I would like to start by saying Meryl Wilsner is my favorite author by far. I loved their first two books and have reread them an embarrassing amount of times. When I found out about this book, I knew I needed to read it, not only because I love the author but because I am also the worlds biggest sports fan — especially soccer. I am in love with the real USWNT and have been since I was a kid. This book is exactly what I have wanted for literal years. And I enjoyed it a fair amount. However, as much as I wanted to love it, there were a few parts of the book that I was slightly disappointed with. As someone who loves this authors work, I have always loved the way they dealt with conflict with minor/outlying characters. So when I started reading this book and one of the MC’s Grace had a past situationship I was PUMPED. I loved the actual plot line for that confrontation but I will admit it fell a bit flat for me. I felt like the conflict had resolved a bit too easily and a bit too cartoony for my personal taste. Did I still love the book? Yes. But overall, I genuinely believe this book could have been improved with more pages. I felt like a lot of my favorite parts of the book got resolved too quickly or were mentioned but never dived into enough. Graces call with her parents, the past situationship, the WC in general were all plot points I adored but think could have been improved with a bit better pacing. That being said, I still love the author and adore their work and maybe upon one of my inevitable rereads I may feel differently. Can’t wait for their next book. Thanks for the advanced copy!

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this arc!

CLEAT CUTE is a sapphic. dual POV romance centered around 2 soccer players on the same AWSA team. I've read one of Meryl Wilsner's earlier works and I thought it was okay, but this book has gotten a lot of buzz so I was pretty excited and curious to read this one.

If you like miscommunication in romance, this book is for you. While I loved both Phoebe and Grace and their dynamic, the miscommunication between the two of them on their relationship with each other became a little exhausting towards the end. However, their personalities were a lot of fun and they definitely felt fleshed out with real emotion! I was rooting for them the entire time, but often times I wanted to shake one or the other or both and say "just talk it out!!!" But then again, it wouldn't be a miscommunication romance without those times.

I especially enjoyed the neurodivergence representation and how much Grace simply wanted to help make Phoebe's life a little bit easier. I felt like that part of the book was handled very well.

I do think that if you love sports romance, this is a really unique and fun one to read. I don't know ANYTHING about soccer but I was able to follow along easily. I think if you are a fan of Everything for You by Chloe Liese or The Long Game by Elena Armas, you'll enjoy this one!

Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for a digital ARC - pub date 9/19/2023. This book is a delightful read with sapphic love, inclusion, neurodiversity, hot sex, banter, soccer, and New Orleans food. It's like Meryl Wilsner sat me down and said "quick, name some of your top favorite things." (Okay, so soccer doesn't usually make that list but it is one of the few sports I enjoy watching while being clueless and women soccer teams always kick ass.)

On one hand, you have Grace Henderson - the serious veteran, the one with it all together, the one who everyone else looks to when things are going crazy, the seriously overwhelmed and empty metaphorical cup but don't tell anyone that because she IS SOCCER and what would she be WITHOUT SOCCER? Then, on the other hand, you have Phoebe Matthews - the rookie with more energy than the sun and thus is literaly SUNSHINE to Grace's Grump, the one who gets along with everyone, the one who loves soccer but also loves ladies with an equal passion, the one who keeps a dozen plates spinning but still goes SQUIRREL?! You know where this is going - Grumpy/Sunshine, opposites attract, etc. You would be right and you still should totally read it. Told in alternating POV chapters, you get into both Phoebe and Grace's heads and this gives both of them more depth than the stereotype and helps you understand the dynamic and believe what draws them to each other. There is also an awkward lovely friendship arc that they try out, friends with benefits, and it will make you want to laugh and shake them all at once.

