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Let the Games Begin by Rufaro Faith Mazarura
4.0

A great debut novel from Rufaro Faith Mazarura! This is a book about Black love and I love this representation! Zeke is the fastest man in the world and is in Athens for the 2024 Olympics, where he is trying to win a gold medal . From the outside, he is calm and collected but he suffers from severe anxiety. Olivia has had a dream since she was a kid to work for the Olympic Games Committee and now she has earned an internship to Athens for the 2024 Olympics. When she arrives, she discovers that she has lost the position to another candidate who is healthy and has a connection. However, that doesn't stop her from making her dream come true and she works as volunteer, where she ends up meeting Zeke. When Zeke and Olivia meet, the sparks fly! They keep bumping into each other during the games, and while they have a connection, they both are focused on their own endeavors. They have to decide if it will be just for the summer, or if they are in for the long haul. I loved that both of the main characters were kids of Zimbabwe immigrants and they wanted to make their families proud. This was such a cute and fun read, with a lot of representation. It's a fantastic debut novel!

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin, and Rufaro Faith Mazarua for an eARC of this book!