See You at the Finish Line by Zac Hammett Review

Heartthrob George wants to prove he's smart enough to graduate. Nerdy Lucas wants to finally ask his crush out. They strike a deal to get what they want . . . but they may accidentally splash into a row-mance together in this queer, sports rom-com.
 

George and Lucas can’t stand each other—which makes it very awkward being on the same Cambridge University rowing team. The uber-charming, all-American George got accepted at Cambridge for his sporting prowess, not his subpar grades. Economics whizz and sarcasm expert Lucas, meanwhile, works hard for everything he’s got, which sadly does not include a boyfriend.
 

When the news leaks that George receives academic preferential treatment—Cambridge couldn’t lose their star athlete, after all—he’s told he must actually study this year to pass his exams. That’s when he zeroes in on Lucas for help. Lucas agrees, but on one George will teach Lucas his lothario ways so he can finally seduce his long-time crush, Amir.
 

But soon they're in way over their heads, seducing and cheating their way to what they want. As they face rivals within their own squad and cutthroat competitors at Oxford, they find themselves unexpectedly becoming closer. What happens when your worst enemy may just be who you needed all along?

Mixing the popular tropes including sports romance, British-American culture clashing, and sports vs academic prowess, See You at the Finish Line is a M/M romance book that simultaneously feels familiar while also quite different from other similar books. Besides revolving around a less popular sport within the sports romance book genre (somewhat shocking considering two of the rowing positions are called the cox and stroke, the pun opportunities are endless), this is a romance book that prioritizes its main characters’ individual journeys and growth inspired by each other, rather than straightforward romantic coupling. Full of university-set drama and effective plotting, this book seamlessly blends romance and queer literature, telling a story with far more substance and intention than meets the eye. Endearingly sweet, well-intentioned, with just a little bit of light-hearted cringe for comedic purposes, See You at the Finish Line by Zac Hammett is a wonderful debut novel that’s a great sports novel for non-sports enthusiast as well as those looking for British university shenanigans.

Before I get into the book’s strongest elements, there are a few notable elements that are worth mentioning that can be potential deal-breakers for some. While Hammett has utilized it as a very effective plot mechanism that’s integral to the story as well as the book’s character development, there is a recurring plot element involving academic cheating and deception. Used as both a critique on the unfair preferential treatment of athletes in the scholastic setting as well as a different approach to the brainiac helping the “dumb jock” storyline, it’s a prominent part of the book that cannot be avoided for those that find the mere concept distasteful; do not worry though, Hammett clearly does not endorse cheating. Another potential drawback for some, though this book is classified as a romance novel, it is not in the style of most common contemporary romance books. By that, I mean that although Lucas and George have excellent chemistry throughout the story, they are not an official couple through most of it. Quite a few negative reviews seem to find this an issue, which is odd to me as it makes their relationship feel more developed and a slow burn romance properly earned. Nonetheless, these are apparently important points worth noting.

Those two sticking points aside, what I found particularly impressive with this book is its smooth handling of its different plot threads that are seamlessly connected to each other. At the surface level, there’s competitive sports revolving around rowing, both within the team itself for the first-tier coxs and stroke positions as well as the famous Cambridge-Oxford rivalry. There’s the plot of Lucas helping George pass his final exams to not be removed from both the university and the rowing team, sometimes by less than honest methods. There’s also George coaching Lucas on how to flirt with his secret crush Amir, though the confidence and life lesson coaching goes in both directions in unexpected areas. And finally, there’s both lads’ personal demons and the slow realization that perhaps there’s something in each other that they didn’t see before. The book covers a lot of narrative material in just over three hundred pages, resulting in a read that’s relatively fast-paced and breezy.

At the start of the book, the story initially follows the standard light-hearted sports romance formula with the advertised enemies to lovers trope. Lucas is introduced as a small, blunt, and sarcastic king ranked number one in his college’s academics while woefully unconfident and nervously anxious in the flirting department. On the other hand, George is the buff and attractive poster child of the rowing team on the verge of being kicked out of Cambridge due to a threat to his academic status and upcoming exams. Following an argument and painful loss to their rival rowing team at Oxford University, the two team-up with the goal of helping each other in their respective areas of expertise while working to improve their coordination on the river. While often fun, the early chapters are where the narrative content feels familiar albeit, slightly silly and generic apart from the unique sport element of rowing. Though presented in a dual-perspective presentation, Lucas’s chapters really carry the story courtesy of some hilarious self-deprecating moments and very relatable feelings of inadequacy. By comparison, George’s feelings and concerns feel less inspired as an amicable people-pleasing himbo, laying on a golden retriever like feel and dumb jock stereotype to the point of almost being groan-worthy. Likewise, George’s attempts at making up for lost ground with his economics studies isn’t quite as interesting compared to Lucas’s attempts at social confidence.

