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All's Fair in Love and Pickleball
Entertainment Weekly's Hot The 6 best romance novels of summer 2025
In this sweet and steamy romcom by the author of In a New York Minute, two rival pickleball players find themselves faking a romance—until they start falling for each other for real.
Bex Martin’s racquet club is her entire world. But the business she inherited from her mother has started to feel more like a sinking ship. That is, until Nikolaus Karras—a former tennis bad-boy with an ego as big as his serve—makes himself at home on her courts.
Niko has something to prove, and a high-stakes pickleball tournament is just what he needs to get back in the game after a career-ending injury. When he is finally able to set his ego aside to ask for Bex’s help, everyone assumes that they are a couple—on and off the court.
But she needs the prize money to save the club, and he needs a win to restore his reputation. So now they have a fake relationship as well as a doubles partner that they can’t seem to resist. Game on!
In this sweet and steamy romcom by the author of In a New York Minute, two rival pickleball players find themselves faking a romance—until they start falling for each other for real.
Bex Martin’s racquet club is her entire world. But the business she inherited from her mother has started to feel more like a sinking ship. That is, until Nikolaus Karras—a former tennis bad-boy with an ego as big as his serve—makes himself at home on her courts.
Niko has something to prove, and a high-stakes pickleball tournament is just what he needs to get back in the game after a career-ending injury. When he is finally able to set his ego aside to ask for Bex’s help, everyone assumes that they are a couple—on and off the court.
But she needs the prize money to save the club, and he needs a win to restore his reputation. So now they have a fake relationship as well as a doubles partner that they can’t seem to resist. Game on!
319 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 3, 2025
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8147 people want to read
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June 3, 2025
જ⁀➴ 3.5 stars (rounded down to 3)
Thank you to NetGalley, Kate Spencer, and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Update (6/3/2025): Happy publishing day to All's Fair in Love and Pickleball!
₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚
I don't know what I was supposed to expect as I was starting to read a sports romance about pickleball, a sport that I don't know much about, but this was such a cute, fast, sizzling hot, summertime sports romance!
Bex Martin is trying to stay afloat. She's struggling to keep her family's racquet club open, and repairs are long overdue that she can't afford. She keeps getting offers to sell, but she doesn't want to sell what would be her mother's legacy that she left behind for her. Enter Nikolaus Karras, former top tennis player, infamous for his temper tantrums on the court and an ego the size of the universe, who decides to train on her courts for his next tennis qualifier following a career-ending injury and to be closer to his aunt. When a pickleball tournament comes around with a large sum of prize money and Bex and Niko get caught in a web of lies with a reporter doing a feature interview with Niko, they have to put their differences aside to train for the tournament--as fake boyfriend and girlfriend--and win the prize money to repair the racquet club and to bring Niko back in the spotlight as a tour de force.
I loved how fast of a read this was. I essentially finished the entire book in one day, and I could feel the chemistry between Bex and Niko almost right away. I know nothing about pickleball, but I don't think you'd need a whole ton of background on the sport to understand the story or the plot. There was some terminology thrown in there that made me a little confused, but it wasn't anything that a quick Google search could fix.
I loved Bex's determination to keep the racquet club alive. She was determined, passionate, and was willing to stop at nothing to make sure she kept it open. You can tell she cares for the members of the club as well, and there's a found family aspect to it, even if all of the members of the club are over the age of 65 and she's only 26. The love she has for her mom was so obvious and jumped right out at me and off the page; her love for her mom and wanting to make her proud almost made me shed a few tears. She was a bit boy-obsessed at times and it took away from the story here and there when all she would think about was the sounds Niko would make on the court (mostly grunts from exerting his effort hitting a ball around the court...not sexual at all in my opinion, but you do you). I know it's supposed to be an enemies-to-lovers situation, but from what I could see from Bex's POV--this is the only POV we get in the story--it seems like it was an "enemies" situation for like, the first 20-30% of the book.
As for Niko, I wish we could get to know more about him. All I feel like I know about him is that he's a famous tennis player, he's Greek, he's infamous for wrecking his tennis racquets on the court when a match doesn't go his way, and he's good-looking. I can tell he cares a lot about Bex--like seriously, he rented out an entire fashion museum for her after hours so they could walk through it together, with just the two of them--and it was so adorable to see him turn into a cinnamon roll but only for her. But other than that, I wish we got more details about his tennis career and how he was as a player that wasn't "he's infamous for throwing temper tantrums." Having his POV even just for a few chapters would've been interesting, especially since I feel like the "enemies" part of the "enemies to lovers" part of this story didn't seem to last very long and it almost felt insta-lovey at times.
In terms of the plot, I didn't like how abruptly the story ended and the third-act breakup. Considering how high stakes the pickleball tournament was and everything that was on the line, I wish we got another chapter or two of the actual tournament going down and Bex and Niko competing in it. I distinctly remember reading the last chapter, swiping my phone screen and getting to the epilogue, and I was so confused as to why there wasn't more. As for the third-act breakup, I thought that was totally unnecessary and it was honestly the most pathetic third-act breakup I've read in the history of third-act breakups. Maybe I'm biased because I'm one of those people who think that 98% of them in romance books are unnecessary, but I felt that this was one of those situations where the author felt like they needed to put one in there just to have it there and because it's so typical of rom-coms to have these situations in the last bit of the book rather than keeping everyone happy. It was a complete 180 from the previous few chapters leading up to it.
If you're looking for a quick palate cleanser and a way to kick off your summer rom-com reading, this is the book for you! I enjoyed the fast pacing and learning about a sport that we don't have a whole ton of sports romances about. This was my first Kate Spencer book but I'm looking forward to seeing what she has in store for the future!
₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚
Trigger/content warnings: off-page death of a loved one, hospitalization, sexual content (probably like a 1.5-2/5 on the spice scale, but this is obviously subjective based on each person's individual experience with spicy content)
⋆˙⟡ 𝒫𝓇𝑒-𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒹: I have a super packed ARC reading schedule this summer, so I'm trying to get ahead of the curve here haha! I think it's super cool to see a sports romance that isn't about the usual sports like hockey, football/soccer, basketball, baseball, and American football, so I requested this right away when I found out it's about a sport I don't know much about- pickleball! The cover is super cute, and I'm loving all the pastel colors.✨🍈🌸🍊 This is also my first Kate Spencer book, and I'm way overdue for a sports romance and a good enemies-to-lovers story, so I'm hoping this delivers!🤞🏼🍀
This is ARC 1/10 for June 2025, and ARC 1/2 for my first June deadline of 6/3!
Thank you to NetGalley, Kate Spencer, and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Update (6/3/2025): Happy publishing day to All's Fair in Love and Pickleball!
"But you gotta embrace the risk of losing if you want to win. And I think we can win this one, Princess. I think we can win it all."
₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚
I don't know what I was supposed to expect as I was starting to read a sports romance about pickleball, a sport that I don't know much about, but this was such a cute, fast, sizzling hot, summertime sports romance!
