This book is an emotional, deeply satisfying romance about second chances—both in love and in believing in yourself. Jane arrives in Milwaukee feeling like her basketball career is on its last legs, only to have a whirlwind night with a gorgeous stranger. The twist? That stranger, Kinzie, turns out to be the brand consultant for her new WNBA team.

What I loved most was Jane’s journey. She’s spent years doubting herself, struggling with an injury and the feeling that she’ll never quite measure up. But as her career starts to take off, so does her connection with Kinzie, turning what was supposed to be a one-time thing into something real and deeply meaningful. Their chemistry is undeniable, but the real magic is in how their love forces Jane to see her own worth—both on and off the court.

With heartfelt emotion, steamy romance, and a heroine you can’t help but root for, this story is a slam dunk. If you love sports romances that dig deep into personal growth while delivering all the tension and passion, this one is a must-read!

Jane had great college basketball career but suffer a tore ACL and been bounce from one team after another but ever since then she been having low self esteem and fears she won’t be able to making it in the WNBA. She finally has a chance to calm her nerves before going to training camp she surprised herself by having a one night stand with a stranger. Kinzie is brand consultant for the team that Jane been recruit to play on Milwaukee Pitbulls. Jane and Kinzie are shock to see each other again but Jane is determined to keep her dream alive as she battle newfound fame and her self doubt she and Kinzie gets closer although the story is more from Jane pov we do get to know about Kinzie like that she was supportive. I enjoy this read about learning that you are worth it and dreams can come true.

I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.

received an arc from netgalley, thanks! this review is honest, but i think that will be obvious.

so a couple of weeks ago i thought to myself "i have never read a basketball romance" and then when i was perusing netgalley i came across this. "perfect!" i said to myself. reader, i was wrong.

ok that was dramatic but the point stands. my problem with this book is that it was boring. i don't mean that the story dragged, i just mean that the characters were dull and uninspired. jane is reduced to nothing but her shattered self esteem and spends the whole book thinking she is the worst in every single way. it makes her flat and uninteresting because all she cares about is how much she sucks. kinzie, on the other hand, seems pretty much perfect? kind, understanding, etc and so on. i could go on but i don't need to. you get the point.

also, quite frankly, they have too much sex. i do not think it is possible to have as many orgasms one after the other as these two do with terrifying regularity. i do not believe you that they have this many rounds in them. i reject it. the sex does nothing to advance the characters or the story and just made me embarrassed to be reading it on the train. at least the sex scenes were short.

now that i have my Big Issues out of the way i am going to move into my Nitpicking. i have not torn apart a book like this while reading for a while but i just couldn't stop myself here. and so:
- in the beginning, jane describes kissing kinzie in a hotel room as taboo. i'm sorry? there is no conflict about their sexualities or homophobia (which was great actually, a redeeming aspect at last) so it just came out of nowhere
- that one time the entire room started singing or whatever because maya got excited about smoothies. give me a fucking break. if you wanted this to be a musical go write a musical
- that time somebody (i forget who) goes something like "it's weird that woman is gay because she's so hot" about kinzie was actually not a normal thing to say, actually
- i just find abs boring and that is a large part of my problem here now that you think about it
- we should have grown out of the term tomboy by now ladies
- jane is upset about having a "slight headache" on media day or something. this is the same woman who sleeps like thirteen hours before her games. if she had to live in my body she would immediately perish. my headaches last for weeks and i have never slept eight hours in my life. seriously jane, get over yourself
- the words "up and coming AI firm" make me want to barf
- the banter is boring
- too many mentions of twitter for a book coming out in 2025
- stop saying "whom" i am begging you
- i think it is uninspired to have the athletes not get the big trophy or whatever and be like "that's ok because of the friends we made along the way and also love" like i get why authors do it i just think that it's lazy and not nearly as deep as they want it to be
- one of the worst epilogues i have ever encountered. jane, stop describing kinzie's life to her, she doesn't need to hear it. find a better way to tell your readers or whatever.

anyways, sorry for all the hatred but genuinely i found this almost unreadable. sad face.

Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for allowing me to read and review this book.

I very much enjoyed this book. The writing was great and the characters were well developed. I hope to read more from this author in the future.

