⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5 stars)

Kate Spencer serves up a fresh, flirty rom-com in All’s Fair in Love and Kickball, blending sports rivalry, fake dating, and swoony slow-burn chemistry into one thoroughly enjoyable read.

Bex Martin is a fiercely dedicated racquet club owner trying to keep her late mother’s legacy afloat. Her world is carefully controlled—until former tennis star Nikolaus Karras crashes into it, racket in hand and swagger in full force. What starts as a pickleball rivalry quickly morphs into a fake relationship full of witty banter, sparks that refuse to be ignored, and an undeniable sense of fun.

Bex is a standout heroine: smart, scrappy, and emotionally guarded in ways that feel deeply human. Niko, with his bruised ego and charm that sneaks up on you, is the perfect foil. Watching their partnership develop both on and off the court is a delight—there’s tension, tenderness, and plenty of hilarious moments (especially during the tournament scenes).

Spencer does a fantastic job blending the competitive energy of sports with the emotional beats of a romance. The fake dating trope is well-executed, and while you may predict the emotional payoff, getting there is half the fun. There’s also a lovely undercurrent of community and legacy, as Bex fights to save the club that means so much to her.

Bottom line: All’s Fair in Love and Kickball is a charming, fast-paced rom-com that balances heat and heart in all the right places. If you like fake dating, sports-centered romances, and couples who fall for each other despite themselves, you’ll want to pick this one up. Bonus points if you're a fan of pickleball—it’s never been so sexy.

I finished this book and still have no interest in pickleball.

This book gave me whiplash. Before I could even get invested in their respective characters or their chemistry, the MCs suddenly got "together" in a way that got me confused and a little apprehensive whether the author could pull the rest of the story off. But then again, I suppose in between the flirty banter and the more serious, emotional beats in the story, it sorta worked. I'm not sure this was anything groundbreaking, but if anyone wants to reach for an easy, sporty-ish romance read, this will do. 3.5 stars!

Bex Martin has her hands and her ADHD brain full running the Sunset Springs Racquet Club. It had been her mother’s, and when her mother passed, Bex took it over and made pickleball her life. It has issues she needs to fix, but it’s her baby, and it’s everything to her. So when one of her favorite pickleball players, Loretta, has an accident on the court and breaks her wrist, Bex rushes to the hospital to make sure she’s okay.

As she’s trying to get to Loretta, she is blocked by an angry man who lets the door slam in her face and demands the staff help him. Bex tries to shake off his rudeness, but when she gets to Loretta’s room, Bex finds herself standing face-to-face with the rude man. He’s Loretta’s nephew, and his first instinct after being introduced to Bex is to threaten to sue her for the condition of her courts. And then Bex realizes who he is. Loretta’s nephew is Niko Karras, a tennis star as famous for his skill as he is for his temper, in particular, the tantrum that caused him a knee injury that took him out of the game for years.

Niko stays with his aunt to make sure she’s okay, and he rents time on the courts so he can train. He has the chance to join the professional tennis tour again, if he can win an upcoming qualifying match. Bex could use the cash for her club, especially once she sees the five-figure estimates on fixing the courts so no one else falls. But she struggles with his attitude and his never-ending supply of bright white tennis shirts. And she struggles with her attraction to him, despite all that.

But with all that, it’s a surprise when they start kissing at the front desk of the racquet club. And it’s a bigger surprise for Bex when a woman walks in looking for Niko. It’s a reporter who is supposed to be interviewing him about his upcoming qualifier for the tennis tour. But Niko shocks both women by saying that Bex is his girlfriend and that he’s participating in the upcoming pickleball tournament with her. Bex goes along with his for the interview, and later she confronts him about his lies. He apologizes and explains that he thought it would help his reputation.

Bex agrees to pretend to be his girlfriend and to train him for the pickleball tournament, but in return, she gets to keep all the money they win, which is enough to put a dent in her repair costs. Bex acts as Nikos’ pickleball coach, and eventually he learns that the power he uses in his tennis swing does him no good in pickleball and starts to improve as a pickleballer. In fact, he’s so good that they might be able to win the tournament. And when Bex finds out that his tennis rival will be at the tournament also, she understand why he agreed to play pickleball in the first place. But as their lies about the fake relationship starts to unravel, and Bex’s financial problems spin out of control, Bex starts to doubt that pickleball is the answer after all. But will she figure out what the answer is for her before the racquet club and her budding real relationship with Niko all disappear?

All’s Fair in Love and Pickleball is a sweet sporty rom com. There is immediate attraction and lots of banter, and plenty of pickleball. Bex is a bright spark of energy, and Niko is dark and brooding but lightens up whenever Bex appears in the scene. Most of the players at the racquet club are retired, and they all add their own personalities to the mix.

