I genuinely loved Tip In so much. Maya and Theo felt incredibly real, and I cared about them so much. While the beginning felt a bit insta-lovey, and some of the pacing of their relationship felt off, I still really enjoyed watching their relationship develop, and seeing the rest of their life as well. There were well developed side characters that had real impacts in the story, and plenty of characters were well fleshed out. I also found myself fully laughing at some points in the story. This book managed to make me care about basketball, which is an impressive feat in and of itself. Overall, I'd highly recommend this book for a relatively light and absolutely adorable sapphic read.

A sapphic basketball college background where the star player Theo falls for the part girl non committal Maya, who’s roommate is a women’s basketball fan. There is tension of attraction from the beginning the will they won’t they start something or just pass it off as a mutual attraction.

After that the story is a little well dull, yes we have sports action on the court which is the majority of the time building up to the big game and pro contracts etc but unfortunately although there is no third act breakup there is a lot of poor / no communication via Maya. Which is so frustrating and makes the story long! I get it she’s a person that suffered with her mother’s boyfriends but can’t she do better than her mother!

It’s a solid story, not amazing in my view but keeps you engaged and you do want to see a happy ending. There are a few spicy scenes and a good level of representation. Thanks for NetGalley for giving me an opportunity to read this. If you like a sapphic basketball tale then this is for you.

Tip In is the soft, sexy, and sweet WNBA romance I never knew I needed. Oh, but how I needed it. For lovers of sports and sapphic love, Tip In checks all the boxes.

Thank you to the author for providing a free ARC of the book.

Tip In is really well written captivating debut novel. It has two POVs, interesting main characters, delicious tension, great supportive friend groups, and a lot of spice. It's also surprisingly slow burn. Because the story is about a college senior basketball star, there's quite a lot of basketball on page.

There's mini version of 3rd act breakup. I'm not necessararily a fan of 3rd act breakups. To do it well, the writing has to be high quality. In Tip In, the looming conflict was written well into the story. It was expected but it still came a bit as s surprise. I was almost ready to accept that there wouldn't be one in the end.

There's medium amount of angst in the story. Both MCs, but especially Maya, have some serious issues. Both main characters are likable because they are written well and acting coherent. The MCs are also delightfully good communicatorsz eventually.

I recommend TipIn if you're looking for entertaining sapphic romance set in college. It's quite a long read with more than 400 paged but it's worth it.

4.25 stars.

Tip In by Josie Mae is a fresh and heartfelt sports rom-com that scores big with its vibrant characters, sweet romance, and empowering representation. Centered around a talented female basketball player and an unexpected admirer, the story explores the spark of a new connection while celebrating identity, passion, and the game that brings them together.

Mae crafts a romance that feels genuine and full of warmth, letting the chemistry between the leads unfold naturally. As their relationship deepens, readers are treated to a charming and uplifting exploration of queer love within the world of competitive sports. The emotional arc is just as compelling as the on-court action, with themes of vulnerability, trust, and personal growth woven seamlessly into the plot.

With a tone that balances humor, heart, and just the right dash of heat, Tip In is both an entertaining rom-com and a meaningful love story. Josie Mae delivers a novel that feels joyful, inclusive, and full of heart—an easy recommendation for readers looking for a feel-good LGBTQ+ romance with a sporty twist.

4.5 stars!

If I had to sum this book up in three words, it's cute, lighthearted, and funny. It playfully leans into WLW stereotypes in a way that’s both on-the-nose and genuinely hilarious that I found myself giggling throughout! The banter between Theo and Maya, despite their opposite personalities, was charming, flirty, and endlessly fun to read (even in how they text!). Their connection felt natural from the start, and even with the time apart, picking things back up never felt forced.

As someone who’s particular about third-act conflicts, I have to say—this one’s a standout. It's one of my favorite third acts in recent romance reads. The moment was so memorable and emotionally satisfying that I’ll be thinking about it for days. I admired Theo’s patience, Maya’s courage, and... I might be a little bit in love with Theo McCall myself??? Because that woman is HOT.

ALSO! The friendship dynamics were another highlight. Watching both friend groups slowly come together felt organic and added depth to the story. Iris and GJ and even Danny felt like friends I have irl!

If you’re looking for a cozy comfort read with sweet romantic gestures, fun banter, and some open-door spice between two college girls, this could be your next favorite. I nearly finished it in one sitting—only stopped because sleep won the battle at 90%!