I’m a big sports fan so I always look forward to new books with mc’s who are athletes. In this one, Jane Gray is a pro basketball player who has been bouncing around the periphery of the WNBA and Euro League for about a decade. Never a big name but able to make a living. She’s about to retire when her old Duke University coach lures her into one more season with the fictional Milwaukee wnba team.

I thought it was an interesting move on the author’s part to write a book about someone who has basically been a benchwarmer because 9 out of 10, the story is usually about a star player. Yes, Jane won a ring in college with Coach but that was a lifetime ago. Although there’s some basketball and training in the book, there’s not as much as you might think. The focus is more on Jane and her efforts to come to terms with the newfound success in her career and her love life at this later stage. Jane battles anxiety and imposter syndrome as she tries to welcome the good in her life but it’s a constant struggle. 10+ years of disappointment and injury have left her feeling vulnerable. Overall, a solid story about someone learning to embrace her own worth.

A fantastic story about love, self-worth, and second chances! Jane and Kinzie have amazing chemistry, and their journey from a one-night stand to something deeper is both emotional and inspiring. Jane’s struggles with confidence feel real, and it’s so rewarding to see her find both success and love. The mix of sports, romance, and personal growth makes this a great read. If you enjoy heartfelt stories with strong characters and a touch of passion, this one is a must-read!

**3.75 Stars**

This was a really fun sport sapphic romance! I'm not super knowledgeable about the WNBA, but it felt like it was written by someone who knows about the league, which is a big plus in sports romances because I have read some that feel like they've used the sport as a plot device but know very little about how the sport and league works.

The romance was really cute, and I reallly loved that the central plot was Jane getting her second chance and overcoming all the mental struggles that come with being injured a lot throughout your career and feeling like you will never reach your potential.

It was a little slow at times but overall, I really enjoyed this one. I also imagined Jane as DT the whole time because, wow what a babe...

Thank you to Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books, Inc for an arc in exchange for an honest review

This is a story about Jane Grey who is a professional basketball player. Jane suffered an injury in her second professional game, 8 years ago. She’s just now getting back on a team in the WNBA. Jane suffers from poor self esteem and negativity. Kinzie is a marketing professional who works for her family business. She is working on getting more publicity for Jane’s Milwaukee Pitbulls team.

This book was filled with basketball training, practice and games. I enjoyed the play by play scenes. I like watching college and high school games. So this was an enjoyable book for me. This is told completely from Jane’s point of view. We only know Kinzie’s thoughts by what she says. I had a hard time relating to Kinzie and felt we didn’t get to know her character. Jane’s constant self doubt was annoying to me.

I’ve read several of Rivers books and I’m looking forward to her next one.

Thanks to BSB and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I'm not a huge fan of basketball, but I love any book that revolves around women's sports and this one didn't disappoint. I'm not a fan of first person POV's either, but like Kris Bryant, Rivers did it justice.

Jane Gray is getting one last shot to make a statement in her basketball career after playing crappy for the last 8 years due to tearing her ACL. She lost confidence in herself and her game. When she gets another shot, Jane is determined not to screw it up, but ends up having a one night stand the night before training camp and thinks she'll never see Kinzie again.

Until the first day of training camp, she sees Kinzie again, who happens to be the consultant for the teams. It's a slow burn romance, that highlights the difficulties of an athlete getting hurt and coming back. It was very enjoyable and quick, low angst read. I loved the side characters, especially Maya and hope maybe she'll have her own book someday.

Overall, I would recommend this book. I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book is for the people who loved “Mistakes Were Made” by Meryl Wilsner and “How You Get The Girl” by Anita Kelly!

Before I get into my review of “Too Forward”, I’d like to thank NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for the ARC!

I absolutely love how this book was equally centered around basketball as it was about romance. I was deeply invested all the way through, although I’ve never once played basketball there are still deeply relatable themes throughout the book.

As much as I loved Kinzie and Jane, I also loved the found family this book showcased.

If you’re looking for a quick easy read with sweet and spicy moments, “Too Forward” is definitely the book for you!

I love women’s sports, I love the W, and I love any romances with WNBA players!

The setting and premise of this book were great. It was so fun to follow the season, and I loved the basketball elements that were built in. I am a fan of basketball, and unlike most sport romances, I found a lot of the details to be fairly realistic.

Where the book fell a little flat, is the main character. She had a lot of self doubt, which is relatable and nice to see represented, but I felt like it became too much. Especially with the singular first person POV, it would sometimes be hard to read.

