REVIEW: One on One by Jamie Harrow

One on One by Jamie Harrow: After being away from the basketball world for over eight years, Annie is ready, well sort of, to return to the place she once called home. The only problem is she needs to get over a few of her own past hang ups and well try to figure out why her old colleague and friend Ben is so upset with her. As Annie begins to settle back into her alma mater she is more determined than ever to prove herself to everyone by creating the most click worthy hype videos for the Tigers, as they take the season by storm. While the team is on fire it would seem that the connection between Annie and Ben is also heating up, but with things from her past that she would much rather not relive can Annie really allow herself to fully trust Ben with her heart?

I love reading sports romance and One on One was a really nice take on this trope, while this might book might be a bit more work place romance rather than sports romance, I still liked the way these two tropes complimented each other in forming a really wholesome romance read. I have to say this book deals with some serious topics but still maintains an nice easy follow to the novel. We get to see the darker side to women working in a male dominated industry and how work place harassment and sexual harassment often surface and the impact they have long term. I have to say for a debut novel Harrow has done a brilliant job in touching on important topics, crafting an interesting story and still delivering a beautiful romance.

I really liked our leading lady, Annie, she was a strong and determined lady and I have to admire her for overcoming some of the challenges that she faced. Firstly I loved her job with the team, being there as their hype social media person just seems like such a cool job and you get to be around you favourite sport, sounds like something I would totally love to do. Though I have to say it took a lot of bravery for Annie to put her past behind her and walk back into the world she loved and felt the safest in, her past experiences with harassment still way heavy on her but I liked that she was consciously making an effort not to allow these actions to hold her back. Now as much as I loved the fact that this was told from her POV I think we would have enjoyed this book a bit more had we gotten a few chapters from Ben. Now on to our hero, well it was hard not to like this guy once we got to know him. He was genuinely a really nice guy with a good heart and good intentions. While at first he came across as a bit standoffish, it was only because he didn’t understand why Annie had left them high and dry back in college, but once he learns what happened to her, we get to see the true soft, kind and caring Ben.

The chemistry between these two characters just felt right. There was a note of familiarity between them that just naturally evolved into a more passionate connection. I really liked the time and consideration that they both took while getting into this relationship. Ben respected the boundaries that Annie placed and he understood her need to take things slow. For his part I really liked how open and honest Ben got with Annie, these two had some really good communication.

I just loved that there were so many amazing supporting characters and that they all felt more than just page fillers, they each had personality and contributed to the overall storyline. I have to say that Eric and Cassie were easily my favourites. Another thing that I really enjoyed about this book was the amount of detail that Harrow puts into describing the basketball world. We get to see both the positive and negative side of college level basketball and the toll it takes on the players but also the staff.

All in all I really enjoyed reading One on One, this book had a nice mix of work place romance and sports romance, while also touching on some real world hard truths. Definitely worth checking out!

Book Info:

Publication: September 24, 2024 | Dutton |

Eight years after graduation, Annie Radford is not happy to be back at her alma mater in her old job with the Ardwyn Tigers’ basketball team. Worse, her coworker from back in college, Ben Callahan, is still on the Tigers staff, and he’s annoyingly wholesome, hot, and clinging to a grudge against Annie for abandoning him and the team their senior year.

But as Ardwyn becomes the season’s Cinderella Story, things start heating up between Annie and Ben, too. And while neither of them can deny this could be something special, Annie’s afraid to tell Ben the truth about why she left basketball—the thing she loves most—in the first place. She’ll have to learn to trust him if they have a shot at being together.

In addition to being funny, romantic, and sexy, One on One examines the pressure put on college athletes, challenges the sexism in the world of sports, and exposes the dangers in whole communities idolizing the big men on campus. For readers of The Hating Game and The Ex Talk, a workplace, enemies-to-lovers debut for anyone yearning for a courtside romance, perfect for anyone who can’t get enough sports rom-coms.