Relationship goals has fake dating between a soccer start and a famous athlete. It is very much like How to Lose A Guy In 10 Days. The heroine, Abigail, does some truly crazy things to get Luke to dump her after she figures out he is dating her for the PR. But, Luke needs her or he ends up on the transfer list.

What I enjoyed: This book was funny! They have a great grumpy/sunshine vibe that I enjoyed. There is great banter between Abby and Luke.

What I didn't enjoyed: Abigail was annoying. Her behavior was all a bit too much. It was funny, but it was cringey at times. Really, all of this book was kind of a miscommunication. She thinks it real, he thinks it a PR stunt, but they never actually talked to each other.

Overall, I struggled with this one. It felt really immature for me. Abby's feelings were hurt when she found out it was just fake for Luke, but then she went off the rails. Luke could have been honest at any point and shared his feelings. So could Abby. But they didn't. So, Relationship Goals was funny, but frustrating.

This had all the makings of a great rom-com with the How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days and Ted Lasso inspiration, but the writing and plot fell flat for me. The story follows Abigail, a Hollywood actress who hopes her new big movie role can change the course of her career, and Luke, a gruff and brash soccer player. Looking to be closer to his mom while she undergoes cancer treatment, Luke agrees to his bosses demand to date Abigail to increase ticket sales, so he can be traded for his home team. The storyline had the perfect setup with Abigail not knowing their relationship was fake and Luke wanting it to be real, but the pacing and romance was so off-kilter. The insta-lust was very forefront and overwhelming, I feel like most of the book was either sex or them lusting after each other. And the third act breakup... don't even get me started. It made no sense for Luke to be so mad with Abigail after he had kept such a big secret. Despite all that, the one thing I will say is this romance was an absolute breeze! I knocked it out in one sitting, and if you just go in for a good time, I could see this working out for a lot of people.

Relationship Goals by Brittany Kelley ⚽️
Standalone

Adult • Sports Romance
ARC Review
352 Pages
🗓️ July 8

⚽️soccer romance
💙fake dating(ish)
💚grumpy x sunshine
⚽️revenge dating
💙celebrity romance
💚ted lasso meets how to lose a guy in 10 days

❣️”Abigail Hunt is chaos in an adorable strawberry-blonde package.”

If Ted Lasso and How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days had a child, it would’ve been Relationship Goals. Roy, I mean Luke… had me smiling at all that grumpiness that kept hiding the softest heart. And Abigail just had me belly laughing at all the quirky soundbites she kept offering the universe.

I had fun reading this book. Genuine fun. And I was done in less than a day, so that says something. I could’ve easily read 10 more epilogues of them being aggressively adorable 🥰

I love this story! A PR set up between a professional soccer player and a Hollywood starlet trying to fix her reputation - but she doesn’t know it’s fake. The concept is great, and so were the characters. Luke is definitely one of the grumpiest MMCs I’ve encountered, it was actually hilarious. And I could totally relate to Abigail with her awkward, unfiltered, genuinely bubbly personality.
I liked that we got so much of the soccer aspect, as well as the entertainment industry, and I really enjoyed the side characters. I found myself unable to put this one down, and laughing throughout. If you’re looking for a bingeable read, check it out!

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁 ⇣
Sports romance
Professional soccer player MMC
Grumpy x sunshine
Fake dating
FMC is an actor
Anxiety rep
Dual POV
Spice

Thank you, Berkley Romance and Netgalley for the advanced copy!

This is the perfect book for anyone that is missing Roy Kent! Nothing makes me happier than a grump that just melts for his girl *insert heart eye emoji* and boy does Luke deliver. Abigail is absolutely chaotic in the best way and her schemes had me laughing out loud multiple times.
There is quite a bit of miscommunication that could have been cleared up, but other than that I really enjoyed this book!

This was my first soccer romance and I really enjoyed it! I adore Ted Lasso and this had strong Roy Kent/Keeley Jones vibes! I loved the banter between Abigail and Luke. I was very frustrated by Luke constantly wanting to still break up with her instead of having an actual conversation about his situation once things got serious between them. I also didn't really buy why Abby needed to be shadowing Michelle (again, big Rebecca energy) for that long, but I can suspend my disbelief because the story was still fun to read. When the new season of Ted Lasso comes out, I'll be recommending this book for sure!

happy release day and happy debut!!

abigail is a neurodivergent hollywood actress unknowingly in a fake dating scheme with the grumpy soccer player, luke.

now, this was fun and easy, but my pain problem lies with luke. he had every opportunity to tell abigail the outset of their relationship was for pr, but he does not. when she finds out it’s all fake, the drama ensues. characters who lie to each other aren’t my favorite because it makes the HEA a bit more hard for me to see for them, and unfortunately abigail and luke fall in that category for me.

luke was your standard grumpy character and abigail’s neurodivergence was very well done. but I had trouble rooting for them completely.

thank you Berkley Romance and penguin random house audio for the gifted copies!!

I would first like to start my review by thanking Netgalley, Brittany Kelley, and Berkley publishing for the opportunity to read Relationship Goals early and review it!

Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice:🌶️

“Abigail Hunt is chaos in an adorable strawberry blond package.”

