What do you think?
Rate this book
Bump, Set, Sparks
Not yet published
Expected 16 Jun 26Two rival volleyball players compete for the championship in this summer romp full of community, crushes, and confidence building from the author of Flirty Dancing.
Jess loves volleyball—she really does. Playing in Southern California Beach Volleyball League with her best friend Tania is a blast, but their recent losing streak has destroyed her confidence. In fact, a lot of what used to bring her joy—stargazing, hanging with friends at Maggie's bar, and her adorable wiener dog, Fleming—just doesn't seem like enough anymore. It doesn't help that Vivienne, one of Jess's rivals in the league, always seems to be around just when she's feeling her worst. Vivienne is everything Jess isn' beautiful, confident, effortlessly charming, and, most infuriatingly, winning.
When Jess is ghosted again, it's another blow to her confidence. Who better to challenge her than the most confident girl she knows? And as Jess gets to know Vivienne, she discovers there's much more to her than just a pretty face (and wicked serve). But even though there's an undeniable connection between them, they're competing for the same spot in the pro leagues. Jess has the opportunity to build self-confidence and a better life, but she'll have to learn to believe in herself, and the people around her, if she doesn't want to lose everything she's gaining. And there's nothing Jess hates more than losing.
Jess loves volleyball—she really does. Playing in Southern California Beach Volleyball League with her best friend Tania is a blast, but their recent losing streak has destroyed her confidence. In fact, a lot of what used to bring her joy—stargazing, hanging with friends at Maggie's bar, and her adorable wiener dog, Fleming—just doesn't seem like enough anymore. It doesn't help that Vivienne, one of Jess's rivals in the league, always seems to be around just when she's feeling her worst. Vivienne is everything Jess isn' beautiful, confident, effortlessly charming, and, most infuriatingly, winning.
When Jess is ghosted again, it's another blow to her confidence. Who better to challenge her than the most confident girl she knows? And as Jess gets to know Vivienne, she discovers there's much more to her than just a pretty face (and wicked serve). But even though there's an undeniable connection between them, they're competing for the same spot in the pro leagues. Jess has the opportunity to build self-confidence and a better life, but she'll have to learn to believe in herself, and the people around her, if she doesn't want to lose everything she's gaining. And there's nothing Jess hates more than losing.
352 pages, Paperback
Expected publication June 16, 2026
3 people are currently reading
4172 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Moffatt
9 books99 followersJennifer writes warm and fuzzy stories about LGBTQ+ people falling in love and wishes there were more of those stories on bookshelves. Her short fiction appears in several anthologies and literary magazines. Her debut novel A HARD SELL, book #1 in the Falling Hard trilogy, came out March 26, 2024 from Entwined Publishing and book #2, A HARD FIT, followed November 19, 2024. In March 2024, she announced a three book deal with St. Martin's Griffin. The first book, FLIRTY DANCING, a gay romcom inspired by Dirty Dancing, released May 27, 2025. Book #3 in the Falling Hard trilogy, A HARD NOTE, arrived July 29, 2025. Her next book with St. Martin's is a sapphic rivals-to-lovers romcom called BUMP, SET, SPARKS and is expected June 16, 2026. She is represented by Jordy Albert of the Booker Albert Literary Agency and lives in BC, Canada with her family. Her favourite things, besides reading and writing, are movies, summer, and potato chips.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
January 12, 2026
This is definitely your typical rivals to lovers sports romance. With the two MC’s being in a sand volleyball league, they were part of the same friend group but didn’t get along.
I appreciated the definitions at the start of each chapter because I don’t know much about volleyball and the terms did help understand better.
I will point out that this is a slow burn, a VERY slow burn, so don’t expect things to happen in the first half. The writing was decent, but at times I did feel as though the interactions Jess had with others was awkward, or maybe she was just awkward herself.
Jess had a LOT of confidence issues that she let get to her in both her personal life and on the sand too. While Vivienne was portrayed as a confident “idgaf” manner.
There were times where I felt like things were a bit dramatized or exaggerated such as this clip of the book, “Everything but Vivienne went blurry. The crowd vanished. The heat of the sun faded.” It was a bit too cheesy for me to be honest.
It wasn’t a horrible read, but I felt like there was nothing special about it. I didn’t really connect with the characters or had a love for any as well as I didn’t feel a major connection between the MCs, but at least it was there.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the ARC!
I appreciated the definitions at the start of each chapter because I don’t know much about volleyball and the terms did help understand better.
I will point out that this is a slow burn, a VERY slow burn, so don’t expect things to happen in the first half. The writing was decent, but at times I did feel as though the interactions Jess had with others was awkward, or maybe she was just awkward herself.
Jess had a LOT of confidence issues that she let get to her in both her personal life and on the sand too. While Vivienne was portrayed as a confident “idgaf” manner.
There were times where I felt like things were a bit dramatized or exaggerated such as this clip of the book, “Everything but Vivienne went blurry. The crowd vanished. The heat of the sun faded.” It was a bit too cheesy for me to be honest.