What really makes the book are the characters. The plot itself hums along with some beloved tropes and smart interactions and a clipping pace but there are no huge twists. So what keeps you going (aside from the excellent writing and eagerly waiting for the next smoking hot sex scene) is the banter and interactions. Conversations range from hilarious to serious, revealing to superficial, and everything in between. Then you have such a range of characters; the book is full of the alphabet mafia and respectful of all leanings, both sexual and gender. You have non-binary, trans, straight, queer, etc. Then you also have a range of neurodivergance, presented with the author's respect beneath even the most awkward and poorly chosen character words. AKA you know the author is all good even when the character says something so borderline rude that you know it's not Meryl's words. ADHD, depression, anxiety, autism - they all exist in varying levels even if Grace and Phoebe are almost shockingly oblivious to their own issues until made to think about it. Again, totally in character.

Over all, this is such a fun read and I was barely into when I knew that I HAD to get the title to at least one friend. It's that kind of charmer.

thanks to net galley for sending me the e-arc of this book!

and she strikes again!
meryl wilsner’s novels are truly so fun to read and are a blast to get through.
if at all possible, i liked this book even MORE than i liked mistakes were made. grace and phoebe were so intriguing to read about, and their chemistry was unmatched.
while this book is about two soccer players, and i am not a fan of soccer, i still found the gameplay super interesting and easy to follow (as someone who knows nothing abt it).
this was such a great read and i’m super excited to see physical copies on shelves!

I was a fan of this author after reading Mistakes Were Made but this book has just secured them a position as an auto-buy author for me. I absolutely adored this novel.

The best part of this novel is not only the characters (who are absolutely phenomenal) but just the way the book is written. There were so many moments of just absolutely brilliant writing where by the end of the scene, I had to look up in wonder at what this author had just done.

I’ll give you a brief example from ~20% into the novel. There is this phenomenal scene where, after a night out, Grace visits Phoebe at the diner she works at. After overthinking the entire evening, Grace came to the conclusion that as the team captain, she should inform Phoebe, in a professional way, that she needs to behave more professionally, even when out on the town. The way this conversation flows however is just so mesmerizing in that, by the end, Grace has lost all control and sway in the conversation and Phoebe has completely turned everything on its head and Grace is at a complete loss as to what to say or do. It changes the game for everyone, but it also was just so seamlessly written.

Additionally, we get these subtle reveals that are hinted at throughout the novel, but remain unconfirmed until they are naturally revealed, but without much fanfare, which makes it all the more engaging; as a reader, you’re hunting for what the author is trying to say. Wilsner doesn’t explicitly tell you what to think until they reveal what’s really going on for the reader to have that “aha” moment and it’s phenomenal.

I love the representation. We have multiple sapphic couples, non-binary characters, women soccer players, ADHD, autism, mental health, therapy, etc. It’s just a lot of really great representation in one novel .

Finally, I just loved the characters. Phoebe and Grace have my whole heart. And yes, this book is spicy!

Whatever Wilsner writes next, I’m reading it.

Let's start with the fact that I don't like sports, yet I loved this book. We meet Grace, a veteran star soccer player, and Phoebe, the new recruit who has looked up to Grace since her youth. I loved both of these main characters equally, which is rare for me. Wilsner builds up their story at a great pace with exactly enough open door spice.

One thing that also stood out to me was Phoebe's confidence in herself and her queerness. While she has some insecurities in relationships for *reasons* (no spoiler here), she is direct and flirty without being arrogant. She's also steady in building her friendship with Grace who is definitely the grumpy character to Phoebe's sunshine.

Grace is struggling with what fame has meant for her and how she shows up in the world. Even though Grace isn't out, there's no shame for either character around their queerness or their feelings for each other.

I lost sleep to finish this book, and I'm ready to reread it already!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun and flirty sapphic sports romance! I love these types of stories where someone ends up with their idol. I puts an exciting spin on the story. I enjoyed Phoebe and Grace's journey from fan/idol to teammates to friends to friends with benefits to romantic partners. They found each other when they each were on different precipices in their lives and the pressure of those situations made their romance a bit more difficult.

Meryl Wilsner knows how to write a sex scene! Phoebe and Grace were HOT in the bedroom!

Steam level: 🔥🔥🔥

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Phoebe Matthews’ dream has come true in being drafter to a profession soccer team, and on top of that, her new captain will be her childhood hero. Grace Henderson is about to have her team and her life shaken up by the exuberant young Phoebe.

