When Grumpy Met Sunshine is an opposites attract romance between a grumpy ex footballer (soccer player) and a bubbly ghostwriter. While I usually love these tropes, this book just didn’t do it for me and I’m so sad to say that. I had picked up this book multiple times before finally pushing through and I should have just left it on my shelf and admired the cover forever. I think I had it in my head that it wasn’t the book for me since I had attempted to read it twice before, which made me enjoy it less that I potentially could have. My issues with this book were that it felt like a fan fiction. The MMC was forced into this specific mold that felt too much like a character from a movie. After reading other reviews, it seems to be a popular opinion that our MMC, Alfie, appears very similar to a character from Ted Lasso (which I have never seen and cannot further confirm). I also felt like there was TOO much banter!!! Can you believe it? I am one for fun banter and witty dialogue but it just went overboard. Having too much of the banter really takes away the joy of it. My last point is that it just didn’t stand out. I have quite the experience in contemporary romance therefore I feel qualified to express this opinion. I knew, as I was reading, that this book wasn’t going to stand out to me. It didn’t have any emotional impact on me personally, and the banter was so common that it didn’t feel monumental. I know this book isn’t for me but this could be someone’s cup of tea! I received this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to St. Martins press for the ARC.

This book was adorable with loads of banter. Alfie is socially awkward and it seems even more so when he is in the company of Mabel, the ghostwriter for his memoir. Mabel has to work hard to get any stories from Alfie, but soon finds him endearing and coaxes the truth from him. When the two are photographed together. they decide to play the fake dating card only to find they may both have feelings for the other. This slow burn was a fun read.

2.5/5 Stars

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and Charlotte Stein for a #gifted copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Unfortunately, this one was not for me. There was simply too much miscommunication for me. Honestly, I don't even know if I’d call it miscommunication - it kind of just felt like the characters didn’t communicate their inner feelings or thoughts at all until the very end of the book. 

I did like the representation of insecurities in this book. The FMC Mabel had a lot of insecurities about her looks and that felt incredibly authentic and relatable. 

The pacing of this book just didn't jive with me. It was a slow burn, but would randomly speed up at points and then the breaks would be pulled out again. It felt like whiplash which made for kind of a disjointed romance for me. I didn’t fully understand their chemistry. I think we also learned an okay amount about Alfie, the MMC, but not much about Mabel. This story may have benefitted from a dual POV narration because it felt like we as the readers didn’t get to learn enough about what Alfie saw in Mabel. 

This one wasn’t for me, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be for you! Read if you like the below:
-Grumpy x sunshine
-Workplace romance
-Opposites attract
-Fake Dating
-Plus size FMC
-Slow burn

Romance isn’t my go-to genre, but I do occasionally pick up a romance novel if it catches my interest or if I’m in the right mood. I have a soft spot for the grumpy/sunshine trope, and since today’s book features that in its title, I decided to give it a shot.

First off, I couldn’t help but picture Alfie (a retired footballer) as Roy Kent from Ted Lasso. If he wasn’t inspired by Roy, I’d be very surprised. (By the way, I really miss Ted Lasso—such a great show!)

This book is a textbook example of the grumpy/sunshine trope. Unfortunately, it also exemplifies the miscommunication trope to an extreme degree. The whole story felt like one long miscommunication, which is a trope I really don’t enjoy.

While I appreciate the representation of “curvy” girls in books, I find it frustrating that they are often portrayed as “cheery, cute, and sassy.” I haven’t read every romance featuring plus-sized heroines, but the ones I have read seem to reinforce the stereotype of “she’s overweight but has a great personality”, and it honestly bothers me.

Overall, this book wasn’t terrible, but it didn’t quite hit the mark for me. I think I might have enjoyed it more if we had some of Alfie’s perspective instead of just Mabel’s.

Thank you @netgalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for an eARC of this book, which I have read and reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Not my favorite read but not the worst either. Slow burn sports romance (great) but there is too much narration. I prefer heavy dialogue. Also, it never felt like a true connection between the main characters. Like I said, not the worst I’ve ready but not the best. Did not meet the standards this author normally hits.

Unfortunately, this just wasn’t for me. My main concern was the narration. I felt that the book was mainly dialogue and because of that, I couldn’t really get into the story. There was also a lot of miscommunication and it seemed that most of the characters’ problems could have been solved by talking to each other. Speaking of the characters, I wish we got to know their backstories a bit more. All in all, I was intrigued by the premise but was disappointed with the execution.

This book unfortunately was not for me. The writing was great and easy to follow, but the story did not peak my interest as much as i'd hope!

What brought me to this book was the cover. It's cute and I already what I'm going to get into when the cover is cute!
Mabel and Alfie are perfect together and the slow build to their romance is perfect for a "grumpy and sunshine" trope - hence the name.
I enjoyed this simple romcom and excited to read more from this author

Thanks NetGalley for the free ebook in return for an honest review!

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

It has taken me a while to get around to this book as romantic comedy just isn't my mood right now, but I finally decided to go for it.

