I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. Review previously withheld in solidarity with the St. Martin’s Press reviewer boycott. All opinions are my own. 

I’ve followed Charlotte Stein on Twitter/X for a while, but her books prior to When Grumpy Met Sunshine were very much not my thing. Even with WGMS’s more commercial appeal, Stein’s bibliography and the general meh-ness of many tradpub romcoms meant it could easily go either way. But something about the charm of the title, the Leni Kauffman cover art, and the premise sounding fun appealed to me. And while I did have some issues with it, I mostly enjoyed this book. 

I really liked both leads. “Grumpy” male leads are a major toss-up for me, as sometimes they’re giant pricks, but that’s not the case here. Alfie has his moments of arrogance and being a little out-of-touch, but he’s generally a solid guy with a lot of vulnerabilities. As for Mabel, I like that she’s the more “sunshiney” and quirky of the two, but she still feels real, and has her moments of vulnerability too. 

With Mabel being fat, I also appreciate how the story handled having her be insecure about it, especially in the face of public scrutiny, while also not being a major issue of her self-loathing, with Alfie also serving to build up her confidence. And I generally liked how their romantic dynamic had a mix of witty, flirty banter that transitioned well into more touchy-feely territory, and then into the steamy scenes. 

I did also appreciate how this book had the lens of fake dating with commentary on the impact public perception can have with one of the people in the relationship being a public figure. While this aspect, in both fake dating and genuine relationship scenarios, is not unique to this book, I appreciated Stein’s take on it, especially with the inclusion of mixed-media, like social media posts, gossip rags, and more. 

One aspect I went in excited about was the ghostwriting and him writing his memoir, but I felt like this was more dominant in the first part of the book, with notes and exchanges related to the book being among the mixed-media, while that aspect was abandoned in the second half. I’d like to know how the book did, at least, not to mention there’s an exchange where he confirms to her his desires to be a writer in his own right, which could have been an interesting subplot to run with. However, the media fixation element took over, and while I didn’t hate that, it would have been great if there had been a way to do both. 

In spite of this issue, I did mostly enjoy this book, and would recommend it to readers looking for a fun, steamy romcom with a plus-size lead, especially if you happen to be looking for a readalike for Olivia Dade’s books.

3.5 stars! If you are a Ted Lasso fan, you automatically thought of Roy Kent as MMC of this book. Grumpy soccer player with soft heart and gentle tendencies. I really enjoyed this book! It was a cute rom-com that I can definitely see being made into a movie. The only con I have is that it is a tad…slow. Not slow burn, just slow. I felt some scenes lasted forever before we moved past it, conversations went a little longer than necessary. But the banter was top notch and I ended up falling in love with both Mabel and Alfie. I would definitely read this again. Soo cute!

When Grumpy Met Sunshine is a banter-filled romcom that follows Mabel, a bubbly ghostwriter, and Alfie, a famous retired footballer in need of help writing his memoir. As they get closer while chronicling Alfie’s life, their chemistry intensifies, and when their relationship is exposed to the public, they're forced to pretend to be a couple.

As a Roy Kent fan, I’m conflicted! I loved every charming minute of this romcom, but the writing was both lengthy and choppy—I struggled to follow what was being said at times. Despite that, the banter and honesty in Mabel and Alfie’s relationship kept me invested from start to finish. However, I couldn’t ignore the need for more editing and proofreading. The one-year separation and time skip in the last 10% of the book felt rushed and out of character for the story.

Despite my issues with the writing and the ending, I still enjoyed the story and will definitely be on the lookout for more from Charlotte Stein!

Read this if you like:
→ Grumpy/sunshine trope
→ Close proximity
→ Fake dating
→ Slow burn
→ Witty banter

This book was spicy!

I enjoyed this, it was nudging me out of my reading slump. There was a moment I didn’t really want to pick this back up, I’m not sure exactly why. But in the end I did and it was good. I enjoyed the back and forth and the obvious attraction the MC’s had for each other and all together frustrating when it was obvious to everyone but them. I do recommend this if you want a quick cute spicy read.

