When a hip injury sidelines soccer star Grace from the US Women's National Team, spirited newcomer Phoebe takes her place. The two form an unexpected bond that soon blossoms into romance. But with the World Cup approaching, they must find a way to play together both on and off the field amid their clashing perspectives on relationships.

What a wonderful book! Grace and Phoebe are very different people, and it's their physical attraction that draws them together at first. But they're unfailingly kind and respectful to each other, and their complementary strengths make them a solid couple. This book is a smart, steamy, heartwarming, and entertaining romance.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

I throughly enjoyed my entire reading experience with this book. The character development was perfect, I absolutely loved this book and was so sad when it was over because I need more.

**Thank you so much to netgalley for the opportunity to read this**

This was one of my most anticipated books of the year. I love a good sports romance especially with neurodivergent and queer representation, but this book was such a disappointment.

From the beginning, the writing was incredibly segmented and jilted that it was hard to get immersed. Every time I was getting into the book, the inner monologue started while maintaining a third-person past tense POV and it just felt messy. There also was no point for alternating POV when it's all still third-person and all the inner monologue is tagged as Grace or Phoebe's. The imbalance of monologue and action/dialogue lost me.

Then we have the representation. I was so excited about a sapphic soccer story then found out they are both neurodivergent coded. I loved the concept of the representation, I feel like the intention was there, but the actual execution needed some help. Both characters felt like caricatures of ADHD and autism while also checking off a box for the author. It was a shame to see how both were handled because it felt careless and insensitive.

The concept was there but the execution on this one missed the spot. This could have been THE book for me, but unfortunately it wasn't.

Grace Henderson is the old-timer, despite being only 26, and recent college grad Phoebe Matthews brings the new player energy to professional women's soccer--the NOLA Krewe, that drafted her, and she hopes the national team, which invited her to camp for the time. Camp is where Phoebe meets her idol, Grace, and sparks fly, but not necessarily in a good way.

When they get back to NOLA, both of them a week before team training starts, the two players also get a fresh start...and sparks fly.

It's a prolonged will-they-or-won't-they, with more sex and less soccer than I anticipated. No cats are injured, but one does get locked out of a bedroom.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and SMP for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

After I read 'mistakes were made' by Meryl Wilsner I was so excited to have gotten this ARC because I loved that couple and I was hoping for the same chemistry in Cleat Cute. While I am not a sports person- I can still absolutely enjoy a sports romance. I did love the two characters individually. Phoebe has big time Labrador energy and Grace the poor thing was very clearly autistic but what such a confused little sweetheart in her own way. The recipe for the combo of a emotionally unintelligent love interest is that the other has to have a thorough handle on their feelings. If no one in the relationship knows how to talk about their feelings then you end up being in a month long relationship with only one party of the relationship knowing. Which as a side note- isn't cute. It was concerning.

Grace refused to give anyone the benefit of the doubt and throughout the entire book expected the worst or jumped to the worst conclusion. Honestly it was really hard to read and I ended up hating her parts of the book. With literally no evidence to support whatever claim she was assuming she was still really slow to let those assumptions go and it was really difficult to read through.

The writing was good as we can expect from Wilsner, unfortunately there is no way this couple makes it long term.

Cute!-- just like it says. :)

eARC from NetGalley. Although I was excited to start this as soon as I received it in August, I held off until September so I could use it for the 2023 She Reads Romance September challenge: Sports Romance. I don't read a lot of sports books at all, so the timing was perfect!

I really liked the author's previous book, Something to Talk About. While both the characters in this book are still in their 20s, the age gap is reinforced by their different life experiences (fresh out of college vs. professional player since age 16). The physical aspects of the relationship are front and center, starting early in the story and with on-screen scenes, whereas I remember Something to Talk About being more on the "chaste" side and focusing on the slow burn. Grumpy-sunshine dynamics with an introvert-extrovert pair, both of whom are ND (and only really discovering that about themselves during the book. Hurrah for later-in-life diagnoses! Honorable mentions for the role of social media in helping NDs find validation of their experiences, and how neurodivergencies often look different in AFABs, leading to underdiagnosis and lack of support.).