I thought this was a lovely rom com, light and bright and perfect for summer. I especially liked that Bex had ADHD and made her own pickleball outfits. It was fun to watch Niko open up to her. I liked their chemistry and wanted them to realize that their fake relationship was pretty useless, since everyone around them could see that their feelings for each other were real. All’s Fair in Love and Pickleball was a refreshing blast of flirting and fun, and it will be perfect for reading with a lemonade by the pool (or next to a pickleball court).

Egalleys for All’s Fair in Love and Pickleball were provided by Forever through NetGalley, with many thanks, but the opinions are mine.

At first I was glued to the story but as time went on the MC became annoying and I had a hard time believing her character could be so naive. I was hoping the character would learn more self reliance and was a bit disappointed in the ending. The rest of the book was decent even though the side characters were a bit flat. Not a bad read, but I was hoping for more.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc

I voluntarily read, listened to, and reviewed advanced copies of this book and audiobook. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Bex Martin is doing everything she can to try to save her beloved racquet club but it just doesn't seem to be enough. Another club is holding a pickleball tournament with a cash prize large enough to help all of her money problems disappear but she needs to find the perfect partner. Former tennis star, Niko Karras, is looking for a different kind of partner in order to fix his reputation. The pair come to an agreement that will hopefully solve both of their problems.

All’s Fair in Love and Pickleball is a stand-alone contemporary romance. This book does contain open-door content.

This fake dating romance is packed with sweet and swoony scenes along with plenty of sassy banter. The gaggle of club regulars really steal the show in this one. While they all want to help Bex save her family’s legacy, they also want to protect her and make sure she’s doing it for the right reasons. The “found family” that grows and becomes more apparent throughout the book is just as important to the story as the relationship between Bex and Niko. It gives a well-roundedness to the narrative.

Mia Hutchinson Shaw narrates the audiobook for All’s Fair in Love and Pickleball. She does a fantastic job keeping the voices for all of the wide cast of characters unique. Her performance really brings out the humor in the author’s writing.

I truly enjoy Kate Spencer’s style of writing and I look forward to whatever she has next for her readers.

All’s Fair in Love and Pickleball is a sweet, witty, and uplifting romantic comedy with just enough grit beneath the charm to keep me engaged. Kate Spencer delivers a story that balances the playful energy of a sports rom-com with deeper moments of vulnerability and growth.
At the center is Bex Martin, a strong and practical woman doing everything she can to save her late mother’s racquet club. She’s independent, a bit guarded, and incredibly relatable, especially if you’ve ever carried the weight of a legacy while trying to hold everything together. Her dynamic with Niko Karras, the fallen-from-grace tennis pro looking for redemption, starts as a rivalry and evolves into a slow-burn, fake-dating romance that genuinely works. You know I love enemy to lovers!
The banter is sharp, the chemistry builds gradually, and the supporting characters (especially the quirky club members) add warmth and comic relief. I appreciated that neither character had to be “fixed” by love, rather, their connection helped each become more whole. It’s grumpy-sunshine in a way that felt fresh, not generic. Where it lost a bit of steam for me was in the predictability of the plot. Some plotlines wrapped up a little too neatly. I found myself wishing for just a bit more emotional depth in certain moments, especially given the potential in both characters’ backstories.
That said, this was a genuinely enjoyable read. Light but not fluffy, romantic without being saccharine, and full of heart. If you’re a fan of fake dating, sports-adjacent settings, or stories about second chances, it’s worth picking up.

I feel like I need to go pick up pickleball after reading this. Confession, I have heard the term pickleball so many times in the last few years but actually had to look up what it was. So not to say I thought I wouldn’t like this book, because I’ve read another of her books and really enjoyed it, but I was definitely a little unsure about the pickleball theme going on.

But honestly I loved it. I really enjoyed this book. It’s full of fun banter, so many quick quips, adorable romance, and a sweet found family vibe. The found family was chefs kiss and I just wanted to hug every side character. I love them all.

The romance develops quickly which I wasn’t sure of at first but their relationship grew on me and it felt genuine. Fake dating is one of my favorite tropes and I love the chaotic feelings that it stirs up for the MC’s. Love the yearning and hidden feelings.

This book has a nice balance of your typical summer romcom vibes and heavier topics/dealing with grief. It never felt heavy but definitely hit you in the feelings quite a few times. This is definitely a great book to pick up this summer!

I was really fortunate to receive both the ALC and ARC for this book. If you’ve followed me for a bit you may have noticed that I LOVE to tandem read a book with the audio because I never want to stop reading even when I’m on the go but usually don’t have that luxury with arcs, so I am very grateful!

