I wasn’t sure of this book at first…I thought maybe it would be too angsty, but it really ended up being sweet and emotional and very romantic. Tommy at first meets Rowan under less than optimal circumstances. When Rowan recognizes Tommy as his old soccer nemesis, he decides to whip him back into playing shape. They have an instant connection that neither is willing to acknowledge at first. This is a beautiful love story but there are some hard topics involved. Rowan had a horrific childhood which affects how he views himself and his relationship with Tommy. I really loved this book and how the two men grew and healed together.

Unfortunately I wasn’t able to download it in time before it was archived, but I still want to thank the publisher for the opportunity to do so.

This was emotional, tender, and full of tension in the best way. Tommy and Rowan’s chemistry is undeniable—equal parts angst and vulnerability. I loved how their rivalry slowly peeled back into something intimate and healing. The soccer setting added just enough grit without overshadowing the heart of the story.

veryyyyy spicy, but with serious undertones of internalised homophobia, grief and loss. It got a bit repetetive after a while, which put me in kind of a slump for a while, but I liked the characters and their dynamic.

Thank you to Net Galley & Jonah Yorke for this ARC!
3.75!!
Beyond beautiful and timely and my heart…Rowan’s vulnerability mixed with Tommy’s vulnerability tied in with so much strength.

This book may be considered a “sports romance” but it’s is so much more than that. It is a story of discovery, vulnerability and love.

Watching these characters find themselves but also work through some hard personal traumas… read the trigger warnings but I recommend this book!

One thing to note… I will say some of the sex scenes felt a little unrealistic on the prep front

Rating: 4.5/5

I loved this book. From start to finish, it was tender, emotional, and unbelievably sexy. Honestly, the spice is off the charts, easily a 10 out of 5. But what really made it stand out was the emotional depth behind all that heat.

The connection between Tommy and Rowan was immediate and powerful. Their relationship felt so genuine, full of mutual admiration, respect, and care. I loved how patient Tommy was as Rowan worked through accepting his sexuality, and I equally appreciated how fully Rowan supported Tommy once he embraced his identity. Their bond was sweet, affirming, and full of quiet strength.

This book is one of the sexiest I’ve ever read, but it’s also one of the most heartfelt. Every page was a joy. I’d recommend it to absolutely anyone who loves a powerful romance that’s both emotionally honest and unapologetically steamy. It’s a beautiful story, and I loved every minute of it.

MM Romance
Debut

DNF @ 70%

I feel like I’ve been on a long journey with this book because I wasn’t feeling it at the start and DNF’d it at 12% and then again at 32% but I kept picking it back up hoping it would improve. Unfortunately this story is just not for me and I’m going to explain why. Originally I DNF’d this because I hated the choppy writing style and while it did seem to improve slightly as time went on, I think this needs a few more rounds of editing. The second time I DNF’d was because it’s hard for me to feel invested in either of these characters because they both feel so similar that I keep forgetting whose POV I was in and that choppy writing style was making me cringe again. Then I read reviews from arc readers and they all mentioned how lovely this story is and that there is a lot of smut so I decided to go back to it last night when my insomnia kicked in. I have now reached 70% and have no intentions of finishing this book for the reasons listed above but also I find the content in this book a bit off putting.

This is by a male author and the misogyny is just off the charts. There are some books I can look over misogynistic bs because the plot or writing wowed me but this isn’t one of them. Every female character in this book besides Rowan’s adopted mom is really unlikable. All of the women the same age as the boys are desperate, cheating whores and the internal monologues of our boys are also problematic the way they view women. This takes place in Sacramento, California and while there are misogynistic people in my state, this feels really OTT for this area. The internalized homophobia Rowan has for himself and others is really hard for me to read and because this book has been mostly smut, I am not empathetic towards him at all. I think that Tommy can and should do better. The smut scenes in this book are overkill especially when the majority of them are the same scene repeated over and over. I am starting to learn Rowan’s back story and it feels like the same story I’ve read a thousand times but even more lackluster because there’s only been smut. I honestly don’t know how or why these two fell for one another. I also feel like 150 pages could have been taken out and this might have had a chance at keeping my interest but in its current state it’s just not readable for me and I’m not vibing with it at all.

This was a high-heat, high-heart romance that tackled identity, grief, and second chances with raw honesty and a whole lot of tension.

A tender, devastating debut. Sweat captures the emotional burn of coming-of-age, the yearning of queer identity, and the quiet devastation of unspoken feelings.

Think Lie With Me, Call Me By Your Name, and All of Us Strangers. But make it athletic and charged with emotional intensity and a metric ton of spice. Jonah Yorke’s writing is sharp yet soft, painting every stolen glance and buried feeling with heart-wrenching precision.

