Spectacular Things: 4 Stars ⚽️👯‍♀️🏆

Read as an e-Arc and comes out on June 30th! This book surprised me in the best way. I originally requested it on NetGalley because I’ve been meaning to add more literary fiction into my reading cycle, and this one promised a strong sister dynamic I thought I’d relate to. The first few chapters quickly revealed that I wasn’t going to relate to the major themes as heavily as I initially imagined. However, that ended up not taking away from my experience, and I enjoyed reading through the depth, sacrifice, determination, and struggle of the Lowe girls.

Spectacular Things explores the theme of family sacrifice through many layers of tragic circumstance. Starting with Liz giving up her Soccer dreams at the age of 16, choosing instead to become a young mother. Then, through sacrifices that both her girls, Mia and Cricket (yes, a nickname), are forced to face.

If you have ever dealt with the early loss of a loved one, a deep passion for sport, or a competitive sibling relationship, then you're likely to deeply connect to this narrative! If you haven’t, like me, then you're in for really good storytelling and a captivating bond between characters.

There was a lot to admire in this novel about family and the many choices we make out of love, and obligation, especially the deeply nuanced relationship between sisters. It covers the span of their lives and much of their mother's, which sometimes slowed the pacing as it moved through so many years, but was ultimately an enjoyable and moving read.

there's nothing i love more than family drama, and this had that in spades. i felt deeply connected to mia as the sister who has had to make sacrifices for everyone else in the family, which affects her relationship with her sister, cricket. i found cricket's journey interesting as i have absolutely no knowledge on anything related to soccer, so that was a really fun aspect to read about. these two go through so much individually and together, and i enjoyed reading about them healing from everything.

i did think the pacing was a bit off. the beginning was gripping but in the middle it slowed down significantly and i found myself a bit bored through it, but towards the end it picked back up. overall, i enjoyed my time with this.

I received a free ARC ebook of Spectacular Things from NetGalley in exchange foe an unbiased review.
Family is at the heart of this novel. Soccer star Liz finally gets positive attention from her parents until she becomes pregnant her senior year in high school. Her pregnancy means no soccer so Liz's parents no longer benefit from her. Once her baby girl, Mia, is born, Liz takes off with Mia to Maine to start a life on her own. Liz is an excellent mother but she is determined to make her daughter the soccer star she was not. Liz becomes pregnant again (I won't spoil the parental bombshell) with another daughter, Cricket. It isn't long before Cricket is acknowledged as the true soccer phenom.
Most of the novel details the work that Liz, Mia, and Cricket do to make athletic and Olympic stardom. The sacrifices made for Cricket and by Cricket are extreme. There is sadness here since there is no safety net for this family.
I felt the novel was a little long with the detailing of loss and sacrifice a little redundant. Yet, there is hope and determination and ultimately, what each character decides is true success.

Though I know next to nothing about soccer - truly, nothing other than it's played with a ball and there are goals and lots of running - building a family story around the love of the game for a mother and her two daughters is a brilliant idea. I feel not enough is written about the commitment and sacrifices that women make to pursue a career in athletics. To make it palatable, no - enjoyable, for someone like me who knows nothing was an achievement.
The characters were well developed, with each having their own strengths and weaknesses. Family drama is always a good read for me, and this had just the right amount, interspersed with a view of Maine living, career commitments, loss, and personal health issues.
A good read.

What a tremendous read! I was captivated from the very beginning and really didn't want to put it down. A heartfelt story about a mom and her two daughters, all soccer stars in their own right. Wonderful, insightful character development, beautifully written, and wrapped around a compelling story. Thanks to NetGalley for the Advanced Reader's Copy. Highly recommend this one.What a tremendous read! I was captivated from the very beginning and really didn't want to put it down. A heartfelt story about a mom and her two daughters, all soccer stars in their own right. Wonderful, insightful character development, beautifully written, and wrapped around a compelling story. Thanks to NetGalley for the Advanced Reader's Copy. Highly recommend this one.

Spectacular Things is a family drama surrounded by soccer. I thought it was a good ride. I was all in after the first chapter, but I got a little bored in the middle. Not sure where else this could go. Then it seemed to wrap up predictably. Which isn't always a bad thing. It was that middle part that made me drop it from a 4-star to 3-star read. I loved Oliver and Mia's story, but I despised Yas' character. It just wasn't believable. I also didn't love the juvenile way that Cricket just started to drop F-bomb's out of left field. And the author kept mentioning it was because their mom would never have liked that. Why do everything for your mom, but then rebel on this one thing. It just made her sound silly and didn't fit in the book at all. Otherwise it was a decent read.

This book really puts you through the ringer! It’s got drama, tragedy and a bond between sisters with some family history mixed. And let’s not forgot about soccer!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!

I enjoyed this book for the most part for the family drama aspect. I felt the character development lacked and thought there were some pacing issues throughout. There were several chapters that felt unnecessary to the plot. I’m also not a big soccer fan, so I’m not sure if that contributed to my boredom at times. Overall, beautiful writing style.