It wasn’t a horrible read, but I felt like there was nothing special about it. I didn’t really connect with the characters or had a love for any as well as I didn’t feel a major connection between the MCs, but at least it was there.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the ARC!
February 8, 2026
Too many characters. Too much filler. Oddly enough too much volleyball. Overall nothing interesting really happens and I find most of the characters to be bland.
Thanks for the ARC
Thanks for the ARC
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
In a nutshell, I thought this novel was fine. Parts of it were entertaining, but other parts just didn’t quite do it for me. I would say its an acceptable read but I probably wouldn’t recommend it. If you like volleyball a lot, then you might enjoy this more than I did.
Ok, lets break it down:
Romance: This is a romance right? Well it was underwhelming. It says its an enemies/rivals-to-lovers situation but it seemed a lot more like a one-sided, “I'm annoyed and whiny” situation instead. The rivals part of the equation was lukewarm at best with a few snippy remarks, and the transition was underwhelming. Now, these two DID have chemistry and there were parts I liked; our protagonist was clearly obsessed with the love interest right from the start which I enjoyed, but they had the emotional intelligence of a pinecone.
Protagonist: 90% of their character traits were “woe is me” and an inferiority complex. It was annoying and frustrating and got repetitive. That said, I did enjoy their character arc towards confidence even if it was a little simplistic.
Love Interest: Honestly I liked her. She was a bit of a black box at times, but I enjoyed this character and the slow process of understanding her better over the course of the novel.
Volleyball: There was too much volleyball for me, and not in a good way. I have read sports romances I liked, and ones I dislikes, and this was closer to the latter. I do not need play by play scenes of their games that span multiple pages, recounting who did a block and who did a spike. I just don’t care that much (maybe I should stop reading books featuring sports?). The emotional aspect I enjoy, along with the competition and their reactions to what takes place. There were some helpful definitions for volleyball terms at the start of each chapter but unfortunately, they were not quite enough for me as they frequently used other terms I didn’t know, hah!
Plotline: ehhhh. They played volleyball I guess?
Side Characters: The side characters I liked. There were several of them and they were as well developed as the main protagonist (which is a mixed review, hah). This felt like a story that took place in a real place with real people, so this aspect was well done.
Side Plots: Honestly better than the main plotline. What’s going on with her partner? Will the guy ever win the grand prize at ring toss? Tell me more about that famous romance author! None of these were huge, but I liked that the novel had multiple things going on (especially considering the main plot was a bit thin).
Thank you to NetGalley for providing a free ARC. This honest review was left voluntarily.
Ok, lets break it down:
Romance: This is a romance right? Well it was underwhelming. It says its an enemies/rivals-to-lovers situation but it seemed a lot more like a one-sided, “I'm annoyed and whiny” situation instead. The rivals part of the equation was lukewarm at best with a few snippy remarks, and the transition was underwhelming. Now, these two DID have chemistry and there were parts I liked; our protagonist was clearly obsessed with the love interest right from the start which I enjoyed, but they had the emotional intelligence of a pinecone.
Protagonist: 90% of their character traits were “woe is me” and an inferiority complex. It was annoying and frustrating and got repetitive. That said, I did enjoy their character arc towards confidence even if it was a little simplistic.
Love Interest: Honestly I liked her. She was a bit of a black box at times, but I enjoyed this character and the slow process of understanding her better over the course of the novel.
Volleyball: There was too much volleyball for me, and not in a good way. I have read sports romances I liked, and ones I dislikes, and this was closer to the latter. I do not need play by play scenes of their games that span multiple pages, recounting who did a block and who did a spike. I just don’t care that much (maybe I should stop reading books featuring sports?). The emotional aspect I enjoy, along with the competition and their reactions to what takes place. There were some helpful definitions for volleyball terms at the start of each chapter but unfortunately, they were not quite enough for me as they frequently used other terms I didn’t know, hah!
Plotline: ehhhh. They played volleyball I guess?
Side Characters: The side characters I liked. There were several of them and they were as well developed as the main protagonist (which is a mixed review, hah). This felt like a story that took place in a real place with real people, so this aspect was well done.
Side Plots: Honestly better than the main plotline. What’s going on with her partner? Will the guy ever win the grand prize at ring toss? Tell me more about that famous romance author! None of these were huge, but I liked that the novel had multiple things going on (especially considering the main plot was a bit thin).
Thank you to NetGalley for providing a free ARC. This honest review was left voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from Author
2.5 ⭐
Firstly, I’d like to thank the author and her editor for trusting me with this early read.
This is a sports romance centered on Jess and her life as a beach volleyball player. I’ll try to keep this review brief by saying that, unfortunately, I struggled to truly connect with Jess. At times, her behavior felt noticeably immature for her age, to the point where it occasionally reminded me of a YA novel, which personally isn’t my preferred reading experience. Jess also grapples deeply with self-esteem issues and constant self-doubt, and while I was hoping to see more growth in that area, her character arc didn’t feel as developed as I expected by the end.
