SO STINKING CUTE! Bex and Niko are both trying to find their path in life after major changes and who better to help than a bunch of senior citizen members of Bex's Pickleball club? There is fake dating, enemies to lovers, and tons of chemistry. I blew through this book in a day, I didn't want to put it down.

my rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Bex Martin’s racquet club is her entire world, but it’s starting to feel like a sinking ship. That is, until Niko Karras—former tennis bad-boy makes her courts his training grounds. Niko has something to prove, and Bex has something to save. Enter a high-stakes pickleball tournament, some fake dating for publicity, and a whole lot of competition and banter. Game on!

read if you like:
😏 rivals to lovers
🫶 quirky small town vibes (think book clubs, gossipy locals, and found family)
🏆 sports romance (pickleball!!!)
🤪 main characters that are messy (but in a relatable, “I’ll fix my life tomorrow” type of way)
✨ emotional depth mixed with humor (grief, career struggles, and learning to ask for help)

I’ve really enjoyed Kate Spencer’s books in the past, but adding pickleball? chef’s kiss! I’ve been in somewhat of a reading slump and this book was such a breath of fresh air—equal parts funny and heartfelt, with a cast of side characters who stole every scene (shoutout to the book club chaos). Bex’s journey felt so real—watching her stumble, rally, and finally let people in got me. and Niko? Their banter was perfection, and the slow burn? worth every page.

This is a quick and fun summer read! Fake dating is one of my favorites to read and this didn’t disappoint. This was also my first book by the author so I was sure what to expect but was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it.

All’s Fair in Love and Pickleball, a delightful romantic comedy by Kate Spencer, skillfully intertwines sports and love into a charming tale. The story follows two characters as they navigate their personal and professional lives while embracing the growing popularity of pickleball. Spencer’s humor, heart, and strong sense of competition create a captivating narrative of connection, self-discovery, and romance. The palpable chemistry between the characters and the book’s abundance of lighthearted moments ensure a smile from start to finish. However, the juxtaposition of the fun and lighthearted story with what felt to be somewhat of a slow-burn romance did make the story drag slightly at times. Still - whether you’re a pickleball enthusiast or simply seeking an enjoyable rom-com, this book offers a fun and mostly fast-paced read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this e-ARC!!

Thank you to Netgalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the e-ARC of this book.

I for real thought I wasn't going to like Niko, but man was I wrong! He's my new favorite book boyfriend. Bex and Niko are just the best. From the start, this was such a strong story and it only got better for me as it went along. Swoony Niko, and hilarious and bright Bex really are just the best. The plot of the story too really makes this story believable. I laughed, I cried, and was just genuinely so giddy reading their love story. Also, the 70 years old's were just so awesome too. Talk about making me guffaw at some points.

Ooh, this was a fun quick read! I wasn’t sure about the pickleball element, but it totally works! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I don't play pickleball but have friends that do so I am familiar with the game. The cover of this book and title had me intrigued. I enjoyed the story! It’s a quick moving story and I think the author wrote the main characters and action in a believable way. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I got to read a ARC of this book.
It has 2 of my favorite tropes enemies to lovers and fake dating.
I read alot of sport romance but this was my first pickleball/tennis read so i dont know much about the sports but i enjoyed it alot.
I really enjoyed both characters Bex and Nikos and how they had very open communication.

Ugh, this book is fantastic! Even if you know nothing about pickleball, or even tennis (like me), you’ll find so much to love. Friends/family, setting, backstory, enemies-to-lovers… all of it. It’s just awesome. Thanks to Forever for the ARC.

Loved this one!! This was such a cute sports romance. I really enjoyed the pickleball aspects of the story and thought that gave it a really fun setting. This was my first by Kate Spencer and it will not be my last!! I really enjoyed her writing style. I loved the found family dynamics of the pickleball club. The banter between Bex and Niko was so witty and delightful. Definitely check this out when it releases!

Cute. Quick read. But I didn’t feel all that connected to the characters. I’m not sure what it was. I really liked One Last Summer but this didn’t have the same added depth. I did enjoy the pickleball aspect.. I thought it was cute and something different for a change.

Bex Martin’s racquet club is her entire world. But the business she inherited from her mother has started to feel more like a sinking ship. That is, until Nikolaus Karras—a former tennis bad-boy with an ego as big as his serve—makes himself at home on her courts. Niko has something to prove, and a high-stakes pickleball tournament is just what he needs to get back in the game after a career-ending injury. When he is finally able to set his ego aside to ask for Bex’s help, everyone assumes that they are a couple—on and off the court. But she needs the prize money to save the club, and he needs a win to restore his reputation. So now they have a fake relationship as well as a doubles partner that they can’t seem to resist. Game on!