This audiobook was really great. A narrator can make or break an audiobook and I really loved Mia Hutchinson Shaw’s narration! It was fun and silly and full of emotion and little tidbits that made it feel almost like you were standing there listening to the conversation rather than it just being read to you.

Thank you so much to Hachette Audio and Forever for the ALC and ARC!

Managing her mother’s pickleball courts after her death has been the only thing keeping Bex going. But the courts need some expensive renovation and one of Bex’s favorite players just got injured. Enter infamous pro tennis player Niko who will be taking care of his aunt as he preps for an upcoming tournament at Bex’s courts. Then somehow Niko and Bex agree to be in a fake relationship both to save her courts and help his image. When a local reporter outs their fake relationship Alex and Niko must decide whether they are still partners, both in pickleball and in

Kate Spencer infuses her trademark humor and love of pickleball while tackling deep themes like grief and familial relationships in an enjoyable read.

Bex was left her parents' pickleball club business. She loves it but doesn't have a lot of experience running the financial side of a business and is a little in over her head. Enter Niko, the nephew of one of Bex's favorite members. He is recovering from an injury, on break from being a professional tennis player. Bex is sunny and loves pickleball, Niko is grumpy and thinks it's tennis or nothing. They have to pretend to date (because of course they do) while training to win a pickleball tournament to help raise funds to save her club and show the world that Niko is a real professional athlete.

I liked this sports rom com and had previously read and liked some of Spencer's other books. It was very troupe-y and predictable, but not bad. I liked the characters and even when the storyline was silly, it was fun. This would be good for fans of Sarah Adams or Christina Lauren.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy for review.

This book was such a delight! I loved all the characters, but particularly Bex and the 6am Club (her senior students). I’d love a sequel about Loretta and Ed’s love story! Also, Kate definitely upped the spice in this book and I’m all for it.

P.S. The Fraggle Rock reference made my little 80s heart so happy.

P.P.S. I now want to pay pickleball more than ever (but probably never will).

3.5⭐️
All’s Fair in Love and Pickleball was a cute, swoony, enemies to lovers rom-com. There were parts that were funny, emotional, and heart string pulling all at once and there was a good balance of humor and heart to draw you in and make you invested in the characters and their situations. I also thought that the story centering around pickleball was very unique. Overall it was a fun read. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC in return for my honest review.

super fun read!!! just was not a fan of the ending -- the third act break up and abrupt ending didn't really make sense for me. but quick, cute, and super fun!

Thank you to Forever and Hachette Audio for the review copies of All’s Fair in Love and Pickleball by Kate Spencer!

audio specific: I loved the narration and pacing, this is perfect for listening by the pool, drowning out the chaos in an airport, or wherever summer takes you!

This one had me smiling, swooning, and tearing up—sometimes all at once. The romance between Bex and Niko is charming and full of chemistry, with top-tier banter and that irresistible slow-burn energy. Their relationship is packed with favorite tropes: rivals-to-lovers, fake dating, grumpy/sunshine, and two very lovable, stubborn idiots figuring it all out.

But this rom-com doesn’t just deliver the laughs—it also hits emotional notes with honesty and care. Bex’s grief over the loss of her mom is tenderly explored and deeply relatable, and the mental health rep (ADHD and anxiety) is refreshingly well done. It adds meaningful depth without weighing down the light, fun tone of the story.

The found family vibes from the supporting cast are another highlight—warm, funny, and fully invested in cheering on the main couple. I wanted to hang out with this whole crew! Whether or not you play pickleball, this is a sweet, witty, and emotionally satisfying story that’s perfect for a summer read or a reading reset.

All’s Fair in Love and Pickleball by Kate Spencer
Contemporary romance.
The racquet club is Bex Martin’s legacy. She grew up in the club run by her mother, and runs it now that her mother is gone. Bex never realized the stress and upkeep needed for running a business and she’s getting hit hard now with expenses and competition. The pickleball courts all need to be rebuilt and, she’s also getting offers to sell which she would never have imagined even thinking about in the past. Her regulars are the main reason she needs to keep the courts up and running but safety is becoming an issue too. Until
Nikolai’s Karras convinces Bex he’s ready to switch from tennis to pickleball and that she needs to be his partner. It’s is a huge enough prize that might get her courts fixed. She agrees to train and play with him, conditioned upon her receiving the prize. Of course he agrees. He has his own agenda and it’s not the prize money.

