Cleat Cute is a cute and spicy sapphic soccer rom com!

Phoebe completely crashes into Grace’s scheduled life, and it is opposites attract in the best way. Grace is the seasoned and stoic veteran while Phoebe is the energetic and ambitious rookie. They complimented each other very well. I immediately fell in love with both main characters and was rooting for them the whole book. Their relationship slowly grew throughout the book, and as the title says, it was extremely cute! It was great seeing both of their walls come down for each other. This book was a dual POV, which helped the reader understand both of the main characters and their struggles better. There was wonderful representation, and both main characters were neurodivergent.

A special side bar here - Graces struggles with being injured and being sidelined was written so heartbreakingly beautiful. Wilsner did a wonderful job capturing the feeling of letting your team down and struggling with being left out, even if it is of no fault to the player. It was a delight watching Grace grow and take charge of her life and figure out what she wanted to do.

I loved the backdrop of New Orleans! The food, the parades, the city lights, it was all spectacularly fun. I loved diving into the world of Louisiana Krewe FC.

Now for some things that didn’t quite work for me. The first being it felt like I was constantly slogging through the characters inner thoughts throughout the book. It was a lot of telling and not showing and it really slowed the story down for me. This is more of a personal thing but I would have loved to see more soccer! This story was more of one which focused on the characters and it just had soccer as the backdrop of how the characters had met and interacted.

Cleat Cute releases this fall on September 19th, 2023. Thank you St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the review copy!

Content warnings: alcohol consumption, sports related injuries, classism, sexism, some misogyny.

Rep: Main characters: Grace is cis, white, and lesbian (SAID ON PAGE!!!) and bb is leaning she is autistic, too. Phoebe is cis, white and lesbian (ALSO SAID ON PAGE!!!!!) and has ADHD.
Side characters: several BIPOC characters, several queer characters, non-binary side characters, trans side characters. It's very well rounded in that regard.

the easiest way for me to describe this books is as bend it like beckham if jess and jules had ended up together (which they DEFINITELY should’ve!).

A Sapphic soccer story? Say less. The premise was promising and the plot was actually smooth and interesting despite it being fairly simple and low-stakes. While the pacing I thought was really great, I have to say that I definitely got lost in the nicknames of supporting characters, while at the same time not getting to know enough of them, and the MCs clearly not having that strong of relationships with them. At one point I am not sure Fish and H aren't used interchangeably? I couldn't tell who was married and talking. The establishing of ages at the beginning was rocky and hard to follow.

While Phoebe and Grace navigate the FWB to girlfriends pipeline, I thought their relationship misunderstandings were natural, which is really hard to do. I could have gone for more rounding out of their characters and less exposition. This does take place over a relatively short amount of time, so it doesn't allow for the space for them to grow in our heads as much as I'd like. The lack of dialog or action really bogged me down in their thoughts.

It was a fun, quick read, but I don't understand the Ted Lasso comparison, as these are two successful players (one a rookie, one a veteran) on winning teams (US National and their league team). Not a ton of heart pouring into them to pick themselves up but their bootstraps.

I do like the writing style, I just would like it to have happened over a longer period of time, and with more character action, whether that be through conversations with other players or each other, but it's so lite on the dialog that it gets to be a trudge in places.

Wow, I really loved Cleat Cute! You should read this book if you love a steamy sapphic romance, sports romance, and neurodivergence rep. I've read all of Meryl Wilsner's books, and Cleat Cute is easily my favorite of theirs so far.

A quick summary: Veteran soccer star, Grace Henderson, has her life turned upside down when rookie upstart Phoebe Matthews, joins her on the national team and her club and brings her personal brand class clown-meet-hard workers. When Phoebe starts her professional soccer career alongside her teenage idol Grace, she is star struck but determined to learn from the veteran player and become her friend. They begin a friends with benefits arrangement that grows into more, while Grace battles with injury and questions about what she loves in her career as an athlete.

