A simple, feel-good story that delivers exactly what you’d hope for in a summertime sports romance. The attraction is electric, the setting is charming and cute, and the spice hits just right. I appreciated the unique sports choice, made it fun. While the plot isn’t overly complex, it’s satisfying in a comforting, familiar way. A quick read perfect for a sunny weekend.

I listened to the audio book and it was really good.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

All’s Fair in Love and Pickleball is a sweet contemporary romance with a compelling cast of characters and propulsive plot.

This one was delightful. I play pickleball regularly, so I adored the incorporation of the sport. The pickleball scenes were immersive and realistic. The characters were fun and interesting, and I especially loved Bex and her group of pickleball friends. I longed for more development of Nikolaus’s character and his romance with Bex. That said, their romance was cute, and the fake dating trope was fun. I enjoyed the immersive descriptions and settings, and the pacing fit the story well. The plot was well-developed and interesting. Kate Spencer’s writing fit Bex’s character well and presented the story with energy and emotion. I highly recommend this fun sports romance!

Mia Hutchinson Shaw narrated this one wonderfully. Her voice fit Bex well, and I loved the emotion and enthusiasm her narration brought to the story. I highly recommend the audiobook!

Thank you to the publisher for the free ALC!

4.25 stars

I liked this more than I expected to like a pickleball romance! It was fun and silly, spicy and swoony, yet also tackled really complicated feelings like grief, mental health, and money troubles. I also love a fake dating romance and found the twist of fake dating after a real make out to be a fun take. I felt really connected to the MMC and his feelings despite not having his POV which speaks to the author's talent. Overall I had a good time but I'm not sure if it will stick with me in the long run.

The narrator and production of the audiobook was great, no issues there!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ALC!

This book had me by the throat by the 10% mark. The entire premise was similar to others I’ve read, but what made it stand out from the rest was the tension, the chemistry, and just the overall vibe of the story as it progressed.

This audiobook was so good, the narrator was fantastic. Will I need to purchase this and promote it everywhere? Yes I already plan to scream about it. 😇

3.75 stars rounded up! This was a cute summer read/listen! I loved getting to know the characters’ backstories, and I loved the side characters that made this read feel a bit small town-y even though the setting wasn’t technically one! I enjoy a good enemies to lovers trope, and even though I wish the reasons for being enemies was a bit more fleshed out, it was a fun meet-cute nonetheless. Sports romances are always hit or miss for me, but this was the perfect blend of sports, life, and romance - it felt very balanced. The audio production was perfect, and I loved this audio narrator’s pacing, voice, and inflection! Also, the cover is toooo cute! Would recommend this as a great beach read or summer listen! Thanks to NetGalley/Hachette Audio for the ARC of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review!

Very cute, sweet, (mostly) light-hearted, fun romance! The details and quirks of each character are important and fun. I enjoyed the plot, dialog and several different types of relationships represented in the book are meaningful (discussion of mother/daughter relationship, FMC's relationship with members of the Racquet Club, as well as FMC and MMC). The tropes were well executed (grumpy/sunshine, forced proximity, and fake dating). The narrator did a wonderful job bringing each character to life! The narrator and production team's attention to detail was really special.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the ARC of the audiobook. Loved it!!

The premise intrigued me but I can’t seem to connect with this one. I find the main female character not enjoyable, it seems like she’s pissed o angry all the time and she starts having lusty thoughts abou Niko out of nowhere. I feel like it lacks chemistry, because every interaction seems forced.

This book was so cute and a great quick read! I love a fake dating situation and I connected with the FMC instantly. I really enjoyed how Pickleball was incorporated into the storyline.

The FMC’s struggle with grief was really relatable and added a nice layer to her motivations. I just wanted a little bit more romance and a bit more pickleball play! I enjoyed the twists and turns in the third act and a lovely ending.

I had a great time and would recommend the audiobook - the narrator really helps bring it to life!

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for an advanced audiobook copy; all opinions expressed in this review are my own.

As a tennis and pickleball player I was super excited for this one!

All about that BIG DINK ENERGY!

Bex is the sole owner of a racquet club after her mother’s death and is struggling to keep it afloat. Niko is a tennis player with a bad boy rep and a big ego. Bex and Niko partner up for a pickleball tournament when winning would be mutually beneficial.


What you can look forward to:
-grumpy sunshine
-fake dating
-found family
-rivals to lovers


The banter between Niko and Bex was really enjoyable. I loved the side characters and the support they showed for Bex.