Bex Martin is trying to stay afloat. She's struggling to keep her family's racquet club open, and repairs are long overdue that she can't afford. She keeps getting offers to sell, but she doesn't want to sell what would be her mother's legacy that she left behind for her. Enter Nikolaus Karras, former top tennis player, infamous for his temper tantrums on the court and an ego the size of the universe, who decides to train on her courts for his next tennis qualifier following a career-ending injury and to be closer to his aunt. When a pickleball tournament comes around with a large sum of prize money and Bex and Niko get caught in a web of lies with a reporter doing a feature interview with Niko, they have to put their differences aside to train for the tournament--as fake boyfriend and girlfriend--and win the prize money to repair the racquet club and to bring Niko back in the spotlight as a tour de force.
I loved how fast of a read this was. I essentially finished the entire book in one day, and I could feel the chemistry between Bex and Niko almost right away. I know nothing about pickleball, but I don't think you'd need a whole ton of background on the sport to understand the story or the plot. There was some terminology thrown in there that made me a little confused, but it wasn't anything that a quick Google search could fix.
I loved Bex's determination to keep the racquet club alive. She was determined, passionate, and was willing to stop at nothing to make sure she kept it open. You can tell she cares for the members of the club as well, and there's a found family aspect to it, even if all of the members of the club are over the age of 65 and she's only 26. The love she has for her mom was so obvious and jumped right out at me and off the page; her love for her mom and wanting to make her proud almost made me shed a few tears. She was a bit boy-obsessed at times and it took away from the story here and there when all she would think about was the sounds Niko would make on the court (mostly grunts from exerting his effort hitting a ball around the court...not sexual at all in my opinion, but you do you). I know it's supposed to be an enemies-to-lovers situation, but from what I could see from Bex's POV--this is the only POV we get in the story--it seems like it was an "enemies" situation for like, the first 20-30% of the book.
As for Niko, I wish we could get to know more about him. All I feel like I know about him is that he's a famous tennis player, he's Greek, he's infamous for wrecking his tennis racquets on the court when a match doesn't go his way, and he's good-looking. I can tell he cares a lot about Bex--like seriously, he rented out an entire fashion museum for her after hours so they could walk through it together, with just the two of them--and it was so adorable to see him turn into a cinnamon roll but only for her. But other than that, I wish we got more details about his tennis career and how he was as a player that wasn't "he's infamous for throwing temper tantrums." Having his POV even just for a few chapters would've been interesting, especially since I feel like the "enemies" part of the "enemies to lovers" part of this story didn't seem to last very long and it almost felt insta-lovey at times.
In terms of the plot, I didn't like how abruptly the story ended and the third-act breakup. Considering how high stakes the pickleball tournament was and everything that was on the line, I wish we got another chapter or two of the actual tournament going down and Bex and Niko competing in it. I distinctly remember reading the last chapter, swiping my phone screen and getting to the epilogue, and I was so confused as to why there wasn't more. As for the third-act breakup, I thought that was totally unnecessary and it was honestly the most pathetic third-act breakup I've read in the history of third-act breakups. Maybe I'm biased because I'm one of those people who think that 98% of them in romance books are unnecessary, but I felt that this was one of those situations where the author felt like they needed to put one in there just to have it there and because it's so typical of rom-coms to have these situations in the last bit of the book rather than keeping everyone happy. It was a complete 180 from the previous few chapters leading up to it.
If you're looking for a quick palate cleanser and a way to kick off your summer rom-com reading, this is the book for you! I enjoyed the fast pacing and learning about a sport that we don't have a whole ton of sports romances about. This was my first Kate Spencer book but I'm looking forward to seeing what she has in store for the future!
₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚
Trigger/content warnings: off-page death of a loved one, hospitalization, sexual content (probably like a 1.5-2/5 on the spice scale, but this is obviously subjective based on each person's individual experience with spicy content)
⋆˙⟡ 𝒫𝓇𝑒-𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒹: I have a super packed ARC reading schedule this summer, so I'm trying to get ahead of the curve here haha! I think it's super cool to see a sports romance that isn't about the usual sports like hockey, football/soccer, basketball, baseball, and American football, so I requested this right away when I found out it's about a sport I don't know much about- pickleball! The cover is super cute, and I'm loving all the pastel colors.✨🍈🌸🍊 This is also my first Kate Spencer book, and I'm way overdue for a sports romance and a good enemies-to-lovers story, so I'm hoping this delivers!🤞🏼🍀
This is ARC 1/10 for June 2025, and ARC 1/2 for my first June deadline of 6/3!
June 3, 2025
just realized this released today so my timing is #impeccable!! round of applause!! yay!!
now go read this. i’ll wait.
...
okay! if you’re slumping, i think this is suchhh a perfect book to get you out of it. it’s so fast paced and easy to read and lighthearted, also a really great beach read for summer 💐☀️
the characters are sm fun and their banter is hilarioussss, it came so naturally and flowed so well and fit their personalities and ugh i was obsessed.
the only things were (1) at times the fmc annoyed me a little bit and (2) the third act conflict was so dramatic and unnecessary pls no ✋🏼
now if you still haven’t gone and added this to your cart, why not. what are you waiting for. i’m doing you a favor and screaming at you to ADD THIS TO YOUR SUMMER TBR!!!
→ thank you to netgalley & the publisher for an arc! all opinions are my own <3
now go read this. i’ll wait.
...
okay! if you’re slumping, i think this is suchhh a perfect book to get you out of it. it’s so fast paced and easy to read and lighthearted, also a really great beach read for summer 💐☀️
the characters are sm fun and their banter is hilarioussss, it came so naturally and flowed so well and fit their personalities and ugh i was obsessed.
the only things were (1) at times the fmc annoyed me a little bit and (2) the third act conflict was so dramatic and unnecessary pls no ✋🏼
now if you still haven’t gone and added this to your cart, why not. what are you waiting for. i’m doing you a favor and screaming at you to ADD THIS TO YOUR SUMMER TBR!!!
→ thank you to netgalley & the publisher for an arc! all opinions are my own <3
November 15, 2025
It would’ve been four stars but the third act break up felt so silly and unnecessary to me.
The fmc as much as she was funny and headstrong she was also rlly stubborn for no reason at all? She would be wilfully ignorant about things that were so fucking obvious it was too annoying.
The mmc had me cackling over his clap backs pls their banter was hilarious. Best thing about the book for sureeee.
Overall this was a fun book and helped me get out of my slump quickly!
ೃ⁀➷ Thank you NetGalley and Quercus for the ARC! ♥︎
The fmc as much as she was funny and headstrong she was also rlly stubborn for no reason at all? She would be wilfully ignorant about things that were so fucking obvious it was too annoying.
The mmc had me cackling over his clap backs pls their banter was hilarious. Best thing about the book for sureeee.
Overall this was a fun book and helped me get out of my slump quickly!
ೃ⁀➷ Thank you NetGalley and Quercus for the ARC! ♥︎
September 15, 2025
Cute, but a bit oddly paced. As a new pickleball player, I loved that element (of course)!
June 13, 2025
3.5⭐️ rounded down.
Overall this book was fun, especially if you love pickle ball or any type of sports romance. I bought the chemistry between Bex and Nico, and their back and forth mimicked the game really well.
