This was a very difficult book for me to read and get through. The premise was interesting, and there was some good banter with the characters (hence the 2 star instead of 1 star rating) but overall, it was just not enjoyable for me to read. I didn't like the way that this book was written. There was very little plot to carry it, and the bulk were just the conversations between the two main characters, neither of whom were particularly likeable. I wanted more description. More story. More something other than Alfie and Mabel being awkward with each other and the world around them. When I read the synopsis, I thought we were going to get a bit more ghost writing and the like, but we really didn't.

I get that both Mabel and Alfie have their issues to work through, but I really didn't need all of that being captured in excruciating detail. Yes, consent is very important. But how many times can you ask for consent?! Yes, you need to be comfortable with your sexuality, but at a certain point, you're already all in so how much more comfortable do you need to be?!

There were a few really good lines and some solid moments of dialogue that made me chuckle, so there is good writing embedded in this book and Stein's voice. Just too little of the good.

I remember about 30 pages into this thinking that it would probably be better as a screenplay or a play because so little happens that would allow for it to unfold over a 2 hour period. And maybe Stein is plotting to have this turned into a movie to bring in some extra income. But when authors do that, it kind of drives me nuts. The Kissing Booth read the same way. Just doesn't work for me, as a reader and feels disingenuous of the author.

When bantering becomes too much?
I didn't think I had a threshold for the amount of banter I can handle in one book, but I think I hit it with this one.

I REALLY wanted to like this...but the endless banter distracted me from the main plot of the story.

What I did love is that Charlotte brought to life one of my absolute tropes to life. But the banter (I can't believe I'm saying this) was too much for me.

I love everything this author has done. I love this book too but it took a while. I enjoy a little more darkness that the author usually provides. It was reminiscent of Ted Lasso. The heat was slow to come. But by the end I had reconciled my expectations with what this book is. A grump with more below the surface, and an ever positive mouse come to save him.

I received a copy of this for my honest review.

I loved this story! The FNC and MMC have great banter and fantastic chemistry! Check out this book for: fake dating, grumpy and sunshine, miscommunication, plus size FMC, sports romance.

This was a bit on the spicy side in the middle but the beginning and ending totally worked for me.

The author does such a great job connecting the leads, and giving us a sunny insightful leading lady, Mabel, and Alfey, a big, grumpy leading man with a hidden gooey center. I loved the initial bits of the story where the pair find common ground in their similar difficult upbringings. And I loved how the leading Mabel is initially so observant and how she sees through Alfey's glares to discover his careful kindness and manages to surprise him out of his taciturn state and into sharing things he's never shared before. The author also does a good job of giving us some humorous moments and building the sexual tension before the spicy parts take over the story.

I do tend to skim the sexy parts now days and dirty talking has never been my catnip but I can still kind of go with the flow but one four letter word pulled me out of one of the first sexy scenes - there is no way that the use of "slut" will ever be sexy in my mind. My only other nits are that Mabel says repeatedly that she is comfortable with her size, but her self talk doesn't match up to that and while the pair do such a great job of communicating early on they fall down of the job when the sexy times start and misconceptions almost steal their HEA.

Still these are just nits and I really liked how the pair help each other to achieve the secret dreams that they'd each been afraid to turn into reality.

ARC courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley expected publication February 6 2024. This is an unpaid review.

Does anyone remember the Tessa Bailey book “The Sweetest fix”, … well if you loved Bernard in that book, then this romance is for you! “When Grumpy Met Sunshine” is sweet, spicy, swoony, and SIZE INCLUSIVE!!

🌸He falls first
🌸Hero who is so socially awkward it’s too sweet to handle
🌸 Sports romance/ work-place romance/ fake relationship
🌸Sweet and sugary plus sized heroine
🌸Bonding over romantic comedies and love of slushies

BLURB:
When grumpy ex-footballer Alfie Harding gets badgered into selling his memoirs, he knows he’s never going to be able to write them. He hates revealing a single thing about himself, is allergic to most emotions, and can’t imagine doing a good job of putting pen to paper.

And so in walks curvy, cheery, cute as heck ghostwriter Mabel Willicker, who knows just how to sunshine and sass her way into getting every little detail out of Alfie. They banter and bicker their way to writing his life story, both of them sure they’ll never be anything other than at odds.

