Thank you to netgalley and St. Martins Press for a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest revuew.

Guys, I was really excited about this one a had high hopes. As an ex-footballer, as an overweight woman, a writer, I was here for the representation, the fake dating trope, all of it. But it fell disappointingly flat for me. The story lagged at the beginning - so much of it is Mabel's rambling exposition of her obsrvations ... there's very little dialogue and what there was, was choppy and hard to follow at times. I was hoping it would get better but the story just didn't deliver the way I'd hoped it would.

2.5 stars

I wasn't able to read this book because life has been extremely busy, so I will rate this 5 stars to compensate. The blurb looked very promising though, and I will read this when I get the chance and I will edit my review

Cute story by a new-to-me author. I liked the characters and the story was well-written. I'll look for another book from this author in the future.

This was a fun and easy debut novel! I liked the main characters and found the writing to be easy to read. It was a cute and fast read.

I had a lot of fun with this one! It was both sweet and spicy. And the title is straight to the point on the trope this book embodies. Alfie is a retired footballer grump (think Roy Kent from Ted Lasso), but really it’s just an exterior and therefore he is often misunderstood. Really what it comes down to is that he is an awkward, technological grandpa. Mabel is his sunny ghostwriter, who helps him in more ways than one. She helps him write his book, uncovers secrets about him (not really secrets, just things he doesn’t really say)… he even gets a Twitter! (The bio is hilarious). However, no one knows that she is his ghostwriter, and with the time they spend together, they get mistaken for dating. She gets some backlash for it, because she’s plus sized and curvy and therefore different from his model ex girlfriends, and she doesn’t really feel like she would deserve him, even if it is fake. Meanwhile, he just does not see it at all. Because who couldn’t love a ray of sunshine like Mabel?

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s for the copy!

Alfie is a grumpy footballer with Roy Kent vibes who's approached to write a memoir. The only problem? He hates the idea of writing about himself. Especially when it requires him to express emotion.

Enter sunny Mabel, who's determined to get Alfie's story onto paper, not matter how much bickering is involved. Things are further complicated when the pair decide to fake date. And we all know fake dating *always* leads to real dating.

This was an adorable, charming love story that was a pleasure to read!

A plus-sized ghost writer is hired to write the memoir of the grump, ex-footballer in the UK. A notorious recluse, the tabloids peg her has his new girlfriend with her comings/goings at his house. So what's to do, play it up for the media only true feelings get in the way.

The witty banter, and subsequent growth of both these characters had me rooting for a happily ever after. The heroine was fierce in her ability to stand-up for herself, but her disbelief he'd actually pick some one like her after years of super models taunts her until his grand gesture.

This was a fun fake dating read with some truly funny lines: "full frontal snagging" I guess you'll have to read the story of Alfie and Mabel to understand.

Thank you, St. Martin's Press

Yet another romcom centered around a sports dude, but this particular one became one of my favorite reads of the year! I love a good fake relationship, but this one is reassuringly real and adorably awkward from the get-go in the best way. Read it!

"I'd fight God if he got in her way."

The very British comedic romance When Grumpy Met Sunshine by self professed naughty rom com author Charlotte Stein is steeped in steamy European romance and smart comedy.

Footballer (soccer player) Alfie needs a ghostwriter for his bad boy memoir. Enter curvaceous Mabel, suffering lingeringly pain from body shaming exes and school bullies. He hates most things, she sees him as a Neanderthal but time together changes minds and hearts. When the press sees them together they fake date so no one knows she's his ghostwriter.

Reading and listening to narrator Emily Spowage spew the quick witted banter is highly entertaining for this fan of all things British. I do prefer dual POVs but Mabel's thoughts are hilarious and often endearing as her insecurity lessens and her love for Alfie grows. When these two meet as lovers there's only sunshine.

I received a free copy of this audiobook from Macmillan Audio via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

DNF @ 25%

*A special thank you to the author and St. Martin’s Press for early access to this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.*

I just couldn’t get into this one, friends. From the beginning there was just so much going on that I was confused as to what was actually going on. Now, I love banter in a book but, there was so much that it was kind of washing out the plot. So much so, I’m not really sure what the plot was. I really wanted to like this one, but with so many other ARCS and books on my TBR to read, sticking with a book I’m not liking isn’t in the cards for me.

I was a bit disappointed by the book. I couldn’t really find a connection with the characters and the story was a bit slow the first half. The second half was too rushed and too spicy for my liking.

One of my favorite tropes in romance books is the grumpy x sunshine trope, and I must admit, that I LOVE a grumpy male lead....the grumpier, the better. Alfie just may be one of the grumpiest characters I've read about to date, so I think it is absolutely safe to say that I really enjoyed this book. Alfie and Mabel were each perfect leads, and I found myself fully invested in both of them from the beginning. I think what I love the most about the grumpy male is that there is usually a reason why he is so grumpy/closed off, and I love when that is revealed. I also love when we start seeing a softer side of him with the female lead, and this book had both of those. It also had the fake dating trope, which is another one that I love because we all know what happens when they try to deny their feelings. In addition, there was plenty of humor and wit that kept this book entertaining. I actually found myself laughing out loud and snickering as I was reading it. Thank you to the publisher for giving me the chance to read an early digital copy of this book!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc. Unfortunately this was not for me. I love the cover and the synopsis sounded like it would be right up my alley. Instead, I struggled to get through this, and while I do think it got better toward the end it wasn't worth it.

