Zac Hammett

Hey there! I'm Zac Hammett, and I write the kind of enemies-to-lovers stories that make you want to simultaneously push the characters into the Thames and root for their happiness. (Sometimes in the same chapter.)

Let me get this out of the way first - I never expected to write romance. I spent years convinced I'd write the next great literary novel about existential dread or something equally pretentious. But life has a funny way of steering you exactly where you need to go, even if you're fighting it the whole way. Kind of like my characters, actually.

My journey into romance writing started during my own years at Cambridge, where I was (surprise!) on the rowing team. There's something absolutely magical about being on the river at dawn, when the mist is still clinging to the water and the world feels full of possibility. Of course, that magic quickly evaporates when you're stuck in a boat with someone who drives you absolutely mad. (Looking at you, James from third year.)

Those early morning practices, the intense rivalries, and yes, the occasional dramatic splash into the river all found their way into my debut novel, "See You at the Finish Line." I wanted to capture that unique combination of physical intensity and emotional vulnerability that comes with competitive sports - especially when you're forced to trust someone you'd rather throw overboard.

I write what I like to call "reluctant romance" - stories where the characters are fighting their feelings every step of the way, usually while being forced into close proximity by circumstances beyond their control. (Because nothing says "confront your feelings" quite like being stuck in a two-person boat with your nemesis.) My characters tend to be stubborn, slightly damaged, and absolutely terrible at expressing their emotions in healthy ways. But hey, they get there eventually!

When I'm not writing, you can usually find me coaching rowing (old habits die hard), attempting to keep my houseplants alive (current success rate: 43%), or exploring London's coffee shops in search of the perfect flat white. I live with my rescue cat, Winston, who has absolutely no interest in rowing but makes an excellent writing companion.

I believe romance novels should be like a good rowing race - intense, occasionally painful, but ultimately rewarding. My stories feature: - Characters who are disasters at relationships but experts in their fields - Sexual tension thick enough to cut with a knife (or an oar) - Banter that walks the line between flirting and fighting - Sports scenes that are actually accurate (because nothing pulls me out of a story faster than badly researched athletics) - Happy endings that feel earned, not given

"See You at the Finish Line" is my debut novel, but I've got more stories lined up featuring the Cambridge rowing scene and the complicated characters who inhabit it. Think enemies-to-lovers with a healthy dose of sports drama and enough emotional baggage to sink a boat.

To my readers: thank you for taking a chance on a new author and these messy, complicated characters who've taken over my life. Your messages about staying up way too late to finish "just one more chapter" make my day every single time. (Though maybe don't blame me for your sleep deprivation in your Goodreads reviews?)

If you enjoy stories where the path to love is about as straight as the River Cam (that's not very, for those who haven't been to Cambridge), then you're in the right place. Come join me for tales of rivalry, romance, and redemption - all set to the rhythm of oars cutting through water at dawn.

And yes, I did actually fall into the Cam multiple times during my rowing career. No, none of those incidents will make it into my books. (Okay, maybe one. But I'm changing the details to protect the guilty.)