She's not a player, but she might still score... This slow burn friends-to-lovers football romance is the perfect summer read

One new job...
Abby McIntyre doesn’t care about soccer – sorry, football. She only applied for the marketing job at Mersey FC to get away from her cheating fiancé in Boston. Now, she’s in a new country with no social life and an Instagram feed full of men in tiny shorts.
One star footballer...
Enter Lachlan Ramsay: a world-famous footballer with killer abs and a delicious Scottish accent. Abby’s sure that all footballers are players, but Lachlan takes her by surprise. He’s kind, funny, and a great listener. And he’s lonely, too.
One rule: keep it professional.
Abby isn’t looking for love, though. She’s still reeling from her broken engagement, and besides, players are strictly off limits if she wants to keep her job. She’s happy just being Lachlan’s friend. But when Abby’s evicted from her flat and Lachlan invites her to move into his penthouse, the sparks between them become harder to ignore.
With her new life on the line, will Abby really keep playing with her heart and risk getting caught offside?
TROPES
Friends to lovers
Forbidden romance
Scottish MMC
Workplace romance
Forced proximity
Sports romance

“Shines with sparkling banter and charming characters. This slow-burn sports romance is absolutely worth the wait!” CARLEY FORTUNE, bestselling author of Our Perfect Storm
“This cured my Ted Lasso hangover!! Bursting with laugh out loud banter and an intense slow burn, Abby Offsides is a must read!” KATIE HOLT, bestselling author of Not In My Book
© Anna McCallie 2026 (P) Penguin Audio 2026