I didn't think too much banter was possible, but this book showed me I was wrong. I think it was supposed to be an homage to movie rom coms, but there was too much repetitive and lengthy banter. I don't feel like I knew these characters at all, we got little hints of their stories through the banter, but not enough to provide a full picture. Somehow though they never stopped talking these two were the worst communicators.

I know someone loved this and I think it's a book you either love or hate. If you read a sample and enjoy all the banter you'll probably have a great time. If you want a character driven story, less talking and/or hate the miscommunication trope this isn't going to be for you.

This book started nice and I found the characters interesting enough to continue. Unfortunately the farther I read the less I liked the book and found the characters less and less intriguing. I found the book very overwritten at times and way over the top.

Mable is an up-and-coming writer and has been invited to ghost write an autobiography for the hottest, sexiest man in the country. This is the opportunity of a lifetime for her and she jumps on the chance.

Alfie is a national superstar footballer, but doesn’t act like it very much. He hates revealing anything about himself. My immediate problem with this situation is: if Alfie hates drawing Attention to himself so much, why would he ever consider an autobiography? That is the very opposite of a quiet life out of the limelight.

The book is about two bruised souls. Mable is described as “fluffy” and “curvy”. She is very outgoing and sociable. Alfie hides behind a thick shell and uses it to hide who he really is. As a result the flamboyant social life with dates to the hottest and most glamorous women is a complete sham.

I loved the witty banter between Mable and Alfie at the beginning, but even a good thing can be overdone. My engagement with the characters and the novel waned the further I read. Still, I appreciated the opportunity to read this book.

This was a cute story. I loved the banter between the main characters. It was fun. Overall an enjoyable read.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the E-ARC. And to Macmillan Audio for the ALC.

All thoughts and opinions are honest and my own.

What can I say? I simply read bored throughout this book. I first DNFed it and I kept wanting to go back to this story and give it a second chance. I wish I DNFed it again. The characters are so boring and the banter between them is too much at times. I’m sorry. I wish I could give this book more of a solid review, but I rushed to put it down after I finished.

When Grumpy Met Sunshine stayed quite true to its title and featured a grumpy retired soccer player falling for his sweet ghost writer, As an avid soccer fan and rom com fan, I was excited for this book and it sadly fell short, I felt as though there wasn’t much plot and therefore the book just moved very slowly. It also felt like it became very steamy all of a sudden. Was a cute premise but would have enjoyed more of a plot in the first 3/4!

This is a good book. It is a story of opposites attracting. The two main characters are Mabel and Allie. Mabel is a ghost writer. Allie is a football player, who signed up to have a book written about him. They bicker a lot. Then Mabel is seen leaving Alfie’s house. Then rumors start flying. They decide to fake dating. Then it is not so fake and they are falling in love

When ghostwriter Mabel Willicker gets assigned to help ex-footballer and infamous grump, Alfie Harding, write his memoirs, she knows she’s in for one hell of a fight. She’s the newest in a long line of writers he’s kicked to the curb, but she’s determined to be the one to succeed. Allfie isn’t prepared for the petite, curvy woman to call him out on his shit, or for her to break through the carefully constructed wall he’s built around his private life. But he finds himself opening up to her, spilling secrets from his past he hasn’t dared share with anyone else and finding a common ground he didn’t think was possible.

This new side of Alfie doesn’t go unnoticed by the press, nor does the time he is spending with Mabel. Soon enough, they find themselves wrapped up in a whirlwind of rumors and a fake dating situation that feels a little too real and intimate. Will they let their budding romance crash and burn or try to go for the goal?

I found this book so wonderfully endearing. I did not want to put it down. There was something so delightfully absurd and yet natural in Mabel and Alfie’s banter that I found myself reading each interaction with a smile on my face. And that mouth on Alfie…so filthy, so hot and totally unexpected. If you’re looking for spice, you won’t be disappointed.

There are a few triggers warnings for this book which are listed in the beginning so I suggest reading them. It’s nothing graphic, but it can still be stuff that is triggering to some. There are also entries at the end of each chapter – text messages, articles, social media posts, etc. that are related to what is happening in the chapter. While I don’t feel they are absolutely necessary to the plot, they are interesting, but some may not like the interruption to the flow of the book.

There are books that I really like, then there are books that I know will become favorites not long into reading them. These are the books that I can’t put down, that I find myself reading late into the night, thinking about when I’m not reading them because I’m excited to pick it up again and find out what happens next. When Grumpy Met Sunshine is one of them. I’ll be reading this one over and over again.

This can only be described as Roy Kent fanfiction, iykyk. It was steamy but I didn't see the chemistry - it went from hate to sex to love within a few chapters... didn't seem realistic.

Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.