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!

An easy beach read. Enemies to lovers, sports romance. The story is a bit silly but you get sucked in anyway. Side characters are adorable and the story has a lot of heart. Narrator does a good job.

I received an arc from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this feel good story as the main characters, Bex and Niko, worked through their own issues while fake dating. Each of them was trying to save something - Bex, her mom's racquet club and Niko, his pro tennis career. I loved the banter and could not put this down. The narration was fabulous and didn't miss a beat from the voice I was hearing in my head as I read a digital copy as well. Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for an early listen in exchange for an honest review.

A new fav from Kate Spencer!! I loved this fake dating romance between a tennis pro trying to make a comeback and a struggling pickleball court owner who has ADHD. The surprise neurodiversity rep was very welcome and well done and who knew pickleball could be so romantic??? The cast of elderly local players was also a really entertaining addition and the source of lots of levity. Great on audio and perfect for fans of books like Pickleballers by Ilana Long or Pick me by Victoria Schade. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio and digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

Steam level: a couple open door scenes, mild details

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

While this book had some fun moments, overall it didn’t quite work for me. I had a hard time connecting with the main character, her personality felt a bit too much for my taste, and I struggled to understand her instant obsession with NiKo. I kept wondering if he was even meant to be a central character, since he didn’t feel well-developed.

The story is described as “enemies to lovers,” but that element didn’t fully land for me. The shift from tension to romance felt a little rushed and underdeveloped, and I found myself wanting more emotional buildup between the characters.

That said, I really enjoyed the older characters in the club! They added a lot of warmth and personality to the story and were definitely a highlight for me. The banter between the main characters also had its moments and brought some life to the dialogue.

The story did pick up a bit around the halfway point, but unfortunately, I found my interest fading again later on. The narration was okay and suited the tone of the book well.

Overall, I appreciate the chance to read this ARC. While it wasn’t quite the right fit for me, I’m sure other readers will enjoy the humor and charm of the supporting cast.

💛 Enemies-to-lovers (lightly)
💛 Sports romance (pickleball!)
💛 Instant attraction
💛 Grumpy/sunshine
💛 Only FMC POV

Thank you, Hachette Audio and NetGalley, for providing me with this advance reader’s audiobook copy in exchange for an honest review.

Pickleball sports romance is what the genre was missing. “All’s Fair in Love and Pickleball” is a fun take on the genre. You’ll be laughing throughout as Beck and Nico find their way to each other. A perfect fun beach read/listen.

The dinks are not dinking with this one.

I was hoping for a fun, light listen. I love pickleball, used to play tennis, and after going to Indian Wells this year, a pseudo-Palm Beach romcom vibe sounded like a perfect match.

Unfortunately, I can’t remember the last time I disliked a FMC this much. While I appreciated how the book handled her grief—those moments were genuinely well done—Bex’s motivations were a mess. She hates the love interest after one meeting, then is lusting after him the next day. She claims she wants to fix her business on her own, but would rather ask a random pickleball pro than the man she’s supposedly falling for. She also has no issue flirting with said pro, despite knowing he has a history with the actual love interest.

And Niko? So boring. For a Greek tennis player, he had zero charisma. His decisions made no sense either. What player training to get back on the professional circuit suddenly decides now’s the time to give pickleball a try? Anytime he had a right to be mad at Bex’s chaos, he defended her instead. Even the spice felt awkward—which is rare for me.

There were just too many frustrations here. That said, the audiobook narration by Mia Hutchinson Shaw was a highlight. Her emotional delivery, pacing, and tone were all fantastic. She elevated even the clunkiest dialogue. If I’d been reading this instead of listening, I almost certainly would have DNFed. I’ll be keeping an eye out for her future work.

Thanks to Hachette Audio and NetGalley for the early listen. This was a dead paddle for me, but hopefully it scores more for others.

I LOVED this book. I keep alternating between a 4-4.5 stars!
I thought Nick and Bex were the best couple.
We got fake dating, enemies to lovers, rebuilding life, proving yourself, forced proximity, found family, and so much more.
Nick is a tennis pro who had an almost career-ending injury. He is trying to make a comeback in the tennis world.
Bex owns an older/semi-run-down racquet club, after the recent death of her Mother to cancer.
Nick's aunt, who is Bex's substitute Mom/friend, injures herself at Bex's club. Nick decides to stay and help his aunt. Naturally, he needs somewhere to practice - enter the Bex's racquet club.
Needless to say, their initial meeting doesn't go well.
Bex's enemy and fellow pickleball court owner decides to have a tournament.
Bex and Nick accidentally end up in a fake relationship.
Chaos of all sorts ensues.
This book was so good. It was a quick read. It made me laugh and made me cry.
Trigger warning - as mentioned above, this book does deal with parental loss and loss due to cancer, so make sure you protect your mental health if needed!
The plot was structured, organized, and written well. The pace was perfect for this book, no slow burn, but also not insta-love!
Characters were very well developed, particularly Bex. I was able to connect with the characters and stay engaged the entire book.
This is a perfect book to add to your summer reading list. Gives you all the happy feels! Read it by the pool.
Thank you so much to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read and review this ARC! I will be picking up more books from this author!
Happy Reading!

