Literature - Series (3) New Adult novels about eye color and the dark side of professional sports
In new-adult novels, love usually triumphs despite all adversity. But the road to this is paved with topics that concern young adults. Three current examples from the subgenre of sports romance.
16.01.2025, 07:00
SDA
No, it's not normal people who fall in love. In sports romance, a subgenre of the new adult romance novel, at least one of the main characters comes from the world of sport. In addition to external characteristics such as eye color (practically never brown), muscle mass or hair texture, the negative sides of professional sport are also discussed, such as self-doubt, doggedness, injuries, stardom and psychological pressure. The happy ending is obligatory, but it is the way to get there that interests the reading public - mostly women - in New Adult anyway: There is usually a concrete problem waiting to be solved before the couple can find happiness. In the best case scenario, the solution is accompanied by personal development. Three current examples:
Lilly Lucas: "This could be love"
38-year-old German author Julia Hanel has been writing romance novels under the pseudonym Lilly Lucas since 2019 and also has many fans on TikTok. "This could be love" is the first part of a trilogy. Each volume is about a different pair of lovers from the same environment.
Setting: "This could be love" is set in Hawaii. This is where German tennis player Louisa Herzog-Riggs wants to prepare for her next tournament at her godmother's tennis school. The beautiful aspects of Hawaii - the culture, the beaches, the food - are vividly described.
You: The first-person narrator Louisa arrives in Hawaii full of self-doubt. An injury has set "Germany's tennis shooting star" back and her career was on the brink. She is driven as much by ambition as by her love of sport. She is self-critical, disciplined and determined to devote herself fully to training in Hawaii. Of course, it doesn't quite work out that way.
He: Vince has inherited a beach house in Hawaii and wants to turn it into a bed-and-breakfast. The muscular surfer has "engaging blue eyes", red swim shorts and is the opposite of the strict Louisa with his laid-back manner. As the story progresses, it becomes clear that he has a heart, a brain and a past as well as physical features, even if the impression remains until the end that her inner life seems to be more complex and multi-layered than his.
The problem: Vince's rich neighbors are not thrilled with the idea of turning the beach house back into a bed-and-breakfast. They would rather keep to themselves and use unfair means to fight against the planned B'n'B and its owner. Vince's toughest opponent: Kay, Louise's godmother.
Fabienne Lily: "Where Hearts are melting"
The German author was born in 2000 and runs her own TikTok channel, which she also uses to promote her books.
Setting: The love story between Colin and Sadie unfolds in wintry Winterfields. Both grew up in the small American town and meet again after three years of silence. Both characters take it in turns to speak in the first person.
She: Aspiring professional figure skater Sadie Rivers abandons her career shortly before qualifying for the Olympics for the sake of her mental health and returns to Winterfields, where she avoids questions about the end of her career as much as possible. Her former best friend immediately notices her blonde hair, her "gray-blue eyes" and that she still smells of berries and vanilla.
He: Colin Graham is a successful cooking influencer with his own YouTube channel. He dreams of owning his own restaurant, much to the disapproval of his father, who would rather see his son succeed him in the family's artisan business. Colin's "green eyes" and light brown "fluffy" hair make him attractive to Sadie, along with his impressive height. However, apart from his helpfulness and empathetic nature, he remains rather pale as a character.
The problem: Colin and Sadie were once best friends and don't want to jeopardize their friendship again after not seeing each other for three years. There is also a strong fear of commitment that Sadie first has to overcome.
Ana Huang: "The Striker"
American author Ana Huang began writing during the coronavirus pandemic and initially self-published her novels. After she became famous on TikTok, publishers also took notice of the 33-year-old.
Setting: The glittering world of football meets the harsh reality of ballet. Two feuding football stars who play in the same England team have to learn to overcome their differences and work better together in ballet training. In each chapter, Scarlett and Asher give first-person insights into their emotional lives.
She: Scarlett DuBois was once a professional ballet dancer before a car accident brought her career to an abrupt end. Now she teaches at a prestigious ballet school and struggles with chronic pain and various anxieties. Asher finally manages to get "warm honey" flowing through her veins. But first he falls for Scarlett's "elegance" and "gray eyes".
Him: Asher Donovan is the cliché of a football star. He is handsome, charming, has "emerald green eyes" and owns a villa with its own spa and various luxury cars. He is besieged daily by paparazzi who have plenty to report, from illegal car races, womanizing and top dog behaviour on the football pitch. But then he meets Scarlett and credibly learns that there are other important things in life besides the glittering world of celebrities and football.
The problem: the ballet teacher Scarlett is the sister of Vincent, Asher's arch-enemy and teammate, and therefore actually off-limits. After a lengthy back-and-forth spanning over 600 pages, the happy ending finally comes.
Information about the books:
Lilly Lucas: "This could be love". Volume one from "Hawaii Love". Knaur, Munich 2024, 352 pages. Paperback approx. 21.90. francs. Published in July 2024 (Volume two "This could be home" was published on January 14)
Fabienne Lily: "Where Hearts are melting". Carlsen, Hamburg 2025, 296 pages. Paperback approx. 21.90 francs.
Ana Huang: "The Striker". Volume one from "Gods of the Game". Lyx, Cologne 2024, 656 pages. Paperback approx. 24.90 francs. Published in December*.
*This text by Maria Künzli, Keystone-SDA, was realized with the help of the Gottlieb and Hans Vogt Foundation.
