dnf at 10%. i really wanted to like this one but i just don't think i will, and don't want to struggle through 336 pages of it. i feel like i'm reading nonsense. it comes off really confusing and all over the place. they also feel oddly comfortable with eachother after just meeting? i think some people will like this just not me.

Plus-sized, real women characters always get my vote ! Fun, quick read that kept me chuckling from start to finish ! Thank you for the opportunity to read prior to publication !

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Mabel is going to have her hands full with her next client. She is to write a biography about a man who does not like to share information. The more time they spend together, the more time her crush on him deepens. This was a quick read.

I could not put it down. These two are a hot, hilarious mess. It's shocking that they were in their 30's and not teens by some of the ridiculous immature behavior and misunderstanding, but it made it a great story.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

It was such a fun read! I really enjoyed the dialogue between the main characters and the spicy scenes were HOT.

I liked this one! I thought the romance was pretty cute but the narration wasn't my cup of tea so I struggled to get into it at first.

This book was a miss for me. I love some good banter, but this got really repetitive, and while I think the FMC was supposed to be the “sunshine” I really didn’t get that sunny feeling from her.
Overall it was a struggle to read, which is unfortunate. The premise was really interesting.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.

When Grumpy Met Sunshine, by Charlotte Stein, pairs a grumpy ex-football player together with a friendly ghostwriter in what seems to be a no-win situation. Can they work out, or learn to work with their differences? It's easy to keep turning the pages of this novel to find out. Thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC ebook of this one.

When Mabel is hired to ghost write a memoir for grumpy football player, Alfie, she struggles to help him reconcile his actual past with the persona that is expected of him. The two end up in a fake dating scheme and now they have that to navigate on top of the memoir writing. Alfie and Mabel must work through how to accept genuine affection from each other as they have never truly received it before.

Alfie gave my Roy from Ted Lasso vibes and I enjoyed the Mabel/Alfie banter!

Overall a fun read but I had a hard time tracking some of the earlier storyline as the story progressed. Would have liked more from his perspective, but overall enjoyed and was very spicy!

The best part of this book is that both main characters are very funny, the rest wasn’t very believable. I had so many ‘why’s’ and had to read the beginning a few times thinking I had missed something about how the guy fell so quickly and for no apparent reason. It just didn’t make sense… but I did laugh a lot, could also be because I’m European and miss home and the type of conversations and thought process the characters had.

Mabel an optimistic, cute,curvy,sassy ghostwriter is tasked with helping “the” Alfie Harding a grouchy, unemotional,hot as ever ex footballer write his memoir. Getting life details out of Alfie turns into hilarious, steamy,emotional banter and sometimes squabbling!

Once the paparazzi catch on, they stumble into a pretend romance that has the makings for sizzling chemistry. Can this be real for such different people?

Mabel continues to doubt her worth, lovable nature and sexiness, while Alfie struggles with opening up to the possibility of a true friendship. True to reality the horrible, evil, judgmental opinions unhappy people have behind the shield of a computer screen is a big topic. The author does a good job showing the effect bullying has on the person being maligned. Will they take the ugliness to heart? Or will they choose to see and accept the good in each other?

Great characters and fun situations will definitely make the reader root for a happy finale.

Thanks @stmartinspress
#WhenGrumpyMetSunshine #CharlotteStein #SMPRomance

I received a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions in this review are my own.

I have to say I am loving all the new books coming out that feature plus size MC’s who don’t HATE their bodies. Yes they may have insecurities (doesn’t everyone) but I have read so many plus size romances where the whole story is spent criticizing the mc and her weight with really fatphobic things. One thing I loved about this story was how from the start Alfie was head over heels for Mabel. Also wow wow wow the dirty talk had me on the floor. Specifically the morning after the bed scene ifykyk….. The only thing I didn’t care for was how the book started, I felt as if we were thrown in and getting us informed on the main plot was really rushed. Otherwise I did enjoy the storyline!!

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in return for my honest opinion.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC. This is my honest review.

The fake dating trope sometimes hits wrong for me, often the reasons for it seem flimsy, contrived or rather selfish. But the reason that Alfie initially gives for why they needed to fake date? So sweet. I nearly melted for this poor exasperated grumpy dummy of hero right then.

As a Canadian, I loved all the talk between the main characters about snogging and wanking. Nobody ever uses those terms here and, maybe I'm a weirdo, but I think both terms are adorable. Anyway, all the scenes with snogging and wanking, dirty talk, and more that happened on page were stellar too. This was a slow burn that turned explosive.

The two main characters were very clearly perfect for each other. I hope the author releases bonus scenes later so we get to bask for a little longer in Alfie and Mabel's HEA.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I enjoyed this book. I love plus sized main characters. This book had a lot of banter but I am all for it.

🩵💜 When Grumpy Met Sunshine ARC Review 💜🩵

Thank you so much to Charlotte Stein, St Martin’s Press and netGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book!

When Grumpy Met Sunshine is a standalone contemporary RomCom. Mabel has been hired to ghost write the autobiography of a notoriously surly ex-footballer and actor. Alfie Harding is rich, famous and has a reputation for being a bad influence. But what happens when Mabel realizes that there might be more to Alfie than she originally expected??

This book was such a cute read! I loved Mabel’s spunky personality. She was such a fun character who was so perfect for Alfie. And Alfie - secret cinnamon roll! I loved him so much! This was a super cute fake dating story. My only speed bump with this book was the general lack of communication between them…but miscommunication tropes aren’t usually my jam, so that’s absolutely a “me” issue and not a book issue.

Tropes aside, this was an enjoyable read with engaging characters. Overall a four star read for me. While this book is mostly a lighthearted RomCom, it does touch on some heavier topics, so please check the trigger warnings if you’re sensitive. This book was a smidge of a slow burn, but once it got there it had plenty of smut - so overall three flames for spice

If you’re a fan of contemporary romance with grumpy sunshine, fake dating, “he falls first”and “only one bed”, then absolutely pick this one up!

Please note: review will be posted on Amazon upon publication

Grumpy/sunshine is my favorite romance trope so I was very excited to receive an arc of WHEN GRUMPY MET SUNSHINE, but unfortunately I was left disappointed.

I loved the premise of the female MC being a ghostwrite for the grumpy retired football player, but the dialogue proved to be repetitive. And the banter. I love banter, but there is such things as too much.

Even though this wasn’t a win for me, I thank Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

Brilliant Writing!!!!

An absolutely Brilliant fake dating romance!

This book was so good!

Storytelling at its Best! This book has it all! Romance, humor and heat! Character development was excellent!

Mabel and Alfie are perfect together! What a journey they take us on!

I gave this book 5 stars! I could not turn the pages fast enough!

This book kept me engaged the entire time! Loved it!

No spoilers with my review!

Well done Charlotte Stein!

This is one of my favorite tropes and for it to be a one star breaks my book nerd heart.

The biggest reason for this one star is the writing. Can a book be too wordy? Too descriptive? Because that what I felt. It just felt like word vomit but without any point. The characters banter but there’s just too much of it and it doesn’t move the plot forward.

I speed read even though I wanted to DNF because my body won’t let me not finish a book I’ve started.

Thank you to Netgally for sending me a digital copy

This was a cute story but the beginning was kinda confusing and dragged a bit.

I hate to say that I lost interest part of the way through it.