Until It Was Love

Copper Valley Pounders Rugby #1

by Pippa Grant

There are a million reasons why I shouldn’t date Fletcher Huxley.

He’s a growly-faced, stubborn-streaked, international rugby legend trying to revive his flailing career in the US after being canned by his team overseas.

While he might have the good kind of thunder thighs, intriguing tattoos, and a booty of steel, he also holds the top position on my very short nemesis list thanks to what happened the first time we met.

Plus, his mustache is as terrible as the reason he’s picked me to be the woman he wants to date.

But he has one big checkmark in the why this date is a good idea he’s my brother’s new teammate.

They already hate each other.

And my brother has made an unfortunate habit of interfering with my love life recently.

So a revenge date with Fletcher to make my brother mad? While letting Fletcher think this date is merely for the good of the team?

Yep.

I’m in.

I’m moving to London for work in a month. And it’s just one date. What could possibly go wrong?

Until It Was Love is a banter-tastic romcom featuring an overgrown snack of a man with a soft spot for his purse dog, a normally optimistic life coach trying to live her best life, a mustache catastrophe, and one little tiny fainting spell. It stands alone and comes complete with a swoony happily ever after that will leave your heart in a happy puddle of joy.

Genres: Romance, Sports Romance, Sports, Enemies To Lovers, Contemporary, Fake Dating, Rom Com

384 pages, ebook

First published April 11, 2024

About the author

Pippa Grant wanted to write books, so she did.

Before she became a USA Today and #1 Amazon bestselling romantic comedy author, she was a young military spouse who got into writing as self-therapy. That happened around the time she discovered reading romance novels, and the two eventually merged into a career. Today, she has more than 30 knee-slapping Pippa Grant titles and nine published under the name Jamie Farrell.

When she’s not writing romantic comedies, she’s fumbling through being a mom, wife, and mountain woman, and sometimes tries to find hobbies. Her crowning achievement? Having impeccable timing for telling stories that will make people snort beverages out of their noses. Consider yourself warned.

Reviews

[Keila (speedreadstagram) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Hambright PR @Hambright_PR and the author @Pippa.Grant for a copy of this one!

Goldie shouldn’t date Fletcher. He’s grumpy, stubborn, and her brother, his teammate hates him. After being let go from his European Rugby team he’s relocated to the states to try to get rugby to take off.

When he passes out at a blood drive, he lands right on top of Goldie.

Despite her better judgement, Goldie can’t pass up the opportunity to put her meddling brother in his place, so they pretend to date.

But…pretend is only so good.


This book was a lot of fun! I’d never read a rugby romance before, and I was in for a treat! I loved Fletcher, he was such a fun character to get to know. I love when characters with gruff exteriors have a good reason for them, and I think his was. I also loved Goldie! Such a strong FMC!!! This book made me laugh out loud at multiple times, and it was also relatable in ways. I thought it was so funny Goldie would buy these huge cookies but only eat half than freeze the other, but never eat them because they’re better fresh 😂 It was too funny. As the story unfolded I laughed so much, and just really enjoyed this one.

[glavreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

hear me out: this was giving ted lasso x roy kent in the best way

she’s this sunshine-y, life coach and he is her brother’s very grumpy teammate who kind of feels like a has-been. when she has to face her ex at wedding, she begs said teammate to come along and the fake dating is just too good of a media opportunity to pass up.

this was grumpy x sunshine done SO well, like mariana zapata-type stuff and i ate it up. the way they could read each other so well and the little gestures and acts of service were just SO GOOOOOOD.

[AReadsBooks]

Unrated DNF

Nope. Just nope. I thought that this would be a fun little romcom but barely 2 pages in and they have already mentioned the race of three characters. I Don’t Care. I don’t care what color they are and if the race is important to the storyline they need to find a better way to mention it not just “a 72 year old black woman or a white guy” okay? Why is that important?
Anyways I have decided to not proceed with this cuz something about does not vibe with me. If you like/liked this that’s totally cool it’s just not for me.
Okay…bye

[Chris ˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ · Rating 1 out of 5]

Alright, I’m gonna call it. Time of death: 7%.

