A fresh outlook on sports romances? Of course Esha Patel has it covered.

Firstly, it is so nice to read a sports romance that isn’t just the typical hockey romance. It’s so refreshing and makes this an even more enjoyable read. That being said, let’s focus on specific elements of the book.

This is fake dating done right! Yes it’s obvious there are feelings there, but the two MCs don’t give in to it straight away and don’t immediately change into a “real” relationship. There is still a breakup, and still dilemmas in the relationship that build suspense at times.

The female empowerment element is written well and doesn’t feel like tokenism as it does in some other books. There’s a true message of empowerment and representation within typical male fields, which I hope will encourage more people to go into women’s sports.

Overall, a 4 star read. I would recommend to anyone who loves sports romances and/or fake dating, or is looking for something new to read. Esha Patels books will never let you down.

Cross My Heart by Esha Patel is a delightful sports romance that balances heart, humour, and a touch of drama. May Velasco has worked hard to secure a scholarship and join her college’s lacrosse team. Her focus is on proving herself on the field, but her plans are derailed when her childhood nemesis, CJ "Colt" Bradley, turns up as a training assistant for the team.

Colt, now a star of New Haven's pro lacrosse team, is the last person May wants advice from. Their tense history makes working together uncomfortable, but things take an unexpected turn when they're photographed in what appears to be a very intimate moment at a bar. The fallout from the photo isn't what May expects—while she's furious, the college sees it as an opportunity for publicity and the women’s lacrosse team gets more attention than it’s ever had before.

To keep her place on the team, May and Colt strike a deal to pretend they’re dating for the sake of the sport’s publicity. What starts as a staged romance soon becomes more complicated as the two find themselves in deeper emotional waters than they anticipated.

With its focus on female sports and its diverse representation, Cross My Heart is a breath of fresh air in the sports romance genre. Patel has crafted a fun and engaging story that mixes witty banter with real emotional stakes. The chemistry between May and Colt is electric, and their evolving relationship is both touching and entertaining.

If you're looking for a light-hearted, yet heartfelt read with a compelling storyline and great character dynamics, Cross My Heart is a fantastic choice. It's a book I’d recommend to anyone in need of a pick-me-up, and I’d love to read more from this talented author.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

This was such a cute romance!! I love Esha’s work and this one was no exception! Such a nice story line with relatable characters and an interesting plot. Definitely will be recommending to my friends.

Thank you so much to Esha Patel and Avon Books UK | Avon for the eARC of this title. I love a good sports romance and this was no exception. I loved that the college sport it was centered around was not football or hockey or basketball. It hard to find those sometimes. Although it took me a few to get into to the book I really thought it was a great story.

Love, Love, Love. If you're into fake dating, enemies-to-lovers, and college sports romance, Cross My Heart is one you’ll want to pick up ASAP. It’s got all the best tropes—slow-burn chemistry, banter that crackles, and just enough tension to keep things interesting.

May Velasco is living her dream as a college lacrosse player, but keeping her scholarship means staying focused. Enter CJ “Colt” Bradley—her childhood nemesis turned pro lacrosse star—who suddenly shows up to help train her team. She can’t stand him, but when a picture of them looking way too close goes viral, she’s basically forced to fake date him for the sake of the team’s PR. Simple, right? Yeah… not so much.

May is fierce, determined, and easy to root for, while Colt is the kind of cocky, charming athlete you can’t help but fall for. Their dynamic is hilarious, their tension is chef’s kiss, and the slow-burn build makes every moment worth it. Plus, the sports setting actually feels real, which makes it even better.

Overall, this book is fun, flirty, and full of feels. If you love a good sports romance with plenty of sass and heart, Cross My Heart totally delivers!

I really enjoyed seeing the characters progress in this story. The story was well paced and well written. I was hooked from the beginning and devoured it in just a few sittings. I wouldn’t call this a Enemies to Lovers book though, more of a second chance at love.


