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!).

this book was a joy to read; a balanced amount of funny, flirty, emotional, and heartfelt. it also explores the important topics of personal boundaries and communication which i loved how the author included.
also i absolutely LOVED the amount of queerness in this book!

i enjoyed reading about Phoebe and Grace though i do wish that the relationship between the two had been a little more fleshed out. i could’ve done with one or two less scenes of them having sex if that meant the emotional aspect of the relationship would’ve been more developed.

in general i am kind of on the fence about this one. the inner monologues, and the amount thereof, REALLY overshadowed the rest of the book for me. to me they felt both excessive and overdone and i would’ve liked for more of the story to not have been direct character thoughts.

for me another downside to this was that we as readers were told much more than we were shown through the actions of the characters. and with as fleshed out characters as the ones we have here this was so unfortunate bc showing rather than telling would’ve only made them that much more compelling to me.

all in all i feel like this was a very middle of the road book for me and i was unfortunately left grasping for much more.

the publisher kindly provided this arc through netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley + St. Martin's Griffin for the gifted eARC in exchange for my honest review!

I really, really, REALLY wanted to like this book, but it just missed the mark for me. The story had so much potential, and I LOVED the amount of LGBTQIA+ representation, but something was just not working here.

First, the characters weren't super likeable. I didn't find myself rooting for or against Phoebe and Grace, and if I'm not invested in the characters, it makes it harder to be invested in the story. Grace felt particularly bland to me and she didn't lighten up too much, even after realizing she had feelings for Phoebe.

Their dynamic was also very strange. It was BIZARRE watching one of them refer to the other as her girlfriend during inner monologues and the other woman refer to all of it as a 'situation.' It took the miscommunication trope to a really unrealistic level that completely took me out of the story. And speaking of the inner monologues, there were TOO many of them. There was one entire page of a quote from Phoebe that I straight up skimmed because I didn't care. There should never be that much dialogue for one character in one sitting. If there is, it needs to be broken up way better than it was.

Also, I appreciate the *attempt* at having ADHD rep in the book, but it was...not handled well. First of all, it was SUPER rude of Grace, who would only refer to Phoebe as her fuck buddy, to assume Phoebe has ADHD and that she's medicated. She really came in hot with that one, as if she is a medical professional. Then she goes against Phoebe's wishes (after her page-long monologue) and peruses ADHD TikTok and all of a sudden is so sure she has it? Like did I miss the part of the book where she became a doctor???? And she, again, won't say they're in a relationship, but WILL take it upon herself to make an appointment for her to get tested????? I am in a committed relationship and I love my partner, and I know for a fact he would never do that for me NOT because he doesn't care about me, but because that's...extremely personal and a decision the person who's going should make. So, all of that to say, this is where the book officially lost me and low key pissed me off, too.

This really does have the potential to be a good story, but I think it needs to be tightened up and certain plot lines need to go. If ADHD is going to be part of Phoebe's story, it needs to be handled WAY better and not something we randomly start discussing at length at the end of the book, otherwise it should be removed. And the whole sex scene that happens in between that extremely personal and serious convo? I skipped it. It was out of place and unnecessary and I could not get into it to save my life.

I really like this author as a person, but this book just didn't do it for me. There are definitely some cute moments, but the lack of true character and story development just makes it hard to enjoy.

This review first appeared on Goodreads.

This book was so much fun! I adored Wilsner's writing and actually laughed out loud at various points which is a big mark in this book's favor. Phoebe had such chaotic golden retriever energy and my favorite parts of the book were when we were in her head. The soccer backdrop drew me in and fully satisfied my need for a sapphic version of Bend It Like Beckham as well as for another sapphic romance in general because we can always use more of those! I also appreciated the neurodivergence representation. The last few chapters did start to drag for me a bit because it felt like the quantity of internal monologuing increased significantly and we got less action/showing and more telling. Overall, this was a pleasure to read and I devoured it so quickly!

received this copy for free from netgalley for an honest review.

As someone who knows absolutely nothing about soccer I was surprised how much I enjoyed this book. It was lighthearted but yet had some very moving parts to it including talk about ADHD, transgender, and lesbian Pride. I'm so glad I got an advanced reader copy. It was definitely more spicy than what I was anticipating and I loved every second of it.

Cleat Cute is a sweet and spicy sapphic contemporary romance that was thoroughly entertaining and heart-warming from the beginning til the very end. Phoebe Matthews has been in love with soccer most of her life and after playing college ball she gets called up practice camp for the National Team alongside team captain (and her long time crush) Grace Henderson. One little dare changes both women's lives in more ways than they could've imagined. This was a fun, grumpy/sunshine rom-com that pulls at your heartstrings. Some possible trigger warnings include coming out as well mental heath (ADHD/anxiety).

This was cute and I love the representation, but it was a little too spicy for my taste. I know everyone has different opinions about that but I would have preferred more story to steamy scenes. I did enjoy the writing and it was a very fun setting!

