Grumpy/Shine deliciousness abounds in this romcom about a famous athlete with surprising depth and kindness and his cheery yet insecure and self-conscious ghost writer. I pictured Roy Kent the entire time. So much humorous banter and a swoon-worthy happily ever after.

A grumpy retired soccer player that is basically Roy Kent on paper? GIMME!

Mabel is a ghostwriter and Alfie is a gruff footballer who end up having to fake date to save their reputations. But of course they both get way more than they bargained for with each other!

This book was full of banter, which I loved, but I did feel like the writing was a bit choppy. I also hated the one year separation, but that’s just something that I personally don’t enjoy in books. Others might find it to be ok for the story!

Read if you like:
- grumpy x sunshine
- fake dating
- retired athlete (soccer)
- banter to the max

Rating: 3.5 stars

The banter was cute and the overall story was great but the outdated and tired fat phobia comments just ruined the story.

This was, unfortunately, a DNF for me. I looked at a bunch of other reviews on here and it seems we all had the same issues.

1) Alfie was too horrible from the beginning. His cupcake comment, to me, is unforgivable.

2) I made it to Chapter 2. The writing was in 3rd person, which I can handle if I enjoy the characters but even as Alfie quickly became a loathed character, Mabel’s immediate judgement of him irked me. Like, she’s so confident in her ability to read people but it’s funnily AFTER they do something. I dunno, it was weird.

3) I just didn’t connect with anything. I have way too many books on my TBR to struggle with a story by Chapter 2.

I will give it 3 stars since it seems to be a me thing and I don’t like leaving low star ratings because of that.

There’s not many books that I laugh about three days after I finished it and yet “What do you got against Tetley?” (you have to read it to get it)

I laughed so many times. The narration of the FMC was so chaotically funny. The dialogue between Mabel and Alfie was just pure gold.

I’m a sucker for a grumpy/sunshine and this didn’t disappoint.

Some of my fave micro troupes like:
Him taking care of her
Defending her
Her supporting him

Him pining since like day 1
TOOK ME OUT

Also the 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
was 🤭🥵

This book is unique and the writing style will not be for everyone. It reminds me of some deep cuts of Tessa Bailey (not the mainstream broadly liked It Happened One Summer, more like Too Beautiful to Break/Romancing the Clarksons series). It’s written in 3rd POV but very detached. I had a hard time connecting to either character because you really never get into their head, which is definitely possible with 3rd POV just not this one. This is more like watching a series or movie from a distance.

This handles fatphobia in a way that feels so tired to me at this point. The FMC is full of self doubt. She thinks things like “he probably isn’t even aware a stomach could be anything but flat.” That’s just non-sensical. I understand not all fat representation will include a character who is confident in their fatness but to introduce insecurity in this way is unrealistic. More mentions of the stereotype of athletes only dating supermodels as if that only has to do with image and not mutually beneficial celebrity status, how athletes are catergorized as more than just someone who plays in a sport these days due to branding and media, etc. This is written as if anti-fatness are universal truths in these specific ways instead of just the FMCs way skewed thinking, there’s no room for nuance. There is no mention of this being such an overarching topic in the blurb.

This uses British references I literally had to google although there is valid humor and banter within this. I liked the use of multi media excerpts at the end of chapters and found those quite funny.

Unfortunately I don’t feel that this delivered on the title. The FMC actually never gets a chance to be sunshine-y, she sticks up for herself initially to his grumpy with some grumpy of her own and that continues on of which he respects her for. I like grumpy sunshine romances when the sunshine gets to stay sunshine-y?? At one point she mentions how it would be so impossible for them to date because they are like oil and water and I’m wondering when it was that they ever DIDN’T get along because I never saw it. They both enjoy each other’s company from the beginning and she’s really not much of a sunshine, although she does seem like a nice person.

This is a pet peeve once I noticed I couldn’t un-notice but there’s quite a bit of overuse of certain terms such as the MMC wincing. If he winces one more time his face is going to get stuck like that.