1. For some reason I couldn’t connect with the main characters. At all!

2. Why is this author mentioning everyone’s race every two seconds? You can point out other people’s race by describing some characteristics or something. You don’t have to say black woman or white guy all the freaking time! 😅

3. Goldie? It’s a ridiculous name. If you disagree, your name must be Goldie. There is no other possible explanation for liking it.

✨Bye✨

[jada · Rating 3 out of 5]

not really sure how i feel about this. like it was so Pippa Grant but…. idk.

i didn’t really like Fletcher for nearly the whole book and i couldn’t see or feel a connection between the two. they didn’t really know each other or get to know each other to go from strangers to in love in less than a month for me 🤷🏽‍♀️ i could buy them maybe being good friends but in love?? ehhhh

💗 rugby
💗 brothers teammate/rival
💗 fake dating
💗 slow burn - ish
💗 grumpy x sunshine

Fletcher is new to the US rugby scene snd while he was a superstar player overseas… the sport doesn’t have the same following here. he’s determined to change that. Goldie is an ex-soccer star whose career ended after injury and is now a famous author, life coach, influencer. Goldie does not like Fletcher one bit. she overheard him talking about her years ago and has had a chip on her shoulder ever since. of course Fletcher doesn’t know this and thinks the perfect plan to get a spike in ticket sales is to be seen with Goldie. she wants none of this…. until she realizes she can use him to get back at her brother. who better than his new teammate that happens to be someone he can’t stand?

i couldn’t get over his reaction to something that happened around 20%. i love grumpy assholes but not when they’re assholes to the fmc and he was. he does apologize but…
and then the 3rd act 🙄 i was so pissed that she didn’t even make him grovel… girl. i ended up liking Fletcher, he’s just a sad broken man that hides under a rough exterior but i just wish some things happened differently here. i did enjoy their banter and humor as i typically do with Pippa Grant so that was another plus

also Silas being so obsessed with Goldie’s dating life was weird as fuck. she was hurt bad by her ex and every man after that her brother has scared off so she doesn’t get hurt again. she is 28. i think she can take care of herself

the writing for Silas’s daughter’s speech just irritates me when authors do that. “pwetty” “wike””fwends” etc etc. i have a 3 year old i KNOW how toddlers pronounce words but reading it like this gives me headaches

no ow drama tho 🙌🏼 he’s 34, been married & divorced twice. doesn’t do relationships. no info on when last with someone that i can remember
om drama kinda ? she takes Fletcher to a wedding she knows her ex will be at. he tries to corner Goldie into talking to him but Fletcher doesn’t stand for that

[Holly · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 / 5 ⭐️. This had so much potential and could have been so funny and sweet, but it just fell flat. I was so distracted by the author mentioning the race of EVERY SINGLE CHARACTER (I’m not even exaggerating when I say she even mentioned the race of two women in a grocery store, which had nothing to do with the story), especially when it had ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with the plot. It felt like P.G. just wanted to be like “hey, look at me, I write diverse characters, oh and here’s a gay one too even though he’ll never be mentioned in the book again”. It was so unnecessary and uncomfortable.

To be honest after about 60% of the book I just started skimming it to get it over with. I actually liked Fletcher and Goldie’s character and they had some cute scenes together and pretty good banter, but their relationship felt very insta-lust/love.

Also the huge emphasis on how ugly Fletcher’s mustache was is completely ridiculous - and not in a good way.

Bonus points for the little kid and cute pup because otherwise this would have only been a 2 / 2.25 ⭐️ book.

[b.andherbooks]

was hoping for a romance with a great mustache, but started this one to a direct content note from the author that the mustache is very bad, ugly even, and sorry to all the mustache lovers out there. sigh.

i gave it the good ol' college try but unfortunately the choppy writing and complete lack of chemistry between the two love interests, plus constant mustache bashing had me DNF'ing at about 15%.

[Jennifer Kyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars ⭐️

[Sheia (Hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

☆4.05☆

Fucking around with taking an asshole teammate’s sister on a date or two to make a point is one thing.