I hate a third act breakup, and this third act conflict was so unnecessary and was timed poorly, in my opinion. That was my only major qualm, but it affected how much I enjoyed the ending.
Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for the ALC!
Overall this book was fun, especially if you love pickle ball or any type of sports romance. I bought the chemistry between Bex and Nico, and their back and forth mimicked the game really well.
I hate a third act breakup, and this third act conflict was so unnecessary and was timed poorly, in my opinion. That was my only major qualm, but it affected how much I enjoyed the ending.
Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for the ALC!
June 6, 2025
I've read my fair share of sports romance, but Kate Spencer's All's Fair in Love and Pickleball is my first dive into the world of Pickleball.
Bex Martin is stumbling through her life as the new owner of a raquet ball club. They specialized in Pickleball, her mother's passion. After losing her mother 6 months ago, Bex is finding that her knowledge of the game doesn't help her with the finances and empty portion of her heart where her mother's presence used to be.
When she comes face to face with Niko Karras, professional tennis player and the nephew of one of the club members, she finds him grumpy, arrogant and even worse- a poor sport!
Niko Karras has never met anyone like Bex. She dresses in a quirky way, blows bubbles loudly while playing and has a special relationship with the 70+ community that patrons her club. To make matters worse, he hates pickleball and thinks it below him. So why does he find himself at the club, and taking lessons with this insufferable woman??
🎾 Enemies to Lovers
🎾 Fake Dating
🎾 Witty banter
🎾 Found Family
All my favorite tropes meet on the court, and I found this to be a very easy read (listen?). Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for an Advanced Listeners copy of this, it kept me smiling for several days.
Bex Martin is stumbling through her life as the new owner of a raquet ball club. They specialized in Pickleball, her mother's passion. After losing her mother 6 months ago, Bex is finding that her knowledge of the game doesn't help her with the finances and empty portion of her heart where her mother's presence used to be.
When she comes face to face with Niko Karras, professional tennis player and the nephew of one of the club members, she finds him grumpy, arrogant and even worse- a poor sport!
Niko Karras has never met anyone like Bex. She dresses in a quirky way, blows bubbles loudly while playing and has a special relationship with the 70+ community that patrons her club. To make matters worse, he hates pickleball and thinks it below him. So why does he find himself at the club, and taking lessons with this insufferable woman??
🎾 Enemies to Lovers
🎾 Fake Dating
🎾 Witty banter
🎾 Found Family
All my favorite tropes meet on the court, and I found this to be a very easy read (listen?). Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for an Advanced Listeners copy of this, it kept me smiling for several days.
June 3, 2025
4.5 stars!
Thank you to Forever for the free ARC via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
I'm thrilled to share a pub day ARC review of my first ever pickleball romance today! First, you should know that I have been a Kate Spencer fan since before she wrote her first romance book. I listened to the Forever35 religiously when Kate was a cohost and came to feel like she was my friend in that parasocial way we do with our favorite podcasters. I've read and loved her first two romances too - In a New York Minute and One Last Summer.
Now that that's out of the way, why did I love this new one? It had all the things I want in a romance. A strong independent FMC, Bex, who doesn't like to accept help or let others in. A broody, dark, handsome MMC with a heart of gold, Niko. And plenty of sizzle, pickleball innuendos, and found family side characters to boot.
Bex's problem is that she's running into financial struggles trying to preserve the racquet club where she grew up, now that her mother has passed away. Enter Niko, a former professional tennis star in town to visit his aunt Loretta, a friend and client of Bex's. There's a public profile for Niko and a pickleball tournament with a hefty amount of prize money for Bex and things take off from there.
Thanks to my monthly Spotify hours, I finished this book during my commutes to and from work today. You'll be in great hands with narrator Mia Hutchinson Shaw if you go that route!
Other features and themes to look forward to:
- A poignant exploration of grief and legacy
- Fake dating!
- Did I mention pickleball puns and innuendos?
- A book club in which the books play a very minor role
- ADHD representation
- A British tennis enemy for Niko
- At least one Costco reference (a signature Kate Spencer move)
Thank you to Forever for the free ARC via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
I'm thrilled to share a pub day ARC review of my first ever pickleball romance today! First, you should know that I have been a Kate Spencer fan since before she wrote her first romance book. I listened to the Forever35 religiously when Kate was a cohost and came to feel like she was my friend in that parasocial way we do with our favorite podcasters. I've read and loved her first two romances too - In a New York Minute and One Last Summer.
Now that that's out of the way, why did I love this new one? It had all the things I want in a romance. A strong independent FMC, Bex, who doesn't like to accept help or let others in. A broody, dark, handsome MMC with a heart of gold, Niko. And plenty of sizzle, pickleball innuendos, and found family side characters to boot.
Bex's problem is that she's running into financial struggles trying to preserve the racquet club where she grew up, now that her mother has passed away. Enter Niko, a former professional tennis star in town to visit his aunt Loretta, a friend and client of Bex's. There's a public profile for Niko and a pickleball tournament with a hefty amount of prize money for Bex and things take off from there.
Thanks to my monthly Spotify hours, I finished this book during my commutes to and from work today. You'll be in great hands with narrator Mia Hutchinson Shaw if you go that route!
Other features and themes to look forward to:
- A poignant exploration of grief and legacy
- Fake dating!
- Did I mention pickleball puns and innuendos?
- A book club in which the books play a very minor role
- ADHD representation
- A British tennis enemy for Niko
- At least one Costco reference (a signature Kate Spencer move)
July 4, 2025
this was a solid romance!
i found the side-plot to be heartwarming and a good motivator for the romance
the grand gesture at the end was also super sweet.
i do wish that we got a bit more in terms of the media's reaction to the fake dating going on, especially because it was a publicity stunt.
**thank you to forever for the gifted copy
i found the side-plot to be heartwarming and a good motivator for the romance
the grand gesture at the end was also super sweet.
i do wish that we got a bit more in terms of the media's reaction to the fake dating going on, especially because it was a publicity stunt.
**thank you to forever for the gifted copy
May 30, 2025
As a big fan of sports romances, I jumped at the chance to listen to an advanced copy of All’s Fair in Love and Pickleball. I love to see anything out of the norm in sports romance, so a pickleball fake dating romance? Yes please!
This was a lot of fun! The rivals to lovers, grumpy/sunshine dynamic between Nico and Bex worked really well, with their quick banter and tension filled moments there was no questioning their chemistry! Bex was an easy character to love and I empathized with her for the weight on her shoulders to preserve her family legacy whatever it took. And Nico? Nico’s unexpected vulnerability won me over throughout the story. I don’t always prefer grumpy heroes, but he turned out to be so much more than Bex(and I) expected! Oh, and you don’t want to miss some of the spicy moments between these two🥵
The book also touched on different forms of grief, adding depth without feeling heavy. The seniors community at the pickleball club brought in some humour, creating a cozy found family vibe that I thought balanced out the emotional parts well.
If you want a unique sports romcom with great character growth, definitely add this to your summer romance tbr! I can’t wait to read more from Kate Spencer.
