Type: Rom-Com
⭐️5
🌶️ 4
Age range: 18+
Content Warnings:

Quotes:

- “The only way you’re going to beat me is if I die, so have fun kissing my corpse.”
- “Gotta catch the eye of the girls, the gays, and the theys somehow.”
- if all you want to be is Grace, that’s enough.”

Review:
I'm not really a soccer type of person but this book made me want to learn all about the sports and its players. I identified so much with Phoebe and Grace in several ways and just could not get enough of their story. I would 100% put this at the top of my list of Favorite Rom-Com books.

Tropes & Vibes:
- LGBTQ+
- Love
- Friends with benefits

Oh, I really enjoyed Cleat Cute by Meryl Wilsner. My reading timing was perfectly paired with the actual World Cup, and I so loved the chemistry between Grace and Phoebe. I am a sucker for a sports romance, and it was fun to see it with LGBTQ+ characters.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. All thoughts are my own.

I will read anything Meryl Wilsner writes! Not only was this book wonderful and hilarious, but I love her attention to character.

A sapphic sports romance was exactly what I wanted. I loved the slight celebrity trope, the buildup of meeting your idol, and I loved watching their relationship go from convenience to more.

I highly recommend if you’ve ever wanted a sapphic sports rom com!

Huge thank you to NetGalley and the publishers. This is going to be one of my favorite books of the year and I’m not going to be able to explain why. I really related to phoebe on levels too personal to going into detail about. But aside from that, I liked grace and seeing her finally allow herself to open up to her teammates and friends and phoebe. I loved the flirting and banter. I will be recommending this forever.

Cleat Cute lived up to its title! It was super cute. It was also cringey in that real-life "omg, does she like me or not?" way. And I loved it! I'm a big women's soccer fan, so the incorporation of real player names and real life roster issues made the book even more engaging. Big props on that aspect! Looking forward to more from Meryl.

This book was not for me. I found the characters annoying and the steam factor was lacking. I really enjoyed mistakes were made but this book didn’t reach that bar.

I loved this book! Such a good rom com, the characters are relatable. Would highly recommended! Could not put this book down.

When I read the description of this book, I thought it sounded exactly like something I would love. However, I think I just don’t connect with this author and I’m not sure why. This is the second book I’ve tried and not been able to get through. I didn’t enjoy the characters and I felt like I didn’t really understand their relationship or their draw to each other, but, hey, maybe I didn’t get far enough. I felt like the pacing was way off and moved really slowly. I do feel like the steamy scenes were done well.

I love the idea that this is just Bend it Like Bendham aged up a little and leaning fully into the sapphic-ness of it all. This was a lovely soccer centric Grumpy / Sunshine romance between teammates Grace and Phoebe. A little steam, a little bit of sports, and a lot of golden retriever energy from Phoebe… this is my favorite Wilsner book thus far. My only complaint is that they could have made an excellent photographic cover for this instead of resorting to a cutesy illustrative cover, which while very nice, made me think it was a YA at first.

Imagine your childhood celebrity crush’s hands in your hair, braiding it. Meanwhile, trying to ignore the sexual tension that has been bothering you both since she did something with her mouth on your neck that wasn’t quite a kiss or a hickey but far more thrilling… well Phoebe Matthews knows all about it.

Grace Henderson has been a major league soccer player since she was a teenager. She’s a world renowned player, a prodigy and role-model for countless young girls that dream of playing soccer for real one day just like her. One of those teenage girls was Phoebe Matthews. Now all grown up, Phoebe just graduated college and has been drafted by not just any major league team, but the same as her childhood idol. To make matters more extreme, she’s been recruited to train with women’s national team that Grace happens to apart of as well. Phoebe wants to make a good impression to prove she’s worthy of her spot on the team in New Orleans, but also earn a spot one day with the national team. Grace’s impression of Phoebe is overwhelming loud, late, comical, carefree, yet hardworking, driven, and tall with the most gorgeous red hair she can’t quit looking at… this could be a problem for her. After losing a bet for a kiss, Grace finds herself becoming quickly intimate with the rookie on her team. Although the benefits are fantastic, the friendship that grows is rocky but rewarding. Little feelings easily turn into bigger feelings the more time they spend together. But unchecked feelings and miscommunication stirs trouble between them on and off the field. Injuries, manipulation, recklessness, and the pressure of the game could all spell the end of whatever they share before it ever officially begins. Grace and Phoebe’s hearts and careers are on the line. Neither wants to lose, so they must both play to win.