This story doesn’t just sting. It bleeds. And it lingers long after the last page.

The review below is already on Goodreads and will be posted on Amazon once its been released.

While the story line is very sweat and I liked it a lot, I truly struggled with this book. It's not my normal type of book and I branched out. As much as I wanted to love it, I couldn't. It was really well done and again the storyline was great but I think I need to branch out more into this type of novel in order for it to truly be good for me.

Rating : 3.75/5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book.

“How is letting yourself die not giving up on yourself ?”

“Because people don’t chase life, Tommy. They chase happiness. For most people, life is essential to the experience of happiness. For others, sometimes, that’s not the case ..” ; “ I’m telling you that Erica’s decision has nothing to do with how she feels about you and everything to do with how she feels about her own life. She could love you more than anything in the world and still make the same decision.”

Those words run deep and true. The depiction of the hollowness, hopelessness hits a spot and albeit the smuttiness were definitely back to back action lol, the book is an almost perfect blend of smut, grief and growth.

Undoubtedly there’s a strong connection between Rowan and Tommy, but it felt almost ludicrous at times with how all over the place their bonds were. There’s contradiction and just plot holes scattered around the plot line. Some scenes felt like it was rushed and had been watered-down as if it’s a back-burner. For example; the friendship route (Malik’s character, the growth, actual bonds between the football team with Rowan), and don’t get me started on Rowan’s trauma and his “family”.

Another issue was on the internalized homophobia, it was one too many for me to feel good about how of a doormat Tommy was and just the discrepancies of Rowan’s action. The misogynistic was a whole another issue that left a sour note on the overall experience.

Nonetheless, it was a good novel and I would recommend reading it !

"SWEAT is a high spice hurt/comfort sports romance that deals with heavy themes related to identity, mental health, grief, and coping with past trauma. This book is intended for readers age 18 and up.”

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher, for providing me with an advanced e-copy for an honest review.

I want to preface this by telling everyone that this a debut book, and if this is a debut then I can’t wait to see what this author does next. Getting that out of the way, this book tore me up, yes, it’s a sweet mm romance, but it also deals with heavy topics and these boys are just in the middle of it all trying to find themselves but also falling love. Tommy and Rowan are gay, but they’ve been trying to hide it, each in different ways, they also have in common their love for soccer and what started as light rivalry turns to animosity turns into a heated love story.
I love the pace of this book because even though there’s spice whiting the 30% you could see that this wasn’t insta-lust, yes, lust was involved in it but they had feelings they were still fighting to accept, specially from Rowan side. These guys became each other’s safe space, against everything that was going on around them, specially, in Tommy’s case whose family dynamic was very sensitive.
I honestly could have used with more angst, and way less female hate; I didn’t really appreciate how Rowan expressed himself about women and how overall every single one was “cock crazed” towards the boys. Also, this my last critic, this felt very high school to me in terms of tone and dialogue at times.
Overall, I love and enjoyed this a lot, it was cute, sizzling hot and touching. I can’t wait to read more from this author and see their evolution. Before reading make sure to check trigger warnings.

TRIGGER WARNINGS:
Homophobia and Homophobic slurs
Terminal Illness
Mental health discussions
Death of family member/grief
SA&CA (not on page)

Great job Jonah Yorke. Holy moly. This book is spicy, like perfectly spicy. And the connection between Rowan and Tommy was beautiful. I love the darker themes with Rowan’s past but it wasn’t overly harped on, or under stated. Tommy coming to terms with his sexuality, and the struggle Rowan goes through coming to terms with his sexuality was well was top tier. This was my second ARC, and fourth MM sports romance book and it’s one of the top MM books I’ve read. I can’t wait for the rest of the series!

4⭐
3🌶️

.Friends to lovers
.Gay awakening
.Hurt/comfort
.Mentor/mentee
.Forced proximity
.Dual POV

As soon as I saw this book up for request, I knew I had to grab it. I’m not usually an impulsive requester, learned that the hard way, but I took a chance with this one, and I’m glad I did. It’s heavy on the trauma, yes, but also sweet, tender, and surprisingly uplifting. Tommy and Rowan are adorable together, and watching their relationship grow from friendship into something deeper was honestly lovely.

One of my favorite things about this book is how they showed up for each other at their lowest. From the very beginning, they just got how to comfort one another. It felt natural and real.

The spice is definitely plentiful. That said, I’ll admit it got a bit repetitive. I skimmed here and there when every emotional moment turned into a steamy scene.

