All's Fair in Love and Pickleball is a cute enemies-to-lovers novel. I liked Bex a lot and her dedication to her family's pickleball/tennis club. Niko wasn't my favorite male lead but I appreciated his dynamic with Bex. I really enjoyed the friendship and interactions between Bex and the older club members.

After her mother's death, Bex inherited the family's racquet club and is trying her best to keep it afloat. Then in walks former tennis star Niko Karras. In town to help his Aunt and use the club to practice for his hopeful big comeback. A local pickleball tournament provides them both with an opportunity: Bex to garner attention for the club and Niko to help reframe his less-than-stellar reputation.

I know pickleball is really on fire right now. I've never played but was still intrigued by the story and I loved the setting being mainly in this mid-century modish racquet club. Kate Spencer painted such an awesome picture of this place and these people I wish I could visit. This lends itself well to the whole idea of places being a part of us and part of our identity as the club is with Bex. It was a very poignant thread in the story of her attachment and her memories to the club and it mirrors Niko's own feelings about tennis.

Speaking to that, I loved everything about Bex and Niko. Their opposition to one another was delicious and the push and pull between them felt so perfect. Even when they didn't see eye to eye, you could still feel the respect. This is probably one of my favorite romantic pairings in any of my reads so far this year.

I feel like everyone loves a good comeback story and Bex and Niko's need to prove themselves to all the naysayers had me rooting for them. You could feel the moments of desperation, when you weren't quite sure if they'd be able to pull it off, but that just made me even more invested in the story.

All's Fair continues Kate Spencer's streak of romantic stories with big heart. This one is highly recommended.

The narration was done by the same person who narrated Kate Spencer's previous book and she just does a really good job of bringing forth the vulnerabilities in the characters and the distinction between all the characters, which is not an easy task. I also appreciate the dynamics of the emotions in the dialogue. I mean, I was pulled very easily into the story and it's because the narration is so well done.

3.5 stars rounded to 4

Cute pickleball themed romcom, featuring grumpy x sunshine fake dating between tennis player bad boy Niko and pickleball club owner Bex trying to save her club (and her mother’s legacy).

I read via audio, so I’ll review both the story/writing and the narration.

Story/writing - This is HEAVY on the pickleball. It’s a sport I knew little about, but I feel like I’ve had a beginner class now. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it might bother some readers. There was also a lot of pickleball related dirty talk which was hilarious. I truly enjoyed both Bex and Niko as characters and would have loved to witness more of Niko’s back story. I also really loved Bex’s found family with all the pickleball playing senior citizens.

Narration - Mia Hutchinson Shaw does an amazing job as voice actor on this. She has impressive ability to voice both Bex and Niko with distinct personalities. She conveys both Bex’s exuberance and “hot mess” style just as convincingly as Niko’s more intentional and thoughtful style.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ALC! All opinions are my own

I loved this book! It was so cute and had great rep for grief. I loved every character! The audiobook was fantastic as well!

Sign me up for hate to love any day. 👏🏼

I adored One Last Summer, so I was excited to dive into this read by Kate Spencer.

This was silly, sweet and lighthearted for the most part, but also felt very raw and vulnerable as Bex navigated her grief after losing her mother and taking over the family business.

The snippy back and forth between Bex and Niko fueled their chemistry, and I really loved how they so smoothly transitioned from hate to fake dating to real feelings. The ending rally of Bex's little community made my heart so happy, just the read I needed this week!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️.5
Tropes:
* Teammates romance
* Fake dating
* Loss and grieving
* Found family

Kate Spencer somehow makes the laidback sport of pickleball spicy with the chemistry, steam, and banter between Nico and Bex.

It’s definitely a slow burn, full of enemies who first keep putting each other down, but slowly seeing not just their physical connection but also how much they are attracted to each other emotionally. So when they are admitting their feelings for each other about half way through and act on their feelings, it’s very satisfying!

And of course, they’re such a good team together. It takes some time for that, since he has to work to get Bex to really trust him when they enter the competition. I love the ending and how Nico and everyone at the club that loves her helps save the racquet club too!

And that epilogue was so, so sweet!! Nico remembers so much of what she’s told him, and it’s so thoughtful and romantic 🧡 His choice is unexpected and makes it such a happy ending for them both.