But after their business arrangement is mistaken for a budding romance, the pair have to pretend to be an item for a public who’s ravenous for more of this Cinderella story. Or at least, it feels like it’s pretend―until each slow burn step in their fake relationship sparks a heat neither can control. Now they just have to decide: is this sizzling chemistry just for show? Or something so real it might just give them their fairytale ending?

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

Grump and sunshine is my absolute favorite trope, and when Talia Hibbert was quoted as recommending this, I ran to request this on NetGalley. I will say, this book is banter heavy, and is more of a slow burn than anything. Also… SPOILER: There are some miscommunications along the way (which I know isn’t everyone’s cup of tea) However, I loved it… for me, it made it seem more realistic, like I knew this soft, sweet couple personally. They felt like real, genuine people I could cheer on. Alfie and Mabel felt like two kindred spirits who were MEANT to be together (also omg the dirty talk)… and I feel so lucky I got to go along on their journey.

Thank you NetGalley!
Release Date: Feb 6, 2024

Heat: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

Retired Footballer Alfie Harding (soccer for us American folks) hires a ghost writer for his memoirs. He goes through over a dozen before settling on Mabel Willicker.

Mabel whose real dream is to write novels under her own name agrees to the ghost writing gig and signs a NDA. After being caught coming and going from Alfie’s secluded bachelor pad, Mabel gets tagged as Alfie’s mystery girlfriend.
Due to the NDA, Mabel and Alfie engage in a beloved trope: fake dating.

Through Mabel’s interviewing process with Alfie will her fake feelings turn real?

I received this ARC for an honest review. This story is about Mabel and Alfie. Mabel is ghost writer and Alfie is a footballer. Alfie is interviewing Mabel to be his ghost writer, but he was rude and mean to Mabel. So, she said no with working with Alfie. Alfie didn’t take no for an answer, and wanted Mabel to change her mind.
She agreed to work with him, and see a different side to him.
For me, the story was ok. Some of the “funny” things that happened fell flat for me. Just because I didn’t connect with the story, doesn’t mean you won’t. Give it a try and see how you like it.

I’ve been in quite the reading slump for a month or so now. Saw this book and it’s synopsis and said ‘sure’

Best. Decision. I’ve. Made.
Mabel is absolutely loveable- as the title suggests ‘sunshine’. Some people may not like her personality but I enjoyed it. It’s my personality. I felt like I could relate to her in so many ways. From her outfits to her quips she is just wonderful. And who would love a hunk like Alfie? Grumps are fun, but the ones that are utter cinnamon roll golden retrievers make my heart melt.
I found having to tear myself away from this to be an adult (ugh amirite?) was HARD. The whole development of the story was just- smooth. I do find myself wanting a sequel with her best friend- I feel like we didn’t get enough time with her and I hope it’s because of a sequel. Maybe even around the same time as all of this is happening or towards the end of it. Maybe even starting at Alfie and Mabel’s wedding? I am left wanting more of this universe. Which is a feat to get me to that point.

I love Charlotte Stein's work SO MUCH that there was no way I wasn't going to dive into her first trad pub romcom with no floaties on. Even tho I had to step over my aversion to Roy Kent to find the hero hot. This has so many of the hallmarks of Stein's works that has made her one of my must-buy authors for the last 15 years.

Such a fun, quirky read! Not my usual genre, but found it very engaging and wanted to read more and more.

This was such a cute, funny, and very sweet love story. These characters were so endearing. I enjoyed it from beginning to end.

Slow paced and secondhand embarrassment galore. I read a review for a different book this morning saying a book "was too quippy. Sometimes your partner just asks 'hey homey we need milk'" and I thought that described this book perfectly.
Would be an adorable movie, again if it were 2 hours, I'd enjoy it, but I got 4 more hours left and I'm not looking forward to it

Loved this one!! When real life, sweet as can be, cupcake personified Mabel is paired up with rough exterior and grumpy Alfie I was just waiting for sparks to fly. Delightful dialogue and witty banter helped move this romantic comedy right along.

TW: Parental abuse, poverty, alcoholism mentioned, fatphobia

Retired footballer, Alfie Harding is ready to write his memoirs but after rejecting 17 ghostwriters who are supposed to help him write it, Mable Willicker is next in line. Only she does the unexpected and rejects the job due to Alfie's rude and grumpy attitude. Eventually Alfie convinces her to help him and along the way they become friends and something more though neither of them have the balls to come out and say it. Throw in loads of banter, fake dating and a one bed trope and this book is a winner in my opinion!