Another aspect that didn’t fully work for me was the rivals-to-lovers dynamic. Rather than feeling like a mutual rivalry, it came across as more one-sided. We mainly see Jess’s strong dislike toward Vivienne, her love interest, with dialogue that initially makes Vivienne seem genuinely unpleasant. As the story progresses, however, it becomes clear that Vivienne is actually quite sweet, and that Jess’s resentment stems from rather superficial reasons. Because of this, the romantic build-up didn’t feel entirely natural to me. Even during their more intimate moments, I found myself wanting a deeper emotional connection to truly invest in their relationship. I also felt that the frequent repetition of Vivienne’s physical traits leaned a bit too heavily into shallow territory.
Vivienne, on the other hand, was a highlight for me. She felt more intriguing and had the potential to be a really compelling character, but since the story is firmly rooted in Jess’s perspective, we don’t get the chance to explore Vivienne’s character arc as deeply as I would have liked; which felt like a missed opportunity.
Lastly, I was hoping for a stronger focus on the volleyball aspect itself. While we do get some scenes of Jess and her best friend and teammate, Tara, competing and working toward a championship, I would have loved to see more of the challenges, pressure, and intensity that come with being a competitive volleyball player.
Firstly, I’d like to thank the author and her editor for trusting me with this early read.
This is a sports romance centered on Jess and her life as a beach volleyball player. I’ll try to keep this review brief by saying that, unfortunately, I struggled to truly connect with Jess. At times, her behavior felt noticeably immature for her age, to the point where it occasionally reminded me of a YA novel, which personally isn’t my preferred reading experience. Jess also grapples deeply with self-esteem issues and constant self-doubt, and while I was hoping to see more growth in that area, her character arc didn’t feel as developed as I expected by the end.
Another aspect that didn’t fully work for me was the rivals-to-lovers dynamic. Rather than feeling like a mutual rivalry, it came across as more one-sided. We mainly see Jess’s strong dislike toward Vivienne, her love interest, with dialogue that initially makes Vivienne seem genuinely unpleasant. As the story progresses, however, it becomes clear that Vivienne is actually quite sweet, and that Jess’s resentment stems from rather superficial reasons. Because of this, the romantic build-up didn’t feel entirely natural to me. Even during their more intimate moments, I found myself wanting a deeper emotional connection to truly invest in their relationship. I also felt that the frequent repetition of Vivienne’s physical traits leaned a bit too heavily into shallow territory.
Vivienne, on the other hand, was a highlight for me. She felt more intriguing and had the potential to be a really compelling character, but since the story is firmly rooted in Jess’s perspective, we don’t get the chance to explore Vivienne’s character arc as deeply as I would have liked; which felt like a missed opportunity.
Lastly, I was hoping for a stronger focus on the volleyball aspect itself. While we do get some scenes of Jess and her best friend and teammate, Tara, competing and working toward a championship, I would have loved to see more of the challenges, pressure, and intensity that come with being a competitive volleyball player.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Jess lives and breathes volleyball for as long as she can remember. But this most recent losing streak has not only destroyed her confidence but has sucked the joy out of so many things in her life. But with help from an unlikely source - rival player Vivienne - her win loss ratio might not be the only thing heating up.
Overall Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice Level: 🌶️
Oh where to start, this was a sports romance I could really get behind and I’m VERY picky when it comes to sports romances. I felt like this was a very good blend - neither the sport itself or the budding relationship between our love interests outshined the other.
I was EXTRA happy by the fact that you really got to see the relationship grow between the love interests as well, rather than the insta-love trope that this genre falls victim to more often than not. We get a decent chunk of not-quite-enemies to lovers and the relationship gradually grows into one of not just lust but mutual understanding. And the apparent dichotomy between the two doesn’t cause this massive rift between them during the development of the relationship. Rather the pair come from very different home lives but struggle with the same self confidence issues though neither could really tell.
But more than anything, I loved the character growth we see from Jess. At the beginning she comes off as this down on her luck “oh wow is me, my life is so hard” leading lady because of the losing streak - and granted I’d feel that way too in her position. But rather than her issues being fixed by a lover, she takes the time to fix them herself (with the help of her friends).
Overall a really amazing book and I could not put it down. If you’re a fan of sports romance - especially of books like The Deep End - this is the story for you.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an e-arc of this book. All opinions are my own.
Overall Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice Level: 🌶️
Oh where to start, this was a sports romance I could really get behind and I’m VERY picky when it comes to sports romances. I felt like this was a very good blend - neither the sport itself or the budding relationship between our love interests outshined the other.
I was EXTRA happy by the fact that you really got to see the relationship grow between the love interests as well, rather than the insta-love trope that this genre falls victim to more often than not. We get a decent chunk of not-quite-enemies to lovers and the relationship gradually grows into one of not just lust but mutual understanding. And the apparent dichotomy between the two doesn’t cause this massive rift between them during the development of the relationship. Rather the pair come from very different home lives but struggle with the same self confidence issues though neither could really tell.
