This book was seriously such a blast! I can't even with how much I enjoyed it, and I'm starting to realize that all of Stein's books have this knack for leaving me wanting more.

Okay, let's talk characters. Mabel? Total sweetheart! She's got that adorable, kind, and super capable vibe going on – my absolute fave. And Alfie? He's one of those "more than meets the eye" guys, you know? Respectful, sweet, and always down to listen and learn. These characters had layers for days, and watching Mabel and Alfie's slow burn romance? Ugh, it was both agonizing and thrilling in the best possible way. I'm just obsessed with their love story.

I tried to finish this book, but I couldn't care enough about the characters. With so many other books out there I want to read I decided to stop reading. Thanks for the advanced copy NetGalley. #NetGalley #WhenGrumpyMetSunshine

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of When Grumpy Met Sunshine!

This book started out pretty funny with some great banter, although I couldn’t quite connect with either of the main characters. As the story progressed, I dare say that there was too much banter between them and not enough mature communication. After a while, it just became annoying that two grown adults were incapable of having a mature conversation to actually be honest about their feelings.

That being said, there were some heartfelt parts of the story and definitely some funny scenes. The book was light and entertaining and good for a quick read.

When Grumpy Met Sunshine by Charlotte Stein

I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley for review. My opinions are my own.

4/5 stars

Quite honestly, I almost shelved this book. Straight up DNF. I was having a touch time with the dialogue. But then, about halfway through, it hit me in the right places and I was hooked. But word to the wise… this book is extra spicy!

Read this book if you like friends to lovers, slow burn romance, one bed, and fake relationships.

I’m in the middle with this one. In the beginning it was hard for me to get into a rhythm with this story. I initially liked the overall gist with the ghost writer and the retired athlete but I had a hard time buying into their relationship both professionally and then romantically throughout the red of the book. Everything had potential but lost steam in my head as I read. Like how the characters shared similar upbringings that involved addiction and not being able to establish real solid relationships with others over the years. I felt like that was a decent step towards uncovering more about each other but it then took a turn and just felt flat as we continued on. Alfie came across trying to hard to not be the standard athlete playboy and was just super odd and weird. Mabel while I love the body positive attitude, she didn’t sell it to me. She never seemed to actually be that confident in herself which was disappointing because I was hoping to see her be a force going into working with Alfie. Instead we got a super quirky and less confident woman who found a guy just as odd, that likes her back. This one just felt super lack luster for me and nothing as exciting as I thought it was going to be.

A surly soccer player ready to write his memoir bickers with his cheerful ghostwriter in a book full of romance tropes that charms you with his sweet characters. Fake dating mishaps and emotional outbursts are written endearingly in this breezy book full of chemistry and banter. A fun read and one I’ll be sure to recommend!

Based on the writing style and wording, I don't think this is the right book for me. However, if you are not impacted heavily by writing style or phrasing, this has the potential to be a greatly enjoyable book for you, and I hope you enjoy it! This just wasn't right for me.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC!

This was a miss for me. Too much banter? I'm not sure what it was but it just wasn't for me. I wanted to DNF but I pushed through. It was a bit boring.

So I suppose I’ll start at the beginning: "...You think I'm a big hairy manimal who's never gonna be able to work well with this here human cupcake," he said...”
okay who TF is going to get the reference to an obscure, short-lived TV show from the late 70s or early 80s? Then the FMC jumps to the conclusion - WHILE WEARING HEAD TO TOE SHADES OF PINK - that the MMC is insulting her weight.
We're not off to a great start in this here book, pardner.
Next, after him hiding behind a potted fern in a pub, then running out, he’s just followed her out of a Starbucks (emphasis on brand placement here, for unknown reasons) and into a dark alley approaching an even more frightening park where she’s pepper sprayed him out of panic:
(Alfie) "Just imagine you're talking to an incredibly serious five-year-old." (Mabel) "That makes it sound like you think you're a child ghost in a horror movie."
"Because I am... Miserable, only capable of doing the same thing... terrifying to... anybody...”
This exchange is apparently meant to be insightful, about a former professional footballer she's tasked to work with as a ghostwriter.
This book just isn’t working for me.
"...you put their dead bodies in the Thames, so people will just think they were drunk and fell in. Though of course now I've said that I feel like I probably shouldn't have to a woman who already believes I'm a maniac... I've never dropped a person in a river,"
“At which point, she had to concede:
He was a lot more reasonable than she had initially thought.”
What the ever loving hell? Just dreadful.
"Lord, he was so practical about things.
So literal and straight down the line.
Like somebody's grandad from a mining town where everybody was miserable, she thought. But weirdly, not in a way that felt mean. She didn't hate that about him, apparently.
Instead, she had the thought, and then got a little weird bloom of warmth through her.
She was starting to like him."
So basically it's a very curvy Keely meets Roy Kent?
Except bad, really badly done.
"Once during a match he'd kicked the ball and his boot had somehow come off and smacked the goalie in the face. But he hadn't so much as cracked a smile over it. In fact, he'd angrily told everybody to stop laughing about the whole business, during his post-game interview. And then threatened the crowd during his next match because they'd started singing SHOE me the way to go home."
This man reacts angrily, stares angrily, stews angrily, stomps angrily, frowns angrily - FFS he's angry, folks!
The author wants you to know if he's doing something it's ANGRILY!! and he's Alfie effing Harding, lest you forget, the FMC will remind you of that fact in short order, repeatedly.
Yikes.
"They were completely unguarded, in a way that made him look strange and different. Calm, her brain threw up,..."
Ah yes, my brain threw up as well.
Repeatedly, while trying to slog my way through this book.
On a positive note, it’s not riddled with typos and while contextually vapid, it’s technically grammatically correct overall.
I can sincerely recommend this for anyone who thinks Love Actually isn’t problematic and is Great Britain’s greatest romantic comedy gift to cinema.
I received an advance reader copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

