Play you for it A novel

Saldivar takes readers inside the world of college basketball in her well-crafted debut. Jordan D'Amato has spent 10 years as the assistant men's basketball coach at David Douglas University, and when her boss and mentor moves on to coach professionally, she's tapped to take his place, making her the first woman to lead a men's NCAA Division I team. Proving herself is an uphill battle: the school's athletic director is skeptical about her abilities and will take any excuse to fire her and the players themselves balk. To win them over, Jordan must lead the team to victory. Into this volatile mix comes feisty sports journalist Caroline Beck, herself dealing with sexist skeptics at the Northwest Sports Network. When Jordan refuses to be interviewed, Beck challenges her to a game of basketball. If Beck wins, Jordan will give her an exclusive. The women quickly discover and give in to their explosive chemistry--but the affair could further jeopardize their already precarious careers. Saldivar's lively plot is juicy and addictive, headlined by multifaceted heroines who command attention from the first page. The colorful characters on the basketball team add to the fun. Laden with both heat and heart, this sapphic sports romance is a winner. (Oct.)

A newly promoted basketball coach and a sports reporter face off against one another on the court, in the media room, and between the sheets. When Jordan D'Amato is promoted to be interim head coach of a Division I men's college basketball team, she becomes the first woman in that position. Because of her boss' sexism and fear of public fallout, her future with the team is contingent on clinching a win. As a former college athlete and WNBA player, she's used to a challenge. What she isn't ready for is Caroline Beck, a journalist who's no stranger to the microaggressions and misogyny Jordan is up against. Beck also happens to be a former college basketball player from a competitive family. Determined to get the first one-on-one interview with Jordan, Beck challenges the coach to a flirty game of horse and wins. She's sure the interview will help her dig out of the trenches she's been working in for years, but instead, her boss, Easton Prescott, tries to take the interview away from her. Jordan refuses to do the interview with anyone but Beck, which places a bullseye on the reporter's back in the newsroom. The women's attraction to one another is a conflict of interest that, if acted upon, could brick both their careers. The attraction between Beck and Jordan is written with masterful restraint, which unfortunately means that the romance sometimes lacks emotional depth and takes a distant backseat to the sports. Not quite a slam dunk, but a solid layup that scores. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.