A pickleball romance made my ears perk up, being that I’ve only seen one other one based on that concept. I enjoyed main character Bex as she was easy to root for and had a fun personality. The only thing was that I could not get into Nico until his grand gesture at the end. It made reading a lot of the romance scenes a bit dull for me, unfortunately. I also did not like this dumb mistake Bex makes towards the end of the book that I thought was out of character.

Thanks as always to NetGalley for the ARC.

An incredibly fun read, who knew Pickleball could be hot?

There were so many great moments and people in this book, I especially loved the cast of older characters. There is something to be said for getting older and just stopping giving a f*ck about what people think. The main characters also were fantastic, they had some great chemistry and there was a lot of witty banter that made me giggle.

I wasn't expecting from the cover to have as much grief is included about Bex and the loss of her mother. I do think that seeing her healing journey was lovely though, and the dichotomy of her sunshine character with the grumpiness of Niko is well done.

I think my one critique is that they stared to be a bit wishy-washy in their relationship towards the end of the book. It felt a bit like Bex was just looking for a reason to put distance between them, but it wasn't fleshed out. No matter what though, I read this book in about 34 hrs so obviously I had a great time.
Read if you love:
grumpy x sunshine
fake dating PR stunt
Pickleball princess x Tennis prince
Is he a 10 or is he just the only man in the area under 60?

This is the pickleball version of "The Cutting Edge," and I loved it! Former tennis star and struggling business woman fall in love mixed in with a little bit of pickleball? Yes please! Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for a copy of this book for an honest review.

I just finished *All's Fair in Love and Pickleball* by Kate Spencer, and I absolutely loved it! Spencer has officially become a must-read author for me—I know when I pick up one of her books, I’m in for something witty, warm, and full of heart.

This story was such a delight from beginning to end. I’m a huge fan of the enemies-to-lovers trope, and this one delivered all the slow-burn tension and emotional payoff I could’ve hoped for. Niko was a layered, frustrating, and incredibly lovable character. I found myself mad at him more than once, but I also deeply wanted things to work out for him. He felt real and flawed, and that made his growth even more satisfying.

Bex was just as compelling—strong, funny, and easy to root for. I especially loved watching her find her confidence again after some personal and professional setbacks. The dynamic between her and the quirky, tight-knit pickleball club members added such a cozy, community vibe to the book. It was heartwarming to see how they became her chosen family and helped her heal in unexpected ways.

I’ve found myself gravitating toward sports romances lately, and this one hit the sweet spot. It had just enough action on the court to make it fun and dynamic, but the real game was all the emotional back-and-forth between the characters. The humor, the banter, the tension—it was all pitch-perfect.

This book had me smiling, swooning, and even tearing up a little. It’s the kind of story that stays with you long after you’ve finished the last page. If you’re looking for a charming, feel-good romance with heart, humor, and just the right amount of spice, *All’s Fair in Love and Pickleball* is a must-read. It’s the perfect beach read—or anytime read, really!

Unlike every other millennial, I knew nothing about pickleball. The tournament was a great development to help save the club. The best part of this story is the cozy, sweet and romantic story. I love/hated how fast I read this because I had such a great time but am sad now it's over.

Another breezy and fun romcom from Kate Spencer! Bex is in hot water as the racquet club she inherited from her late mother is in dire need of some TLC. Bex does not have the coin for it. Enter Niko, the nephew of one of her beloved club members, and a former tennis star whose career derailed after an injury. He's grumpy and meticulous to her sunshiney brightness (and her literal bright fashion sense). He also despises pickleball, of which Bex is a goddess at. But,Bex needs money, and Niko needs image rehab so he convinces her to enter a pickleball competition that has prize money that could save the club. This was a fun read, and perfect for summer. Thank you Forever, NetGalley, and the author for the ARC for my honest review.

Wasn’t sure about a story centering on pickleball…but it was great!! Kate Spencer delivers a sweet story with a lot of heart. Really enjoyed this ine’

Adding pickleball to my list of sports represented in romance (and yes, I think it’s a sport!). Wow I ate this up. Niko and Bex are both grieving, both coming to terms that they are struggling with where they are in life. Their connection is immediate — Niko DEFINITELY fell first. She was literally the color in his sea of boring white.

“We’re shockingly oppositional, but there’s also something about us that fits together. Perhaps I could add a little bit of color to him. Maybe he could help me stay in the lines.”

I loved the Tennis Prince and Pickleball Princess!

If you love found family, fake dating with real partnership, and two people growing together and not trying to fix each other’s lives, this is for you. I know I’ll be picking up a copy when it publishes for that cover alone.

Thanks to netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7460431659

I love Kate Spencer and I wanted to love this book. Unfortunately I could only give it 3 stars. I loved Bex and I loved Niko, but the book itself dragged for me. The spicy scenes were great, I just really couldn’t connect and find momentum with the plot. I’ll still read anything Kate puts out, but this was my least favorite so far.

Oh man. I loved this book.

The banter. The innuendos. The chemistry. The characters. Even the pickleball, which I knew nothing about before going into this book, but now am mildly intrigued by. This will be one I turn to again, and will definitely be one of my top recommended for the year.

