⭐️: 4/5
🌶️: 2/5
☕️: 4/5

Hi friends!

Kate Astley, an American accepted into the Cambridge medical school is riding on her rowing scholarship to keep her there, while trying to make her family proud of the work she’s put in and how far she’s come.
Arthur Osbourne-Cloud is the STAR of the Oxford rowing team, with her future in politics mapped out for him, as his father did, and his father, and his father’s father, and so on and so forth.
The two meet and it’s an instant connection…until it’s not….now the pair push and work towards each winning the boat race…on the opposite teams…

While I would like to say that I know all things rowing, which made me want to read this book, that would be a lie. I very much enjoyed this book and I think that was because I don’t know anything about rowing. It was cute, it was funny, and overall entertaining! I loved getting the American/British romance (makes me think of Red, White and Royal Blue, as that is the first American/British romance I can think of that I absolutely love🥰) and getting a rivals to lovers romance type vibe. While I don’t believe it was a true rivals to lovers, it it had almost a forbidden love type, feel with Kate’s scholarship riding on her rowing career. Thank you Lulu for this ARC giveaway win, and thank you Netgalley for providing the ebook copy!

I was drawn to this book as it is set to the backdrop of Oxbridge and specifically the Boat Race, which I do tend to watch each year without any allegiance.

So Arthur and Kate's enemies to lovers, rivals to friends' romance really caught my attention, And I loved every second of reading of this.

From the descriptions of the rigorous training the crews have to do, to the rivalry, to re-examining your dreams, just everything really worked for me.

I was loving every page of this book, which certainly kept me entertained on my flight home from my holiday

I kept rooting for our heroes, even when circumstances were making it really tricky for them both. I also enjoyed getting to know their friends, and generally get more of proper feel about the rivalry. And reading about the heists were entertaining too.

I believe this might be the start of a new series, in which case I'm certainly keen to read more, as I was loving this so much.

Thank you to Penguin and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

I have been provided with a review copy of this title from NetGalley for an impartial review. I was just drawn into this wonderful story and I just couldn’t get enough of it. It was just so easy to get lost in this great story. I just didn’t want it to end. I just lost myself in and I just couldn’t get enough of these interesting characters. I can’t wait to see what’s next from this author.

4.75⭐️!

Love at first sight ✔️
College Rivals ✔️
Golden Retriever MMC ✔️

*~*~*~*~*

"𝗦𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮 𝗴𝗶𝗿𝗹. 𝗦𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗶𝗿𝗹."

Firstly, I would like to thank Lulu Moore and Valentines PR for allowing me this ARC. I absolutely adored reading this book, and having it as my first book of Lulu’s just made it even more enjoyable for me.

I’ve slowly been delving into the sports romance genre, but I’ve never seen a sports romance that focuses on rowing! It’s because of Lulu that I will be paying closer attention to whenever rowing is on TV, especially to see if I can find a man like Oz. I also want to watch more rowing so I can appreciate and love the glossary that was the front of the book because that made it even better for me!

Instead of a reformed playboy, you have a gentleman with a heart of gold who has so much passion for a sport that it is remarkable to say the least. He’s been so many great milestones within rowing (ones that I didn’t even know existed until now) and yet he keeps finding more milestones to achieve. I like that Lulu strayed away from the cliches that you find within sports romance and made something fun and beautiful. While I am a sucker for a cliche, I do love when things happen differently, I’d be crazy not too. Oz is a golden retriever in human form and I refuse to believe anything else. He’s kind, warm, genuine, funny, handsome and all around perfect, hell, it’s hard to find a red flag attached to him! My heart breaks for him regarding his dad; Oz deserves much better when it comes to him, a dad who won’t be an asshat or someone who treats his family so poorly. Despite his dad, the rest of Oz’s family are lovely, and the dynamic they have is something that others would do illegal things for. Getting to see him spend time with his family while having Kate there was one of my favourite moments and one I’ll be thinking about for a long time!

Kate being an American was something that I really liked in this story. I had no idea that rowing was popular in America so it was nice to learn that little fun fact. Another thing that I liked about this story was that Kate was involved with the sport, once again Lulu is straying from the cliches and allowing something unique to be a part of the story! I would just like to point out that while some have branded this story as an enemies to lovers, I wouldn’t describe that as one of the tropes, if anything it’s not even a rivals to lovers and there’s love at first sight taking place. Kate is someone who exudes confidence while being down to earth, loyal and unique. Kate goes for what she believes in but also strays from achieving her own dreams in the hopes that she’ll achieve her brothers instead. Kate did frustrate me at times but I can also understand why her scholarship was so important to her; I just wish that she had a bit more trust in Oz considering he had showed he would do anything for her if it meant she was happy.

Friendships played such an important role in this story, and I love that even with rivalry, friendships were still present with both teams. It showed you more about the characters while also creating a great support system on both sides. The friendships also make you want more stories for the characters, and that is something that I am BEYOND excited for! I loved how mature the friendships were and that instead of silly arguments and judgments, the friends rallied around one another and spoke through things logically. I truly believe that without the friendships that Kate and Oz had, they would’ve gone crazy.

