Sapphic Sparks on the Sidelines
4.5 out of 5 stars
I had so much fun with this enemies-to-lovers sapphic slow-burn! Ready to Score blends small-town football politics with genuine emotional growth, and I was hooked from the moment Jade and Francesca shared a scene together. Their dynamic was deliciously tense, equal parts attraction and ambition, and watching them navigate that fine line kept me smiling for far longer than I expected (did I mention this is a slow-burn?)
What I really loved was how much growth both characters went through. Jade and Franny weren’t just two women falling in love; they were two women learning how to let someone in without losing their drive or identity. While also being enemies for a good portion of the book. Jodie Slaughter did a fantastic job showing that evolution, and it really came through in the little moments, the vulnerability, and yes, the spice, too.
The whole “rivals but not exactly” setup was super clever. They’re not at odds because of teaching, but because they’re chasing a similar coaching dream in a world not quite built for women, the “boys club”. Their different approaches—Jade’s calculated persistence versus Francesca’s heart-led instincts—made them a perfect pair once they started seeing each other for who they really were.
And I have to shout out Esme Ramos’s narration, which added so much to the story. She nailed the tension, the tenderness, and the individual voices of both women. Those emotional beats, especially the ones tied to their past heartbreaks and career hopes, hit even harder thanks to her performance.
In the end, Ready to Score was a story about love, ambition, and learning to stand together. I adored it.
Book Description:
Does she want her job, or her heart?
Cleat Cute meets Friday Night Lights in this funny, spicy, emotional new sapphic romance from Jodie Slaughter.
Jade Dunn has spent years trying to climb her way to the top of the southern high school football food chain. Now, the only thing standing between her and that future head coach spot is years of small-town good ‘ol boy politics. When she scores an invite to a highly coveted monthly poker game perfect for networking, she jumps at the chance for a seat at the table. Only to find the one person with the ability to shake her there. An infuriatingly sexy art teacher who plays her cards like she’s gunning for Jade’s deserved spot.
Francesca Lim never thought she’d be happy in a small town, not after living and breathing hardcore Texas football her whole life. But two years ago, the promise of forever love had her leaving behind a burgeoning coaching career for a new life—only for it to burst into flames. Now, she has a chance to gain back a piece of her life she thought she’d left in Houston. The only one standing in the way? The prickly assistant coach that Francesca can’t keep her mind or hands off of.
Not wanting to risk losing out on a dream job, Jade and Francesca can’t afford to give in to the iron-hot attraction that simmers beneath their biting interactions, so they try desperately to ignore it. Too bad their hearts don’t seem to be as on board with the game plan.
Jodie Slaughter’s Ready to Score shows how sometimes you have to go big or go home to get the life—and love—you deserve.
Ready to Score by Jodie SlaughterNarrator: Esme Ramos
Length: 10 hrs and 17 mins
Published by Dreamscape Media on June 2nd 2025
Genres: Ice Queen, Sports Romance, Workplace / Office Romance, LesFic/Sapphic Fiction
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