🥅⚽️ Happy Release Day! ⚽️🥅

This was such a fun loving tale with Phoebe Matthews with her high energy coming in to a new soccer team and Grace Henderson being the veteran all-star player who doesn’t want her trying to take her position.

While Phoebe has always admired Grace she also can’t hide that she is also attracted to her. Grace is hard to read though and is all business when it comes to her playing on the field.

They were such a good fit for each other, balancing out each other’s strengths and weaknesses.

When Grace is sidelined with an injury and fearing how and when she will get back Phoebe works to prove she doesn’t want her spot. They are better when they are playing together on and off the field.

This has great representation of anxiety, undiagnosed ADHD and autism. I love that they were there for each other and broached the topic to help them.

I received an arc for review, all opinions are my own and given freely.

That's it Meryl Wilsner is now an auto buy author for me!

This was the perfect nostalgic sports romcom I didn't realize I needed this week. The Sports aspect reminded me of all the 90s sports movies, the romance reminded me of For the Love of the Game. I loved Grace and Pheobe, they were great main characters to follow. Watching them meet at camp and then become more than just teammates was fun to watch.

More than that, I loved reading about "introverted" Grace and "ADHD" Phoebe and how their opposites attract really worked for them. Their friendship felt genuine but more than that their romance was Steamy with an absolute capital and bolded S. I was invested far before that but the steam was a great addition to this.

Top marks for Wilsner talking about neurodiversity and mental health were a great addition here. There were many moments that I felt seen and heard in a lot of what Wilsner was writing. Grace and Pheobe figuring out their neurodiversity together and being supportive of one another was wildly important. It wasn't there to be a diversity point it was there because it was necessary, and it was never a problem to be neurospicy--which let's be honest is beautiful in of itself because there are so many people who are but will never admit it.

I cannot recommend this enough and feel like the Bend it Like Beckham fans would absolutely love this! 4.5/5 rounded up to 5 stars

Sex in the shower. I repeat; SEX IN THE SHOWER, and on the….well just read the damn book. It’s absolutely wild that every book by Meryl Wilsner is a hit. There is enough soccer for the sports sapphics, enough sex for the non-sports sapphics–so don’t pass this one up! I was never ready for it to be over and I could have read another 100k words about these two. Let’s pause for a minute though so I can say:

HOLY F***ING NEURODIVERGENT REPRESENTATION!!!! It was so clear, but so nuanced that I’m convinced this is an “own voices” story or Wilsner is one hell of a researcher on the topic. Who am I kidding…it’s probably both! The acute and systemic ways Phoebe struggles and thrives with ADHD are accurate in experience as well as observation. Her feelings about her own ADHD are familiar, frustrating, exhausting, and empowering. It was clear to me very early in the story that Grace was autistic, but I wasn’t sure if that was intentional. The way her storyline and self-discovery fit right alongside Phoebe’s was simply irresistible.

Some of my favorite quotes:
“Maybe this isn’t a metaphor. Mathews is actually just sharing facts about mushrooms.”

“Grace follows rules–not only rules like don’t disobey authority but rules for interactions, for conversation. So much of the world seems like it has to happen a certain way.”

There is so much packed into this book! It reads like a coming of age in adulthood story that just proves: there is always more to know about ourselves; we get to decide what we want in life; and, it’s okay to let people see the real you.

After singing the praises of Meryl Wilsner’s last book (MISTAKES WERE MADE - which you should read), I was SO excited to get my hands on a copy of their newest book. CLEAT CUTE is, to me, the perfect romance novel. It has 2 really complex and unique characters, tension, great supporting characters, and the perfect mix of interesting plot and steamy scenes. Finishing this book is leaving me with overwhelming feelings of joy and appreciation for the romance genre. This book is GOOD.

Also, as an adult woman with ADHD, I felt so seen by Phoebe’s character. I don’t think I’ve ever read a romance novel where one of the MC’s has ADHD (I know they exist!) and just the little comments about how her mind is never quiet or her time management issues really meant a lot to me! Thank you for that, MW. 🫶

More lesbian sports romance in 2023, PLEASE!

