Sophie Reads YA: March 2024

March Summary

10:00

The Catch
Series: The Influencer #3
Author: Amy Lea
Published February 13th 2024 by Berkley (eARC)
Read: February 26-March 1 2024
My Rating: 4 Stars

Lovelight Farms
Series: Lovelight #1
Author: B.K. Borison
Published June 6th 2023 by Berkley
Read: March 2-3 2023
My Rating: 4 Stars

In the Weeds
Series: Lovelight #2
Author: B.K. Borison
Published April 18th 2022 by Berkley
Read: March 3 2024
My Rating: 5 Stars

Mixed Signals
Series: Lovelight #3
Author: B.K. Borison
Published August 30th 2022 by Berkley
Read: March 4-5 2024
My Rating: 5 Stars

Business Casual
Series: Lovelight #4
Author: B.K. Borison
Published July 16th 2024 by Berkley (eARC)
Read: March 6-7 2024
My Rating: 5 Stars

Enemies to Lovers
Series: None
Author: Laura Jane Williams
Published August 13th 2024 by G.P. Putnam's Sons/August 15th 2024 by Penguin (eARC)
Read: March 8-9 2024
My Rating: 4 Stars

Fangirl Down
Series: Big Shots #1
Author: Tessa Bailey
Published February 13th 2024 by Avon
Read: March 9-10 2024
My Rating: 4 Stars

Happily Never After
Series: None
Author: Lynn Painter
Published March 12th 2024 by Berkley (eARC)
Read: March 11-13 2024
My Rating: 4 Stars

Things We Never Got Over
Series: Knockemout #1
Author: Lucy Score
Published July 14th 2022 by Hodder & Stoughton (eARC)
Read: March 17 2024
My Rating: 4 Stars

Things We Hide from the Light
Series: Knockemout #2
Author: Lucy Score
Published February 21st 2023 by Hodder & Stoughton (eARC)
Read: March 18-19 2024
My Rating: 4 Stars

Things We Left Behind
Series: Knockemout #3
Author: Lucy Score
Published September 5th 2023 by Hodder & Stoughton (eARC)
Read: March 22-23 2024
My Rating: 4 Stars

The Upper Crush
Series: Foxbrooke #3
Author: Evie Alexander
Published April 17th 2024 by Emlin Press (eARC)
Read: March 23-25 2024
My Rating: 4 Stars

Until I'm Safe in Your Arms
Series: The Welwyn Marriage Wager #1
Author: Jenna Jaxon
Published May 30th 2023 by Dragonblade Publishing, Inc. (eARC)
Read: March 26-27 2023
My Rating: 3 Stars

Twisted Love
Series: Twisted #1
Author: Ana Huang
Published May 5th 2022 by Piatkus Books
Read: March 29 2023
My Rating: 4 Stars

The Baron's Halo
Series: The Welwyn Marriage Wager #2
Author: Jenna Jaxon
Published September 8th 2023 by Dragonblade Publishing, Inc. (eARC)
Read: March 30 2023
My Rating: 3 Stars

Twisted Games
Series: Twisted #2
Author: Ana Huang
Published May 5th 2022 by Piatkus Books
Read: March 30-31 2023
My Rating: 4 Stars

Summary:

I'm quite happy with this month, and I've read some amazing books!

How have you done this month? Let me know below.

March

Stacking the Shelves: March 30th 2024

10:00

4 Stars

ARC Review: When Grumpy Met Sunshine by Charlotte Stein

10:00

When Grumpy Met Sunshine
Series: None
Author: Charlotte Stein
Published February 6th 2024 by St. Martin's Griffin

Goodreads Synopsis
A steamy, opposites-attract romance with undeniable chemistry between a grumpy retired footballer and his fabulous and very sunshine-y ghostwriter.

When grumpy ex-footballer Alfie Harding gets badgered into selling his memoirs, he knows he’s never going to be able to write them. He hates revealing a single thing about himself, is allergic to most emotions, and can’t imagine doing a good job of putting pen to paper.

And so in walks curvy, cheery, cute as heck ghostwriter Mabel Willicker, who knows just how to sunshine and sass her way into getting every little detail out of Alfie. They banter and bicker their way to writing his life story, both of them sure they’ll never be anything other than at odds.

But after their business arrangement is mistaken for a budding romance, the pair have to pretend to be an item for a public who’s ravenous for more of this Cinderella story. Or at least, it feels like it’s pretend―until each slow burn step in their fake relationship sparks a heat neither can control. Now they just have to is this sizzling chemistry just for show? Or something so real it might just give them their fairytale ending?
Goodreads

Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

In When Grumpy Met Sunshine, the lovely ghostwriter Mabel Willicker has just met her match in super negative footballer Alfie Harding. When his agent tells him he needs to write a tell-all memoir, Alfie is adamant he will not do it. Every ghostwriter who has been sent to him has run away with their tails between their legs, but Mabel is made of harder stuff. Yes, she may be sweet, and like a permanent ray of sunshine, but she knows just how to get under Alfie's skin, and isn't about to give up on him. But Alfie is more than just his grumpy persona, and if anyone can discover the real man, it's Mabel.

I just loved this book! Like just about everyone, I adore the grumpy/sunshine trope, and Alfie and Mabel embodied that perfectly! Alfie was a retired footballer, who had been at the top of his game, but with a reputation for being a hothead, both on and off the pitch. He's a private man, so the idea of telling his story, in all its gory detail, is horrific. Because of this, he's brash and abrasive when he meets Mabel, but she knows that working with Alfie, as hard as it'll be, will be her big shot. Mabel wants more than to be a ghostwriter, but until she makes her break, this is the perfect job for her. Somehow, she can bring out the best in Alfie, and though they have to pretend to be a couple, they form a true friendship first. It was great to see that Alfie was a softy at heart, and he fell for Mabel, hard. A truly great book!

Dates Read:
December 11-12, 2023

Rating
4 Stars