I like the narrators change of tone for when she’s in Nico’s voice. I like her snarky moments when she’s telling their bantering back and forth. Her voice is fun and vibrant, such a good pick for this book. I also like how she has quiet, raspy moments as Nico when he expresses his feelings for her and when he gets especially steamy! She’s emotive and great to listen to for a rom com.

A Sweet & Spicy Sports Romance That Serves!

As a huge fan of sports romances, I jumped at the chance to listen to this advance reader copy—and I’m so glad I did! I love sports romances, and I love playing pickleball, so this book was basically calling my name.

Bex and Niko’s story had everything I look for in a great rom-com: sweet moments, sizzling tension, and tropes I can’t get enough of—grumpy x sunshine, fake dating, sports rivalry, and a touch of enemies to lovers. The ADHD representation was a thoughtful touch and added a deeper layer to Bex’s story.

The romance was paced just right, and while there weren’t tons of spicy scenes, the ones that were there were spicy.

And the banter? The banter was bantering!!! It was fun, snappy, and full of tension that made their chemistry, both on and off the pickleball court.

The narrator was absolutely amazing! They captured the energy and emotion of the story so well that I didn’t want to stop listening.

This book felt like the perfect match: pickleball passion, a fake relationship that turns oh-so-real, and two characters I couldn’t help but root for. Highly recommended for anyone who loves a good sports romance!

I was able to read this book early and give a review through NetGalley.

I enjoyed this storyline, and the use of the pickleball/tennis rivalry to make this an enemies to lovers theme. I was frustrated with the miscommunication trope that seems to be coming up in so many books these days as it makes me cringe, that a few moments taken to process/discuss something could prevent this major problem causing situation.

Overall I think Kate Spencer did a wonderful job creating two characters that made me root for them. I also wish there was a line of clothing so we could see the clothes that Bex was creating.

Overall I gave this book 3.75 stars

This book had so much good banter and flirting and it was such fun to read. Bex is the owner of a financially struggling racquetball club and one of her favorite clients has fallen and broken her wrist on the courts. Of course, that old lady’s nephew is some hotshot tennis star who is grumpy about his injured aunt and having his own struggles to make a tennis comeback. Nico and Bex are delightful to read together and the angry flirting is top notch. And then somehow they become pickleball partners, fake dating partners, and so much more. The community of all of Bex’s retiree friends in this sleepy little SoCal town is so much fun to read. I pretty much could not put this book down. It was a great time.

A Sweet, Smart Romance That Serves More Than Just Pickleball Charm
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)

Short Summary:
This gentle, emotionally mature romance centers on a woman navigating life, love, and self-worth — all set against the unexpected backdrop of a local pickleball scene. With the beloved fake dating trope and well-developed internal arcs, this book balances humor and depth with surprising finesse.

What I Loved:

The audiobook narration was excellent — expressive, warm, and engaging. I picked it up for the pickleball (a new personal fascination!), and was pleasantly surprised to find a layered, character-driven romance beneath the cover. The emotional maturity of the characters stood out — their choices reflected their life stage, which is refreshingly rare in contemporary romance. The fake dating trope was executed well and led to believable intimacy and vulnerability. The main character was relatable and well-written; her emotional arc felt earned. What Could Be Improved: The male lead, a pro tennis player, felt somewhat cookie-cutter. Despite his promising backstory, he lacked the complexity of the heroine. I wanted more time with side characters, who added color and potential that remained underdeveloped.

Final Thoughts:
If you're looking for a romance that blends low-spice, high-heart storytelling with a unique recreational hook (pickleball!) and emotional authenticity, this one's a gem. A thoughtful comfort read with charm and character.

4.75⭐, 2.75🌶️

Welcome to Sunset Springs Racquet Club

“I stand out there on the court and try to practice but all I can do is think about you, and it’s torture.”

I loved the dislike to love relationship for this fake dating pairing. PLUS Grumpy x sunshine, and ADHD representation. I enjoyed the desert small community and Bex's dedication to the club was so relatable in a "I need help but really don't like asking for help" kind of way. The meddling elders? LOVED!

🩷Fake Dating
💚Small Business Owner FMC x Injured Pro-Tennis Player MMC
🤍Dislike to Love
🧡Meddling Elders

For a girl that has only ever played pickleball once about a year ago, I wanna go buy some paddles and go play after reading this book. It was just so fun and just what I wanted to read!

