Happy 2024 Summer Olympics Eve to all those who celebrate. The 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris this year are from Friday, July 26th through Sunday, August 11th and I am SO excited!
I mentioned this in my monthly reset post, but I absolutely love the Olympics. I love sports, I always have — I grew up playing basketball and volleyball (mostly for fun) and played competitive soccer for 6 years (fun fact, I wanted to be a professional soccer player from the ages of 10-14). I’m also a very competitive person, so I love watching the best athletes in the world compete for Olympic gold.
I adore both the summer and winter Olympics, so whenever it’s an Olympic year, the games definitely become a main part of my personality. Because of this, I’ve been wanting to read more sports-focused books (fiction, I am not in the mood for non-fiction at the moment), and of course, I’m leaning toward books that are about Olympic sports. That being said, here are 5 books about summer Olympic sports that I want to read within the next 2 weeks!
Break the Fall by Jennifer Iacopelli
Audrey Lee is going to the Olympics.
A year ago, she could barely do a push up as she recovered from a spine surgery, one that could have paralyzed her. And now? She’s made the United States’ gymnastics team with her best friend, Emma, just like they both dreamed about since they were kids. She’s on top of the world.
The pressure for perfection is higher than ever when horrifying news rips the team apart. Audrey is desperate to advocate for her teammate who has been hurt by the one person they trusted most–but not all the gymnasts are as supportive.
With the team on the verge of collapse, the one bright spot in training is Leo, her new coach’s ridiculously cute son. And while Audrey probably (okay, definitely) shouldn’t date him until after the games, would it really be the end of the world?
Balancing the tenuous relationship between her teammates with unparalleled expectations, Audrey doesn’t need any more distractions. No matter what it takes, she’s not going to let anyone bring them down. But with painful revelations, incredible odds, and the very real possibility of falling at every turn, will Audrey’s determination be enough?
This one is a reread for me. I first read Break the Fall in 2020 and then I read it again in 2021 when the Tokyo Olympics were happening. I think this might be the best sports-related fiction book I’ve ever read. This book is clearly inspired by USA Women’s Gymnastics and the sexual assault case involving former Team USA doctor, Larry Nassar, and though the subject matter is incredibly difficult, I think that Iacopelli handles this topic with such truth and grace. Just thinking about this book gets me teary-eyed. I wrote a review for it back in 2021 which you can read here, but all you need to know is that I love this book and I can’t wait to revisit it.
Cleat Cute by Meryl Wilsner
A sapphic rivals to lovers rom com for fans of Ted Lasso and A League of Their Own, where two soccer teammates are at odds before falling in love as their team gears up for the World Cup.
Grace Henderson has been a star of the US Women’s National Team for ten years, even though she’s only 26. But when she’s sidelined with an injury, a bold new upstart, Phoebe Matthews, takes her spot. Phoebe is everything Grace isn’t—a gregarious jokester who plays with a joy that Grace lost somewhere along the way. The last thing Grace expects is to become friends with benefits with this class clown she sees as her rival.
Phoebe Matthews has always admired Grace’s skill and was star struck to be training alongside her idol. But she quickly finds herself looking at Grace as more than a mere teammate. After one daring kiss, she’s hooked. Grace is everything she has been waiting to find.
As the World Cup approaches, and Grace works her way back from injury, the women decide to find a way they can play together instead of vying for the same position. Except, when they are off the field, Grace is worried she’s catching feelings while Phoebe thinks they are dating. As the tension between them grows, will both players realize they care more about their relationship than making the roster?
I mentioned this book on my Summer TBR that I shared last month and now that the Olympics are upon us it’s time for me to read it! I’ve had my eye on this one since it came out in 2023, I mean a sapphic soccer book with a purple cover? What’s not to like? I’ll be honest, I’ve heard a lot of mixed things about this one, but to me, this sounds like a fun, easy romance read that’ll be great when I want to read something that’ll help me relax and unwind from the long work days!
Tumbling by Caela Carter
Five gymnasts. One goal.
Grace lives and breathes gymnastics—but no matter how hard she pushes herself, she can never be perfect enough.
Leigh, Grace’s best friend, has it all: a gymnastics career, a normal high-school life…and a secret that could ruin everything.
Camille wants to please her mom, wants to please her boyfriend, and most of all, wants to walk away.
Wilhelmina was denied her Olympic dream four years ago, and she won’t let anything stop her again. No matter what.
