I received an advance audio copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Like mahjong, I feel like pickleball is rising in popularity - but maybe I am just getting to be of a certain age and/or living in a certain area where the stars are aligning - and felt drawn to this book. I am not a huge fan of fake dating but I did like how the author spun it with the FMC and MMC jumping into the narrative after getting caught making out (I just wonder why they kept rejecting the idea and didn't just go with it). Overall, the book was cute, liked the premise, thought the love story happened far too quick - a mere matter of weeks, I think - but appreciated the attempt and loved the slogan "big dink energy". Do think that the spicy scenes seemed very sporatic and forced and also, do they really need to do it out on the pickleball court??! Just a bit much IMO. 3.5 stars.

This was a fun listen—fast, fun, and full of pickleball drama. Bex Martin is determined to save her late mom’s racquet club, and when former tennis bad boy Nikolaus Karras shows up, everyone assumes they’re more than just training partners. With a high-stakes tournament on the line and plenty of older pickleballers cheering them on, the fake-dating trope plays out perfectly against this quirky sports backdrop.

I was excited to give this a spin (my husband’s a serious pickleball player) so the setting felt extra real, and the narrator absolutely nailed every voice (male characters included). I loved Bex’s grit as she fights through grief, and while Niko didn’t grab me at first, he definitely grew on me by the end. Thank you NetGalley and Machete Audio for sending this my way. All opinions are my own.

ˋ°•*⁀➷ thank you so much to netgalley and hachette audio for this arc.

2.75 stars rounded up

i fear i am obsessed with sports romances....!!

bex was such a cute main character, by the end I was really rooting for her and the racquet club. while I didn't see myself in her at all I could really appreciate the way she thought and acted.

niko was never bex's enemy. I think this was supposed to be enemies to lovers?? it was not. they just had hidden sexual tension. please can we stop calling bad first impressions followed by constant thoughts getting down and dirty 'enemies to lovers'.

anyway I don't feel like we got to know niko well. maybe this was because of the fact it wasn't dual pov or dual narration (which is my personal preference).

all in all this is a cute pickle ball sports romance. definitely a good palate cleanser, fluffy story.

This was such a fun read!! I always love a fake dating scenario and it was executed so well in this book. There was so much chemistry between Bex and Nico from the beginning and seeing that develop as they went from ‘enemies’ to friends and then into something deeper was absolutely delightful. And the surrounding cast of characters was just the cherry on top - I loved the chaos of the book club so much.

I also knew nothing about pickleball before I started reading this book and now I’m so intrigued to learn more.

Big thanks to NetGalley for the copy of this audiobook!

Thank you to NetGalley, Kate Spencer, and Hachette Audio for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I’ve been loving sports romance lately but every hockey and F1 book is starting to blend into the next so this was exciting to pick up a book with a new sport that I know nothing about but keep hearing about everywhere.
When I say this book goes by fast, I mean it. I listened to it on audiobook while doing housework and read the whole thing in one go. It was so cute and perfect for the summer!
Bex and Niko are a fun dynamic. Bex ended up with her family’s crumbling pickleball club and can’t afford to fix it up until she enters a doubles tournament to try to win some prize money. Niko is a pro tennis player who’s never played pickleball but ends up training at Bex’s courts after a major injury and somehow they stumble into a partnership to compete in the tournament.
There are some side characters that you love to hate that come off a little bit cheesy and a whole lot sleazy, there is a third-act breakup that felt disjointed and unnecessary but overall this was a very cute beach read and I would definitely recommend! 4/5 stars for me!

Spicy and fun! This story was a lot of fun with a lot of heart… and heat. The main character is running her parents tennis and pickleball courts rec center. She’s in her twenties but her social life is hanging out with all the local senior citizens. Until one of the members nephews comes to town. He’s her age and their fiery chemistry is evident from first meet. I loved the side characters and enjoyed this fun read!

Enjoyed the audiobook narration!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ALC.

Talk about a fun, summery book! Loved learning about pickleball, the banter was all the heart eyes and the quirky side characters were an utter delight!

The audio version of the book was so well done and Mia Hutchinson Shaw really brought the story to life!

Big thanks to NetGalley, and Hatchette Audio for the ALC!

I think the characters were super fun and felt very real. I liked how they developed and you got to see their relationship grow! At times it felt like the story dragged a bit but overall I think this was a solid read and pretty unique since not many books about pickleball are out that i know of at least. I think the narrator also did a good job :)

Thank you to @netgalley and @readforeverpub for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. And thank you to @hachetteaudio for a free download of the audiobook.

