The author included a weird joke about a footballer name Gaza which would’ve been fine if the genocide happening in Gaza…you know..wasn’t happening. After that, I lost all interest in this book. Author needed to fire their editor

This was such a fun book, I really enjoyed it. Starting with the names--Grumpy and Sunshine. For sure he was grumpy--but it turns out that maybe he has a good reason for being grumpy, and it isn't the reason you might think. This is a fun, quick read, and enjoyable from beginning to end. It's pure brain candy--lots to enjoy and makes for great evenings or pool time! Thanks to NetGalley for the Advance reader's copy--and as always, my reviews are independent and my opinions are my own.

When grumpy met sunshine is a really great romance book that I really loved.

I loved the characters and the issues addressed.

So much great banter and chemistry.

Some caveats before I give this review:

I LIVE for banter. Live. For. It, so this skews my outlook, I'm sure, ha!

This had all the feels I wanted for the grumpy/sunshine trope.

I wish more authors did the POV style this one did. I'm a HUGE fan!

It's so cute and well written that it's an easy 4.6, rounded.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I so wanted to love this one. The synopsis had me so excited for this one and the cover is so cute. Unfortunately, I struggled with it. The audio made it a little better but the writing wasn’t great, the banter was so immature and all the miscommunication was ANNOYING. Just couldn’t get on board with this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing the ARC.

Charlotte Stein was a new author for me, and I thought the synopsis for this book sounded intriguing. I love seeing size representation in media, because it is completely unrealistic that everyone is tall and skinny, or ultra petite as women.

However, I really thought the book went off the rails and whatever plot that was there no longer existed. Additionally, one of my most hated situations that crops up in literature featuring a plus sized heroine is the negative self-talk that the main character is putting on themselves. If I am reading a book about a plus size female character, I don't want to read about how fat she thinks she is or about how she's not going to land the guy she wants because of it. It's a tired trope and frankly I'm over it.

Not horrible but not my favorite.

It took awhile for me to warm up to this book, as the story started in a very comedic fashion. I eventually really liked Alfie and Mabel, but wasn’t as drawn into their romance as I was hoping. Alfie is so cute, but the miscommunication and assumptions through the book didn’t do it for me.

I would recommend this book to romance readers that like a comedy heavy, cute, slow burn story with one point of view and a lot of sarcastic banter.

An ARC copy was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Boy did I want to like this book. A happy go lucky gal and a grumpy lumberjack leading fella - can't wait. Sadly, this missed the mark for me. The will they, won't they missed the mark and had me very impatiently waiting for way too long.

This was a nice switch up from my usual murder, mystery, dark, whodunit type of books that I read. I was hoping for something lighter and funny, and I definitely got that with this book!

Mabel, a happy-go-lucky a ghost writer, is faced with the job of documenting Alfie's life, a famous footballer who is known to be quite grumpy. The two don't immediately hit it off, but when rumors start to fly about the two of them dating, they go with it and start "fake dating." But is it fake?

If you are looking for a laugh-out-loud, hysterical, opposites attract, steamy rom-com, this is the one for you. I have to say, that reading this was like having a conversation with a bestie. It was so much fun and such an easy read. The way it was written was just so flowy and natural, again, like you are talking to a friend. I really enjoyed this one and look forward to reading more from this author!

Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the copy of this book.

Grumpy Sunshine is my favorite trope so I knew I was in for a treat! Alfie is an ex-footballer trying to write his memoir. He need some assistance in the form of his ghost writer, Mabel. Mabel is the model of sunshine, complete opposite of his grumpy nature and of course it works perfectly in this! I loved the banter in this one.
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Thank you #griffin and #NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

The cover and synopsis look like this is something I would just eat up. Unfortunately there were things that just didn’t click for me. There was so much to love. The grumpy-sunshine dynamic, the ghost writing, and even the Roy Kent vibes. I would definitely not steer anyone away from reading this and I would give the author another shot.

Thank you to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for the arc.

Ugh! What was I missing??? I wanted to love this.... and I did love Alfie and Mabel. They were both so cute and adorable. I loved the plus size rep in this. And yet something missed for me. I liked it... loved some of it... but I never felt fully invested and when I put it down, it wasn't calling for me to pick it back up.

