In support of the SMP boycott, I will be withholding my review of this title until SMP speaks out. If the boycott is resolved, I will update with a full review.

When Grumpy Met Sunshine by Charlotte Stein

Published: February 6, 2024
St. Martin’s Press
Pages: 329
Genre: Romantic Comedy
KKECReads Rating: 4/5
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.

This was such a charming romcom. I loved the character development and the way these two played off of each other. Grumpy was so over the top, but it worked out in the funniest way.

The chemistry was off the charts! The build-up only made the dynamic that much hotter. This was a fantastic story and an easy read. I was engaged and laughing throughout most of it.

Mabel Willicker is a positive ray of sunshine who's always looking at the bright side of things. She works as a ghostwriter and is surprised and worried when she's hired to work with famously grumpy ex-footballer Alfie Harding. He hates sharing things about himself, but there's something about the way Mabel teases him that has him sharing his deepest secrets. What starts as a working relationship quickly becomes a friendship that his celebrity status turns into a fake relationship, but Mabel is quickly feeling more than friendship for Alfie and he isn't shy about sharing his wants.

I loved every word of this book. Both Alfie and Mabel are great characters with a lot to unpack and following along as they help each other was delightful. Not to mention that Stein takes the steamy scenes to the next level when she takes their excellent banter into the bedroom, so to speak.

It's a fun, empowering romp that had me falling in love with the characters and eating up their story.

Delighted thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for the fun and romantic read!

Thank you Netgalley for an arc in exchange of my honest opinion!

Rating: 4.35 Stars

I really enjoyed this grumpy/sunshine story, even more so because it had a curvy FMC who I resonated with quite a bit. It was so cute and the perfect palette cleanser for me. I will definitely be reading more books from Charlotte Stein. Now a huge fan of their writing!

Mabel Willicker is amazing, she’s creative, complex and funny, but she’s holding herself back. When she meets Alfie Harding a gruff ex-footballer her life is quickly turned upside down after people begin to speculate they are dating, and the internet starts to do what the internet does. Mabel is a curvy person and fails to see how someone like Alfie could truly be interested in someone like her. This is a great story about knowing your worth. As a curvy person I’ve often struggled with self doubt and seeing this representation really means a lot to me.

I loved this book from beginning to end. It was just so much fun. I love grumpy/sunshine and darn it this was a great example. The main characters are just wonderful and the whole story is a hoot. I hope to read more by this author ASAP.

Charlotte Stein’s novel When Grumpy Met Sunshine is the story of ex-footballer Alfie Harding. Unable to write his memoir, ghostwriter Mabel Willicker is there to help. I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this well-written, adorable book about two people who could not be more different.

This book was a very cute romcom and I loved both of the main characters and each of their backstorys! There was a lot of banter between them which was nice, but at times was hard to follow. I also enjoyed the fake relationship trope. Overall I gave it a 3/5 stars.

When Grumpy meets Sunshine by Charlotte Stein is a fun, cute spicy, banter filled novel staring a plus sized woman and a former football star. It is a slow burn romance that hits on the feelings that many curvy/plus sized ladies feel in relationships, dating and life. While it was a bit slow it's an amazing story that I relate to.

Grumpy former footballer Alfie Harding is somehow convinced to sell and "write" his memoir but decidedly hates revealing anything about himself or showing any emotions. Who shows up but curvy, cheery and obviously attractive ghostwriter Mabel Willicker. She uses her bright and sassy personality to worm her way into his heart and end up getting every detail about him. They banter & argue just enough to writing his life story.

Then their professional arrangement is mistaken for a romance, as a result they pretend to be an item―until that is that they develop genuine romantic feelings for one another.

Synopsis:

Grumpy ex-footballer Alfie Harding gets badgered into selling a memoir but hates revealing anything about himself or showing any emotions. In walks curvy, cheery and cute ghostwriter Mabel Willicker who knows how to sunshine and sass her way into getting every little detail about him. They banter & bicker their way to writing his life story. When their business arrangement is mistaken for a budding romance, they pretend to be an item―until each slow burn step in their fake relationship sparks a heat neither can control.