Thank you NetGalley and Esha Patel for the Arc 💜

the sweetest second chance romance i was instantly obsessed with. these two are perfect for each other and seemed so deeply in love, the emotion was so raw and passionate I was about to melt. The main stand out point of this book for me is the positive representation of female sports, the team scenes made me tear up. This showed a true family- not just a sports team. This was my first lax romance and gosh it didn’t disappoint. The sport is unlike anything in used too but still so exciting. The ending of this one and May’s victory was actually one of the most memorable scenes I’ll probably read. It was written with such support and dedication, and you can tell so clearly how deserved this triumph was. These two were each others support systems to get over their fears despite not confessing feelings was absolutely adorable to read and they made me scream and question why they weren’t together since the start!!! The only thing I found faulty with this book was that their backstory didn’t seem expanded upon enough. In a second chance romance I like seeing the sugary love scenes innocent youth brings but i felt that they were lacking. Ultimately, this is a very beautiful story with the best characters and such a supportive atmosphere

This book was like a little ray of sunshine?! I've never read a lacrosse sports romance before, and it was so refreshing. The balance of sports to romance was excellent, with a fake dating, 'second chance' kind of theme going. It was sweet, a little spicy, and the kind of book that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy.

Cross My heart

‘All that matter is that I am unconditionally and unabashedly in love with her.’ m

May Velasco knows a few things in life, the most important one being lacrosse, after working towards it for years, May knows this is her last chance with her scholarship if she wants to declare at the end of the season, and after the rough season she had last year, she’s ready to give it her all. Enter Colt ‘CJ’ Bradley. May has tried very hard not to think about him since he left to play lacrosse at New Haven 5 years ago. But when e returns after an injury puts his career at risk to help coach her team, May finds letting go of the past more difficult than she can imagine, and when her and Colt look like they’re sharing an intimate moment in a bar, the post goes viral. May wants to shut the whole thing down, but the press it’s bringing to women's lacrosse is something May can’t deny. They can put the past behind them and pretend a little longer, right?

I really enjoyed this book. In general I am a big fan of sport romances, and my sport tends to be F1. The most I really knew of lacrosse was watching Teen Wolf, but having this sport be a forefront meant that it was a really refreshing read. I enjoyed learning more about a sport that I know nothing about, and it gave me a greater appreciation for it. One of the things I think I underestimated was how adrenaline racing playing it can be, and the writing during the games was so good at making you feel like you were in the middle of the action, and I was desperate to keep going to find out if they were going to win or not.

I love May’s character. May and Colt together have that grumpy/sunshine vibe which is an absolute weakness of mine. Having May be this strong character and be so protective of her loved ones, that you can see that she is ready to give up on her biggest dream to stay and make sure that they are okay is one of her best traits. I love seeing strong female characters in the books I read and May is one of the best. You can see how caring she is for everyone around her. Her stubbornness definitely got in the way in some cases but it made the moments between her and Colt so much sweeter.

Colt is a whole other matter. I loved him so much! The way he was so down bad for May just melted my heart. Going down injured and her being your first thought? Just absolutely perfect, that he fully set the bar. One of the sweetest things about him is that it’s rarely ever just May to him, in his inner monologue, he calls her May Velasco so often, it’s as though he doesn’t want to deprive himself of her name. Sometimes I feel like it can come across as cringey but with Colt you can tell that its very genuine and it just had me rooting for them even more.

I really enjoyed the way that it being women in a male dominated field (quite literally) was written. There was no shade thrown at men lacrosse, and it wasn’t trying to be like we’re better than men because we’re women. It was written with such care that you could tell that they didn’t really think about the fact that there’s a difference, and more that it was empowering for these women to be playing a sport that they loved, and you could tell that they were playing for the love of the sport. You can also see the difference that although many people showed up because of Colt initially, many people stayed because of the sport because of the team , and it just left me with such a feeling of hope that it was so enjoyable.

There are a lot of my favourite tropes in this, grumpyxshunshine, second chance romance, not quite enemies to lovers, he falls harder, and they are written so well. I’m a sucker for these tropes and when they are written well, like they are here, they are just some of my favourite tropes to read, and I was tearing through it.

All in all, this was such an enjoyable read, and it’s another book by Esha Patel that just knocks it out of the park.

So I guess I’m into lacrosse now. It was bound to happen eventually, but like this book made it seem like so much fun and now I will actually look into the sport. Good times good times.

I had the pleasure of reading Cross My Heart as an arc!

I loved that this book surrounded Lacrosse which was refreshing since most sports romance books surround hockey or football! I enjoyed that they focused on the women's side of sports since you don't see that all too often. I think the fake dating trope was fun but maybe a little unrealistic for social media to be following a college lacrosse players relationship. You could tell they had feelings for each other but they didn't give into those feelings right away. There was drama and a break up in their relationship before they could come together. I loved how Esha portrayed female empowerment and the challenges women go through while living in a "man's world".