The little sneaking around, the moments where you got to see the sport in action, the dreams the characters had. All of these things made the story more beautiful and created something incredible. Everything was so well thought out with this story that it’s hard to think anything negative, and it breaks my heart that I did find three little negative points.

The reason I rated the book down a little was for three reasons:

1. Lack of representation. There were no mentions of characters who had different races, sexualities or disabilities. This left me feeling a little disappointed as I believe that representation is important.

2. Plot holes. The press and a certain situation played a big part through out the story, if not, made the turning point, and yet we never found out what happened to those involved. You cannot have something play a major part and then leave it hanging, it leaves the reading wanting to know more and unsatisfied due to having no outcome.

3. Oz’s dad. I guess this blends in with the plot holes. He was an absolute dock and once Oz finally stood up to him, everything became radio silent. What happened to him? What happened to his contact with the rest of his family? The man deserved to be called out for his shit and yet it didn’t happen.

If you’ve made it to the end of this review, I hope it’s clear that I loved this story and that I would happily read it time and time again. Also, please can we just appreciate the stories name? IT’S SO FREAKING CUTE.

I thoroughly enjoyed Oar Than Friends by Lulu Moore. It was my first book by her and I must say I am a fan of the way she writes.

I absolutely enjoyed this; it was very cute, enjoyable, lovely, and entertaining! I love the writer's way of writing.

Oz is kind and loving, while Kate is cute and smart. Honestly, their relationship is adorable. Their first meeting was hilarious and entertaining, and they clicked right away. They were incredibly supportive to one another, and I adore how their relationship is evolving!

The author did an excellent job in the story portraying grief-related subjects. I especially liked the rivalry between the colleges, which gave couples a sense of forbidden and rivals. And every single one of the supporting cast was great! Looking forward to reading more from Lulu and more in this series!

Thank you Valentine PR, NetGalley and Lulu Moore for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book, from the very first page, pulled me in and was just a happy, funny, sweet read. There was tension and rivalry and chasing dreams and love conquering all and I now have a new favorite book of 2024.

Oz is sweet, thoughtful, persistent, and a gentleman - he’s down to earth, despite being “famous.”

Kate is also down to earth, but comes from more humble roots. She’s at Cambridge following her brother’s dream, but also rowing for herself.

QUICK THOUGHTS 💭
🚣 I love the meet-cute and insta-lust that turns into so much more.
🚣 Most sports romances (especially written by Lulu!) have teammates that become amazing found family and hilarity ensues. This book is no exception and I absolutely loved it!
🚣 Rowing is a sport I haven’t read about yet and what better way to introduce it than through the Oxford/Cambridge rivalry!

I’m really looking forward to a second book in this series; Charlie’s must-be “fed, watered, and further rested” lifestyle is one I relate to. 😂

Thanks so much to Lulu Moore and Valentine PR for the ARC of this book.

This book was such a gem! I loved the rivals aspect, especially since they already met and had chemistry before they realized. I always enjoy romances where they are trying to resist each other but just can’t and have to give in. The setting was super fun and atmospheric, i LOVED all the side characters. Just an all around good time and I cant wait for more in the series!

At first as I read I was feeling that this book felt a bit childish if it was supposed to be set in university, but as I read the story it definitely grew on me and I was finding it very cute and I loved reading about the relationship of Kate and oz grow! Now I've finished I don't want to leave this universe and I can't wait for the next book!

Oar Than Friends is a sweet and entertaining dive into the world of rowing and romance. Arthur Osbourne-Cloud and Kate Astley row for rival universities. I mean like Duke and Carolina level rivals. Like Iowa State and the University of Iowa. Like Harvard and Yale. (You get it). We’re talking about Cambridge and Oxford. With a rivalry so intense it could set the Thames on fire, sparks fly off it, and the chemistry between them is hotter than a summer regatta.

This book had me hooked from the get-go with Arthur and Kate's meet-cute. Adorable doesn't even begin to cover it! And can we talk about the British charm? Moore absolutely nails the setting, and I was living for every moment of it. Plus, Arthur as the swoony, fast-falling MMC….*Chef's kiss*

There were a few details that left me wanting more follow-through, but honestly, I was so engrossed in the story that it didn't bother me much. And let's not forget about the side characters and setups for future books—Moore's found family game is *strong*, and I'm already counting down the days until I can dive back into this delightful corner of the Luluverse.

So, if you're in the mood for a sports rivals-to-lovers romance but make it British, I definitely suggest adding this to your TBR!

What I loved:
- Main character dynamics
- Fun, uncommon sports romance (rowing)
- Setting (England!! Oxford/Cambridge!)
- A super cute read with great characters!

What I struggled with:
- While an interesting start, I felt like it took a while to pick up
- I struggled with staying invested in the story
- I heard some unsettling things about the author's actions, so I was a little put off

While it wasn't my favorite, it certainly wasn't bad! I would recommend this to anyone who wants to read a love story with some cute scenes and a fun angle, plus an English college setting.