Kate Spencer’s writing is always fun. Even with heavy topics like grief and burnout, they don’t feel exploitive or out of place. She has this ability to gracefully handle difficult topics in a way that feels natural but doesn’t weigh you down as the reader. Bex is messy and chaotic in all of the best ways, and she doesn’t know how to ask for help. Then there’s Niko who is brooding and frustrating, but so deeply lovable once you crack his exterior. Every book I just fall in love with her protagonists and side characters. As someone who spent a lot of time with her grandmother and the residents of her retirement home, I’m always going to love a book that shoves some twenty or thirty somethings in with sexta- and septuagenarians.

It snapped me out of my reading slump, and I’m so glad. I can’t wait to reread it.

Thank you to Forever Grand Central Publishing for the ARC!

All’s Fair in Love and Pickleball
By Kate Spencer

All’s Fair in Love and Pickleball is the perfect summer rom-com — charming, funny, and full of heart!
Bex is doing everything she can to hold together her family’s crumbling racquet club after the passing of her mother. She’s coaching, paying bills, and keeping the place afloat single-handedly. Enter Niko: a grumpy former tennis star trying to make a comeback. Their worlds collide after a pickleball accident sends Niko’s aunt to the hospital, where Bex just happens to be her coach.

Bex and Niko are total opposites: she’s bold, colorful, and all about pickleball; he’s buttoned-up, brooding, and strictly tennis. But when an opportunity arises to revamp Niko’s image and win a serious cash prize in the Paddle Battle tournament, hosted by a rival club, the two agree to fake their way to victory.

I give All’s Fair in Love and Pickleball 4 out of 5 stars. I adored the witty banter, the opposites-attract chemistry, and the delightful pickleball puns peppered throughout. It’s a breezy, feel-good read that hits all the right notes.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever Publishing for the opportunity to read All’s Fair in Love and Pickleball.

This was such a fun read! Bex and Niko were cute, funny, and great characters. I loved the setting of a racquet club and the high stakes pickleball tournament! This is a great summer read!

Thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for the ARC.

I honestly did not know much at all about pickleball before this but this was a cute little book! Can't say I would want to play it myself lol but not the point. Niko was such a lovable broody/grumpy MMC and I found myself invested in he and Bex's budding romance. The banter and tension were done well and helped keep me interested in how things played out with them. There are themes of trauma and grief so definitely check out the content warnings before going in if you are easily triggered by certain situations (specifically regarding the big C)
The older folks at the club were such a funny and quirky part of the story and I loved them.

Kate Spencer delivers a fun, emotionally rich romance with just the right mix of humor and heart. Bex and Niko, with their contrasting personalities, make a compelling pair whose connection feels genuine and real. Their relationship develops quickly, but it still works thanks to strong emotional beats and chemistry.

The writing is engaging, with open-door romance scenes that suit the tone, though readers should be aware if they prefer a tamer approach.

A charming, heartfelt read that’s as much about healing as it is about love, and also pickleball! A good summer read!

I adored this book! Niko and Bex are such a great pairing. I loved their banter and chemistry as well as their ability to work as partners both on and off the pickleball court. The side characters are also fantastic. Maybe my favorite Kate Spencer book yet! Will definitely recommend this to friends and followers!

All’s Fair in Love and Pickleball
4.25 ⭐️

I might need to learn pickleball after reading this cute book!

Bex is running the Pickeball Club her mother left her and struggling to keep it afloat. She’s forced to team up with a cocky tenis player and enter a pickleball tournament for the prize money.

These two were so fun and I loved the banter in this book. Niko was sooooo good! And of course the peripheral older characters had me cackling.

Thanks to @netgalley for this arc!

This was such a cute, sweet read!! Definitely one to add to your TBR.

From the first line of chapter 1 I was drawn in - wanting to know more about Bex and also the mysterious, rude man who she encountered at the hospital. That broody man turns out to be none other than a famous tennis player who is staying to help his aunt after an injury sustained at Bex's racquet club. Niko trains at the club and he and Bex dance around their attraction to one another while Niko attempts to learn pickleball and Bex tries to save the failing club. The tension is delicious and the whole book feels so cozy like a warm hug.

Thank you Forever for the advanced reader copy!

Cute, quick, and fun with the pickleball aspect (which I love to play!). I didn't feel super connected to our main characters, but that was fine overall. I was reading this ARC more for a easy, romance palate cleanser. The pickleball parts were fun to read, Bex was not exactly my favorite FMC, but she worked so well with Niko, even though they were totally opposite personality types.

Thank you toForever and NetGalley for the eARC!

This was such a charming book! I definitely recommend this to your summer romance reading list!

I was a little skeptical going in just based on the title, however, I really loved the characters and the quirky community of Sunset Springs Racquet Club. Bex and Niko are such opposite personalities, but it worked. I would have liked to delve into Niko's past a bit more to understand why he makes the choices he makes, but overall enjoyed his story arc. It was a little bit insta-love-y, but it was still cute. Loved Bex's found family, and I thought the author handled the theme of grief and trauma quite well.

Romance scenes were open door, so be aware if you prefer not to read that type of scene!

4 stars -- take this one to the beach this summer!

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the ARC! This title will be out June 3, 2025.

Fake dating and enemies to lovers are two of my favorite tropes. This book checks both boxes. I would consider this book to be a steamy romance. I loved the pickle ball and injured athlete storyline. Very quick read.