Liking her is something entirely different.

✅️ A teammate’s sister
🤏 enemies-to-lovers
✅️ fake dating
✅️ grumpy-sunshine interactions
✅️ romantic comedy
✅️ Banter

REVIEW

This was grumpy with a touch of vulnerability that I really LOVED. A kind of arrogance that hid sensitive notes.

He’s a big, tough athlete hiding a heart of marshmallow behind the stone walls he’s built for it after being let down by everyone who’s ever been important to him in his life.

What I reaaaaaaally really adored, were the relationships—of Goldie with her three old lady friends who had obituary contest for the best obituaries written when there ex-bfs died; of Goldie with her ANNOYING brother; and of Huxley with Goldie. The last was a delight, since these two loved being adorably competitive and taking care of each other. Neither usurped the other in the relationship.

It is written well, though there were a few lines and impressions which were repeated twice or thrice, for no good reason, since I just read the same thing couple of pages ago. Still forgivable, nothing extreme.

It was classic Pippa Grant, with a comedic factor dug right into the heart of romance.

“I cannot even imagine how you live with your own ego,” I murmur as I let him pull me closer again, still smiling.
“I used to stare at my ’stache anytime I got too full of myself. Now there’s nothing between me being hot and me knowing I’m hot.”

This book is a great pick me up, if you are in a reading slump and desire a rom-com to lift you right up!

[Hannah · Rating 2 out of 5]

The main character is in fact, a mustache

[Olga 🌺 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was soo sooo close to being a 5 star read🤏! It took the author a few comments to bring it down to 4 🌟

I didn’t expect to love this book so much but I did! I couldn't put it down.

This is my first time reading Pippa Grant and I really enjoyed her writing style. I loved the banter between the MCs, I loved their sense of humour, their selfless acts of kindness and the way they gravitated towards each other. And don't get me started on their texting through DM, that was freaking HILARIOUS.

So Fletcher is a "washed up" rugby player who has been kicked out of a team, where he was a true veteran leader, for false reasons. Reasons that made him doubt himself, his abilities and his self worth. He swears to prove everyone wrong, especially his mentor who has done him wrong and leaves the country that witnessed his greatness, the UK, and goes to his country which he hasn't set foot in for almost 2 decades, the US.

🐕 He's a golden retriever who has been told his whole life to stand like a doberman

Goldie, is a beautiful soul who has been wronged by her cheater ex boyfriend, her cheater ex best friend, her former soccer team and even by fate who has dealt her a shitty deck in the form of an injury that made her retire at a very young age. However, being the level headed and optimistic woman that she is, she decides to spin this whole opportunity to her favour becoming a life coach and helping others achieve their goals and find their calling in life.

The connection between the MCs was electric. The humour between these two was epic and their romance blossomed beautifully.

However, what I didn’t like in the book is the author's constant need to be describing side characters, passing characters or any character for that matter as a black woman, a white kid, a black little girl or a white man! Very unnecessary! I would have liked it better if she described them according to their attributes, traits and personality and not the color of their skin.

Second,
MMC about his first wife,

FMC: "You loved her."
MMC: "Fucking worshipped everything about her."

🙄🙄🙄🙄
There is no place in my world of fictional men for MCs who have experienced such worship and passion and true love if it's not with the MC.
And the fact that the MFCs real name is Jessica just like the first ex wife and that the MMCs father after meeting the MFC says: you definitely have a type!! Yep did not appreciate this at all. Because to me, this means that the MFC is a replacement for what the MMC couldn't have with his first wife who he worshipped. Do you get my dilemma?!

Last but not least,

I don't need to be someone's world to live a happy
life.

But the utter joy that's blossoming in my soul at
Fletcher being here is undeniable

I don't need this. But I will absolutely bask in it.

✋️STOP right now with that freaking bullshit.
Yes we do need someone to be our person.
Yes we do need a partner to be happy and feel whole.
Yes we do need love and loyalty and encouragement and affection.
Yes we do need someone to make us feel good about ourselves, to meet in a middle ground and to make sacrifices for.
You just need to choose the right person for that.

