This grumpy sunshine romance is banter filled and fun but just didn’t hit home for me. The writing style just wasn’t my jam and I struggled with the FMC. While the book wasn’t my favorite the audio was well done!

I’m interested to read Stein’s other work because many of my friends are fans, but this one was not for me personally. A bit too reliant on the grumpy sunshine trope for my taste. I did enjoy the audiobook narrator.

i loved this!! grumpy x sunshine is one of my very favorite romance tropes and this book really delivered! highly recommend!

I devoured this book in one sitting. It has all of things I want in a book: a great plot, well rounded characters, spice and lots of romance, and a happily ever after. I am a sucker for a plus sized female character getting all of the wonderful things she deserves and this book delivered. Our fmc Mabel is a shy and completely relatable woman. She likes writing, good food, comfy clothes, and is a romantic. Our grumpy mmc Alfie is an ex soccer player who seems to be in a perpetually bad mood, but gets talked into writing a memoir. Since he doesn't quite know how to do it on his own, he gets paired up with a ghostwriter, which is our bubbly Mabel. As they begin to work together there is a classic case "mistaken as a couple" from the media. They agree to keep up the charade while working on Alfie's book. The more time that the spend together, the more both of them start to feel more romantic feelings towards one another. There is a misunderstanding and the two are at odds and inevitably torn apart, but fear not because as I mentioned, there is an HEA for these two in the end. This was my first book from Charlotte Stein, and i was not disappointed. I look forward to more from her, possibly even more set in the world as When Grumpy Met Sunshine.

When Grumpy Met Sunshine by Charlotte Stein was unfortunately not for me. I was hoping for more depth in the typical grumpy meets sunshine trope. This felt very predictable.

This one has all the feels. Grumpy ex-footballer Alfie Harding is badgered into writing his memoir. He hates revealing anything personal about his life and so he is not going to be able to write it himself so the publisher hires ghostwriter Mabel Willicker to help. Their initial meeting does not go as planned and he practically dismisses her. When he finally gets his head out of his arse he starts showing up where she is and they do start working together. This backfires on them and goes viral as showing them involved so they institute a "fake" relationship. What starts out as fake does not stay that way very long. Oh, this one was fun!

This was an okay story. I’m all for body positivity, but I felt like she was harping on the fact that she’s a big girl. It was alright.

I’m always drawn to a book about books (writers, agents, readers) but this one was not for me. I couldn’t get into the couple and the story bored me.

The narrator wasn’t bad though.

Such a fun take on a grumpy/sunshine read. I loved the characters and banter throughout. The narrator really brought their voices to life.

"When Grumpy Met Sunshine" by Charlotte Stein is a delightful romantic comedy that masterfully juxtaposes two contrasting personalities: a moody, introverted hero and an exuberant, sunny heroine. Stein’s sharp, witty writing brings both characters to life, making their banter and chemistry incredibly engaging. The narrative is infused with humor and heart, exploring themes of vulnerability and acceptance as the characters navigate their differences. Stein captures the essence of opposites attracting beautifully, resulting in a story that's both playful and poignant. Perfect for readers looking for a lighthearted romance with depth, this book is sure to leave you smiling!

I'm in the middle on this one. I was a fun romcom - and I love a good grumpy cinnamon roll story - but It fell flat in some parts and then the ending was a bit abrupt.

DNF

I picked up When Grumpy Met Sunshine because of the adorable cover and my favorite trope - grumpy/sunshine. I think this book could be enjoyable for someone who loves very silly, quick writing. If you like slapstick comedy like people poorly reading from cue cards while on a phone call, or hiding behind potted plants, or accidentally referring to a plus sized woman as a "cupcake", then this might be the book for you! It might have been for me if the writing style was a little different. The first four chapters felt like I was stuck in the main character's head, swimming in her thoughts and reactions, as opposed to living in the scene or watching it play out like a movie. I would have liked it to be slowed down a bit, with less inner thinking and more action and dialogue.

I loved the narrator, and thought she might actually help me to enjoy the book, although I found the writing to be choppy. But unfortunately, as entertaining as she was to listen to, I could not engage with the material.

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.

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.

This fun fake dating trope was an easy and delightful read for me. This does have the miscommunication trope. For me this isn't a negative - but it can be for many. I genuinely enjoyed this book!

3.5⭐️ When a retired footballer meets up with a ghostwriter to write his book, media gets a hold of the pairing and a fake relationship ensues.

I listened to the audiobook format and love that the narration had fun dialogue and banter, and British accents.


WHAT TO EXPECT
-grumpy x sunshine
-sports romance
-one bed
-a light read
-fake relationship
❌miscommunication trope (not my fave)

*many thanks to St Martin’s Press/Macmillan audio and Netgalley for the gifted copy for review.

When Grumpy Met Sunshine by Charlotte Stein
3/5 Stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️

•••Spoiler free review below•••

A bit of a meh read for me with characters and interactions. There is a lot of miscommunication which is not my favorite but I did enjoy Mable and the idea of her being a ghostwriter. Both characters’ awkwardness transferred well to the page and if you LOVE the grumpiest of grumpy characters, this one may be for you!

Read this book if you like:
-grumpy x sunshine
-pro-footballer x writer
-humor filled situations

When Grumpy Met Sunshine is out now! Special thanks to Macmillan Audio for sharing a free copy with me in exchange for my honest opinions.

<a href="https://www.instagram.com/cassykaybooks/">Review on Instagram</a>

I lovced this book, the dialogue and banter was EXCELLENT. it was great steamy love scenes, and I liked the characters surrounding the lead characters.

Retired footballer, Alfie, wants to write a book and is paired up with Mabel to ghostwrite it. Of course shenanigans ensue when the press believe they are dating.

And then every trope comes into play, grumpy/sunshine, forced proximity, he falls first, fake dating, I'm sure I'm forgetting some now🤣

It's funny, light and the audiobook has the endearing British accents 😍

Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin Press for the listen!

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. I really enjoyed this and will be getting copies for my shop.