As a basketball fan I loved the story of a character making there way back to what they love and earning their place. It was a great story like reading Rudy or A League of Their Own.

The hard part is I found the romance lacked. The characters didn’t really relate to each other and I didn’t truly feel their connection to each other outside of physical attraction.

It’s still a nice easy read for an afternoon while you wait for the evening basketball games to come on.

Thanks to NetGallery and the publisher for this Arc in exchange for my honest review.

As a fan of the WNBA (the "W") since the late 90's, I was highly interested in reading this book about the fictional Milwaukee Pitbulls and journeywoman forward, Jane Gray. Jane was a successful college basketball player, but eight years ago, two games into her professional career, she suffered a devastating injury, and her career has never been the same. However, Jane has a fresh opportunity in Milwaukee where she is reunited with her college coach who is now the head coach for the Pitbulls. While awaiting the start of the new season and possible assignment to the team apartments, if she makes the squad, Jane is housed at an area hotel. One night she decides to stop by the bar for a beer before bed and a young suit-type woman spots Jane from across the bar. After some conversation, Jane does something that she's never done, when the woman suggests going back to her hotel room. The woman is Kenzie Lancaster. The next day, Jane sees Kenzie at the Pitbulls practice facility and soon discovers that Kenzie is the new brand consultant for the Pitbulls. The story describes what happens between Jane and Kenzie as the season progresses along with the ups and the downs of the basketball season as well as the team dynamics.

Aside from the initial one-night stand, the relationship between Jane and Kenzie can be characterized as a slow burn romance. Jane is playing as well as she has played since college, and she doesn't want any distractions to enter her life to change the groove she finds herself in on the court. Throughout the back and forth between Jane and Kenzie, I found Kenzie to be totally accommodating and the more flexible of the two women. Kenzie also did some special things for Jane to let her know that she was thinking about her. Jane had a lot of self-confidence issues that she was working through with a Pitbulls staff member and those issues carried over into her relationship with Kenzie.

Overall, I enjoyed the story and the relationship between Jane and Kenzie which was a journey of growth. Being a fan of the W, I thought that Krystina Rivers did a great job of capturing the emotions of the game and the fans, she tied in real-life player names and announcer names, as well as accurate details of things like the playoff schedule and the All-Star Game. 4.5 stars

I received an ARC from Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

4.5⭐️
Too Forward is a very enjoyable sports romance in the universe of the WNBA.
You don't have to understand very much about basketball to enjoy the story, but as a sports fan myself, I had to read it.

Thirty-year-old Jane knows that her former coach's call-up for a training camp is her last chance for a place on a WNBA team. Early on, a torn ACL prevented her from pursuing her promising career. Not only was she physically held back, but mentally, it was a roadblock that she was never able to fully overcome. Her insecurity and lack of self-confidence had a field day with her mental state.

When she tried to calm her nerves with a beer in the hotel bar the evening before the camp started, she surprised herself by having a one-night stand for the first time in her life. But it helped to calm her down – and it was a hot and amazing nicht. For sure, she thought, it was only one night, with a stranger she'll never see again - except that she was the new brand consultant for her new team the Milwaukee Pitbulls.

The slow-burn romance and the development that Jane experiences over the next few months are the main theme of the story. With the help of the team and the staff, Jane manages to get back on the court and get back to her game and does so successfully. The author does an excellent job of showing Jane's internal battle with the imposter syndrome and her fight to find her self-confidence in basketball and life, giving a good insight into her emotional life and thoughts. And that love, friends, and moral support can change your life, make you a better person, and become self-confident.

I liked the chemistry between Jane and Kinzi, I felt their connection, and the sex was hot. I also liked the way Kinzi wormed her way into Jane's heart, even though Jane was the only one who didn't realize it and didn't think she deserved Kinzi's love.

Jane, Kinzi, and also Maya the team captain are loveable characters with flaws and quirks, and the team spirit is amazing, which doesn't happen with every team. I was a team athlete myself, so I loved everything about basketball and could empathize with the situations, and I was rooting for the team.

It's written from Janes's POV, which was fine for me, except that I would have loved a little bit more backstory on Kinzie.

