I usually love opposites attract, forced proximity, and fake dating stories. Well, this one missed the mark for me, and I’m kinda bummed about it.

Mabel, our determined heroine and the latest ghostwriter hired by Alfie, a retired footballer who’s not too keen on writing his biography. He’s always finding ways to avoid it. Their professional arrangement takes a twist when people mistakenly think they’re in a relationship, and now they have to keep up the act.

A big thank you to the author and publisher for providing me with an ARC. Unfortunately, this book didn’t quite work for me. Despite the promising premise, I just couldn’t vibe with the writing style and I found myself putting it down repeatedly for other books. I’m sad to say I didn’t finish it, but who knows? Maybe I’ll give it another shot someday.

When Grumpy Met Sunshine by Charlotte Stein is a captivating contemporary romance. The characters are well-developed and the plot is engaging. The author’s writing style is bantery and bubbly, making the book a delight to read. I highly recommend this!

**Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the e-ARC. All opinions expressed are voluntary and my own.**

"When Grumpy Met Sunshine" by Charlotte Stein is a delightful and engaging romance. Stein expertly crafts interactions with wit and charm, creating a narrative that is both humorous and heartfelt.

The character development is a standout, with each protagonist evolving in meaningful ways throughout the story. Stein's writing style is both accessible and captivating, drawing readers into the emotional depths of the characters while maintaining a light-hearted tone. The chemistry between the leads is palpable, making their journey from reluctant acquaintances to something deeper a joy to follow.

I’m here for the banter and it delivered! I’m a sucker for a grumpy MMC who is a golden retriever solely for the FMC. This was fun, light, and a good time.

"When Grumpy Met Sunshine" by Charlotte Stein is a charming opposites-attract story that offers plenty of sweet and funny moments 🌞🌧️. The dynamic between the grumpy protagonist and their sunny counterpart is delightful 😂💕, but the pacing felt a bit slow at times and some plot points were predictable ⏳📖. Despite these issues, the characters' chemistry and the heartwarming ending made it an enjoyable read overall 🌟💖. A solid pick for fans of light romance with lovable characters 📚😊.

Far too sticky sweet, this will give you cavaties. I found both MCs much too like caricatures than characters you could relate to or feel invested in and the FMC especially was SO chipper, SO upbeat, SO naive, SO sweet, I frankly found her grating and a little too pathetic.

I couldn’t stomach finishing this and had to DNF halfway through.

In "When Grumpy Met Sunshine" by Charlotte Stein, serial grump Alfie Harding is an ex-footballer who has been asked to write his memoirs. Ghostwriter Mabel Willicker is enlisted to help him do just that. But after getting off on the wrong foot, it proves more difficult for Mabel than she expected. Things get even more complicated when the tabloids turn their very platonic relationship into a love connection and the duo has to navigate how to fake date when they are supposed to be writing a book.

This is a super fun and easy read for anyone who loves an opposites attract romance. I loved the banter between the two and I especially loved how Mabel wasn't afraid to stand up to Alfie. The fact that she is a plus-sized character is also nice because we need diversity in romance novels. However, for readers who dislike a slow burn, this novel will not be for you. It is a slow burn to the max. BUT when you get there? WOAH, it was super spicy. I loved it. It was totally worth the wait.

When Grumpy Met Sunshine started out well, but eventually fizzled for me. The story is told solely from the point of view of the main female character, Mabel, a professional ghostwriter. We never hear directly from Alfie, the ex-footballer who she is supposed to be helping with his memoir, except for what he says to Mabel. If you’ve ever watched the Ted Lasso tv show, I imagined Alfie as the Roy Kent character on that show. Tough and gruff on the outside and soft on the inside.

I enjoyed the first 2/3 or so of this book, but the rest of it not so much. There was great banter between Mabel and Alfie while they were getting to know each other, and several laugh-out-loud moments. But once they started with the fake dating routine (forced on them by paparazzi, basically, to hide Mabel’s role as ghostwriter), things fell apart for me. They had huge sexual chemistry which devolved into a lot of dirty talk and open/graphic masturbation and other activities. The two of them just couldn’t figure out how to tell each other that their feelings were more than that. For Mabel, being “curvy” (the current word for someone who isn’t rail-thin) meant that Alfie couldn’t possibly really be into her. And there was a ton of internal monologue that got repetitive.

For those that dislike it, be forewarned that there is a LOT of swearing in this book.

I tried listening to the audiobook version but had to give it up. Between the authentic-sounding accent and all the British slang, I wound up going back to the printed word, and that was much better for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for the opportunity to read a review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

This book was overall super cute.
Alfie's broodiness with Mabel's sunshiney personality was perfect.
Broody man personalities that they've kept hidden are my favorite.
The banter was a little extreme in some cases. Sometimes it just seemed like too much.
Overall it was a cute grumpy sunshine slow burn with lots of pining.

