An ex-footballer, Alfie, needs a ghostwriter to help write his memoir. Mabel wants to work on bigger and better projects, and this just might be the ticket. Her wit and sass and their banter make this such an entertaining enemies-to-lovers rom-com with a bit of spice, and when they are mistaken as a couple, add in some fake dating trope. I found it a little slow to get really involved with the story, but once invested, it's an adorable rom-com with some great LOL moments. Thanks so much to Charlotte Stein, St. Martin's Griffin, and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this e-arc!

Alfie, a grumpy ex-footballer, needs a ghostwriter for his memoir and Mabel, a vivacious, colorful writer, is the 16th or 17th ghostwriter his publisher has had him meet. Alfie's less than stellar demeanor, ability to alienate just about everyone, and near-refusal to share any details of his life make it difficult for Mabel to gather the information they need to bring this memoir to fruition.

Sunny, cheerful, sassy Mabel finds the right tactics to get Alfie to share his stories before he even realizes what he's doing. That said, Alfie's poor communication skills make the two spend a lot of time bickering and misunderstanding/misinterpreting which causes the attraction to build. Of course, we know when attraction builds so do conflicts, denials, and intrusion by the ever-present paparazzi who interpret this as a "Cinderella" romance and the rumors begin to fly at super-sonic speed.

To tame the social media rumors Alfie and Mabel decide to have a fake romance which backfires on them as the media attention and attraction grows out of control. How do they handle this? Can they fight the attraction? Charlotte Stein delivers a modern day Cinderella rom-com filled with humor, steamy encounters, and a football field full of humor while at the same time addressing tough issues like body shaming and fat-phobia, child abuse/neglect, alcoholism, and childhood poverty which is dealt with in a tasteful, caring, understanding manner.

When a bubbly ghostwriter is hired to ghost write a grumpy footballer's memoir the last them either of them expects is to fall for each other. Alfie Harding is a retired footballer who is known for being grumpy, intimidating, and being extremely private. Mabel Willicker is a curvy, cheery, and sweet ghost writer who is tasked with helping Alfie complete his memoir. They are polar opposites and bicker and banter every chance they get. Yet the more time they spend together the more they begin to fall for each other... and it doesn't help that the media thinks that they are dating each other. While faking a relationship to keep the media off their backs as they try and complete Alfie's memoir... the pretend is starting to feel very real and the feelings between the both of them is growing. Yet can a relationship work between two opposites who come from different worlds... or are they exactly perfect for each other? This was the cutest rom com ever, Alfie was giving strong Roy Kent vibes (and I absolutely love Roy so so much) and Mabel was such a sassy and funny protagonist. they were both so perfect for each other and i adored their friendship and growing relationship so much. This book was just so sweet and fun and will have you feeling so happy while reading it! I absolutely would recommend this for any fans of a cute and funny rom com with a couple who has so much chemistry!!!

*Thanks Netgalley and St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

I absolutely adored this book! Mabel and Alfie were such lovable characters both with self image issues that I think many people can relate to.
Another absolute standout in the book we’re the intimate scenes. They were so hot, so passionate, and so loving. I really found myself blushing at times.
My one qualm is that the book was not told in dueling perspectives. I was desperate to hear Alfie’s internal monologue through all the doubts they were clearly both having about the other’s attachment.
Other than that just a wonderful, emotional, sexy read!

I am in love with this book! These characters are engaging. The witty banter and dirty talk was everything! This is a story with heart and everything a steamy romcom should be! I believe I read this is number 1 in a 3 book series and I cannot wait for the next installment!

Unfortunately, I had to DNF this one as the narration was too slow and the plot didn't seem to move forward. The blurb sounded fantastic, but it just couldn't hook me in.

*ARC courtesy of the author and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. I want to express a thank you to the valued author, the publisher, and Netgalley for providing a copy.*

If you love sports, opposites attract, fake dating, and the ever popular grumpy x sunshine, then I feel you will enjoy this. There is decent banter, and a fair amount of spice. I enjoyed the plus size representation as well. Nothing stood out to say I head over heels loved it, but I liked it well enough.

I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS BOOK! This was such a steamy, wonderful, swoony romance and I loved the Ted Lasso references. I also loved that Mabel was curvy and loved for that. I do with the characters communicated a bit
more, but I understand why they struggled to do so. And I loved the ending!

This opposites-attract romance between ghostwriter Mabel and retired footballer Alfie had humor, banter, and spice.  Mabel is curvy and bubbly compared to Alfie’s grumpy and intense persona.  The two are forced together when Mabel is hired to ghostwrite his memoir.  The two find themselves having to present to be a couple in public.

I love a broody, stoic hero who shows a different side when around the heroine.  That’s what I got with Alfie and Mabel.  This is also a body-positive story.  Mabel as a plus-sized character felt authentic and accurate.

