The lead characters were interesting and I liked their general arc of a story and liked the side characters.

This book was so so funny and I enjoyed it so much. I was intrigued by the title because it was fun and it did not disappoint me!

If you are a fan of Emily Henry or Annabel Monaghan this is for you!!! The wittty banter will have you laughing so hard & the spice is fabulous! All with a hallmark twist of saving the family business. Its a fast listen and absolutely delightful!

Shoutout to Netgalley, Kate & her amazing team Forever publishing and Hachette Audio for the ARC audiobook! I loved this!!

What to Expect:
⭐ Hallmark vibes 100% but with SPICE!
⭐ Enemies/strangers to lovers
⭐ Fake dating
⭐ Sports Romance
⭐ Rivalries
⭐ Saving the family business
⭐ Talented Tennis Pro visits small town
⭐ Found Family

TW: Discussions of deaths of parents at the center of the story.

My Thoughts:
Ooooo I LOVED THIS! I loved the absolute witty banter between main characters Bex + Nikolaus. I love how much the loathing turns to anticipation and tension as they get to know each other. The sex scenes are steamy.... i'll just note public places as one scene. While I am usually not huge in to sports romances I did love that this one focused on pickleball! I don't think I have seen another that uses it as the main focus of the story. I did learn a lot about the game, but I almost wish there was more details! More about the differences between it and sports like tennis and ping pong! I still don't have that answer other than a wiffle ball and a different court & style of play.

I love the main characters and the growth they have individually but also the one they share together as it all unfolds. I love Bexs found family of all those who visit the pickleball club as regulars and those who have cheered and supported her along the way! I was shocked the twist the story takes with the creep former tennis player from the other club. Oh the storyline with him makes me want to deck him! You will fall in love with all the characters minus HIM! The sub characters are delightful with their own stories that tie in but also how much they love the club and Bex. its the heart of the story for sure.

I enjoyed this story via audiobook and absolutely loved it! I thought narrator Mia Hutchinson-Shaw was absolutely delightful in the story telling! Her scene setting and overall character development was amazing! Made the story easy to follow, conveyed the depth of the scenes, had me laughing over the banter, the tension and anticipation in the spicy scenes. I give it a 10/10 on delivery!

Also Kate needs SHIRTS made to sell like the ones from the book! I would absolutely buy one!

Synopsis:
Bex Martin’s racquet club is her entire world. But the business she inherited from her mother has started to feel more like a sinking ship. That is, until Nikolaus Karras—a former tennis bad-boy with an ego as big as his serve—makes himself at home on her courts.

Niko has something to prove, and a high-stakes pickleball tournament is just what he needs to get back in the game after a career-ending injury. When he is finally able to set his ego aside to ask for Bex’s help, everyone assumes that they are a couple—on and off the court.

But she needs the prize money to save the club, and he needs a win to restore his reputation. So now they have a fake relationship as well as a doubles partner that they can’t seem to resist. Game on!

Kate Spencer hit a (homerun? ace? what do we say in Pickleball?!) with this one! This was a perfect easy, sporty read that's perfect for a quick weekend trip or laying by the pool this summer. Set in southern California, Bex is trying to save her mother's pickleball club, while Niko is trying to save his tennis career. He's grumpy, she's sunshine. They don't like each other. They're forced to work together, blah blah blah. It's a sports centered read, but what I loved about it is that since Pickleball isn't quite mainstream (yet), there was a lot of explanation seamlessly integrated into the book. I also really enjoyed the discussion and storyline around Bex's grief over her mother's passing. It felt real and raw in a way that a lot of books miss the mark on. It was a charming undercurrent in the book that I loved. I also liked that she really wasn't aware of the vibrant family she had gathered around her, until they all showed up wearing neon green shirts. Definitely pick this up for a weekend trip or the pool this summer!

Thanks to Netgalley for the copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review.

4.5 / 5 stars

I was curious (and a little wary) about All's Fair in Love and Pickleball because pickleball is so trendy right now. But I'm also a HUGE fan of Kate Spencer and if anyone can write a book about pickleball, it's her. It did not disappoint! I listened to this book in under 24 hours. I couldn’t stop!

The plot, in a nutshell: Bex took over a pickleball club after the death of her mom, and she feels a bit lost, especially since she is under 30 when everyone around her at the club is over the age of 65. Enter Niko: a grumpy former tennis pro who needs a place to practice for his big comeback while staying with his aunt after a pickleball injury. Bex and Niko find themselves in a fake relationship after a conversation with a reporter and decide to keep the scheme going while training as partners for a tournament that, if won, could give Bex the money she needs to fix up the club. Of course, as always happens with fake dating, the two fall in love for real and everything goes wrong.

This was a mash-up of elements of several different tropes: fake dating, enemies to lovers, grumpy and sunshine. Mix that together with a plan to save a dying pickleball club, a big competition, and you have a winner. The chemistry between Bex and Niko didn’t feel at all forced and I enjoyed the character arcs of both. There were mentions of the loss of a parent and I thought Spencer addressed grief in a way that felt real and honest.