Monica is terrified. Nobody believes in her—and why should they?
By the end of the two days of the U.S. Olympic Gymnastics Trials, some of these girls will be stars. Some will be going home with nothing. And all will have their lives changed forever.
Oh, look, another book about Gymnastics on my TBR! You all are shocked, I know. Tumbling came out in 2016 and has been on my TBR for literal years yes I somehow haven’t gotten around to it. I love that we’re following 5 different gymnasts and that the whole story seems to culminate in the Olympic Trials. I have a feeling that this is going to deliver lots of high stakes and drama, and knowing me and the fact that we’re following these girls’ journey to the Olympics, I bet that this one will make me pretty emotional.
Let the Games Begin by Rufaro Faith Mazarura
Set against a sizzling-hot Greek summer filled with sunshine and souvlaki, Rufaro Faith Mazarura’s Let the Games Begin is a page-turning debut rom-com about two strangers at the top of their game.
Athens, 2024. Olivia Nkomo has always been ambitious, smart, and an overall go-getter. Now that she’s graduated from university, she’s willing to do whatever it takes to land her dream job at the Summer Games. The first step? Securing her new internship, which will put her in the center of all the action, where she hopes to run into some of her favorite athletes.
Ezekiel “Zeke” Moyo, the heartthrob star runner of Team Great Britain, is more than ready to claim his title as the fastest man in the world, following in the footsteps of the greatest athletes of all time. His future to the finish line is looking bright―despite his recent breakup with celebrated gymnast Valentina Ross-Rodriguez constantly making headlines.
When Olivia and Zeke collide―literally―on the first day of training, sparks fly. As the games grow closer, so do Olivia and Zeke. But the competition starts stirring up uncomfortable memories from Zeke’s past . . . and Olivia’s internship doesn’t turn out to be what she expected. Will they be able to overcome these hurdles and achieve their dreams? Or will it come at the cost of their budding romance?
This book is set in Athens. Why would I not want to read this? Honestly, the second I saw that I added it to my TBR before I even finished reading the summary. Greece is one of my dream travel destinations, so I love reading stories set in Greece and an Olympic story set in Athens is so special. I’m definitely curious to read about a character who isn’t participating in the Olympics but is interning at the games, and then it sounds like there will be some interesting things going on with our male love interest and his recent breakup with his gymnast girlfriend. This one sounds like a fun time all around and I’m looking forward to reading it!
Furia by Yamile Saied Méndez
An #ownvoices contemporary YA set in Argentina, about a rising soccer star who must put everything on the line—even her blooming love story—to follow her dreams.
In Rosario, Argentina, Camila Hassan lives a double life.
At home, she is a careful daughter, living within her mother’s narrow expectations, in her rising-soccer-star brother’s shadow, and under the abusive rule of her short-tempered father.
On the field, she is La Furia, a powerhouse of skill and talent. When her team qualifies for the South American tournament, Camila gets the chance to see just how far those talents can take her. In her wildest dreams, she’d get an athletic scholarship to a North American university.
But the path ahead isn’t easy. Her parents don’t know about her passion. They wouldn’t allow a girl to play fútbol—and she needs their permission to go any farther. And the boy she once loved is back in town. Since he left, Diego has become an international star, playing in Italy for the renowned team Juventus. Camila doesn’t have time to be distracted by her feelings for him. Things aren’t the same as when he left: she has her own passions and ambitions now, and La Furia cannot be denied. As her life becomes more complicated, Camila is forced to face her secrets and make her way in a world with no place for the dreams and ambition of a girl like her.
I’m excited about Furia for multiple reasons — as we’ve established, I love soccer, so I’m down to read any book about soccer, I haven’t read many books set in Argentina, and it sounds like it’ll be a pretty powerful read. Plus, it was a YA Reese pick, and of the YA Reese picks I’ve read I’ve either really enjoyed or loved, so that gives me hope. The summary also hints at some complex family dynamics, which I always enjoy reading. While this one isn’t set at or during the Olympics, I do think that it’ll give me the same kind of intensity I feel during the games.
Do you like watching the Olympics? If so, what are your favorite events to watch? As I’m sure you can tell, I love watching gymnastics and soccer, but I’m also a huge fan of volleyball and swimming and I’m super excited about surfing — I’ll be watching it all! Tell me all your Olympic opinions in the comments as well as if you’ve read any of these books!
See you next time! 💜