REVIEW: Winning Season by Felice Stevens (Lancaster Legends #1)

- November 10, 2026

WINNING SEASON

Lancaster Legends - Book One

by Felice Stevens

Release Date: November 10, 2026

Review

An emotional story with some beautiful growth and care.

Xavier is BITTER. I mean it, bitter all caps! And he’s taken that bitterness to the level of an anonymous podcast troll - taking down sports people one barb at a time. His own dreams were thwarted (definitely has every right to be bitter about that) so he takes shots at everyone.

He was a lot, and though he grows and loses some of the bitterness, he never completely loses his jadedness. I grew to like him, but I don’t love him; he’s still a bit of a jerk.

Phoenix, on the other hand, is an absolute sweetheart. Open, kind, trusting. The complete opposite of Xavier. Which is why they work.

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Synopsis

Xavier Lord is a bitter man. Outed by his teammates and his college football scholarship withdrawn, life has taught him not to trust or believe in anyone but himself. Xavier—or X, as he calls himself to preserve his anonymity—has built a business on athlete’s mistakes. His hit podcast, You F'ed Up, dissects and calls out their bad plays with zero mercy. Lately his favorite target is Phoenix Young, the Lancaster Legends’ gorgeous but struggling new quarterback.

Phoenix Young has it all: the stats, drive, and championship dreams. Yet since his trade to the Legends, he’s unable to deliver, stumbling to a losing record. As one of the few out, gay players, he feels like he’s let the team and fans down. He’s bearing the burden alone—along with a secret he refuses to reveal: Someone’s been leaving him ugly, anonymous notes. He tries to ignore them and takes the blame for losing solely on his shoulders, but he’s never felt so alone and defeated.

When Xavier and Phoenix hook up on a dating app, one night turns into more, and both fall hard and fast—until Xavier panics and shuts things down, certain Phoenix wouldn’t want a man who makes a living tearing him apart.

Except he does.

But a relationship runs the risk of Xavier losing credibility with his listeners and Phoenix losing his teammates’ trust and friendships. Meanwhile, the ugly notes haven’t stopped. And they have no idea who’s writing them.

About Felice Stevens

I have always been a romantic at heart. I believe that while life is tough, there is always a happy ending around the corner, My characters have to work for it, however. Like life in NYC, nothing comes easy and that includes love, but getting there is oh so fun and oh so sexy.

I live in New York City with my husband and two children. My day begins with a lot of caffeine and ends with a glass (or two of red wine). I practice law but daydream of a time when I can sit by a beach somewhere and write beautiful stories of men falling in love. Although there are bound to be a few bumps along the way, a Happily Ever After is always guaranteed.

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