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Pick Me
A delightfully sexy romantic comedy about a romance writer determined to learn how to play pickleball to impress her crush, only to fall for her coach.
As a cowboy romance ghostwriter, Brooke Murphy knows a thing or two about happily ever afters. But following her last breakup, Brooke is feeling fresh out of hot and steamy vibes.
With her next deadline looming and desperate for inspiration, Brooke says yes to every possible romantic opportunity, including a mixed doubles pickleball game, where she meets a tall, dark, and handsome guy taking his pickleball very seriously. A couple of dates with this stranger would be all she needs to crank out her next trope-tastic novel. She just needs to learn how to play. Fast. So what if she’s the least athletic person alive?
Enter Owen Miller, aka The Big Gripper, the secret weapon of Manhattan’s most competitive finance bro pickleball players. The surly coach doesn’t look like a former elite athlete—with his bucket hat, oversized basketball shorts, and flip-flops—but the man can move when the ball heads his way. With enough shameless begging, she convinces him to take her on.
As her game improves, her muse comes back in a big way. Could it be that her feelings for the grump who taught her the difference between a dillball and a dink shot run deeper than just student and coach?
As a cowboy romance ghostwriter, Brooke Murphy knows a thing or two about happily ever afters. But following her last breakup, Brooke is feeling fresh out of hot and steamy vibes.
With her next deadline looming and desperate for inspiration, Brooke says yes to every possible romantic opportunity, including a mixed doubles pickleball game, where she meets a tall, dark, and handsome guy taking his pickleball very seriously. A couple of dates with this stranger would be all she needs to crank out her next trope-tastic novel. She just needs to learn how to play. Fast. So what if she’s the least athletic person alive?
Enter Owen Miller, aka The Big Gripper, the secret weapon of Manhattan’s most competitive finance bro pickleball players. The surly coach doesn’t look like a former elite athlete—with his bucket hat, oversized basketball shorts, and flip-flops—but the man can move when the ball heads his way. With enough shameless begging, she convinces him to take her on.
As her game improves, her muse comes back in a big way. Could it be that her feelings for the grump who taught her the difference between a dillball and a dink shot run deeper than just student and coach?
352 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 5, 2025
28 people are currently reading
7103 people want to read
About the author
Victoria Schade
15 books406 followersVictoria Schade has been a dog trainer and writer for over seventeen years. During that time her dog duties have included working behind the scenes on Animal Planet’s Puppy Bowl as the lead animal wrangler, appearing on two seasons of the Animal Planet show Faithful Friends, writing dog training content and appearing in educational videos for NBC/Universal, Pet360, PawCulture and petMD, and writing two dog training books, Bonding With Your Dog and Secrets of a Dog Trainer.
Victoria shares her 1850’s always-in- need-of- renovations home with Millie the Smooth Brussels Griffon (who wants you to know that she is not a skinny pug), Olive the mixed breed dog, the occasional foster pup, and her incredibly tolerant husband, Tom.
Victoria shares her 1850’s always-in- need-of- renovations home with Millie the Smooth Brussels Griffon (who wants you to know that she is not a skinny pug), Olive the mixed breed dog, the occasional foster pup, and her incredibly tolerant husband, Tom.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 324 reviews
November 26, 2025
Honestly I’m 100% in my pickleball era right now and I just had the highest hopes for this book and let me tell you… I was not disappointed!!!
Pick Me is one of those romcoms that sneaks up on you. It starts with an adorable premise and ends up delivering so 👏🏼 much 👏🏼 more 👏🏼 than a love story.
-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-
Brooke Murphy, a romance ghostwriter who’s lost her spark, decides to say yes to every romantic opportunity that might rekindle her inspiration… even if that means learning pickleball. What she doesn’t expect is for her grumpy-seeming coach, Owen Miller, to end up teaching her lessons that go wayyyy beyond the court.
