I didn’t enjoy this one as much as Mistakes Were Made, but it was fun!

Soccer isn’t a sport I know much about, but that didn’t matter here. I enjoyed the ADHD representation, queer representation, and the relationship between the characters. There was some spice and I enjoyed it.

I love grumpy sunshine! Overall enjoyable!

This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future.

I loved Phoebe and Grace’s story! Sports romances have such a big place in my heart and the dynamics of this was so good. The grumpy/sunshine was perfectly executed and I never once dreaded a third act breakup. I knew from the get-go they would be together and it would be perfect. Meryl Wilsner’s best love story yet!

I really enjoyed Meryl Wilsner’s Mistakes Were Made, but had a hard time accepting the age difference trope (or maybe it was the best friend’s mom piece that really made me uncomfortable). Either way, I struggled with it. So I was excited to jump into another book by her that was a bit more in my comfort zone.

I’m not a huge sports fan, but this book had me so excited about soccer.

This book had a great amount of smut, and was very sexy. Romance-wise, the lack of communication trope is not my favorite. Yes, it ups the tension, but I find it so incredibly frustrating. Overall, great book with some mental and physical health representation.

This was a cute book. I liked the characters and the storyline was intriguing. The neurodivergent rep was nice and I thought the characters had good chemistry. I liked all the soccer too!

I absolutely loved this book!!! A fantastic little sapphic romance! And the LGBTQ+ representation was phenomenal! I’ve honestly not had the chance to read a lot of sapphic romance but this book may have just pushed me into that era!
The only thing I’m sad about is I don’t get to read more of grace and phoebes story!! I also would love to have a chance to know more about teddys story as well!!!

*I received a free ARC from NetGalley*

DNF @ 28%

There were so many things that I didn’t connect with in this story. First was the premise - I personally know nothing about soccer nor does it interest me with the explanation of the rules. Second was the two FMCs - two young women (early 20s) talking to each other and having internal monologues using language of someone about 5 years younger than they are. Third was the first make out/sex scene - a little too in depth in description for people who I’ve come to see as little more than children (based on their communications with each other).

This ARC was provided by the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Meryl Wilsner for this arc!

Cleat Cute follows soccer players Phoebe and Grace, beginning when star Grace Henderson is sidelined due to an injury and Phoebe is brought in to take her spot. Phoebe idolizes Grace, but is met with a grumpy player who lives in fear of what this injury means for her future.

Overall, I had a good time reading this book. The characters were fun, the dialog was snappy, and the setting was exciting. The primary issue with this work was the amount of internal monologue and introspection. Personally, I love a character that is able to look inward, but there was a lot of very repetitive monologuing for Phoebe, and Grace's character felt a little inconsistent in the way she would respond to different situations. All of this combined with the miscommunication made it a bit of a hard read. These pieces being cut down, and more soccer scenes being added in would've made the book more compelling and fast-paced.

This book is a fun rivals-to-lovers romcom that's worth a read. 3/5.

Book includes
- professional women's soccer
- drama
- sapphic romance

Our main characters of Grace and Phoebe are characters that are very realistic which was so nice to see in a romance book. No one was perfect and no one just came in and saved the day, instead the romance was real and messy and I loved it because of that. We have Phoebe who is kind of the golden retriever and just full of energy and the life of the party, and then we have Grace who is more serious and does not like to party at all it seems. One of my favorite things about this book is how these two balance each other out and help the other see things that they had missed.

Overall I enjoyed this book. It was fun, and a nice romance that had a ton of soccer information that was explained so well. One of my favorite things about this book is how it touched on the fact that just because you love something so much and you've always done it and you've put everything towards it doesn't mean you have to stick with it. If you want to move on and trying something else you can and thats okay. I think thats something important that we all need to remember and hear at times and I'm so glad one of the characters heard that and was able to make a choice about something that she had previously felt stuck in.

This is the second book I’ve read by this author and it certainly won’t be my last! I loved a good sapphic romance, and Meryl always delivers!

SAPPHIC SPORTS ROMANCE???? Say less. I love Meryl Wilsner and they knocked it out of the park again, the icon they are. The angst, the humour, the FLIRTING ON FIELD I loved it all. I need this exact book but written about two women on the Team Canada hockey team please and thank you I will do anything.

i was really excited for this one, and while it didn't quite meet my expectations, i still enjoyed it for the most part. i have issues with character decisions and actions that delve into spoiler territory, so i won't share those, but it has to do with the portrayal of ADHD (as someone with ADHD) and similar neurodivergent tendencies. the writing was pretty good, and i liked the characters' chemistry for the most part. i'm less inclined to pick up more books by this author, as it was my first experience with her. but i am indeed glad i read this one! yay soccer sapphics!

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press/St. Martin’s Griffin for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Cleat Cute is the first book I’ve read by Meryl Wilsner and it won’t be the last.

If you’re looking for a spicy and sweet soccer sapphic romance, this book is for you.

Phoebe Matthews is a small town woman whose soccer dreams are all coming true. Grace Henderson is the gruff veteran who enjoys her routines and doesn’t like chaos. Phoebe is pure chaotic good with her energy. Together these two bring the heat.

I really had a hard time with this one! I enjoyed the beginning but really struggled with the rest. I couldn’t connect with either of the characters. The inner monologues were simply too much and too long and I really just did not feel their chemistry.

I absolutely LOVED this book. Wilsner does a great job of building chemistry along with friendship through the book. Although I am not a huge fan of miscommunication tropes, the miscommunication done here was so unique and funny to me while being so obvious to the reader that it wasn't as frustrating. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes sapphic romance, sports romance, or who is missing the olympics coverage. I'm sorry I waited so long to read it!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Ehhh, this was fine. I think this novel has good bones and good intentions, but I didn't love the execution. Lots of internal monologuing, characters who verged on deeply unlikable, and a lame take on enemies to lovers.

What a wonderful sapphic romance. I loved the communication between the two characters. A little drama toward the end was unnecessary, but overall I really enjoyed this one and will look for more by the author.

A hot LGBTQ+ romance about soccer? Yes, PLEASE! The characters and their romance were so cute. But the competitive professional soccer environment? Adds to it!

This was a very fun, sporty, steamy, queer romance! Grace and Phoebe fly off the page. My slight ding is I was questioning the miscommunication in the back half but it didn’t hinder the read at all. Really enjoyed the book!

For all the girlies who watched Bend It Like Beckham.... and thought screw that weird coach guy the girls should end up together... this is for you.

I really LOVED cleat cute. The character's were sooo relatable, so much so that Meryl actually got me to like the miscommunication trope. Not my favourite and I know a deal breaker for some people but honestly the miscommunication did not feel shoe-horned in just to create conflict.

Instead, it was a natural progression of 2 people who communicate differently, with different life experiences just trying to date. It was hilarious and real. Their miscommunication was furthered by the fact that they are both undiagnosed neurodivergent people (Autism and ADHD) and their differing communication needs just added to their confusion with each other. As a neurodivergent person the way these characters were written was perfect and pretty accurate in terms of my own experience. The spice is also on point, feeling perfectly sapphic and not like a category on p*rnhub which can sometimes happen in WLW fiction (not that I expected it to be with a queer author writing it).

I loved the portrayal of celebrity vs passion, and the diversity of the characters and their coming out journeys. There was no judgement for how people and who people chose to share their identities with, and yet a complete celebration of queerness in all its forms.

Great read to end pride month!