Take Her On – Emily Wright
Book Details
Fierce Rivals, Fiercer Chemistry
Maya’s final year at university is off to a rocky start.
Between pining for her childhood best friend, trying to revitalize her football team after another year of defeat, and dealing with her own family problems, she’s already overwhelmed.
Enter Jamie. As if dealing with her arch rival wasn’t enough, Maya must now find a way to play alongside this annoying loudmouth without losing her mind every five minutes.
Jamie just wanted a fresh start after all the drama at her last university. Love is the last thing on her mind; she just wants to focus on football and listen to her eighties music. But she has to admit, riling up her new and incredibly attractive captain is seriously entertaining. There’s just something about Maya that Jamie can’t keep away from.
As the championship draws near, tensions rise and secrets threaten to unravel. Are the games strictly on the field? Or have the two rivals finally met their match?
“She’d never had anybody look at her that way. Like she was something worth taking time over.”
Thoughts
Take Her On by Emily Wright is an engaging new adult romance that expertly combines themes of rivalry, friendship, and love against the backdrop of university football. The novel follows Maya, a team captain struggling to balance her final year at university, a football(soccer) team on the cusp of something great, and a complicated family life. Things become even more complicated with the arrival of Jamie, her outspoken and infuriatingly confident rival. What unfolds is a witty and heartwarming enemies-to-lovers romance that keeps readers hooked.
One of the standout aspects of Take Her On is the character development. Both Maya and Jamie are well-rounded, flawed characters who feel incredibly real. Maya’s struggle to deal with family issues while trying to keep her team afloat is deeply relatable, and Jamie’s laid-back yet mischievous personality brings a refreshing dynamic to the story. Their chemistry is electric from the get-go, and Wright masterfully builds tension through their playful banter and rivalry. The romance between them is believable and satisfying, with plenty of humorous and tender moments that make the progression of their relationship feel natural.
Wright also excels in portraying the complexities of adulthood. It doesn’t take much reflection on my part to wholeheartedly ache for Maya’s struggles. Her internal conflicts about her future and her evolving relationships with family and friends reflect the uncertainty that many face in their early twenties. The novel touches on deeper topics like grief, family obligations, and friendship in a way that adds weight to the romance without overshadowing it. Maya’s close bond with her grandparents and her tight-knit friend group are particularly heartwarming and provide a strong sense of community.
As an avid Football/Soccer fan and former player, I am always excited to read a book involving the sport, and while present in the novel, I found myself wanting more. However, by making this book accessible to readers who aren’t sports enthusiasts, the focus remains on Maya and Jamie’s growing relationship. Treating the ‘sports’ aspect like a layer of context to the rivalry and competitive edge between them.
Take Her On also includes some blush worthy intimacy scenes, so for those underage, beware. Emily Wright excels at writing steamy scenes that emanate so much love. And while it earned 2.5 chilis from me, that’s not to say I wasn’t swooning at the affection falling off the pages.
Although the novel does slow down in places, particularly around the halfway mark, it remains a low-stress, feel-good story that will leave readers smiling. The moments of humor, tension, and emotional depth are well-balanced, and the final payoff is worth the wait. For anyone looking for a queer romance that offers both sweetness and substance, Take Her On is a delightful read.
Finished Emily Wright’s newest work? Ready to kick it up a notch? Check out the full Deep Dive below—it’s bound to score some extra points!
Deep Dive: Spoilers Ahead
“Horrendous renditions of BeyoncĂ©” aside..
“Horrendous renditions of BeyoncĂ©” aside—no, scratch that—included, Take Her On was a super fun read. I love soccer, I love Enemies-to-Lovers, and I love books about lesbians, so I had absolutely no chance of not liking this book. That’s not to say I don’t have my critiques, but what I definitely didn’t have was a low libido at the end. Embarrassingly honest of me, I know.
Emily Wright is a guilty pleasure of mine. She writes simple and familiar themes in new ways, and she always has a surprise up her sleeve in terms of the intimacy scenes, so I had to give it a quick shout out. While some of the story could use some ironing out or added bulk, I finished the book in a day and had a great time, so I would count this as another win for Wright.
Maya Thomas is desperate for control in her life, and who could blame her? Fighting with her mom, struggling to cope with her Grandpa’s illness, closing in on the final year of university without a plan for what comes after—not to mention the thorn in her side named Jamie. This stressed out, fastidious, little lesbian is already struggling to cope with her responsibilities and relationships when her rival literally moves in next door.
Queue the walking ray of smug-sunshine.
Jamie Mellor was a pleasantly surprising addition to this story. When I hear “enemies to lovers” my mind conjures up an asshole with a secret heart of gold. And though Jamie definitely took a little too much pleasure in torturing poor Maya when invited over for tea, I was immediately intrigued by the depth of character shown during dinner. In most novels the author forces us to wait patiently before showing us the “mean” one’s cracks, but it is made clear very quickly that Jamie had some depth to her.
Their banter was by far the best part of this book, made better by Maya’s almost childish reactions to Jamie’s egging. They say the line between feelings of love and hate are thin, but boy are they paper-thin here. Maya is virtually obsessed with how much she “hates” Jamie, and Jamie is having the time of her god damn life annoying the hell out of Maya. It’s giving Adora and Catra vibes, it’s giving Harrowhark from Gideon the Ninth, it’s just giving.
As satisfying as their progression was, it was clear from the first moment we knew something was up with Jaime and her dad that it was going to be an ugly dip for our two leading ladies when the truth came out, but I had a hard time getting upset with Jaime for not bringing it up sooner. Though she should have broached the subject before their game against the Harriers, parental infidelity—with her teammates, no less—is not an easy subject to broach. I unfortunately have some experience in that category, and though it was revealed until over 30 years later, it affected my family dynamic deeply. I feel for Jaime in many ways, and I wish we were able to see more of her healing journey.
Though some of the chapters felt unfinished and some of the time skips were jarring, I understood why some scenes or details were misted over—the focus was always on Maya and Jamie. If it wasn’t about their progression, both as individuals and as a couple(of goofs in love) then it wasn’t included. Would I have liked a little more from Jaime? Yes. Could I have used some of those extra scenes to round out the book? Absolutely. But in the end, I was satisfied nonetheless.
Speaking of satisfied.. I was pleasantly surprised to find Maya taking the more dominant role in their sexual relationship. I find the heteronormativity of the “short-haired one takes control” played out so often that I apparently expected it? (Something I will be working on adjusting about myself)
Not only was it incredibly steamy, but Jamie was having the time of her life. And steam aside, it made for a great emotional climax (pun not intended) when Maya finally let Jaime take the reins. Maya’s control issues aren’t the worst I’ve seen, but as a fellow control freak I understood how much it meant for her to truly let go like that. The journey to that point was long enough to make it extra sweet and soft.
Take Her On by Emily Wright was a fun, joyful, and spicy twist on the enemies—ehrm—rivals to lovers trope that I enjoyed immensely, and though some feedback was required, I hope you felt the same! Start a discussion down below whether or not you agree and we’ll keep this ball rollin’.
‘Till next time!