Some of the things I loved:
1) The steamy but wholesome sex scenes—and there are plenty of them 🔥🔥🔥
2) The way that the characters' neurodivergence was incorporated as part of what makes them who they are, while also driving the story in a meaningful way. I felt like Meryl Wilsner hit a great balance of portraying diversity overall in this book—it's present in so many parts of the story, but it's not tokenized or preachy.
3) The sports background! I'm not a huge sports fan, so take my two cents with a grain of salt, but I loved the way soccer was used as the backdrop for the story. It was exciting to see Phoebe's career take off.
4) Finally, the miscommunication trope used well! There are several instances of miscommunication in this book, but the resolutions are all so well done.
5) All the queer rep <3

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for an eARC through NetGalley. It was such a pleasure to read this book during pride month and I can't wait for others to get their hands on it! Opinions are my own and provided voluntarily.

This was such a fun read!
The dual POV allows the reader to really understand both FMCs and furthers all of their many miscommunications. I did enjoy Phoebe and Grace and their unique personalities though. They remind me a lot of me and my fiancee because they were so different and function in such opposite ways.
The representation in this was really fantastic and appreciated.
With the minor characters, I got a little confused. There were so many first names, last names, and nicknames being used interchangeably so I found myself having to wrack my brain to remember who was who.
This was my first spicy sapphic read and it certainly won’t be my last. The author did a wonderful job of describing intimate moments with care and in a realistic way.
Even though this was about soccer, I don’t think you need to be a soccer fan to enjoy it! It was super comprehensive and fun.

I really, really wanted to love this book because I loved the author’s previous book, Mistakes Were Made, but this one just didn’t work for me. There were great parts and spicy parts with lots of potential for some drama but none of it came to be!

Cleat Cute is a sapphic rom-com about Phoebe and Grace. Phoebe has just been drafted onto her first professional soccer team and Grace is the captain and someone Phoebe has idolized since she started playing soccer. The two start a “friends with benefits” situation and it just goes from there. The “will one tell the other she has feelings for her and thinks she’s her girlfriend” had so much opportunity for some angst and drama and I kept waiting for it to happen but it just never did.

That said….Holy hotness! That scene in the locker room between Phoebe and Grace! Damn! And I did enjoy how the two main characters complement each other. Phoebe is the loud and ridiculous one whereas Grace is the more reserve and, well, graceful one.

Overall, I’m giving this a 3 star review but giving it 5 stars for the spicy bits! This book had a lot of potential but just missed the mark!

This one was so so so cute (and spicy). I have never cared for soccer but after Ted Lasso ended there was a hole in my heart. Cleat Cute definitely filled that hole. I loved both Phoebe and Grace, their easy friendship, and their love for their sport/team. I wish we had gotten a little more of them playing together but otherwise I had so much fun with this one.

Cleat Cute
Written By: Meryl Wilsner
Published By: St. Martin’s Press
Release Date: Sept 19 2023

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley- all thoughts and opinions are my own.

I find myself to be very picky when it comes to sports romances but I can never get over the ones that have LGBTQ main characters. It makes my heart giggle so much. This was such a good read and I was smiling so hard in so many parts of this book. I wouldn't have normally picked up a book about soccer but this one was good, and really exceeded my expectations.

I definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes sapphic romance, sports romance, or age gap romance!

"Cleat Cute" by Meryl Wilsner is, without a doubt, their best work yet. From the moment I picked up their first book, I became a devoted fan, and this latest novel solidifies their place as a master storyteller. Grace and Phoebe, the delightful and flawed characters, instantly captured my heart. Wilsner's talent for crafting love stories between clueless individuals is on full display here, and it's absolutely endearing. They're so adorably foolish.

The soccer aspect in the book is impeccably executed, with numerous references to real-life WOSO events, making it a delightful read for soccer fans. But even if you're not familiar with the sport, the narrative structure remains accessible and engaging.

As always, Wilsner effortlessly weaves together various identities and life circumstances, seamlessly integrating them into the captivating plot. The world they've created is vividly descriptive, immersing readers in a fully realized setting. And let's not forget the scorching, touching, and enlightening sex scenes that are a signature of Wilsner's writing.

In summary, "Cleat Cute" is an absolute home run. It's hot, funny, romantic, and engaging—a perfect blend of all the elements that make for a remarkable read. Whether you're a fan of Wilsner's previous works or discovering their writing for the first time, this novel is a must-read.

As soon as I found out that Wilsner was publishing another book, it was an automatic yes from me. And THEN to find out that it was a sapphic soccer romance, I knew that I needed to get my eyes on an ARC.