Written in third-person, singular PoV I did find it hard to connect with the story at times.  I think this was due to the slow build of the relationship and the amount of dialogue.  This is definitely a slow burn.  Fans of spicy books will find it worth it in the last 30%.

Although I struggled to get into this one, I feel this rom-com is perfect for slowburn fans who love dialogue-heavy stories.

Unfortunately I ended up DNFing this book. I struggled with the inner monologues and couldn't get hooked on the writing. I loved the idea and blurb but it didn't execute for me.

Fairly predictable rom com but it was still a good read that I enjoyed. And I do plan on rereading this one at some point.

I was pretty excited to read this one and had high expectations. I’m not saying I didn’t love it. But it just wasn’t my favorite!

I liked the main characters, and enjoyed their relationship and banter. I always enjoy a main male character. That’s a little little grumpy and rough on the edges.

But when it came to the end, and overall, it just wasn’t the book for me. I’m giving it three stars because I think it’s a good book for other people, but it just wasn’t my favorite.

Holy dialogue! There was so much inner dialogue from Mabel that I found myself getting confused. This book was very difficult to follow and because the book was so full of her inner thoughts, it took away from the whole story altogether. This was not an enjoyable read, and because of that i felt myself not liking the characters. Unfortunate because I think the concept and everything sounds great. This book couldve helped with some more edits or beta feedback. The cover is cute though.

When Grumpy Met Sunshine was a cute romcom full of banter, slow burn, then steamy steaminess that’ll swoon you to the next level.

Mabel Willicker is a ghost writer who can’t get a job. Alfie Harden is a footballer who can’t find a ghost writer. Lo and behold! Match made in heaven. After the 2 start working together they’re mistaken for a couple and decide to just run with it. Who doesn’t love a little fake dating?

I really wanted to love this. It was cute but some scenes went on a little too long. I love some good banter but the story shouldn’t completely rely on that. These 2 have excellent chemistry though so I loved that. There was just something about the story as a whole that just didn’t hit the mark for me. I’m also not a huge fan of the single POV as it removes agency from the other MC and in romance I feel like we need the 2 sides to really connect.

I would still recommend this to a friend, especially those that love a slow burn. Extra points for body diversity!!!

Read if you love:
Misunderstood Grump/Sunshine
Footballer hotties
Slow Burn
He Falls First
Single POV
BANTER ALL DAY

Overall I give this 3.5 stars rounded up to 4

Thanks NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the free copy in exchange for my honest review

Unfortunately, When Grumpy Met Sunshine by Charlotte Stein just wasn't for me.

Mabel is a young, perky, completely capable ghostwriter with the daunting task of working with a notoriously grumpy/difficult footballer to write his memoir. Personalities clash, and ultimately these two find common ground and love.

I found the narrative style to be a bit difficult to follow with streams of consciousness piled on between lines of dialog, so much so that I found myself going back to reread the dialog to figure out where I was in the conversation. It was a bit of a distraction.

The banter was good but there was almost too much of it. The main characters constantly pecked at each other.

I'm grateful to Charlotte Stein and her publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

DNF

I could not finish this book. When I first started it, the idea seemed very interesting and cute but once I got a little more into it I simply could not do it.

The characters did not meet the expectation of the prompt of sunshine and grumpy at all. The male main character was probably my breaking point for having 0 personality and pretty much acting like a “man child” — completely immature.

Unfortunately, this book was not it for me.

DNF @ 7%.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book but the first 23 pages was not really it. It was weird and kind of confusing. And yet another FMC who refers to the MMC by his full name. Why?? It’s not needed. He also called her a human cupcake which was weird and then it lead her to eventually pepper spraying him in the face.

This one is just not for me unfortunately.

3.5 Stars
When Grumpy Met Sunshine has some wonderfully swoony five-star moments that I absolutely adored and fully believe I will keep thinking about in the way you do special moments from your favorite romantic movies. Outside of those lovely parts, however, the rest of the book was just okay for me, and at times I was struggling to stay engaged. I'm not an easy sell on rom-coms, and the intended banter didn't work for me (for the most part), which is often the case when it comes to me and comedic material. The steamy bits are a slow-burn (which I enjoy) and everything is done very tastefully with emphasis on consent and has that "oh, this is so filthy!" giggle vibe when it's really just normal and actual pretty minimal, albeit with some naughty words for those that don't like that sort of thing. The Roy Kent-ish hero was adorable, and not really as grumpy as the title implies, and the plus-size heroine was very relatable in many ways and likewise, not as sunshine-y. The side characters are very minimal, so much so they made almost no impression on me, and I forgot who they were supposed to be when their names came up later in the book, but it didn't matter so much since the main couple was the show. As such, I wish we had more interaction scenes between them and slightly less thoughts, just a bit. I enjoyed the various media snippets at the end of the chapters, and how they expanded on elements mentioned in the story or moved things along; I thought they were creative and modern. I've always enjoyed this author's voice, and this book was no exception, looking forward to what she writes next.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Griffin and the author for this ARC.

