Review: Cleat Cute by Meryl Wilsner
Thank you St, Martin’s Press (St. Martin’s Griffith) for my advanced copy! All thoughts are my own!
Meryl Wilsner’s books have always been favorites of the book-ternet when they come out so I was so excited to read Cleat Cute. I also am a sports lover and I am particularly fascinated when it comes to things like national teams, so I was pumped for this premise. And on a vain note, I rarely see my name in books! So that was a cool element for sure.
In a shocking twist, I loved everything about this book except the romance. Something felt off for me in the chemistry, which is usually what shines for me in a WIlsner novel. I still really enjoyed it, but it’s not a new favorite.
Synopsis:
“Grace Henderson has been a star of the US Women’s National Team for ten years, even though she’s only 26. But when she’s sidelined with an injury, a bold new upstart, Phoebe Matthews, takes her spot. 22-year-old Phoebe is everything Grace isn’t—a gregarious jokester who plays with a joy that Grace lost somewhere along the way. The last thing Grace expects is to become teammates with benefits with this class clown she sees as her rival.
Phoebe Matthews is too focused on her first season as a professional soccer player to think about seducing her longtime idol. But when Grace ends up making the first move, they can’t keep their hands off of each other.
As the World Cup approaches and Grace works her way back from injury, a miscommunication leaves the women with hilariously different perspectives on their relationship. But they’re on the same page on the field, realizing they can play together instead of vying for the same position. With every tackle the tension between them grows, and both players soon have to decide what's more important—being together or making the roster.” —StoryGraph
What I Liked:
The Soccer Premise—I am a huge fan of sports and have always had a fascination with the World Cup/Olympic process so I was really into the soccer parts of the book! I loved the team dynamics and the stakes of the relationship.
The ADHD Representation—I’m always happy to see mental health discussed in such a raw, healthy way. I thought the reactions all made sense and were something I could relate to.
Setting—I haven’t read a lot of books set in New Orleans! I really liked seeing it through Phoebe’s eyes as a fresh transplant to the area and Grace’s seasoned years there.
What Didn’t Work:
Audio Narrators Miscast—This is very specific, but I really thought the narrators for each character should have been switched. Sadly, the performances took away from the story for me!
Lack of Chemistry—I didn’t really feel like there was a lot of chemistry between the characters and there wasn’t enough build up in my opinion, so when they got together for the first time it didn’t feel like we were anticipating it enough.
Character Authenticity: 4/5 Spice Rating: 3/5 Overall Rating: 3.5/5
Content Warnings:
athletic injury, mental illness, ableism