Audio🎧: Mia Hutchinson Shaw did a splendid job narrating this one! I didn’t miss having a male narrator at all. Her delivery was so natural and confident, it felt familiar, like listening to a favourite narrator. I even checked to see if I’d heard her before, but nope, this was my first! Looks like I’ve just added a bunch more audiobooks to my TBR!
**Thank you to @readforeverpub for providing me an advanced listening copy! All opinions are my own.**
This was a lot of fun! The rivals to lovers, grumpy/sunshine dynamic between Nico and Bex worked really well, with their quick banter and tension filled moments there was no questioning their chemistry! Bex was an easy character to love and I empathized with her for the weight on her shoulders to preserve her family legacy whatever it took. And Nico? Nico’s unexpected vulnerability won me over throughout the story. I don’t always prefer grumpy heroes, but he turned out to be so much more than Bex(and I) expected! Oh, and you don’t want to miss some of the spicy moments between these two🥵
The book also touched on different forms of grief, adding depth without feeling heavy. The seniors community at the pickleball club brought in some humour, creating a cozy found family vibe that I thought balanced out the emotional parts well.
If you want a unique sports romcom with great character growth, definitely add this to your summer romance tbr! I can’t wait to read more from Kate Spencer.
Audio🎧: Mia Hutchinson Shaw did a splendid job narrating this one! I didn’t miss having a male narrator at all. Her delivery was so natural and confident, it felt familiar, like listening to a favourite narrator. I even checked to see if I’d heard her before, but nope, this was my first! Looks like I’ve just added a bunch more audiobooks to my TBR!
**Thank you to @readforeverpub for providing me an advanced listening copy! All opinions are my own.**
May 29, 2025
4.5/5 stars
This is a review of both the ebook and the audiobook performed by Mia Hutchinson Shaw.
All's Fair in Love and Pickleball is a sports romance between a woman who adores pickleball and a bad boy former tennis player.
Bex owns the Sunset Springs Racquet Club where she coaches pickleball. Niko is a former tennis star and the nephew of one of the club's members, Loretta.
I absolutely adored the club and the fact that Bex was so close to so many of the retirement age members. It's so fun that all of her friends are seniors. I've never played pickleball. But I love that this is a sports romance with a sport that I've never read about before.
The pickleball courts need major repairs. So Bex has major financial troubles. This is a key part of the story. Also there is a pickleball tournament that has a major financial prize. I personally wanted to see more of the tournament.
The romance was enjoyable. I really liked the chemistry between Niko and Bex. The book features lots of fun tropes including fake dating and grumpy/sunshine.
This is a rom-com with lots of funny banter. But it also deals with some serious issues like grief and mental health. The grief over losing her mom is very relatable. And the mental health rep is really good and includes both ADHD and anxiety rep.
This is one of the first times that I went back and forth between the ebook and audiobook. It was such a fun experience as I could listen when I was driving or on walks. Mia Hutchinson Shaw did a wonderful job. I enjoyed her performance immensely.
Overall, this is a fun sports rom-com. The pickleball angle is so fun, the romance is steamy and the mental health rep added a lot to the story. This is a great summer read!
Thanks to Forever Publishing for allowing me to read both the ebook and audiobook.
This is a review of both the ebook and the audiobook performed by Mia Hutchinson Shaw.
All's Fair in Love and Pickleball is a sports romance between a woman who adores pickleball and a bad boy former tennis player.
Bex owns the Sunset Springs Racquet Club where she coaches pickleball. Niko is a former tennis star and the nephew of one of the club's members, Loretta.
I absolutely adored the club and the fact that Bex was so close to so many of the retirement age members. It's so fun that all of her friends are seniors. I've never played pickleball. But I love that this is a sports romance with a sport that I've never read about before.
The pickleball courts need major repairs. So Bex has major financial troubles. This is a key part of the story. Also there is a pickleball tournament that has a major financial prize. I personally wanted to see more of the tournament.
The romance was enjoyable. I really liked the chemistry between Niko and Bex. The book features lots of fun tropes including fake dating and grumpy/sunshine.
This is a rom-com with lots of funny banter. But it also deals with some serious issues like grief and mental health. The grief over losing her mom is very relatable. And the mental health rep is really good and includes both ADHD and anxiety rep.
This is one of the first times that I went back and forth between the ebook and audiobook. It was such a fun experience as I could listen when I was driving or on walks. Mia Hutchinson Shaw did a wonderful job. I enjoyed her performance immensely.
Overall, this is a fun sports rom-com. The pickleball angle is so fun, the romance is steamy and the mental health rep added a lot to the story. This is a great summer read!
Thanks to Forever Publishing for allowing me to read both the ebook and audiobook.
June 28, 2025
ˋ°•*⁀➷ thank you so much to netgalley and hachette audio for this arc.
2.75 stars rounded up
i fear i am obsessed with sports romances....!!
bex was such a cute main character, by the end I was really rooting for her and the racquet club. while I didn't see myself in her at all I could really appreciate the way she thought and acted.
niko was never bex's enemy. I think this was supposed to be enemies to lovers?? it was not. they just had hidden sexual tension. please can we stop calling bad first impressions followed by constant thoughts getting down and dirty 'enemies to lovers'.
anyway I don't feel like we got to know niko well. maybe this was because of the fact it wasn't dual pov or dual narration (which is my personal preference).
all in all this is a cute pickle ball sports romance. definitely a good palate cleanser, fluffy story.
2.75 stars rounded up
i fear i am obsessed with sports romances....!!
bex was such a cute main character, by the end I was really rooting for her and the racquet club. while I didn't see myself in her at all I could really appreciate the way she thought and acted.
niko was never bex's enemy. I think this was supposed to be enemies to lovers?? it was not. they just had hidden sexual tension. please can we stop calling bad first impressions followed by constant thoughts getting down and dirty 'enemies to lovers'.
anyway I don't feel like we got to know niko well. maybe this was because of the fact it wasn't dual pov or dual narration (which is my personal preference).
all in all this is a cute pickle ball sports romance. definitely a good palate cleanser, fluffy story.
June 4, 2025
All’s Fair in Love and Pickleball by Kate Spencer
Contemporary romance.
The racquet club is Bex Martin’s legacy. She grew up in the club run by her mother, and runs it now that her mother is gone. Bex never realized the stress and upkeep needed for running a business and she’s getting hit hard now with expenses and competition. The pickleball courts all need to be rebuilt and, she’s also getting offers to sell which she would never have imagined even thinking about in the past. Her regulars are the main reason she needs to keep the courts up and running but safety is becoming an issue too. Until
Nikolai’s Karras convinces Bex he’s ready to switch from tennis to pickleball and that she needs to be his partner. It’s is a huge enough prize that might get her courts fixed. She agrees to train and play with him, conditioned upon her receiving the prize. Of course he agrees. He has his own agenda and it’s not the prize money.
🎧 I alternated between an ecopy and an audiobook narrated by Mia Hutchinson Shaw. The performance was entertaining and lively, bringing Bex’s vivid love of color and Niko’s grumpy facade exploding to life. The story is all from Bex’s POV so the single narrator is appropriate and it does include character voices for Niko and others.