Review:

This was a cute and unique way to write a grumpy sunshine MMC. Their banter is cute and believable because I feel like it would be hard for anyone to pour their life story out to a complete stranger. The slow burn romance is also believable because being vulnerable can make you feel closer to a person. A cute and easy read for anyone who enjoys a HEA :)

I wanted to like this but I sadly couldn’t get through it, the plot was non existent once the main characters starting having sex and I was not in the mood for that right now.

I sadly had to dnf @ 26% this one. I really wanted to love it and I do think the concept of the story is really cute but I couldn't get past the excessive amount of banter that's included. I know banter is often an enjoyable part of a book but there really was too much of it in this case. It felt like it took up entire scenes and I never really got to know the characters that well. I did like the grumpy sunshine aspect and that combined with the plot really made me want to try and read more. This is probably one I'll try to come back to in a few months and see if I feel any different since I see a lot of potential with it.
With all that being said this is definitely my personal opinion and I know there are some people who will absolutely love this book!
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the e-copy

When Grumpy Met Sunshine is a delightful read! I enjoyed this cute romance—it's the perfect pick-me-up! With its charming characters and heartwarming plot, it's an easy read that's sure to bring a smile to your face.

There is nothing better than a cute, fun, and steamy book! In addition to being humorous throughout, it also touched on some of the hardships life can throw at us, painted a realistic picture of the overwhelming thoughts plus-sized women face, and delivered the most beautiful love story!

Having both gone through trauma in their lives, I loved the authenticity with which Alfie and Mabel discussed it. The way they continued to grow their relationship with such care, tenderness, and love was also wonderful. Their whole story here is filled with respect & acceptance of each other, their insecurities and all. In contrast to Mabel's hilarious sunshine personality, Alfie's charming grumpiness & shyness fit perfectly.

I always love having more plus size rep in romance novels, and I quite like the main characters in this book!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher

I love a good sports rom com and this is the first of a genre that I will continue to read. This book was everything. The banter, the chemistry, the personality of the characters 10/10.

When When Grumpy Met Sunshine was interesting, it was impossible to put down. Conversely, when When Grumpy Met Sunshine was boring, it was impossible to pick up.

I couldn’t get into this one. I also tried it as an audiobook. I just don’t think it was the right book for me.

The way this book had me laughing out loud! I loved the honesty, the jokes, and the fun that was wrapped up in these pages. The chemistry was great and you could feel the tension. A bit of a slow burn that makes the fiery inferno that much more satisfying when it ignites. Once the spice was going, it was all in. In my opinion, it was a bit too much, too fast though. It piled on and then continued to pile more. The author could have pulled back the reins a bit to let it all marinate, but to each their own. I wish there had been more focus on the writing of the memoirs, because it started to become mostly just about how much Alfie and Mabel wanted each other, and less about the plot of the book. I did appreciate the mentions of hard knocks that occur to more of us in life than we like to consider or talk about. I'm also not a fan of the third act breakup, miscommunication trope, and single POV, again, personal preference. But, the book was engaging and like I said, I laughed all the way through it, which I LOVE. Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC!

I loved the premise of this one. A steamy, opposites-attract romance with undeniable chemistry between a grumpy retired footballer and his fabulous and very sunshine-y ghostwriter. also including fake dating and forced proximity. But this one missed the mark for me. I didn't really connect with the characters and didn't get to the point of rooting for them. The most important thing in a romance for me. The comedy was a little lacking for me also. I could see what was meant to amusing, but it didn't really make me smile. Maybe I just don't appreciate British romance humor?

I thought maybe switching to the audiobook would help, but it didn't. Emily Spowage was a good narrator, but I didn't think she had the sunshine voice for the main character.