I love sports romances, so I was immediately captivated by the fresh premise of All's Fair in Love and Pickleball. Plus fake dating? That's an immediate yes from me!

This book was an absolute blast! The rivals-to-lovers dynamic between Nico and Bex was perfectly executed. Their banter was witty and full of chemistry, and the tension between them kept me utterly hooked. Bex was instantly lovable, and Nico’s unexpected vulnerability completely won me over. Bex’s determination to protect her family's legacy made her incredibly easy to root for. And yes, the spicy moments were definitely worth the wait! What truly impressed me was how the story skillfully wove in themes of grief and healing without ever feeling overly heavy.

The senior community at the pickleball club added a delightful layer of humor and warmth, creating a cozy found-family vibe that beautifully balanced the emotional depth.

Mia Hutchinson-Shaw's narration was fantastic. Her delivery felt so natural and confident. This was my first audiobook by her, but it certainly won't be my last!

If you're searching for a fresh take on the sports rom-com genre with heart, heat, and excellent character growth, this one absolutely deserves a spot on your summer TBR.

4 stars

#books #bookishlife #booklover #readingisfun #iowabookstagrammers #iowabookstagram #netgalley #foreverpub #hachetteaudio #allsfairinloveandpickleball #katespencer #miahutchinsonshaw

Growing up playing racquet sports, this book really resonated with me. In my youth, I was most at home on the courts. Also, a big fan of rom-coms, I love the banter between Bex an Niko. She loves pickleball; he thinks it is a joke....will they ever see eye-to-eye? Read to find out. Plus, you are going to love the senior cast of characters; they give the novel lots of spunk and spice!!!!

Do I want to learn to play pickleball? - yes.
Did I buy my husband and I pickleball racquets so we could play together? - yes
Have I ever played? - no

I guess I'll stick to reading about it.🙈

This book was so fun. She teaches pickleball to a fiesty group of retired ladies and hes the nephew of one of them and a professional tennis player (who's too cool for a sport like pickleball) but alas they must team up for a pickleball tournament. It's enemies to lovers, fake dating and grumpy/ sunshine with banter and spice... aka a fun summer read. The audio narrators were great! And I bought a physical copy for my trophy shelf because I liked it so much (IYKYK).

Pickleball romances - the new hockey romances?! 🤣🤣🤣

I freaking adored this book! I had no idea what to expect from a pickleball romance, but it was an absolute delight to listen to. Bex is juggling a lot after her mom’s death. She’s grieving and working nonstop to keep her mom’s beloved racket club alive. Nico, a former tennis pro recovering from a career-ending injury, is in town to care for his pickleball-loving aunt and maybe prove something to himself in the process.

I loved the grumpy x sunshine dynamic between Bex and Nico. He’s broody, a little arrogant, and thinks pickleball is beneath him, always dressed in pristine white. Bex is a total ray of sunshine. She makes her own quirky clothes, loves her sport fiercely, and has the most heartwarming relationships with the club’s 70+ regulars.

Underneath Nico’s gruff exterior is a soft heart, and Bex slowly chips away at it, especially once she becomes his pickleball coach and doubles partner. He is so gone for her, and I loved watching it unfold…pickleball is freaking sexy y’all! The cast of octogenarians is an absolute highlight. I fell for every one of them. Their love and support for Bex and the club was so sweet.
This romance was fast, fun, and full of heart. A total surprise in the best possible way!

The narration was so well done, Mia Hutchinson Shaw was a delight to listen to, I ate up every second of this book!

This book really hit close to home for me because like the fmc I also lost my mom to cancer and there’s a lot of what would they do afters and feeling lost that deeply resonated with me. Unlike the fmc I did not inherit a crumbling racquet club that needed serious repairs with no money to pay for it. That’s how Bex ends up being roped into a partnership with one of her customers nephews. He was the bad boy of tennis before an injury took him out and now he’s trying to earn his way back on the circuit.

After a misunderstanding with a reporter leads her to believe they are both pickleball partners and dating, Bex agrees to go along with it as she desperately needs the winnings to save her club. But what she didn’t plan for was how much fake dating Niko would start to feel real. Which is even more complicated with him leaving to return to the tennis circuit.

