Let the Games Begin: A Novel

by Rufaro Faith Mazarura

Overview

Notes From Your Bookseller

An intern and a hotshot athlete meet-cute in Athens; can they overcome an Olympic-sized set of obstacles to make a go of it?

Set against a sizzling-hot Greek summer filled with sunshine and souvlaki, Rufaro Faith Mazarura’s Let the Games Begin is a page-turning debut rom-com about two strangers at the top of their game.

MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK OF JULY 2024: NPR, Kirkus, Elle, Amazon, Bustle, and more!!!

"A debut deserving of a gold medal." —Kirkus (starred review)

"A radiant, joyful debut novel with a particularly fun setting." —ELLE

Athens, 2024. Olivia Nkomo has always been ambitious, smart, and an overall go-getter. Now that she’s graduated from university, she’s willing to do whatever it takes to land her dream job at the Summer Games. The first step? Securing her new internship, which will put her in the center of all the action, where she hopes to run into some of her favorite athletes.

Ezekiel “Zeke” Moyo, the heartthrob star runner of Team Great Britain, is more than ready to claim his title as the fastest man in the world, following in the footsteps of the greatest athletes of all time. His future to the finish line is looking bright—despite his recent breakup with celebrated gymnast Valentina Ross-Rodriguez constantly making headlines.

When Olivia and Zeke collide—literally—on the first day of training, sparks fly. As the games grow closer, so do Olivia and Zeke. But the competition starts stirring up uncomfortable memories from Zeke’s past . . . and Olivia’s internship doesn’t turn out to be what she expected. Will they be able to overcome these hurdles and achieve their dreams? Or will it come at the cost of their budding romance?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250354532
Publisher:	Flatiron Books
Publication date:	07/09/2024
Pages:	352
Sales rank:	133,594
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.30(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Rufaro Faith Mazarura is a British Zimbabwean writer who grew up in Birmingham and studied English and Creative Writing at the University of Surrey. She works as a podcast producer, bringing stories to life through audio, and has written and produced podcasts for the BBC, iHeartRadio and Seven Stories, The National Centre for Children’s Books. Let The Games Begin is her debut novel.

Editorial Reviews

05/13/2024

A flirtatious collision between an Olympic athlete and a summer intern ignites Mazarura’s fun and wholesome debut. Overachieving recent college grad Olivia Nkomo lands an internship with the Olympic Organizing Commission at the summer games in Athens, which she hopes she’ll be able to turn into a full-time dream job by the end of the season. Meanwhile, dreamboat British track star Zeke Moyo is determined to metal, but he’s thrown off his practice regimen by his recent, very public breakup with a fellow Olympian, which keeps making headlines. When Olivia and Zeke literally bump into each on the first day of training, an undeniable chemistry forms between them. But in the pressure cooker of the games, with both of their dreams on the line, can they make a relationship work? Olivia and Zeke’s romance is ridiculously cute and their mutual crushing lightens up the stress of whether they’ll achieve their professional goals. Mazarura is a writer to watch. Agent: Allison Hunter and Natalie Edwards, Trellis Literary Management. (July)

Publishers Weekly

"A debut deserving of a gold medal." —Kirkus (starred review)

"[A] fun and wholesome debut... Mazarura is a writer to watch." —Publishers Weekly

"A radiant, joyful debut novel with a particularly fun setting." —ELLE

"Sweet and inspiring." —NPR

"A perfect Olympic-year read. This debut rom-com sparkles and is sure to delight contemporary-romance fans, particularly those who love reading about athletes, celebrities, and tenacious underdog heroines." —Library Journal

"Let the Games Begin is THE way to kick off the summer games! They say what happens in Olympic Village stays in Olympic Village… but let’s just say the competition wasn’t the only thing that was hot!" —Danielle Allen, author of Curvy Girl Summer

“Let the Games Begin is pure delight! Rufaro Faith Mazarura’s threading of Zimbabwean and British culture masterfully displays how the love interests, Zeke and Olivia, can exist in two worlds yet learn to remain true to themselves and to their roots. Filled with friendship, family, and the competitive thrill of the Olympics, Zeke and Olivia’s growing romance shows what it means to follow one’s heart and take the leap towards love.” —Preslaysa Williams, author of A Lowcountry Bride

"Rufaro Faith Mazarura's Let the Games Begin is a vivid, moving story of finding love—and yourself—in the exhilarating world of the Summer Games. The heart stopping action and propulsive love story makes for a gripping and life-affirming read. I loved it!" —Katelyn Doyle, author of Just Some Stupid Love Story