If you enjoy sports romance, and Sapphic romance, this book is for you! It is quite spicy, and has opposites attract, grumpy/sunshine vibes. I think it could have focused more on character development, but it was still a fun romance. I enjoyed the soccer and the bonds between their teammates. There was a lot of representation of different facets of the LGBTQ+ community, and that was wonderful to see. And supportive family relationships. I think maybe it took on too much towards the end, when it could have strengthened themes that were already there.

This isn't really a sports romance - while the characters are both soccer players, the actual game is not very central to the book. We don't even get to meet the team besides a couple of very minor characters, there is mention a few times that it's a World Cup year but there is no big championship or anything - it is very not central to the book. Grace and Phoebe also don't really start out at rivals. Phoebe worships Grace as a veteran player, but there's never really the expectation that she would replace her on the roster.

The main plot does revolve around Grace and Phoebe, both neurodivergent characters playing on the New Orleans team, and who end up starting a FWB turned serious relationship during the pre-season. Phoebe (the rookie) is a big ball of ADHD energy and is extremely adorable. Grace (the veteran) is more of an anxious mess, and is written as autistic, though I found her much harder to like as a character. I did love the part where Phoebe decided that they were dating and Grace had no idea because it was never stated explicitly. That's exactly the sort of misunderstanding that I can imagine having with my autistic partner.

The thing that didn't click with me so much is the amount of talking, and the amount of introspection. It was just... a lot. About every little thing. I don't feel like I really needed to know every detail of how Grace likes to wear her hair and how she feels about sports bras, and for me it made the book a bit of a drag. It also felt weird for a third person book to go into so much detail on the thoughts and feelings of the characters. It may have worked better in first person and written in more of the character's own voices.

The other thing that bothered me, but not a deal breaker at all, was that the sex scenes, while very well written, didn't really move the plot forward. They seemed a bit sudden and over the top and actually had a tendency to interrupt moments in the relationship rather than shape them. The parts of the book where they were exploring New Orleans together and "is this a date or not" were pretty cute, I do love NOLA and really enjoyed reading about Phoebe getting to know the city.

Overall it's a cute book, very low angst and did resolve nicely, but had some parts that seemed to drag on and on.

I couldn't stop smiling while listening to that book. It was a straight up grinfest from start to finish and I loved every minute of it. Phoebe and Grace are hopelessly in love, all while circling each other on the pitch. It's a grumpy/sunshine sapphic romance with so much drama and love, both on and off the field. It also discusses adult neurodivergence diagnoses, American healthcare, and going after what you want and what serves you. I would love to see more soccer or sports romances from Meryl Wilsner, especially if we stay with the New Orleans team.

*Thank you to St Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review and to Macmillan Audio for the gifted ALC*

I'm nearly positive that I screamed when I found out about this book (I mean, a sapphic soccer romance??), and it definitely lived up to the hype. Cleat Cute follows Grace Henderson, the 26-year-old veteran of the US women's national team and captain of the New Orleans Krewe, and Phoebe Matthews, the 22-year-old rookie on the Krewe who gets called up to national team camp. Oh, and she grew up idolizing Grace. And also she has a huge crush on her. And also also she has posters of her in her childhood bedroom.

The soccer vibes here are impeccable. (I had big plans to read this while on the train in New Zealand while I was there for the Women's World Cup that were foiled, but it still made an excellent read post-World Cup) Before, during, and after games, the way that players and plays and being on the pitch is described just feels like the most amazing vibes at a women's soccer game. There were a lot of soccer terms used, but I think even if you aren't familiar with them, you should be able to figure out what's going on with context clues (or not, it's really about the vibes anyway).