No! a woman cannot live by herself because she is a strong independent woman.
Women by nature are nurturing caring and need to fuss over someone be it a man, a parent or a child.

Women who preach that 👆 are happily married with kids and a great job.
On the other hand, women who apply that have been deemed the loneliest and most unhappy women of our generation.

SO JUST STOP WITH THESE FALSE MESSAGES. 🚫


📝 ticking another Bingo square
97) "Title starts with a U"
Squares Count: 29


25┃🔴┃87┃13┃68┃🔴┃🔴┃🔴┃76┃44
🔴┃86┃04┃45┃47┃98┃50┃🔴┃85┃75
88┃51┃🔴┃02┃42┃🔴┃24┃92┃82┃01
100┃🔴┃17┃96┃43┃49┃64┃70┃15┃38
🔴┃🔴┃62┃🔴┃21┃73┃28┃🔴┃90┃77
03┃12┃80┃69┃52┃🔴┃54┃🔴┃23┃🔴
18┃95┃22┃🔴┃93┃🔴┃🔴┃08┃🔴┃58
57┃94┃16┃56┃05┃🔴┃🔴┃26┃81┃🔴
🔴┃48┃79┃67┃53┃🔴┃06┃🔴┃89┃🔴
🔴┃19┃🔴┃66┃55┃27┃20┃63┃11┃83

[Jeeves Reads Romance · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun and easy

I liked it! I can’t call it 5 stars because it’s been three days and I’ve already forgotten the plot (lol), but I definitely had a solid reading experience and enjoyed it the whole way through. It’s full of Grant’s signature humor and charm, complete with a light, easy relationship that progresses from irritated acquaintances to reluctant friends to fling to more. I loved that our hero had an atrocious mustache and I loved that they fell for each other in such a natural way. I do think the relationship developed in a way where I didn’t totally buy the HEA (it felt too fast), and there weren’t really any swoony moments to make me particularly emotionally invested. Other than that, I had a great time with this one - an easy 4 stars for me.

The story follows Goldie, a woman who despises her brother’s new teammate. Not only is the guy way too cocky for a man with a horrible mustache, but Goldie also hasn’t forgotten the unkind comment he made about her years ago. Now that the two have officially met, Goldie is still convinced that she doesn’t like Fletcher, even if he’s not as bad as he seemed at first glance. One thing leads to another, and it’s not long before the two are faking a friendship and quickly developing a real one. But Goldie is moving overseas in a few weeks, so getting attached is a terrible idea.

For me, this was the kind of book where I had a great time reading it but knew that I’d forget the plot in less than a week - and that’s exactly what happened. I genuinely did enjoy the reading experience though. I liked the combination of characters and the quirkiness of the story. It wasn’t over the top, but it did make things playful and fun. Where this lacked for me was the romance itself, which felt casual and relaxed for the majority of the story. Not a bad thing at all, I just didn’t feel like they’d connected enough to have an everlasting love, if you know what I mean. A quick, easy read for me without too many roadblocks to my enjoyment and also not enough oomph to make it overly memorable.

Audio note: The audio was excellent, highly recommended in the format! Grant’s audiobooks are always worth the extra expense, and this was no different. Jason Clarke and Samantha Brentmoor are both favorites of mine, zero complaints with either of their performances. The runtime (10 hours) was perfect for bingeing, and the low spice level made it ideal for a workday listen. Yes, there were a couple of spicy scenes, but they were later in the story and not overly long. The upbeat vibes were exactly what I was in the mood for, and it was an all-around great listen.

[Danielle's · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobook read. This was my first Pippa Grant read and it was excellent. I’m from the U.K. where Rugby is a big deal. Not quite as big as football but enough that I can name all the local teams without knowing much about the sport.

I loved the moustache jokes and the adorable dog.

Goldie and Fletcher are the type of couple that grow on you and you haven’t notice how invested you are until you can’t sleep even though it’s 2am and you have work the next day.

