This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.
Verdict: A charming idol-to-lover soccer romance with some of the best match writing in the genre, undermined for many readers by a late third-act breakup and an underdeveloped sexual harassment storyline.
Best for: Women’s soccer fans who want realistic game-day detail alongside a teammates romance.
Heat level: Steamy
Rating: ★★★★☆ (3.5/5 — a 3.85 Goodreads average across 340 ratings, 3.64 on StoryGraph from 87 reviews, and 4.3 stars across 123 Amazon ratings)
Tropes: Teammates, rookie and veteran, celebrity crush, idol to lover, third-act breakup, workplace scandal.
Top of Her Game is M. Ullrich’s 2019 contemporary lesbian romance from Bold Strokes Books. Kenzie Shaw, the most sought-after rookie in women’s major league soccer, is drafted by the New Jersey Hurricanes — and finds herself playing alongside Sutton Flores, her idol and long-time crush.
It holds a 3.85 average across 340 Goodreads ratings, with 65% of them four or five stars, 3.64 on StoryGraph from 87 reviews, and 4.3 stars across 123 Amazon ratings.
What Is Top of Her Game About?
Sutton has soccer in her blood — pushed by her father and brothers, shaped into a superstar — and she never loses sight of family, friends or the woman she’s dating, even if her relationships rarely last long.
Their chemistry as teammates quickly becomes attraction off the field. But Sutton already has a girlfriend, and when allegations of sexual harassment rock the team, both women must decide whether to sacrifice their dreams for love.
What Works in This Romance
- The soccer: Fans call the match descriptions detailed and exciting — one says it felt like watching a game.
- Pro-sport realism: Readers enjoyed the detail on national-team call-ups, training, travel and management.
- Humour and charm: Several found the early friendship-to-relationship stage funny and charming.
- Integrity: One reader liked that nothing happens while Sutton is still with her girlfriend.
Book Synopsis
A star rookie joins her home-state team and the veteran she has worshipped for years.
Hero worship turns into a relationship, until a scandal threatens both their careers and their future together.
My Review
The first four-fifths are the book’s strength: warm, funny and full of convincing soccer. Readers who dislike heavy sports content say Ullrich strikes the right balance.
Then comes the dreaded breakup around the 80% mark, which several readers say undid the good feeling. The sexual harassment arc is the other sticking point: readers call it late, underdone, handled off-page and resolved too quickly, and one found management’s reaction unrealistic. Others felt the chemistry was flat or the characters lacked depth, and one found Sutton’s captain speeches weak.
My honest note: If third-act breakups are a dealbreaker, this one will sting.
| Element | In Top of Her Game |
|---|---|
| Central relationship | Kenzie Shaw, a rookie, & Sutton Flores, her captain and idol |
| Core tropes | Teammates, celebrity crush, third-act breakup |
| Setting | The New Jersey Hurricanes in women’s major league soccer |
| Heat level | Steamy |
| Length | 259 pages (Kindle listing) |
| Series | No series listed |
| Content notes | Sexual harassment, sexual assault |
How Spicy Is Top of Her Game?
Fairly. Readers call the sex scenes hot, and StoryGraph users have tagged sexual content.
StoryGraph users have also flagged sexual harassment and sexual assault, which are part of the late-book plot.
Who Should Read This Book?
You’ll likely love it if: you want realistic soccer and a rookie-meets-idol romance. It is on our sapphic sports romance list.
You may want to skip it if: you avoid third-act breakups.
In short: Great soccer, bumpy finish.
What Readers Are Actually Saying (September 2026)
On Goodreads the split is 28% five stars, 37% four, 25% three, 7% two and 1% one. On StoryGraph, 75% tagged it emotional and half lighthearted. Two readers compare it with Kate Christie’s Girls of Summer, and one says it has less soccer and more romance.
Why readers love it (according to the discourse): The soccer scenes first. Second, the charm. Third, the pro-sport detail. Fourth, the heat.
What readers argue about and complain about: The 80% breakup, above everything. Second, the rushed harassment plot. Third, chemistry.
The comparison worth making first: Training Ground, the start of Kate Christie’s Girls of Summer, which two reviewers mention alongside it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Top of Her Game have a third-act breakup?
Yes. Several readers say a breakup arrives around the 80% mark, driven by a failure to communicate, before the couple reconcile.
What is the sexual harassment storyline?
Late in the book, allegations of sexual harassment rock the team and test Kenzie and Sutton’s relationship. Many readers felt it came too late and was resolved too quickly.
Is there a lot of soccer?
A good amount, but readers say it never overwhelms the romance. Soccer fans praise the match scenes as some of the best they have read.
How spicy is Top of Her Game?
Steamy. One reader calls the sex scenes very hot, and StoryGraph users have tagged sexual content.
Is Top of Her Game on Kindle Unlimited?
Not at the time of writing — the Kindle edition was listed at $9.99. An audiobook edition is available.
If You Loved Top of Her Game, Read These Next
Browse our sapphic sports romance list and the full Book Reviews archive.
All 25 verified soccer romances, including the six-book Girls of Summer series, are in our Sapphic Soccer Romance Books guide.
The Bottom Line
Top of Her Game sets out to be a soccer romance with real sporting detail, and on the pitch it shines. What holds it back is a late breakup and a rushed scandal plot. Worth it for soccer fans. Check Top of Her Game on Amazon →
The Eikna Overall Ranking
On the Eikna scale, Top of Her Game ranks as a fair-to-good sports romance — sharp on the pitch, shaky off it.
The Evidence Scorecard
Overall ★★★★☆ 3.5/5
- ✓ 3.85 average across 340 Goodreads ratings
- ✓ 65% of Goodreads ratings are four or five stars
- ✓ 3.64 on StoryGraph from 87 reviews
- ✓ 4.3 stars across 123 Amazon ratings
Romance ★★★☆☆ 3.3/5
- ✓ Idol to lover
- ✓ Charming start
- ✓ 80% breakup
- ✓ Flat for some
Characters ★★★☆☆ 3.3/5
- ✓ Likable leads
- ✓ Serial monogamist Sutton
- ✓ Lacking depth for some
- ✓ Weak captain speeches
Writing ★★★★☆ 3.7/5
- ✓ Best soccer scenes
- ✓ Pro-sport detail
- ✓ Time jumps
- ✓ Funny dialogue
Emotional Impact ★★★☆☆ 3.3/5
- ✓ Tagged emotional by 75%
- ✓ Some angst
- ✓ Scandal tension
- ✓ Breakup frustration
Heat Level ★★★★☆ 3.5/5
- ✓ Steamy
- ✓ Hot scenes
- ✓ Sexual content tagged
- ✓ After they get together
Ending ★★★☆☆ 3/5
- ✓ Reconciliation
- ✓ Rushed resolution
- ✓ Harassment plot off-page
- ✓ Divisive
Re-read Value ★★★☆☆ 3.1/5
- ✓ $9.99 Kindle price
- ✓ Audiobook available
- ✓ Not on Kindle Unlimited
- ✓ Standalone
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.