All of my emotions are currently wrapped up in Brittany Kelley’s Relationship goals, because this book truly will make you feel a little bit of everything… you’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll be angry, and you’ll even fall in love. I have been a big fan of Brittany Kelley’s for quite some time now and this book just solidified her place as a must buy author even more because this book was amazing from start to finish. I loved Abigail and Luke from the second they were both introduced. Abigail is such a ball of chaotic, sassy, sunshine that you can’t help want to root for her to get everything she’s ever wanted. And Luke while a grumpy, alpha of a soccer player who seems a bit callous and cruel at first becomes a character you can’t help but be drawn to when you see his heart of gold hunting under all the thunder clouds. Together though you can’t help but adore Abigail and Luke, their chemistry is off the charts from meeting one and as they get to know each other and fall… well let’s just say theirs more than one swoon-worthy moment! So, if you’re looking for a book that is beautifully written, with an amazing grumpy/sunshine romance, hilarious banter, a touch of Ted Lassoesque soccer shenanigans, fantastic characters, a pinch of drama that’ll keep you on your toes and a happily ever after that’ll leave you swooning then I highly recommend grabbing a copy of Relationship Goals now!!

HAPPY READING 📖

Luke and Abigail meet while being set up by his soccer team's owners. He is being blackmailed into dating her and she wants to crack through his grumpy exterior. I loved that Abigail was kind of quirky and not your "typical" put together gal. Luke was a closed off type of person, but Abigail's sunshine broke through his exterior. The plot was basic, but I liked their interactions. The character development was good and I felt like I got to know each of the main characters.

Thank you for the copy, this is my honest opinion. Please be aware of any trigger warnings, as your mental health is most important.

3.5🌟
Unfortunately this fell flat for me 😭😭😭

I really really really wanted to love this and had high hopes with the premise of the book! I felt led on by the book’s description - I was expecting for most of the plot to be Abigail getting revenge and even at Luke for lying to her but we had like 15% of that….

The lead up was much longer than need be. The romance between Luke and Abigail was cute and was great for the rom com vibe but I wish it had it leaned more into the ridiculousness of Abigail’s revenge.

I liked seeing Luke soften up and be open with Abigail and accept all her quirks but he had me peeved near the end!! I stand by Abigail’s revenge!!! I needed grovelling from HIM!!
Abigail has been scorned and is desperate to prove herself. She had a lot of insecurities but it was sweet to see her embracing them and being vulnerable with Luke.

Overall, it was funny and sweet. Had there not been such a big emphasis on revenge in the description I would’ve enjoyed this book more but it felt lacking. Too much lead up and not enough of the drama.

I loved a lot about this book, but had a few issues with it. Most of my problems actually stem from the synopsis giving away so much that I thought things would happen earlier in the book than they did (stop reading here for spoilers…although everything I’m saying is on the back of the book).

Luke Wolf is coerced into faking interest in Abigail Hunt by his soccer team’s management, and in return, they will give him what he is asking for. The synopsis says that Abigail finds out and decides to get even. And this is true…very far into the book, when both characters have developed real feelings and this news is heartbreaking. At this point, the revenge felt kind of immature (while it would’ve been funny if it happened in the beginning of their relationship).

I had a really hard time with that part of the storyline because I LOVED Abigail and Luke together. She was hilariously unfiltered and had me cracking up constantly. He was the grumpiest grump with major Roy Kent vibes. They balanced each other so perfectly and developed such a fun connection. They even adopted a cat together, which was adorable. I wanted them to work so badly, but I hated the lies hanging over them. I do think other readers will enjoy this book, as long as lying isn’t triggering. I really did adore the romance between the characters.

Read if you like:
💕 Grumpy x sunshine
💕 Sports romance
💕 Soccer player MMC x actress FMC
💕 Adorable cat characters

In order to get off the protected list, soccer player Luke agrees to fake date actress Abby. Both Abby and Luke have reputations in need of rehabilitation, so this could be a win-win for everyone involved. And perhaps this grumpy guy may have finally met his match.

This was a fun one! I had a great time with Abby and Luke. Maybe Luke embarked on this relationship with less-than honest intentions, but it quickly became something so real for him. I would call this a grumpy-sunshine romance with Luke being quite the grump. It was Abby and her goofball charm that softened his edges and let his squishy side shine.

The story was packed with lot of great rom-com moments, but more interesting was where the story went when Abby discovered why Luke asked her out. Naturally, I anticipated some anger and a break-up, but this went in the direction as promised when Abby pulled a How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days type scheme. This resulted in some pretty wild antics and plenty of hilarious and over the top moments, but in the end, it led to something super sweet that *may* have had me tearing up.

Overall, I throughly enjoyed how something forced and fake led to something real and amazing for both Luke and Abby. Fun and sweet and packed with tons of humor, this was was a solid grumpy-sunshine romance that left me grinning from ear to ear.

