Book Review: Cleat Cute

Cleat Cute had me HOOKED from the beginning. I couldn’t help but binge the first 30% in one sitting. I loved the soccer setting. The grumpy/sunshine vibes were chef’s kiss! And there is a locker room scene that is perfectly 🥵🥵🥵.

But at some point the story just started to drag. It was a lot of not-very-memorable sex scenes and a lot of inner monologues. There wasn’t so much happening in the way of plot. And there were some story events that were raised, that I found interesting, but that were not fully developed. For example, I wanted to hear more about the ex-GF and obnoxious coach subplots! In the end I felt a bit let down because I cannot emphasize enough how awesome the beginning chunk of this book is. It’s unfortunate that at some point I found myself just waiting for it to end.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4.5 STARSSSS

I've been wanting to read this for awhile and i'm so obsessed with this wonderful sapphic romance!! i love the gays *sobs* LMAO not but seriously i was so so in love with every aspect of this book.

I tried reading this but the writing style did not work for me. There was a lot of telling. A lot of inner dialogue from the main character. It made reading the story tedious. I'm surprised since I didn't notice this in the previous release from this author.
I liked the premise and setting but I wish there was more dialogue between the characters to allow the reader to experience their story as opposed to being told their story.

This book is stupid good. Phoebe and Grace are both adorable in their own way. I love how soccer is such an important part of the story, but the story isn't about soccer at all. It's about these two vulnerable, flawed, quirky women who discover that - against all odds - they fit together like puzzle pieces.

I was really impressed with the way Wilsner treated mental health issues (ADHD and autism) in this book. It's realistic, showing the flaws these ladies have, and finding respectable ways to help each other and support each other. She does a great job of showing that these flaws are things that can be addressed and worked on. So many of us struggle with with feeling like something is WRONG with us, when in reality, sometimes we just need to realize we all have flaws - flaws that we can work on and improve, when given the opportunity. Or when we decide to make the opportunity!

Also, Wilsner writes great sex scenes. Not just the sex part, but the emotion, in a way that very writers actually pull off. I love how accepting they are of each other and of themselves as they go through their emotional roller coasters.

I really enjoyed this book. I thought the character's development and the bond/relationship created between the two main female characters was built and written well. I felt like I really got to know how they fell for each other and enjoyed seeing their relationship grow rather than it being rushed. I loved the representation of neurodivergence too. It was a slower read than expected but well-written nonetheless.

Thank you netgalley for providing this ARC. Reading sports stories always feels sooo nostalgic.

I think I liked Phoebe and Grace pretty equally, and tally the cat obviously 🫶🫶. I liked all the sporty parts of it especially. Reading Phoebe and Grace’s little ‘non-date’ dates was really cute. This was a really easy read, the type of book you pick up and don’t put down until you’re finished. My only gripe is that I wish they had more time as a fully developed couple before it was over. There’s also trans and adhd rep 🫶.

I’m prefacing my review with the warning that this book had a huge strike against it—I despise third person, present tense. Normally an automatic DNF for me, I wouldn’t have requested it if I’d realized it was written in that POV. Taking that into consideration, four stars is a huge compliment.

My love of another of the author’s books, Mistakes Were Made, convinced me to forge ahead anyway. And I’m so glad I did. The serious introvert/goofy extrovert pairing worked perfectly. Both Grace and Phoebe were lovable, they had great chemistry, their flirting was adorable, and the sex scenes were pure fire.

While I think the book would’ve been stronger written in third person, past tense or first person, any tense—and I would have had an easier time getting lost in the story that way—I heartily recommend the book to anyone who isn’t bothered by the POV choice.

I received an advanced copy from the publisher and am voluntarily leaving this review.

The only bad thing about this book is that I'll never be able to experience it for the first time again. The characters were complex and driven, each dealing with their own stuff in addition to the relationship in the book. I personally love a book with loads of internal monologue--there's little I enjoy more than *really* being inside a character's head, and this book delivers on that front.

The romance novel formula requires a third-act breakup, and for a second I was worried that was going to be the result of a miscommunication that occurs, which is my least favorite method of breaking characters up and would have made this a 3 or 4 star book for me, but boy was I pleasantly surprised when that did not, in fact, happen.

The thing I appreciated the most about this story was how much I related to each of the character's in different ways. Both of them felt very real and unique in the way that they see and experience the world, and there wasn't a single line or action that felt OOC to me.

The chemistry between the characters was great, the banter was a delight to read, and the sex scenes had just the right amount of detail for me. I read one of Meryl Wilsner's books previously, and it just wasn't for me, but when I read the description of this one I had to pick it up. I'm so, so glad I did.

Overall I enjoyed this book, I liked the sports romance and the side characters. The spice between Grace and Phoebe was really well done and it was nice to see that higher amount of spice in a sapphic book. I also really liked the mental health and neurodivergence aspects though I would have really liked to see that developed more. I felt like the book was a bit slow in the beginning and only picked up pace during the spicy scenes and then went back to being slow. I think was primarily due to the plot dragging a long a bit. The last twenty pages felt way too rushed and I would have liked to see less in the early part of the book and more from the last part of the story. I would have loved to see more about Phoebe's ADHD diagnosis and Grace exploring her neurodiversity as well, both of those were great topics to see but felt like they needed more development. It was a little frustrating that so much of the book centered around Grace and Phoebe's continuous miscommunication and it happens over and over again. I would have liked to instead see more plot based around their developing relationship and the World Cup and not their miscommunication. It was still a great book and I am so happy to see more sapphic sports romance books!