Thoughts
This was a fun and cute read. Just like how the book explains, pickleball is a fast growing sport to it was fun to have a sports rom com about it. It takes place in a fictional town of sunset springs that I think is basically Palm Springs. There was also a jab at ASU Greek life that had me chuckle. Fast and easy read with lovable main characters.

Kate Spencer is a favorite of mine. Her latest, Alls Fair in Love and Pickleball was such a fun sports romance.

I loved that it was about pickleball and had some romance bits here and there. It was a quick read and I read it in two days

Finally a romance where the main characters communicate like adults! This book was not only romantic, in a way that had me giggling and kicking my feet, but also refreshing. I never thought I'd spend my weekend not able to put down a book about Pickleball, but here I am. I can't wait to see what Kate does next, because I know it will be perfect!

Well, this was my first Kate Spencer romance and it definitely won't be my last! This was a cute, sexy rom-com that should 100% be made into a movie, pronto. I was literally casting the movie in my head as I read it.

Now, was this a groundbreaking rom-com? No. And don't go into this one expecting any kind of angst. But to me, it had just the right amount of solid plot, cute characters, and just enough spice that it came together to be just the contemporary romance I needed. Personally, I loved the fact that it takes place in a retirement city--all the adorable senior citizens had me laughing!--and I think both MCs, Niko and Bex, were well-developed and well-written. Overall, if you're looking for a sexy, summer romance, this one is perfect!

This was SUCH a cute novel. I went into this, knowing nothing about pickleball and trust me that you don’t need to to enjoy this. This was a sweet romcom with a bit of depth to it, and I loved the characters in their development throughout the book. No criticisms! Write more, Kate Spencer.

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Bex can't believe that the jerk who let the door to the hospital close in her face (while she was holding her mother's ashes) is the nephew of one of her dearest pickleball-coaching clients. Niko just wants to get his life back on track, get out of Sunset Springs, and get back to tennis. Tempers flare as these two meet in Loretta's hospital room. But is it hate-at-first-sight, or possibly something more? When these two realize their stories are similar and that they need each other, will fake-dating and lies lead to love "in the kitchen?" (pickleball reference ftw!)

After what felt like a bit of a slow start for me, I really enjoyed this book! Niko and Bex are a great grumpy/sunshine duo, and their banter was really fun to read and left a smile on my face. I definitely identified with Bex and her need to take care of others, often at the expense of herself and her needs. Because of this, it was just lovely to see the way she is cared for in the last quarter of the book by those around her. For Niko it was great to see the character's growth over the course of the novel, and really satisfying to see where he landed at the end. While I did see most of the turns and twists coming, it didn't distract or detract in any way from the story. I found the side characters charming and wished we had as much of them in the second half of the book as we did in the first.

Spice level (scale of 1-5): 4 (making out, multiple intimate scenes, discussion of kinks)

Stars: 4!

My thanks to Forever (yay Estelle!) and NetGalley for the chance to read this ARC! All opinions are solely mine.

This is my first Kate Spencer read, and it won’t be the last. I breezed through it in less than a day and found it an absolute delight from start to finish. The enemies-to-lovers chemistry (which never really felt like ENEMIES but more that they got under each other’s skin) is great, and the motivations of both MCs felt believable and relatable.

Bex is trying desperately to hold on to her beloved tennis/pickleball club and her mother’s memory two years after her passing. Niko is still devastated after an injury took him off the pro tennis circuit, so he begins training at Bex’s club while staying with his elderly Aunt Loretta. Bex and Niko develop a grudging respect for each other and soon end up as partners in a doubles pickleball tournament (which would enable Niko to regain some bragging rights against an old nemesis and provide the funds Bex needs to renovate her club). Of course, romance ensues!

I adored the couple and their journey, but just as much I loved reading about the deep friendships they have with the older people in their lives, like Aunt Loretta and a number of other pickleball devotees who, even if they’re not family, are just as close as family to Bex.

I received an ARC of this novel from NetGalley and Forever.

This was super cute & fun!

Bex & Niko were adorable and very entertaining. I liked that they were sort of dealing with the same issue, their parents, but in different ways. Their chemistry was well written and I enjoyed their dynamic.

I may also need to pick up pickleball because this book made it sound so fun. I liked that this was a different sport than hockey because it was so refreshing.

A great, charming and fun summer read. Would be a perfect beach read.