Thank you Netgalley and Josie Mae for the ARC!

Maya’s goals are simple: keep her grades up so she can go to graduate school, prove to her hometown that she can handle the Colorado cold, and avoid the mess of romantic relationships by keeping things casual with everyone.

Theo is on the fast track to becoming the future of women's basketball, and she's been preparing her entire career for it. She just didn't realize that she'd become a celebrity in the process—or that people would care so much about her personal life. When a photo taken of the two of them after a game sparks dating rumors, Maya uses it as a way to get closer to Theo—and as a way to hopefully get over her crush on Theo in the process.

I loved this sweet story. Wonderful characters and lots of sports. We need more sports romances like this in Sapphic romance! 4.5⭐

I received an advanced complimentary digital copy of this book from Netgalley. Opinions expressed are my own.

this was a really sweet and adorable sapphic story that lifted my gloomy mood. it made me laugh, it made me feel young and hopelessly romantic. it made me think about all the pitfalls of modern dating and then delete my (one) dating app bc if i wouldn't get a Theo then what's the point??

it was a perfect blend of insta-attraction and slow-burn. i am not a huge fan of insta-attraction stories but the way josie mae sketched the trajectory of their relationship had me weak. the slow burn was reallyyy burning. their chemistry was palpable on page, but moreover their bond slowly grew through random texts and basketball games and watching the other study, which made it all the more engrossing for me.

i also really appreciated how the concerns of long-distancing and dating a famous pro basketball player was a part of the story that aren't much shown in the sports romances.

oh did i say it's a SPORTS sapphic romance, that has basketball at its center?? i can count on my one hand the number of sports fics i have read with basketball. and also the frequent mention of One Tree Hill?? my indoctrination into the basketball club?? yeah i loved that.

my one gripe was it felt unnecessarily long. there was too much internal monologuing, especially about how /different/ they both have become after meeting the other, how their *Before* lives used to be and how completely changed they are now. it felt repetitive and a worn-out cliche, and while some cliches are needed in romance, this kind of felt draining.

but overall it was a very wholesome, spicy sweet story that i really enjoyed!

Tip in follows the story of Maya and Theo's relationship. This book had me cackling like a hyena only because of how 'on the nose' the lesbianism's were. & the interactions between the main characters were so so good! This by far is one of the best sapphic college romances I have read in a while. From the start I was engaged with how Maya and Theo were going to get to the relationship and all of the fumbling along the way resonated with me personally.

The cute banter, the low spice, the GIVER mentality.. Lord have mercy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing for the advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars

This is a solid slow burn romance with two detailed spicy scenes. Most everything about this was fine. Maya and Theo weren't spectacularly dynamic characters, and there was a weird fake dating concept barely introduced then went nowhere, which is annoying for someone like me who loves fake dating. The side characters were nice, and I liked the basketball aspects. I'm not mad I read this, but I wish it'd been maybe 50-100 pages less and another editing pass to cut down on the repetitive parts.

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review.

Unfortunately I have missed the window but as the book has been published as of today I will probably get a version from the book shop and give feedback at a later point. I was really looking forward to this book especially after binge watching Running Point on Netflix and getting into basketball.

I absolutely adored Tip In by Josie Mae! This charming sapphic romance will have you rooting for Maya and Theo from the moment they meet.

The story follows Theo, a superstar basketball player whose passion for the game has always come first — until Maya enters her life. And Maya, a self-proclaimed commitmentphobe, wants nothing more than to keep pursuing her love of learning, even as she grapples with the overwhelming and very real feelings she develops for Theo.

The writing, the plot, and the characters completely drew me in, and I ended up reading the whole book in one sitting. It’s a fast-paced story with just the right blend of angst, romance, and spice. An easy 5 stars from me — I loved every page and would highly recommend it!

I received an advanced copy from NetGalley.
Theo and Maya meet by chance at a university party. While Theo is the basketball star from the University, sports challanged Maya has no idea of who she is but one thing is for sure, there is just something about Theo. Faced with the challenges of new adulthood, career choices and people betting on you. Can these two find it in themselves to admit their feelings and fighting for each other? Or are the (misperceived) family patterns too hard to overcome to risk taking a chance?