Phoebe and Grace's relationship also has the best vibes. Over the course of the book, you watch Grace get more comfortable in her own skin and with the idea of letting other people in, and you watch Phoebe figure out what it means in her own life to be an adult. And you get to watch them figure it out together! There are definitely some steamy scenes in here, but there are also sweet scenes, of Phoebe helping Grace start to feel comfortable in her own skin and feel her feelings. There's also last names as foreplay (a personal favorite of mine), sexual tension through hair braiding (thank you Meryl Wilsner for including this in your trope round-up on Instagram), and lots of locker room ~moments~. Oh, and there isn't a third-act break-up! There are a couple of fights, but they are resolved without a dramatic third-act break-up (both by talking it out and by... not talking it out).

The backdrop of the book is New Orleans, which, not to be a broken record, is so good for the vibes. Grace and Phoebe get beignets, go to a Mardi Gras parade, and see other landmark sights around the city. I love New Orleans, and it was so fun to feel transported there. And it made for a great setting for Phoebe's first home away from home -- somewhere she can be independent and walk around and find things everywhere to have fun with.

And I know I'm not here to review the cover, but IT'S SO PERFECT. The way they look at each other, Matthews' name on her jersey, Grace's braid and her muscly legs, Phoebe's red hair. It's just so good.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an eARC of Cleat Cute in exchange for my honest review.

This is the third title I’ve read from this author and it did not disappoint. Well written, great character development and a fantastic read. Some readers do not like internal dialogue but I like getting into the head of characters to see how they tick and this book had plenty of that. Not a huge age gap like previous titles the author has written but that did not take away from the story. The sex scenes was plentiful and enjoyable. So if you enjoyed MWM and STTA, give this a read, you won’t be disappointed.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, so many thanks to NG, the author and publisher.

This was a juicy, steamy romance that I absolutely ate up! I loved these characters and their relationship. I’ve loved all the books I’ve read by this author so this was not a surprise.

This book was ridiculously cute! The dynamic between Grace and Phoebe was so much fun to read, and the progression of their relationship from strangers to friends to FWB to more didn't feel rushed at all, which is a problem I tend to have with romances. Grace and Phoebe were such strong characters on their own, and I loved how their relationship allowed them to grow and develop in a way that didn't change who they were as individuals. The entire cast of characters was endearing, and the side characters actually added to the story rather than serving as fillers.
There were some communication problems between Grace and Phoebe that bothered me throughout the book, including avoiding talking about things that needed to be talked about. While the miscommunication trope was alive and well, I actually think it managed to add to the story as a whole in many instances because it made sense with the characters and their personalities/identities.
As for the soccer aspect of the book, there was a decent amount of gameplay and terminology, but I know little about soccer and was able to follow it. I think it made the story drag a little bit, but I also want to acknowledge that soccer was important to the relationship so its inclusion was necessary.
This was really just a feel-good book that I enjoyed reading.

Meryl Wilsner is fast becoming a must read especially given her most recent sports romance, Cleat Cute.

Wilsner's new characters, Grace and Phoebe, are everything you'd want in a romantic queer pairing. She is also super respectful of the neurodivergent conditions of the characters.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin, and NetGalley for providing an eARC for an honest review.

When I started this book I had just finished Ted Lasso and was emotionally not ready to let the feeling of soccer (football) go. I started this awhile ago, but opened it up again at work and forgot where I was for a solid hour (thank goodness it was a slow day!) Am I the freak who reads the smutty chapter at work with a straight face? Yes, yes I am. Did I want to be? No, but I just could not put it down.

I read Mistakes Were Made and was obsessed with this so I just knew Cleat Cute was gonna be amazing and oh so spicy. I love Maryl Wisner's writing, and she is quite possibly my most favorite sapphic author out there.

