Clara’s Verdict
Bella Matthews has built a loyal readership by delivering exactly what she promises: sports romance with genuine heart, characters who feel like real people rather than archetypes, and found-family dynamics warm enough to make you wish you lived in Kroydon Hills. Sweet Surrender is Book 3 in the Love & Legacy series and it maintains the standard. Ashton is a ballet dancer who returns home to Philly trailing complications; Jameson is a professional footballer with a serious side he keeps well hidden. The surprise pregnancy element is handled with more sensitivity than the trope typically receives, and the duet narration – Jason Clarke delivering Jameson’s chapters – adds genuine distinction to the audio experience. At 8 hours and 22 minutes, this is a satisfying listen that earns its happy ending.
About the Audiobook
Ashton Carmichael has spent years carefully constructing a life away from the chaos of her unreliable mother. She’s a talented ballet dancer, she’s disciplined, she has built something she’s proud of – and then a snowstorm grounds her flight, champagne clouds her judgement, and one night with Jameson Murphy leaves her facing two pink lines on a pregnancy test. Jameson, for his part, has been carrying feelings for Ashton for years; what he hasn’t had is the courage to act on them, or the circumstance to do so.
Matthews is adept at writing sports romance that doesn’t reduce its athlete characters to walking physiques, and Jameson is a case in point: charming and physically imposing, yes, but also capable of real emotional intelligence. Ashton’s journey – learning to accept help, to surrender control to someone who has genuinely earned her trust – is the novel’s emotional spine, and Matthews traces it with care. The Kroydon Hills shared universe is well-established by this point, and returning characters add texture; newcomers will nonetheless find this a perfectly legible standalone.
The Narration
The duet narration format – one narrator per point-of-view character – is used to particularly good effect here. Jason Clarke brings Jameson to life with warmth and a certain restrained intensity that suits the character well. The second narrator handles Ashton’s chapters with complementary energy. Duet narration can occasionally feel gimmicky when poorly executed; here it feels genuinely purposeful, giving each character’s perspective a distinct sonic identity and making the alternating chapters feel like genuine dialogue rather than monologue in succession.
What Readers Say
The audiobook holds a 4.5-star rating. TORI:BE, from the UK, declared that Matthews “smashed it out the park,” praising the chemistry and the forced proximity element. Helen Salisbury, on her second Matthews book, particularly valued the “found-family vibe” and the ease of the author’s writing style: “low-angst, quick to read, and doesn’t drag.” Mjay offered perhaps the highest compliment: “After Rome Beneventi, I didn’t think anyone could take the top spot… but then came Jameson Murphy.” A US reviewer who received an advance copy described it as a book so good she kept having to stop herself reading ahead. The consensus is clear: this is Bella Matthews operating at full stretch.
Who Should Listen?
Readers who enjoy sports romance with genuine emotional depth, surprise pregnancy storylines handled with grace rather than melodrama, and enemies-to-lovers tension that actually resolves satisfyingly. Prior familiarity with the Love & Legacy series enriches the experience but is not required. The duet narration format makes this a particularly strong audio choice for those who enjoy hearing distinct character voices. Start here or start from Book 1 – either way, Kroydon Hills is worth your time. Available on Audible UK.