The audiobook is entertaining and held my attention well. I did increase to my preferred speed of 2.5 so I was able to read along with a print version at times.
Repartee was plentiful and entertaining. A romping game of pickleball without the heavy exhaustion after the fact. I worried for the cliche of the place needing the funding and playing for the save, but still enjoyed the twist and solution at the end.
Banter, love and pickleball. So trendy. And so much fun.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley and publisher Hachette Audio
Contemporary romance.
The racquet club is Bex Martin’s legacy. She grew up in the club run by her mother, and runs it now that her mother is gone. Bex never realized the stress and upkeep needed for running a business and she’s getting hit hard now with expenses and competition. The pickleball courts all need to be rebuilt and, she’s also getting offers to sell which she would never have imagined even thinking about in the past. Her regulars are the main reason she needs to keep the courts up and running but safety is becoming an issue too. Until
Nikolai’s Karras convinces Bex he’s ready to switch from tennis to pickleball and that she needs to be his partner. It’s is a huge enough prize that might get her courts fixed. She agrees to train and play with him, conditioned upon her receiving the prize. Of course he agrees. He has his own agenda and it’s not the prize money.
🎧 I alternated between an ecopy and an audiobook narrated by Mia Hutchinson Shaw. The performance was entertaining and lively, bringing Bex’s vivid love of color and Niko’s grumpy facade exploding to life. The story is all from Bex’s POV so the single narrator is appropriate and it does include character voices for Niko and others.
The audiobook is entertaining and held my attention well. I did increase to my preferred speed of 2.5 so I was able to read along with a print version at times.
Repartee was plentiful and entertaining. A romping game of pickleball without the heavy exhaustion after the fact. I worried for the cliche of the place needing the funding and playing for the save, but still enjoyed the twist and solution at the end.
Banter, love and pickleball. So trendy. And so much fun.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley and publisher Hachette Audio
July 8, 2025
4.5 stars
This was such a cute and fun read! Yes, there were emotional elements to the plot but overall, I had a lot of fun reading this book.
Look no further for a read that would be fun for summer. It kind of even felt like a 'Sports Romance' with the involvement of pickleball and tennis. But it also...didn't. Does that even make sense? Maybe 'Sports Romance Lite'.
This was such an enjoyable read that although I initially read it through audiobook, I will be going back at some point to experience it through a physical read.
I loved the settings, the characters (main and side), and the story in general. Dare I say that Kate Spencer may become my next auto-buy author?
***Thank you to Forever Romance for sending me an e-ARC and ALC to read and review***
This was such a cute and fun read! Yes, there were emotional elements to the plot but overall, I had a lot of fun reading this book.
Look no further for a read that would be fun for summer. It kind of even felt like a 'Sports Romance' with the involvement of pickleball and tennis. But it also...didn't. Does that even make sense? Maybe 'Sports Romance Lite'.
This was such an enjoyable read that although I initially read it through audiobook, I will be going back at some point to experience it through a physical read.
I loved the settings, the characters (main and side), and the story in general. Dare I say that Kate Spencer may become my next auto-buy author?
***Thank you to Forever Romance for sending me an e-ARC and ALC to read and review***
May 17, 2025
I mean there were some cute moments but the story felt flat to me tbh. I did enjoy the fmc and loved her personality. Didn’t really care much for Niko.
August 2, 2025
I didn't have high expectations, but this book was so cute and so fun! The banter was excellent and it was well paced. I'm really glad I took the time to read it!
May 28, 2025
3 stars for All's Fair in Love & Pickleball! I was so genuinely excited to get a pickleball romance because I LOVEEEEE pickleball. You can find me at the rec center getting whooped by the retiree's no less than once a week. However, this book was not what I was expecting.
This book was an insanely fast read- I read it in like 2 days. Which I absolutely loved...but I also think it was quick because I felt no real attachment to our main characters. Bex and Niko were both ~quirky~ in their own ways, I just didn't feel the chemistry between them.
Bex is extremely determined to keep her racquet club alive. And I love a determined woman- however so many of her problems felt solvable if she wasn't so determined. She seemed quite boy crazy about Niko from the start. Trust me girl, I know some of those sounds they make when they play are fun....but when you lust after them from the very start? It's quite awkward.
Niko is hot & cold. When they were enemies for the first 30% of the book, I liked him. But then a flip switched and boy we had a whole new character. I wish we got to know him a bit more because maybe that would of explained some of his behavior.
The ending felt like when you're on the interstate going 60 & the person in front of you hits their brakes. It was a stomach drop feeling because it felt like unnecessary drama. The third act breakup is one of my least favorite tropes in books- but this was felt personal. It was just silly and could of been avoided.
If you are looking for a quick rom com to kick off your romance filled summer- I would check this one out. DEFINITELY if you like pickleball. I know there isn't a whole ton of pickleball romances but this one is going to be a staple. If you are also a Kate Spencer lover, you should pick this up. It just wasn't for me but it could be for you!!!
Thank you Forever & Netgalley for an advanced e-arc of this book.
pre-read thoughts😫✨🤩
as a diehard pickleballer i think this book might be my dream
This book was an insanely fast read- I read it in like 2 days. Which I absolutely loved...but I also think it was quick because I felt no real attachment to our main characters. Bex and Niko were both ~quirky~ in their own ways, I just didn't feel the chemistry between them.
Bex is extremely determined to keep her racquet club alive. And I love a determined woman- however so many of her problems felt solvable if she wasn't so determined. She seemed quite boy crazy about Niko from the start. Trust me girl, I know some of those sounds they make when they play are fun....but when you lust after them from the very start? It's quite awkward.
Niko is hot & cold. When they were enemies for the first 30% of the book, I liked him. But then a flip switched and boy we had a whole new character. I wish we got to know him a bit more because maybe that would of explained some of his behavior.
The ending felt like when you're on the interstate going 60 & the person in front of you hits their brakes. It was a stomach drop feeling because it felt like unnecessary drama. The third act breakup is one of my least favorite tropes in books- but this was felt personal. It was just silly and could of been avoided.
If you are looking for a quick rom com to kick off your romance filled summer- I would check this one out. DEFINITELY if you like pickleball. I know there isn't a whole ton of pickleball romances but this one is going to be a staple. If you are also a Kate Spencer lover, you should pick this up. It just wasn't for me but it could be for you!!!
Thank you Forever & Netgalley for an advanced e-arc of this book.
pre-read thoughts😫✨🤩
as a diehard pickleballer i think this book might be my dream
April 30, 2025
3.75 / 5 Stars
This was a super solid rom com with really great dashes of humor, writing about grief, and found family. Bex inherited her racquet club from her mom who passed away two years ago. Everything in her life revolved around this club and its members (all of whom are delightful older folks). But then Niko shows up, all hot and “tennis is better than pickleball.” And while he may think tennis is superior, he wants to use a pickleball competition to get his groovy back and get some good publicity for himself. So he asks Bex to be his partner and coach. Cue a slightly convoluted plan to make them fake date and play pickleball together and then we get to see if real sparks can fly.