What a fun book! It had some great banter & I loved the plus sized representation but I could have done without the drama at the end.

This was such a sweet and funny romance. I love the grumpy/sunshine trope and this took it to a whole new level. I have yet to see a couple so perfect for each other and this was a delight. It was once hilarious mixup after another. The fake dating with him having already fallen, makes this even sweeter. Alfie and Mabel were opposites in lifestyles but had so much in common. Being inside Mabel's head made the miscommunication hilarious instead of annoying. Even the spicy scenes were hilarious, I listened via Audio and had to pull over several times because I was laughing so hard. This may be my favorite romance of the year.

Omg I am so sorry I accidentally clicked on the wrong book to review and didn’t notice until I had submitted it 😭😩 I will be back with the review for this one

This book didn't break any new ground, but boy did I feel sucked into the story. And jeez from the cutesy cover I did not expect that level of steam! Mabel and Alfie had great chemistry and I really loved their bond as they worked on the book together. The couple had great banter and I really appreciated that I didn't have to read about another romance where the conflict resolves around communication issues. I wish the last third of the book was a little more plot driven instead of so much spice, but that might just be a personal preference.

When Grumpy Met Sunshine is an opposites attract romance between a grumpy ex footballer (soccer player) and a bubbly ghostwriter. While I usually love these tropes, this book just didn’t do it for me and I’m so sad to say that. I had picked up this book multiple times before finally pushing through and I should have just left it on my shelf and admired the cover forever. I think I had it in my head that it wasn’t the book for me since I had attempted to read it twice before, which made me enjoy it less that I potentially could have. My issues with this book were that it felt like a fan fiction. The MMC was forced into this specific mold that felt too much like a character from a movie. After reading other reviews, it seems to be a popular opinion that our MMC, Alfie, appears very similar to a character from Ted Lasso (which I have never seen and cannot further confirm). I also felt like there was TOO much banter!!! Can you believe it? I am one for fun banter and witty dialogue but it just went overboard. Having too much of the banter really takes away the joy of it. My last point is that it just didn’t stand out. I have quite the experience in contemporary romance therefore I feel qualified to express this opinion. I knew, as I was reading, that this book wasn’t going to stand out to me. It didn’t have any emotional impact on me personally, and the banter was so common that it didn’t feel monumental. I know this book isn’t for me but this could be someone’s cup of tea! I received this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to St. Martins press for the ARC.

This book was adorable with loads of banter. Alfie is socially awkward and it seems even more so when he is in the company of Mabel, the ghostwriter for his memoir. Mabel has to work hard to get any stories from Alfie, but soon finds him endearing and coaxes the truth from him. When the two are photographed together. they decide to play the fake dating card only to find they may both have feelings for the other. This slow burn was a fun read.

2.5/5 Stars

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and Charlotte Stein for a #gifted copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Unfortunately, this one was not for me. There was simply too much miscommunication for me. Honestly, I don't even know if I’d call it miscommunication - it kind of just felt like the characters didn’t communicate their inner feelings or thoughts at all until the very end of the book. 

I did like the representation of insecurities in this book. The FMC Mabel had a lot of insecurities about her looks and that felt incredibly authentic and relatable. 

The pacing of this book just didn't jive with me. It was a slow burn, but would randomly speed up at points and then the breaks would be pulled out again. It felt like whiplash which made for kind of a disjointed romance for me. I didn’t fully understand their chemistry. I think we also learned an okay amount about Alfie, the MMC, but not much about Mabel. This story may have benefitted from a dual POV narration because it felt like we as the readers didn’t get to learn enough about what Alfie saw in Mabel. 

This one wasn’t for me, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be for you! Read if you like the below:
-Grumpy x sunshine
-Workplace romance
-Opposites attract
-Fake Dating
-Plus size FMC
-Slow burn

Romance isn’t my go-to genre, but I do occasionally pick up a romance novel if it catches my interest or if I’m in the right mood. I have a soft spot for the grumpy/sunshine trope, and since today’s book features that in its title, I decided to give it a shot.