3/5. Releases 2/6/2024.

Vibes: I mean... grumpy meets sunshine, sports x celebrity romance, ghostwriter shenanigans, and tabloid chatter

Alfie Harding, ex-footballer and tabloid fixture (mostly because he hates them), needs to write a memoir. The issue? He ain't doing that. Which is why his team hires ghostwriter Mabel. Her job is to get to know Alfie, to capture his voice. However, Alfie is... grumpy. He doesn't like to talk. And he definitely doesn't like to talk to people like sunshiney Mabel. This becomes an even bigger issue when the press--and Alfie's fans--mistake Mabel for his new girlfriend. And to avoid a major mess, they have to go along with it.

This was a real mixed bag for me. There were components I really liked--it's funny, there's a lot of witty banter, and the sex scenes are great--but there was also some stuff that brought it down a notch for me. None of the things I liked were quite stellar enough to overcome those issues. Charlotte Stein is a good writer, and I definitely wouldn't say no to reading more from her (this is my second read of hers) but this just didn't quite click. Despite it being solid in many ways.

Quick Takes:

--I like grumpy meets sunshine. I mean, it's an easy setup to like. But there's a difference between liking something and being a die-hard for something. I suspect that if you are a grumpy x sunshine die-hard, a lot of what I will critique about this book won't super matter for you. Because this is a classic, wholehearted grumpy x sunshine dynamic. This isn't some umbrella thing where it basically means "a mean one and a nice one", where mean could be a bitchy neighbor and could be like, a mob boss.

Alfie is not an asshole--he's very literally a grump. Kind, but surly. Grouchy, but soft on the inside. (And if I'm being real about personal preferences--I could've used him being a bit more of an asshole.) Mabel is nice and bright, but not sugary. They have good chemistry; it's a good dynamic. In a lot of ways, I think it would work really well--perhaps better?--in a movie setting.

--Because where I think this book began to go wrong for me was in a structural issue (that probably could've been fixed, for what it's worth, in the editing stage.) It's very dialogue-heavy. Overall, the initial banter is good, the chemistry is conveyed, we like it.

However, when there's this much dialogue and banter in a book thing long, it becomes a bit more of a struggle. It's just a lot of talking for one book, and that that slowed the pacing. Because there wasn't really a lot of action--so much as it was them talking about the action. And as that dialogue and banter kept going on, it began to feel immature, especially for the more seasoned Alfie.

And when we didn't have dialogue, we had a lot of internal monologuing. Which is honestly basically dialogue? So again, summarizing instead of showing us what's actually going on in the story.

--I'm a sucker for a fake tabloid moment. Stein uses gossip columns, social media, and notes in a really great way. It's funny--and it keeps the story moving in a way I think it really needs. I wish the plot kind of met that aspect on its level.

--Another thing that did bug me... Mabel is plus-sized. Love that. What I loved a lot less were the little internalized comments about her weight--Alfie, a huge guy whose thighs are the size of tree trunks, must not have ever touched a girl without a flat stomach, right? He must be noticing how broad and big her face is when he stares at it, right?

I'm not saying it's bad to have insecurities. I have insecurities. But as someone who shops in the plus size section myself, I'm kind of super over the lingering on the fat heroine's insecurities. That said, I know my thoughts on this are not at all universal. I don't think this lacks authenticity. It's just an authenticity I personally can't relate to, and it does give me a negative vibe.

--Overall? Not a lot happens in this. It is a lot of feelings and tone. And here's the thing--that isn't for me, but it is a very popular approach to contemporary romance right now. I felt like the conflicts were so low stakes that they weren't actually believable conflicts. However, a lot of readers are going to see that as "no stupid conflicts". Figure out what type of reader you are-- if you like that kind of approach, a lot of my critiques here may not matter to you.

The Sex:

Charlotte Stein writes a great sex scene. They do take a while to happen in this one--it's a slow burn--but when they do... It's hot. I could've used a bit more dirty talk from Alfie, though, because that shit WORKED.

This is a mix of things I think could've been tightened during the editing process, and simply a mismatch. If this had been a bit more eventful, paced with less focus on dialogue and more focus on events, and more dialed up on the personas... It might've been more for me.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Griffin for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The entire time I was reading this book, all I could think of was Roy Kent and Keeley Jones. I love a good grumpy x sunshine trope. It's one of my absolute favorites. I felt like this was an exceptional take on it. It was very much an opposites attract romance. VERY SLOW BURN. I felt like I was walking through the sahara desert with no water and I kept seeing a mirage of a serenely beautiful lake until I ended up stumbling upon a giant puddle. Not what I was expecting but good enough! This books is like a 3 star for me.