My only complaint is that the ending felt a little abrupt and the third-act breakup felt really unnecessary, but it didn’t take away too much from the story, in my opinion. This is such a fun, summer-y read and it reaffirmed that I will read anything Kate Spencer writes.

If you love pickleball, love authors like Rachel Lynn Solomon, and love when the main characters are friends with quirky septuagenarians, this book is for you.

Also — Mia Hutchinson Shaw was the PERFECT narrator for this audiobook. I loved the way she brought Bex to life.

My Ratings:
🧍🏽‍♀️ 5/5 Characters
🌶️ 2.5/5 Spice
🎬 3/5 Ending
🧩 4.5/5 Plot
💫 4.5/5 Overall

Thank you to Forever, Hachette Audio, and Kate Spencer for an advance copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

I've enjoyed other books by this author and I am ALL IN on the pickleball trend so this was a no-brainer for me to give this book a shot. And it was fun! I loved the main characters, the set up, and the emotional backstory. It reminded me a bit of a more romantic version of Carrie Soto with the tennis and pickleball moments. The ending was adorable and I loved the way the story unfolded. The audiobook was well-narrated and it was a happy accompaniment to my day off last week.

The only downside was that I was definitely ITCHING to get better at pickleball and get out and play but it's been rainy since I read this! :)

This is a perfect beach read! So easy and realxing.
Whole story was fast paced and there were no dull moments which I am grateful for.
The pickleball is a sport that I rarely see in the romance books. It was nice change from the hockey.
Main characters were super nice and, thankfully, not annoying at all. I have a soft spot for old people in romance books and they were perfect addition for this one.
The thing I wasn't a fan of was third act breakup. Thankfully it wasn't overly dramatic.
It's my first time reading something from this author. Her writing style feels so natural, light, yet funny. The sentences had a nice flow.
I listened to it as an audiobook. The narrator was perfect! What a lovely voice to listen to. Not boring or annoying at all. It's definitelly worth to listen to it.
I reccomend both book, and audiobook, especially to someone who needs light, easy, well written summer romance.

Thank you to net gallery shelf for audiobook ARC of this book.

The audiobook is the best thing about this; it’s so comforting—the narrator’s voice and the passion within bring a sense of warmth and make this book even better than it already is. I highly recommend listening to the audiobook as you follow along! The experience it brings is unexplainable but so special and exciting.

Book itself: 0.7 ★
Audio book: 4.5 ★

𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙂𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘼𝙍𝘾 & 𝙖𝙪𝙙𝙞𝙤𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠!

Thank you Forever Pub and Hachette Audiobdor my gifted copies. All opinions are my own.

I’ve enjoyed all of Kate Spencer’s books but this might be my new favorite. Mia Hutchinson-Shaw did a fantastic job with the narration. I was rapt from the very beginning and didn’t want to stop listening.

Things are not going well for Bex Martin. Her racquet club is struggling and then her dear friend and member falls on the court and needs surgery. She meets Niko, a former tennis player and her friend’s nephew. Bex and Niko end up agreeing to compete in a local pickleball tournament and in a fake relationship.

I loved this! Fake dating is one of my favorite tropes! Niko and Bex start off enemies, but have amazing banter and the relationship quickly becomes more. I know nothing about pickleball but that didn’t take away from the story at all. I also loved the community Bex and her mother built for themselves at the racquet club. The ending made me so happy!

Fake dating
Dislike to lovers
Grumpy sunshine
Spicy


Did I immediately go play pickleball with my kids after reading this, yes yes did. This was such a fun read! And surprisingly spicy!! A great summer read imo if you are looking for something light hearted and fun! The audio was well done as well.

Thank you @hachetteaudio @readforeverpub for this ALC/arc

This was cute! I’ve seen a lot of people compare it to a Hallmark movie, but let me tell you Hallmark has never been this spicy! The chemistry between the characters was definitely there, but the romance felt a bit shallow. It leaned heavily on physical attraction without much emotional build-up, which left the love story feeling rushed and underdeveloped.

There was also quite a bit of filler, and at times it felt like not much was really happening plot-wise. I found myself waiting for something to grab me or surprise me, but it stayed pretty surface-level throughout.

Overall, it was a light, steamy read with a fun premise, but it didn’t quite hit the emotional beats I was hoping for.

An enemies to lovers, pickleball-themed romcom? Sign me up! This story was fun, sexy, and heartfelt. Niko is my new favorite book boyfriend! I’ve resisted every invitation to start playing pickleball, but now I’m feeling tempted! As a note, I listened to the audio and the narration was fantastic! Perfect tone and pacing.

Read if you like: Banter both on and off the court, the movie Challengers, meddling elders, grumpy+sunshine pairings

Thanks to Netgalley and Hachette Audio for providing me with a digital copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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 Proxemity
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.”