If judging this story by only the first half of the book, See You at the Finish Line feels like a sports romance title that’s cute but unremarkable; an impression that other reviewers seem to share given quite a few low rated reviews are DNF’s in the early chapters. But once the story passes the halfway point, it’s like Hammett hits the gas on the rowing reserve energy as his characters and story sprint to the finish line. The character writing and plotting just gets better and better as the story continues. George takes his final exams at the 60% mark while Lucas shoots his shot with Amir and just when you think you know where the story is going, the book switches up the formula. Where most other books would introduce a dramatic third act breakup just before the end of the book without about 20 pages left to go, See You at the Finish Line instead pulls out dramatic drama filled moments and unexpected twists far earlier compared to similar books. While both characters’ perspectives are well done, it’s George’s side that is particularly compelling. The last 30% of the book is incredibly well crafted, plotted, and where the story really finds itself both in terms of narrative content and tension. Besides the romance, there’s great portrayals of negative aspects of posh English society, University reputation, familial dysfunction (but notably no homophobia anywhere in this book), and the general absurdity of Cambridge-Oxford’s competitive races that is so inherently British and obviously a topic Hammett is intricately familiar with. This last section in general is where the book earns its high star rating, and I loved what Hammett did with the ending which I thought was excellent (strong vibes and feelings similar to the end of Netflix’s first season of Heartstopper).

Besides having a great plot, the other best part of this book for me was Lucas and Geoge’s chemistry, both platonic and romantic. Interestingly, although this book is heavily marketed as an enemies to lovers and opposite attract story, I personally felt the book’s blurb does the book a disservice. While Lucas and George initially have conflicted and tense disagreements when it comes to rowing, the “enemies” arc is quite brief and is mostly one-sided. As the two work together and start to realize they both are not quite what they seem, their relationship dynamic and progression feel much more natural and fitting for the friends to lovers trope instead. Rather than having intense feelings or angst towards each other turned steamy, their chemistry is much warmer, supportive, and endearing; the enemies to lovers label feels like a publisher’s ploy to hook readers rather than represent the story. While not as cute and sweet as a YA novel, their romance is more of the swooning and fluttery feelings kind of vibe. Whether they’re rowing teammates, collaborators committing scholastic crimes, out at the club as a British bachelor and his male model wingman, their platonic relationship is really solid, a mix of moral support with a healthy dose of found family mixed in. This is also a very dialogue heavy book that is on the lighter side in terms of sports action or movement, but it works well thanks to the characters’ great banter (Lucas’s sass and spiraling is chef’s kiss), relatable feelings, and good writing. And for those that are interested in it, there is some spice that is technically open-door, but it’s not very explicit or descriptive. Like the romance, the adult content is more for the feelings in the moment instead of steamy sex scenes.

Sporting a unique premise and some clever deviations from the genre norms, there’s a lot to like in this book. A mix of sporting, scholastic, social and family-themed storylines, when paired with its lovable characters, this book feels well-rounded and intentional. It is a little unfortunate that the book is rather generic and at its weakest early on, the book’s initial conflicts following predictable beats and Hammett’s prose being merely serviceable and quite casual. However, for those that give the book a chance and stick with it, it more than makes up for its rough start with its cleverly plotted second half and very well written ending. It makes me sad to see the number of negative reviews criticizing the romance and plotting which felt very relatable to me, not to mention how charming and obviously well-meaning it is. For those looking for strong spice, are sensitive to certain questionable moral choices, or heated enemies to lovers passion, this is simply not that kind of book, not to mention those that don’t get British humor and references. But for those that enjoy stories that feature strong character development as well as a strong take on  the friends to lovers trope, this is a great book that embodies the trending bookstagram hashtag of queer joy (Hammett reminds me of Erik J. Brown’s books aged up from grade school to university). Though it took me a bit to get into it, I thoroughly enjoyed See You at the Finish Line and am looking forward to Hammet’s future works!