But more than anything, I loved the character growth we see from Jess. At the beginning she comes off as this down on her luck “oh wow is me, my life is so hard” leading lady because of the losing streak - and granted I’d feel that way too in her position. But rather than her issues being fixed by a lover, she takes the time to fix them herself (with the help of her friends).
Overall a really amazing book and I could not put it down. If you’re a fan of sports romance - especially of books like The Deep End - this is the story for you.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an e-arc of this book. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was a pretty solid enemies to lovers romance, highlighted by the dive into self-confidence issues of the protag. There's something about the writing that comes across as really unpolished, but in a way that really helps it feel grounded and stands out against the sometimes formulaic writing structures of the genre's bigger hitters, but without feeling amateurish or anything. It was nice and refreshing and I was happily surprised to find myself itching to read it. Devoured this over the course of about 48 hours, which isn't something I can usually say for most books.
The book really shines when we get Jess and Vivi on the page together and I wish that happened a bit more. They have pretty good chemistry and a nice dynamic, and it's really nice to see how quickly they can get on the same page and look out for each other. The scene in the tattoo shop was probably the swooniest of the bunch for me, while Vivienne's handling of Jess's mom is probably the best hook as to why these characters need to be together.
However, the book's cast is pretty massive and, while not hard to keep track of who is who, they can be a little distracting. Troy could've been left on the editing floor and many of the characters just kind of exist as NPC's to set up new scenes for the main character. Also, I appreciate the volleyball scenes and think they're wholly necessary, but the descriptions of every action do run long a bit at times and I found myself skimming rather than trying to project the action in my mind by following each and every movement and impact. It was probably a breeze to read for vb players though, so it's hard to complain.
All in all, this hovered around the 3 or 4 star range for me. Definitely glad I read it and excited to check out Moffatt's other works as well. It's nice to have more books with strong rep without feeling cookie cutter.
Thanks to NetGalley and the author for the ARC!
The book really shines when we get Jess and Vivi on the page together and I wish that happened a bit more. They have pretty good chemistry and a nice dynamic, and it's really nice to see how quickly they can get on the same page and look out for each other. The scene in the tattoo shop was probably the swooniest of the bunch for me, while Vivienne's handling of Jess's mom is probably the best hook as to why these characters need to be together.
However, the book's cast is pretty massive and, while not hard to keep track of who is who, they can be a little distracting. Troy could've been left on the editing floor and many of the characters just kind of exist as NPC's to set up new scenes for the main character. Also, I appreciate the volleyball scenes and think they're wholly necessary, but the descriptions of every action do run long a bit at times and I found myself skimming rather than trying to project the action in my mind by following each and every movement and impact. It was probably a breeze to read for vb players though, so it's hard to complain.
All in all, this hovered around the 3 or 4 star range for me. Definitely glad I read it and excited to check out Moffatt's other works as well. It's nice to have more books with strong rep without feeling cookie cutter.
Thanks to NetGalley and the author for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I had fun reading this book, and I'll admit, it made me slow down to take everything in. Although romance is something present in the book it accounts for a very small portion of the story, and most definitely isn't the focus of the writing. A more accurate description would mean that the story is centered around queer characters, and there is a ton of character development that we get to see over the course of the story.
Like I said, it is very slow burn, so you have to be patient. I myself didn't mind this because I much prefer meaningful relationships and a significant arc in the characters over a plot driven, possibly insta love story. The volleyball aspect of it is pretty strong. Despite me not caring in the least about sports or having any previous knowledge of volleyball in particular, everything is well explained, and I was able to really visualize all the scenes with the matches. And that is huge, because there are detailed descriptions of a lot of matches.
Speaking of characters, I loved Jess and Vivienne, particularly how realistically flawed they both are. The 3rd POV narration is mostly done from Jess' side, and her inner thoughts and internal conflicts felt relatable and made me root for her. Side characters deserve a mention because of how memorable they all were. Jess' partner Tania was one of them, and I enjoyed their relationship. Same goes for Toni and Lee, and Jess' neighbor Nelson. I strongly recommend this book, just a caution to not go in expecting a lot of romance, it's merely a side plot.
Like I said, it is very slow burn, so you have to be patient. I myself didn't mind this because I much prefer meaningful relationships and a significant arc in the characters over a plot driven, possibly insta love story. The volleyball aspect of it is pretty strong. Despite me not caring in the least about sports or having any previous knowledge of volleyball in particular, everything is well explained, and I was able to really visualize all the scenes with the matches. And that is huge, because there are detailed descriptions of a lot of matches.
Speaking of characters, I loved Jess and Vivienne, particularly how realistically flawed they both are. The 3rd POV narration is mostly done from Jess' side, and her inner thoughts and internal conflicts felt relatable and made me root for her. Side characters deserve a mention because of how memorable they all were. Jess' partner Tania was one of them, and I enjoyed their relationship. Same goes for Toni and Lee, and Jess' neighbor Nelson. I strongly recommend this book, just a caution to not go in expecting a lot of romance, it's merely a side plot.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is definitely your typical rivals to lovers sports romance, and honestly I really wanted to like this more than I did because volleyball happens to be the only sport I have any interest in.