There was one particular thing that put me off, and that was the whole “daddy” thing. I was okay with the “baby boy” bits at first, but then it started getting... weird. The boy and father vibes threw me off every time it came up.

The book could’ve been trimmed by about 50 pages, for sure. But at the same time, I didn’t mind lingering in their world a bit longer. It was nice to see how consistently soft and caring they were with each other.

Sweat
By: Jonah Yorke

Intense to the end!
📚💕⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💕📚

In this incredibly intense and very deep connection between two athletes we get a very big introduction into Rowan and Tommy and who they are and what they need but are afraid to want. This story in incredibly emotional in a way that is deep. The authors writing is flawless and the words are so captivating, the plot had so many twists and turns and none that I was expecting, and many shockingly intimate I have become a huge fan of this author. The author writes with so much intensity and emotion pulled from each book it’s felt page after page. Some are quick witted story lines are so perfect and lets you believe you have a front row seat. So being able to read this love story didn’t disappoint. The authors ability to have two separate individuals struggling in their everyday life and try to navigate someone else’s thoughts, needs and desires was intense and gives all the fills.

Authors Blurb: Tommy I should hate Rowan Hughes. He was a bully when we were kids, and now I find out he’s messed around with my girlfriend. But how can I hate the campus soccer star when he’s everything I’ve always wanted to be?

With my reputation on the line, I can’t let Rowan get away with humiliating me in front of people I know people we both go to school with.

When he swears he didn’t know Annalese was my girlfriend, I actually believe him. When he says I’m good enough to play beside him, I want to believe that too. But when he insists he’s not gay, all I want is to prove him wrong.

Rowan I made one dumb decision at a party, and now Tommy Mathison thinks I’m into his girl. He couldn’t be more wrong, but it’s not because I’m gay. It’s because I’m weak. Now I’ve got a beefed-up babyface’s knuckle prints bruising the side of my face, and I can’t get him out of my head.

Tommy isn’t weak, and he may just be the missing piece my team needs to win a championship before I go pro. I don’t know why he quit soccer after high school, but getting him back on the field is easy. Keeping him close without losing control? That’s the real challenge.

This book has everything I love in a book. Then you add that it's beautifully written and believable. It is easily a five star read. Written in dual POV this story flows so incredibly well that the next thing you know you’re 80% into the book and loving every second of it. The believable way the characters interact is perfect. Run, Hop, Jump or use your (1 click) finger to do whatever you have to do and get this amazing book. It'll break your heart, you'll want to scream with frustration and it'll let you discover that love just might conquer all. The chemistry is steamy and sweet and oh so romantic.

Thanks Netgally for letting me read and review.📚💕

Once more with feeling: I love sports anime!

I thought this was a very enjoyable read. I'll admit, out of habit I got a little nervous when we reached around the 30% mark and the main couple was already getting involved with each other--I'm too used to third-act breakups--but I'm pleased to say that my nerves were for nothing. Although there are real stakes for our main characters, there's also good enough communication to get them through it. Things get tense for various reasons but never quite bad enough to actually tear them apart, which I appreciate as someone for whom "tiny misunderstanding gets blown up and breaks up the couple just for them to finally talk it out 20 pages before the end" is a least-favorite romance trope.

One thing I will say is that the "Note to Reader" page should have been more explicit that there would be mention of CSA, even if none is ever shown on page. Referring to it as "past childhood trauma" isn't quite explicit enough in my opinion. There should also be a warning for terminal illness as this can be quite triggering to some.

However, those things stated, this was overall a really enjoyable read to me, with good pacing and fun dialogue, plus convincing intimacy between some pretty adventurous young dudes.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

I received this book as an E-ARC from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

And honestly.. I LOVED IT!!!!
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️/🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️

If you are a lover of sweet MM romance, you’re going to love this book. Tommy and Rowan are both closeted gay boys who love soccer. As a young teen, Tommy admired Rowan’s soccer skills, but then Rowan called him the F word and caused him a lot of internalized shame around his sexuality. Years later in college, Tommy’s girlfriend is caught cheating (AGAIN) this time with none other than Rowan. When Tommy goes to confront Rowan, a punch in the face turns into a beautiful love story.

I would consider this an enemies (short lived) to friends to lovers book. It’s long, which I LOVE. Every scene was revealing things about the characters and their dynamic that it didn’t FEEL too long. The slower pace felt like a slice of life that allowed me to really get to know the characters and watch them fall in love over time. It felt so real and organic. Both boys were able to explore their desires and feelings and come to terms with their own identities and how and when THEY wanted to COME OUT. They did it at their own pace and gave each other the space and safety to do that.