The sex was good but the internal monologue annoyed me. I loved all the gender representation but there were a lot of inaccurate soccer plot points. Really glad this book exists though!

I absolutely adored this book. If you were a Bend it Like Beckham girly in the 2000s and partially credit that to your queer awakening.. you're gunna love this one!

Grace & Pheobe were rivals, to friends, to lovers and I found their chemistry to be pretty dang good!

I found the neurodivergent rep in this book to be well done for both main characters.

I wanted so badly to like this book but I simply couldn't get into it. The internal monologues, the bouncing from one thing to the next to the next. To be fair, Phoebe has ADHD so that makes sense (and boy do I appreciate the representation) but to read about it was just hard. As someone who is neurodivergent, this missed the mark on the challenges of communicating in a relationship. It really tried but for me, it wasn't accurate. I also didn't follow how Phoebe has Grace as her idol even though they're only four years apart- wouldn't it make more sense for a larger age gap? I liked the dual point of view but was not a fan of how it was in third person. It didn't make sense to do both. There was some miscommunication and the disagreements between the characters seemed to be solved with intimacy (kissing/sex) rather than that in addition to having a discussion. This book was not for me but I know there are many people out there who would enjoy it!

The Yays:
-neurodivergent representation (ADHD and Autism)
-grumpy / sunshine
-sapphic romance
-steamy sex scenes
-sports romance (soccer)
-dual pov

The Nays:
-internal monologue galore
-third person (simply not my jam)
-miscommunication trope
-resolving problems with intimacy rather than discussions
-tell rather than show
-shallow & unlikeable characters

Another great one by Meryl Wilsner. I loved the content of this book and I even learned somethings!

Wilsner knows how to write a great romance but the perfect amount of spice!

I absolutely loved this fun, very sexy and informative (more later) romance set around a soccer team and the very enjoyable characters. Grace (closet lesbian) was a well established star in the world of soccer, having been on the US Woman’s National team since she was 16. She was captain of the franchise in New Orleans, which drafted Phoebe (out lesbian, ADHD )with their first pick, straight out of college. Everyone speculated that the younger Phoebe was eyed as a future replacement for Grace. Thus, the creation of a friendly rivalry between the two gifted athletes.

Phoebe had always been a flirt, had a great, outgoing personality and people were easily drawn to her. She was a star in the making, loved being the center of attention and lived up to her boasting of what she could do. Grace had been her childhood hero. She even had a poster of Grace on her bedroom wall. Grace found her to be annoying, but charmingly irresistible.

Phoebe’s ADHD was reflected in ways such as being hyperactive, impulsive and constantly late for everything. She also didn’t complete tasks such as unpacking her luggage. The only time she was really able to concentrate was on the field.

Grace was displayed somewhere on the spectrum of autism, reflected in her being a quiet introvert and not being able to read social cues. She liked structure and adapting to change was unsettling since she liked to follow set routines.

During practice drills Phoebe would simply declare that she was going to win when everyone knew that Grace always won whichever drill. For one such drill the bet was that if Grace won Phoebe would not talk for the rest of the day, and if Phoebe won, Grace would have to kiss her. This bet led to a friends with benefits relationship.

In my first sentence I said this book was informative, and I found it to be so because, rather than just being given the symptoms of ADHD and autism, we saw how their minds worked and what they believed the other was actually saying, how they reacted in various scenarios and situations, including their relationship, especially since neither supposedly wanted a relationship. I enjoyed watching them learn how to understand each other.

My thanks to Bella books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest review.

I did really enjoy this book. Meryl Wilsner writes a great romance. I like to see the representation of neurodivergence in books but feel there was too much inner monologue throughout the book.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of Cleat Cute!!

4.75 ☆ I am a simple person: if Meryl Wilsner writes it, I'm going to read it and I'm going to love it. I feel so grateful to have had the chance to read an ARC of Cleat Cute - last year I received an ARC of Meryl's sophomore novel, Mistakes Were Made and adored it, so I jumped at the chance to read Cleat Cute. Meryl's first novel, Something to Talk About, was my first sapphic romance novel and so their writing really holds a special place in my heart.

This spicy, sweet, funny, and sporty romance follows Grace and Phoebe as new team members for the New Orleans Krewe, NOLA's national women's soccer team. Grace has been playing professional soccer for a decade after debuting at 16. Phoebe is an up and coming hotshot fresh off of playing for her small, Midwestern college. After Grace is sidelined with an injury, Phoebe takes her place on the Krewe and threatens Grace's chances at playing for the upcoming World Cup.

Phoebe has admired Grace Henderson since she was a little girl, she even had her poster on her wall. When she gets the chance to play on the same team as her idol, she can't believe it. Grace's reserved and apprehensive demeanor doesn't deter Phoebe as she attempts to get closer to Grace. These two end up getting very, very close.