On paper, anyone who knows me personally would think this was designed specifically for me.
- Rivals (where one is a little bit of a bitch (love love love))
- Volleyball (the only sport I care for at all, really)
- Slow burn (truly I struggle with books where they get together before the 80% mark)
Even with all this going for it I feel like the overall read was a bit of a disappointment. I wonder if I just expected too much from it, but I feel like certain aspects were lacking. For me, two things in particular fell a bit short. If a story is going to be a slow burn the characters really need to be fleshed out, and while I appreciated the story telling around Jess and her lack of confidence, I never really felt as invested as I think I should have. I think overall, a lot of the characters weren't as fleshed out as I would've preferred (plucky side characters included). I wish more exploration of their interiority was explored--a lot of the time it felt like telling instead of showing. Secondly, I wish there was more to the climax/confession. What can I say? I love angst with my slow burn and I wish there was bit more to it.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
On paper, anyone who knows me personally would think this was designed specifically for me.
- Rivals (where one is a little bit of a bitch (love love love))
- Volleyball (the only sport I care for at all, really)
- Slow burn (truly I struggle with books where they get together before the 80% mark)
Even with all this going for it I feel like the overall read was a bit of a disappointment. I wonder if I just expected too much from it, but I feel like certain aspects were lacking. For me, two things in particular fell a bit short. If a story is going to be a slow burn the characters really need to be fleshed out, and while I appreciated the story telling around Jess and her lack of confidence, I never really felt as invested as I think I should have. I think overall, a lot of the characters weren't as fleshed out as I would've preferred (plucky side characters included). I wish more exploration of their interiority was explored--a lot of the time it felt like telling instead of showing. Secondly, I wish there was more to the climax/confession. What can I say? I love angst with my slow burn and I wish there was bit more to it.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The characters in this were enjoyable for the most part. I liked getting to know them more as time went on and see how Jess's life is. I did like the character growth in this as well. I just wished Jess's character growth could have happened a little sooner. She just complained a lot about games, how they played, and Vivienne. I did like how she finally got confidence but it just felt like a drastic change all of a sudden.
So much volleyball! I didn't know anything about volleyball so it was cool getting to learn about it throughout and what the players have to go through with training. I liked how the chapters started with definitions of volleyball terms. But there was just to much of it. I felt like I just started skimming the parts where they played games or anytime Jess talked about where their ranking now. Just to much. I would be cool reading about the first game against Vivienne to see how they effect eachother and then probably the last game or 2 as a finally. More then 3 games being described is just a lot.
Very slow romance build between enemies to lovers. I was hoping for more romance and spice. It felt like by the time they were actually getting together there should have been more of a spicy scene. They also didn't talk much after that about what they had been feeling for eachother the whole time.
Overall it was an okay read if you like volleyball, very slow burn, or just a cute feel good story.
So much volleyball! I didn't know anything about volleyball so it was cool getting to learn about it throughout and what the players have to go through with training. I liked how the chapters started with definitions of volleyball terms. But there was just to much of it. I felt like I just started skimming the parts where they played games or anytime Jess talked about where their ranking now. Just to much. I would be cool reading about the first game against Vivienne to see how they effect eachother and then probably the last game or 2 as a finally. More then 3 games being described is just a lot.
Very slow romance build between enemies to lovers. I was hoping for more romance and spice. It felt like by the time they were actually getting together there should have been more of a spicy scene. They also didn't talk much after that about what they had been feeling for eachother the whole time.
Overall it was an okay read if you like volleyball, very slow burn, or just a cute feel good story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Bump, Set, Sparks follows Jess, an amateur league volleyball star who hopes of making it to the pros but this season isn't off to a very good start. The only thing lower than Jess and her teammate Tania's standings in the league is Jess's confidence, which has also been taking a big hit. It doesn't help that in their volleyball friend group, one of the first place players, sexy, talented, perfect Vivienne is always there to see Jess at her lowest. And Vivienne probably has some snarky comment about it too - what could she understand about not being perfect?
This book could be the next Cleat Cute, but with the slow burn and rivals to lovers tropes instead. It is also a mostly closed door romance. But with the success of queer sports romances like Heated Rivalry, I could definitely see this book riding that wave to success as well. There were some truly sweet moments that had me kicking my feet and Jess's confidence issues and imposter syndrome felt incredibly relatable. I also love romances that have good, developed side characters, which this book delivered on as well. My one criticism is that at some points the book could be quite cheesy. The introductions in the first chapter started out that way and I didn't begin the book with super high hopes, but as I read on, I started to enjoy it more and more (3.5/5 stars).
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the eARC.
This book could be the next Cleat Cute, but with the slow burn and rivals to lovers tropes instead. It is also a mostly closed door romance. But with the success of queer sports romances like Heated Rivalry, I could definitely see this book riding that wave to success as well. There were some truly sweet moments that had me kicking my feet and Jess's confidence issues and imposter syndrome felt incredibly relatable. I also love romances that have good, developed side characters, which this book delivered on as well. My one criticism is that at some points the book could be quite cheesy. The introductions in the first chapter started out that way and I didn't begin the book with super high hopes, but as I read on, I started to enjoy it more and more (3.5/5 stars).
