Backhanded Compliments

“Their rivalry is volatile, the tennis physically brutal and the slow yielding to passion exquisite.” * New York Times *“This queer enemies-to-lovers story will appeal to fans of romance, tennis and even the weary reader who questions how fate is best served up.” * Seattle Times *“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!” * Bookstr *“Two top-ranked tennis rivals discover they’re soulmates in this enemies-to-lovers sapphic romance with a magical twist. Katie Chandler sets the stage for late-night tension, limoncello, and a bond neither Juliette nor Luca expected and say they don’t want (but they really do). As sparks fly on and off the court, they grapple with fame, pressure, and the shock of being each other’s match in more ways than one.” —Town & Country (25 Best New Romance Novels to Read on Vacation)“Chandler debuts with a magnetic queer enemies-to-lovers romance with a fantastical twist… What follows is a well-plotted, steamy sparkler of a romance that will reward readers who can suspend their disbelief about the premise. Tennis buffs will especially enjoy the in-depth look at the professional circuit. Chandler is off to a great start.”—Publishers Weekly

Katie Chandler is a romance author, who loves adding a speculative twist to her kissing books. She is passionate about writing joyful queer love stories that are full of tenderness, angst, and spice. You can usually find Katie writing with a full caffeine iced beverage, a Taylor Swift album blasting, and her yellow lab, Blue, who makes sure her feet are toasty and that she takes regular breaks to give him treats. When not writing, Katie spends her time watching tennis with her snuggly black lab, Bunny, chasing her thieving chocolate lab, Bear, who thinks her socks are his chew toys, and wondering where her glasses are (they’re nestled in her hair).