I had a bit of a rollercoaster journey with the book. From 0 - 50%, I thought this was a perfectly pleasant rom com. From 50 - 85%, I was swooning hard over Niko and was deeply invested. From 85% - 90%, I wanted to bang my head out of frustration. From 90 - 95%, I was back in and deeply moved. And at the very end, I felt like there were still some loose threads that didn’t get wrapped up so I had to suspend some disbelief.
All of that being said, I think Kate Spencer is an incredibly talented writer. I have been a fan of her work for a long time. I think she has an insane ability to articulate emotions and feelings in succinct yet beautiful prose. Each word feels so carefully selected that I really understood and felt what Bex was feeling. I was never confused about Bex’s motivations or actions because they all made sense in both the world that was built and the character that was developed. Kate’s superpower is also her ability to write about grief and it was so lovingly done in this book.
Beyond my love for Bex, I really did fall for Niko. He was complex yet simple and really was the perfect yin to Bex’s yang. We got to peel his layers away as Bex did and it was a delicious journey.
I just had a bit of a hard time with the pacing in the book. Without spoilers, there was an event that happened about a quarter of the way through where I genuinely thought that my pages had been mixed up or that I somehow had skipped ahead because it was just such an atypical event to happen that early in a rom com. Just because it is atypical doesn’t mean it is bad but it threw me slightly. I also felt like the end was wrapped up too quickly and there were loose threads ala an unfinished Project Runway garment. I would happily have read more pages if it meant that certain things, such Niko’s dad, were addressed.
I will continue to be a fan of Kate’s work. I bought “One Last Summer” and I am excited to read it next.
Thank you Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for providing the eARC! All opinions are my own.
_________________________________
Pre-Read Thoughts: I absolutely love Kate Spencer and have been a fan of her comedy since her celebrity interviews on VH1 a decade ago. I am deeply excited for this book.
This was a super solid rom com with really great dashes of humor, writing about grief, and found family. Bex inherited her racquet club from her mom who passed away two years ago. Everything in her life revolved around this club and its members (all of whom are delightful older folks). But then Niko shows up, all hot and “tennis is better than pickleball.” And while he may think tennis is superior, he wants to use a pickleball competition to get his groovy back and get some good publicity for himself. So he asks Bex to be his partner and coach. Cue a slightly convoluted plan to make them fake date and play pickleball together and then we get to see if real sparks can fly.
I had a bit of a rollercoaster journey with the book. From 0 - 50%, I thought this was a perfectly pleasant rom com. From 50 - 85%, I was swooning hard over Niko and was deeply invested. From 85% - 90%, I wanted to bang my head out of frustration. From 90 - 95%, I was back in and deeply moved. And at the very end, I felt like there were still some loose threads that didn’t get wrapped up so I had to suspend some disbelief.
All of that being said, I think Kate Spencer is an incredibly talented writer. I have been a fan of her work for a long time. I think she has an insane ability to articulate emotions and feelings in succinct yet beautiful prose. Each word feels so carefully selected that I really understood and felt what Bex was feeling. I was never confused about Bex’s motivations or actions because they all made sense in both the world that was built and the character that was developed. Kate’s superpower is also her ability to write about grief and it was so lovingly done in this book.
Beyond my love for Bex, I really did fall for Niko. He was complex yet simple and really was the perfect yin to Bex’s yang. We got to peel his layers away as Bex did and it was a delicious journey.
I just had a bit of a hard time with the pacing in the book. Without spoilers, there was an event that happened about a quarter of the way through where I genuinely thought that my pages had been mixed up or that I somehow had skipped ahead because it was just such an atypical event to happen that early in a rom com. Just because it is atypical doesn’t mean it is bad but it threw me slightly. I also felt like the end was wrapped up too quickly and there were loose threads ala an unfinished Project Runway garment. I would happily have read more pages if it meant that certain things, such Niko’s dad, were addressed.
I will continue to be a fan of Kate’s work. I bought “One Last Summer” and I am excited to read it next.
Thank you Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for providing the eARC! All opinions are my own.
_________________________________
Pre-Read Thoughts: I absolutely love Kate Spencer and have been a fan of her comedy since her celebrity interviews on VH1 a decade ago. I am deeply excited for this book.
May 28, 2025
A Sweet, Smart Romance That Serves More Than Just Pickleball Charm
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Format: Audiobook
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
Short Summary:
This gentle, emotionally mature romance centers on a woman navigating life, love, and self-worth — all set against the unexpected backdrop of a local pickleball scene. With the beloved fake dating trope and well-developed internal arcs, this book balances humor and depth with surprising finesse.
What I Loved:
The audiobook narration was excellent — expressive, warm, and engaging.
I picked it up for the pickleball (a new personal fascination!), and was pleasantly surprised to find a layered, character-driven romance beneath the cover.
The emotional maturity of the characters stood out — their choices reflected their life stage, which is refreshingly rare in contemporary romance.
The fake dating trope was executed well and led to believable intimacy and vulnerability.
The main character was relatable and well-written; her emotional arc felt earned.
What Could Be Improved:
The male lead, a pro tennis player, felt somewhat cookie-cutter. Despite his promising backstory, he lacked the complexity of the heroine.
I wanted more time with side characters, who added color and potential that remained underdeveloped.
Final Thoughts:
If you're looking for a romance that blends low-spice, high-heart storytelling with a unique recreational hook (pickleball!) and emotional authenticity, this one's a gem. A thoughtful comfort read with charm and character.
Disclosure: Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette audio for the advance audiobook copy in exchange for an honest review.
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Format: Audiobook
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
Short Summary:
This gentle, emotionally mature romance centers on a woman navigating life, love, and self-worth — all set against the unexpected backdrop of a local pickleball scene. With the beloved fake dating trope and well-developed internal arcs, this book balances humor and depth with surprising finesse.
What I Loved:
The audiobook narration was excellent — expressive, warm, and engaging.
I picked it up for the pickleball (a new personal fascination!), and was pleasantly surprised to find a layered, character-driven romance beneath the cover.
The emotional maturity of the characters stood out — their choices reflected their life stage, which is refreshingly rare in contemporary romance.
The fake dating trope was executed well and led to believable intimacy and vulnerability.
The main character was relatable and well-written; her emotional arc felt earned.
What Could Be Improved:
The male lead, a pro tennis player, felt somewhat cookie-cutter. Despite his promising backstory, he lacked the complexity of the heroine.
I wanted more time with side characters, who added color and potential that remained underdeveloped.
Final Thoughts:
If you're looking for a romance that blends low-spice, high-heart storytelling with a unique recreational hook (pickleball!) and emotional authenticity, this one's a gem. A thoughtful comfort read with charm and character.
Disclosure: Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette audio for the advance audiobook copy in exchange for an honest review.
May 26, 2025
3.5 ⭐
Thank you so much to Netgalley, Quercus Books and Kate Spencer for providing me with an arc copy in exchange for an honest review!
All's fair in love and pickleball is a contemporary sports romance, that follows Bex, a 26 yo pickleball instructor and owner of Sunset Springs Racquet Club, and Niko, a pro tennis player getting ready to come back to competitions after a life changing injury.