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the eARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
First, I’d like to say thank you to the author and publisher for giving me early access to this book via NetGalley. I went into this book really wanting and expecting to love it. I mean, lesbian volleyball players…come on, now. However, right off the bat I felt a strong dislike for the primary FMC, Jess, and unfortunately I never got around to even liking her even a little bit. She was negative, mean, dramatic, and there was very little growth through the entire story. Though there were some scenes where she seemed like just a different person entirely, but it never stuck. Meanwhile, the other FMC, Viv, just felt kind of flat to me. She also started off really mean and then suddenly seemed to shift. I’m all for a good enemies to lovers trope, but this one just didn’t do it for me. I didn’t get the sense that they cared about each other and there was very little chemistry aside from Jess thinking Viv was hot. While I appreciated the volleyball lingo that was introduced and defined at the start of each chapter, there was so much volleyball talk throughout the book that I’m pretty confident in saying a good 10% of the book most likely went right over my head. Overall, this had the potential to be a really good, cute story but the characters just felt icky and immature.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for this ARC!
Pros: I really enjoyed the volleyball intros to each chapter, but the W/L record and the definitions. I am not a sports person, so it was a great way to keep me in the story without feeling like I had to do extra research to get what was happening. There was also a good amount of queer rep outside of the MCs.
Cons: in my opinion, there were far too many characters, to the extent that it was difficult for me (and at times, I honestly think the author) to keep them together. Why do we need Winston and Troy? Lee’s wife Toni is mentioned once early on and then not referenced another single time for around 200 pages. In an early chapter, our MC’s best friend begs her to go out after work and then the best friend just… isn’t at the event, and it’s just… not mentioned. I’m not trying to nitpick, just giving a few examples of how this was frustrating.
Overall, I’d recommend this book to people who like a sports romance, especially if they tend towards YA romances- it’s got profanity but it’s closed door, and the maturity level of the MC is low for 24.
Pros: I really enjoyed the volleyball intros to each chapter, but the W/L record and the definitions. I am not a sports person, so it was a great way to keep me in the story without feeling like I had to do extra research to get what was happening. There was also a good amount of queer rep outside of the MCs.
Cons: in my opinion, there were far too many characters, to the extent that it was difficult for me (and at times, I honestly think the author) to keep them together. Why do we need Winston and Troy? Lee’s wife Toni is mentioned once early on and then not referenced another single time for around 200 pages. In an early chapter, our MC’s best friend begs her to go out after work and then the best friend just… isn’t at the event, and it’s just… not mentioned. I’m not trying to nitpick, just giving a few examples of how this was frustrating.
Overall, I’d recommend this book to people who like a sports romance, especially if they tend towards YA romances- it’s got profanity but it’s closed door, and the maturity level of the MC is low for 24.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
((~~ Rad via ARC provided by Netgalley~))
Overall this book was just *fine* when really bummed me out because it seemed like a really good premise. I am normally a big rivals to lovers but this didnt fulfill the entirety that rivals to lovers should be.... it all just seemed one sided and more so "Jess' brain vs the world" than the trope it really should be. Which is fine but not what I was going in expecting and wanting.
The character development is fine. We see some of the main characters make it over their slumps and things that are holding them back. Which is good but even though we see them work through these hurdles..... their development lands almost there but not quiet. Like 2.5 dimensional is the 3 dimensional characters that really draw you in.
The pacing was okay. I think personally I just had a hard time getting into it so it dragged a bit for me.
This book is fine, a decently cute read. I am always glad to see more WLW books hit the market. It's largely a demographic that is lacking in representation. I would probably reccomend it to a friend if they were looking for a medium length book that is fairly easy to read.
Overall this book was just *fine* when really bummed me out because it seemed like a really good premise. I am normally a big rivals to lovers but this didnt fulfill the entirety that rivals to lovers should be.... it all just seemed one sided and more so "Jess' brain vs the world" than the trope it really should be. Which is fine but not what I was going in expecting and wanting.
The character development is fine. We see some of the main characters make it over their slumps and things that are holding them back. Which is good but even though we see them work through these hurdles..... their development lands almost there but not quiet. Like 2.5 dimensional is the 3 dimensional characters that really draw you in.
The pacing was okay. I think personally I just had a hard time getting into it so it dragged a bit for me.
This book is fine, a decently cute read. I am always glad to see more WLW books hit the market. It's largely a demographic that is lacking in representation. I would probably reccomend it to a friend if they were looking for a medium length book that is fairly easy to read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
ARC copy from a giveaway !
3.5 ⭐️ rounded up
This book was really good! Definitely a good book to read in the summertime, on the beach. If I would’ve read it in the summertime I feel like I would’ve enjoyed it more and rated it higher tbh.
We follow Jess, who plays on a local beach volleyball team and her goal for the entire book is to make it to the playoffs, to then win the playoffs and potential go pro.