🎧 I alternated between an ecopy and an audiobook narrated by Mia Hutchinson Shaw. The performance was entertaining and lively, bringing Bex’s vivid love of color and Niko’s grumpy facade exploding to life. The story is all from Bex’s POV so the single narrator is appropriate and it does include character voices for Niko and others.
The audiobook is entertaining and held my attention well. I did increase to my preferred speed of 2.5 so I was able to read along with a print version at times.

Repartee was plentiful and entertaining. A romping game of pickleball without the heavy exhaustion after the fact. I worried for the cliche of the place needing the funding and playing for the save, but still enjoyed the twist and solution at the end.
Banter, love and pickleball. So trendy. And so much fun.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley and publisher Hachette Audio

Ok finally a pickleball romance!!! I was intrigued by this book because I am obsessed with Pickleball. I did not anticipate that this book would turn out to be so cute as it was.

This cute romance follows Bex who inherited her mother‘s racquet club, which has a loyal following of older members. She meets her love interest, Nico when his aunt gets an injury at the racquet club. He stays to take care of the aunt and soon it becomes a comeback story for Nico, where he and Bex enter into a fake dating situation to 1) save the club and 2) stage his comeback after being injured.

The spice is so well integrated and honestly was perfect for the book. I loved this book such a cute and spicy romance.

I was hooked from the beginning!
It was amazing and engaging.
I was instantly sucked in by the atmosphere and writing style.
The characters were all very well developed .
The writing is exceptional and I was hooked after the first sentence.

4/5

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I think this is my favorite Kate Spencer book so far!

I had a lot of fun with this one! I wasn't sure about Pickleball romance going into this, but it added a really fun element to the story and wasn't too much.

Niko and Bex are so cute together! I like they are a opposite in some ways (i.e her fashion and love for colors vs him wearing all white tennis attire) and that they have a bit of a grumpy x sunshine dynamic going on, but that they can also relate to each other in a lot of ways too. I also really enjoyed their chemistry.

I loved almost all of the side characters; they all had such fun personalities. I liked that this book touched on real issues too. It was a good balance of everything.

I mostly listened to this on audio and finished off with the e-book. I really enjoyed the narrator for this book! I felt like she was the perfect fit for Bex.

Definitely add this to your summer tbr!

“I want to remind you that you’re asking me to take playing a game named after a pickled cucumber seriously.” “No, I’m asking you to take ME seriously.”

~ a laced up pro tennis player walks into a pickleball club…
~ fake dating and grumpy sunshine
~ sports romance of the pickled variety
~ he calls her princess!

PICKLEBALL! There’s really no better way to kick off summer than with a flirty sports romance of the pickled cucumber variety. Niko is stubborn as heck and grumpy as they come with a dash of being known for his a-hole antics on and off the court. Bex is dripping positivity, from her spunky and carefree demeanor to her bright repurposed fits. They’re both headstrong and agree to a fake dating scheme to save the pickleball club and right their wrongs.

I don’t know a lick about pickleball but I love pickles and was all in for this! And when I say I love pickles, I mean that I wrote a letter to a pickle factory when I was little proclaiming my love for their product and they invited my family to tour the factory and loaded me up with tons of free pickles and pickle swag. That’s my pickle fun fact for life. As a tennis player myself, I laughed out loud at Niko’s reservations about the kitchen of it all. This unlikely duo volleyed witty banter and fiery comebacks with ease. The whole ‘saving the pickleball club’ had a sweet Hallmark vibe to it but trust me when I say that the chemistry is not Hallmark coded at all (in a great way). I liked the competitive nature of the story and watching Niko and Bex fall for each.

I’m a big fan of Kate Spencer’s work (In A New York Minute! One Last Summer!) and her latest did not disappoint. I loved how she wrote a sports romance about pickleball instead of the usual culprits. This was the perfect book to kickstart summer with and I can already tell it’ll be a hit.

TYSM @foreverpub for the digital ARC and for selecting me to be part of the pen pal campaign for this. I can’t wait! ALL’S FAIR IN LOVE AND PICKLEBALL is available TODAY!

This is a cute and easy to read romance. I finished it within 24 hours and never felt bored while reading. I love how the characters focus on themselves and their own goals and not just them falling in love.

Ooooooo a romance with pickleball?!!

SUCH a fun sports romance that you need to add to your summer list!!

I'm obsessed with the Sunset Springs Racquet Club!! What a quirky little community I fell in love with.

I have to say... I've never played pickleball. BUT, after reading this Spencer has me wanting to take my husband to a pickleball game ;).

The mental health rep is perfection. I can't get enough of mental health in all my books I read. The romance between Niko and Bex reminded me of watching a sunflower flourish in the sun.

Their tension and banter was SO good.

4.25/5

Thank you so much to the publisher and netgalley for my copy!!