Huge thank you to @smpromance @stmartinspress for the advance copy and to @macmillan.audio for the advanced audiobook. I read about half physical and half audiobook and would recommend both formats. The audiobook is GOOD and has two narrators for the alternate pov which we LOVE.

This is a sapphic soccer romance following two different characters. There is a great balance between soccer and romance in this book, allowing to see both of the characters grow in their own way. I really enjoyed the soccer aspect of this book, there isn't too much where if you do not like soccer you'll be lost, but just enough soccer references and info that if you do follow soccer it makes you smile!

This was a really enjoyable read! I'm not a big soccer fan or sports romance fan, but I am a sucker for a sapphic Meryl Wilsner novel.

This book is rivals- to FWB- relationship featuring neurodivergent MCs. I enjoyed that there was a main romance plot as well as an external WoSo plot with the national team.

I do wish there had been more expansion on the external plot- it really only gets resolved in the epilogue. There was also some conflict with the soccer coach that was never fully resolved either. Additionally, I wish the epilogue had been more focused on the main couple.

Meryl Wilsner does it again with this absolutely adorable book about Phoebe, a young woman being drafted to a professional soccer team, the same team where Grace, her hero/crush plays. Unfortunately said Grace has been burned in the past and has no intention of letting anyone close again for fear that they're going to use and hurt her. Soccer balls and sparks fly but can Phoebe convince Grace that she is interested in her as a person and not as a leg up in the soccer world?

I really enjoyed this book, I couldn't put it down! I've loved every Meryl Wilsner book so far and this one does not disappoint.

I’m not gonna lie, this one lost me for a bit in the middle. I really enjoyed the first couple of chapters, and then I felt stuck in a Groundhog Day situation until about the last 20%

There was so much to like and love about this story: the representation, the humanness of the characters, the soccer storyline, the friendships, etc.

I just wanted it to delve more into that and less into how much grace and Phoebe miscommunicated and didn’t understand each other.

Loved the concept, it brought me back around at the end for sure, but could have done some more developing/editing in the middle, imo.

Thanks to NetGalley, as well as the author and publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Phoebe Matthews is the talkative jokester that just got drafted to play with the New Orleans Krewe.
Phoebe is star struck by Grace Henderson, she finally gets the opportunity to call her idol her captain. But Grace quickly realizes how opposite they truly are. Grace is the serious captain that’s strictly here for business. After one dare, these two opposites realize how quick they attract.

Thank you NetGalley and Meryl Wilsner for the ARC. I absolutely adored Grace and Phoebe’s relationship. The story was cute and fluffy. As a soccer player, it was nice to finally read a soccer romance that revolved around soccer and romance equally. Although I enjoyed the plot and the cute relationship between the characters, I do wish it wasn’t in third person. I had a hard time staying focused with all the internal monologue. I felt like there was a lot of saying instead of doing. Aside from that, I do recommend this book, it was fun and cute!

4ish stars

I’m not a big fan of soccer or sports in general (or books about them), so I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about it being the major backdrop of this sapphic romcom, but I decided to give it a try because I read and enjoyed a previous book from the author (and because I loved the cover). I did like the book and the co-protagonists; I was rooting for them. Wow, though, do they just launch right into the vivid sex scenes; I don’t know why the first one caught me by surprise, but I was expecting a bit more lead-up to it. Not necessarily a bad thing, but a point to note. Overall, the book was sweet, serious, and funny, filled with soccer, sex, drama, and fun. I’m sure many others will also appreciate it.

The title alone made me know I was going to enjoy this book! This is the sweetest, sexiest grumpy/sunshine romance I've read in a long time. Phoebe Matthews is a professional soccer rookie drafted from an essentially unknown college. She loves the game, loves life, loves sex, and loves her family. This character is so fun and full of joy- I completely believed her. Grace Henderson is a 26 year old soccer veteran and superstar who started playing professionally while still a teenager, and while she still loves the game she has lost a lot of her joy because she keeps doing what she "should" do as a veteran and captain. The two women meet and while they couldn't be more opposite the sparks fly almost immediately. Grace in particular fights her desire and feelings because she has been hurt before, but when an injury sidelines her she is forced to examine herself and her supposedly casual, "friends with benefits" relationship with Phoebe.

