As far as debut novels go, The Open Era by Edward Schmit is as good as they get!
Heated Rivalry meets Carrie Soto Is Back in Schmit’s hard-hitting contemporary tennis romance. When tennis player Austin Hardy goes pro, he becomes the first openly gay man to compete in a Grand Slam tournament. It should be an exciting time for the athlete, but Austin isn’t ready to face the public’s scrutiny with his escalating anxiety disorder. When a panic attack causes Austin to faint on the US Open practice courts, he finds himself staring into the dreamy eyes of tennis heartthrob Diego Cruz.
The novel follows Alex as he grapples with his seemingly unrequited crush on Diego, his mental health struggles, and the pressures that come with playing tennis professionally. For tennis fans who are desperate to see the courts come to life on the pages of a romance novel, The Open Era is a perfect blend of on-court logistics and off-court romantic rallying.
This contemporary novel isn’t technically a romance, but it does some of its best work in the romance department.
Austin is an endearing and earnest protagonist dealing with grief in ways that feel entirely tangible and relatable to the reader. So when Diego enters the picture as Austin’s Prince Charming, that undeniable tension between the two soon-to-be rivals is palpable as it shifts this book into the next gear. Diego sweeps the struggling tennis star off his feet with late-night phone calls, Mario Kart marathons, and shared champagne as the men lounge in the hotel’s plush bathrobes. It’s a slow-burn, grand gesture-filled flirtation that leaves you desperately wanting to skip to their next late-night interaction.
The steamy, bedsheet-twisted scenes are limited and rightfully so, given this relationship is just one component of Austin’s pro-tennis journey. Yet there are so many moments of yearning that make the heart grow fonder for these two men to make a love story work.
Even when the novel falls into a repetitive cycle of miscommunication that will leave the reader frustrated, it’s not enough to derail the chemistry brewing between this underdog and the second seed tasked with ending his run. There’s a loneliness that Austin’s grief and Diego’s success share so effortlessly. You desperately want to see both parties win despite what awaits them in their final match.
The Open Era’s final chapter sets this potential relationship up for greatness with a tearful gesture. The teasing of one epic happy-ever-after for this unstoppable pairing certainly leaves the reader desperate for more pages to see where their romance will go next.
“I don’t want to make history. I just want to play tennis. I just want to win.”
― Edward Schmit, The Open Era
Additionally, the novel’s driving conflict is Alex’s inner struggle with his own insecurities.
It’s a refreshing dive into everything that makes us tick, from the grief of losing a loved one to exploring the many ways a panic attack manifests itself in his daily life. So much of Austin’s journey with anxiety will resonate with the reader. From lashing out at those he loves to becoming co-dependent on doomscrolling to feel in control, many of his uglier tendencies are painfully recognizable.
Austin isn’t portrayed as a gay man turned tennis prodigy. Every win he encounters is directly attributed to developing positive habits on and off the court. It’s a grinding mentality of spiralling thoughts and teamwork from a revolving door of caretakers.
Of course, there are times when Austin’s inner struggle overpowers the novel’s other explorations. Some of his coping techniques are absurd enough to take you right out of the book. Additionally, his frustration with being the face of a diversity campaign, while legitimate, does become part of the more repetitive pitfalls this book boasts.
Thankfully, Austin has a cast of characters who care about him and are working overtime to see his tennis dream through. That support system holds up more than just its protagonist throughout this story. Austin’s coach Robbie can tap into their shared grief while trying to step in as a meaningful father figure for Austin during his time off the court. Austin’s therapist adds a refreshing new dynamic that challenges his inner monologue, while retired tennis stars help Austin grapple with his disdain for sexuality’s role in the sport. As a result, this book features snappy and hilarious dialogue that rallies for every point.
This sporty debut questions media’s fascination with openly gay athletes while challenging the harmful habits everyone turns to when our mental health becomes too big to overcome alone. The Open Era is a book about tennis and the mental toll such a sport takes on the players seeking greatness on the court.
And if those players make out a little between matches, well, that’s even better.
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