Bella McGuire has no choice. Arsenal want to sell her, and with only one WSL team interested, she signs for Bath Street Harriers. It’s a chance to play football again—and a chance to start over. Armed with a fresh kit, her dog Ruffles, and the nickname she’s always preferred—Jack—she’s ready to rebuild her life.

Then she meets Vanessa.

At almost forty and newly divorced, Vanessa is finally free to make her own choices. When an accidental balcony mishap brings her new neighbour to her door, a quick check-in turns into impromptu drinks and an unexpected confession. Vanessa has always thought she was straight, but Jack makes her wonder: what if?

What follows is an intense, magnetic afternoon that ignites a sudden, undeniable fire between them, catching them both completely off guard.

But when reality sets in, a panicked Vanessa immediately pulls back, terrified of what this means for her identity. Jack wants something real, but with Vanessa freezing her out, she's left fighting for a connection that feels like it's slipping away.

Yet the friction between them refuses to fade, sparking a secret, highly charged relationship they can't ignore. Vanessa bravely chooses to take a real leap of faith—but their new romance is built on secrets they never saw coming.

Jack hasn't mentioned she's a high-profile professional footballer.
And Vanessa hasn't mentioned that her daughter plays football, too.

Enter Kayla—Jack’s new teammate. Kayla is completely starstruck by her new football hero, Bella McGuire. Meanwhile, at home, she’s listening to her mum talk about her new friend, Jack. Kayla has absolutely no idea that her idol on the pitch and her mum's mystery love interest are the exact same person.

When their worlds inevitably collide, the truth threatens to upend Jack's career, Vanessa's fresh start, and Kayla's trust. Getting a fighting chance at love is one thing, but keeping it will mean risking everything they've built.

The fourth standalone romance in the Chances Collection, featuring an instant-chemistry, high-heat lesbian awakening, an age-gap sports romance, and a guaranteed HEA.

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