Cleat Cute wasn't cute. It was spicy and thought-provoking and emotional. I appreciate the alliteration of the title, but "cute" is not the right word here. Haha

First and foremost, this book had representation out the wazoo. Autism rep, ADHD rep, lesbian rep, queer rep, trans rep--I appreciated how diversely the author created characters and also that these characters felt like real people--not a diversity quota.

I can see how readers would be put off by Grace and Phoebe because these women have strong personalities. For me, I loved how obvious their personalities were because their decisions aligned exactly with their characters. There was no ambiguity. In any given situation, I could tell you how Phoebe and Grace would react because the author made who they are clear to the reader.

I liked the women's soccer setting (should I get into women's soccer) and liked how the characters were good at their jobs. I hate it when an mc's work ability starts to overshadow the romance. I liked the romance, but something was missing. This would have been a 5-star read if the author was able to completely deliver on the romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an e-arc for an honest review.

honestly hoped I would enjoy this sunshine/grumpy soccer romance more then I did. this follows Phoebe as she joins the national team and Grace, the captain.

okay so just as im writing this.. I realized that I actually didn’t even like this as much as I thought I did because I don’t have much good to say about it. the best thing about it was probably the representation. i love some good neurodivergent and lesbian rep but even that didn’t really help this much for me.

me not liking this was majorly a me problem because it just didn’t have things I like. one of my least favorite tropes was very present here, miscommunication. it was just annoying especially since they’re adults like please talk properly.

also another preference was that I’m not a huge fan of smut. usually though ill at least skim through it (because sometimes it has some character development and stuff,) but this was just filled with them talking about cunts and being called babygirl.

overall though, I’d reccomend for those who don’t mind the things i mentioned. a lot of this was pretty fun otherwise and it seems like a lot of others like it!

Cutesie but at times hard to follow with regards to the internal monologging. Overall this was a fun read and I really enjoyed it.

Cleat Cute is a great romance read that I enjoyed much more than I expected. I think what stands out to me the most was how nerodivergence (ADHD and autism, respectively) was displayed and woven into the two main characters. I wish this had been a larger plot point, actually, with more clear discussion. However, I understand why it was used as it was, and it did raise a good point about how such things CAN affect adults who never received an earlier diagnosis.

I generally just liked Phoebe and Grace, the two MC love interests, and it was interesting to read about the two of them together and how they both approached their sport. I'm not a big sports fan, but what sports moments were included were well done and fit the narrative. I also missed New Orleans reading this though completely disagree with Phoebe and Grace with regards to King Cake. Randazzo's forever.

One criticism I do have, though, is that the novel could have done without the whole "hero worship" angle. It honestly didn't add anything and, in fact, made some aspects confusing. If there had been a greater age difference or the "overcoming who I thought you were and grow to love who you are", then there would have been more narrative weight. The fact that it was only 4 years difference, and didn't really affect the story, just made it a weird thing to keep harping on.

I will add that, as an aro-ace, mostly sex neutral, for certain content sex repulsed, the spicy parts were a little too spicy for me, but perfectly acceptable if you're fully sex-neutral or sex-positive. They were well-written, showed clear and enthusiastic consent, and actually held details that helped build the characters. I could have done with less of them overall, but again, that's due to me and not any failure on the book (especially since this is a romance book, where this content is to be expected).

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for this honest review.

Sadly my arc expired before I could read it, as I had a very busy November. What little I did read I really enjoyed and I hope to return to this book and give a proper review in the future.

This book was okay. I found that one of the main characters was seriously overstepping in regards to the others health/ADHD diagnosis. I’ve had to navigate this myself as an adult with ADHD who was diagnosed in adulthood and I would not have taken this kind of pushing well.

Aside from that the story is okay, I expected to enjoy it more after loving this author’s previous novel but this was more middle of the road.

3 stars

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley & St. Martin’s Press for the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Meryl Wilsner is one of my favorite romance authors.

I don't know how they do it. CLEAT CUTE somehow managed to be both so f**king hot and cute cute cute. As a sports fan, I loved that it featured two professional athletes: Grace, a long-time star of the U.S. Women's National Team, and Phoebe, who's recently been invited to training camp with the national team.