I was eating this book up for the entire first half, but I found myself getting progressively more frustrated with Bex as the book went on. I felt like she was missing very obvious signs and warnings and I wanted to scream. The story also ended kind of abruptly for me and I went back to make sure that I didn’t accidentally miss a chapter. I would have loved to follow along with the tournament even just a little. I thought this was a super cute and fun sports romance.

Mia Hutchinson-Shaw did a fantastic job with the narration for this audiobook.

To be honest, I struggled to connect with this one. While I appreciated that it revolved around pickleball, offering a refreshing change from many other sports romances, *All's Fair in Love and Pickleball* felt somewhat contrived. It seemed like the narrative was determined to follow the enemies-to-lovers rom-com formula, even though there was a lack of genuine chemistry. The plotline had them despising each other, then making out, hating again, engaging in a fake relationship, and ultimately falling in love. Unfortunately, I found myself indifferent to both main characters and didn't root for them as a couple.

This book was not for me. The romance was insta-lust which i don't like and the reason why they were enemies and didn't like each other was never explained. They were suddenly all on top of each other and it was pretty abrupt. The sport wasn't mentioned as much as I had hoped since this is called a sports romance. Overall, not the book for me but others might enjoy it.

I adore fake dating, and I'm generally willing to suspend disbelief about why they feel the need to fake a relationship, but this time I didn't have to—it actually makes sense, and on top of that I loved that they clearly were both attracted to each other from the beginning. I listened to this in one sitting (made easy by Mia Hutchinson Shaw's excellent narration) and am very much looking forward to reading more by the author.

Oh MAN did this book work for me. I was getting that five star feeling from the beginning and it persisted all the way through. Sure, I might have gone in a little biased as I LOVE sports romance. But not all of them have the depth, representation, heart, characters etc that All's Fair in Love and Pickleball did, so this one was certainly a standout.

Oh my sweet, colorful, big-hearted girl Bex. I loved her so dearly and really saw myself in her as an FMC. I adore her strength, her care for her people, her love and passion for her sport, and my heart ached in the moments where her mom's loss felt so fresh.

On that note, this book contains a raw portrayal of parental grief and how that impacts daily life and relationships. I loved that while this was a major component of Bex's story and character, it didn't consume her and she was able to grow as a person by the end of the book while still keeping her mom's spirit alive through the club. Beyond the grief subplot, there is also neurodivergent representation as our FMC has ADHD.

Oh, and Niko? Don't even get me started. I ADORE any kind of grumpy sunshine dynamic in a romance story and getting to see the way Bex break his walls down and shift his mindset the way he did hers in a lot of ways was so wonderful and rewarding.

This book also featured one of my most vital components of a good romance story, strong side characters and/or a found family. Loretta, Maureen, Ed, and Deb all made me laugh so often and getting to see multigenerational friendships like theirs was so heartwarming.

I have to give Mia Hutchinson-Shaw her flowers because she knocked this narration out of the park. She really brought Bex to life and made me feel the story that much deeper because of it. The audio quality was consistent and she was very expressive in a way that made the characters all feel so realistic and unique.

This book was the perfect balance of sports, spice, and plot + features characters that you will fall in love with and root for until the end. I laughed and I cried and all in all I am just so so glad I read this story.

“Perhaps I could add a little bit of color to him. Maybe he could help me stay in the lines.”

Do you want a fun, unique, swoony romance???? Some good spice, an incredible pickleball oriented plot, and low angst (especially impressive with the engagement of heavy topics!!) - I just loved every bit of this book!

This was my first Kate Spencer book and I fear I may have to read her backlist because damn she is excellent. Such fun dialogue, great banter, amazing characters. I loved every bit of this and I do consider myself a romance novel connoisseur.

Thanks NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the chance to read this before release :)

The audio performance was impeccable. Perfect intonation and expression to bring all these vibrant characters to life!

Niko and Bex have electric chemistry and are such funny lil goofs. I love Niko’s secret softness and Bex’s journey to learn to ask for help and be vulnerable. Even with their disagreements, they still give each other the benefit of the doubt and it never is a drawn out argument. It was so refreshing and I just want everyone to read this and go play pickleball with me.

I loved this! I play pickleball so it was interesting reading a sports romance where I’ve played the sport often. I loved how the author incorporated pickleball while also speaking to the rivalry with tennis players. The fake dating aspect of the book was a favorite of mine and I loved the banter between the MC’s. Super cute! Can’t wait to bring my copy to the pickleball court!!