There’s longing. A little bit of angst. So much passion and desire. There’s top notch banter and flirting. The way they spoke to each other was sweet, but not cheesy. It felt so authentic to these characters. The spice was HOOOOOOOTTTT but also so beautiful!


Tommy and Rowan have my heart. I can’t believe this was the author’s first book! I’ve read books from established authors that weren’t as well written as this. It had me giddy. I’m talking kicking my feet and squealing. Constantly saying “OH MY GOSH THIS IS SOOOO SWEET!!” “I LOVE THEM SO MUCH!”

There aren’t enough good things to say about this book honestly! I’m so impressed! I’m obsessed with this book and will likely order a physical copy whenever I can!

Tropes:
“Baby boy”/Daddy (Which I LOVED and it’s normally a little iffy for me)
Hurt/Comfort
Found Family
Soccer Captain/Trainee

Trigger Warnings:
F slur on page one and a couple of times throughout
Lots of homophobia (but pivotal to the story)
SA (not on page, but discussed)
Childhood Abuse and Neglect (not on page but discussed)
Terminal Illness/death of a family member (not super detailed, but it happens)

Some highlighted quotes:

“I’m starting to think you like me, babyface,”

“Don’t lose me,” I say, and he turns his head over his shoulder. “That’s what you told me. I’m just trying not to lose you. Whatever way you want me, I want that too. It can be whatever we want it to be. It can mean whatever we want it to mean, but if you want me at all, in any way, I want you too.”

“I don’t care what we are so long as we’re something.”

“After years of denying myself the fantasy of burying my face in a man’s crotch and taking him down my throat, I finally found someone I’m not afraid to devour.”

Thank you Netgalley and Jonah and Victory Editing for giving me the chance to read this book!! It’s a new favorite!

Just a note for editors: There were a couple of typos, but not enough to be distracting. I did mark one in Ch. 19. It reads “If I’m the first, it stands to reason there will others.” I think it’s missing the word “be”. I forgot to mark the others, but like I said it wasn’t distracting at all!

Sweat by Jonah Yorke is a beautifully written, emotionally rich, and unexpectedly heartwarming romance that completely took me by surprise. The story follows Tommy and Rowan, two closeted college guys with complicated pasts and even more complicated feelings. What made their connection especially compelling was how it began: after Tommy fights Rowan for hooking up with his girlfriend, the two are forced into each other’s orbit when Rowan starts training Tommy for the soccer team. From tension to tenderness, their dynamic is magnetic.

Tommy is on a journey of self-discovery, while Rowan is navigating deep denial and past trauma. Their chemistry is undeniable, and their emotional growth, both individually and together, is handled with care, depth, and vulnerability. The book manages to balance humor, spice, and heart in a way that felt so authentic and refreshing.

Though I’m not typically drawn to stories that incorporate a daddy kink, it worked surprisingly well here. I also appreciated how romance-driven the story was. The author gave their relationship room to breathe and truly develop, which allowed me to really see and understand why these two fell in love. And it made the ending all the more satisfying.

I highly recommend Sweat to readers who love queer romance that is raw, tender, character-driven, and emotionally resonant. I’ll be thinking about Tommy and Rowan for a long time.

Holy cow. Where did Jonah Yorke come from? Sweat was so so great. If you're looking for an angsty, trauma-ridden, pining-filled book, this is it. Sweet baby boy Tommy is the biggest teddy bear who carries the world and his family on his shoulders. Rowan is the beautiful, closed off soccer superstar. And together, they're perfect. I loved the tension and the build up. I loved their attraction and their inability to stay away.

Heartbreaking and sad, but in the sweetest way. Just like they put each other back together, their story will glue your heart together also.

Loved the story, loved the writing style. I can't wait to see what Jonah has in store for us next.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½

I was blown away when I found out this was a debut novel by Jonah Yorke. There was so much depth and emotion in Tommy and Rowan's characters, and at times I found myself welling up with tears. Their meeting was less than ideal, first as kids and then again as adults when Tommy finds out Rowan fooled around with his girlfriend, but it was filled with so much tension and chemistry!!

The journey that Rowan experienced with his internalized homophobia felt very authentic. it was messy and it was heartbreaking, but the tender moments between him and Tommy were so satisfying to read. They were both going through so much, and the way they leaned on and opened up to each other was truly beautiful. Nothing felt rushed or forced.

My only gripe, which isn't even a big one, is that there were way too many spicy scenes. Don't get me wrong, they were hot and steamy and at times helped show Rowan's journey with self-acceptance, but it could've done with less of it IMO. Still, I can't wait to read the other book in this series! I'll be thinking of Tommy and Rowan for a long time!!