Fletchers trying to promote rugby in the states and Goldies planning on visiting England for a few months. Neither are looking for love and both need it more than they realise. This is a feel good, great vibes rom com.

[autwenreads · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am truly sorry, I did not enjoy this book at all. I considered dnfing this book multiple times before deciding to stop at 50%. I really tried to read more, but this book wasn't for me.

I didn't like either of the main characters, Goldie and Fletcher. They made no sense at all. They didn't truly get to know one another or have a connection, and I couldn't feel it in their relationship. If they were perhaps close friends, I might believe it. A lot of the dialogue it didn't work for me and made me cringe.

Thank you Good Girls PR and Pippa Grant for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Marija · Rating 5 out of 5]

First in a series

This is the perfect start of a series. I laughed while trading almost from start to finish, and I liked almost all the characters in the story. I recommend it to everyone who loves to read romantic comedies.

[Ashley]

DNF at 46%

[Dali · Rating 5 out of 5]

🌟 Summary:
Goldie finds herself in a predicament: her brother's interference has sabotaged her love life. To get back at him, she agrees to a revenge date with Fletcher, her brother's teammate and nemesis. What starts as a ploy soon turns into something unexpected as Goldie and Fletcher navigate their unlikely connection.

🏙️ Setting:
Set in the vibrant backdrop of the US and London, this rom-com takes you on a delightful journey filled with banter, romance, and a hint of mischief.

📖 Plot & Characters:
Goldie and Fletcher couldn't be more different, but their chemistry is undeniable. As they move from enemies to friends to lovers, their journey is filled with laughter, swoon-worthy moments, and unexpected twists. With a mustache catastrophe and a purse dog stealing the show, their story is anything but ordinary.

💕 Romance:
Goldie and Fletcher's romance is a slow burn that will melt your heart. Their banter is hilarious, their chemistry electric, and their journey from adversaries to soulmates is a joy to witness.

👥 Side Characters:
From Goldie's eccentric elderly friends to Fletcher's adorable dog Sweet Pea, every character adds depth and humor to the story. Each interaction is a delightful surprise, keeping you hooked till the very end.

📝 Writing:
Pippa Grant's witty prose and engaging storytelling make "Until It Was Love" a delightful read. The humor is on point, the romance sizzles, and the characters leap off the page with their charm.

🌟 Overall Comments:
"Until It Was Love" is a must-read romantic comedy that will leave you grinning from ear to ear. With lovable characters, hilarious antics, and a heartwarming romance, it's a book you won't want to put down. Get ready for a rollercoaster of emotions and plenty of laughs!

Do you like the enemies to lovers trope? What have you read and liked recently? Share your stories in the comments below! 📖💕

Tropes:
🔥 Grumpy/Sunshine
🔥 Teammate's sister
🔥 Spite date (aka a fake date, but funnier)
🔥 And then some accidental dating
🔥 BANTER!!!!!
🔥 Legendary rugby hero fighting to keep his career alive
🔥 The most swoony crashing of a tea party
🔥 A seasoned-citizen BFF friend group (plus wine and a side of matchmaking)
🔥 Did I mention the banter?
🔥 And he carries his little dog around in a pink baby sling

#UntilItWasLove #PippaGrant #RomanticComedy #Bookstagram #BookReview #EnemiesToLovers #SlowBurn #MustRead #RomanceBooks #BookLovers #AmReading #Bookish #BookRecommendation #ReadersOfInstagram #InstaBooks #Bookworms #BookNerds

[BookishRaquel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book & Audiobook Review

Star Rating: 4/5 ⭐
Spice Rating: 2/5 🌶️
Audiobook 5/5 🎧

Read if you like:
- Enemies to Lovers
- Fake Dating
- Grumpy/Sunshine
- Opposites Attract
- Brother's Teammate
- Slow Burn
- Rugby Player MMC
- Life Coach FMC
- Found Family
- Dual POV
- HEA

I had an absolute blast reading this book! This was my first Pippa Grant experience, and I'm ready to get into her backlist. The excitement was so real that when Pippa announced the early release of the audiobook, I ran to download it. Until It Was Love is a true gem, and I couldn't get enough of it.

