Review: Relationship Goals by Brittany Kelley
Rating: 2/5 Stars
If you’ve ever thought, “What if Roy Kent from Ted Lasso fell for Andie from How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days?”—this book might be for you. Unfortunately, I’ve never asked that question, and Relationship Goals didn’t convince me I should have.
The premise had potential: a grumpy, brooding soccer star is coerced into a fake relationship with a rising Hollywood starlet, only to catch real feelings. But the execution just didn’t land for me.
Abigail felt more like a collection of quirky traits than a fully realized character. Her behavior, especially after discovering Luke’s deception, veered from cringe to completely over-the-top (see: the full Gollum cosplay). I struggled to feel any real chemistry between her and Luke, making the emotional beats feel unearned and rushed. The romance relies heavily on insta-love, and with minimal build-up, their heartbreak and reconciliation lacked impact.
The book also tries to touch on mental health, but those scenes needed more care and realism. Abigail’s panic attacks are brushed off and poorly handled, and the sudden prescription drug access via a friend calling a doctor felt unrealistic at best, insensitive at worst.
Luke’s motivations—mainly his sick mother with stage 3 cancer—felt like emotional shortcuts rather than genuine character development. And the supporting cast? Broadly drawn caricatures that made it hard to invest in anything beyond the central plot.
While I appreciated the ambition of blending sports, fake dating, and celebrity drama, the pacing, writing, and dialogue didn’t hold it together. A running joke about Yo-Yo Ma and masturbation missed the mark, and the final act courtroom-style showdown left me more confused than satisfied.
Tropes:
- Fake Dating
- Grumpy/Sunshine
- Sports Romance (Pro Soccer)
- Celebrity Romance
- Insta-Love
- Revenge Scheme
- Found Family
- Sick Parent
- Quirky Girl™ FMC
- Workplace Sabotage
This one didn’t work for me—but if you’re drawn to chaotic rom-com energy and don’t mind suspension of disbelief in both plot and character logic, you might enjoy it more than I did.
Content Notes: MMC’s mother has stage 3 cancer, FMC experiences panic attacks, toxic workplace dynamics, abandonment issues, some mental health misrepresentation.
