This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.
Verdict: A YA rivals-to-lovers romance with a strong emotional core about grief and a mother’s legacy, but it splits readers sharply. Fans cried and loved the coming-of-age arc; critics found the romance rushed, the field hockey thin and several elements underdeveloped.
Best for: YA readers who want a queer awakening story wrapped in grief and sports rivalry.
Heat level: Some on-page intimacy (readers were split on it in YA)
Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3.1/5 — a 3.58 Goodreads average across 778 ratings, 3.63 on StoryGraph from 305 reviews, and 4.2 stars across 69 Amazon ratings)
Tropes: Rivals to lovers, queer awakening, grief, legacy pressure, secret deal, YA.
All’s Fair in Love and Field Hockey is Kit Rosewater’s 2025 young adult lesbian romance from Delacorte. Evelyn was raised to see field hockey as war, following in the footsteps of her late mother; her senior season stands between her and a scholarship to her mother’s alma mater.
It holds a 3.58 average across 778 Goodreads ratings, with 55% of them four or five stars, 3.63 on StoryGraph from 305 reviews, and 4.2 stars across 69 Amazon ratings.
What Is All’s Fair in Love and Field Hockey About?
Nothing can stand in Evelyn’s way — except Rosa Alvarez, the talented new recruit on her biggest rival’s team. After a humiliating homecoming game and a prank leave them at a stalemate, they grudgingly agree to help each other overcome their weaknesses.
The more time Evelyn spends with Rosa, the more her armour slips, until she starts to wonder what life might look like if she fought for love instead.
What Works in This Romance
- Grief: Readers were moved by Evelyn’s loss and the promise she made to her mother; one cried 11% in.
- Coming of age: Fans praise its self-discovery and the realistic teen dynamics.
- Rivalry: Readers call the early tension palpable.
- Representation: A Chicana love interest and a trans side character, with some prejudice challenged on the page.
Book Synopsis
A field hockey captain carrying her mother’s legacy strikes a deal with her rival’s new star.
Winning Nationals was the plan. Falling for the enemy wasn’t.
My Review
When it works, it is a heartfelt story of a girl learning to live for herself. Readers who connected with Evelyn describe a quick, emotional read about identity and grief.
But the criticism is substantial. Several readers found the romance rushed — hostility to infatuation almost overnight — and the love interest thinly drawn. Others say nothing is fully developed, from the field hockey to the friendships, and that the plot leans on miscommunication. Some objected to how bisexuality and lesbophobia are handled, and several were uncomfortable with open-door scenes between high schoolers.
My honest note: Strongest as a grief story; weakest as a sports book.
| Element | In All’s Fair in Love and Field Hockey |
|---|---|
| Central relationship | Evelyn, a field hockey captain and goalie, & Rosa Alvarez, a rival team’s new recruit |
| Core tropes | Rivals to lovers, queer awakening, grief |
| Setting | High school field hockey in Pennsylvania |
| Heat level | Some on-page intimacy |
| Length | 320 pages (print) |
| Series | Standalone |
| Content notes | Death of a parent (cancer), grief, biphobia, homophobia, transphobia, panic attacks |
How Spicy Is All’s Fair in Love and Field Hockey?
More than some expected from YA: several readers mention on-page intimacy between the teenage leads and felt it didn’t suit the genre; others describe it as non-spicy.
StoryGraph users most often flag the death of a parent, grief, cancer, biphobia, homophobia, transphobia and panic attacks.
Who Should Read This Book?
You’ll likely love it if: you want a YA queer awakening with real grief at its heart. It is on our sapphic sports romance list.
You may want to skip it if: you want lots of sport or a slow, developed romance.
In short: Heartfelt, uneven.
What Readers Are Actually Saying (September 2026)
On Goodreads the split is 16% five stars, 39% four, 33% three, 11% two and 1% one — one of the more divided books on our list. On StoryGraph, 77% tagged it emotional, but only 61% found the characters loveable.
Why readers love it (according to the discourse): The grief story first. Second, the coming-of-age arc. Third, the rivalry. Fourth, representation.
What readers argue about and complain about: Rushed romance, above everything. Second, little field hockey. Third, content choices for YA.
The comparison worth making first: It is marketed to fans of Cleat Cute — see our list of books like Cleat Cute.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is All’s Fair in Love and Field Hockey YA?
Yes. It is a young adult romance about two high school field hockey players on rival teams.
Is it a bisexual awakening story?
Yes. Evelyn begins the book dating the quarterback and gradually realises she is bi. Some readers felt the handling of bisexuality was uneven.
Is there much field hockey?
Less than several readers hoped; a common complaint is “where was the field hockey?”
Is there on-page intimacy?
Some. Several reviewers were surprised by open-door scenes in a book about high schoolers and felt they didn’t fit YA.
Is it on Kindle Unlimited?
Not at the time of writing — the Kindle edition was listed at $8.99. An audiobook edition is available.
If You Loved All’s Fair in Love and Field Hockey, Read These Next
Try Out of Step, Into You, or browse our sapphic sports romance list.
The Bottom Line
All’s Fair in Love and Field Hockey sets out to be a YA rivals-to-lovers story about grief and identity, and its emotional core is real. What holds it back is underdevelopment almost everywhere else. For YA readers who want feelings over sport. Check All’s Fair in Love and Field Hockey on Amazon →
The Eikna Overall Ranking
On the Eikna scale, All’s Fair in Love and Field Hockey ranks as a fair YA romance — emotional, underbaked.
The Evidence Scorecard
Overall ★★★☆☆ 3.1/5
- ✓ 3.58 average across 778 Goodreads ratings
- ✓ 55% of Goodreads ratings are four or five stars
- ✓ 3.63 on StoryGraph from 305 reviews
- ✓ 4.2 stars across 69 Amazon ratings
Romance ★★★☆☆ 2.8/5
- ✓ Rivals to lovers
- ✓ Rushed
- ✓ Miscommunication
- ✓ Thin love interest
Characters ★★★☆☆ 3/5
- ✓ Grieving Evelyn
- ✓ 61% loveable characters
- ✓ Underdeveloped Rosa
- ✓ Weak friendships
Writing ★★★☆☆ 3/5
- ✓ Single POV
- ✓ Quick read
- ✓ Time skip
- ✓ Preachy for one
Emotional Impact ★★★★☆ 3.7/5
- ✓ Tagged emotional by 77%
- ✓ Grief
- ✓ Tears
- ✓ Queer awakening
Heat Level ★★★☆☆ 2.5/5
- ✓ Some intimacy
- ✓ Divisive in YA
- ✓ Mixed perceptions
- ✓ Not the focus
Ending ★★★☆☆ 3.2/5
- ✓ Together
- ✓ Skipped reconciliation
- ✓ Nationals arc
- ✓ Standalone
Re-read Value ★★★☆☆ 2.8/5
- ✓ $8.99 Kindle price
- ✓ Audiobook available
- ✓ Not on Kindle Unlimited
- ✓ YA
Affiliate disclosure: Lesbian Romance Reads is a participant in the Amazon Associates Program. If you buy through the link below we may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you.
1 thought on “All’s Fair in Love and Field Hockey Review — Is It Worth Reading?”