Spectacular Things by Beck Dorey-Stein is a wonderful contemporary fiction novel about family, about loss, and about sport. It is scheduled to be released on July 1, 2025 and I had the privilege of receiving a digital advance reader copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

This book's title is very appropriate because I found it to be indeed spectacular. The relationship between sisters Cricket and Mia in particular rang true to me and encompassed all the love and complicated messiness of sibling dynamics. This is one of my favourite reads of the year so far!

This book was emotional and dealt with serious subjects deftly and gave them the appropriate care. I was captivated from the start and did not want this story to end. It has been more than two months since I first read this book and I still find myself thinking about it constantly.

My reading this year has shown me that I really enjoy books with sports used as a major part of the story when it is done well. The sport, in this case soccer, was incorporated seamlessly into many aspects of this story and I appreciate the research and the many little references that went into it.

This book also deals beautifully with the roles we occupy within our family and the sacrifices that may need to be made for that family. I got very emotional at several points and I highly recommend this book to everyone.

Thank you very much to Random House Publishing and Dial Press for providing an early copy of this wonderful novel via NetGalley in consideration of a review. All enthusiastic opinions are my own.

This was an emotional and heartfelt story about 2 sisters, Mia and Cricket. They were raised by their single mother in Maine. It revolves a lot around soccer. Their mother Liz was a big soccer player, and the sisters both end up playing too. Mia and Cricket are very different from each other and take on different roles in their life and in the family. When an unexpected tragedy happens, Cricket and Mia both have big decisions to make. I loved this story of sisterly bonds and how when push comes to shove, they made important sacrifices for each other. These characters are well developed and I found each of the sisters to be so complex and interesting. I also loved that it went back in time to tell about their mother's life. Some parts of this book made you feel so bad for these women, but hopeful that they can pull through. Life can be tough sometimes for people, but they end up holding it together. I thought this was a great family saga and I'm happy I had a chance to read it.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.

What an incredible group of women the Lowe’s are. Written so brilliantly, the main characters are flawed in so many ways that you root for them even harder. There were times when I wanted to reach in and shake them so hard for their stubbornness and single mindedness. Yet that is what made them spectacular. I hope some of their ambition and determination rubs off on me. Achievement can only happen if you turn up and try. This book is a wonderful example of women doing just that. I don’t even like soccer but I was cheering them on throughout. Read this book!
Thanks to Netgalley and Dial House for the ARC. I am so grateful to receive and read this.

oh my god. i loved this book so much more than i would be able to convey verbally in this review. but here i go trying again. the lives of intertwined siblings, full of love, sacrifice and utter compromises that needed to be made. a family story grounded in traditions, valued time, and legacy. imagine a story that could convey the competitiveness of sports between friends, a soccer legend and the sacrifice needed to be made and siblings that have been there for each other since the beginning of time. this story fulfilled my heart in ways that made my heart ache. i loved the love between two sisters, for a sport, and a dedication to the people around you!!

truly, so thankful to be able to read this beautiful story that shed light on real, flawed characters in a story filled with love and growth.

This was not a book I had on my radar at all and have been blindsided by how much I loved it. Sisters and life and grief and love and The Beautiful Game. The writing was to the point but carried the weight it needed to. Just like the sisters. What a gift.

*3.5*

I was contacted by the publisher because based on past reviews this book coud be up my alley, and I have to say they were quite right. This story is emotional, deep, and a deep dive into sisterhood and family. Being an only child, I always go into this kind of books with longing for what I didn't have, and they always get me emotional. This was no exception. In the end I think it dragged a bit, to be honest, and that's why I lowered my rating, but the emotions were there and I deeply appreciated that.

When Cricket is born, Mia is overwhelmed with tremendous jealousy and an immense responsibility for her little sister. As they grow and learn together, their bond becomes stronger until eventually, like many good things, it fractures. With the dreams of playing soccer at the highest level at the forefront, Dorey-Stein weaves such a strong tale of love and loss, while keeping it entirely relatable, that as a reader, you are so incredibly invested, riveted until the very last page.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.

This was a heartwarming tale of two sisters faced with numerous challenges resulting from the struggles and eventual untimely loss of their mother. For most of the book I hated the younger sister, Cricket, for being entitled and selfish with zero self awareness about it. She did have a redeeming story line but I still found it hard to root for her. I did not feel the mother was the necessarily deserving of the adoration that the older sister, Mia, had for her because she was forced to take on responsibilities that should not have been her burden to bear as a child herself. I connected with the description of what it's like to lose one's mother too soon and go through life's milestones without her to be relatable having lost my own. Overall, I enjoyed this book.

4 stars

this was such a fun family book for the summer. i loved the future timeline, the sports, the strong bonds. THE TRAUMA. beautiful beautiful beautiful.

As a girl with 3 sisters this hit close to home. The sibling sacrifices form both sisters made my heart ache for them. The first 30% was a little slow. We start out in the present and then jump back to follow their mothers story and forward so it was a little jarring but overall a good read.

If you have a sister, this one is a must-read! I loved the story between the two sisters and I actually really enjoyed the soccer aspect, even though I’m not a huge sports fan. The last 50 pages were so emotional and had me sobbing. Look no further for your next impactful read!

A fantastic family drama that would be perfect for my book club. The characters are really interesting, and I think they would bring up a great discussion. I felt lots of emotions , especially heartache, while reading but liked every moment. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for an advanced copy.

