The Lowe girls have always been close. Mia and her younger sister Cricket grow up chasing dreams of becoming soccer stars and playing on the U.S. Women’s National Team. Their mom was well on her way until she got pregnant with Mia. Because of their mom’s sacrifice, they knew they had to work hard and be the best. When Mia has to start taking care of Cricket she knows that she will do whatever it takes to support her dreams. When that dream becomes a reality, it might be too good to be true.

This book was so beautifully written. The book focuses on women’s soccer and Cricket’s drive to be the best, but its also about the relationship between mothers and daughters and sisters. They know struggle and heartache more than most and you find yourself rooting for them all along the way. It was amazing! This is a perfect summer vacation read. Thank you so much @beckdoreystein @randomhouse and @netgalley for an arc of this book!

Emotional and beautiful. Loved this story of two sisters striving to make themselves and make sense of family.

Thank you @prhaudio #partner for this advance #gifted copy of:

Two sisters examine what they owe each other and what they are willing to sacrifice to make their family dreams come true.

What would you give up for the person you love most? What would you expect in return?

Mia and Cricket have always been close. The gifted daughters of a young single mother, the “Lowe girls” are well-known in the small Maine town they call home. 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.

four 1/2 stars

Spectacular Things is a thoughtful and engaging novel that resonates with anyone who has ever felt a bit lost on the path to finding themselves. Beck Dorey-Stein delivers a story that is both entertaining and emotionally resonant, affirming that sometimes, the most spectacular things are the quiet, internal shifts that lead us to where we're meant to be. It's a perfect read for those seeking a contemporary story with heart, humor, and a genuine understanding of the human condition.

Thank you @penguinrandomhouse @thedialpress @netgalley and @beckdoreystein for an ARC of Spectacular Things. Some of my #bookstagram girls (baddies) have been raving nonstop about this one and I can see why- truly spectacular!

The “Lowe girls”, Cricket and Mia and their young mother, Liz have always been a close-knit team. Liz was a promising soccer star in the making before getting pregnant her senior year of high school. As a young mother, she sees promise in both of her girls, but the raw talent in Cricket’s soccer abilities makes her a once in a generation talent. Both Mia and Liz sacrifice it all for Cricket to succeed, but at what cost? What is their limit to see Cricket to make it to the highest level and achieve her dreams?

Wow, this book was so much in so many ways. A story of sacrifice, family, love, and ambition. More over, it was a book about sisters that was so incredibly beautiful in displaying the undefinable love, both simple and complicated, that exists between sisters. This is definitely one of my top books of the year and would recommend it to most readers but especially soccer fans and those who love complex family dynamics.

What a beautiful story. The characters captured my heart. The love and turmoil between these two sisters was so well-written.

This is the story of two sisters — one who sacrifices everything and another with big dreams — whose lives are turned upside down by tragic and bittersweet events. Will their love keep them together or will ambition tear them apart?

This character-driven novel was so well told. I felt pulled into their world, their motivations, their emotions. I felt like I really understood both Mia and Cricket. I’m not intimately familiar with the soccer world, yet I felt completely immersed in it. I really liked this book and had a hard time putting it down.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the chance to read this in exchange for my honest review.

A note on how I rate books:
⭐️ Hated it. Don’t even bother.
⭐️⭐️ Didn’t like it. Wouldn’t recommend.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Liked it. Would recommend, but no rush.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really liked it! Make this one of the next few books you read.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Loved it! Drop what you’re doing and read this now (or go ahead and finish what you’re reading and make this the next book)!

Spectacular Things” really lives up to its name what a book 👏🏻
This was my first read by Beck Dorey-Stein’s but her writing completely drew me in. Every page is packed with emotion & so much is woven into these pages sacrifice, ambition, love & the quiet heartbreaks that shape who we become. I loved the relationship between Mia & Cricket it captured sisterhood in such a raw & beautifully complicated way.

This is one of those books that will stay with me long after I’ve turned the last page.

★★★★½ ROUNDED UP ⬆️⭐️

I was a big fan of Beck Dorey-Stein;s Rock the Boat, so was thrilled to read Spectacular Things and it does not disappoint. Set in the big world of women's soccer and the small world of a tiny Maine town, Spectacular Things is a sister story, a family story, and a novel of friendship. It dives deep into what you will and what you won't do for the people you love most in the world.

I just finished Spectacular Things by Beck Dorey-Stein and absolutely loved it. This was a beautifully written story about Liz and what happens when she stands firm in what she truly wants. Liz is a strong mother who passes down her love of soccer to her daughters, and the bond between Mia and Cricket was fascinating to watch unfold. There were moments I found myself wishing Mia would just allow herself to be selfish—her journey was that compelling. This novel made me reflect deeply: What would I do? How would I handle that? It’s the kind of story that stays with you. I highly recommend this book—and thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read it.

This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2025, and it did not disappoint! I loved Beck Dorey-Stein’s memoir about navigating DC as a young professional and thoroughly enjoyed her debut novel, Rock the Boat. I was intrigued by the premise of Spectacular Things — a book about sisters and their mother.

A young, single mother raises Mia and Cricket. Mia often shoulders the responsibility of helping the family make ends meet, and Cricket is a soccer star aiming to go professional one day. This is a story of sisters and what we owe family. It’s heartfelt and memorable. I kept thinking about it and how being a younger sibling brings an air of carefree energy that older siblings don’t necessarily have.

Dorey-Stein is a keen observer and describes complex emotions and relationships in a tender, relatable way.

I was so excited to see Reese choose this as her July book club pick @reesesbookclub. It’s so good and best enjoyed ocean-side this summer. Highly recommend!