Cleat Cute delves into nuanced topics with care and handles them well, such as: coming out, neurodivergence, poverty, LGBTQ+ topics (specifically lesbian & trans), and the pressure around both parties coming during sex. This novel is obviously very heavily soccer-influenced, but the terminology and scenes are not difficult to follow even if you don't fully understand the sport. Meryl Wilsner has yet another winner on their hands!

This book was an absolute delight. It follows two professional women's soccer players at different points in their career who are brought together through their team. I found both of the main characters so compelling and their chemistry with one another was off the charts. The author really knows how to show, not tell a relationship and I found myself absolutely rooting for the pair. Each of them went through a meaningful personal arc as well that really fleshed out the story and made their relationship feel so realistic to me. The smut was also everything I wanted and more, which is always a plus! Combine all of these factors with the pure fun of a soccer-based romance and a lovable cast of side characters, and I'm absolutely sold on Cleat Cute.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
⚽️ Sport Romance
🌶️ Nice spice level
💕 Sweet characters
🌆 Great location and food


I just think that whatever Meryl Wilsner writes, I will love. ❤️‍🔥 That’s just that. This book followed Phoebe and Grace, two professional soccer players on the same team who couldn’t be more different.

The plot revolves around Grace thinking they are in a fwb situation and Phoebe fully believing they are dating.

This is a weird thing to say, but I love how the miscommunication happened in this book because it truly was believable for me, which doesn’t happen too frequently in books that I read!

As with all of Meryl’s books, I’ll be revisiting this one! Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Griffin for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review!

I loved this book! It was so stinking cute! Grumpy/Sunshine, enemies to lovers (kinda), soccer romance, LGBTQ+ romance, with representation of some mental disorders and the stigma behind them. It was spicy and had a pretty decent plot. Grace and Phoebe’s developing relationship was fun to read. Phoebe was able to help Grace open up and Grace was able to help Phoebe become and even better soccer player.
There were definitely some parts that moved much quicker than I would have expected, like the first time Phoebe and Grace were intimate, it seemed to happen very early in on the book, not that I minded the spice. There were also some conflicts between Grace and Phoebe that seemed like the end of the world to them, but were quickly resolved, with very little discussion. Just a sudden, kiss me! I also wasn’t a huge fan of the book being written in 3rd person, it makes it a bit more challenging to follow along with the characters thoughts, especially when both main characters are women. Overall, this was a fun queer, sports romance that I would definitely recommend others to read!

"The corollary to you can be whatever you want is you don't have to be anything you don't want."

Somewhere between my laughter, my happy sighs, and my flushed cheeks- I realized I had arrived at the end of the epilogue. Why, why, why did I binge read this book? I want more! I was way too invested in a sport I have never enjoyed watching and all I could think in the end was DID THEY WIN!?!?!??

I haven't a clue if what she wrote was an accurate representation of the women's soccer scene but it doesn't matter- you are gonna love getting to know all the things. To steal some more of the author's words, "It's competence porn!"

If you are looking for a sapphic, sporty, steam your windows, relatable, lovable, pile of quirky characters- this absolutely has to be on your Must Read list!

I was excited about this. The idea and the set up sounded so intriguing, but then I read it. It really dragged for me. I wasn’t expecting an epic plot line, but I was expecting something to fill 336 pages. This story wasn’t enough for that page count. Lots of repetitive lines and situations. I really hate the miscommunication trope too. This was worse because one party expressed their interest and the other was just oblivious.

I had a hard time making the distinction between Phoebe and Grace. Most of the time I didn’t know who’s POV I was reading.

I think if this was rearranged and the unnecessary parts were cut it could be a fairly decent read.

Special thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for this digital ARC.

In my sapphic soccer summer era ⚽️✨ and tbh you should be too in September when this book comes out. 💁🏼‍♀️

Grace Henderson and Phoebe Matthew couldn’t be more opposite. Grace has been a professional soccer player for the last decade despite being only 26. She’s routine focused, on time and no nonsense.

Phoebe is taking in every single moment of her first year on the Women’s National team. She plays with such passion and fearlessness that Grace used to see in herself. Phoebe is loud, talkative, and entirely too friendly for Grace’s liking.

A silly bet during training that results in a kiss becomes a slippery slope towards them becoming friends with benefits. But they do say opposites attract, right?

To say I adored this book is an understatement! Anyone who knows me knows miscommunication tropes are not my favorite but this was done in such a way that it a vital part of the story seeing as both of the MCs are neurodivergent and they were just missing each others meanings, cues, and just generally not on the same page sometimes and assumed the other understood.
And let’s hear it for the representation in this book 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 Between the diversity of LGBTQIA+ characters and POC characters, it was just chefs kiss 🤌🏻
I am also incredibly biased as the story is set in New Orleans which made me miss being home in Louisiana so much. 😭😭
Tropes include:
Grumpy/sunshine
Found family
Neurodivergent representation
Friends with benefits
Teammate romance

This is a good book. It has a fun background message of following your dreams. The characters are well-developed and explained. The plot is clears and fun. This book was cleanly edited. This author can not fail if she writes a book!