The pacing of the plot felt a little slow at times and I found it dragging just a bit in the middle, but overall I really loved this book. There is ADHD, autistic, trans, non-binary, and lesbian representation that is all very thoughtful and authentic. The characters feel real, like they are out there living in the world, and author Meryl Wilsner is a master of dialog. I found myself grinning and tearing up at various points, and the sex scenes are plentiful, non-repetitive, and hot.

Thank you NetGalley, Meryl Wilsner, and St. Martin's Griffin for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own. If you're a fan of sports romance and LGBTQIA+ themes, this book is a no-brainer. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

This book had me missing my soccer days, but oh so happy that I am a lesbian.

Cleat Cute is a sapphic romance between two soccer players on the same team. Phoebe Matthews has grown up loving soccer and looking up to her idol Grace Henderson. When she gets the call up to the January camp for the U.S. Women's National team, she can't believe it. Upon arrival, she quickly makes an impression on Grace. Phoebe is everything Grace isn't, and everything she shouldn't like. Phoebe's loudness and skill with a soccer ball quickly endear her to Grace, who tries to do anything but let her in. When a bet is lost and the two share a brief kiss, nothing is the same. Unable to push past the obvious attraction, Poebe sets out to do the things she is best at; getting the girl and scoring the goal.

This book. This Book! I loved it. It brought my sapphic soccer heart joy. the characters were so well fleshed out and the representation they brought was incredible. having them both identify as Lesbian but in their own ways is so important. It shows how being queer is not the same for everyone, and that a person's identity is unique to them. The Autism and ADHD representation was also very good in my opinion. It felt very realistic without being too stereotypical.

The only drawback for me was the miscommunication. I have a personal vendetta against the miscommunication trope, so this brought it down from being a perfect book to me. Looking over that, I hope that this book can bring queer joy to everyone that reads it.

I received this arc from NetGalley and Griffin in exchange for an honest review.

I normally hate the miscommunication trope and this book is full of it but both Phone and Grace were so endearing in their own ways it almost made sense. Phone with her ADHD that she’s been trying to handle on her own and Grace with her anxiety and self-worth being tied to soccer were both so relatable and fun. Both felt grounded and you empathized with both of their plights and frustrations. I’d definitely recommend picking this up for a fun, flirty, sapphic, soccer rom com.

I have been a fan of Meryl Wilsner’s books for a while, and Cleat Cute didn’t disappoint. With a dual POV, the stories of Grace and Phoebe are told seamlessly, and Wilsner crafts characters that feel real and you find yourself rooting for in this sapphic, rivals-to-lovers romance.

As Phoebe worked to get settled in and find her place among her two new teams, she was my favorite of the two main characters. As someone who was diagnosed with ADHD later in life, her struggles were very relatable.

With as well as Phoebe’s character was portrayed, Grace’s fell a little flat in comparison. She was often off-putting and prickly, as well as quick to jump to the worst conclusions.

Overall, I really enjoyed Cleat Cute. It was all the things I love in a romance — queer, steamy, and lots of fun! In addition to all of that, Wilsner's LGBTQIA+ and Neurodivergent representation was such a breath of fresh air.

In this sapphic sports romance, two teammates fall in love as their soccer team prepares for the World Cup. Miscommunications abound, but they ultimately lead our characters to figuring out what they want and need.

I’m not a soccer fan at all, and I still enjoyed this cute and breezy read. The sizzling chemistry between Grace and Phoebe made my four-star rating a must.

Both characters really endeared themselves to me. I really related to Phoebe’s inability to mask who she is and her need to love out loud. Grace’s introversion, and fear that she’s always saying or doing the wrong thing, resonated with me, too.

I thought the way they communicated throughout most of the story was excellent. They addressed their issues with one another head-on, even if they sometimes didn’t always say exactly what they meant. You may feel a bit exasperated at times if the miscommunication trope bothers you, but it wasn’t a big deal for me.

However, this book wasn’t without a few issues. The third person POV made it difficult for me to get invested in the characters at times, though I know that’s more of a personal preference.