This was my first Kate Spencer book and I can say that I really enjoyed it! It was a nice read, full of funny but also emotional moments. I liked reading a sports romance outside of the usual sports, and it was fun learning something about pickleball!
Bex and Niko are great characters, they have their moments but I found them to be overall enjoyable. All the side characters, especially Deb, are great and add a lot to the story. I loved how everyone joined forces at the end! The ending was really nice, I kinda expected it to go that way but a few elements still surprised me.
Thank you so much to Netgalley, Quercus Books and Kate Spencer for providing me with an arc copy in exchange for an honest review!
All's fair in love and pickleball is a contemporary sports romance, that follows Bex, a 26 yo pickleball instructor and owner of Sunset Springs Racquet Club, and Niko, a pro tennis player getting ready to come back to competitions after a life changing injury.
This was my first Kate Spencer book and I can say that I really enjoyed it! It was a nice read, full of funny but also emotional moments. I liked reading a sports romance outside of the usual sports, and it was fun learning something about pickleball!
Bex and Niko are great characters, they have their moments but I found them to be overall enjoyable. All the side characters, especially Deb, are great and add a lot to the story. I loved how everyone joined forces at the end! The ending was really nice, I kinda expected it to go that way but a few elements still surprised me.
July 29, 2025
I want to give it a 3.5 stars. I picked this up from my local library because why not? Pickleball is huge where I live and thought this looked super cute. The FMC Bex has ADHD and is dealing with grief daily. She has elderly friends, which I loved! But I didn’t enjoy the MMC or their relationship. I felt like the book dragged a lot in the first 150 pages. And then too much happened too quickly. But maybe it just wasn’t for me.
April 10, 2025
This was such a charming book! I definitely recommend adding this to your summer romance reading list!
I was a little skeptical going in just based on the title, however, I really loved the characters and the quirky community of Sunset Springs Racquet Club. Bex and Niko are such opposite personalities, but it worked. I would have liked to delve into Niko's past a bit more to understand why he makes the choices he makes, but overall enjoyed his story arc. It was a little bit insta-love-y, but it was still cute. Loved Bex's found family, and I thought the author handled the theme of grief and trauma quite well.
Romance scenes were open door, so be aware if you prefer not to read that type of scene!
4 stars -- take this one to the beach this summer!
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the ARC! This title will be out June 3, 2025.
I was a little skeptical going in just based on the title, however, I really loved the characters and the quirky community of Sunset Springs Racquet Club. Bex and Niko are such opposite personalities, but it worked. I would have liked to delve into Niko's past a bit more to understand why he makes the choices he makes, but overall enjoyed his story arc. It was a little bit insta-love-y, but it was still cute. Loved Bex's found family, and I thought the author handled the theme of grief and trauma quite well.
Romance scenes were open door, so be aware if you prefer not to read that type of scene!
4 stars -- take this one to the beach this summer!
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the ARC! This title will be out June 3, 2025.
June 30, 2025
I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. ARC provided by Hachette Audio.
Bex Martin’s racquet club is her entire world. But the business she inherited from her mother has started to feel more like a sinking ship. That is, until Nikolaus Karras—a former tennis bad-boy with an ego as big as his serve—makes himself at home on her courts.
Niko has something to prove, and a high-stakes pickleball tournament is just what he needs to get back in the game after a career-ending injury. When he is finally able to set his ego aside to ask for Bex’s help, everyone assumes that they are a couple—on and off the court.
But she needs the prize money to save the club, and he needs a win to restore his reputation. So now they have a fake relationship as well as a doubles partner that they can not seem to resist. Game on!
All's Fair in Love and Pickleball was such a fun read. It was a literal love letter to the sport of pickleball. There were so much great banter and sweet moments. Nico was the definition of a book boyfriend. I liked the fun, flirty, and competitive aspects of their relationship and enjoyed how their romance developed. I do wish we got to have Nico's POV in the book as well. But one of the downfalls was a third act breakup. I personally hate third act breakups, and this third act conflict was so unnecessary and was timed poorly. I knew this book dealt with grief but I was not sure why it was not a bigger part of the plot. It was also weird to base an entire story around a tournament, only to gloss over the actual winning game. Overall, it was still enjoyable, and I feel it will probably be a great summer romance. If you love pickle ball or any type of sports romance, you will probably like this one.
Bex Martin’s racquet club is her entire world. But the business she inherited from her mother has started to feel more like a sinking ship. That is, until Nikolaus Karras—a former tennis bad-boy with an ego as big as his serve—makes himself at home on her courts.
Niko has something to prove, and a high-stakes pickleball tournament is just what he needs to get back in the game after a career-ending injury. When he is finally able to set his ego aside to ask for Bex’s help, everyone assumes that they are a couple—on and off the court.
But she needs the prize money to save the club, and he needs a win to restore his reputation. So now they have a fake relationship as well as a doubles partner that they can not seem to resist. Game on!
All's Fair in Love and Pickleball was such a fun read. It was a literal love letter to the sport of pickleball. There were so much great banter and sweet moments. Nico was the definition of a book boyfriend. I liked the fun, flirty, and competitive aspects of their relationship and enjoyed how their romance developed. I do wish we got to have Nico's POV in the book as well. But one of the downfalls was a third act breakup. I personally hate third act breakups, and this third act conflict was so unnecessary and was timed poorly. I knew this book dealt with grief but I was not sure why it was not a bigger part of the plot. It was also weird to base an entire story around a tournament, only to gloss over the actual winning game. Overall, it was still enjoyable, and I feel it will probably be a great summer romance. If you love pickle ball or any type of sports romance, you will probably like this one.
June 25, 2025
this was my first pickleball romance and it was so fun and easy to follow! this was definitely a fast paced read especially for summertime.
however, what’s preventing this from a higher rating is the third act breakup, it annoyed me. i also thought while it was fun, it doesn’t stand out for me.
while this story has great banter and numerous moments, it has a deeper element. this story explores more than just romance, it touches on themes of career struggles, grief, and financial hardships. i enjoy when books have deeper elements to it such as this because it feels more relatable.
bex is a peppy pickleball coach struggling to save her family business (racquet club). the club is facing financial difficulties and needs repairs. niko is the bad boy injured tennis pro who wants to attempt a comeback therefore he needs a win. they team up together for a high-stakes pickleball tournament in order to save her club while fake dating for publicity. will these two competitive characters fall in love off the court too?
tropes: fake dating, grumpy/sunshine, sports romance, just one court, enemies teaming up together, spice
thank you to the publisher for the e-arc and alc!
🎾🏓👟🏆🌴
however, what’s preventing this from a higher rating is the third act breakup, it annoyed me. i also thought while it was fun, it doesn’t stand out for me.
while this story has great banter and numerous moments, it has a deeper element. this story explores more than just romance, it touches on themes of career struggles, grief, and financial hardships. i enjoy when books have deeper elements to it such as this because it feels more relatable.
bex is a peppy pickleball coach struggling to save her family business (racquet club). the club is facing financial difficulties and needs repairs. niko is the bad boy injured tennis pro who wants to attempt a comeback therefore he needs a win. they team up together for a high-stakes pickleball tournament in order to save her club while fake dating for publicity. will these two competitive characters fall in love off the court too?
tropes: fake dating, grumpy/sunshine, sports romance, just one court, enemies teaming up together, spice
thank you to the publisher for the e-arc and alc!
