Love and Sportsball

James (An Unexpected Turn) brings the heat in this steamy if disjointed Black sapphic romance. Chronically anxious Khadijah “Dijah” Upton’s new job as athletic trainer for the WNBA’s Atlanta Cannons starts with a shock when she discovers the sexy woman she recently hooked up with at the club is actually Shae Harris, the team’s star player. Though Dijah feels strongly about separating relationships from the workplace, Shae has no such scruples, and their chemistry is undeniable. James’s intense eroticism pulls readers in right at the start, and the sex scenes continue to be the strongest part of the novel. Sweet subplots about Dijah’s relationship with her family and Shae’s with her teammates add appealingly comfortable, upbeat dynamics. Unfortunately, Dijah’s qualms, the main driver of the plot, become tedious and there’s no tension or actual risk involved in pursuing the connection. Even by the end, readers may be unconvinced that Dijah’s all-in on the relationship. Meanwhile, women’s basketball fans will find too little on-the-court excitement to parallel the bedroom heat. This doesn’t quite come together. (Sept.)