There were also some things I didn’t love about the writing style. The narrator often referred to the characters as “the redhead” and “the brunette,” which felt a little cringey to me. The abundance of internal monologue was a bit grating at times, too, though it did make sense in Grace’s case.

I also wish the author would have touched on both characters’ neurodivergence more. I loved the representation, but it felt like a bit of a throwaway at the end of the book.

However, this was still a really fun and sweet read with wonderful characters. I’d definitely recommend it for any fans of spicy sports romances and I’m excited to read more by this author!

I received a copy from NetGalley and the publisher for review.

I started off really loving Cleat Cute, but by the end I had thoughts. Right away I picked up that Phoebe was ADHD coded and undiagnosed and I really enjoyed seeing it. As someone, who is low-key self diagnosed it was super relatable to be in the headspace of a main character who for lack of a better word is too focused on everything, I think the representation was really well done. Another thing that I really loved was the first bet and reward ;). It was spicy and I love that the author kept going with it. It really helped pull Grace's personality out when she was interacting with Phoebe.

Some of the draw backs of the writing hurt the reading experience, in my opinion. Right around 50-60% the plot kind of fizzled out and I lost a little bit of interest in reading, but it picked back up around 65-68% once the two main characters have their first big fight.

Phoebe and Grace could not be more different. Grace has been a member of the USWNT for years, and captain of her pro team just as long. She’s dedicated, focused and extraordinarily private. Her sexuality has never been a secret exactly, but she’s never been public about her attraction to women. Phoebe enters her life like a tornado. Drafted to the NOLA pro team out of a small college, she is eager, talkative and outgoing. Basically, Grace’s nightmare. But when an injury sidelines Grace and Phoebe needs her mentorship, sparks start to fly and these two very different women may have found more than they bargained for.

I love the setting of this one as New Orleans is one of my favorite cities, and the chemistry between the FMCs is fun and believable. I can’t wait to finish it and see how it ends for Phoebe, Grace and the USWNT!

Read this book if you love Bend it Like Beckham but wanted Jules and Jess to end up together! Or if you're a Ted Lasso fan and thing Roy and Jamie would make a cute couple!

Overall, this was a very fun read. I don't think I loved the storytelling style though. Maybe I'm not a fan of 3rd person? I'm not sure, but it just didn't wow me the way other romances have.

The author does a really great job of representing a wide variety of queer identities without anything feeling forced or unauthentic. I also liked that there was some neurodivergent rep as well. I enjoyed the overall romance story arc and Grace and Phoebe were interesting characters.

I wish we had gotten more soccer.

3.5 stars.

Holy inner monologues Batman. If you’re wanting to know the inner workings of two overthinking lesbians, Cleat Cute is for you.

Overall, Cleat Cute was…cute (I make myself lol). There was a fun progression from coworkers to friends with benefits to lovers, with an interesting dynamic of the rookie versus veteran. Despite there only being a four year age gap, Grace felt so much older than Phoebe. But some of that may be their respective neurodivergence.

And that brings me to Phoebe. She exhausted me. Just never. stopped. talking. I appreciate the discussion about neurodivergence and ADHD and the stigma still associated with it, but I still struggled liking either character.

The best part of Cleat Cute was the chemistry. All the spicy scenes (and there were many) were well written and hot. But the romance fell flat for me, as I couldn’t connect with either character.

Despite all that, Cleat Cute was still a cute and easy read. Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the review copy.

Like all Meryl Wilsner books that came before it, Cleat Cute is a very sexy and smart sapphic rom-com with a Ted Lasso spin. With the Women’s World Cup and all the other soccer themed books being released, this stands out not only for being LGBTQ, but also because it deals with mental issues in a very authentic manner. While still being hot AF LOL. The relationship between Phoebe and Grace is complicated, all the more for their own personal issues and histories as well as the fact they’re teammates. And it feels very real, and not once during the book did I think “yeah, that would never happen in real life”… bc at times it was borderline cringey, or I got secondhand embarrassment bc of something one of them did - that’s real and relatable! And honestly kinda refreshing to read over all the swoons and perfect romances out there.