First published 2026
Austin Hardy trips and falls during practice, landing right beside Diego Cruz, the world's second-ranked tennis player. Austin just became the first openly gay man to compete in a Grand Slam, and the media attention triggers his anxiety disorder at the worst possible time. Diego helps him up, and their friendship begins off the court. Austin thought being gay never mattered much, but now headlines follow his every move. Diego seems straight, yet their conversations turn flirty and confusing. Their friendship complicates into rivalry as they both advance through the US Open brackets. Austin struggles with panic attacks while the tennis world watches his every serve. The media pressure builds as he and Diego move closer to facing each other across the net. Austin must choose between protecting his mental health and chasing the trophy. The tournament becomes a battle between his feelings for Diego and his need to prove himself as more than just a story about sexuality in sports.
Genres: contemporary, sports, lgbt, gay, contemporary-romance, sports-romance
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
368 pages · Paperback · Berkley
Content warnings: anxiety, mental-illness