My favorite quote that showcases the level of swoon worthy romance in this book was, “And when we went out to the bar after, she barely did anything but stare at Grace like she hung the damn moon.” The chemistry between the two MCs, Grace and Phoebe, is palpable! This was a fun and spicy read for lovers of sport romance books.

Have you seen the show Hot Ones? Where celebrities eat a series of successively hotter chicken wings? That’s what reading Meryl Wilsner’s books is like. Their romance gets steamier and steamier with each book, and before you know it your nose is running and your eyes are filled with tears. This book was so fun to read in the run up to the Women’s World Cup and will definitely help fans fill the soccer-shaped hole in their heart when it is published in September after the conclusion of the Cup.

Everything Wilsner does is fun, sexy, and brilliant. This is no different. I was hooked from the first page and completely devoured it. I appreciate how different the dynamic was of this couple as compared to her last two books, which were absolute BANGERS. This one is no exception.

Cleat Cute
Written By: Meryl Wilsner
Published By: St. Martin’s Press
Release Date: Sept 19 2023
Nips Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley- all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Phoebe Matthews has poured her heart into soccer- along with blood, sweat and the occasional tear. From the moment she hung Grace Henderson’s US Women’s National team poster on her bedroom wall, Phoebe was focused on carving out a spot for herself in professional soccer.

When her wildest dreams come true, Phoebe finds herself sharing a locker room with none other than Grace Henderson. As the grumpy Grace spends more time with ‘Phenom Phoebe’ on and off the field, feelings blossom and the two teammates struggle to find a way forward- both are hesitant to have a relationship and neither of them wants to put anything before the main love of their life- soccer.

Cleat Cute is a sapphic romance great for soccer fans- the setting almost entirely takes place in the soccer world- on the field or within the boundaries of a team dynamic. There are practices, games and tournament and lots of play-by-play details. Phoebe and Grace portray the ‘gurmpy-sunshine’ trope along with a ‘captain-teammate’ dynamic that adds additional flair to this love story. While Phoebe was often over-the-top and impulsive, I found Grace to be a bit too reluctant and held back; but the characters complimented one another well.

For me, the best part of this book was the spicy scenes- Meryl Wilsner did not shy away and definitely rose to the challenge of open-door, spicy scenes. While the third-person POV writing style bothered me a bit during some parts of the story, the spicy scenes were well written and seemed to use the character’s names a lot less, with longer sentences and more description. Not just from a ‘spicy’ standpoint, but it improved the flow while reading!

I would recommend this to any reader who enjoys sapphic romance and/or the sports trope!

Fire emojis for days. I love love love this story. Grace and Phoebe are phenomenal characters who contrast each other in the most perfect ways. Their story is unexpected, surprising, and so heartwarming. The sapphic and neurodivergent representations are so well done. I couldn't put this book down; binged it in a day. Meryl Wilsner has done it again.

Cleat Cute is a sapphic sports romance book that features two players on the same soccer team. Grace is a veteran soccer player while Phoebe is a rookie. They start off as reluctant friends (reluctant on Grace’s side), but that soon turns into something much more than friendship.

I think this is the first sapphic sports romance that I’ve read so I definitely liked that part of it! I grew up playing soccer year-round so having a book that included queer representation with soccer was really great! It was also set in New Orleans which was really fun to read about, having been there a few times myself!

While I enjoyed some aspects of this book, I also had issues with a few things. First of all, there is so much miscommunication between the two main characters. It was super frustrating throughout the entire book and honestly, it’s kind of surprising that they ended up together at all because they seemed on totally different pages half the time.

Another big issue I had with the book is how one of the main characters deals with someone’s mental health. The first conversation between Phoebe and Grace about Phoebe having ADHD was poorly handled. Grace brings it casually up to Phoebe, just assuming that Phoebe already had a diagnosis. Phoebe has never mentioned to Grace about having ADHD so it was wrong of Grace to presume that in the first place.

But the real issue to me is the fact that Phoebe asked Grace to drop it and Grace completely ignores her and even goes on to set up a doctors appointment to get her a diagnosis. This just felt off to me. While I appreciate the mental health representation and like that ADHD rep was included, I did not like this aspect of it and thought it could have been handled differently.

