Book: Cross Court by Vai Denton
Reviewed by Maggie Hayes
Rating: 5/5
ARC REVIEW
Cross Court by @vaidentonauthor
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5)
I fell hard for Nic and Aleks’s (one-sided) dislike-to-love romance, driven by the strength of the characters and their growth — though the tension and spice definitely didn’t hurt.
Nic completely stole my heart and, at times, broke it. I connected deeply with the blunt perfectionist who just wants to feel like someone’s number one priority. She wants so badly to belong, to stop feeling like she’s always on the outside, but she can’t shake the belief that she’s unlovable. Her intense fixation on winning, aversion to touch, and lack of social skills all point to a neurodivergence that’s never explicitly named. I’m not sure whether a label would make Nic go easier or harder on herself — and that ambiguity made her feel even more real.
Thankfully, Aleks works his way into Nic’s life, because that man is down bad for her. When she’s too hard on herself, he’s there to lift her up. I loved how deeply he cares about her health — physical, mental, and emotional. He notices all the things that make Nic different and appreciates them, encouraging her to slow down and figure out who she is outside of tennis.
I absolutely love the Off Court series and will read anything Vai Denton writes at this point. She consistently delivers characters with real depth, emotional weight, and just the right amount of spice for the story.
Thank you to the author for providing an ARC!
For fans of:
🎾 Tennis Romance | 🧢 Performance Coach x Player | 🧍♂️ Rival’s Brother | 🐈⬛🐕 Black Cat x Golden Retriever | 😤 Dislike (Her) to Lovers | 💘 He Falls First | 🧠 Mental Health Rep | 🫶 Found Family
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