Recommended for contemporary romance readers who like snappy characters-- readers who liked the Get a Life, Chloe Brown series or books by Casey McQuiston, for example.

This is the second book I’ve ready by Meryl and I was so excited to pick this one up. I really enjoyed this one but did not love it as much as Mistakes Were Made. It was a super fun and spicy sapphic romance with some neurodivergent main characters.

I really connected with Phoebe as someone who also has ADHD. I felt like I lived in her head and all the things she struggled with are things I deal with in my real life. I loved Phoebe and her ability to be herself and live with so much joy towards all things in her life. And I loved how she pulled Grace out of her shell. I really did enjoy Grace’s transformation throughout the story and I loved how they each ended up helping each other in different ways.

I really enjoyed all the friendships and different side characters in this story as well. There is nothing better than friends holding each other up and being for someone unconditionally. I also loved all the representation!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the advanced copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.

An ARC of this book (ebook and audiobook) was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this more than anticipated. Romance isn’t one of my go-to genres - I prefer a heavier plot with my romance woven in - but I enjoyed the dynamic nature of the main characters both in and out of the romantic scenes. There are spicy scenes woven throughout that made me clutch my pearls (in a good way), so make sure you’re ready for that! Also, I am in no way a “sports person”, and the soccer scenes in the novel still felt accessible and engaging.

Wilsner’s inclusion of such a wide variety of 2SLGBTQIA+ identities felt effortless; it’s so affirming to see our community portrayed as the real people we are, as opposed to just caricatures. I also appreciated the neurodivergent rep in the main characters. While it did feel pretty heavy-handed at times - almost like Wilsner was ticking boxes - the portrayal of late-diagnosed women is more helpful than harmful.

My main problem with the novel is that Grace is a frustrating character. She comes off as cold and distant - which I know was the intention at the beginning - but that feeling persists for most of the novel. Given that Grace has been said to have Autism by the author, I don’t think this portrayal does the ASD community any favours. She does grow as a person later in the novel, but it’s far enough in that you really have to struggle with her cynicism and frustrating miscommunication to get there.

Overall, I recommend this book for those who like their enemies to lovers spicy, their communication unclear, and their endings happy.

I'm giving this book three and a half stars, but Goodreads doesn't do the half star rating, so whatever.

I'm not really sure what was happening in this book. I feel like so much was happening, while also nothing was happening. There were like three different teams and groups, but it wasn't clear who was on which team. We didn't really get like any development of side characters. I had no idea who half of them were when they would appear.

This was not a very descriptive book. It was a LOT of telling, not showing. I spent so much of it just skimming cause I knew I wasn't going to miss anything. I just don't feel like anything was properly developed cause we were just told everything. We didn't get to see anyone develop and grow.

I don't even really want to get into the ADHD and Austism stuff that was hit in this book. One of the marketing things is that it's rep for neurodivergent folks, but it's not really?? Like we get one throw-away line about Grace's possible Austism, and then it's never mentioned again? And that's like at 85% And Pheobe's ADHD is just so present throughout the whole book that you're expecting her to be diagnosed. Only to find out she isn't, and it's just resolved. Idk not quite what I was expecting.

Overall, I'm not a fan. I'm definitely willing to read other works by this author, but I don't think I'll ever reread this one.

’ve put off writing this review as I have been quite back and forth on how I feel about it. I finally ended up going with 3 star rating on Goodreads, but upping it to 3.5 overall.

I really enjoyed the relationship between the two characters. I liked seeing how it progressed, but I wasn’t a huge fan of the miscommunication that happened; it was a bit too much for me.

Another thing in the book that was too much for me was the writing style. Everything seemed quite redundant and a little too simplistic.

I don’t watch soccer religiously, but I know a bit about the rules and I think that helped me while reading. The soccer aspect was super enjoyable for me due to the knowledge I already had.