I am a huge fake dating lover so this one was right up my alley. Throw in an early misunderstanding that sets them up as enemies and then reluctantly co-conspirators and I’m done for. Their chemistry was 10/10 on and off the court. I was mildly disappointed by the fmc naïveté when it came to the business world and how that played out but I do feel it was important to her growth and authentic to her being unprepared due to the loss of her mom. And it did lead to a really heartwarming finale so I got over it 😂

Definitely recommend this one if you’re a fan of fake dating, enemies to lovers, steamy kink exploration and a wonderful narrator.

Are you looking for a sports romance with a little bit of spice and a whole lot of Pickleball? I found it.

For fans of:
Grumpy/Sunshine
Banter
Forced Proximity
Fake Dating
Sports Romance
Found Family
& an adorably quirky cast of side characters.

My favorite part:
I loved the side characters in this book and the found family aspect as a whole. This was a quirky and loving community, and it felt very realistic and heartwarming

Cons:I did feel like the pacing was a little off at times; however, I do find this frequently with sports romances, so I think part of that is just a “me - thing.”

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Another big fake dating win for a fake dating book lover! The fake dating and romance was definitely the bright star of this audiobook!! Nico was the definition of a book boyfriend. I liked the fun, flirty, and competitive aspects of their relationship and enjoyed how their romance developed without miscommunication. I had a hard time with the choices the main character made in the end of the book, which definitely knocked off some of my enjoyment. I also realized that listening to romance audiobooks is definitely not my favorite, but if you do like romance audiobooks and love pickleball, this one might be for you!

Thank you to @netgalley and @hachetteaudio for the advanced listener copy in exchange for an honest review

#books #audiobooks #bookreviewer #bookrecs #bookrecommendations #advancedlistenercopy

3.5 rounded up ✨ This was cute but definitely fell flat in some areas. I really liked Bex and Niko also characters separately but together it just wasn’t fully there for me. I appreciated Nikos character arc and seeing how he grew as a person. I also adore all of the seniors at the club. Their quirks and banter were one of my favorite parts of the book. I wish I could see pictures of Bex clothing designs!

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for this ALC

Narrator: Mia Hutchinson-Shaw
My Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
✋ Emojis to describe this book: 🏓🎾👵🌵🎭

Quick Intro: Bex is trying to save her family’s racket club and grieving the loss of her mother. Niko is working towards a comeback after a career ending injury. The end up “fake dating” for an article hoping it will be positive attention for both.

Quick Thoughts: A fantastic Summer romance! I loved the dynamic between Bex and her racket club found family (retirees who were encouraging and funny).Niko had a few shining moments of yearning and competent caretaking. I didn’t feel like this was enemies to lovers or rivals to lovers more of a bad first impression. A bit more lust forward on how their relationship starts with moments of genuine emotional connection.

The third act is especially full of drama and shenanigans. With story resolution happening in the epilogue.

I enjoyed the audio format! Mia Hutchinson-Shaw brought emotion and depth into Bex in particular. I feel like the characters were distinct.


Content Warnings: loss of a parent, exploitation of 🌶️(similar to Deep End but it’s minor to the plot)

Thank you, @hachetteaudio, for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts. This was such a fun summer read!

Sigh, while I loved In A New York Minute, this one really missed the mark for me. It was a very hard sell that these two people just automatically loved each other after hating each other for the first half of the book. A pretty weak book in the world of contemporary romance. I still will read everything she writes though. Her previous 2 books were very strong! 3 stars.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. Well wasn't this book just adorable! I loved the main character. And that the story takes place while playing pickleball. This is the perfect beach read.

This book follows Bex and Nico as they are kinda “forced” to work together after Nico’s aunt (?) injures her wrist on a pickleball court owned by Bex. Nico originally threatens to sue Bex over the faulty court, but agrees not to since he needs the court to practice his tennis skills. He was a rising tennis star up until he had a knee injury. He is hoping to return to tennis but needs lots of practice.
The fitness center is failing and Bex is struggling to keep it afloat. When a pickleball tournament is announced, Bex and Nico plan on entering to help save her business and his reputation.

So the audiobook is well produced and the voice is nice to listen to. Unfortunately this book didn’t work for me. I loved the concept and liked all the side characters, but I did not enjoy the romance between Bex and Nico. They immediately disliked each other, but then it felt too instalusty to me. I really didn’t like Bex’s inner monologue of how she was attracted to Nico and really grew tired of her getting turned on by his “grunts” on the court. I think her thoughts could have been edited down.

I would still recommend this book to readers that enjoy sports romance and like the pickleball aspect.

TW/CW: grief, loss of a parent, cancer.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ALC of this book.