Thank you NetGalley, Hachette Audio, and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the eARC/ ALC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

I got an ARC copy of this book and I’m so happy I did because it was so so good

EVERYONE READ THIS BOOK RIGHT NOW.

The tension, laughter, plot everything was *chefs kiss* I don’t think I stopped smiled at all while reading this, I was laughing and smiling so much throughout this entire book it was so so good.

The things the MMC did, like carrying gum in his car (despite him not liking it) JUST so he could carry pieces of her with him was so sooo good. This is one of those books where if you need a pick me up, are in a slump you’ll read. It’s fast paced, entertaining, I don’t think I was ever once bored while reading this and it was amazing.

This only and I mean only (which is quite minor) was that I was we got to see the tournament because I know that would’ve been amazing at the end and just seeing their appointments defeat after what what were going to do to her club but other than this it was great.

This has made me definitely look into Kate Spencers works more and to read the other books she’s written.

10/10 - this book was *chefs kiss*

This was fine. I like both characters together, but the pacing of their relationship was really odd to me. I also think that a lot of her issues could have been solved if she just…talked to a business professional?? Like? The ending was super cute though - like he is literally so down for her I love it.

The narrator for this was also pretty good. I think she did a good job at fitting the fmc and how she would actually sound/say things.

Thank you to Hachette Audio and Netgalley for the advanced copy!

I picked this up for the silly title but ended up liking it much more than expected. Pickleball seems like such a random choice for a sports romance, and yet it was fun, easy to follow, and very unique. Nico is fun as the MMC because he’s layered and not what he first appears to be. I absolutely loved the “he falls first” dynamic in this! He’s also sexy as heck so that helps. Bex is as quirky as her name and I was all for it. Her ADD tendencies are incredibly relatable and it added to her unique character.
This story was also surprisingly deep and emotional. It covers grief after a loss, family estrangement, and mental health and wellness.
Mia Hutchinson-Shaw was great. I liked her voice in general. She did really well with adding emotions into her narrations, and she made it easy to tell which characters were talking. I actually really liked her voice for Nico. It didn’t sound too forced or anything.
Overall, this was a sweet, silly, and poignant story. Very enjoyable and easy to binge.

As a big fan of sports romances, I couldn’t wait to read it! I first tried to get a hold of an advanced ebook version but was not selected. But then I saw it was available as an advanced copy as an audiobook and jumped at the chance to listen to an advanced copy of All’s Fair in Love and Pickleball and was selected by NetGalley to listen! As a lover of all sports rom coms and a new comer to the pickleball world I thought this was going to be a great story. and I was not disappointed. Mia Hutchinson Shaw did a fabulous job with the narration, You could not even tell that she was doing the male and female voice. Her performance was so natural and easy to listen to. The rivals-to-lovers, grumpy/sunshine trope is always one of my favorites and throw in fake dating for the win!
The banter between Nico and Bex was spot-on. You could feel the the tension was real, and the chemistry between them was on fire. Bex was super easy to root for—her dedication to protecting her family legacy really hit home. And Nico? His unexpected vulnerability totally won me over. The story also tackled different kinds of grief, giving it some real heart without weighing it down. I loved the senior community at the pickleball club—they brought so much humor and gave the story a cozy found-family feel that balanced the more emotional moments perfectly. Definitely read the trigger warnings at the beginning of the book if you are sensitive to certain things. Add this to your TBR for a fun summer, sports rom-com. I really enjoyed it. Thank you again to NetGalley for the sneak peek audio version.

did i think i would be sobbing over a book about pickleball on a monday afternoon? no but here we are.

This was a lovely, light summer romance. The audiobook narrator really brought the central character to life with her voice, even though the accents sometimes felt like a stretch. The narrator also really evoked the author's voice - I had listened to the podcast she had co-hosted for a while and at times it felt like the author herself was narrating the audiobook. As a non-pickleball player, I was initially skeptical of the premise, but it was thoughtfully written for outsiders too and the central setting ended up working really well. I didn't love the instalust/instalove that fuelled the main pairing - a little more time, character development, and relationship growth would have anchored the narrative. And the plot was light and quick in a fun, bubbly way though it felt a little ungrounded despite touching on themes of neurodivergence, anxiety, and grief. This would be a good, quick summer/vacation read.