✨3 stars✨

When Grumpy Met Sunshine was a sweet and quippy story about Mabel, the sweet and in-tune ghostwriter, writing a memoir for famous, private and sarcastic footballer Alfie Harding. Alfie is the ultimate alpha male jock, at least according to the tabloids. It is up to Mabel to uncover who Alfie really is for his memoir, a job that she’s just a ~little~ too good at.

I did absolutely enjoy reading this book and found Mabel and Alfie’s interactions absolutely so charming and funny. I would be lying if I said Alfie didn’t have me swooning for him at some parts. I mean who could say no to fake-dating him? The moments of discovery and the incorporations of different media clippings in the book were also really strong moments for me while reading.

However, I did find myself skimming at some points because it felt like some scenes just dragged. Some chapters felt really repetitive with Mabel trying to ask a question, Alfie refusing to answer, her figuring it out, and so far and so forth. There was also one point in which Alfie referred to Mabel as a “small little bean” that absolutely just threw me out of the story. The ending also did not work for me. I found it incredibly hard to believe they both waited so long to speak again.

I do see a lot of potential in this story however and I know readers who love the fake-dating and grumpy/sunshine trope would eat this up.

✨Thank you to Charlotte Stein, Netgalley, and St. Martin’s Griffin for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!✨

Alfie Harding, a world renown football player, reputation veers way beyond grumpy to irrational anger. In order to combat his bad rap, Alfie is ordered to write a memoir with a ghost rider to help him craft his moving autobiography. In walks Mabel. Sunlight and glitter are her main stay.

After the first meeting goes terribly wrong, Mable can't imagine Alfie wanting her work with her. Blown away by her candor, Alfie decides that she is the writer for him. Craziness ensues with this seemingly mismatched pair.

I enjoyed Mabel and Alfie as characters who defied some common stereotypes. Many side characters either needed more development or less. I did enjoy the slang of England but was surprised when it showed up since it didn't flow throughout the novel and it was a bit choppy. Romance was definitely there and the tension was top notch. I absolutely loved the ending, but will not give it away.

One thing I loved about this book was the way it describes the plus sized main character. A lot of plus sized MCs end up being so self deprecating but while the MC was insecure about her weight at times, it wasn't over done and annoying. It was nice to see a MC who didn't completely hate herself. A lot of the novel was the two MCs banter and after a while it got to be too much especially when it was conversation after conversation of nothing substantial.

it is a good book but just wasnt for me i do like spice and things but i just cant say i loved it. thanks for letting me read this book.

this was a good concept but i was hoping for more from this book. i love grumpy sunshine so so much and i had really high hopes, but it just fell a little flat for me.

I loved the way this started. Charlotte Stein did a great job of hooking you in and Introducing characters.

However, the hardest parts was those characters because very repetitive with their inner monologue thoughts.

I would high recommend this book to you 1) if you like spice. This has a lot of it and it is pretty well done. 2) you like the miscommunication trope.

Be warned. To me the ending was frustrating but i ultimately understood.

A lovely and funny romance. I was so pleasantly surprised by this book. Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced read.

I loved it! Mabel and Alfie are absolutely it! I loved having the FMC not be a tiny little stick for once because hello being skinny doesn’t make you pretty! Just enjoyed that it broke a beauty standard norm! But either way, this was so so so funny! Mabel had me cracking up through the whole book and Alfie, jeez what a cinnamon roll once you get to know him. I loved reading their love story! Definitely a new favorite that I will be recommending!

I haven't read good banter in like a year, thank goodness for this book!

This book is wish fulfillment on two levels: Roy Kent stand-in and that reticent dude you dated turning out to NOT be a jerk who desperately needs therapy.

My first Charlotte Stein book, but won't be my last.

Absolutely delightful! One of my top romcoms of the year. Give me Ted Lasso-inspired characters, quick banter, super steamy spice and dirty talk, and laugh-out-loud moments, and I'll be singing your praises forever. I really can't say enough about how much I enjoyed this book so I'll rein it in and just say: read it.

This book has great banter and great representation of different size bodies that we don't see often enough in romance novel. Mabel's sunny personality helps her to get along with everyone she is even able to turn Alfie's grumpy personality around. The tension and banter is strong they are both able to pretend to date and the sparks fly. I liked the way Charlotte Stein was able to write a contemporary romance with plus size which was real, raw and exposed all Mabel's insecurities well.