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3.77 AVERAGE
3.77 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
hopeful
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
challenging
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
i LOVED the beginning of the book
then it kinda fell a bit flat for me and i wasn’t super into it anymore
i figured out that it was because its not what i expected this book to be
— a heartwarming sapphic romance book that’s actually a super realistic love story about 2 neurodivergent women, which naturally accompanies misunderstandings —
after i changed my expectations from escapism novel to real world obstacles, i fell in love with it again
Grace and I understand each other on a different level and Phoebe is just everything
then it kinda fell a bit flat for me and i wasn’t super into it anymore
i figured out that it was because its not what i expected this book to be
— a heartwarming sapphic romance book that’s actually a super realistic love story about 2 neurodivergent women, which naturally accompanies misunderstandings —
after i changed my expectations from escapism novel to real world obstacles, i fell in love with it again
Grace and I understand each other on a different level and Phoebe is just everything
ADHD rep was on point. The autism rep felt inauthentic and forced. Sports stories aren't usually my jam, I read this one for the neurodivergent pairing.
⚽️Cleat Cute by Meryl Wilsner⚽️
📖💖 Okay, let’s talk about this book because WOW, this book had me grinning, giggling, and clutching my heart. Thank you so much to @becsbookshelf_ for the book bestie recommendation, you nailed it girl!
🌈⚽️ Cleat Cute by Meryl Wilsner is the sapphic soccer romance I didn’t know I needed in my life! This gorgeous book is a smart, swoony, and heartfelt romance that captures both the intensity of elite women’s soccer and the tenderness of falling in love when you least expect it.
What I loved most is how the book digs into identity and vulnerability. Grace struggles with pressure and the fear of being left behind, while Phoebe shines so brightly it’s impossible not to love her. Together, they balance each other out in ways that feel both real and inspiring.
If you’re looking for:
✨ Sapphic rivals-to-lovers goodness
✨ A fun but meaningful sports backdrop
✨ Chemistry that practically sizzles off the page
✨ Sapphic rivals-to-lovers goodness
✨ A fun but meaningful sports backdrop
✨ Chemistry that practically sizzles off the page
…then this one needs to be on your TBR!
If you love messy, complex women learning to open their hearts, this one will absolutely win you over 🌈⚽️ loved!
#cleatcute #merylwilsner #bookreview #aussiebookstagrammer #books #fiction #bookstagram #romcomreads #sapphicromance #sportsromance
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this arc!
CLEAT CUTE is a sapphic dual POV romance centered around 2 soccer players on the same AWSA team. I've read one of Meryl Wilsner's earlier works and I thought it was okay, but this book has gotten a lot of buzz so I was pretty excited and curious to read this one.
If you like miscommunication in romance, this book is for you. While I loved both Phoebe and Grace and their dynamic, the miscommunication between the two of them on their relationship with each other became a little exhausting towards the end. However, their personalities were a lot of fun and they definitely felt fleshed out with real emotion! I was rooting for them the entire time, but often times I wanted to shake one or the other or both and say "just talk it out!!!" But then again, it wouldn't be a miscommunication romance without those times.
I do think that if you love sports romance, this is a really unique and fun one to read. I don't know ANYTHING about soccer but I was able to follow along easily. I think if you are a fan of Everything for You by Chloe Liese or The Long Game by Elena Armas, you'll enjoy this one!
CLEAT CUTE is a sapphic dual POV romance centered around 2 soccer players on the same AWSA team. I've read one of Meryl Wilsner's earlier works and I thought it was okay, but this book has gotten a lot of buzz so I was pretty excited and curious to read this one.
If you like miscommunication in romance, this book is for you. While I loved both Phoebe and Grace and their dynamic, the miscommunication between the two of them on their relationship with each other became a little exhausting towards the end. However, their personalities were a lot of fun and they definitely felt fleshed out with real emotion! I was rooting for them the entire time, but often times I wanted to shake one or the other or both and say "just talk it out!!!" But then again, it wouldn't be a miscommunication romance without those times.
I do think that if you love sports romance, this is a really unique and fun one to read. I don't know ANYTHING about soccer but I was able to follow along easily. I think if you are a fan of Everything for You by Chloe Liese or The Long Game by Elena Armas, you'll enjoy this one!
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No