Thirty Love

A Novel

De: Tom Vellner

Narrado por: Mark Sanderlin

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-hear for fans of queer sports romances.

©2026 Tom Vellner (P)2026 Spotify Audiobooks

Lovely Slow Burn Tennis Romance

Why is it that I have very little interest in real life sports, but I LOVE a sports romance?? This is the first tennis story I can remember reading in a long time, though, and I adored it!

Thirty Love is told from the (third person) perspective of Leo, a pro tennis player on a quest to win the US Open before he turns 30. In addition to the demands of the sport itself, Leo is dealing with living up to his family's expectations, his father/coach's MS and other health struggles, keeping his sexuality a secret, and his growing attraction and feelings for his rival, Gabe.

The relationship between Leo and Gabe is definitely a slow burn as this story is as much about Leo's personal journey as it is the relationship. It reads a bit like a coming of age story, only with older characters- which is totally valid because we don't all magically figure ourselves out at 18! The characters and their relationships (familial, romantic, platonic, etc.) are complex and far from perfect, which I loved because they felt real and relatable.

This is a good place to mention the couple of things that I wish had been different with this one. First, while I can get on board with 3rd person POV, I still STRONGLY prefer a dual POV. I feel like having Gabe's POV would have gone a long way towards making this feel like a true romance vs. Leo's story that happened to include a romantic storyline. Along those same lines, my 2nd issue was how little we actually get of Gabe and Leo together as a couple. Fine if the book is intended to be more general fiction, but as a romance, I needed a little more relationship development.

Overall, his was a strong debut novel, and I'm excited to see what this author does next! Mark Sanderlin was a fantastic choice for the narration on this one, really enjoyed him,