3.5 ⭐️

A fun, frothy read, perfect for your next beach or pool day! If you like: grumpy x sunshine, he falls first, one sided beef, mutually competitive athlete MCs, and an MMC who calls her princess, then All's Fair in Love and Pickleball might just be the summer read for you!

Bex Martin is the sole owner and proprietor of her family's now struggling racquet club. She's just trying to keep her head above water when one of her favorite members and friend, Loretta, suffers an injury on the court. Cue Niko Karras. Former tennis pro, infamously bad attitude, big ego, and nephew to Loretta. Bex and Niko get off on the wrong foot, as he decides to stay in Sunset Springs to help care for Loretta as she recovers from her injury. He's training for a tennis qualifier to get back into the professional circuit following a near career ending injury, and what better place to practice than the Sunset Springs Racquet Club? Forced proximity anyone?? When a pickleball tournament comes up with a rather large sum of prize money, Bex begrudgingly agrees to partner with Niko to save the racquet club, after being caught in a compromising position by a reporter come to do a spotlight on Niko and his re-entry into the tennis world. Now needing to convince this reporter and those around them that they're devoted partners both on and off the court the lines between truth and ruse begin to blur.

This was great quick read, the chemistry between Bex and Niko was immediate, and intense. You don't need to know about pickleball, or tennis to enjoy this read. In terms of the overall storyline, All's Fair in Love and Pickleball did lose half a star from me due to the abrupt way the story ended, the epilogue helped tie up some of the loose feeling ends for sure. I also did not like the third act break-up. It felt needless, everything that occurred during their break-up to progress the story could've been achieved while keeping our MCs together and either on a pause to figure out what they needed, or just together.

Overall a great palate cleanser, and perfect addition to any summer rom-com TBR.

For AudioBook feedback -- Excellent narration, the production quality was exemplary. I felt as though Mia Hutchinson Shaw did a phenomenal job portraying the characters and getting their feelings across. It truly felt as though she knew the characters well.

I flew through this, listening to it in just a day. The narrator was easy to listen to and did a good job keeping my attention. It's a sport romance with fake dating (one of my faves) and enemies to lovers. I really enjoyed Niko's caretaking personality and the banter between him and Bex was a lot of fun. The side characters were a hoot, I was laughing out loud at some points. This does deal with grief a bit, as Bex did lose her mother recently but it didn't feel too heavy. I especially loved how it ended and how much community surrounded Bex without her really realizing she had the support.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for an ALC in exchange for my honest review.

3.75✨stars
Thank you NetGalley, Kate Spencer and Hachette Audio for providing an ALC in exchange for my honest review. All’s fair in love and pickleball publishes June 3rd.

This cute pickleball romance features fake-dating, rivals to lovers, the challenges of navigating grief and our FMC Bex has ADHD. Our rivals team up together in a pickleball tournament to save Niko’s career and Bex’s pickleball club.

This was so fun!! As a lover of sports romances this is the first book I’ve read about pickleball and I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the sport as Bex coached Niko. I thought Bex was really funny and I enjoyed the banter between her and Niko and his witty comebacks. I adored the older side characters in the community, their wit, humour and charm added a lot to the story.

The main focus of the book was on Bex (who was great!) but it would have been nice to see a little more development of Niko and his backstory. I also didn’t love the third act breakup, it was very frustrating and I felt like it was thrown in and resolved very quickly.

Overall it’s such an easy read, I devoured this in one sitting (which I think helped with my rating) and it’s a perfect light rom com for summer that I would choose to pick up as a palate cleanser between fantasy books! Can we also take a moment to appreciate the cover!! The colour palate is simply perfect!

Audio - (listened at 1.75x speed). Mia Hutchinson Shaw did an amazing job at solo narrating this. She gave great distinction between the characters which made it really easy to follow. Mia had such a warm tone and was expressive with the characters emotions in all the right places. Although my preference would always be a duet/dual narration audiobook, Mia did a fantastic job of voicing the MMC that I didn’t miss dual narration! I’ve already downloaded another of Mia’s audiobooks as I enjoyed her narration so much.