I’m so thankful I got this ARC during Pride month because it was the perfect read in honor of everything Pride stands for.
I’m not queer, and everything I know about sports has been against my will, but this book was still one of my favorite reads so far this year!
On the surface it’s your typical rivals to lovers sports rom-com, but underneath there is an expertly done story about messy people still striving for healthy relationships, class issues, LGBTQ issues, the pressures we face and put on ourselves to be perfect, family dynamics, and the way a sports team can become a family all in their own. I really, REALLY dislike stories where a message or theme is being shoved down my throat, and one of the coolest parts of this book was how it dealt with heavy and hot-button issues in a way that felt organic and true to the characters and the story.
I don’t know if this book will be a standalone or the beginning of a series, but either way, it was one that I wholeheartedly recommend!

This is such a lovely, fun read. I'm not usually one for sports romances, but I actually started to care about soccer a little bit LOL. I loved the characters, and not to mention, the spice!! This is such a good read.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for an advanced electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Phoebe Matthews has always dreamed of playing soccer professionally, and during a World Cup year, it all starts to line up. The beautiful and talented Grace Henderson playing on the same team? Well that's Phoebe's childhood crush come to life. Once they start to spend more time together, it gets harder and harder to keep away...

This book is so warm and fuzzy. The main characters are wonderful and you root for them the entire book. I loved their banter and Phoebe's energy. I also love soccer, so that aspect of it was enjoyable for me too. This book is so fun!!!

3.25 stars
Unfortunately, out of all of Wilsner’s novels this is my least favorite.
Their relationship and attraction to one another is believable and realistic. I just didn’t particularly care for either of the women. With their quirks I didn’t find that they had any charm to appeal to the reader. I think their chemistry lacked the most out of all of Wilsner’s books. The soccer wasn’t enticing. I felt no excitement or anticipation from their games. It seems like the author used a sport as just a (empty) background setting to draw in readers.
Nothing really happened now that I think of it. They were just friends with benefits for a long time. Grace acted annoyed by Phoebe sometimes and Phoebe nagged her to take care of her body. That’s all.

As a bisexual woman who loves sports, I can say that this book was written FOR ME. I love a good "rivals to lovers" romance and I loved every second of this book. It was fun to read the dynamics of the couple and these two took my breath away with each romantic scene. The writer knew how to work very well on the characters and delivered everything she promised. Despite everything, I found the book a little slow, I didn't feel like reading some parts (which became tedious), but that's something I feel in many romance books. Maybe it's my problem and not the book's? All in all, it's a good book. A good read to pass the time and with great sapphic representation. We women who love women need more books like this!

3.5 stars, rounded down. Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Meryl for letting me read and review this ARC!

I liked the premise of the story and it was executed pretty well overall, but the pacing seemed a little off (especially at the end). Grace has been a professional soccer player for the last ten years. She’s also introverted, very particular, and craves being in control. Enter Phoebe- an AWSA rookie who’s outgoing, the life of the party, and can barely get anywhere on time. When the women first meet, Grace is prickly and distrustful twisted Phoebe. Phoebe is undeterred, however, since she has looked up to Grace for years now and truly wants to learn everything she can from the other woman. But then they both start to realize they’re attracted to one another and the end up in a FWB situation. They both catch feelings but neither knows really how to tell the other, so they dance around it for a long time. When it finally comes up, it’s very abrupt and the story ended really suddenly with them being in love & playing together for the AWSA and the US Women’s National Teams. I think I would’ve enjoyed this more if the ending had been a little more fleshed out, instead of feeling like it ended mid-thought. However, I did enjoy their banter and spicy scenes together.

This book was ADORABLE -- absolutely loved both characters and of course I love queer sports romance. Super cute!

I really enjoyed this book because it touches on a topic that isn't really talked about in books. (That I've read, at least.) Many books with smut and spicy scenes all have HAPPY, amazing, mind-blowing finishes every 👏 single 👏 time 👏, yet I love how the Author describes a struggle when it comes to orgasms for some people. Some people get stuck in their minds and can struggle to reach climax, and I enjoyed that I've finally read a book that has some intimacy issues within that department!

The only issue I had was for a 330-ish page-long book; I looked at the page numbers and wondered if I was almost done. I was engaged and interested in it, but not 100%. I'd lose myself a little bit until I had reached interactions then I was all in.

Received this as an ARC from Netgalley: This book was such a good time, super entertaining! I really liked the build up to the two characters getting together, and each of them felt unique and flushed out (cute quirks, behaviours given their different abilities and absolute love of soccer). You don’t need to know soccer in order to be motivated by the plot or engaged with the parts of the book that are game time, practices. It did feel that a few things were introduced that weren’t really resolved…like Grace hinting that she was going to look into an autism diagnosis for herself or her comment about how Phoebe’s family treats her. And Phoebe felt quick to forgive and forget. But overall, would recommend this book!

I found the story dragged for the first few chapters and got bogged down in sports terminology and details. I would’ve liked a more compelling story right from the beginning.

rivals to lovers?! sign me up! i couldn’t put this book down! i think it’s the perfect summer read and the new orleans setting?! i’m a sucker for anything that takes place in new orleans! i loved the banter, the will they won’t they, and just about everything else! truly an awesome sapphic read!