First off, I couldn’t help but picture Alfie (a retired footballer) as Roy Kent from Ted Lasso. If he wasn’t inspired by Roy, I’d be very surprised. (By the way, I really miss Ted Lasso—such a great show!)

This book is a textbook example of the grumpy/sunshine trope. Unfortunately, it also exemplifies the miscommunication trope to an extreme degree. The whole story felt like one long miscommunication, which is a trope I really don’t enjoy.

While I appreciate the representation of “curvy” girls in books, I find it frustrating that they are often portrayed as “cheery, cute, and sassy.” I haven’t read every romance featuring plus-sized heroines, but the ones I have read seem to reinforce the stereotype of “she’s overweight but has a great personality”, and it honestly bothers me.

Overall, this book wasn’t terrible, but it didn’t quite hit the mark for me. I think I might have enjoyed it more if we had some of Alfie’s perspective instead of just Mabel’s.

Thank you @netgalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for an eARC of this book, which I have read and reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Not my favorite read but not the worst either. Slow burn sports romance (great) but there is too much narration. I prefer heavy dialogue. Also, it never felt like a true connection between the main characters. Like I said, not the worst I’ve ready but not the best. Did not meet the standards this author normally hits.

Unfortunately, this just wasn’t for me. My main concern was the narration. I felt that the book was mainly dialogue and because of that, I couldn’t really get into the story. There was also a lot of miscommunication and it seemed that most of the characters’ problems could have been solved by talking to each other. Speaking of the characters, I wish we got to know their backstories a bit more. All in all, I was intrigued by the premise but was disappointed with the execution.

This book unfortunately was not for me. The writing was great and easy to follow, but the story did not peak my interest as much as i'd hope!

What brought me to this book was the cover. It's cute and I already what I'm going to get into when the cover is cute!
Mabel and Alfie are perfect together and the slow build to their romance is perfect for a "grumpy and sunshine" trope - hence the name.
I enjoyed this simple romcom and excited to read more from this author

Thanks NetGalley for the free ebook in return for an honest review!

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

It has taken me a while to get around to this book as romantic comedy just isn't my mood right now, but I finally decided to go for it.

I'll start with what I like about the book. I like the grumpy/ sunshine trope in a romantic comedy. There was a lot of fun banter between the leads. I also like that the book was a light read overall. The topics never got too heavy.

There were some things that could use some work. I feel as though the editing was rushed. At times, the banter got to be too much and very repetitive. By the end, I didn't feel either character was super likable, and I found myself not really caring how their stories ended.

In conclusion, it is not my favorite read of the year, but I may recommend it if you are looking for something light and not to thought provoking. You may have fun with this read if these are some of your favorite tropes.

I enjoyed this book—Alfie reminded me so much of Roy Kent!!—but wowsas, there were some steamy scenes in this book. I don't mind a little smut, and I enjoyed the slow build and tension between Alfie and Maisie, but it felt forced in some parts.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

"When Grumpy Met Sunshine" by Charlotte Stein is a delightful and heartwarming romance that captivates with its charming characters and engaging banter. The story follows Mabel, a plus-size, sunny, and spirited woman, and Alfie, a grumpy ex-footballer with a tough exterior but a caring heart. Tasked with ghost-writing Alfie's memoir, Mabel's sweetness and persistence slowly unravel Alfie's guarded persona. Despite a rocky start, their growing connection is undeniable, filled with witty exchanges and mutual understanding. When a fan's photo forces them into a pretend relationship, the sparks fly even higher. Stein masterfully balances humor and tenderness, crafting a romance that is both heartfelt and entertaining. "When Grumpy Met Sunshine" is a must-read for anyone who enjoys a well-written (plus-sized) love story with depth, humor, and an unforgettable pair of protagonists.

I really had high expectations for this book, it had a lot of my favorite tropes but it was a huge miss for me. I had an extremely hard time getting through this and I probably should've DNF'd about halfway in.