I was truly surprised to be offered the chance to review this ARC for Meryl Wilsner’s new book. Cleat Cute comes out September 19, 2023 and it is definitely worth checking out. I love how dimensional and relatable the characters are in this book. They feel so feel to me. I loved getting to know more about soccer and the love Phoebe and Grace has for the sport is seriously contagious. I found myself wanting to know more so I could join in with their excitement. I found myself really invested in the plot to this and the spicy scenes were just an added bonus. Wilsner is perfect at balancing the sweet with the spicy and blending it all together to make a really amazing book. Thank you so much to the author and St. Martins Press for the chance to review this book.

I can’t describe how excited I was when I heard that Meryl Wilsner’s new book is about soccer players, and I was very pleasantly surprised by the the soccer accuracy in the book (in a way that I think people not familiar with the sport will still understand). This book was also so much more than a romance with just a soccer setting, and I appreciated the depths and characterizations of Grace and Phoebe.

Hm. This was good, don't get me wrong, but I guess I just wanted more from it? Compared to Meryl Wilsner's previous two books, this one just didn't grab me in the same way, and the pacing just felt slightly off.

Cute, quick read featuring some great neurodivergence rep. I was expecting a bit more after loving Wilsner’s other books, but this one didn’t have the same hold. The pacing of the book felt a bit off at times.

I really enjoyed this a lot! Phoebe and Grace were both great characters with good emotional journies. There was some miscommunication, especially at one section, but it wasn't handled badly. I especially liked the neurodiverse representation with the possibility of an adult diagnosis of ADHD.

And they did it again, folks! Once again, I LOVE a sapphic love story by Meryl Wilsner! Since I tend to have big opinions on how quickly stories wrap up, I felt like it was a bit rushed BUT I think that's at least partially because I was invested in both FMCs and their stories, so I didn't want it to end. That said, I was also left with some questions that I assumed would be answered by the end.

I loved the neurodivergent rep, the discussion of economic differences, and the discussions of diversity and inclusion within the queer community. Oh, and the spice is top notch as per usual from this author. Also, this book made me enjoy a sport from a distance, and that's always an impressive feat! So pumped I was given an early eARC and definitely will reread this again when it's released Sept 19/23. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

I loved all of Wilsners books. This story was great! The characters were very likeable in their own ways and I thought their interactions were great, it helped them see other perspectives they didn't have before on life and relationships. My only con is that the POV at the start seemed a bit all over the place and the texting dialogue was also a little weirdly structured.

What Bend it Like Beckham should have been like if the movie was made today!!

There’s just something about women playing sports, especially soccer that I just love. Wilsner captures the love and passion for the game wonderfully in this cheeky rom com.

This was I a happy medium spice level wise between Something to Talk about and Mistakes Were Made. I think the topics of ADHD, trans rights, the national anthem in American sports and learning how to advocate for your self were handled wonderfully. One of the down sides I personally had was that I didn’t like the overuse of the word cunt, and would have gone with some other word choices, but that is just my personal preference.

Cw
Sexual content
Bullying
Alcohol
Panic disorder
Toxic relationship

Rep& tropes

Praise kink
Grumpy/sunshine
ADHD rep
Miscommunication trope