Overall I did like the book, but there are just a few too many things I didn’t like that prevented me from really loving it.

While the sports romance trends of late really haven't been my thing, this book made me realize that it's just because the ones I've read previously were straight. Turns out I eat up queer sports romance. I am so gay for both Phoebe and Grace, my god. I think I'd perish if they even looked my way. As hot as they are, these characters are also so incredibly real and raw right from the bat. We as the readers can see their flaws and struggles very quickly in, and it had me really invested fairly quickly. The portrayal of ADHD in femme folks was excellent, I really appreciate how the difference in presentation can be different for different genders, and also how it can impact even moods and sensitivity which is so often glossed over. And Grace being super supportive and nonjudgemental melted my heart. There were also some interesting conversations about being a professional athlete, and what the fame that comes along with it can mean for different individuals. It was really interesting seeing the contrast in Phoebe's experience as an up-and-coming athlete in contrast to Grace's veteran experience, as well as how her introverted nature complicated things.

Grace and Phoebe are wonderful characters on their own, but their dynamic together is something wonderful. They are so different and yet they mesh together so seamlessly. This difference also made the miscommunications that came up seem almost inevitable in a way. Like of course, they're going to misunderstand each other, their brains work so differently. And yet these miscommunications were always cleared up quickly so it never felt frustrating as miscommunication often can. As expected, the spice was fantastic, and their pet names for each other had me swooning. Usually, gendered pet names irk me, but something about Phoebe using them really worked in this case. The writing style was also just really fun. It's got a very unique rhythm and humor to it and I find myself sinking into it so quickly. It's safe to say I'll definitely be reading Meryl Wilsner's next release

I really liked Cleat Cute for a while, but I found that it dragged/was oddly paced by the end. We all know the plot expectations for a romance, but there’s also normally a basic plot outside the romance driving us forward. I felt like that was a big absent here. I’m glad this book exists, but I thought it was only fine.

LOVED this. Meryl Wilsner just keeps getting better and better, and I loved how CLEAT CUTE focused on PERCEIVED age difference (from a veteran player who went pro young to a rookie player who went pro after college) which is a fun twist on Wilsner's penchant for age gap romances.

I really enjoyed this one.

I am not a soccer fan, but this book had me wanting to watch a soccer game. I did struggle with the writing style at the beginning of reading this (I almost DNF'd a couple times), but I am so happy I pressed on because I got used to the writing style, and there was so much I loved about this book:
1. The characters are wonderful. I love Phoebe and Grace so much and I love them together. They are the definition of opposites attract in the best way possible. I love how they balance each other out and make the other person better while still being authentically themselves.
2. The way miscommunication is handled!!! Like in every relationship, miscommunications happen. These characters have a miscommunication, and then go out of their way to talk to each other to figure things out before jumping to conclusions. It was so nice and refreshing.
3. The spice in this book is fantastic! It is some of my favorite spice I've ever read.

There were a couple things I didn't love, but they were very minor:
1. The writing style wasn't my favorite, but I eventually got over it.
2. The pacing also wasn't my favorite. I really enjoyed this story, but there was nothing about it that had me dying to keep reading. I was able to put this book down and com back to it days later without any problem. There was nothing that made me feel like I had to keep reading.

At the heart of the book are two well-developed and endearing protagonists who find themselves drawn to each other despite their initial differences. Their journey towards self-discovery, both individually and as a couple, is portrayed with sensitivity and depth. The characters' personal growth and the challenges they face add layers of complexity to the narrative, making their story all the more compelling.

Cleat Cute explores themes of identity, self-acceptance, and the courage it takes to embrace one's true self. The novel presents a heartfelt portrayal of LGBTQ+ experiences, highlighting the challenges and triumphs of navigating relationships and societal expectations. Wilsner's nuanced exploration of these themes adds depth to the story and invites readers to reflect on their own journeys of self-discovery.

The romance in the book is beautifully depicted, filled with tender moments and genuine chemistry. The slow-burn aspect of the relationship allows for a satisfying and believable connection to develop between the characters. The author's skillful portrayal of the emotional complexities and vulnerabilities of falling in love adds depth and authenticity to the narrative, making it a joy to read.