlete in a very training-intensive sport. It would be a lot to pile on anyone, and then add a boyfriend in the public eye on a rival team. I admired the way she navigated everything and appreciated the reality that she showed cracks when it all became too much.

I’m usually not a huge fan of an almost instalove connection, but it worked for me here. The media and university rivalries have created a reputation for Oz that he has to set straight for Kate, and I felt his actions and words were genuine enough that it made sense she would accept his true self so quickly. It also was more ‘instaconnection’ than ‘instalove’ and I think their family hardships and the pressure they felt to pursue paths they wouldn’t have chosen for themselves helped foster the bond between them. They both have their own dreams and then they also have what they feel is expected of them by their family, and it’s a lovely journey for the two of them to find the path they are meant to be on.

The whole rivalry and message of Oxford men being forbidden to the Cambridge women at the risk of losing their spot on the team reminded me of the first Pitch Perfect movie and Aubrey’s speech about the Trebles being off limits to the Bellas — and I mean that in a positive way because I think that whole scene is hilarious. Aside from that, the rivalry doesn’t play too big of a part in Oz and Kate’s story aside from needing to keep things mostly under the radar and a bit into the third act. It’s more of an issue for outside forces than between the two of them.

I thought there was a good balance between spice and plot throughout the book as well. Once Kate and Oz were *together* it didn’t shift the story into being solely about their physical connection and didn’t overwhelm their emotional connection. I also felt that the emotional connection was well-established, especially during the Christmas holidays. I will say though, that there was one part of the Christmas holidays that I was looking forward to reading, and it ended up being only briefly told about on page after the fact rather than actually getting to experience it with the characters. There were a couple other tell-over-show moments throughout, but overall I thought the story flowed really well.

This was my first Lulu Moore book, but it won’t be my last. I’m already excited about Book 2 in this series. Thank you to Lulu Moore and Valentine PR for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Lulu Moore can do NO wrong.

Did I know anything about rowing? - No.
Did I know about Cambridge & Oxford rivalry - No.
Will I absolutely find out how I can now watch or attend this Boat Race - Yes.

This was not my first Lulu Moore book, but it was my first Rowing romance, and as I expected, it did not disappoint.

Kate and Oz are trying to navigate intense college workloads, training, and their new relationship, all while keeping it secret due to the rivalry of their colleges.
Kate fears losing her scholarship if she gets kicked off the rowing team for fraternizing with the enemy, so Oz really has to work at getting her to give him a shot.
Oz knows Kate is perfect for him, and he doesn't give up trying to win her over. After she finally gives in to him, he continues to be very swoony and does everything he can to help her train, study, and feel better when she is homesick.

I was hooked from the beginning, and their hilarious meet cute. This was full of flirting, banter, and great friends. But there is also deep emotional moments about loss and grief and figuring out what they really want for their future.

I can't wait for the rest of the series.

Rowing Romance
Rivals to Lovers
English College Romance
He Falls First
British MMC
American FMC

This was my first Lulu Moore book and will definitely not be my last! I absolutely devoured this book! As someone who loves sports romances, this book was like a breath of fresh air as I have not seen any other rowing romance books on the shelves. After reading Oar Than Friends I can confidently say that the second I see a book mentioning rowing I will be checking it out, and that I will 100% be watching the rowing event at the Olympics in hopes of finding my own Oz!

This book intrigued me right from the start as I heard about it not long after watching a movie about rowing. The movie impressed me by showing how dedicated and strong these athletes had to be. Not only physically strong, but mentally as well. We see hockey roamnces all the time and all agree that it is grueling training, but I honestly think rowing is so much harder. You have to be so tough and dedicated to make it in a boat.

This book revolves around two rowing competitors, Oz and Kate. Oz is your classic Brit with a jerk dad. Kate is an American who is still reeling from the death of her brother and wanting to fill in his shoes. He goes to Oxford, she goes to Cambridge. They meet on Kate's first night and it is insta-love. The kicker? They have no idea that they are each other's competition. At first it was not in the true sense as Kate rowed for the women's team and and Oz for the men's, but by the end of the book they were going head to head with one another.

Being the enemy though was not their major obstacle. Sure, Kate had a tough time coming to terms with it at first, but Oz's tenacity and golden retriever energy eventually wore her down. It was the fact that Oz's father was a politician in the midst of a sex scandal. The paparazzi were all over Kate the second they found out about the relationship, which obviously overwhelmed our small town east coast American sweetheart. Luckily by the end these two realized that they were it for one another and we got our HEA.

