Stevie‘s review of One Small Step by M.A. Binfield
Contemporary Lesbian Romance published by Bold Strokes Books 10 Dec 19
I’m not a great fan of football (‘soccer’ to those of you in the US), although I do glance at what’s going on in the women’s game occasionally. I have, however, some knowledge of how the dynamics play out in the teams of the non-professional leagues, through conversations with friends and colleagues, as well as by making comparisons by how such things work in other team sports. This book really appealed to me because of the possibility of that dynamic being played out as part of the friends-to-lovers trope, and it certainly paid off on that score.
Returning to London after a month working away, Iris Miller is pleased to encounter a new work colleague has also joined her law firm’s women’s football team (there’s also a men’s team, but more on them shortly). Cameron Hansen is working in the finance department on a temporary contract and is only in London for as long as her fiancé is on secondment to his employer’s London office, after which she fully expects to return to the US. The two women quickly become friends, especially when it transpires that Cam shares Iris’ love of performance poetry and runs in the parks close to where they both live. While Iris is greatly attracted to Cam, she is also very aware that the closeness of their friendship has a fixed expiry date and that any romantic feelings she may harbour are unlikely to be reciprocated. On top of that, Iris’ last relationship, with someone who previously played on her football team, ended badly, resulting in hurt and betrayal.
Cam, meanwhile, develops a massive crush on Iris, which forces her to re-examine past feelings for a woman she was involved with in college, as well as her rapidly diminishing respect and regard for her often absent, emotionally distant, boyfriend. To be honest, he was my least favourite thing about the book. It was hard to figure out what Cam had ever seen in him, even when comparing him to Cam’s boss, the villain of the story’s main non-romantic subplot. I wasn’t particularly taken with Cam’s mother either, but her role in the story was more understandable, and she did give us plenty of insights into why Cam might have found herself in the situation she was in, unredeemable boyfriend notwithstanding.
On the plus side, I loved the various friendships between team members, and would be keen to see some of them reappear in other books. This was a fun introduction to the characters, the setting, and the author, and I’ll definitely be looking out for future books by her.
Grade: B
Summary:
Where love is concerned, the smallest steps are often the hardest to take—especially when you’ve guarded your heart as carefully as Iris Miller has. Still bruised from a relationship that crashed and burned, and all the meaningless hookups that followed, Iris has given up on love and buttoned her feelings up tight.
But when Cameron Hansen joins Iris’s law firm and her soccer team, and even starts hanging out in her favorite bookstore, everything gets turned upside down. Beautiful, open, and forward, Cam is impossible to ignore, and Iris is surprised to find herself intrigued. Cam’s straight, happily engaged, and simply looking for a friend—or so it seems.
London’s bitterly cold winter makes winning their soccer championship almost as difficult as keeping their feelings in check, being honest with each other, and trying not to fall in love. Iris and Cam are about to discover the meaning of taking chances and following your heart, even if it means getting hurt.
Read an excerpt.
