This is an easy, fluffy read with plenty of queer representation and joy and I'm very here for that. I love Meryl Wilsner's books and their sex scenes are always spicy and delicious. I had a pleasant time reading this preview copy of Cleat Cute.

I've read 10,000 word grumpy/sunshine fanfics with higher stakes, deeper characters, better conflict/communication resolution, diversity, and neurodivergence which makes it hard not to be hyper-critical of this book for all the things I wanted to like about it.

<Spoiler> ahead if you want to skip the whys behind my what -

The reason for my low rating is that despite it being an easy read, there were literally NO STAKES. There were hints of tension points - would it be past relationships? Mental health diagnoses? Injury recovery/revelation? Career aspirations and conflicts? But all of them passed by and the sole elevation was that of miscommunication that was "solved" within 15-20 pages. Thing is, none of the presented issues were ACTUALLY explored or resolved, and all the potential points of conflict arose in the last 50 pages.

The main characters were also extremely lean with face-value defining traits (ADHD characteristics without diagnosis, charm, and youthful ambition and autistic characteristics without diagnosis, dispassionate career pivots, and scared-but-falling-again) and the side characters got very little depth past "they're married with a kid" or "they're dating so and so".

I loved the potential for meaningful ADHD and autism representation but it was poor, relatively unaddressed for 95% of the book, bizarre family dynamics around it, and then awkwardly resolved. As someone with one of these diagnoses and family with combinations of the others, that was underwhelming.

I wanted to love it, but it's fine at best.

It’s official, I will read anything Meryl Wilsner writes! I am a HUGE fan of last year’s “Mistakes Were Made”… and this one proves they have range and depth as a writer.

I was worried the sports would be cringey (bc they often are in romance)… they were not! Meryl somehow manages to make a story and its characters light but not shallow, fun but not obnoxious, and relatable but not predictable.

Maybe what I appreciate most about their writing is that they don’t fall into the petty miscommunication trap! Their characters navigate the 3rd act in a way that always makes me feel proud to read their stories.

This was a fun, easy read.

Probably the cutest book I've read in a while. I loved the themes, I loved the world building and the descriptions. The characters are amazing and I truly have no notes. I loved this book.

Absolutely loved the way that this book flowed! It was a bit of a quick read, that consisted of lots of interesting topics such as mental health, ADHD, and just general phobias that can be faced during the forming of a new relationship. Of course, there's some spice added in to liven things up, which is typical of Meryl Wilsner's style as far as I have read of their books. I also love that this brought in a little of the good atmosphere that Louisiana has to offer in New Orleans! The main characters were not the best at communicating, but throughout the whole book you wanted to root both of them on in their daily lives, which is sometimes hard to come by in wlw romances.

One of my favorite romances I've read and definitely my favorite WLW romance! I love sports and I'm OBSESSED with the USWNT, so this was definitely the read for me. Meryl does a great job of immediately pulling the reader in with a dual POV of two headstrong and independent women. I loved the pace of both the friendship and the romance between Phoebe and Grace — it didn't feel rushed like many romance novels feel to me. Their friendship felt organic and silly. The spice in this book was TOP NOTCH, although I didn't expect anything less after Mistakes Were Made. I also loved the soccer aspect and the team focus. I fell in love with the teams and really appreciated the queer and non-binary representation of the players. I couldn't have loved this book more!!!

This was a good read, I enjoy this author and she's great at writing steamy scenes, but this one was a little heavy on the inner monologue in lieu of actual dialogue between characters, which can get boring to read. But overall a cute summer read especially if you're a sports/soccer fan, which I admittedly am.

4.25/5 Stars

Cleat Cute had everything I was looking for in WLW soccer romance! Watching Grace and Phoebe lean outside their comfort zones and fall in love was perfect. I loved that the story gave us great background on who these characters were and what they were bringing into their maybe relationship/situationship.

I loved Phoebe's infectious personality, she was so filled with joy and positive outlook. I loved that this book dove into what ADHD looks like in Adult women. There is so much last of representation or incorrect representation of what ADHD looks like and I thought the author did a great job at capturing how ADHD impacted Phoebe. I loved that we got to see Grace choose herself and make choices for her career that were good for her and now for what people wanted from her.