I think the representation was done well throughout the book. I think there was some minor things I didn’t agree with necessarily, but overall was solid.

This was an overall okay book for me, but I think other’s could overwhelmingly enjoy this quick read!

Cleat Cute didn't really do anything for me. If I wasn't reading an advance copy I probably wouldn't have finished it. I love Meryl Wilsner but it feels like their books are progressively going down hill.

This story is about rookie soccer player Phoebe, who is so upbeat and social that it hurt me even through he text, and soccer prodigy Grace, who is very serious and closed off. I'll give you three guesses about how that goes. I felt like it was a story I'd read so many times before, and there was nothing about Phoebe or Grace that really grabbed my heart and made them feel special. Their progression was cute, and there were definitely many lovely moments (like the first night on the field!) but it didn't add up to enough for me.

i haven’t read a meryl wilsner book before & i’ve always wanted to, so i was really excited when i got approved for this! although it wasn’t my favorite book i’ve ever read, i did enjoy most of it

i’m not a huge fan of miscommunication, so i didn’t love how that played a big part in phoebe and grace’s relationship

i did really enjoy all of the representation throughout the story! whether it was through gender identity, sexuality, or neurodiversity. it was great getting to see that through all of the different characters - not just grace & phoebe but the side ones too!

3.5 ⭐️s

Cleat Cute is a sapphic sports romance featuring two women’s soccer stars - a veteran and a rookie. It was a good read but, for someone who isn’t a big soccer fan, this was a LOT of soccer and maybe even more internal monologuing from both women.

Grace Henderson and Phoebe Matthews are billed as rivals, both competing for the same position on both their AWSA team and the women’s national team but that doesn’t last for long. When Phoebe moves to New Orleans, she and Grace start to spend a lot of time together exploring the city and getting closer. They’re opposites in so many ways but it kept things interesting between them - made Grace step out of her comfort zone and Phoebe focus on something other than soccer. I enjoyed that Phoebe called Grace out on her privilege time and time again; it was refreshing and seeing Grace adjust accordingly was unexpected but sweet. They had a lot of ups and downs together, mostly related to soccer, and grew in ways they didn’t expect.

I didn’t find either Grace or Phoebe especially endearing and their lack of communication really started to drive me crazy. They both had their own reasons for it (mostly explained in the last quarter of the book - and WAY too late if you ask me) but they frequently used sex and intimacy as a way to avoid talking and it got old pretty quick. Things really dragged between them in the middle of the book and made me question whether I’d finish or not - too much avoidance via sex and not enough talking in any way.

While Grace and Phoebe weren’t my favorites, their soccer teammates both on the Krewe and the National Team were a blast to read - the found family vibes, their diversity and their supportiveness made me enjoy this book more than I anticipated.

Opposites attract sports romance but make it sapphic? Need I say more?
Then only issue I have with it, and it's totally personal preference, I'm really not a fan of miscommunication. Other than that this book is perfect for me.

Grace Henderson has already been in the big leagues for 10 years when Phoebe Matthews bounds onto the scene with her earnestness and golden retriever energy. Grace’s life has been dedicated to soccer—she’s been playing at the national level since she was 16—but she is now suffering from a hip injury that she has been hiding from the coaching staff and her fellow players. New teammate Phoebe is good, really good. Phoebe’s an excellent addition to the New Orleans team that they both play for, but if Grace’s injury is discovered, is it possible that Phoebe could take her spot on the U.S. Women’s National Team at the World Cup?

I adored this opposites-attract, grumpy-sunshine, friends-with-benefits, sports, Sapphic, secret romance.

I loved the portrayal of neurodivergent characters in the story. Wilsner organically weaves details, aspects, and nuances of the characters’ ADHD and ASD into the story, and these different ways that Phoebe and Grace view their experiences lead to believable miscommunication.