Overall, this is redeemable but there is room for improvement. Thank you to NetGalley and St Martins Press for this eARC.

DNF @10%

I tried to get into this, but at 10% this man has called her a human cupcake (whatever that means), called her on the phone and did a horrible apology, and stalked her to the point she pepper sprayed him?

I just really do not care to continue and I am not a fan of the writing style either

If you wanted an entire book about Roy Kent from Ted Lasso, this is for you. It was overall fairly cute, but the pacing was a little off and it made it a bit difficult to stick with. I found myself forcing myself to go back to the book.

Thank you to St, Martin’s Press and NetGalley for this e-ARC!

I did not finish this book. I read through the first half of the book, and I decided it was not the right fit for me as a reader. I felt I needed more exposition to connect with the characters and story. Readers who enjoy grumpy x sunshine romances and/or Roy Kent from Ted Lasso will probably enjoy this book.

When Grumpy Met Sunshine" is a delightful foray into contemporary romance, blending classic tropes with unique charm. This novel centers around a grumpy, retired footballer, Alfie Harding, reminiscent of Roy Kent and his spirited ghostwriter, Mabel Willicker.

Alfie's character, resistant to sharing his life and emotions, is intriguingly complex. His evolution from a stoic, private individual to someone more open, thanks to Mabel's influence, is believable and engaging. With her sunny disposition and sharp wit, Mabel is the perfect counterpart to Alfie's gruffness. Their banter is a highlight, providing humor and warmth.

The story cleverly uses the fake dating trope, adding a layer of public scrutiny to their relationship. This dynamic is engaging, exploring the contrast between how they're perceived and how they truly feel about each other. The romance develops gradually, making their eventual connection satisfying.

"When Grumpy Met Sunshine" is a charming, feel-good romance. It's about opposites attracting, breaking down barriers, and finding unexpected love—a great pick for those who enjoy a heartwarming, humorous, and spicy read. (tropes: grumpy/sunshine, enemies to lovers, celebrity, and fake dating) Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the ARC.

this was so fun and so easy to read. i very much enjoyed it and do want to read more from this author soon!!!

This wasn’t my favorite book. But it was cute at parts. I think I felt disconnected from the characters and there was a lot of banter that had me struggling to take it as seriously as I wanted to.

I adored this book. Alfie is everything I want in a man.
This book follows an ex-football player, Alfie Harding, in his journey to publish a memoir. He hires a ghostwriter, Mabel Willicker, to help him. Alfie comes off as cold and angry to most people. He doesn’t like to talk about himself or reveal how he’s feeling. Once he meets Mabel, however, he can’t help but want to reveal details about himself. After paparazzi get pictures of them together, they end up pretending to be in a relationship to appease the public. As time goes on, they begin to realize that the relationship may have never been fake to begin with.
Typically when I’m reading a book, I find the characters hard to relate to. However, Mabel was extremely relatable to me and things that I’ve experienced. I absolutely balled my eyes out when Mabel was reading Alfie’s book. And the way he’s loved her since the beginning?? AMAZING!
The only complaint that I have about this book is that it wasn’t long enough. I would’ve loved a bit more fluff throughout the entirety of it. Once they started realizing they had feelings for each other, it was like things started moving very quickly. The cute and sweet moments are the moments that I love in romance books, so more of those would’ve made this book a 5 star read.
I read this book as a digital ARC copy through NetGalley. The book is set to be released on February 6, 2024.

Thank you NetGalley and Charlotte Stein for an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

Grumpy Sunshine is one of my favorite Tropes, however, this book contained I think every trope you can think of lol! Grumpy Sunshine, Fake Dating, Close Proximity, One Bed, 3rd Act Breakup.

The MFC is a plus sized ghost writer, who is witty and fun and helps break MMC Alfie a famous Football (Soccer) player out of his super hard shell.

This book was cute. I did enjoy it, but it took me until 1/2 way through to really get into it. There was so much banter in the beginning and I didn't love following it.

The ending did put me in all of my feels and dang it I did like the ending and maybe shed a tear or two! Overall, if you are looking for a quickish, bantering romance with all the tropes, then this one is might be for you. Does include some spice.