I wonderful book that combines sports, love and the challenges of new adulthood. The main characters are easy to get connected to and you'll be rooting for them to make good choices

Maya + Theo

-sapphic romance
-small college town
-basketball romance
-bookworm x athlete
-fake dating

yall. this was everything i wanted it to be & more!! &...i am going to be completely transparent here with this & say that before i started this i actually went down a HARDCORE wbna obsessive hyperfixation *cough*caitlinclarkpaigebueckerssophiecunningham*coughcough* & was actually like thinking about how i needed some kind of womens basketball romance...& VIOLAAAA!!! literal perfection!! the lesbian pininggg was perfect!! the slow burn was perfect!! the complete & utter obsession but obliviousness to the others obsession was perfect!! i just loved these two!!

‘Tip In’ by Josie Mae is a sapphic collage sports romance following Maya, a non-committal senior who loves academia, and Theo, the star basketball player who is on track for the WNBA, and couldn’t balance a relationship with all the training and travelling she has to do (obviously!).

I have to say, Maya and Theo stole my heart in ways I didn’t originally anticipate. I found myself giggling and kicking my feet more than once and was invested in their story from start to finish! I always love a when you get to hear from more than one character in a book, and found both Theo and Maya’s chapters were well-paced and had a strong sense of voice.

I feel extremely lucky to have received this ARC, and couldn’t recommend it enough if you’re a fan of sports, sapphic, small-town, or collage romance! It is an extremely sweet book with a good dynamic between the two protagonists, alongside some amazing and well-developed secondary characters (I think we all need a GJ and Iris in our lives!). I look forward to reading more about these characters in the years to come!

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this awesome book

love a sports themed book and this one was no exception

maya has it all planned out she knows what she wants in her life and where she is hoping to go.... its just a matter of priorities..... and also the love em and leave em she has no time for ties....

theo is also knows where she is headed pro basketball but until the year is over and the draft she wont know which professional team she will be with but until then her goal is to play basketball and practise practise practise there is no time for anything else

and then they meet at a frat party no less but each know just from the small amount of time that they have met someone special....

maya has never been to a basketball match so when she does attend with her best friend and is photographed with theo its not the end of the world though she is at first uncomfortable with the attention she soon gets use to it and they pretend for the masses that they actually are together

but is it really pretend..... as feelings start to grow between them....

ohhh man this book and that spicy scene this book is hot hot hot

loved the way the author created all the characters and held it together there wasnt a dull spot in the book at all and it read smoothly... i just fell into this book....

will be keeping an eye out for more from this author

I liked the romance and the longing between the two main characters. The book felt too long and the conflict drug on too much. I also had some issues with the basketball commentary, it often felt clunky and not true to the actual sport.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I thought this was a super cute book! I adored the relationship between Theo and Maya. Their fake dating experience was filled with so many romantic moments. Their chemistry was so good and had me kicking my feet while I read the book. It had the common experience of miscommunication, but in this scenario, I did not really hate it. I think the basketball setting also really made this story unique, and I liked learning more about basketball.

Overall, 5 stars!

Tip In is a college basketball romance between Maya, driven college student with her eyes set getting into the best graduate program, and Theo, superstar basketball player and rumored number 1 draft pick. When a picture of them together after one of Theo's games goes viral, rumors start floating around that they're together. Both Theo and Maya decide to play into the rumors and fake date, hoping that it will get rid of Maya's crush and help Theo's publicity before the upcoming WNBA draft.

Oh boy did I eat this book up!! Right from the beginning I was cheering Maya and Theo on. This had me in all my feels from giggling and kicking my feet, to empathizing with Maya's struggles in the end because they were realistic feelings to face as a senior in college. It was so sweet (and spicy ;)) and easy to read the natural chemistry between these too, but also between the main characters and their friends. Everyone can use friends like Iris and GJ!.

Looking forward to more work by Josie Mae in the future!

Thank you Net Galley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op | Honky Tonk Angels Publishing for providing me with an ARC for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, Victory Editing and the author for this arc!

⭐️⭐️½ (2.5–3 stars)

This was a flirty and fast-paced read with some fun moments, but it didn’t fully land for me.

The insta-lust kicks off quickly, with the FMC who claims not to want anything serious, but becomes instantly fixated on Theo. The fake-dating setup is introduced, but then not fully explored, which made it feel underused. I am also not a fan of a third act breakup and within this story, its use felt abrupt and underdeveloped.

What worked in this story: the love interest, Theo and best friend, Iris were both grounded and rational characters. They balanced the FMC who seemed to emotionally ping-pong throughout the story.

If you’re looking for a light, chemistry-driven read with glimpses of heart, this may be a good fit, however I was left wanting more depth and follow-through.