When Grumpy Met Sunshine" by Charlotte Stein is a charming and heartwarming romance novel that explores the opposites-attract trope with humor and depth. The story centers around two characters with contrasting personalities: the grumpy, reserved protagonist and the cheerful, optimistic love interest. Their dynamic is engaging, with witty banter and endearing moments that build their relationship. Stein's writing is both humorous and emotionally resonant, making it an enjoyable read for fans of contemporary romance.

Unfortunately for me, this one fell a bit flat. I was not convinced by their chemistry, it felt like there was none. Some parts were cute but others were flat and not well fleshed out. The ending was a cute gesture but again it was a bit flat. I did like the plus sized FMC character rep and it was handled fairly well but along with other hard topics, nothing dived super deep. Compared to other romances I've read, I don't think I would reach for this one again. It was mostly cute but I was wanting more.

actually picked up my own copy and was able to read it, i loved both characters and mainly the plot sadly there was not enough romance... for me loved the body positivity and the mmc loving soccer lol

This opposites attract, forced proximity, fake dating romance, my normal go to but just didn't hit right.

Mabel is the latest in a long line of ghostwriters hired by retired footballer Alfie. He's reluctant to write his biography and finds any excuse to not move forward. Their arrangement is mistaken for a romance and now they have to play it up.

Mabel is curvy - She is empathetic and gets Alfie to open up a bit. Alfie isGrump but has a practical bent and a protective streak.

The premise of this book looked good but the overall it didn't hit for me. It was too much open door spice. I just felt a little bored by it.

When Grumpy Met Sunshine is the kind of romance I live for. Curvy/plus sized cheery MC? Check. Tall, handsome, super broody love interest? Check. A super unlikely romance, hijinks, spice, and a strangers to friends to lovers trope? Yes. Yes. Yes. Also yes. It’s a “something’s there that wasn’t there before” and I’m here for it.

Mabel is a ghost writer and her latest assignment, writing a biography for footballer Alfie Harding, she’s ready for complications. She’s not the first ghost writer to try to tackle Alfie’s story. He’s rejected several who could have done the job. However, Mabel wins Alfie over when she stands up for herself on first meeting him. Unfortunately, what Mabel thought would be the biggest issue with this assignment, namely Alfie’s forbidding and grumpy nature, turns out to be less of an issue than the media speculation that they are a couple.

What I loved most about this story was the friendship that blossomed between them and the way Stein wrote the potent chemistry of the two. It’s hard not to feel what the characters are experiencing and you end up falling in love right alongside them. Obviously this kicks up the impact of the spicy parts, and the ending is so heartwarming you may find out when you’re done reading that your face is a little wet for some odd reason.

Thanks to Netgalley, Charlotte Stein, and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest, personal review.

I was so so excited to read this book! The blurb sounded great and even the title listed it as one of my favourite tropes. It was cute, feel good, had me laughing out loud and a plus size FMC as a bonus.

The characters were lovable, and I loved watching their relationship grow. Their banter was great and had me snickering at times however some parts I admittedly had to skim through because there was just a bit too much.. which is something I didn't think was possible until this book. While the plot remained engaging, I feel like parts were just stretched out a bit too much with unnecessary banter between the characters. Some readers may enjoy that, I'm just very much a 'time and place and situation' reader.

Overall I enjoyed this book! It was a good quick read that gives all the happy feels. 3.5 rating for me but rounded up to 4.

This cover is everything and made me so excited to read this one. Unfortunately, this was a flop for me. From the very beginning, I wasn't a fan of the characters and they just annoyed me. I did push through though and I actually did enjoy the writing style, there were times when the banter felt a little over the top and forced but other than that I liked the writing.

Charlotte Stein's When Grumpy Met Sunshine is a delightful rom-com that expertly blends humor, heart, and a touch of steam. The story follows Mabel, a bubbly and optimistic ghostwriter, as she's tasked with penning the memoir of Alfie Harding, a notoriously grumpy retired football star.

The clash of personalities between Mabel's sunny disposition and Alfie's gruff exterior is the heart of the novel. Stein's witty banter and snappy dialogue create a sparky chemistry between the two characters that is both entertaining and endearing. As their professional relationship evolves into something more, readers will find themselves cheering for this unlikely pair.

While the plot follows a familiar rom-com formula, Stein's fresh approach to character development and the engaging storyline keep readers invested. The secondary characters add depth and humor to the narrative, creating a well-rounded cast.

Overall, When Grumpy Met Sunshine is a feel-good read that will leave readers smiling. It's a perfect escape for those looking for a lighthearted and entertaining story.

This is my second Charlotte Stein book and it takes me a few chapters to get past the rambling style, but when I do, I absolutely fall in love with her characters. They’re incredibly charming, funny and just plain adorable. And there’s plenty of spice…wink wink.

This is a fun Grumpy/Sunshine romcom with many tropes like fake-dating. Great character development with FMC, Mabel, and MMC, Alfie who is a famous and good-looking footballer. The book has spice which I love! If you aren't into steamy romcoms and prefer closed door novels, I'd skip this one. Also, I love the cover! Also, the writing is very British, so if that's not of interest I'd recommend skipping this as well. Nice to see real women portrayed in covers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Charlotte Stein for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.