I really liked Mabel and Alfie. She was easy to identify with regarding her introversion and the way she used being sweet and "fluffy" as a self defense mechanism. I felt terrible for them both in how they grew up with their dads being alcoholics and the worst sorts of people. And don't even get me started on how Alfie felt he just annoyed every girl he ever dated...how freaking sad, I just wanted to hug the big lug! Alfie and Mabel's banter was hilarious, I couldn't stop laughing at them! I will admit the author does go heavy on the banter so if you're not into mostly dialogue between the characters as a good chunk of the book I could see where that could bother you. But I loved it, their personalities really shined through all of their quips. Also, Charlotte Stein can write some smut, good lord! Alfie and Mabel both have a knack for dirty talk and they don't shy away from it lol. Also the ending oh wow I just knew Alfie was going to bring out those writing skills at some point and he did in in such a beautiful way, my heart was goo!

This was my first Charlotte Stein book but I am eager to delve into her back catalogue with how much I loved this one. I'd recommend this to Tessa Bailey and Alexandria Bellefleur fans...the feel is pretty similar in my opinion. Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to Netgalley and St Martin’s Press for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Where to even begin? This book has everything. Grumpy/sunshine dynamic, fake dating, one bed, banter (so much banter). I was hooked from the beginning and I loved watching the love story between a gruff ex-footballer and his ghostwriter evolve through. The sexual tension and eventual payoff was so deliciously good. If you need a fun, funny but ultimately really tender romance, this one will fit the bill. 4.25 stars

When I say this has healed a part of me I am being so, so serious.

Some may say that it's no longer revolutionary for a fat FMC to find and keep love in books like this, and I would have to blatantly disagree, as a fat girl myself. Mabel has been told her entire life that she needs to be less—less big, less dreary, less fun, less herself in every way that matters, and she's fought against that at every turn. You can see that in how defiant she is and how absolutely steadfast she is in her determination to be everything that makes her Mabel. And yet like the rest of us fat girls, she's internalized that, so much that being the sunshine means she doesn't let anyone see anything else.

Until, of course, she meets her Grumpy in Alfie Harding.

Alfie.

There are so many things I can say about Alfie Harding—I could talk about how too often the grump is either not actually grumpy or is just an actual asshat. I could talk about the way trauma and expectations have shaped him as a person, much like Mabel, to the point where they're two sides of the same coin. I could wax poetic about him, and him and Mabel, for weeks without end.

But I'll keep it to this: I knew from the moment we meet Alfie Harding that I would absolutely fucking love him, and I was proved right at every fucking turn. He is the ONLY man, as far as I care, and he is EVERYTHING to me in a way MMCs almost never are.

The relationship between him and Mabel will sit forever in my heart. They're SO real—we've all met and befriended and maybe even hated people exactly like them, every single day. Every misguided decision, every completely wrong assumption, every stray thought had me screaming at the page and begging for them to stop being such idiots—which is personally my absolutely favorite part of reading romances like this.

Ultimately, this has been an absolute highlight of my year, if not my life, and I cannot emphasize enough how much you NEED to read it.

Dnf @ 21%, because it really did just feel like Roy Kent x self insert fanfic. The way it’s written with such extended banter sequences and the FMC’s analysis of what was going on really felt like those fics where authors go in and write something to work out one character felt during a scene from a show. Except that was just the whole book.

Mabel’s personality is being plus size and magically getting someone who has never opened up to anyone spill all his secrets to her. Alfie’s personality is being renamed Roy Kent.

I gave up because 1/5 of the way through, next to nothing had happened; it was just the two MCs bantering about how they bantered.

Honestly, this was my first romcom and it took me by complete surprise! I laughed so hard I cried, and then I just cried. Definitely loved rhe FMC so much, but probably mostly because I saw myself in her. I loved alfie and his protectiveness of her and I can only hope tp see more of this style of book from the author.

I can't remember the last time I laughed so much while reading. This story is .... honestly, it's everything I could possibly want. Mabel is beautiful and wonderful and so good at her job and can't seem to stop making smart comments to this celebrity footballer. Alfie freaking Harding, my friends. My new favorite hero. I just...I love him. This man who has forced himself to be smaller because reasons, and he freaking lights up with Mabel. Brilliant. Also, some really great sexy scenes!! The banter is top notch. Basically this is my favorite book. Heading off to read it again now.