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joyceeeee_k's review against another edition
2.0
*2.5 stars
the romance:
eh, didn’t do it for me. i felt like amir and seb’s relationship wasn’t believable mostly bc i felt like they had little to no chemistry in the first place. this also doesn’t feel like a solid enemies to lovers romance, which is upsetting bc i’m a hoe for that trope. but the “hate” was one-sided on amir’s part and the reason why they became “enemies” felt kind of lackluster.
seb’s body issues:
at first i liked the fact it was brought up, but then quickly changed my mind when realizing it was only brought up once and then brushed away like an afterthought.
writing:
this book is written a lot like fanfiction - which isn’t meant to be insulting, i’m also a hoe for fanfic - but it was odd to see this style in an actual novel. the third person POV seems constricting and makes it more difficult to grasp what the characters are feeling.
i didn’t love this book and it just didn’t feel memorable to me in any aspect, but still i do appreciate all the positive rep it had to offer. (the profuse acceptance of lgbt+ characters, seb’s body issues - although hardly mentioned - and a diverse gang of ppl in general).
the romance:
eh, didn’t do it for me. i felt like amir and seb’s relationship wasn’t believable mostly bc i felt like they had little to no chemistry in the first place. this also doesn’t feel like a solid enemies to lovers romance, which is upsetting bc i’m a hoe for that trope. but the “hate” was one-sided on amir’s part and the reason why they became “enemies” felt kind of lackluster.
seb’s body issues:
at first i liked the fact it was brought up, but then quickly changed my mind when realizing it was only brought up once and then brushed away like an afterthought.
writing:
this book is written a lot like fanfiction - which isn’t meant to be insulting, i’m also a hoe for fanfic - but it was odd to see this style in an actual novel. the third person POV seems constricting and makes it more difficult to grasp what the characters are feeling.
i didn’t love this book and it just didn’t feel memorable to me in any aspect, but still i do appreciate all the positive rep it had to offer. (the profuse acceptance of lgbt+ characters, seb’s body issues - although hardly mentioned - and a diverse gang of ppl in general).
catcardoso's review against another edition
4.0
I was expecting just a fluffy and cute romance story and it was actually so much more than that
galaxcr's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
bethany6788's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
We are getting to the end of @wintersjulian backlist and for that reason I decided to jump into Running With Lions. A friend of mine said it was their favorite Julian Winters book so I wanted to dig in!
And what a fun adventure we had! Sebastian is a soccer star goalie who is going to camp for the summer with his teammates and best friends. His former best friend who moved away when he was young, Emir, has decided to join the team as well. Sebastian battles his feelings and desire for keeping the peace and winning in this fun novel!
I really enjoyed this one. First of all - making sports welcome spaces is always a good idea! The friendships were incredibly strong and showing emotions, vulnerability, and love with these teen boys was fantastic. I adored Willie and Mason, and the rest of the soccer crew. They made the big scenes fun. I also really liked sassy Grey. She was so great!
I thought the relationship and conflict between Emir and Sebastian was done really well. From their first *oops* kiss to skinny dipping to sex, it was exciting to see them grow. AND obviously that cute as heck grand gesture are you kidding!! I am a grand gesture fan and it was lovely.
We also LOVE supportive family and friends of LGBTQIA+ teens! 🥹😭🩷
I think I have two books left in the backlist and I’m excited to get to them. 💜🥰
And what a fun adventure we had! Sebastian is a soccer star goalie who is going to camp for the summer with his teammates and best friends. His former best friend who moved away when he was young, Emir, has decided to join the team as well. Sebastian battles his feelings and desire for keeping the peace and winning in this fun novel!
I really enjoyed this one. First of all - making sports welcome spaces is always a good idea! The friendships were incredibly strong and showing emotions, vulnerability, and love with these teen boys was fantastic. I adored Willie and Mason, and the rest of the soccer crew. They made the big scenes fun. I also really liked sassy Grey. She was so great!
I thought the relationship and conflict between Emir and Sebastian was done really well. From their first *oops* kiss to skinny dipping to sex, it was exciting to see them grow. AND obviously that cute as heck grand gesture are you kidding!! I am a grand gesture fan and it was lovely.
We also LOVE supportive family and friends of LGBTQIA+ teens! 🥹😭🩷
I think I have two books left in the backlist and I’m excited to get to them. 💜🥰
mortaldivergence's review against another edition
4.0
I wasn't sure I would like this when I started it. The writing and some of the characters at the beginning kind of bothered me.But it definitely got better! And the ending was super cute!!
marieintheraw's review against another edition
4.0
Yall. I love a good sports romance and this, this is a good sports romance.
lookatjimmy's review against another edition
4.0
The only sport stories I have time for are the gay ones.
kvreadsandrecs's review against another edition
3.0
I wanted to love this book more than I actually did. It felt very debut-y and the dialogue was difficult to follow at times. I did love the diversity of the characters and how the hero wasn't perfect. I'd be friends with these soccer boys :)
marc2o's review against another edition
4.0
A book like a summer camp (although I’ve never been to one). I could almost smell the grass, see the sky and feel the heat. I really had lots of fun with the story and the characters. It’s sexy, and I appreciate that the author doesn’t get too graphic. That definitely inspires the mental cinema.