The Long Game By Elena Armas

⚽ The Long Game

A Small-Town, Slow-Burn Romance from the Author of The Spanish Love Deception

A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

A disgraced soccer exec. A retired soccer star. A team of tutu-wearing kids.
Welcome to the small town that just might change everything.

When life sends you to the sidelines, sometimes love is the real game changer.

Adalyn Reyes has her whole life planned down to the minute—until a viral video of her sparring with her team’s mascot threatens to destroy everything she’s built.

To salvage her career, her father (and boss) ships her off to a small town in North Carolina to “redeem herself” by coaching a struggling youth soccer team—the Green Warriors. She’s expecting competitive athletes.
She gets nine-year-olds in tutus and goats on the field.

Enter Cameron Caldani, a retired pro soccer star turned small-town recluse. He’s charming, infuriatingly calm, and the last person Adalyn wants to rely on… but exactly who she needs.

As Adalyn learns that redemption doesn’t always look the way she expected, she also finds that love—like soccer—isn’t about winning. It’s about playing the long game.

💛 Perfect for readers who love:

• Grumpy x Sunshine slow-burn romance

• Small-town charm with big heart

• Redemption arcs & second chances

• Found family & cozy community vibes

• Laugh-out-loud banter and tender moments

Genre: Contemporary Romance / Romantic Comedy
Tropes: Grumpy x Sunshine • Small Town • Forced Proximity • Redemption Story