All's Fair in Love and Pickleball is an absolute delight! The grumpy main guy totally stole my heart—moody, broody, and surprisingly sweet once you crack his shell. The banter is top-notch, the chemistry sizzles, and the pickleball scenes add the perfect quirky twist. If you love a grumpy sunshine romance with laughs, heart, and a little paddle action, this one's a winner! 🏓❤️

So you’ve read hockey, football and baseball sports romance but have you ever read a Pickleball Romance?

“All’s Fair in Love and Pickleball by @katespencer is fresh, funny and sexy!

The chemistry between Bex and Niko sizzled on and off the court. I loved when their different personalities clashed but you could just feel the WANTING and DESIRE between them 🤭 ✨just kiss already!!!✨

I’ve never played Pickleball but this book has me wanting to start a new hobby! All the pickleball innuendos were HILARIOUS and I adored the found family of all the older pickleball folks 🥹

And the audiobook narration by Mia Hutchinson Shaw was FANTASTIC! Her voice is warm and expressive. This is an audiobook that is a perfect summer listen ☀️
Thank you @hachetteaudio for a listening copy through @netgalley 🫶

Read if you like:
💚Sports RomCom
💚Fake Dating
💚Grumpy x Sunshine
💚One Court
💚Pickleball Tournament
💚Found Family
💚ADHD Rep
💚Tennis Pro & Pickleball Princess
💚Open Door Spice

I listened to the audiobook and loved this story!
The narrator does a fantastic job of telling this story.
Bex and Nico have delightful chemistry and I love their grumpy/sunshine interactions. Overall, this story delivers everything I want in a rom-com with lots of banter and some spice!
I’ve never played pickleball but I’d definitely try it after reading this.
Kate Spencer is a new to me author but I’ll definitely be reading more of her works.

What a fun, refreshing summer read! While I've never played pickleball in my life, I love a good sports romance and this covered all the bases.

Meet Bex, inheritor of her family's racquet club. Trying to keep the business afloat, manage her grief, keep her members happy and healthy, and still find time to be a 26 year old woman.
Enter Niko, pro tennis player, the nephew of Bex's fav member, and conveniently stuck in town for the summer.

Fake dating, meets pickleball competition, meets "let me take care of you". I loved Bex and Niko's banter and slow-growing friendship. Also as someone who's lost a parent, a lot of her grief was completely relatable. But I kind of hated some of Bex's decisions. It was like watching a cheesy horror film and being like DONT GO IN THAT DARK HALLWAY ALONE knowing they're going to do just that.

Overall, a quick and fun read for summer!

This is exactly how I pictured Bex's voice when I first read the e-arc.

Mia did such a fantastic job with the narration and brought the story to life. I fell in love with it even more than I originally had.

I never thought I'd read a book about pickleball and actually love it?! It took me a few chapters to get into it, but once I did, I was hooked.

I definitely still don't understand pickleball, so don't ask me how to play but I still loved this book! I loved Nico & Bex together - their banter, the chemistry and the "fake" dating 😉.

Bex, gosh I loved her. I enjoyed her ADHD rep in the book, it always makes me feel more seen. I am obsessed with her outfits too! All colorful, and pieces she made or thrifted 🎀 sounds like my Pinterest dream!

Nico is the type that you hate to love. He's cocky but loveable? If that makes any sense 😂

Bex is struggling to maintain her late mother's racket club when she meets Niko. After a tense first introduction, Bex is forced to see Niko more and more around the club as he takes care of his aunt. Things escalate when Bex and Niko are interrupted by a reporter, and they start a fake relationship to help both Niko's career and Bex's racket club.

This was a really good type of enemies-to-lovers. I love how they got over their initial contempt quickly and became partners/friends first. I love how Bex and Niko, despite their many differences, were able to find a lot in common with each other. I loved how they were able to help each other grow and were both super encouraging of each other's dreams. Bex was a super fun main character, and I loved her creative side. Both she and Niko were very well-rounded characters, and I loved seeing their development.

This was my first audiobook ARC, and I really enjoyed it! The narration was perfect, and I loved the variety of voices the narrator had for different characters! Thank you to NetGalley and Hachett Audio for this advanced reader copy!

Thank you to the author, Netgalley & Hachette Audio for an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

A sports romance about pickleball? Didn’t have that on my 2024 bingo card, but here we are—and honestly, it was a good time. Love at first set (okay, not really, but close enough) gives us a hot-headed tennis pro, a stubborn club owner, fake dating, and a sizzling summer setup.

Bex is doing the most to keep her mom’s racquet club alive, and Niko strolls in with his broody athlete energy and abs for days. Their chemistry? Undeniable. Their enemies phase? Short-lived. But I ate it up anyway.

Did I need more actual pickleball? Yes. Did I need more Niko backstory or literally anything from his POV? Also yes. And that third-act breakup? Weak. But if you’re here for steam, sass, and a quick rom-com with heart (and older pickleball queens as backup dancers), this’ll hit the spot.