Backhanded Compliments by Katie Chandler

Two rivals. One soulmate bond. Winning the championship was always the goal—falling for each other was never part of the plan.

Backhanded Compliments follows Juliette Ricci and Lucky Luca Kacic, two elite professional tennis players whose fierce rivalry has made them the sport's biggest headline. Everything changes after they face each other in the Australian Open and discover they're literal soulmates, bound by magical soulmarks that neither of them wants to accept. As the tennis season forces them together, their rivalry slowly transforms into something far more complicated than either expected.

Katie Chandler delivers a steamy sapphic sports romance layered with magical realism, emotional vulnerability, and sizzling rivals-to-lovers chemistry. Funny, tender, and full of yearning, this debut blends professional tennis, soulmate magic, and queer romance into a fresh take on the sports romance genre.

Perfect for readers who love:
• sapphic sports romance
• tennis romance
• rivals-to-lovers tension
• soulmate magic
• slow-burn chemistry

Format: Paperback