The worst thing about Spectacular Things was that it had to end. From the start, I was absolutely hooked by the characters and story of Spectacular Things. Liz Lowe. A teenage mom with fierce determination. Liz raises two daughters: the older, responsible Mia and young Cricket. Liz gave up her dream of being a professional soccer play to become a mother, but was confident she could pass it onto her girls. Mia plays well. Cricket plays extraordinarily.

Spectacular Things is a story of love, family, dedication, and soccer. What does it mean to devote literally everything to one family member's dream? Is that enough to make it reality? Is the dream enough even when it comes true?

The characters are so easy to fall in love with. Young Liz jumps off the page. And then her daughters follow suit. As do the supporting characters: the lovers, the bosses, the small town of Victory, Maine. There wasn't a thing about Spectacular Things that didn't work for me. I loved it. Highly recommended. Going to be a favorite of 2025 for sure.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I didn’t know much about this book before reading it so it took me by surprise. It was a beautiful tale of sisterhood that was not without complications. It felt real; messy at times but always with an under layer of love.

If you are looking for romance you will find it here in beautiful ways. But the true focus was the love between two sisters and their individual journey’s. It was about finding your own strength but also figuring out how to rely on the strength of those around you.

There were hot-topics all over this book including a quickly glazed over pandemic-which-must-not-be-named. But the timeline was realistic and based on fact which I appreciated. I enjoyed all the soccer references and spotted a few *recognizable* names on that 2028 Olympic roster. This was like a heavier, more emotionally nuanced soccer version of Carrie Soto and I ate it up!

I received an advance reader copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are mine alone.

4.5 stars ⭐️ Spectacular Things takes you on an incredible emotional journey. It perfectly captures sisterhood and family dynamics. It makes you think about what you’re willing to do for your family. What would you sacrifice?

10/10 recommend! Be prepared to sob.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the ARC. All opinions are my own 🫶🏼

I will be the first to admit that I am not a big fan of soccer or family drama books. That being said, I was absolutely hooked from the first chapter. I haven't read a book in awhile that made me want to put down everything I was doing just to read it. Beck Dorey-Stein knows how to write a chapter and excels at keeping the reader engaged. The absolute resilience of Liz, Mia, and Cricket is awe inspiring. I love that the beginning of this book throws us into the present day with a complete life altering decision needing to be made. The book then takes us back to beginning of the life of Liz the mother of Mia and Cricket and shows us how their life led up to this moment. Gosh, the writing was so well done. I would highly recommend this book! Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for this eARC.

I found 'Spectacular Things' to be a deeply moving, character-driven novel that beautifully explores the complexities of sisterhood, ambition, and sacrifice. What stood out to me most was the emotional honesty of the characters and the clarity with which Beck Dorey-Stein captures their inner lives. The writing is clear and evocative, and it allowed me to connect with the story in a really immediate way. I appreciated how the novel tackles big emotional themes without feeling heavy-handed. While some readers may find the emotional intensity a bit much at times, I felt it stayed grounded and authentic. The structure is thoughtful, though I did wish for a slightly more subtle approach to certain revelations. Overall, I was impressed by the book. This is a novel that lingers, especially if you’re drawn to stories about family, resilience, and personal growth.

What do you owe your family? What if your sister sacrificed everything for your success? The Lowe girls, Mia and Cricket, are the daughters of a single mom who was expected to be a soccer star in her youth. As life often goes, she didn't meet this goal, but held onto it for her daughters. I enjoyed this story, though some of their decisions made me want to scream.

This book is fantastic!! The emotions i felt from the very beginning, watching Liz mature as a mother and then Mia rise to the occassion. This book reminded me so much of Taylor Jenkins Reids and Emily Henry - the writing and dialogue was some of the best I have read this year. I appreciated how realistic Mia and Cricket's issues were as they matured into adults, as well as the real world setting without letting Gen Z language or slang ruin the story. Absolutely perfect and i cannot wait for this to gain more attraction.

i enjoyed this more than i expected! i thought potential football cliches & the family dynamics would make this story trite but i was completely wrong - a nice book which ties up nicely in the end.

Two sisters grow on tangential paths to the Olympics. Talent is in their blood, passed down from their single mother—who sacrificed any semblance of a life lived for herself, for them. Only their material circumstances are too omnipresent, and a decision has to be made: who is the more likely to succeed of the two? In the world of competitive soccer, and where most professional athletes rely on both being honed from a young age and a combination of genetics, which of these sisters is worth the time, energy, and money? The carpools, the uniforms, the specific diet, the grueling schedules, and so on?

That sister turns out to be the youngest, lovingly nicknamed Cricket. And her sister, Mia, is expected to step up to the plate; giving up any semblance of a childhood, an Ivy League education on scholarship, and her own burgeoning social life, to support Cricket’s chances of success. She does so willingly—along with her mother, Liz. But being given this ultimatum, and making these sacrifices from such a young age, is not the same as giving them up as an adult for your own child. Mia is expected to grow up fast, and every step she takes is used to fund Cricket’s cleats.

But when a health crisis presents itself and Mia asks for this gift to finally be paid back in turn, will Cricket reciprocate?

The narrative is told in a series of concise vignettes, and the entire cast of characters are compelling and well drawn. But the story beats become painfully easy to predict and, at times, feel almost emotionally manipulative. The ending, in particular, barrels past a life altering decision made by one of the cast at breakneck speed.

Spectacular Things is elevated by its craftsmanship. And that, in the end, separates this from being a by-the-mill sports drama.

(Thanks to Random House for providing me with a copy of this work to both read and review.)

This was excellent, even though I typically don’t love books with a sad premise that wrestle with such heavy things. Something about the bond of the two sisters and how they were willing to sacrifice so much to pursue a generational dream was enticing and kept me riveted. I devoured this book on a long plane ride and am sad the journey is over.