But, and I say this with so much love for Meryl in my heart, my kingdom for a book about athletes that doesn't let diet culture creep in. There's a comment about Grace not eating more than half of a po-boy because they're always too much bread for her. Too much bread. In other words, carbs. For a professional athlete? Who spends hours a day torching those very carbs for energy? Yes, it was one sentence, but it totally took me out of the story.

And then I really wanted a few more scenes of the pair toward the end of the story, to balance out some of the introspection and explanation.

So, not quite 5 stars for me. But still, a romance I was delighted to read. I don't care what the premise of Wilsner's next book is; I'll be clamoring for a copy.

This book had a fun premise and was very entertaining, but ultimately was not for me. The grumpy/sunshine dynamic was well done, and I enjoyed the friendships within the team. However, many of the interactions between Phoebe and Grace I found to be uncomfortable or stilted, and those were the interactions that needed to be the best.

I do think that readers more interested in sports may have a better time with it. Thank you to netgalley for an e-arc of this book

I did enjoy the story line, but not so parts of it. It just wasn't my thing and haven't read a book that went into detail like this book did. I just skipped over those parts. I am not sure that I would recommend this book unless I was 100% positive the person would not mind.

Well, this was seriously adorable! Rivals to lovers set on the soccer pitch. Phoebe is a soccer phenom and her time is now. She is ready to take on her role as a professional player and it’s a perk that her long time idol Grace is her teammate. This one is full of spice and soccer.
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Thank you #StMartinsPress and #NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

Massive thanks to NetGalley & St. Martin’s Griffin for the gifted copy, which I voluntarily read & reviewed.

Cleat Cute by Meryl Wilsner is if Ted Lasso was about a women’s professional soccer team & they had an intra-team romance. Thanks to the vibes of an elder grumpy captain of the team meets the young, sunshine, fresh breath of a rookie of the team, I could not help but be reminded of my favorite show, Ted Lasso.

This book made me realize how few sports romances I am aware of that are about woman sports & I sincerely hope that changes for the better because professional women’s sports deserve all the love & hype. & the fact that this one has two badass women as athletes & leads is incredible.

Cleat Cute is perfect for fans of
⚽️ Sports Romance
⚽️ FF Romance
⚽️ Opposites Attract
⚽️ Rookie meets Seasoned Vet/Captain

The juxtaposition of the two different characters with their opposite personalities & seasons of life provided a fascinating backdrop to a beautiful love story. Without giving spoilers away, there were talks of mental health & I just had to say I really appreciated that.

As a fan of New Orleans as well, it was a treat to be able to visit the city through this story as well.

If you are looking for a badass women’s soccer romance, then this is a fantastic recommendation for you & one I highly recommend!


Thanks to back surgery, I got behind on reviews but I am catching up & I sincerely apologize for my tardiness.

Do I like real life sports? Nope. Do I love fictional sports? Yep! If you were a closeted child during the Bend It Like Beckham era, and spent the whole movie waiting for Jess and Juliette to get it together this book is for you.

I have read all three of Wilsner’s books so far and this one might be my favorite. Grace and Phoebe have such good chemistry from their first interaction, and to make it better this book was genuinely funny.

Phoebe may be a rookie in professional soccer but certainly doesn’t lack the confidence. I love the balance of strength in who she is, and knowing how good she is, with her honest vulnerability. Phoebe hides nothing and it makes her so endearing as a character.

Grace shocked me a little, I felt going into the book she was going to be an ice queen, but she never read that way to me. She was professional, introverted for sure, but her relationships with her teammates weren’t harsh. Even in the early interactions with Phoebe, she was never cold, more respectfully distant. Watching her slowly melt, learn to lean on others and build herself up to the person she wanted to show the world was beautiful.

One last thing, I absolutely loved the point Wilsner made in having Grace and Phoebe identify, out loud, as lesbians. Not every sapphic is a lesbian, but if you are please know it is not a dirty word.

