International Education Services Teen & Young Adult Book of the Year, in honour of John Treacy

Shortlist 2025

Matched Up

Matched Up

By Jenny Ireland

Lexie’s life is all about football… that is, until she sees Shane for the first time, who completely blows her away. Not only with his ball skills, but with his undeniable good looks and how he’s not like the other boys. Best of all, he feels the same way about her. It’s electricity at first sight.

But there’s a problem.

Shane’s the new club striker, the position that Lexie’s twin brother, Niall, had set his sights on. Now, they must be each other’s biggest secret. Shane’s family situation is complicated, so there isn’t much space for a girlfriend… or is there?

The sneaking around is exciting: after practice, meeting on the beach, hiding from Niall – but things are about to get complicated…

About Jenny Ireland...

Jenny Ireland is a Young Adult writer who lives outside Belfast with her husband, two children and border collie. She is a Law and French Law graduate and former paralegal.

In 2019 she underwent emergency brain surgery. While this experience was relatively traumatic, the close encounter with death has given her the gift of seeing what truly matters in life. Writing books.

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