As proudly proclaimed in her Instagram bio, author Katie Chandler is a “professional tennis watcher.” For her, it was love at first French Open. Growing up, she watched countless matches, both on TV and in the stands. Eventually, she picked up the racquet herself, learning the ins and outs of the game from “the best coach in the whole wide world,” her dad. Now, this passion has even bled into her writing life.
In her glorious debut novel, Chandler channels her lifelong interest to tell a different kind of love story — one filled with sapphic angst, a speculative twist, and of course, lots of tennis. Backhanded Compliments follows reluctant soulmates Juliette and Luca as their on-court rivalry builds into something far steamier behind closed doors. Here’s everything you need to know before the book drops on June 10!
Trigger warning: This article contains discussions of anxiety disorders and panic attacks. In addition to these topics, Backhanded Compliments contains mentions of past emotional child abuse, as well as graphic sexual content. Please exercise personal care while reading.
Synopsis
Juliette Ricci has one goal: to become the best women’s tennis player in the world. Under the strict coaching of her father, she’s prepared to make her mark at the Australian Open. There’s just one problem. Juliette will be going up against “Lucky” Luca Kacic.
A fan favorite for her unique playing style, Luca Kacic is poised to achieve Juliette’s dream of winning the Australian Open. But as much as she wants to secure her first Grand Slam title, there’s something else Luca craves just as fiercely: love.
When the two shake hands after a match and see each other’s names appear on their wrists, they’re both taken aback. Luca feels decidedly unlucky that her soulmate has turned out to be, of all people, her arrogant rival. Juliette doesn’t believe in soulmates in the first place, and she certainly wants nothing to do with Luca, who stole the Australian Open title from her. Yet as circumstances force them closer and closer together, they can’t deny the chemistry building between them. As the whole world watches, they’ll have to decide what matters more: their ambitions or their love.
A Speculative Spin on Sports Romance
Juliette rubs her thumb across her soulmark. Silvery like starlight, barely there, raised like a tattoo and proclaiming Juliette’s soulmate to be a LUCA.
Juliette tips her head back against the metal lip of the bath and stares at the ceiling. Could she be that Luca?
Katie Chandler, Backhanded Compliments
Sports romances are all the rage right now, but you’ve never read one like this before. In Backhanded Compliments, Katie Chandler combines the intensity of an enemies-to-lovers sports rivalry with a fantastical fanfiction trope, the soulmate AU. The story takes place in an alternative reality where most people are born with the name of their soulmate imprinted on their wrist. Chandler’s protagonists, Juliette and Luca, discover they’re soulmates when they touch each other for the first time and their soulmarks turn a conclusive black. While Luca has always dreamed of the day she’ll meet her one true love, Juliette rejects the idea that any one person is destined for you. Seemingly, the two couldn’t be less perfect for each other, despite their soulmate status. If you love angst with lots of comfort, you’ll want to pick this one up!
A Candid Depiction of Life With Anxiety
Her world rocks on its axis. Everything wobbles and threatens to collapse, to break. Juliette loses track of time as the perfectly constructed circles of her life warp and twist into unrecognizable shapes.
Katie Chandler, Backhanded Compliments
As fanciful as the soulmate premise is, Backhanded Compliments is grounded by its exploration of deeper themes like anxiety. Both Juliette and Luca deal with anxiety disorders and panic attacks, which they help each other work through as their relationship progresses. Chandler’s portrayal of these disorders is refreshing to see, as it captures the often isolating and debilitating experience of living with anxiety. Furthermore, the narrative illuminates what it means to be a supportive partner to someone with mental health struggles. Representation like this is sorely needed to help destigmatize the topic of mental health and demonstrate to those who relate to Juliette and Luca’s experiences that support is within reach.
A Testament to the Power of Choosing Who You Love
‘…Sometimes a choice is a burden, and even though your soulmate is predetermined, you still have to choose love, choose happiness. With your soulmate, or not.’
Katie Chandler, Backhanded Compliments
From the story’s start, Juliette and Luca have diametrically opposing views on soulmates. Luca is enamored with the thought of her special someone being designed especially for her. Meanwhile, Juliette rebuffs the notion that the universe decides who she should love. In her eyes, choosing to be with someone, regardless of whether their name is on your wrist, is the epitome of romance. Hence, she initially brushes Luca off, wholly uninterested in giving in to “fate” and exploring their soulmate bond.
But as the two naturally grow closer, she finds herself gravitating toward Luca more and more — not because they’re soulmates but because Juliette genuinely enjoys spending time with her. When she and Luca finally get together, Juliette is comforted by the fact that although they’re soulmates, their love ultimately triumphed because they chose to fight for each other, not because the soulmarks on their arms said it must be so.
A Lesson in Letting Go of the Pressure of Perfection
‘What if I’m not one of the greatest?’ Luca hates saying one of her biggest fears out loud.
‘You probably won’t be.’ It’s the stark, hard truth, and fuck, it hurts. ‘But as long as you do your best, then you’ll be happy.’
Katie Chandler, Backhanded Compliments
As rivals, Juliette and Luca both strive to be the best. That means beating their opponents, securing the number one ranking, and winning as many Grand Slam tournaments as possible. They want to make history, and they’re willing to do anything to achieve that lofty goal. But success comes at a price. In the torturous grind to reach the top, both women find themselves falling out of love with the sport they’ve built a life around. They put friendships, as well as their flourishing romance, on the back burner, writing their dearest relationships off as mere distractions.
It takes hitting the lowest of lows for each of them to realize how miserable their supposed dream is making them. If they have to give up everything they love just to win a trophy or break a record, what’s the point of it all? Losing being an inevitable part of the game they adore is a perturbing and hard-won lesson, but it’s a necessary one. Only in embracing failure do they rediscover their passion for tennis and recognize that their love for each other is worth more than any Grand Slam title.
Final Thoughts
Katie Chandler’s Backhanded Compliments is a darling debut that reimagines the sports romance subgenre with a dash of magic. Rife with angst, tenderness, and queer joy, Chandler’s first novel kick-starts a promising literary career. If you’re in the market for a sweet and spicy sapphic love story, give this one a try!
You’ll love Backhanded Compliments if you enjoyed these titles:
- Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid
- Cleat Cute by Meryl Wilsner
- Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle
- Here We Go Again by Alison Cochrun
- Keep This Off the Record by Arden Joy
Bookstr’s Backhanded Compliments Dream Cast
We can only hope Backhanded Compliments makes its way to the big screen one day. If it does, we’ve got some suggestions for the casting directors. Here’s who we’d love to see play the leading ladies!
Eleonora Gaggero as Juliette
Hailing from Genova, Italy, Eleonora Gaggero is the ideal candidate to take on the part of Juliette. With her brunette curls and golden glow, she’s Jules to a T!
Romina Tonkovic as Luca
Romina Tonkovic is an equally perfect fit for the role of Luca. Her honey-toned hair and intense gaze are ripped straight from the page — and Katie Chandler’s vision board!
Final Score: 4/5
Spice Level: 4/5
If you want to add Backhanded Compliments to your TBR, you can preorder it on Bookshop, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, and Amazon! Thank you to Atria Books for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
For another Bookstr starred review, click here!
To browse more books like this, check out Bookstr’s Romance shelf on Bookshop!
