Rooting Interest

In this lukewarm sapphic sports romance from Disabato (U UP?), NFL reporter Jennifer Felix is reassigned to cover WNBA All-Star Weekend, despite knowing nothing about basketball. Felix knows she’s out of her depth even before Natalie Czapski, the guarded yet mesmerizing star player of the Hollywood Lights, calls out her lack of expertise during a press conference. To impress her editor, Felix must quickly learn the rules of the game and win over Natalie. As she gets to know the real woman behind the public persona, a flirtation blossoms. But Natalie claims to be committed to her passion for basketball to the exclusion of anything else, leaving Felix wondering if there’s any space in Natalie’s life left for her. The women’s connection arises a bit too speedily to feel authentic, and though Disabato attempts to create tension between their private feelings and public facing careers, the stakes never feel tangible. More successful is the frank examination of the misogyny and homophobia faced by LGBTQ+ women in sports. Readers who come for the romance will be disappointed. (Jan.)