Goldie and Fletcher were such a fun couple. Fletcher is a veteran rugby player hoping to keep his career going, and Goldie is a life coach and sister of one of Fletcher's teammates. I loved Goldie and her hilarious hatred of Fletcher's mustache. Fletcher is a big grump with a heart of gold. I loved the scenes with him and his dog, Sweet Pea. Fletcher and Goldie had amazing chemistry, and I loved watching their relationship evolve. I laughed so much at their banter and silly antics. Beneath the quick wit, they both are navigating real issues they need to overcome.

This book has the ingredients for a perfect read - a fun plot, engaging main characters, moments that will have you laughing out loud, side characters that need their own reality TV show, a scene-stealing adorable pet, deeper emotional layers, and just the right amount of spice. Until It Was Love is one of the most entertaining books I've come across and is a must-read.

NARRATION:
This was a duet-style narration performed by Jason Clarke and Samantha Brentmoor. Jason and Samantha are two of my favorite narrators. They always give amazing performances, and this time was no different. I knew I had to buy it when I found out they would be providing narration for this book. This story is hilarious, and the narration truly adds something special. Jason and Samantha have the best rom-com chemistry. They perfectly executed the story's heartfelt moments, romantic scenes, and comedic parts. Both portrayed the characters well and brought the characters to life.

Thanks to Pippa Grant and Hambright PR for the e-ARC. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

[all.the.smut.things · Rating 5 out of 5]

RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
SPICE : 🔥🔥🔥

TROPES
✨ Rugby Player MMC
✨ Former Athlete FMC
✨ Enemies to Lovers
✨ Fake Dating
✨ Laugh Out Loud

This one was everything I didn’t know I needed! I mean we all know I love sports, but now I have an entirely new Rugby fascination that I’m not at all ashamed about!

FLETCHER HUXLEY was the absolute best! This man had and ego and a mustache a mile wide, and somehow both those things only make him better! Plus, he Carrie’s around a tiny dog in a baby carrier everywhere he goes, so how can you not love him! And Goldie! Damn I want to be that woman’s friend, she was so positive and self assured and absolutely the right person to understand and take on Fletcher!

Those two were a hot mess (literally Fletcher was on fire at one point) in the best of ways, and I absolutely could not stop giggling as they went from enemies to friends to lovers! Their little fake dates and real conversations along with their banter just completely drew me in and I couldn’t put them down!

If you want something that heartwarming. Spicy and laugh out loud funny all in one package, it’s this book! It was a breath of fresh air and Pippa never disappoints! Plus she has the best animal sidekicks so bonus points for Sweet Pea.

[BettyLovesBooks · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 14%. Disappointed as had been looking forward to this after a few recommendations; not sure what everyone is seeing that I’m not, but I’m all for diversity of opinion, so no worries. Didn’t connect with or really like the MCs, and - as another reviewer pointed out - there were so many descriptions of people’s skin colour over other characteristics. Also, while it’s great to have friends across generations, it came across like the older ladies were the FMC’s only friends… Just wasn’t for me.

[Father Lib · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS IS HANDS DOWN MY FAVORITE PIPPA GRANT BOOK SO FAR <3

Our leading man is a dog daddy who also happens to be a hot as sin rugby player, who LOVES his mustache, loves the game and has some serious making up to do after a rude meet cute years ago and a failed second meet cute that involves passing out at a blood drive . While our leading lady is a life coach that specializes in life after sports, who coaches little league soccer, has three old ladies as best friends, and is on a time crunch before she leaves to London to follow dreams that she gave up for her loser ex-boyfriend . These two fake dating even though they hate each other at first because what more fun is there than to getting under your little brother’s skin by fake dating his teammate . All while getting great press at the same time !

You will laugh, swoon, tear up a little and fall completely head over heels for these two and their little games with each other ! Oh also Pride and Prejudice is watched and adored in this and if you know me .. well what more do I need to say !

This is book one in the Copper Valley Pounders series and it can be listened to as a completes standalone .