3.5 stars
This was such a fun and lighthearted read—perfect for when you want something cute and breezy with a splash of unique charm. I loved that pickleball took center court (literally!) in this romance. It was refreshing to see a lesser-used sport featured, and it added such a fun dynamic to the story.

The chemistry between the main characters really worked for me. Their banter and attraction felt natural, and the narrator of the audiobook brought a lot of warmth and personality to the story—I’d definitely recommend listening if that’s your thing.

That said, the ending (pre-epilogue) felt a little too quick and tidy, and the male love interest’s emotional shift from enemies to smitten was kind of abrupt. I wish we had seen a bit more of that evolution on the page to make the “love” part of this enemies-to-lovers arc feel fully earned.

Still, this was a sweet and entertaining read that kept me smiling throughout. If you’re looking for a romance that’s a little off the beaten path (and you’ve ever found yourself wondering if pickleball could be sexy—spoiler: it can), give this one a shot.

3.5 Stars All's Fair in Love and Pickleball is a fun and light summer read that might just convince you to pick up a pickleball paddle!

Bex Martin is struggling right now. Grieving the loss of her mother while trying to run her parents' racquet club is no easy feat and she's barely keeping her head above water. This is until former tennis bad boy, Nikolaus Karras, makes himself at home on her courts while trying to rehab from a career-ending injury. Niko has something to prove and Bex needs money to repair her courts, so they team up to enter a pickleball tournament with a large cash prize. Except, everyone thinks they are a couple. Especially when Bex lies to a reporter and says they are together. But it shouldn't be too hard to fake a relationship with your doubles partner, right?

All's Fair in Love and Pickleball is a charming and witty standalone romance that is great for kicking off the summer season. Despite the heavier topics of losing a parent to cancer and rehabilitating a career-ending injury, it's a surprisingly light read and and a quick one at that. Bex and Niko's chemistry was believable and I loved their banter. The perfect book to get out of a reading slump!

Thank you to Hachette Audio for the ALC!

2.5/5. Cute story, but the pacing was a bit off and the chemistry was a bit lacking. I would have liked to see a longer build up to their attraction.

I really liked the audiobook narrator. She sounded exactly like the character would sound in my head if I read the text. I liked when she did make voices. Reminded me of Julia Whelan in Emily Henry’s audiobooks.

Thank you to Hachette Audio for providing me with this advanced released audiobook. I’m rating this book 3.75.

Firstly, I love the name of this book and the front cover is really pretty. Mia Hutchinson Shaw did a brilliant job in her performance of this audiobook.

I really enjoyed the storyline - Our main girl is Bex, who owns a run-down and struggling Racquet Club in Sunset Springs where she coaches pickleball, with the majority of the Club members being seniors. Our guy is Niko, the nephew of one of the Clubs members, and he is a former tennis star with a career ending injury. So… let the pickleball fun commence!

This was a quick and enjoyable listen and the storyline moves quickly along with just the right amount of detail. Both characters have their own little personality traits, Bex is creative and loves creating her own pickleball themed clothes, and Niko is a grumpy sunshine. They both have great chemistry together.

Be aware that there are some romance scenes that are open door, just incase thats something that doesn’t appeal.

What a fabulous novel and concept! Pickleball is definitely the “hot sport” at the moment and I hear from so many differing opinions on it, the release of this is perfect timing! This Grumpy x sunshine with a HEA is absolute perfection. Thank you to NetGalley and the published for the opportunity to listen to this in advance of it’s release!

*3.5 Stars

This was fun, cute, and the plot had a decent pace. Plus I always enjoy a good fake dating romance, especially when paired with sports, and pickleball is definitely a fun one!

The characters were well thought out and well developed and I think they definitely worked together. That being said, I am a little skeptical of their first kiss, it just seemed to come out of nowhere and didn’t really feel organic. I also don’t know why the epilogue wasn’t just called another chapter and maybe developed a bit more, it was pretty important to the plot, and it’s not like a lot of time passed from the last chapter to then. This way it just felt rushed.

Regarding the audiobook quality, I must say I enjoyed the narration quite a bit. The narrator did a good job with the characters and the pacing was excellent.

DNF @ 33%

I really wanted to like this one, and I enjoyed the beginning where the premise was set up. However, the insta-lust while still hating each other really caught me off guard and made me choose to DNF this one. I think some people will enjoy this book, but it was unfortunately not for me.

I received an ALC of this one and the audio was high-quality with narrators that helped bring the story to life with their narration. While the story itself wasn't my jam, I enjoyed the production and performance of the audiobook.

Thank you to Hachette Audio for the free ALC in exchange for my honest review!

This was a cute and fun sports romance! When I think sports romance I usually think hockey or football as I feel like those are the most popular types of sports romance out there so pickleball and tennis was a nice change! Kate did a great job at highlighting the differences between the two sports in a comedic but informative way.

This reminded me a bit of Carries Soto is Back but with romance being the focal point and some pickleball added in! There were a lot of realistic things in here like struggles that come with running a business, finding your way in the world, and how to move forward with grief. All that and Kate still managed to make this book super funny as well!

I listened to this on audio and I thought the narrator did a great job at all the different voices! I could definitely tell which voice she was doing for each character without any confusion and appreciated that a lot!