I enjoyed the audio. Good story, fun characters with development. Good amount of spice and sexy times. Fun story.

Bex is struggling to stay afloat. The racquet club her family owns is in desperate need of repair, and with her mom's passing still weighing heavy on her heart, she feels lost and desperate. She loves the club, the elderly pickleball players, and coaching. Enter hot shot tennis player, Niko. His career went spiraling after an injury and he now wants to train at her courts so he can be close to his aunt, a club member. He's stubborn, cocky, and doesn't consider pickleball a sport. He finds Bex, with her loud clothes and think with your heart attitude, to be little much. So when they get trapped in a lie about being in a relationship and participating in the Paddle Battle together, they're forced to train together. A lot of money (hello renovations!) is on the line, but so are feelings as the two get to know each other on a deeper level.

Who knew pickleball could be so sexy?! The hottest new sport (yes, sport...) is so trendy and fun - I love how accessible it is to many generations! Bex was colorful, creative, and full of life - but was grieving both her parents and the potential loss of the club, leaving her feeling like a bit of a failure. Niko definitely seemed like a nuisance at first - a celebrity, too good for pickleball, wanting nothing to do with helping the club. But he ended up having a soft spot for Bex, shown through both simple acts and grand gestures. I loved how they got caught needing to take their relationship, and the support they gave each other through some sticky situations felt genuine. If you're a sports romance fan, and elderly pickleball players, fake dating, and cute nicknames are for you - check this out!

Publish date: June 3rd, 2025

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


The story gave off total summer rom-com vibes, and I loved the pickleball setting,this was probably my first romance book centered around pickleball! I enjoyed all the characters and side characters, and I loved all the relationships throughout the book. The banter was perfect, and I adored both Bex and Niko the entire time.

Bex is trying to save her racquet club and keep her mom’s legacy alive. After her mom passed away, Bex was given the club and has been working to keep it up and running. The racquet club means everything to her—it’s her whole world and she doesn’t want to lose it. But in order to save it, she needs to win the tournament and use the prize money to keep the club going.

Niko, a former tennis player, comes back home after an injury and puts his ego aside to help Bex save the club.

I enjoyed the narration of this audiobook it made the story come to life and it felt like listening to a tv show:)

Thank You NetGalley and Hachette Audio

I received a complimentary copy of this audiobook all my Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.


Read or listen to find out

Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Audio for allowing me to listen to this ALC! This is my second book in a short amount of time about pickeball and I really liked it! Former tennis star Nikolaus Karras needs a comeback, and Bex Martin needs to save her struggling racquet club so teaming up for a high-stakes pickleball tournament makes perfect sense. As they train together, a fake relationship sparks real chemistry both on and off the court. The MMC was a bit too mean at first and this is something I struggle with (I can't come back from this!) but I overall liked this story!
Narration:
Seed: 1.75X
I have listened quite a lot of audiobooks narrated by Mia Hutchinson Shaw and it's always a treat! I love her voice and her warm tone. I honestly have nothing to say, just perfection !

I am a new Kate Spencer fan!!

I went in with some knowledge about Pickleball but not a ton, so this was a really fun read for me. Bex and Niko had good chemistry and I felt like the "enemies to lovers" transition was done smoothly. There wasn't quite as much tension as I usually hope for, but I still really enjoyed this!

Bex is trying to keep her family's legacy alive through their older, run-down tennis and pickleball club. She has a very loyal group of regulars, but she now competes with the shiny new club in town and has to find a way to save her club.
Niko enters as the nephew of one of her loyal members, and an injured-out tennis star. He plans to spend 6 weeks helping his aunt and training for a come-back.

When the competing club hosts a pickleball tournament with a large money prize, Bex and Niko pair up to take on Niko's rival, and hopefully win the money to save her club.

We get: fake dating, banter, Bex training Niko in pickleball, meddling retirees, and a fun setting.

The only parts that I felt like weren't quite there for me were Bex and Nico's communication. Niko kept getting frustrated that Bex wasn't going to him for help, but he had never really given the indication he was interested in helping her beyond entering the tournament. Bex was a little frustrating sometimes as well. The 3rd act conflict felt like something really easily avoidable and I didn't love that - but at the same time, that can be real life. I thought the ending and resolution was cute so it all worked out!

This was a cute, fast read and perfect for this season!

Thank you so much to Forever for the early copy in exchange for my honest review!