[Emily Johnston (Booked.Up.With.Emily) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a slow burn that took us on such a fun and hilarious journey! Fletcher and Goldie’s development from the first chapter to the last is something to be admired.

🩷Sports romance (rugby)
🩷Fake dating
🩷Enemies to friends to lovers
🩷Grumpy x sunshine
🩷Brother’s teammate
🩷Opposites attract

Rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice level: 🌶️.5
Angst level: 💔

Fletcher and Goldie got off on the wrong foot years ago when Goldie mis-overheard a conversation that Fletcher was having. Now Fletcher is teammates with her brother, and they need each other as a shield in their lives. So, once they agree to fake date, the banter and fun begins!

Fletcher has a chip on his shoulder due to how he was cut from his old team and how much he doesn’t want to be playing in the States. But Goldie’s one liners slowly but surely brought him out of his shell.

I loved how both of these characters changed together throughout the book. Whenever Fletcher let himself be vulnerable, my heart starting beating. I love me a vulnerable grump.

Goldie and her old lady friends were absolutely hilarious together!

But truthfully, for me, the friendship between Goldie and Fletcher was the star of the show! Both were resistant at first, but the way they opened up to each other was so beautiful.

If you are looking for a low angst, laugh out loud funny book, look no further!

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Life’s a complicated bowl of crap sometimes.”

This was another Booksta made me read it! Goldie shouldn’t date Fletcher, a European Rugby player. He’s grumpy, egotistical, stubborn, and her brother’s teammate. Not to mention, Goldie is leaving for three months to take a job in London. But, she knows pretending to date him will annoy her brother, and he wants publicity for his new American rugby team, The Pounders. But somewhere along the way, they began to open up to each other. But Goldie leaves, and Fletcher blocks her.

I enjoyed this book, but I didn’t love it. I did struggle a bit at the beginning making the connection between his thoughts and feelings and his attitude at the beginning. But it did get better and by the end I was absolutely a fan of Fletcher. I love how vulnerable he became.

Some of the best moments of this book included the seasoned citizens! Those are the three older ladies that Goldie hangs out with. They are so funny! And of course, who can forget Sweet Pea, Fletcher’s dog!! He’s so sweet with her, and that really does give us an insight to his true heart. Also, the banter between Fletcher and Goldie was the best!

There is some spice in this book, but it’s not over the top. It’s not the best spice I’ve ever read, but it’s not the worst.

Overall, a good read!

[Megan&Clara · Rating 4 out of 5]

“𝓎𝑜𝓊’𝓇𝑒 𝒶 𝒹𝒾𝓈𝒶𝓈𝓉𝑒𝓇, 𝒶𝓇𝑒𝓃’𝓉 𝓎𝑜𝓊? ᴇᴠᴇʀʏ ꜰᴜᴄᴋɪɴɢ ᴅᴀʏ. ᴏɴʟʏ ᴡᴀʏ ᴛᴏ ʟɪᴠᴇ.”

rating: ★★★★☆ (4.25)
spice: 🌶️🌶️

𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐭𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐬: commitment issues, the struggles of feeling like you fit in, the importance of having someone stand up for you… if mustaches are actually hot or not.

the way i immediately fell in love with fletcher. he is burly rugby player with a giant monstrosity on his face (aka the mustache) who has a dog named sweet pea and carries her around in a baby sling. how more attractive can you get??

goldie was equally as loveable. an older sister with the sass to match, and the balls to date her brothers teammate - who he doesn’t like - just to get under his skin. without spoiling too much, let’s just say that the fake dating plot fails… miserably.

this book was top tier. it was so cute and the the banter had me laughing the entire time. and the fact that the final chapter is from the dog’s point of view??? sold.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fabulous!

I loved this book!

A US rugby player meets his match in a spunky former soccer player. Goldie is less than pleased to run into Fletcher. She's known of him for years and he's currently her brother's teammate. He's not exactly what she expected though. They both have their walls up. Will they take a chance on each other and trust themselves?

