G. Bianco, 2019
In case you can’t quite tell from the title, When Grumpy Met Sunshine by Charlotte Stein is new UK-set grumpy x sunshine romance! However, what I thought was going to be an opposites attract romance slowly turned into something different. 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 decide: is this sizzling chemistry just for show? Or something so real it might just give them their fairytale ending? I feel deceived by the summary of this book. Not in that it’s inaccurate, but that I was so excited for this book and had such high hopes for a cute romcom and instead I started reading a book I was thoroughly confused by… Ok so these two people who are supposed to be a ex-professional soccer player and a prolific ghost writer are having a conversation that’s giving off the same energy as two socially awkward chimpanzees interacting for the first time...? And somehow cleaning someone’s eyes of the pepper spray that you sprayed them with is erotic??? Color me confused! Additionally, the flow of this novel felt very disjointed. For example, some chapters were just 3-4 pages of Mabel’s thoughts during a 30 seconds moment and then the next sentence was like “and then we ate dinner for 3 hours and went home.” Why there were inconsequential moments being stretched out and major plot points being glossed over is beyond me and it made the flow of this novel very bizarre. Aside from all of that, there were a few steamy scenes that I enjoyed and the last chapter/ending was kind of satisfying? But it just took so long to get to any good parts (no joke: I got to a fake dating trope at the 50% mark of this ebook) that I almost gave up on this book a few times. I’m not sure I’d necessarily recommend this book to anyone, but you’re welcome to read this book if it strikes your fancy! *I received an ARC from St. Martin’s Press in exchange for my honest opinion.
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AuthorHi! My name is Elisa and my bookshelf is quite literally overflowing! Join me in my journey of reading as many books as humanly possible! Archives
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