Backhanded Compliments

Juliette Ricci has trained under her demanding father for the chance to become the world's best tennis player. Rival Luca Kacic's popularity and unpredictable style make her an especially irritating obstacle. Their first match brings more than the expected public scrutiny: when they shake hands, a soulmate mark identifies Juliette as the person Luca has been waiting for. Neither woman is prepared to reconcile that connection with the antagonism they have cultivated. Growing attraction does not immediately dissolve suspicion, anxiety or the pressure to win. With spectators interpreting every encounter, Juliette and Luca must decide what room a relationship can have in careers built around outperforming the person across the net.