Sparring Partners

When a Gen Z content creator meets a brooding MMA coach, they are the hottest thing on the mat in this forced-proximity, enemies-to-lovers sports romance for fans of Nikki Castle and Elle Kennedy.

 

Gloves off.

 

And hands on…

 

When things get hard, some choose “flight…”

 

It’s been a year since Lily Parker fled to Chicago, hoping to lose herself among millions of people. Becoming the new content creator for a South Side MMA gym isn’t just a fresh start or a new job—it’s a chance to save the gym and help women protect themselves. But while the gorgeous, scarred and tatted-up MMA coach has marked Lily as an enemy, there’s definitely something spicy between them…

 

He chooses “fight.”

 

Kieran Sullivan only knows how to use his fists. His body is a testament to survival and protecting those he loves—and that does not include the gym’s newest employee. But when a video goes viral, Kieran and Lily must play nice in front of the cameras to keep the gym’s fans happy. Now the internet is obsessed with their scorching, will-they-or-won’t-they chemistry.

 

Sometimes, the only thing that separates love from hate is knowing exactly who your opponent really is.

 

From showing up to glowing up, the characters in Afterglow Books are on the path to leading their best lives and finding sizzling romance along the way. Don’t miss any of these other fun titles…

Love and Other Hollywood Endings by Susannah Erwin

The Summer of Perfect Mistakes by Cynthia St. Aubin

Meet Me in a Mile by Elizabeth Hrib

Additional information

Genre

Romance

Age

Adult

Publisher

HarperCollins

Imprint

Afterglow

Language(s)

English

Format(s)

Trade paperback

Author

Erin Rose

Release Date

31 March 2026

Release Month

March Releases

Author Identity

LGBTQIA+, Neurodivergent

About the Author

Erin Rose is the pen name of co-authors/best friends Katie Erin and Katie Rose. Lovers of all things Romance and advocates for mental health, you can expect to find hard-won happily ever afters in their stories. They currently live in Shepherdstown, WV, with their respective husbands, children, and dogs.
 

 
They are represented by Cathie Hedrick-Armstrong at Marsal Lyon Literary Agency.
 
 

web logo instagram logo twitter logo bsky logo threads logo tiktok logo