Is Football Romance the New Hockey Romance?

Ana Huang's "The Striker" has completely swept me off my feet and into the exciting world of forbidden sports romance yet again. This book made me giggle, cry, scream, and because of that, I finished it within two days and then, a couple weeks later, read it again.

It was so good that It took me back to the hockey romance era of Elle Kennedy, Helena Hunting, and many more amazing authors who have written within the genre. But is Ana Huang ushering in a new era of fictional men? Don't get me wrong; there are so many sports romances out there that have nothing to do with Hockey, for example, "The Wall of Winnipeg and Me: by Mariana Zapata, "Intercepted" by Alexa Martin, "Long Shot" by Kennedy Ryan, etc. However, the majority of what's popular within the niche category of sports romance is Hockey (which we love), but with what could Ana Huang writing inspire the next era of sports romance writers?

“I’ve been here since day one, darling. I was simply waiting for you to join me.”

Let's talk "The Striker"

Asher Donovan (MMC) is the Premier League's heartthrob striker known for his fast cars and even faster lifestyle. When there's a mid-season transfer, it lands him on the same team as his arch-rival, Vincent DuBois, and tensions skyrocket. Their coach becomes desperate to mend their fractured dynamic, so he enlists the help of Scarlett DuBois (FMC)—Vincent's sister and a former prima ballerina turned trainer. Sparks fly, not just on the field but in the dance studio, as she helps rehabilitate their troubled team member relationship by doing pirouettes in the studio rather than dribbling a ball on the field.

“now I found out the girl I couldn’t stop thinking about was related to my biggest rival. The universe had a sick sense of humor.”

However, when Vincent is called away due to a family emergency, Scarlett and Asher have to train together for the whole summer. Their chemistry is undeniable, igniting a slow-burn romance that had me kicking my feet in the air and screaming on the inside. Their witty banter and playful interaction add a fun layer to a beautiful narrative, making their journey so lovely to read.

The novel is a big read with nearly 600 pages, but the plot is super engaging and highly well-developed. Ana writes the characters so well it's worth reading time.

“Even if there were seven hundred thousand instead of seventy thousand people here, I would’ve found her just as easily because a part of me would always be connected to a part of her.”

TROPES

1. Brother's Rival

2. Forced Proximity (My Personal Favourite)

3. Slow-Burn Romance

4. Forbidden Romance

I would love to see this book develop into a series like the Twisted series and the Kings of Sin series, and I hope she continues on the path of football romance since it was so compelling and fresh. But what do you guys think? Do you think there could be a new era of sports romance novels? Would you like to see the change? Or would you prefer to stick to Hockey romance?

With much Love,

Bellybookboutique💌