Oz and Kate each were great characters who had their own personal struggles, though they sort of were the same thing. It was because they had such similar struggles that these two worked so well together as they were able to understand each other on that level. The gist of their struggles: having the courage to pursue a future they truly wanted. Oz wanted to be a teacher, not a politician. Kate wanted to own a restaurant and serve lobster rolls, not be a doctor. By the end they both decided to pursue their two passions together, and even be a power couple in rowing.

This was a super cute book that I highly recommend. I absolutely cannot wait for book two as it looks like we will be given a best friend's little sister fake dating situation! Now I am off to go find a lobster roll because this book made me crave one!

Thank you to Valentine PR and Lulu Moore for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Lulu Moore does it again! I absolutely LOVED Oar Than Friends. College romance? Yup! Sports romance? Yup! Rivals to lovers? Yup! The best flirting and banter? Yup! This book has it all!

I love sports, and Lulu Moore's other books included my favorite sports to watch - hockey and baseball. Those books were really easy to follow along with, and I thought the reason was because I knew about them. I knew almost nothing about rowing going in, and she did such a great job of included explanations and details to understand the different aspects of rowing. It made me realize that in the previous books, it wasn't because I knew the sport, it's because Lulu Moore researches it, knows it, and can effectively deliver you moments that induce those romantic feelings about sports that everyone loves.

The opening scene drew me right in, but Oz and Kate's meet cute made me forget the world around me. I was invested. I was laughing out loud. I was swooning. I was in all of my feels. Because even though this book is about rowing, rivals, and romance, it also talked about grief, trauma, and coming into your own.

Even though the two of them were rowing rivals, there was no denying that they were meant to be together. The way they could lean on each other and be who they wanted to be showed so much individual growth. Don't get me wrong, I was yelling at them through different parts of the book, but my adoration for the two never wavered - and their adoration for each other never wavered either. I loved Kate's character through and through. Oz has his moments, which he realizes, but he is persistent and nothing is going to stop him from showing how much he cares.

Not only were Kate and Oz great, but their friends and teammates were the best! They added to the humor and all of the love that was shown. I can't wait to see more of them! No really - when is the next one coming out? You know I'll be reading it!

Another great addition to the Luluverse - as if there were any doubts!

Thank you to Valentine PR and Lulu Moore for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I read Lulu Moore’s back list (New York Players 🏒 The Tuesday Club 💸 + The New York Lions ⚾️) on a whim last summer and found some of my favourite fictional characters ever. (The book hangover was real and I smell a reread coming soon because I miss them) So I was ✨so✨ excited to see that the Lulu-verse is expanding ✨ and that this time it’s closer to home (I’m obsessed with NY though) 🍎 🗽

Lulu writes romances well but she writes friend groups better. Within a few short pages of Oar Than Friends, I’m obsessed and totally invested with the Oxford boys. I am already excited to read their stories of which I hope there will be many. The tight-knit group definitely resembles the hockey players in the New York Rangers. Oz and Kate remind me of Jasper + Wolfie (faves). I find it impossible to read these books without grinning the majority way through reading it, which rarely happens in a book and now I have another fictional couple to live in my head + heart rent-free, Oz + Kate 4eva ✌🏻🩵 Honourable mention to Jaffa Cakes for making an appearance too!

Oar Than Friends has got me excited about rowing which wasn’t on my reading bingo card but then again I said that about Ice Hockey and here we are so 🤷🏼‍♀️ It looks like I might have to pay more attention to the boat race this year!? 🚣🏼‍♀️ Thank you, Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House + NetGalley for the opportunity to read this before it’s released. It was an hon-oar 😜 I can’t wait to reread it once it’s out in the world along with the rest of the Oxbridge series eventually!

Oar Than Friends is out 14th March 2024 #OarThanFriends #NetGalley

Lulu Moore is the one author that keeps on serving and she hasn't disapponted me yet.
Oar than friends felt so regreshing. It's about rowing which is a sport we don't see often in romance and it does also have some academic vibes alongside the sport rivalry. It was such a fun and sweet romance to read.
Oz and Kate's chemistry got me from their first scene and I was so rooting for them to get together. I also loved the friendships in this book. Both the girls and boys were so adorable and supportive pf each other and I was super invested in all the side characters too.

I highly recommend keeping an eye out for this book! I don't thing you'd regret trusting me on this.

*arc kindly provided in exchange of an honest review

I loved this rowing romance! As a previous rower, I enjoyed the representation of the sport and thought The Boat Race made a great setting for a rivals to lovers story. I was invested in the main characters' relationship, and I really enjoyed their friendships, too. I will absolutely be reading the next books in this series!