Cleat Cute by Meryl Wilsner is a fabulously sappy and steamy, sapphic romcom! The dual perspective perfectly ingratiated me to both characters. Honestly, there’s always somethings so satisfying about experiencing how two characters view each other as they fall in love with each other. Another lovably quality of this book is the sprinkling of neurodivergence amidst the significantly queer and predominantly female cast of characters. Wilsner celebrates the intersection of these identities

I enjoyed this soccer-themed FF romance, set in New Orleans. It was true to Meryl Wilsner's style - fun banter, lots of steam, and LONG for a romance. I like her books and writing, I just wish they were a little shorter, as I lose steam as I go (pun intended). It was perfect for getting in the mood for the World Cup though!

Solid choice for anyone looking for an extra spicy sapphic romance between athletes.
While I was able to read this quickly, I didn’t feel like the plot ever really took off. Outside of some minor character development for each MC and the romantic plot, very little happened.
On a more personal bias note, I felt like a lot of conflicts in the story were just examples of how to massively overstep in a relationship.

Plot - 3
Writing and Editing - 4
Character Development - 3
Personal Bias - 2
Final Score - 3

Thank you Meryl Wilsner, St. Martin’s Griffen, and NetGalley for my digital ARC. My opinions are my own

Another score by Meryl Wilsner with Cleat Cute! She has written a sweet, sexy, spicy friends with benefits to lovers sapphic romance novel that is truly a must read. The added use of poc, neurodivergent and other secondary characters is absolutely phenomenal. This novel leaves the reader wanting more because of these secondary characters.

Phoebe and Grace are both US National soccer team players, though they are originally vying for the same position after an injury takes Phoebe out. Through a FWB relationship they aim for different roster spots however they may have to decide if romantic love is more important than a position on the field.

Read Cleat Cute to find out what Phoebe and Grace decide. It's well worth the read!

After DNFing Mistakes Were Made by Meryl Wilsner earlier this year, I admit I was hesitant to pick up Cleat Cute, but I'm so glad I did. The cover is cute and caught my attention right off the bat.

I enjoyed the romance between Grace and Phoebe. It seemed to develop in a gradual, realistic way. I love the secret relationship trope, and it really worked with this story. And Wilsner really knows how to write spicy scenes! (Though I do admit using c*nt is a peeve of mine).

The ending felt a bit off, almost as though the author was rushing to add extra depth to the characters. It felt kind of yucky that Grace felt the need to publicly come out for Phoebe. But I also haven't been in that kind of a situation, so maybe that's a common wlw gesture?

Overall, I enjoyed this book, but I do feel like the spicy scenes could have been dialed back a little. I really enjoyed the scenes where Grace and Phoebe were getting to know each other more as teammates, friends, and (eventual) girlfriends.

best of the best! meryl wilsner doesn't disappoint!!

wilsner continues to write absolute bangers that i cannot get enough of! set in new orleans, there is such a genuine love for the city and with a sport that i am falling more interested in, wilsner writes such great story about phoebe and grace.

told in a dual pov (love that for me), phoebe and grace try to determine what is right for them as new teammates and in different places in their lives (grace as a veteran player and phoebe as a new to the profession player). it's such a wonderful connection between the two who are both so kind to one another and also soooo attracted to each other.

i also loved the adhd and autism rep in the book. where the adhd is discussed a little more in the book and labeled more, grace's autism isn't labeled but is clear that she is autistic (and author confirms it). i think it's just wonderful reading books with different perspectives with different disorders.

wilsner doesn't disappoint with this one and it's probably fighting for my top wilsner novel at the moment.

thank you netgalley and the publisher for an arc in return for an honest review.

What a fun and exciting read! I absolutely loved the steaminess of the scenes and the chemistry between the characcters. I am LIVING for this sapphic sports romance that feels timely and relevant and oh so needed in this world. Meryl Wilsner wrote such a fabulous book and I am so excited to get my hands on a physical copy as soon as possible!

This book was cute, but it just ended up not being for me. This book will work for some people, it ultimately just didn’t work for me. Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy.

At this point Meryl Wilsner is *THE* author to look out for. Did I ever consider myself a sports romance kinda gal? No, usually I don't glance their way but throw in sapphic romance and Wilsner's signature banters and strong characters and I just couldn't resist.

There's a lot to unpack here, starting with there is a lot of soccer jargon and back and forth going on here. Was it tough to keep up with? I mean, vaguely? I didn't get some of the stuff that I'm sure seasoned lovers of the sport will keep track of but honestly despite just how sport forward this was, the character dynamics and chemistry take the lead. Wilsner has this talent to craft characters that hold such depth and emotion. The struggles and growth feel incredibly human and when paired with such humor and love, the story becomes irresistible.

4.5 stars rounded up. I'm always a sucker for sports books and I liked getting both POVs and knowing what was going on on both sides. I also really liked the way the ADHD and autism representation was done

This was enjoyable! Honestly I loved the grumpy/sunshine with 2 female main characters. I also grew up playing soccer and watching the women's team so this was definitely a fun plot to follow along with!