I thought this rom-com checked all the boxes and was fun and easy to read. I loved MC Mabel and her sweet personality and really could empathize with her and her self esteem. Allie was in all respects a Grump and it took a bit to warm up to him but when their fake relationship started, all bets were off and the steam commenced! I really enjoyed this novel and this was my first time reading this author. I will be looking at her other books to see about checking them out!

4 solid ⭐️s

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-ARC version of this book in exchange, for my honest review and opinion.

the thing about me is when i see a leni kauffman cover, i’m going to read the book! i’m obsessed with everything she does!!

the book wasn’t bad! there was a plot but it wasn’t plotty, if that makes sense. i’m a big ted lasso girlie and alfie & mabel we’re very roy x keeley coded which was a lot of fun!! alfie might’ve been more like s1 roy kent than s1 roy kent was

the last chapter, though, was EVERYTHING to me! i know that might sound bad but it wrapped up everything so perfectly and it made me cry and i just loved it so much. such a perfect end to alfie & mabel’s story <3

DNF at 56%


Maybe I wasn’t in the romance mood like I had thought I was, I don’t know. I just really did not enjoy this book. The cover is cute, the storyline had so much potential, it just ultimately fell completely flat for me and I couldn’t force myself to finish it.

I’m with the rest of you: this novel is like a sun-kissed day at the beach! It’s warm, inviting, and impossible to put down. "When Grumpy Met Sunshine" by Charlotte Stein is a delightful yet steamy romance pairing two seemingly mismatched souls in a tableau of wit, banter, and undeniable chemistry.

Meet Alfie Harding. He’s a retired footballer and the epitome of grumpy: allergic to emotions, reluctant to reveal anything about himself, and convinced he can never write his memoirs.

Meet Mabel Willicker. She’s a curvy, sunshine-outta-her-bottom ghostwriter with sass and determination. (She’s kinda my girl! I love her.) Mabel knows how to coax every little detail out of Alfie, even if it means navigating his prickly exterior. Until their business arrangement takes an unexpected turn.

Stein's writing is sharp, witty, and infused with heart. To me, she captures the push-and-pull of Alfie and Mabel's dynamic and the pacing kept me turning pages, eager to devour the next chapter.

"When Grumpy Met Sunshine" is a charming escape from the day-to-day. This tale of opposites attracting, secrets unraveling, and love blooming unexpectedly is the perfect choice if you are craving a feel-good read. This book delivers - you won't regret it!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a temporary e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a book that surprised me. I fully admit I went into this a little uncertain; there is goofy cheeky banter straight from the beginning, and the male MC is not my usual flavor in what I read. I was hesitant that maybe this wouldn't be a romcom I would enjoy. I am happy to be proven wrong, especially by that ending.

There are definitely some rocky patches for me as a reader; sometimes the lightheartedness and quick banter felt like it was too much, and I wanted more time to breathe and let the characters breathe too. But it does make sense for these two MCs to be this way; talkative, anxious, both their own worst enemies at times. Its a really fascinating dynamic, more than just grumpy meets sunshine, although the grumpy was VERY grumpy at first!

This is a book of inner lives and surprises. The MCs have to go through growth to realize their own secret inner selves, and how to express them, AND also learn about each other's and how to respect and care for them. The structure of the book is interesting too; I feel like it doesn't quite fit the (now standard) plot beat pacing of romcoms and I actually really enjoyed that. There's a time skip that will surprise you, but the outcome of it is AMAZING? I wasn't sold, and then oh my gosh was I on board.

The ending of the whole book is worth it to read, even if you're uncertain of the tropes or writing style within. You need to get to the ending. Its so romantic and emotional, and so believable. Truly my heart ahhhhhhhhhh a lovely ending.

A total departure from what I’m used to from Charlotte Stein, but honestly, she could write the phone book and I’d read it! This was a LOT of fun and wonderfully romantic! I loved it!

ALL THE STARS.

This was such a DELICIOUS AND DELIGHTFUL slow burn. I can see this being one of my best reads of 2024 because it has lived rent free in my brain for months.

Also, if we could please get Brett Goldstein to narrate, it would make my life since it was Roy Kent’s voice I heard as I read, please and thank you.

I wanted to like this, the cover is adorable and the synopsis intrigued me. But the writing didn’t work for me at all and it could have used more editing.