Thank you to Lulu Moore, NetGalley, and the publishers for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this book! It had the perfect amount of romance, humor, and spice, and the 3rd act break up wasn’t overly drawn out, which was refreshing. I also enjoyed learning about the Oxbridge rivalry and annual boat race. I’m obsessed with Kate and Oz’s relationship, and I can’t wait to read the next in the Oxbridge series!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the ARC!

Kate Astley is on rowing scholarship+ a medical one to study Medicine at Cambridge University. She is American and talented but burdened by her brother's passing and trying to impress her family.
Arthur Osbourne Cloud is the president of the Rowing Team of Oxford University studying Classics. He is rich, super hot, and burdened by his father's life and scandals and trying to find his place in the world without being like him.
Being together is a bit hard being playing for rival teams and all BUT love knows no boundaries and they will try to make it work no matter what...
My first Lulu's novel and surely won't be the last. First time reading a book that included Rowing as a sport and it was fun actually coz the author didn't bore us with so many details just enough to understand what's going on.
The setting of both Colleges was AMAZING and England in general and I would read any book written there.
As for Kate& Arthur they were super cute but I especially loved Arthur he is a cinnamon roll hero which you will love from the very first chapter.
Favourite parts were the Christmas/New Year's chapters in addition, to the parts were they snuck around and those cute face time calls.
So in general, it was a great read and I enjoyed every moment.
Thanks to @netgalley and the publisher for granting me an ARC of #OarThanFriends in exchange for my honest review.

Xoxo💋

This was such a sweet read. As someone who did attend a London university, I devoured this book so quickly and loved the rowing aspect. I really enjoyed the two main characters despite the insta-love connection but it did become a little slow burn which balanced it out for me. I wouldn’t say enemies to lovers, just a little star crossed

I'm not the biggest fan of this book. I didn't really know what to expect, except for the book being about rowing and it having a rivalry between the main characters.

I already had a bit of trouble with the beginning of the book, since i didn't expect Kate and Oz to meet so soon and it felt like they had an insta-love thing going on (which is one of my least favourite tropes). And even though this book is promoted as enemies to lovers (more like rivals to lovers), the enemies part lasted a good 4, maybe 5 chapters and was definitely underwhelming. I can't hate on everything because Kate and Oz shared some sweet moments together and you could definitely tell they truly cared about each other.

Now, don't even get me started on Oz. That man was insufferable. I found him very pushy and annoying. He thinks very highly of himself and I might have liked him more if he thought with his brain instead of his dick. Kate, on the other hand, was incredibly likeable. She was so sweet and kind and really cared about the people around her.

There were definitely other things I liked as well, like the glossary at the beginning, the book being dual pov, CHAPTER TITLES (I missed those) and the writing style. The writing was very pleasant and easy to read and I had no trouble trying to understand what was happening.

Even though I didn't like the majority of the book, I still had a lot of fun reading and that's why it still deserves a solid 3 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley, for letting me read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this!! It’s been a while since I was addicted to a book and all I wanted to do was keep reading but that changed with this

I loved the main characters and their meet cute was so funny. I love that they didn’t beat around the bush that they we’re attracted/interested in each other from the get go

I really enjoyed the sneaking around that them being from rival universities bought to the story

The actual boat race was so much better than i thought it would be and the making up after the 3rd act break up had me screaming

I loved all the side characters and can’t wait to see their own stories

- rivals to lovers (their universities/sports team are rivals but they themselves liked each other from the very start)
- A* sneaking around
- Greek British MMC x American FMC
- University sports romance

Thank you Michael Joseph/Penguin UK and NetGalley for the ARC - all opinions are my own

My goodness, five stars doesn’t quite capture the love I have for this book.

The romance was so soft and understanding, the setting and premise was perfection, and the friends and family added so much to this book!

This was such a well written sports romance that felt different than the rest with the creative choice of rowing as the sport.

I honestly can’t even fully form my thoughts for a proper review because I loved it so much, just go pick it up!

This novel was everything to me! I’m in the midst of watching One Day on Netflix and I was looking for something with a similar vibe and I immediately got this vibe from this book, I was in love from the first romantic scene. I loved the characters chemistry and I was so hoping they would get their happy ending and personal happiness. Each has obstacles to overcome and it was so fun to see it all unfold. I loved the boating aspect as well. Perfection absolute perfection

I absolutely DEVOURED this book in one sitting. I was immersed in the Oxbridge rivalry, rowing teams and academic rivals to lovers story. Loved both main characters and I was rooting for them the entire time!! I cannot wait for the sequel (which thank god we got a sneak peek of at the end of this one)!! I'll be VERY surprised if this doesn't end up being on one of my top reads this year!