She has a rival, Vivienne, who she can never win to and is perfect. Jess envies her, thinks she’s stuck up and full of herself, and too beautiful to deny.
Throughout the book she is constantly thrown in Vivienne’s path and the two of them begin to get closer, learn more about the other, and suddenly their rivalry doesn’t seem so strong.
I think the plot was great, the way the author writes is great and easy to read, the story itself had me flying through the pages. The romance was slow and didn’t rush into the relationship which I enjoyed—it’s hard to find that in romances nowadays. Both characters had lots of depth to them and it talked about how they both felt such pressure and resentment towards their families and things like that.
good book and good vibes
3.5 ⭐️ rounded up
This book was really good! Definitely a good book to read in the summertime, on the beach. If I would’ve read it in the summertime I feel like I would’ve enjoyed it more and rated it higher tbh.
We follow Jess, who plays on a local beach volleyball team and her goal for the entire book is to make it to the playoffs, to then win the playoffs and potential go pro.
She has a rival, Vivienne, who she can never win to and is perfect. Jess envies her, thinks she’s stuck up and full of herself, and too beautiful to deny.
Throughout the book she is constantly thrown in Vivienne’s path and the two of them begin to get closer, learn more about the other, and suddenly their rivalry doesn’t seem so strong.
I think the plot was great, the way the author writes is great and easy to read, the story itself had me flying through the pages. The romance was slow and didn’t rush into the relationship which I enjoyed—it’s hard to find that in romances nowadays. Both characters had lots of depth to them and it talked about how they both felt such pressure and resentment towards their families and things like that.
good book and good vibes
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I received an ARC of this book from St. Martin's Griffin. This is the first time I have read anything by Jennifer Moffatt.
The plot focuses on Jess and Vivienne, rivals in the Southern California Beach Volleyball League. Jess is dealing with a losing streak and a lack of confidence, while Vivienne appears to be winning at everything. They end up challenging each other while competing for the same spot in the pro leagues.
I liked the specific details of the setting, such as Jess’s wiener dog, Fleming, and the scenes at Maggie’s bar. It is a heartening, feel-good story that effectively highlights a niche sport.
However, I found the POV difficult to parse at times; it wasn't always immediately clear whose head we were in, which was distracting.
I also wished the romance was steamier, as the physical tension on the court didn't fully translate to their relationship. Despite that, I enjoyed the community aspect and hope this turns into a trilogy.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A sports romance that had sports! Volleyball to be specific. Between the definitions at the start of each chapter, the time at the net and the close friend group of fellow players trying to go pro it was great.
Jess, she seemed to have a lot of confidence issues that added to trials playing volleyball and personal life. Jess is judgemental and hampers her self, but she had so much growth through the book.
While Vivienne was so confident and not just because she is pretty and skilled on the sand. There was so much more to Vivienne that Jess begins to understand.
This was a slow burn, I love a good rival to lovers, slow burn. The story was fast paced and fun. Nice read.
And you know your limits, so read the author's content warnings.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley, and this is my honest review.
Jess, she seemed to have a lot of confidence issues that added to trials playing volleyball and personal life. Jess is judgemental and hampers her self, but she had so much growth through the book.
While Vivienne was so confident and not just because she is pretty and skilled on the sand. There was so much more to Vivienne that Jess begins to understand.
This was a slow burn, I love a good rival to lovers, slow burn. The story was fast paced and fun. Nice read.
And you know your limits, so read the author's content warnings.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley, and this is my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced reader copy
3.5 stars
What Jess wants more than anything is to be a professional beach volleyball player, but she worries that she won't reach her dream, especially since she and her partner, Tanya, have been on a losing streak in the Southern California Beach Volleyball League. And because her nemesis, Vivienne (and Vivienne's partner, Lee) have been dominating the scene since they joined the league. So when Jess oversleeps and misses the departure to a tournament, she's forced to ride with Vivienne. Being stuck in the car for several hours makes Jess start to wonder whether her impression of Vivienne might be too surface level. Maybe she and Vivienne could be friends--or more?
3.5 stars
What Jess wants more than anything is to be a professional beach volleyball player, but she worries that she won't reach her dream, especially since she and her partner, Tanya, have been on a losing streak in the Southern California Beach Volleyball League. And because her nemesis, Vivienne (and Vivienne's partner, Lee) have been dominating the scene since they joined the league. So when Jess oversleeps and misses the departure to a tournament, she's forced to ride with Vivienne. Being stuck in the car for several hours makes Jess start to wonder whether her impression of Vivienne might be too surface level. Maybe she and Vivienne could be friends--or more?
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley for the Review Copy!
The notes about volleyball at the top of each chapter were cute. Jess was killing me through most of the book though. Her lack of confidence was, I know the crucial to the plot, but it felt like I was being beat of the head with it.
Nelson and Tania were the highlights of the book though I did really like Vivienne. Really I liked everyone except for Jess who needed to get it together way faster. Overall it was a cute book I just think it lagged in some places.