THIS FREAKING BOOK!! i'm completely and utterly obsessed with both kate & arthur. kate's character has been by far my favorite mfc!! she's so caring, smart, loving and dedicated that she became someone i looked up to. she's my bestie irl i don't care what yall say 😗. oz(arthur) was just perfect in every way possible! he is completely obsessed with kate and i was absolutely there for it 100%. he was just *chefs kiss* dare i say top 5 mmc!!

This was a nice easy read. Cute uni romance between Kate and Oz based in rival unis/teams. The chemistry between the two was nice and I liked the pacing of the story. Definitely will check out the rest of the series once it releases.

This was such a cute story!

Oz and Kate are from rival schools but Kate doesn’t realize that when they first meet. Kate has heard from her friend’s about the president of the rival school’s rowing team and son of a politician but he doesn’t realize it’s the same guy she has a date planned with who she had an instant connection with. All the news articles about Oz call him a partier and playboy but there’s no truth to the media and Kate needs to trust the impression she had when she first met him.

You’d think the biggest struggle to the relationship would be the long distance but Oz and Kate actually make it work well. Though their schools are over an hour away Oz still makes the drive to see Kate between both of their hectic schedules and they frequently talk and FaceTime.

Both Kate and Oz struggle with living their lives for others. Through their relationship with each other they learn to take life into their own hands and go after the futures and dreams they want for themselves.

I love that this is a rowing romance! As a former rower myself, I love that I finally found a romance book about it.

-rivals to lovers
-rowing romance
-oxford/cambridge
-secret relationship
-he falls first

Kate is an American coxing for Cambridge and Oz is the captain of the Oxford rowing team. Their chemistry was undeniable when they first met and they didn't yet know they were from rival teams. When Oz finally wore Kate down, they decided to keep it a secret since Kate was worried about fraternizing with the enemy. The tension between these two was so good and I loved how obsessed he is with Kate! Definitely recommend!

This was cute and fun, and adored Oz and Kate! I don't know much about competitive rowing, but this was a great read and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Thank you to NetGallery and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Lulu Moore does it again! I am big fan of Lulu and this book did not disappoint. This was different from her other books because it is set in the UK! I learned so much about rowing and I cant wait for the next book!

I received an arc for this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was amazing and I’m so glad I got the opportunity to read it. I love a good sports romance book and this didn’t disappoint.

I have no idea about rowing and I was nervous that, it would make me not find this book interesting but it had enough information to teach you about the sport without being annoying.

I loved all the characters In this book. Both the main and side characters they all added something to this story.

This book has everything that is needed to make a great sports romance book and it was written really well. I couldn’t put it down. Sports Romance is something I really like and I like trying and learning about new sports and this book gave me that opportunity.

The romance was well done and it didn’t annoy me which is saying something because usually that’s what makes it breaks a book for me. But it wasn’t to spicy and even thought it has Insta love it was written well enough it didn’t put me off the book.

I wish there was more information about what happens next because it felt like it ended really suddenly and that’s the only thing I didn’t like about this book.


I recommend this book to anyone who likes a well written sports romance book with a good level (my opinion) of spice 🙃🫶

Thank you Valentines PR and Lulu Moore for an ARC in exchange for a honest review.

American Kate and British Oz, rowing for rival universities, quickly fall for each other. Deciding to keep their relationship under wraps, they face the challenge of others discovering their forbidden love amongst the backdrop of rival sports team.

Rival sport teams, forbidden love, "enemies to lovers" yes sign me up! The characters felt uniquely fleshed out and all fit in the end. I love that both Oz and Kate acted mature with witty banter and sweet love for each other. Now what kept me from rating this higher? I do think the amount of rowing jargon was draining. I grew disinterested unless it was scenes outside of their rowing activities. I love a good sports romance but it was a bit overkill. Oz was great book boyfriend and their insta-love meetup was cute! I did find the falling for each other this quickly a bit far fetched but then again who didn't have a fast romance in college hehe. This is my first book by Lulu Moore but I will read Oxbridge #2 when it arrives! I am curious to see which couple will be up next.

This was such a fun and unique read! I have always been a fan of Lulu’s writing and this was no different. I know nothing about rowing, but she still managed to keep me hooked to the story the entire time.

Classic Lulu, this story was full of humor while still pulling on my heartstrings at times. This story follows Kate and Oz who are rowers for rival colleges. They find each other unable to resist one another and fall into a secret relationship filled with witty banter.

Seeing their relationship develop was so fun and so sweet. Oz hooks you from the very beginning with his charm and Kate was relatable in her stubborn and loyal ways. I loved that they simply couldnt resist one another and it just brought a smile to my face. There was tension, spice, swooning, and a friend group that was such a good time!

Read if you enjoy:
-rowing
-college romance
-rivals to lovers
-secret relationship
-he falls first
-dual pov
-slow burn

*Thank you so much to VPR, NetGalley, Penguin Random House, and Lulu for the arc!