Murder, Matches & Memories: Two Sport-Themed YA Reads to Heat Up Your Summer
- Kim Bartosch
- Jun 26
- 5 min read
Summer reading just got a whole lot sweatier—in the best way possible. Whether you're craving a heart-pounding romance on the field or a darkly hilarious high school murder mystery, these two sport-themed YA titles serve up drama, sports, and unforgettable characters. Let’s dive into the action with two books that bring the heat to your TBR pile.
Thank you to the authors and Penguin Random House for the books and my honest review. This sport-themed YA blog tour is sponsored by Toppling Stacks Tours.
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🏑 All’s Fair in Love and Field Hockey by Kit Rosewater
Genre: YA Contemporary Romance
Pub Date: May 6, 2025
Rep: Bisexual, Lesbian, Transgender, Mexican-American
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½ (4.5/5)
Book Buy Links:
Synopsis:
A high school field hockey star must choose between her love of the game and her new, distractingly beautiful rival in this queer YA romance perfect for fans of She Drives Me Crazy and Cleat Cute!
Evelyn was raised to see field hockey as war.
Before she could write her own name, her family’s legacy on the field was already spelled out. Every step Evelyn takes toward glory is within a footprint her mother left behind. And no step matters more than this next one, with Evelyn about to lead her varsity team into their final battle season. Evelyn is beyond ready to score the Nationals title and win the critical scholarship to her mom’s alma mater that comes with it.
This year, she’s out for blood, and nothing can stand in her way…
…except for Rosa Alvarez, the highly talented new recruit on her biggest rival’s team.
After a humiliating homecoming game and follow-up prank leave the two enemies in a stalemate, they grudgingly strike a deal to help each other overcome their weaknesses on the field. But the more time Evelyn spends with Rosa, the more she finds herself casting her hardened armor aside, until she begins to wonder what life might be like if she left the battlefield behind and fought for love instead.
Content Warning: Biphobia, Lesbophobia, death of a parent (past), cancer, grief, panic attack, misogyny, racism, transphobia
What I heard about the book:
For Fans Of: She Drives Me Crazy, Cleat Cute, and heartfelt sapphic sports stories.
Evelyn is a high school field hockey goalie raised to believe that the game is war—and she’s determined to win Nationals and honor her late mother’s legacy. But when Rosa Alvarez, the dazzling star of the rival team, throws off her rhythm on and off the field, Evelyn finds herself caught in a battle between ambition and attraction.
Readers are loving the honest representation, emotional depth, and slow-burn romance. With poignant explorations of grief, identity, and letting go, All’s Fair is as tender as it is competitive. As one reviewer put it, “You’ll stay for the field hockey action, but fall for the heart-tugging romance.”
Why It Scores Big:
A compelling rivals-to-lovers sapphic romance
Emotional growth, grief, and family legacy
Powerful LGBTQ+ representation
Field hockey scenes that feel both thrilling and real
This one is perfect for reading courtside—or curled up inside during a summer storm.
🥍 Kill the Lax Bro by Charlotte Lillie Balogh
Genre: YA Mystery Thriller
Pub Date: June 24, 2025
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5)
Book Buy Links:
Synopsis:
A fresh and darkly funny 90s murder mystery about one high school’s net of lies that begin to unravel when a star lacrosse player winds up dead.
The night before graduation, all of Hancock High celebrates at their school’s annual senior lock-in. But what starts out as a fun night turns horribly wrong when a body is found and it is revealed that the victim is none other than Troy Richards, the school’s star lacrosse player.
Everyone is acting totally clueless. There’s Jennifer (the dream girl), Naomi (the geek), Sassi (the overachiever), and Tatum (the rebel). At a glance, it seems like they couldn’t be more unalike except for the fact that they all hated Troy (the lax bro)…but who wanted him dead?
From debut author Charlotte Lillie Balogh comes a pitch-black, hilarious take on high school stereotypes including the boys we love and love to lax bros.
My Review of the Book
For Fans Of: School Spirits, Veronica Mars, and 90s high school nostalgia.
What do you get when a lacrosse star turns up dead at a senior lock-in? A hilarious, gritty, and suspenseful whodunnit featuring every iconic high school stereotype from the rebel to the geek. Set in 1990s suburban chaos, this book had me laughing, gasping, and soaking in all the retro vibes. I graduated in 1992, and reading this felt like teleporting straight back to senior year—with all the slang, lockers, and mix CDs to match.
I loved the banter, the spot-on characterization, and the way the mystery slowly unravels while also poking fun at the typical "lax bro" energy. It's smart, satirical, and just plain fun. Plus, there's a slang glossary in the front—pure genius.
Why You’ll Love It:
A wickedly fun 90s murder mystery with heart
Dark humor mixed with teen drama
Smart social commentary under the laughs
Perfect summer escape with a nostalgic kick
If you're looking for a book that’s both hilarious and razor-sharp, Kill the Lax Bro is your next favorite read.
🏆 Final Thoughts
If your summer reading list needs some athletic angst and investigative intrigue, these two YA reads have you covered. All’s Fair in Love and Field Hockey offers a heartfelt sapphic romance wrapped in sporty determination, while Kill the Lax Bro delivers a slam-dunk of mystery and 90s nostalgia.
Whether you're chasing goals or suspects, these books promise to keep you turning pages.
Which one are you picking up first? Let me know in the comments! 🥍📚❤️
Meet the authors:
Kit Rosewater writes books for kids & teens. She lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico with two small kids who are bent on destroying the universe. Before she was an author, Kit taught middle school theatre and high school English, then worked as a children’s bookseller. She is the author of THE DERBY DAREDEVILS middle grade series from Abrams. Her YA debut, ALL’S FAIR IN LOVE AND FIELD HOCKEY, releases May 6, 2025 from Delacorte Romance at Penguin Random House. Her sophomore YA, BURIED FEELINGS, is forthcoming in the summer 2026 from Delacorte Romance.
Charlotte Lillie Balogh is an author, screenwriter and comic book writer, born and raised outside Boston, Massachusetts. She self-published her first book at sixteen-years-old, and later graduated as a Remembrance Scholar from Syracuse University. CLB is a lifelong superhero fanatic, and she launched into the television and film industry by working at DC Entertainment on projects including WONDER WOMAN 1984 and the CW’s STARGIRL. When she’s not writing, CLB mentors young women through RowLA and WriteGirl, helping to create the next generation of real-life superheroes.
Her first traditionally published book, KILL THE LAX BRO, is scheduled for release June 24, 2025 from Delacorte Press and Penguin Random House.
This book sounds really good.