The beginning of this book was the best part to me, even if they jumped into the relationship pretty fast. I was much more invested when it wasn't Abigail trying to get revenge because Luke didn't tell her the whole truth, I with we got to see more adventures of them together instead of the weird revenge plot. Overall, I like how Luke struck me as a 'Roy Kent' type, but that Abigail helped him out of his shell. I liked that her backstory had some bumps that impacted how she acts today, and how they came back together in the end. Medium spice when it happens, nothing too wild. I also liked their jokes/banter.

Relationship Goals by Brittany Kelley
.
Abigail is an actress who meets grumpy soccer star Luke while doing research for an upcoming role. Luke asks her out and she’s not mad about it….until she finds out he was coerced into it. Then she decides to get even.
.
What I liked:
-I liked Luke and Abby’s banter. It took some time for Luke to get the hang of it but then their inside jokes with each other were so fun.
-The scenes with the kitten were so sweet.
-I liked seeing Luke understand his relationships with his teammates better, it was heartwarming.
-I loved the end.
.
A fun romcom that has How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days vibes, but make it soccer!!

🎬⚽ What happens when a quirky actress meets a grumpy soccer legend? Instant chemistry, fake dating, and one wildly adorable love story!

Abigail Hunt is diving deep into her next big movie role, researching a scandal that rocked the soccer world. Enter Luke Wolfe—the grumpy, legendary soccer star who offers to show her around the stadium… and ends up asking her out. But there’s just one catch: it’s all part of a ruse. 😬
Abby thinks it’s real. Luke knows it’s not. But when real feelings sneak in and the truth unravels, Abby doesn’t just walk away—she serves some serious revenge. And honestly? I was here for EVERY SECOND OF IT.

I DEVOURED this book in record time. Abigail is my absolute favorite kind of FMC—endearingly awkward, unapologetically herself, and just so lovable. Luke may start off grumpy, but the second he starts softening for Abby? Swoon alert. 😍

💛 What I LOVED:
✨ Ted Lasso vibes mixed with How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
✨ Sunshine x Grumpiness at its finest
✨ The quirkiest, most lovable heroine
✨ Just a touch of insta-lust 👀🔥
✨ Brittany’s voicey, relatable writing—I NEED more!

Also—can we talk about Michelle?! I’m crossing all my fingers she gets a spinoff. 🤞This book is a total win. Funny, swoony, and SO much heart. Highly recommend!

Thank you NetGalley,Berkley Publishing Group, and Brittany Kelley for an ARC of Relationship Goals for my honest feedback.

A grumpy soccer star, think Roy Kent, is forced to fake date a Hollywood starlet, think Keely Jones, who has been asked to shadow the head of the soccer team that Luke Wolfe plays for. What started out as Luke being coerced to date Abigail Hunt by his team’s upper management turns messy real quick when the paparazzi gets invested in their relationship and Luke’s fake feelings start to become very real, very quickly. But when Abigail learns the truth of Luke’s lies, she refuses to be the one to end the relationship; she sets out to make his life miserable in order to force his hand and make him break up with her. This book has been described as Ted Lasso meets How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, and it is the perfect description.

This was such a fun time. It was mindless happiness with a MMC that is so down bad for his girl that you cannot help but smile while reading. The characters were funny and so likable that it made putting this book down very hard. My only issue is that the relationship was only a week long; I wish the timeline would have been drawn out a little more. Everything felt a little rushed and compacted, but I have recommended this book over and over. The perfect lighthearted summer read.

This is a tough one for me to rate because I was super into the first half, but things took a turn in the second half that I didn't love.

This wasn't the most incredibly written book, but I was very into it from page one. I loved that both Abigail and Luke were into this relationship from the beginning, no pretense (except for the very real lie Luke told). They didn't try all too hard to stop themselves from falling.

I thought the turn this book took after Abigail found out about Luke's lie was odd. The tone of the book totally changed and this felt like a completely different story. This felt more like the plot of a new book, not the continuation of their love story.

While the friendship Abigail had with the woman who worked for the team (so sorry, I've forgotten her name) was a smidge forced/rushed, I think it had a good payoff, so I was okay with it.

Overall, this ended up being a squarely mid book for me. I probably would have rated it higher if not for the second act tone shift and everything that came with it. But I still had a good time reading this book for the most part.

I really wanted to like this one. Although I did like some parts, the characters seemed immature and the fmc got on my nerves more than once. I appreciated the mental health representation and I always love a grumpy MMC. This fell flat for me but I will definitely give this author a second chance!

I really enjoyed the narrators for this book!! I think they did a fantastic job.

I will say, unfortunately for me, I couldn’t fully connect with the characters so the book fell kind of flat for me. That’s not to say it won’t be an excellent read for someone else!! I was giggling while reading because it was truly so funny at some parts just not my favorite!

All in all this was a cute sports romance book. And I think it would make a hilarious movie. In short, Abigail is an actor who is tasked with shadowing a pro soccer team to get knowledge for her next job. Wolfe is the grumpy soccer player who is trying to get back home to his mom and has been tasked with “fake dating” Abigail for publicity. Of course that comes with complications when they really fall in love and truths are revealed. My only real issue with the book is setting the scene for the third act break up way too early in the story. It was too predictable and made me know what was going to happen before things even started.
Thank you @netgally and @berkleypub for the arc in exchange for an honest review!