🎾🏓👟🏆🌴
June 11, 2025
Not my cup of tea.
I liked the bits and pieces of witty humor, emotional depth, and sweet comedic romance—but it lacked passion big time and was more about lust than anything. I don’t feel like these characters connected enough, and everything happened so fast, which didn’t make it any better. The characters weren’t the most likable either; I found them super annoying, actually.
The audiobook is the best thing about this; it’s so comforting—the narrator’s voice and the passion within bring a sense of warmth and make this book even better than it already is. I highly recommend listening to the audiobook as you follow along! The experience it brings is unexplainable but so special and exciting.
🏓 𝗧𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝘀/𝗺𝗶𝗰𝗿𝗼 𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝘀
ADHD rep
Small town
Enemies to lovers
Fake dating
Banter
Book itself: 0.7 ★
Audio book: 4.5 ★
𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙂𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘼𝙍𝘾 & 𝙖𝙪𝙙𝙞𝙤𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠!
I liked the bits and pieces of witty humor, emotional depth, and sweet comedic romance—but it lacked passion big time and was more about lust than anything. I don’t feel like these characters connected enough, and everything happened so fast, which didn’t make it any better. The characters weren’t the most likable either; I found them super annoying, actually.
The audiobook is the best thing about this; it’s so comforting—the narrator’s voice and the passion within bring a sense of warmth and make this book even better than it already is. I highly recommend listening to the audiobook as you follow along! The experience it brings is unexplainable but so special and exciting.
🏓 𝗧𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝘀/𝗺𝗶𝗰𝗿𝗼 𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝘀
ADHD rep
Small town
Enemies to lovers
Fake dating
Banter
Book itself: 0.7 ★
Audio book: 4.5 ★
𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙂𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘼𝙍𝘾 & 𝙖𝙪𝙙𝙞𝙤𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠!
May 12, 2025
Thank you Netgalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the eARC! All opinions are my own.
All’s Fair in Love and Pickleball by Kate Spencer isa fun book to add to your summer reading list! I’m an equal opportunity sports romance reader so that even includes pickleball! Bex is a little down-and-out after taking over her family’s racquet club due to her mother’s death. Niko is also a little down-and-out after a potentially career ending injury. Both of them join forces to save both of their passions by entering a high stakes pickleball tournament. This book includes some rival -to-lovers action, found family, and of course sports romance aspects. If you’re looking for a book that brings out the funny, quirky sides of things while also touching on grief (both personal and professional) then this book could be for you!
All’s Fair in Love and Pickleball by Kate Spencer isa fun book to add to your summer reading list! I’m an equal opportunity sports romance reader so that even includes pickleball! Bex is a little down-and-out after taking over her family’s racquet club due to her mother’s death. Niko is also a little down-and-out after a potentially career ending injury. Both of them join forces to save both of their passions by entering a high stakes pickleball tournament. This book includes some rival -to-lovers action, found family, and of course sports romance aspects. If you’re looking for a book that brings out the funny, quirky sides of things while also touching on grief (both personal and professional) then this book could be for you!
June 1, 2025
Story: I enjoyed this book. I learned about pickleball and love tennis so now I’m thinking I may need to give pickleball a try. The romance between Niko and Bex was also sweet and delightful. I loved the mental health representation in this book as well. I do not want to give any spoilers so I will leave it there. This is a cute read for sure!
Audiobook review: I enjoyed the performance that Mia Hutchinson gave. I have not heard an audiobook from her before and I enjoyed this one. She gave a decent amount of emotion.
**Thank you Forever and Hachette Audio for this gifted copy**
Audiobook review: I enjoyed the performance that Mia Hutchinson gave. I have not heard an audiobook from her before and I enjoyed this one. She gave a decent amount of emotion.
**Thank you Forever and Hachette Audio for this gifted copy**
July 23, 2025
2.3 Real score
Honestly, hated the FMC the whole time.
Honestly, hated the FMC the whole time.
May 28, 2025
2 stars ⋆✴︎˚｡⋆
Super quick and easy read.
However this book was kind of a let down for me.
Personally their attraction was way too immediate for my taste so much so that it felt forced, like I love a good fake dating but the lead up to that situation should be realistic.
I feel like nothing really happened in the story that wasn’t obvious from the start. And please Bex spoiling that her and Niko’s relationship was fake to a literal stranger mind you, Niko’s rival essentially. i do wish that we got a bit more from this book because it tackles such heavy topics.
We don’t even get to see the game play out and i was genuinely so interested to hear how the author would tackle this match.
Super quick and easy read.
However this book was kind of a let down for me.
Personally their attraction was way too immediate for my taste so much so that it felt forced, like I love a good fake dating but the lead up to that situation should be realistic.
I feel like nothing really happened in the story that wasn’t obvious from the start. And please Bex spoiling that her and Niko’s relationship was fake to a literal stranger mind you, Niko’s rival essentially. i do wish that we got a bit more from this book because it tackles such heavy topics.
We don’t even get to see the game play out and i was genuinely so interested to hear how the author would tackle this match.
May 28, 2025
ARC - 4.25 , this book was written for me 😅🏓🎾👟
March 11, 2025
So blessed to have been the first to read this book and to start the Traveling ARC of ALL’s FAIR IN LOVE AND PICKLEBALL on the “wrong coast” Thank you @katespencer for sharing Nick and Bex with us!
Fake Dating and Enemies to Lovers are my favorite romance troupes and this book checked both boxes! Nick is a washed up tennis pro who is trying to comeback from a career ending injury and Bex is the owner of a run down racquet club that is barely staying alive.
Bex’s nemesis is hosting a Pickleball Tournament with a huge pay out - in a random turn of events - not only have Nick and Bex agreed to join forces, they have also led everyone to believe they are dating. Love is apparent off and on the court!
Be sure to pre-order a copy of this book put in June. While you wait, be sure to pick up IN A NEW YORK MINUTE and ONE LAST SUMMER.
##btptravelingarc #btpbookclub #aileenonbookz #bookpeoplearethebestpeople #toomanybooksnotenoughtime #happydinking #bigdinkenergy
Fake Dating and Enemies to Lovers are my favorite romance troupes and this book checked both boxes! Nick is a washed up tennis pro who is trying to comeback from a career ending injury and Bex is the owner of a run down racquet club that is barely staying alive.
Bex’s nemesis is hosting a Pickleball Tournament with a huge pay out - in a random turn of events - not only have Nick and Bex agreed to join forces, they have also led everyone to believe they are dating. Love is apparent off and on the court!
Be sure to pre-order a copy of this book put in June. While you wait, be sure to pick up IN A NEW YORK MINUTE and ONE LAST SUMMER.
##btptravelingarc #btpbookclub #aileenonbookz #bookpeoplearethebestpeople #toomanybooksnotenoughtime #happydinking #bigdinkenergy
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