#tom vellner

✨ BOOK REVIEW ✨

Thirty Love by Tom Vellner

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

QOTD: Do you follow any sport? Have you ever been to a sporting event?

I follow AFL and I’ve been to a few games. I’ve also been to the Australian Open twice even though I don’t follow tennis 😂

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Review below cut

Official Summary:

Things heat up on and off the court for two tennis rivals in this steamy debut gay sports rom-com, perfect for fans of TJ Alexander and Casey McQuiston. American tennis star Leo Chambers is determined to win the US Open by thirty, the age when many players feel retirement looming. He’s just a year away from that dreaded birthday, but he can’t find his focus—considering he hasn’t told anyone he’s gay, he’s clashing with his strict coach (who also happens to be his dad), and he still can’t figure out how to beat his longtime nemesis on tour, Gabe Montoya, who, well, hits different. Gabe is playing better than ever, and Leo can’t seem to escape him—and maybe he doesn’t want to escape him. Leo’s other obstacle is Sascha Volkov, a Russian legend who has such a powerful influence on the tennis world, he would destroy Leo’s career if he found out that he’s gay. No distractions, Leo reminds himself. But when Gabe makes a shocking announcement, Leo is thrown off his game—in more ways than one. Ready? Play. Thirty Love is a must-read for fans of queer sports romances.

My Thoughts:

I hadn't heard anything about Thirty Love when I requested it on Netgalley. I was drawn to the gorgeous cover and, since I'm a long-time enjoyer of queer sports romances, figured it should be fun, at least. I did not go in expecting to be floored by how good this actually is! 

The characters in this are seriously top-notch. Leo, especially, is so layered, with a lot going on. He's nearing 30 and desperately wants to win a grand slam to cap off his career. He's also dealing with a family member's health issues, and mixed feelings about how his dad's coaching is affecting his game. He's closeted and in a career that, until recently, had no out players (but does have openly homophobic ones). Then, he has his rivalry and attraction to Gabe. All of these issues make Leo a well-rounded, complex character that you can't help but love. 

The whole book is told from Leo's point of view, but that doesn't mean Gabe is any less well-developed. We see his growth and journey happening clearly through Leo's eyes. Then, as the two slowly become friends, we get more of his side of the story from their conversations. I grew to love him just as dearly as I did Leo. 

And, oh my goodness, their romance! This is a long, slow burn. Leo and Gabe start as true rivals: they don't like each other at all and have a long history of being rude and petty to each other. Their animosity slowly thaws, and they become friends, then finally lovers. The pacing allows us to see the two truly get to know and understand each other, and it helps make the relationship feel deeper and more meaningful. I seriously loved them and was so emotionally invested! 

As I mentioned earlier, I love queer sports romances. I usually like them regardless of how important the sport is to the plot, but I really do love it when it is a pivotal part of the story, and tennis is prominently featured here. I know nothing about most sports, including tennis, but I was enthralled by all of the matches in this book. Leo's and Gabe's careers are important to them, so we needed to see how they were playing. The games also heighten the stakes and lead to a really powerful moment towards the end that had me crying and cheering at my e-reader. 

I really, really loved this! If you, too, are craving more well-written sports romances with incredible character arcs, please pick this one up. This is Tom Vellner's debut, and he's being added to my list of must-read authors; I truly can't wait to see what he releases next because this is genuinely fantastic! 

My Rating: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕 (5/5 stars)

Pages: 320 (Kindle Edition)

Tropes/Tags: Queer, Achillean, Sports Romance, Rivals-to-Lovers, Slow Burn

Contains Depictions Of: Homophobia, A Parent with a Health Issue, and one other that includes a major spoiler. See Storygraph's content warnings if you need full details.

Links: Storygraph | GoodReads | Pagebound | TomVellner.com

Thirty Love will be released on March 10, 2026, and is available for pre-order!

I received an advanced copy of this book for free, thanks to Netgalley and Alcove Press. The above are my honest feelings about the provided book.

For m/m hockey romance, which had to get its own post, click here. Unwritten Rules by KD Casey (Baseball) The Team by Tal Bauer (American Football) Glasgow Lads by Avery Cockburn (European Football) The Prospects by KT Hoffman (Baseball) See You at the Finish Line by Zac Hammett (Rowing) Bonus: Coming in 2026, Hold Me Like a Grudge by Celine Ong (Wrestling) and Thirty Love by Tom Vellner (Tennis)

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