The notes about volleyball at the top of each chapter were cute. Jess was killing me through most of the book though. Her lack of confidence was, I know the crucial to the plot, but it felt like I was being beat of the head with it.
Nelson and Tania were the highlights of the book though I did really like Vivienne. Really I liked everyone except for Jess who needed to get it together way faster. Overall it was a cute book I just think it lagged in some places.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
Thought this book was decent. I definitely learned more about volleyball than I had anticipated, which was great! The romance was good, but nothing too novel or exciting. Glad to have won a paperback ARC of this title in a Goodreads giveaway, but I don’t know that I’ll be reading anything else by Jennifer Moffatt—this one was fine but kind of forgettable, unfortunately. Others may like this book more than I did. At least it's another queer love story though, as the industry needs more representation!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is a cute YA/NA feeling pseudo enemies-to-lovers romance following two leads who both play competitive beach volleyball. The beginning of the novel felt a bit chaotic and I struggled to connect with the characters, but once I got into it, I think I read the whole second half in one sitting. I don’t know enough to know how accurate the volleyball references are, and there are a lot of them, but it was still an enjoyable read. I’d recommend this to someone looking for that classic ‘beach read’ feeling.
I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley.
I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Bump, Set, Sparks by Jennifer Moffatt is a beautifully written, well developed romance with unforgettable chemistry and heartfelt emotion. Jess and Viviane felt real and relatable, the pacing of their relationship was perfect, and the enemies-to-lovers story line kept me hooked from start to finish. I couldn’t put it down and finished with a full heart and genuine smile on my face.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for early access to this book, in exchange for an honest review!
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for early access to this book, in exchange for an honest review!
February 14, 2026
Love a good sapphic sports romance and this delivered for sure! Was it my favorite book ever? No, but it was cute.
I found Jess to be really immature overall and hella judgmental...like damn girl chill out before you start making assumptions about people! This read quite YA tbh because of her. I loved all the other characters though. Viv was fascinating and the other volleyball players were fun additions to the book.
The romance didn't hit for me. They definitely were lusting after each other but I just didn't feel the feelings or the development in their connection.
This book is definitely for people who enjoy low stakes romcoms or sport romances!
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I found Jess to be really immature overall and hella judgmental...like damn girl chill out before you start making assumptions about people! This read quite YA tbh because of her. I loved all the other characters though. Viv was fascinating and the other volleyball players were fun additions to the book.
The romance didn't hit for me. They definitely were lusting after each other but I just didn't feel the feelings or the development in their connection.
This book is definitely for people who enjoy low stakes romcoms or sport romances!
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Sapphic sports romance centered on Jess and her rival, Vivienne, as they play in the Southern California Beach Volleyball League. Found family is a big part of the storyline with close friends and teammates.
Thanks to St. Martin’s Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. Watch for Bump, Set, Sparks to come out June 16, 2026.
Thanks to St. Martin’s Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. Watch for Bump, Set, Sparks to come out June 16, 2026.
January 20, 2026
I received an eARC from Net-galley in exchange for my thoughts.
This book was the epitome of slow-burn. It followed Vivienne and Jess as they played beach volleyball against each other and very slowly developed feelings. I liked the flirty banter later in the book and overall thought it was good.
This book was the epitome of slow-burn. It followed Vivienne and Jess as they played beach volleyball against each other and very slowly developed feelings. I liked the flirty banter later in the book and overall thought it was good.
February 2, 2026
This was my first NetGalley read, and it ended up being such a cute, fun, and easy win. I flew through it.
As someone who appreciates when sports romance actually gets the sport right, I was pleasantly surprised by how accurate the volleyball elements felt - it added a lot of authenticity without weighing the story down. The pacing was light and engaging.
As someone who appreciates when sports romance actually gets the sport right, I was pleasantly surprised by how accurate the volleyball elements felt - it added a lot of authenticity without weighing the story down. The pacing was light and engaging.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I really enjoyed the story. This is the second book that I have read in sport romance. I used to play volleyball and I knew this story would be for me. This book is perfect for anyone who’s interested in LGBTQ+ books.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
Vollyball romance
January 8, 2026
I LOVE THIS BOOK.
This is my first time reading a Sapphic Sports Romcom and I absolutely savored every last bit of it. I loved the MC Jess and loved watching her grow as a person both on and off the court (beach).
I loved the balance of sports to plot, the heat and tension between the two love interests. I love the found family aspect of her friendships. Just so sweet, witty, and funny.
I also really loved Jess's neighbor, and oh yeah the doggo (I LOVE DOGGOS).
I want to live in the worlds that Jennifer Moffatt creates in her books. <3
This is my first time reading a Sapphic Sports Romcom and I absolutely savored every last bit of it. I loved the MC Jess and loved watching her grow as a person both on and off the court (beach).
I loved the balance of sports to plot, the heat and tension between the two love interests. I love the found family aspect of her friendships. Just so sweet, witty, and funny.
I also really loved Jess's neighbor, and oh yeah the doggo (I LOVE DOGGOS).
I want to live in the worlds that Jennifer Moffatt creates in her books. <3
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews