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Verdict: A tender slow-burn sports romance: Sonia Munroe, a Canadian former WNBA player, signs with the Blizzards in Cardiff for one season and displaces Asha Bhamra, the quiet, autistic point guard and artist who struggles with change. Readers love the representation, the care between the leads and Asha’s dog Iolo; one found it too innocent and convenient.
Best for: Readers who want a gentle, character-driven sapphic sports romance with an autistic lead.
Heat level: 🌶️🌶️
Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.2/5 — a 4.31 Goodreads average across 32 ratings, 4.25 on StoryGraph from 11 reviews, and 4.4 stars across 13 Amazon ratings)
Tropes: Teammates, slow burn, friends to lovers, neighbours, sports romance, neurodivergent representation.
Inside the Paint is Sasha Brennan’s 2026 slow-burn sapphic romance, the second book in the Courting Blizzards series, about 316 pages. Sonia does not know who she is without basketball, and she has not got long to figure it out.
It holds a 4.31 average across 32 Goodreads ratings, with 91% of them four or five stars, 4.25 on StoryGraph from 11 reviews, and 4.4 stars across 13 Amazon ratings. Many of the early reviews come from advance readers.
What Is Inside the Paint About?
Sonia plans to focus on herself, then meets Asha, the point guard who cannot meet her gaze. Asha feels she belongs only with her dog, Iolo, and her confidence takes another hit when Sonia takes her place in the starting line-up.
Then Sonia moves in next door and becomes Asha’s biggest cheerleader. Painting lessons and one-on-one training open the way to something more, but Sonia is going back to Canada at the end of the season, and Asha promised herself she would never do long distance again.
What Works in This Book
- Representation: Readers find Asha’s autism written with care, and several found it relatable.
- Sonia: Supportive and open-minded, working to learn what Asha needs.
- Iolo: The dog is a reader favourite.
- Pacing: Readers who like a slow burn say it felt just right.
Book Synopsis
A retired star who does not know who she is off the court. A point guard who only feels at home with her dog.
One season. One very uncertain future.
My Review
Brennan puts the relationship ahead of the game, and readers are glad she did. Seeing the world through Asha’s eyes is the book’s great strength: her art, her history with an ex who burned her, and her unease with change are all handled with warmth, and Sonia’s patience makes the slow build feel earned. Fans of book one enjoyed returning to the Blizzards, and one reader praised the diverse, well-drawn cast.
The criticism is limited. One reader called it very innocent and convenient, though cute, and one noted the leads leave their relationship undefined until late. The rating sample is still small, and many reviews come from advance copies.
My honest note: A kind, careful slow burn; readers wanting heat should look elsewhere.
| Element | In Inside the Paint |
|---|---|
| Central relationship | Sonia Munroe (former WNBA player) & Asha Bhamra (autistic point guard, artist) |
| Core tropes | Teammates, slow burn, neighbours |
| Setting | Cardiff, Wales, with the Blizzards basketball team |
| Heat level | 🌶️🌶️ |
| Length | 316 pages (Kindle edition) |
| Series | Courting Blizzards #2 |
| Content notes | Past bad relationship, career uncertainty, long distance |
How Spicy Is Inside the Paint?
Lower than our listing first suggested. One reader called it very innocent and said they needed some spice afterwards, so we now list it as mild to moderate.
Readers mention Asha’s past with a hurtful ex and the pressure of an uncertain future.
Who Should Read This Book?
You’ll likely love it if: you want a patient, caring sports romance with an autistic heroine. It is on our neurodivergent sapphic romance list.
You may want to skip it if: you want the couple together early or a spicy read.
In short: Teammates first, the rest slowly.
What Readers Are Actually Saying (September 2026)
On Goodreads the split is 41% five stars, 50% four, 9% three, and no two- or one-star ratings.
Why readers love it (according to the discourse): Representation first. Second, Sonia’s care. Third, Iolo. Fourth, the slow burn.
What readers argue about and complain about: Little heat, above everything. Second, a very late relationship. Third, convenience.
The comparison worth making first: Sculpting Her Heart, another neighbours romance with an autistic artist.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to read Full Court Crush first?
Inside the Paint is book two of the Courting Blizzards series, and one reader recommends reading the books in order to avoid spoilers. Sonia was introduced in book one as Keira’s best friend.
What is the neurodivergent representation?
Asha is autistic, and one reader also describes her as demisexual. Readers, including a parent of an autistic daughter, praise how the book shows the way Asha sees and feels the world.
How slow is the slow burn?
Slow. One reader notes the leads do not get together until about 75% of the way through, and even then have not defined the relationship.
Is there much basketball?
Some, but one reader notes the basketball takes a bit of a back seat to the relationship.
Is Inside the Paint on Kindle Unlimited?
Not when we checked; the Kindle edition was listed at $4.99.
If You Loved Inside the Paint, Read These Next
Start the series with Full Court Crush, or try Sculpting Her Heart and Soul Unique. Browse our neurodivergent sapphic romance list or the full Book Reviews archive.
The Bottom Line
Inside the Paint sets out to be a gentle slow burn about two women at a crossroads, and its care and representation deliver. What holds it back, for some, is how innocent and slow it is. A warm pick for sports-romance fans. Check Inside the Paint on Amazon →
The Eikna Overall Ranking
On the Eikna scale, Inside the Paint ranks as a strong neurodivergent-rep pick — gentle, caring.
The Evidence Scorecard
Overall ★★★★☆ 4.2/5
- ✓ 4.31 average across 32 Goodreads ratings
- ✓ 91% of Goodreads ratings are four or five stars
- ✓ 4.25 on StoryGraph from 11 reviews
- ✓ 4.4 stars across 13 Amazon ratings
Romance ★★★★☆ 4/5
- ✓ Teammates
- ✓ Slow burn
- ✓ Neighbours
- ✓ Together late
Characters ★★★★☆ 4.3/5
- ✓ Asha
- ✓ Sonia
- ✓ Iolo
- ✓ Blizzards cast
Writing ★★★★☆ 4/5
- ✓ Careful
- ✓ Good pacing
- ✓ Asha’s perspective
- ✓ Warm
Emotional Impact ★★★★☆ 4/5
- ✓ Belonging
- ✓ Change
- ✓ Hope
- ✓ Tender
Heat Level ★★☆☆☆ 2/5
- ✓ Innocent for one
- ✓ Mild
- ✓ Adult
- ✓ Romantic
Ending ★★★★☆ 3.8/5
- ✓ Series continues
- ✓ Long-distance question
- ✓ Warm
- ✓ Hopeful
Re-read Value ★★★★☆ 3.8/5
- ✓ $4.99 Kindle price
- ✓ 316 pages
- ✓ Not on Kindle Unlimited
- ✓ Series read
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