I'll start with what I like about the book. I like the grumpy/ sunshine trope in a romantic comedy. There was a lot of fun banter between the leads. I also like that the book was a light read overall. The topics never got too heavy.

There were some things that could use some work. I feel as though the editing was rushed. At times, the banter got to be too much and very repetitive. By the end, I didn't feel either character was super likable, and I found myself not really caring how their stories ended.

In conclusion, it is not my favorite read of the year, but I may recommend it if you are looking for something light and not to thought provoking. You may have fun with this read if these are some of your favorite tropes.

I enjoyed this book—Alfie reminded me so much of Roy Kent!!—but wowsas, there were some steamy scenes in this book. I don't mind a little smut, and I enjoyed the slow build and tension between Alfie and Maisie, but it felt forced in some parts.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

"When Grumpy Met Sunshine" by Charlotte Stein is a delightful and heartwarming romance that captivates with its charming characters and engaging banter. The story follows Mabel, a plus-size, sunny, and spirited woman, and Alfie, a grumpy ex-footballer with a tough exterior but a caring heart. Tasked with ghost-writing Alfie's memoir, Mabel's sweetness and persistence slowly unravel Alfie's guarded persona. Despite a rocky start, their growing connection is undeniable, filled with witty exchanges and mutual understanding. When a fan's photo forces them into a pretend relationship, the sparks fly even higher. Stein masterfully balances humor and tenderness, crafting a romance that is both heartfelt and entertaining. "When Grumpy Met Sunshine" is a must-read for anyone who enjoys a well-written (plus-sized) love story with depth, humor, and an unforgettable pair of protagonists.

I really had high expectations for this book, it had a lot of my favorite tropes but it was a huge miss for me. I had an extremely hard time getting through this and I probably should've DNF'd about halfway in.

oh i had such high expectations for this read, but sadly it just felt flat. the author's writing style just wasn't for me and it was very difficult to get through this book.

I usually like the grumpy/sunshine trope but unfortunately, this one didn't work for me. I DNF'ed at 40%. Both characters were just off-putting and I didn't care much for the writing style. The pacing was a bit slow and I lost interest close to the halfway point.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this eARC.

This book was a DNF at 25%.
The insta-love was palpable and the main character was groveling over the love interest but insisting she hated him and didn't understand him from the beginning. They have known each other for a singular day and are colleagues and this is just way too much for knowing this man for 2 hours.

I love the grumpy sunshine trope as well as fake dating and this book had some great character interactions between the main couple. With such a fun, whimsical cover I was not expecting the level of steam in the pages of this book and was a bit turned away.

As a ridiculous fan of grumpy/sunshine stories, I was immediately drawn to this, and it did NOT disappoint! The character building and banter between Mabel and Alfie were amazing. If you’re a fan of grumpy/sunshine, fake dating, only one bed, or he falls first tropes, I highly recommend this! The epilogue was chef’s kiss, beautiful. Had there been no need to sleep or take care of children, I would have finished this in a day.

I think that this may be a case of my tastes not aligning with this particular book. I enjoyed the grumpy character. He reminded me a lot of Roy Kent from Ted Lasso. However, I felt like the “love” story happened way too quickly. I wish there had been more of a slower development so I could become emotionally invested in the relationship.

Otherwise, the writing was solid. I did enjoy some of their banter. I just needed more connection to fully enjoy it.

I don’t think I was the target audience for this book. I felt that this may have been too British for my American self. I don’t get why the MMC was technologically illiterate. It didn’t really add anything to the plot and it’s just not believable for modern times. I picked this up to try to start it multiple times and had to push through it. I’m sure other readers will love this book, but it wasn’t for me.

Thank you to the author Charlotte Stein, publishers St. Martin's Griffin, and NetGalley for an advance digital copy of WHEN GRUMPY MET SUNSHINE. All views are mine.

Three (or more) things I loved:

1. Stein provides trigger warnings in the front matter of the book. I love when authors do this, especially for some of the triggers herein, which includes child abuse and neglect.

2. This book has good cadence. This usually indicates smooth sentences and transitions, and well constructed paragraphs.

Three (or less) things I didn't love:

This section isn't only for criticisms. It's merely for items that I felt something for other than "love" or some interpretation thereof.

1. I am not into a lot of the tropes included in this book, including Beauty and Beast (where the mmc is significantly larger than fmc), horror genre sex games, or hair...otica? I want to like this book, but it's hard for me to get into it when I'm being asked to adjust to so many different concepts, and they show up frequently.

2. DNF at 29% unfortunately. Despite the high points of this one, and there were a few, I couldn't get along with the romance content enough to continue. This was a big enough problem for me, but also I kept losing track of the plot, which felt really flat. Most story conflict originates from the story's "odd couple" trope. The two main characters' chemistry was not pleasant to read. Even enemies should be hot together on the page!

Rating: DNF @ 29%
Recommend? If you like these tropes, maybe
Finished: Feb 4 '24
Format: Digital arc, Kindle
Read this book if you like:
💖 romance
🌦 sunshine / grumpy trope
🚵‍♀️ sports romance
🧌 Beauty and Beast trope