"Rufaro is such a fresh and exciting new voice in romantic women’s fiction. I’ve never fallen as fast as I did for Zeke and his family, and Olivia is such a perfect heroine, battling between her head and her heart. Let the Games Begin is funny, romantic, gripping and relatable. I loved every second of it. If you need me, I’ll be in Athens." —Tessa Bickers, author of The Book Swap

"One of the most heart-warming books I've ever read with characters you will immediately root for. A complete delight." —Mia Sheridan, New York Times bestselling author of Archer's Voice

"Both a beautiful romance and a stirring coming-of-age story... you can't help but root for Zeke and Olivia as they navigate familial expectations and their own ambitions while falling for each other. Rufaro Faith Mazarura is a fascinating and talented new voice in women's fiction." —Lauren Ho, bestselling author of Last Tang Standing

"As someone with vivid memories of the 2012 Olympic Games, Let The Games Begin brought back the excitement and atmosphere of those heady two weeks, creating the most tremendous setting for the unfolding stories of two talented, determined and fierce individuals who somehow in their fight to achieve, have lost sight of what is most important to them. A gorgeous atmospheric coming of age, love story which had me hooked from page one. Rufaro Faith Mazurura’s debut novel packs the most delicious punch and I can’t wait to read more of her work." —Julie Caplin, international bestselling author of the Romantic Escapes series

From the Publisher

06/01/2024

DEBUT Recent uni graduate and second-generation immigrant Olivia Nkomo has dreamed of the Olympics since childhood, so being hired for an internship with Great Britain's delegation to the summer games feels like the reward for all of her hard work. An unexpected reversal of fortune threatens her life's carefully plotted trajectory, however, and Zeke Moyo, one of Britain's star sprinters, bears the brunt of her frustration. When they meet again under more auspicious circumstances, their mutual attraction fills their interactions with a far more pleasant type of tension. Olivia finds unexpected answers about her future, even as Zeke's prospects grow increasingly opaque. In the midst of his third Olympic games, he has to navigate his career, his growing closeness with Olivia, and the presence of his ex-girlfriend, also a superstar Olympian. Olivia and Zeke's shared British Zimbabwean heritage bridges some of the distance that exists between their positions in the Olympic and social hierarchies, and Mazarura deftly navigates the realities that shape her characters' lives, maintaining humor even when discussing serious topics. VERDICT A perfect Olympic-year read. This debut rom-com sparkles and is sure to delight contemporary-romance fans, particularly those who love reading about athletes, celebrities, and tenacious underdog heroines.—Nicole Williams

Library Journal

Travel to the Summer Olympic Games with Shaniqua Okwok, who narrates this contemporary sports romance. Hardworking Olivia Nkomo is determined to get her dream job at the Summer Games, where she hopes to meet some of her favorite athletes. Zeke Moyo, the star of Team Great Britain, is seeking the title of "fastest man alive." When Olivia and Zeke bump into each other on the first day of the games, sparks fly. Okwok successfully performs both points of view. Okwok's tone captures Olivia's go-getter spirit and projects Zeke's vulnerabilities and desires. Listeners will root for Zeke to win the gold, for Olivia to achieve her ambitions, and for both to find happiness together. J.J.M. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine

JULY 2024 - AudioFile

★ 2024-05-04
Romance blossoms at the 2024 Summer Olympics.

The Olympics are back where they originated, and two British citizens are journeying to Athens for the Games. Go-getter twenty-three-year-old Olivia Nkomo has been working diligently toward her childhood dream of a job at the Olympics, and she’s thrilled to finally land an internship—even if it’s unpaid. Happy-go-lucky heartthrob Ezekiel Moyo, 24, already has a silver medal, but this year the sprinter is going for the gold. Olivia and Zeke, both children of Zimbabwean immigrants, meet when they literally run into each other in the Olympic Village, forever changing the trajectory of their lives. Flirty banter and sizzling chemistry lead to genuine connection, but this summer can’t last forever. As they each grapple with big questions about the lives they want to lead and people they want to be, they begin to realize just how much they’ve grown to mean to each other. This layered story expertly captures the excitement of the Games while Olivia and Zeke’s developing relationship (with closed-door romance) serves as a prompt for personal reflection. Their loving families play huge roles in their lives; Olivia questions how much her aspirations are fueled by trying to fulfill her parents’ dreams while Zeke starts to process the grief he’s been avoiding for years about losing his father. The weightier topics are delicately handled and balanced out by lighthearted and humorous scenes, often featuring the couple’s charming, bighearted friends. This delightful romance is a ray of sunshine.

A debut deserving of a gold medal.

Kirkus Reviews