“What a gift!” That’s the first phrase that comes to mind after finishing Beck Dorey-Stein’s Spectacular Things, a novel that beautifully weaves together the threads of love, sacrifice, and the enduring bonds of family.

Told through dual timelines, the story centers on sisters Mia and Cricket in the near future, alongside their mother Liz during her formative years. The book opens with a breathtaking one-two punch: Mia is in labor with her first child, while Cricket is on the world stage, competing for a gold medal in the 2028 Women’s Olympic soccer final. But the celebrations are short-lived. A rare and life-threatening complication during childbirth puts Mia in urgent need of a kidney—a match Cricket can provide, but at an immense personal cost.

From the very first page, Dorey-Stein grips you with emotionally charged stakes and complex family dynamics. You quickly become invested not only in Mia and Cricket’s fates, but also in their shared history and the quiet strength of their mother, Liz. The dual narrative adds depth and richness, illuminating the intricate ways past and present collide in moments of crisis.

Spectacular Things asks hard questions with compassion: What do we owe the people we love? How much of ourselves can we give—and at what point do we lose too much? It’s a story about sacrifice, resilience, and what it means to be a sister, a daughter, a mother.

Touching and heartwarming, this novel is an instant favorite—one that stays with you long after you’ve turned the final

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - The Dial Press for the advanced reader copy.

i had a decent time reading this, i will say it took me a long time to even become connected to the characters or care about what was going on. i do think it seemed a bit superficial and could use with some further pacing exploration. thank you so much netgalley for the arc!

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of Spectacular Things by Beck Dorey-Stein.

Cricket and Mia are sisters who finished raising each other after prematurely losing their beloved mother. Cricket is a soccer star, and Mia frantically works hard to make sure that Cricket can realize her destiny. But when Cricket is finally reaching the height of her career, Mia comes to her with a request that could ruin Cricket's career, and possibly their relationship.

I love family stories, especially sisters, so this was right up my alley. It had so much heart and romance, and I really felt like I knew these characters. The story is written so well, and even though I really don't care about sports, I was ON that pitch with Cricket, feeling her exhausting and deep abiding want.

My only criticism is that it was slightly long-winded; it could have condensed a bit and still packed the same punch. Otherwise, well worth the read!

I loved this book and found it incredibly heartwarming. The writing captured my attention from the beginning as the author has a great way of story telling with perfect pacing and immersive prose. Two story has two dual narratives that blended seamlessly with no confusion about the timing. Not to mention the two romance subplots are both very adorable.

I personally love books that explore everyday struggles because I find them highly relatable and enjoyable. This book explores loyalty, sisterhood, morality, and the fluidity of priorities with age. I really appreciate the relationships, emotions, and conflicts being realistic. For similar reads think Blue Sisters and Hello Beautiful. Truly a great read that I would recommend to anyone!

This book was full of hope, love, and heartache. I wanted to give each of these girls a hug so often throughout the read. They were both put in devastating positions at different times in their lives but put the love of sisters first.

I’m definitely looking forward to reading more from this author!

Thanks to NetGalley and The Dial Press for this ARC in exchange for a review.

Thank you Netgalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I honestly didn't really enjoy this story. I thought the premise sounded ok and the beginning started off intriguing, but I wasn't connecting with the story. If you like soccer, this would be a fun book. I felt like the characters were all pretty selfish and I didn't feel like I was really rooting for them (except for Cricket sometimes). I think some parts were fun to read but overall, I was dragging during it. It may have been the wrong time for me to read, but I won't think about this one for long.

Spectacular Things swept me back to WWII-era Italy in a way that felt fresh and deeply personal. Georgia Hunter once again shines by spotlighting parts of history that often get overlooked—here, the aftermath of the war, the lingering complexities of survival, and the resilience of everyday people rebuilding amidst the ruins. The story picks up with familiar faces from One Good Thing, but this time the focus is on their quiet victories and lingering scars, not just the big, dramatic escapes.

Hunter’s writing is warm and heartfelt, laced with small moments that tug at your heart—like the way survivors learn to smile again, or how a single act of kindness can feel revolutionary when the world has flipped upside-down. The pacing is leisurely, the characters are grounded and relatable, and the Italian countryside is brought to life in all its beauty and heartbreak. There’s no shortage of tension, either—from the first chapters, you sense the simmering unease as survivors confront moral ambiguities, strained friendships, and the question of how to rebuild without losing who they once were.

If you're in the mood for a post-war tale focused less on battles and more on the human spirit, this one delivers. It’s the kind of book that sneaks up on you—with subtle revelations, small triumphs, and emotional moments that linger. Hunter shows us that spectacular things don’t always have to be grand gestures—sometimes they’re found in ordinary resilience, the bonds that endure, and in finding light after darkness. A beautifully written, quietly powerful read that stays with you long after the last page.

Thank you, Random House publishing and Beck Dory-Stein, for this ARC.

Each sister has a role to fill: The responsible and academically minded Mia assumes the position of caregiver far too young, while Cricket, a bouncing ball of energy and talent, seems born for soccer stardom but the cost of achieving athletic greatness comes at a steep price.

I did not think I would love this book as much as I did, but I truly did love it! What are you willing to do for your family? The sisters' relationship was unique, and their mother may have been imperfect, but her love for her daughters was beautiful. I cried. A lot. And oh my goodness. Oliver❤️.

It was really cool how she would time jump from time to time. It really made everything flow together like a movie.