I love a family drama and this one did not disappoint. Since her first book, Beck Dorey-Stein is a writer that I enjoy reading. There is always a sweetness and humor to her story. I loved these two sisters and reading about the life they are trying to make for themselves.

I am sure that someone who loves family drama and tension and all that jazz will love this book. For me, nope, it was like a lifetime movie .
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

Mia and Cricket are sisters raised by a young mom with very different expectations put on each of them. The story starts with them present-day having spent their life going in different directions, but the large part of the story is spend telling how they each got to where they are. This is a book about sisters. About family. And about sacrifices. It’s heavily character driven as we follow these sisters throughout their childhood and into adulthood as they work to achieve their goals. I really loved this story and how it was told, though I did find that at about 50% I felt the pacing slowed a bit and overall it could have been 50 pages shorter. That being said, if you like literary fiction with strong emotional, writing and a focus on family I think this book is one to keep your eyes on as release day approaches.

I had a hard time relating to the characters because they were not as nuanced as I would have liked. I felt like each character tended to be a little "too much" for their role in the novel. There were some tender moments that I appreciated. Overall, my trouble relating to the characters impacted my enjoyment of this book.

Liz and her two daughters, Mia and Cricket, are obsessed with soccer and are all excellent players. For several reasons, Cricket, the younger sister, is the one who has the ability to take her soccer career the farthest. I really enjoyed how the author skipped around through the years, including years into the future. It all seemed so realistic. I also liked the way she wrote about the sisters' relationship, as well as the friendship between Cricket and her rival, Sloane. There's a lot of soccer in this novel, of course, but I didn't feel it took away from the story. Thank-you to NetGalley, Dial Press, and Ms. Dorey-Stein for the ARC of this title.

I cried a little during this. I've been a fan of Beck's since From the Corner of the Oval, but this one was particularly sweet. As someone who has a sister, it hit home.

I don't think I can accurately describe how this book made me feel. As an aging, ex-collegiate goalkeeper who coached women's soccer for years, I was immediately drawn into the story of Liz, Mia and Cricket. Throw in the Maine location, and as a 30+ year New England resident, I was hooked. I loved how the author interspersed fact with fiction - using the names Mal, Trinity, Rose etc, into the story made it real and current. The inclusion of the multiple shout-outs to Alyssa Naeher was touching.

To the author: your love of the game and the USWNT was obvious and omnipresent, and to merge this love with the story of the love of family really worked for me. Thank you.

Will I read more from the author? Yes.

I received a complimentary copy of the novel from the publisher and NetGalley, and my review is being left freely.

Spectacular Things follows the Lowe family (Liz and her daughters, Mia and Cricket) through years of their lives, with soccer as the main connecting thread. There were some themes within other relationships, like power dynamics, sacrifice, and lost potential, but this feels like a soccer-heavy book. (Side note: I’m no soccer expert, but would a child prodigy get put in the keeper role from the very beginning? I feel like you want her scoring!) This story also has a generally misty and quiet Maine setting, so if you’re into that vibe and family dynamic stories it could be a good pickup.

Mia and Cricket are sisters brought up lovingly by a single mother. Their mom was only 18 when she gave up her dream of collegiate and hopefully professional soccer when she learned she was pregnant with Mia. Shunned by her family, Liz flees to Maine where she starts her life over again. Despite many obstacles, Liz gives her two daughters a special childhood where they learn to be strong and focused. Mia is an excellent soccer player, but younger Cricket is a star in the making.
Tragic circumstances cause Mia to abandon her dreams of collegiate soccer to remain home to care for her younger sister.
This is a story of family, of love, loyalty and the choices life brings.
These 3 woman are truly spectacular things.!

Thank you to @NetGalley and @RandomHouse Publishing Group for the ARC. This book was pure magic. I love sports stories and family sagas, but when you add sister bonds, underdog grit, love, a touch of magical realism, and rich cultural references—including nods to the National Women's Soccer League—it’s absolute fire. This one’s bound to be a summer hit.

Liz Lowe captured the hearts of her hometown, then the state, and eventually the nation with her soccer brilliance. A rising star destined for greatness at UCLA, her dreams were suddenly paused when she became pregnant in her senior year of high school—and chose to keep the baby. Her self-absorbed, image-obsessed parents cut her off, leaving her to forge her own path. She found refuge in Victory, Maine, where she raised and trained her daughter, Mia, to become the soccer star she herself had once dreamed of being. But another unexpected pregnancy shakes their world, and Mia’s younger sister, Cricket, soon takes the pitch by storm. Each sister plays a vital role on Team Lowe, and the bond between Mia and Cricket captivated me from the very first page—I honestly couldn’t put this book down.

I laughed, I cried (more than once), and I rooted for these sisters like they were my own. I was heartbroken to finish it and am already dreaming of a film adaptation. I especially loved the story structure—starting at the end, then unfolding through flashbacks and shifting perspectives in a beautifully layered, emotionally resonant way.

Spectacular Things is a beautiful exploration of family, sisterhood, grief, and finding yourself. I loved these sisters and was sad to say goodbye.