This is my first read from Esha Patel and it was written well. The story was heartwarming and an easy read. Overall it was a 4 star book and if you love a fake dating, sports romance - you'll likely enjoy this book!

Thank you NetGalley and Esha Patel for the opportunity to read this arc!

This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future.

I LOVED THIS! I am so excited that Lacrosse women finally get some representation in the book industry! I was so into this book and the fact that the author really knew about the sport was really awesome. THANK YOU!

I would say finally not a hockey sports romance but in all honesty I love them though I will say it was super refreshing to read a new sport for once!!
This is a second chance romance troupe// forced proximity// fake dating
In my opinion this book has all the ingredients for a gripping romance book, you know the ones that make you giggle and kick your feet but also have you feeling for the main characters? Yepp that’s the one.

I really enjoyed seeing the characters progress in this story. The story was well paced and well written. I was hooked from the beginning and devoured it in just a few sittings.

I had a bit of a rocky start with this book. For the first 10%, I was a little confused about the characters’ ages—there seemed to be a mix between high school and college students, which threw me off at first. It also took me a while to figure out the setting, as the book didn’t clearly mention the location. I found myself wondering if it was in New Haven, Connecticut, but there was no confirmation until later. A simple mention of the state would have made things much clearer.

That said, once I got past the confusion, I really enjoyed the book. The focus on female sports was refreshing and empowering, especially as it revolved around lacrosse—an underrepresented sport in the professional world. The idea of women playing professionally in a sport like lacrosse was an interesting “fantasy” concept that I really appreciated, even if it did stretch the boundaries of realism a bit.

The protagonist’s stubbornness did get a little frustrating at times, as it felt like she was her own worst enemy in some situations. Still, it made sense for her character’s arc and added depth to her personal growth.

Overall, the book was a unique and engaging read once I got past the initial confusion. If you’re a fan of sports fiction with strong female leads, this might be right up your alley!

Out May 22, 2025

Thank you to net galley for providing me with this ARC!

I was as invested in the championship and tornado subplots as i was the romance... and i was very invested in the romance! Enjoyed learning more about lacrosse, and this alternate world where a smaller sport is up there in the Big Leagues was fun.

If you want a sports romance where women's sports takes centre stage, this book is perfect.

Manmayi (May) is a rising star in the women's lacrosse world, a long time rodeo rider and a solid foundation at her family's ranch. Back in high school she was close to CJ (Colt) but he left their hometown to play in the big leagues. Now he is back, injured, and getting in her way whilst she tries to make up for a bad previous season.

I loved the representation of a Mexican South Asian athlete and the cowgirl scenes. The chemistry built throughout the book and by the end, I was really rooting for them to get together. I do think the spark was missing at the start of the book, and some questions raised were not fully answered for me.

All in all, a very solid addition to any sports romance collection and a warm book, but not my favourite by Esha Patel.

This was a good story with enough of the will they won't they to keep you hooked in whilst also rooting for the team to win!

4.5 stars⭐️

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the early copy of this book! I loved this book!!! I loved the plot of this book, the characters were amazing too! I loved the fake dating aspect of this book and this was a perfect Rom-com book!

First and foremost thank you for trusting me with this ARC read.

I will say lacrosse holds a special place in my heart. Having played a little bit and my high school best friends playing mens lacrosse it was great to see some spotlight on the sport. We truly need more lacrosse in the sports romance world , and I hope this is the start of that.

Colt & May were very relatable which I loved. It becomes such an easy read when you realize that there are many similarities between myself and the characters. I loved the dynamic between the two of them. The friends to enemies to lovers all over again is just a great trope and a little bit of spice wouldn't be terrible!

Jordan is the pinnacle of a best friend. She is such a great side character in Colt & May's story. JJ is too!

I hope we get to see Colt & May in New Haven in the MLL together! Can't wait to see this book on the shelfs!

Thank you so much for allowing me to read this early! I really enjoyed the banter between the two of them and thought it was a sweet read.

Thank you to the author and publisher for an ARC copy

So nice to see another sport highlighted in a romance. I loved the banter between May and Colt. I’d love to read more of their story!!