Thank you to Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley for receiving an ARC.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this awesome book

this is jane grays last chance ..... shes about to embark on her last try at basketball, she is 30 and she feels at the end of her career that started off very promising but reality kicked in and she has been floating ever since.......

so an evening in the bar at her hotel finds her trying to settle her nerves not to get drunk or anything as that would give a bad impression of herself to her new team members but she ends up having a one night stand with a stranger that night

and so begins her time with her new team the Milwaukee Pitbulls and its during her first week that she meets up with her one night stand who just happens to be Kinzie Lancaster who has been brought in as brand consultant to help the team get sponsorship and a more higher profile

as she gets to play her best basketball for the team and things get interesting with kinzie can there really be an ever after for them....

its a great read and i was thoroughly invested right to the end with this one.... loved all the characters that we meet in this book love a good sports book

cant wait to see what is next for this author

4.75 ⭐️ the only complaint I have is that I wish there was a little more at the end.

I think the authors did a fantastic job on the way imposter syndrome and low self esteem was portrayed. I also think it was importantly for the dialogue between Maya and Jane about confidence, seeing that support from a friendship perspective and then seeing it from a romantic perspective with Kinzie. I’m glad Kenzie said something about not being the one that always reassures Jane. That would be toxic and it was an aspect of their relationship that needed to be explored.

I’m not sure why those who “don’t know much about or don’t like” basketball read this and made that point to give a lower rating. Don’t read a romance book that is centered on basketball then? I personally loved the amount of basketball that was in the story.

Overall, this was an emotional, important love story that was so much more than basketball. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me an ARC. I have left my review voluntarily.

I DNF'd at about chapter 8 for a couple reasons. The main reason was just that I felt the pacing was really slow and I didn't find myself caring enough about where the plot went. Obviously it's a sweet romance and there isn't crazy plot, but I felt like we were just going back and forth between basketball practice, and talking about basketball practice.
I also didn't feel like there was enough tension between the protagonist and the main love interest. There isn't much stopping them from being together except for the protagonists "not wanting distractions" which could be a good reason on it's own but it didn't seem like she had much conviction in her own decisions so why this one?

There is so much in this story that is good but it isn't pulling on my heartstrings the way it should. I think raising the stakes and adding more tension would take it from average romance to iconic love story. I love the WNBA and I want to love this story.

Thank everything for kindle search because I know 0 about basketball 😂

This book was great, I enjoyed it. I loved how it talked about the struggles of life after an injury and how that affects all aspects of life and how it can mentally challenge you, I also loved the talk of therapy and helping to stop the stigma

The romance side was nice, I liked how despite pushing one of the MC’s away the other MC still tried everything to be there.

Overall a great book.. my only downside i would have preferred an epilogue that took the back to the final and winning that would have been perfect I’m a sucker for happy conclusions

3.5 stars.

A very solid read. Little too much focus on basketball, but considering the context of the novel I cannot fault it for that, I just know very little about basketball in general so I may have missed certain things.

I wasn’t really invested in Jane and Kinzie’s relationship or really them as characters. Things felt a little too surface level for me especially with Kinzie.

Jane on the other hand was often over explained, her anxieties, injury, feelings. Every character was rooting for her and motivating her on literally any page. I wish we were able to see some of Kinzie’s point of view, this book could’ve benefitted from a dual POV in my opinion.

Their relationship also suffered from telling and not showing, their chemistry both sexually and romantically was discussed over and over but not really shown as much as it could have. I think this being only a single POV is part of the problem because without Kinzie’s input we only see their relationship as interpreted by Jane who just can’t believe Kinzie still likes her after their one night stand.

This is not a bad book by any means, it’s a very quick and chill read and I’m interested in the rest of the authors works!

I enjoyed reading this book despite so much focus on basketball that I have no clue about. Jane and Kinzie are having the right kind of chemistry that is so clear after the hot one-night stand. It really takes time for them to circle back to each other but very understandable, Jane needs to get into the right headspace, being worthy of success in her career as well as in her love life.

I would have liked to read a bit more of a backstory about Jane and Kinzie, I think the book could easily have been a bit longer and cover also that. Hearing Kinzie's POV would also have been great, she is the main driver of their relationship for so long, and her insights and frustration would have been very interesting to read about. The book is also so focused on their chemistry and way less on their actual relationship, I hope they will get there one day or I have doubts this will be a HEA and not just a HFN.