Wilsner captures class differences and money struggles, questions of identity after dedicating so much of your life to one thing, taking care of oneself and making the right choices for oneself, what it means to be a team, and aspects of a relationship where one person is out and the other’s orientation has been kept quiet. I liked the supportive friendships and seeing how different family dynamics impact both main characters.

Overall, the book feels authentic, and while there were moments when my heart hurt for both main characters, most of my time with this book was spent grinning.

I highly recommend picking this one up.

I received an advance copy of the ebook from St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley. All review opinions are my own.

This book was so cute (yea I know what I did there).

Phoebe and Grace are just two neurodivergent women trying to play a game they love while trying not to catch feelings for a teammate. And fun things ensue.

Other than the story, I really liked the neurodivergent rep. While a specific diagnosis isn’t discussed until late in the story, it is clear that both women think about things differently. And I really appreciated it.

Meryl Wilsner continues to put out addicting stories that focus on sapphic romance and sapphic relationships. I was not sure I would be into this one as sporty romances aren't usually something I would read but I very quickly fell in love with Grace and found her very relatable. Highly recommend this title for any fan of Meryl Wilsner and anyone looking for a sapphic romance that is not in the young adult category.

I'm probably biased (but still honest) after reading Meryl Milsner's last release "Mistakes Were Made" because I still think about the quality of that book all the time. I also just realized that Wilsner's debut was "Something to Talk About" which I have on my shelves and just moved up in the priority list. Anyways - its safe to say I'm predisposed to LOVE a new book by Meryl Wilsner and this was no exception. A queer sports romance that does not shy away from the spice?? Put me on the roster, coach! With a ton of heart this book is able to tackle professional relationships vs. romantic ones, reckoning with one's purpose in life, mental health issues we may or may not be aware of, the good of showing up for the people in your life when you might have a greater capacity than they do for a task, and some really great spicy scenes including one in a locker room. Anyone else as a young sprout obsessed with movies such as Bend it Like Beckham? or even She's the Man? Ohhhh my friends you will devour this novel. I started reading the eARC then switched to the audiobook once my request was approved and I can firmly say there is no bad way to read this book - though I'm partial to the audiobook since we get two distinct narrators for each main character - Dana Varden & Zim Avaltrades- and they are both fabulous with their characterization. Overall? I loved this book and Meryl Wilsner is really creating a lovely space for herself (and her readers!) in the romance genre right now!

Cleat Cute is out next week on Sept. 19th so now is the time to RUN and secure a copy whether it is a preorder or a library hold. Maybe pick up "Mistakes Were Made" while you wait...

Everything Meryl Wilsner does is delightful. End of story. No notes. I admit: I am not a soccer girlie, and about 3/4ths of the time I had no idea exactly what people were talking about because sports. But even with my deplorable lack of soccer knowledge, I still really enjoyed Cleat Cute. Grace and Phoebe and their sort-of-by-accident relationship are just so sweet and appealing that it didn't matter that I still don't know that a midfielder is. Or if that's even the right word. (Where oh where is the sweet, funny soccer gay who will sweep me off my feet and teach me about The Game?) Also, nothing but love and respect for the mental health representation in this book. Pheobe is the soulmate of my constantly-talking/talking-over-people/overexcited heart. Honestly just 10/10 will definitely be reading again when my copy gets here.

2.25 ⭑

This was my first ever sapphic romance, and I really did enjoy that aspect of this book. However, so many other things did not work for me. Most importantly, I feel like the third person POV really did this book a disservice. The copious amount of internal monologues that aggressively cut dialogue and intimate scenes was not the vibe. It almost took me out of every scene, so it was hard to be in the moment for this book.

I also don’t really think there was enough relationship building in this book. I mean, Grace didn’t even know that Phoebe considered them to be girlfriends before the last chapter. There was so much disconnect between Phoebe and Grace.

Also, this was NOT rivals to lovers as the blurb classifies it. This was friends to lovers with one of the characters being extraordinarily rude multiple times! This book just really did not give me what I wanted.