I related so hard to Grace. As someone with sensory issues and not the most public or talkative, I find it safe to say that Grace is my spirit animal. However, I did want to mention that it felt... sudden, the way her autism was brought up/hinted at. It really wasn't until Phoebe was in her apartment that it clicked. I don't know, maybe it was just me not noticing, but it felt very much like... "Hi I'm Grace, I play soccer, I'm grumpy and don't like new people and- I DONT LIKE THESE SOUNDS OR YOU SO CLOSE AND MY SKIN IS SO SENSITIVE YOURS FEELS LIKE SAND PAPER PLEASE OH GOD STOP TOUCHING ME and man I really love soccer and women and soccer." It just felt so rushed and loud out of nowhere. I do relate to Grace and thought it was such a nice way to see representation for people like me, but it was also really shoved into your face at the last moment.
Now Phoebe... whooooooo Phoebe. She has a dirty fucking mouth and I am HERE for it. She had me kicking my feet and squealing and giggling and twirling my hair. The way she talks is unmatched. God, I love women, and moreover I love Phoebe - Phenom - Matthews.
Like I said I am obsessed with this author's writing and they really made another great hit. I'm excited for their next new release and will be anxiously waiting for it!

Cleat Cute follows two professional women soccer players - Grace Henderson, the long standing star player and Phoebe Matthews, a recent college graduate and new addition to Grace's team. The two women navigate their different personalities and obvious attraction to one another while gearing up for a new season and upcoming World Cup.

This book was so sweet and absolutely right up my alley. I really like soccer and I felt like this book had just the right amount so that it felt believable that the characters were soccer players but it was never overwhelmingly about soccer. I loved getting some descriptions of gameplay and practice, but we never had to slog through a play-by-play of a whole game which was nice. I was rooting for Grace and Phoebe from the start, their personalities were so fun together and I loved seeing them get to know one another. Their romance kept me on my toes and I found it fun and silly to watch them struggle with miscommunications. Getting to see the story unfold from both of their perspectives was also really fun, especially through those miscommunication moments.

I'll admit that I was a little nervous about the spice level. I'm pretty picky about spicy scenes in books and often find that my tolerance for spice is lower than others. But honestly, this one felt just right for me. There were definitely several quite spicy scenes but they never felt over the top. I think Meryl Wilsner did an incredible job of keeping a lot of spicy content in but still letting scenes end before they went too far.

I recommend this book to anyone who loves sapphic love stories with a decent amount of spice and to any soccer lovers!

After reading Mistakes Were Made, I had high expectations for this book and unfortunately, it missed the mark for me. I found some of the references to plot points to be overly repetitive. I was expecting more spice and less fade to black. I don't know the sport of soccer very well, so I didn't understand many of the references or sport structure. I felt like it could have been explained a bit better. (For example, I have no idea what a "cap" is or why it is significant.) I loved the representation, the descriptions of what it is to be in a sapphic relationship, and I loved how the characters loved each other as they are without needing to change themselves. But overall, this book just wasn't for me. I hope others enjoy it though, because I do think there are some great things in this book for the right audience. As I'm not leaving a positive review, I will not be sharing on my social sites.

First, thank you for the arc and being able to read this book.

I had some trouble getting into the story. It is written in third person pov and that is and can be distracting.

However, the over all story was great. Learning more about soccer and athletes as a woman is always wonderful

I will say the chacters were okay. Parts were a bit annoying. I don’t think Grace should have bullied Phoebe about her adhd diagnosis but I understand where she was coming from.

The relationship was good and the other characters, were a nice addition.

It was good and I will probably buy it.

First of all, I would like to thank NetGalley for the ARC but wish to press that all opinions remain my own.

Meryl Wilsner has officially become an author to watch for me, and I highly anticipate any future works. This book worked for me so well. I was immediately inthralled and could barely put it down long enough to write notes. I do want to note in my ARC I did find a typo on page 19.

We have Phoebe, a soccer player who has never played professionally and is a fun-loving flirty redhead who joins the New Orleans soccer team. We also have Grace, captain of the New Orleans team who is a bit reserved and set in her ways.

This book uses the grumpy/sunshine trope spectacularily, and has two women who respects eachother's limits and boundaries. I absolutely love their interactions especially around the bet, I feel it showed their personalities really well.

I do wish we'd had more scenes at the training camp, it felt like we missed some important interactions. I loved the banter and I have to mention the sex scenes were really hot.

In short, I really adored this book and think if you love romance at all, this will be a win for you.