Sophie Reads YA

October

Stacking the Shelves: October 3rd 2026

10:00

monthly summary

Stacking the Shelves: September 26th 2026

10:00

September

Stacking the Shelves: September 19th 2026

10:00

4 Stars

ARC Review: See You at the Finish Line by Zac Hammett

10:00

See You at the Finish Line
Series: None
Author: Zac Hammett
Published May 8th 2025 by Zaffre/September 2nd 2025 by Slowburn

Goodreads Synopsis
Their only path to victory is each other . . .

George and Lucas can't stand each other - which makes it awkward being on the same Cambridge University rowing team. The uber-charming, womanising George got parachuted into Cambridge from America for his sporting prowess, despite his subpar grades, whereas Lucas worked for everything he's got - which sadly doesn't include a boyfriend. When George is told that this year he'll have to sit his exams fair and square, Lucas agrees to help him study - in exchange for help in wooing his crush, Amir.

Together, they embark on a journey to seduce, cheat, and beat their way to the top. They face rivals within their own squad, cutthroat competitors at Oxford, and their own annoyance with each other. But as they get closer, they find that they actually make a great duo. Will Lucas and George help their rowing team beat their arch rivals in a centuries-old feud? Will George manage to pass his fiendishly hard exams? Will Lucas finally work up the courage to ask Amir out? And what will Lucas and George do when they realise that what they really want is each other - even if that means changing their lives forever.
Goodreads

Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

George and Lucas are both rowers on for Cambridge University, which should mean they are friends, but they are anything but. Lucas is a working class student, who has had to work for everything he's ever got, whereas George has been parachuted in from America to lead the team, and is failing in his studies. When it becomes clear that their hatred for each other lead to Cambridge losing the annual Boat Race, their positions are soon at risk. If George doesn't pick up his grades, he'll be sent back to America, and will lose all his chances of joining the Olympic team. Agreeing to work with Lucas, in return for giving him the confidence to ask out his crush, Amir, George has one final chance before it all comes crashing down around him.

I read another book where the Boat Race was a major plot line a while ago, and really enjoyed it, so thought I would give See You at the Finish Line a chance. I liked the animosity, and later, banter between George and Lucas. They were quite different characters, and their personalities worked well with each other. I found parts of the plot a little slow and boring, unfortunately, but it definitely had it's strong points which led to me giving the book 4 stars. The romance between Lucas and George was not always plain sailing, and it's the age old problem of lack of communication which was nearly their down fall. The tension was worth it though, and I couldn't put the book down by the end - I just needed to know how they resolved their issues.

Dates Read:
September 6, 2026

Rating
4 Stars