If you love contemporary romance with some solid character growth and LGBTQIA+ reads this book if definitely one I would recommend you pick up. It left me feeling content in the best way. Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and SMP for the free e-ARC in exchange for honest review. Ok woww i know nothing about soccer but this kept my attention and is tied for my favorite meryl wilsner book. The steam had me fanning myself the 1st kiss, shower scene. I will absolutely need to add a physical copy to my forever shelf.

4.5/5

As always, Meryl Wilsner writes charmingly. The book was definitely interesting and the characters were well developed. Their attraction to each other and all the steamy scenes were well written, the only thing the book lacked was the romantic connection, to me. They clearly had tension and also had a good friendship dynamic but I struggled to see how they were romantically intertwined.

Also, this book has THE most ridiculous annoying miscommunication ever because technically they talked about it and still ended up getting entirely different things out of the conversation, it didn't even lead to a conflict, it's as if it was just put there to drive me nuts. Football was barely there: it barely really signified that it was a World Cup year. The mental health stuff, the way in which it all unfolded, it left a bad aftertaste to me.

Overall: not for me but I can see how others would enjoy it.

Not going to lie, I'm obsessed. For gay fans of the USWNT or NWSL, this book is especially going to tick all the boxes! I've already recommended it to multiple people.

I adored all the characters, even when I was internally groaning at their miscommunications. I also appreciated that the "drama" between the two main characters stemmed from realistic conflicts. Readers who are looking for the outside world to exert pressures on the characters may think this book falls short; I appreciated the opportunity to have the characters wrestle and grow in a realistic environment.

The chemistry between these two characters was palpable immediately. Sometimes I have trouble "believing" in the romance but there was no doubt that these two are PERFECT for each other, even if they have to learn how to be each other's perfect partner. Also, neurodivergent representation is sadly lacking in most novels, so I was thrilled to see it here!

Cleat Cute truly knocked it out of the park, and I cannot wait to yell about this book to everyone who will listen. Thank you for the opportunity to read the e-ARC!

SAPPHICS AND SOCCER?? SIGN ME UP. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! Opposites attract in Grace and Phoebe, who, when the former suffers an injury, has the latter replace her the golden girl of the USA’s Women’s National Team. Opposites to rivals turn to benefits with this incredible new romance by Mary Wilsner. I’m so glad to see an incredible sapphic book enter the realm of sports romances with so much force. Not to mention, it was incredibly diverse and did not feel forced at all. This book is equal parts soft and equal parts funny, and all around, such an incredible time. It made me so, so giddy! I genuinely enjoyed this book from beginning to end.

absolutely loved this sweet little sapphic romance novel!!! The way the author had the characters blossom together and individually kept me hooked the entire book. It was a light and sweet read. Highly recommend!

I mean, what can I say? This book was even better than I could have imagined! Sexy, sweet, heartwarming, and delightfully fun, Cleat Cute is the sapphic soccer rom com we needed!

The plot looks really interesting and even just first reading the blurb, I can totally see the potential for a new and exciting story. It had good LGBTQ+ representation, especially in the world of professional sports! I love a good grumpy sunshine main character relationship, and this one definitely hit the bill. Women do not get enough credit in sports and they have to fight even harder to get respect when they are part of not one but two minorities.

So... I'll just be honest... I had a hard time with this one. I just got stuck in some of the details! The main characters just did not do it for me- I was annoyed with both of them by the end and I think that their relationship is confusing to me throughout the entire book. I just don't see them together, and, in my opinion, the story gets a little overrun with the the strength of the LGBTQ+ theme versus the romance.

Overall, it's a good book and I think if you're looking at it unsure about whether or not you should read it- go for it! It just didn't hit for me but I think the strong theme and look into the world of pro soccer could definitely hit different with you!

There's so much to love about about Phoebe and Grace's love story, but my favorites are probably the ways in which the two experience the necessary-for-conflict misunderstandings and work through them, like the stellar teammates they are, learning about themselves and their own emotional strengths and areas needing support along the way. Also the ways their relationship is impacted by their interactions with their friends, family, and colleagues. Plus lots of hot hot hot consensual sex!