Unfortunately for me, this book didn't come together in the ways that I hoped it would. Alfie feels modeled almost completely after Ray from Ted Lasso - it felt almost like a caricature of a person. However, I did appreciate that we got glimpses of him as to who he really was, versus his "persona." Mabel was okay, although it was confusing as to what she wanted from her career in general, or really what she wanted from her life overall. The spice level of this book is high, and there is so much of it shoved together all in the center, that it felt like overkill. However if you're interested in a fake dating, super steamy book, this one might be for you. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to provide my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the e-Arc in exchange for an honest review.

Curvy plus sized ghost writer Mabel gets assigned to do famous footballer Alfie’s memoirs but the pair doesn’t necessarily hit it off in the first meeting in fact Mabel straight up walks out. Hijinks ensue upon their second meeting that leave you laughing and smiling so hard. Once they start working together paparazzi mistake Mabel for being a new mystery woman in his life and they face a choice reveal who she really is or lean into it. Lean into they do and it gets 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

I seriously adored both characters and their banter was giving me life. Alfie gave me Roy Kent vibes and I was 100% here for it and some. I couldn’t put it down and you won’t be able to either.

I really wanted to love this book and based on the description it should have been everything I love in a grumpy/sunshine novel, but unfortunately it simply did not work for me.

I didn't think I would possible, but there was too much banter? Too much rambling thoughts and the characters' "quirkiness" felt too forced.

I felt like Alfie and Mabel's story had so much potential, but just missed the mark.

Charlotte Stein's 'When Grumpy Met Sunshine' brings to life an opposites-attract romance between the grumpy ex-footballer Alfie Harding and the vivacious ghostwriter Mabel Willicker. The novel is full of delightful blend of humor, romance, and a hint of fairytale charm. However, while it did deliver on some fronts, it fell short in others.

Mabel's character, with her sunny disposition and endearing quirks, adds a lovely contrast to Alfie's gruff and guarded demeanor. Their dynamic gradually evolves into a complex relationship. This transition from professional to personal, under the guise of a fake romance, offers moments of genuine connection and entertainment.

However, the book's pace seems uneven. The first half sparkles with humor and character development, setting high expectations. But as the story progresses, it gets bogged down by excessive dialogue and steamy scenes that, while enjoyable, do little to advance the plot. The charm of the characters' interactions gets lost in repetitiveness and prolonged conversations, reminiscent of a sitcom running too long on a single joke.

In essence, 'When Grumpy Met Sunshine' is a mix of bright spots and missed opportunities. While it succeeds in creating a world where you root for the characters, it struggles to maintain a steady narrative flow. This book is like a rollercoaster – full of ups and downs, but still an enjoyable ride for those who appreciate a good rom-com with a twist.

I could not finish this book.
That’s all I want to say about this novel because I believe authors pour their hearts and soul into novels.
Other than that I would not purchase this novel.
I’m sorry.

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

Unfortunately it was not the book for me. I tried to make it to 20% but I dnf’d at 12%. I couldn’t take it anymore. Life is too short for this torture.

Guys, IT WAS SO BAD. I was so excited when I got accepted that I actually started reading the book the next day instead of procrastinating for weeks.

When Grumpy Met Sunshine reads like a first draft. Seriously, I can’t imagine what editor read this thought it was done.

The first few chapters are so rushed I could barely figure out what was going on. Why was she mad at him? Because he called her cupcake? She was wearing a fluffy pink dress and had baked fairy cakes, which Wikipedia tells me are basically cupcakes. On what planet is that a fat joke?

This could have been a good book. I liked the concept of a cranky footballer actually being an awkward Luddite. But everything felt like it was happening at 2x speed and I was confused every other sentence.

This just goes to show that trad publishing means nothing anymore. I’ve read dozens of self published books on Kindle Unlimited in the past few months and not a single one was as poorly written as this book.

The 2.5 stars are purely because Allie, despite being such a caricature of a man, was cute and I liked him.