Cross My Heart by Esha Patel has my heart ❤️
It's a nice sports Romance that I have devoured and enjoyed a break from all the hockey and American football romances I've read lately. They do fake relationship right in the story. Amazing read. Couldn't put it down

Cross My Heart wasn't what I was expecting going in but in one of the best ways possible. Colt is deeply in love with May from the very start and we get to see her process their past and decide on their future. However, this books is also about more than just their relationship, it's about Lacrosse, women's sports, and making an active choice to follow your heart.

This books is very low spice compared to your average New Adult/Adult Romance. There is 1 scene of sexual content towards the end that is short, focused mainly on emotions, and can be skipped. This feels like a really good bridge between YA and Adult Romance. I also didn't feel like I was missing any chemistry in May and Colt's relationship without the spice. Everything felt very appropriate for the way their connection developed.

Cross My Heart is a Lacrosse Romance, not a romance with a lacrosse player. There is a lot of time spent discussing the sport and it is very central to the plot. If you like your sports romance to be light on the actual sport, this may not be for you.

The thing keeping me from giving Cross My Heart 5 stars is that it was hard to follow at times, particularly regarding the history between Colt and May. I never quite figured out the gaps in their ages (it often felt like 1 year but logically might have been 3 or 4 years). Because of some of these difficulties, it took me until about 60% of the way through the book to really be sold.

Overall, Cross My Heart feels like a true Sports Romance. A story about the love between the main character and their love of the game of Lacrosse. It was heartwarming but not overly emotional for me. I do recommend giving it a try when it releases on May 25th, if you are interested.

Really enjoyed this book! Some bits felt slightly drawn out BUT it didn't take away from the overall story for me. I loved the development of the characters and found myself wanting more books with some of the teammates as Main Characters (Rod for example!) Overall a great book and it's refreshing to see a sport that is so often overlooked

Loved this book, the lax story of lifelong crushes, and the diverse characters. It’s definitely more tame than the author’s F1 books and felt more like YA. They didn’t hook up until 70% in of the book and half was closed door. I still thought it was great and would give it 5 stars, but I found some areas that need addressing:

Was Colts injury in August or October? A subheading of how many months later would be helpful when he returns to OKC. At several points in the book he says back in August or back in October when referring to his injury. Or if he’s referencing different events please clarify.

Can May’s major be clarified when she first says she loves what she’s studying? I had no idea what instrumentation was and we don’t find out it’s a class that’s a part of her meteorology studies.

I think May was extremely hard on Colt for taking the opportunity for a better life on the East coast and another character needs to tell her that. It was also odd how she confided in Colt’s mom about the “old Colt.” When she ultimately chooses to follow her dreams in the end, can we find out what happens to the farm? Like have a convo with her parents saying it’s okay for her to pursue a career in lax?

At one point, May says she’s “ready to throw fists” when she sees Colt after a bad morning (Loc 827). I think this line should be removed because it so casually implies intimate partner violence, which is already overlooked as an issue facing teens and college students.

I think the book also kind of condones drinking before driving after the tornado and hookup scene where Colt had been drinking beer in both instances.

I read the ebook on my kindle and the formatting did not translate well. I wasn’t sure if the chapter titles were supposed to be puns with their names on one line or separate. For example: Y’all Had Your Moments May. I think having each chapter start on a new page with a little doodle under the name of a heart with lacrosse sticks would be cute.

May references her quincenera as being in middle school but it’s at age 15, so it’s high school (Loc 2841)

Here are all of the needed grammar/spelling corrections I found:

me, I have two n ow. (Loc 53)

my gaze st r a y. (Loc 299)

chanting.They're (Loc 661)

loved M a y. (Loc 1227)

right, thought. (Loc 1742, should be though)

hard.Well. (Loc 1822)

repeat 17 7 Mrs Bradley's (Loc 1831)

home in on (Loc 2001, should be hone)

'Man.What a prick.' (Loc 2146)

field.There (Loc 2162)

phone.Fuck.It's (Loc 2404)

with M a y. (Loc 2669)

regroup.Shit.They're (Loc 2946)

longer, hellish d a y. (Loc 3049)

It's everything you want in a romance. The tension, fake dating (which is one of my favorite tropes), and banter. Read it!!

This book was very cute! I love sports romance books and this one was just what I wanted in one. Everyone who loves sports romance books should read this!

Cute sports romance centring around two Lacrosse players. A nice easy read and good character development. Loved the the FMC was the captain of the team and a WOC. Would have maybe liked a bit more spice but nonetheless a good read. Finished in one sitting.