I was drawn to this book because I love soccer and played growing up. Then having it be a queer teammate romance?! Yes please. Overall I enjoyed the story and the goals (ha) of some of the characters. But there were parts that fell short for me. For one I think Grace definitely spent a lot of time in her own head to the point that almost cost her a lot. Especially telling Phoebe she might have ADHD. I think there was actually a lot of the other subplots that if they weren't there I would have enjoyed it a lot more. Overall cute and fun read just a few issues that book me out of it sometimes.

Full review can be found on my blog here: https://theweatherwriter.wixsite.com/blog/post/book-review-cleat-cute-by-meryl-wilsner

This book was a sexy sapphic, tender romance between two soccer-playing women. Phoebe is the ambitious rookie whose chaotic, bubbly charm manages to get past all of Grace's defenses, perfectly balancing Grace, she is the star veteran player who is stoic, private, and a rule-follower.

I do not watch sports, and reading this book made me interested in soccer. There are high stakes in this book, in the relationship between Phoebe and Grace as they are teammates and in the game itself, it focuses a lot on the growth and interiority of Grace and Phoebe, as well as their intense, smoldering relationship. I loved how there’s awareness of both characters’ neurodiversity and it’s represented very respectfully and uniquely to both of them.

I loved some small details in this book that had me swooning and rooting for Grace and Phoebe’s romance, like Grace braiding Phoebe’s hair, the love of soccer, and of course the side characters. They were funny and so supportive!

Cute and enjoyable enough but I think the writing style made the whole thing drag a little for me. I liked the progression of their relationship and I always appreciate when the romantic conflicts are more realistic and less contrived but as many others have said the monologuing was a bit much at times! I don't mind a character centric story but I think this could've benefitted from more of a plot also. Not much to say, not bad, not great, I just feel indifferent which is unfortunately how I'm feeling about a lot of books lately.

Phoebe Matthew’s chances of playing professional soccer is very slim as she played for a small college in the midwest. Being drafted to play for the same professional team her idol plays on is a mind blowing dream come true for Phoebe. 

Grace Henderson has played on the National team since she was sixteen years old. Everything she does is to stay in shape and be focused for soccer. Meeting the rookie for her pro team sends Grace into a tailspin. No one has ever treated her like a normal person before this. Phoebe’s youthful enthusiasm, work ethic and easy manner pulls Grace toward her like no one else has in her life.

Cleat Cute is a rivals to lovers story that is lighthearted and fun with splashes of seriousness folded in. Soccer is the setting but the story revolves around the players more than the game itself. We are inside the minds of both main characters riding their emotional ups and downs as they play out.

Wilsner captures the world of soccer beautifully in their well written and engaging novel. Yet more importantly, they offer the remarkable love story of two neurodiverse characters. This is a not to be missed read.

Available September 19, 2023

I received an advance review copy from St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Grace is a soccer star, she has been for years. Phoebe is a rookie. They meet at a camp to help coaches determine the team for the World Cup.

Phoebe is late her first day…Grace is far from impressed. After camp, they both head to New Orleans before the start of their season. It’s Phoebe’s first as a professional athlete and none of their other teammates are arrived yet. Can Phoebe win Grace over as a friend? A teammate? Something else?

Phoebe was a ray of sunshine. I’m not sure I’d call Grace grumpy though, she is more introverted and internalizes things. Watching Phoebe try to break Grace out of her comfort zone in the beginning was sweet. They made for a good main character duo.

I really liked some of the secondary characters. Teddy is adorable. I could not get enough of his scenes. His relationship with Phoebe was a delight. I liked a lot of Phoebe and Grace’s teammates, too. Gabby and Kayla, as well as Fish, added to the story.

I will admit that I didn’t love the whole Phoebe had a poster of Grace on her wall for years thing. Personally, that sketches me out but it probably doesn’t for most.

Another thing I loved was Grace saying how she learns rules by watching. Not only did she say that, but we saw a few examples, too. I related to that so much.

Overall, I quite enjoyed this book!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an arc of this book