Arc received from netgalley; all thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is my third book by Meryl Wilsner, and it did not disappoint. We are all screaming for more sports romance, and this is the book we all wanted. Sapphic romance with soccer is just the perfect combination. The banter, the spice, and Meryl hitting the nose on nothing is sexier than playing hard. It gave me the pictures my fourteen-year-old brain needed watching that soccer movie with Blake Lively... I adored Cleat Cute and will suggest this to all my sports-loving friends. This is her best work yet; I can't wait to see what is next.

Tropes:
-Sport Romance
-Opposites Attract
-Sapphic Romance

Grace is annoying.
I wouldn't have had the patience.

Over all this book was fine, there are good moments but Grace was a lot. She criticized everything and everyone and her constantly complaining about being old was gross. You're in your twenties, get over it.

This book started out well enough. I'm a huge soccer fan so all of the soccer talk within the women's league, college soccer, the USWNT, it was all so interesting to me. The spicy, open door sex scenes in this book were not for me. I could feel the tension and heat between Grace and Phoebe, and I enjoyed that well enough. The dialogue coming from Phoebe was too much though. Specifically, her constantly calling Grace "baby girl" just weirded me out. This book wasn't bad, but it wasn't for me.

𝙄’𝙢 𝙡𝙤𝙪𝙙 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙤𝙗𝙣𝙤𝙭𝙞𝙤𝙪𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙜𝙖𝙮. 𝙄𝙩’𝙨 𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙖 𝙢𝙮 𝙗𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙙” me2 😂⁣
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Y’all the way this book has been the only thing I can think about is wild. I loved it so much and I wish I could live in their world 🤍
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• I loved all the characters but Phoebe is my new all time fav. She was funny, spicy, confident, compassionate, outgoing, just everything ❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥⁣
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• The chemistry between Phoebe and Grace was insane. Like seriously from the first chapter I knew it was them. The vibes ✨✨✨⁣
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• This book had me craving beignets so bad and I don’t even like beignets🤤⁣
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• quote from my notes “Phoebe is so spicy and witty and flirty I LIVE we love a flirty queen “ #PhoebeStanAccount 😂🪩💜⁣
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• Fight or Flight or Fuck mode had me 😂⁣
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• The steam was STEAMIN yall like 😰🌶️🥵🔥❤️‍🔥 like “shut up and put your mouth to better use” excuse me ⁣
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• Graces family was 😭❤️‍🩹⁣
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• Her coming out killed me in the best way y’all. I was crying 🥹❤️😭⁣
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Over 10/10 recommend this to any and everyone who just needs a good book to read. Even if you don’t like romance this one just might sell ya 😊😉

This is such a lighthearted but impactful read. Really loved the soccer aspect, which I didn’t think I would! My only complaint is that I wish it was longer!

Meryl Wilsner knows what she's doing when it comes to spice. It's hot, fun, and never too self serious. This is one of the things I love about her books, but her books are not simply this. The characters are well drawn, and the world she builds feels completely real. I know nothing about women's soccer, but it felt to me that she did that world justice. I also like that the drama in the relationship and in the characters' lives is not over the top. It feels like the problems actual people have and the resolution feels honest. I read romance for fun, and sometimes the dramatic foils in the plot feel too much to really just enjoy it. Wilsner creates an excellent balance.

3 stars

I liked the idea of this book and thought it was fun and cute but it just wasn't for me. I thought that the interactions between phoebe and grace were a little awkward and stilted at times. The internal monologues could be brutal and rambling.

The spice was spicy and good. I liked the different dynamic and conversations around sex and that they checked on each other. That being said, I did think the grumpy/sunshine trope was done well. I also liked relationships/friendships within the team. The neurodivergent rep was well done too.

I had high expectations for cleat cute since i enjoyed mistakes were made a whole lot but for some reason I just didn’t care too much about these two being romantically together.

Grace was kind of boring to follow for the first half of the book and phoebe was a fun character. I didn’t like how the author made being 26 sound so old, it felt like they were stretching for an age gap that wasn’t necessary. There’s no rivals to lovers trope going on- so that’s misrepresented which was a huge let down for me personally. The sex scenes were everything

Anyways, the story was okay in regards to phoebe and grace individually.