ARC Review: When Grumpy Met Sunshine by Charlotte Stein
10:00
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
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