I literally couldn't put it down. My husband kept finding me reading when I should have been sleeping. I read the whole book this weekend!

[Suzanne (The Bookish Libra) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to @rowe.reads & @rick_283 with @hambright_pr for the gifted e-arc.

Pippa Grant is one of my favorite rom-com authors and she does not disappoint with her latest, Until It Was Love. I’m a sucker for a book that can make me laugh out loud and this one had me absolutely cackling!

Goldie is a popular and successful life coach. She’s just a few months from leaving for London for her dream job, but before she goes, can’t resist getting back at her rugby-playing brother who has been meddling in her love life and ruining her relationships for the past two years. What better way to get back at him than by dating the teammate he despises the most, Fletcher Huxley.

Fletcher is pretty gruff on the outside, especially since he was fired from his rugby team in England. He’s in the U.S. for a second chance but is finding things somewhat awkward with his new American teammates. Goldie sees through that gruff exterior pretty quickly though and once she sees Fletcher’s cute little purse dog, Sweetpea, she knows he’s really just a marshmallow with a mustache.

This book was such a good time! Goldie initially isn’t the biggest fan of Fletcher either, so I would call this enemies-to-friends-to-lovers as their relationship progresses through the story. They really become each other’s biggest supporters, which was lovely to see. I also really enjoyed their sizzling chemistry and the banter between them is truly hilarious.

The side characters are also fabulous. Goldie’s best friends are a trio of seniors who spent their time drafting comical obituaries about their exes. They are all such a hoot, but it’s also heartwarming how much they care about Goldie and vice versa. Speaking of side characters, Fletcher’s huge mustache is practically a character as well. It’s the butt of many a joke and as you can see, is also the star of the book’s cover!

If you’re a fan of sports romances, grumpy-sunshine, enemies to lovers, & fake dating, be sure grab a copy of Until It Was Love. You won’t regret it!

[Magaly | Catchy Book Nook · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pippa Grant is one of the funniest authors I have ever read and one of my favoritest indie authors ever. This book was not the exception! I found myself laughing out loud time after time as I read about Goldie and Fletcher’s adventures.

Once I started reading this one I didn’t want to stop. I really think I would’ve read it in one sitting if I’d had the time.

I loved Goldie and Fletcher. 🥹 Truly, I could not get enough of them. It was so wholesome how they gave each other a chance and saw the other in ways that the people around them didn’t. A genuine friendship developed into more in ways that were unexpected both for the characters and the reader.

Recommending this one if you enjoy
🏉 Growly Cinnamon Rolls
🏉 Dogs with Personalities
🏉 Sports Romance

I absolutely love the world Pippa has created and look forward to more stories in it!

[Patricia (Spellbound Stories Trish) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fletcher and Goldie are seriously the best book world couple! These two are not friendly by any means and yet they can’t help but being around one another. Something inside Fletcher tells him that Goldie is the person he needs right now and Goldie can’t seem to pull herself away. A beautiful friendship blossoms and a healing they both didn’t know they needed ensues!


I absolutely and irrevocably love that Goldie’s support team in life were 3 over the top kick butt elderly women! I seriously need some Odette, Evelyn, and Sheila’s in my life! Their obituaries had me laughing and crying my eyes out! I couldn’t get enough of these hilarious and loving ladies!

Also Fletchers love for his pup and getting the pup’s perspective was perfection! This book isn’t super steamy but the storyline and characters had me so in love that I didn’t mind, because when things did heat up…they were HOTTTTT!

A perfect spring read to bring a smile to your face and laughter in your soul!

[Riley · Rating 1 out of 5]

I truly don’t understand why this author has to name the race of each and every character every single time they’re mentioned, even the most minor side characters. It seems like it might be a good story (despite how the author writes) but I only made it about 15% of the way into this book before I DNFd. My final straw was when the author literally used the word rizz and I swear I cringed so hard I almost pulled a muscle.

[Kat · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one was...odd

Seriously, why does every single character's skin color get mentioned, not just once, but repeatedly throughout the ENTIRE book?! Definitely don't remember this in Pippa's other books.