From the very beginning, I loved Brooke’s best friend, Meredith. She’s the kind of friend everyone needs—supportive, blunt in the best way, and always pushing Brooke toward growth, even when her plans are a little wild. Their friendship felt refreshingly real, full of tough love and humor. 😌😌
And Owen… oh Owen 😍 I liked him immediately. There’s this quiet steadiness about him that you can feel from his first scene, and I swear, there’s a line early on where you just know Brooke caught his attention long before she realized it herself. He’s not the type to gush or flirt for the sake of it, but the way he coaches her—challenging her mindset, refusing to let her tear herself down—says everything. His care shows up in every action. Every scene between them feels charged, not necessarily from physical chemistry (though that’s there too 🤭👀), but from genuine emotional connection.
I’ll admit, I went in expecting a much grumpier hero based on the synopsis, but Owen isn’t that kind of grump. He’s direct and serious, but also patient and deeply kind. And his role in helping Brooke break through her own self-doubt? Honestly one of my favorite parts of the entire book. He doesn’t “fix” her. He helps her see herself clearly again. 🥹🥹
Their relationship builds slowly. Friends first, laughter second, and something much deeper growing in between. It’s a slow burn in the best way, grounded in friendship and mutual respect. I do wish we’d gotten to peek inside Owen’s head (a dual POV would’ve made me absolutely feral), but the mystery around him also fits the story. It makes every little reveal about his past hit harder.
And then there’s the twist of Brooke’s muse… let’s just say it’s deliciously ironic that she doesn’t even realize where her inspiration’s really coming from until it’s almost too late.
Beyond the romance, Pick Me shines as a story about rediscovering yourself—the parts you lost, the confidence you buried, and the courage it takes to show up again after setbacks. It’s funny, a little messy, perfectly human, and full of heart.
If you love slow-burn chemistry, supportive heroes, and stories that balance humor with growth, this one will absolutely hit the spot. Just be warned lol… you might find yourself suddenly wanting to grab a paddle and hit the pickleball court too. 🏓💕
-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-favorite quotes-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-
“What we tell ourselves forms our reality. You keep saying you're clumsy and hopeless, and you will be—I promise you that.”
⸻
“To me, Owen was one of a kind. Sure, on paper he was just an everyday cute guy who camouflaged his attractiveness in sloppy clothes, but the wattage of his smile and warmth in his eyes made you feel seen.”
⸻
“"I can't find a single thing wrong with you," he murmured as he worked, so softly that he might've been talking to himself.”
-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-
things to know about the book ↓
🏓 friends→lovers
🖊️ yummy pining 🤭😩
🏓 he’s obsessed and she doesn’t know
🖊️ forced proximity
🏓 coach x student
A huge thank you to Netgalley, Harlequin - Romance, and Stacey Kennedy for allowing me to read this arc. These are all my honest opinions in this review.
──────────
・❥・⁀➷ pre-read
kinda in a pickleball era rn so im hoping this is at good as im imagining 🤞🏼🏓
Pick Me is one of those romcoms that sneaks up on you. It starts with an adorable premise and ends up delivering so 👏🏼 much 👏🏼 more 👏🏼 than a love story.
-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-
Brooke Murphy, a romance ghostwriter who’s lost her spark, decides to say yes to every romantic opportunity that might rekindle her inspiration… even if that means learning pickleball. What she doesn’t expect is for her grumpy-seeming coach, Owen Miller, to end up teaching her lessons that go wayyyy beyond the court.
From the very beginning, I loved Brooke’s best friend, Meredith. She’s the kind of friend everyone needs—supportive, blunt in the best way, and always pushing Brooke toward growth, even when her plans are a little wild. Their friendship felt refreshingly real, full of tough love and humor. 😌😌
And Owen… oh Owen 😍 I liked him immediately. There’s this quiet steadiness about him that you can feel from his first scene, and I swear, there’s a line early on where you just know Brooke caught his attention long before she realized it herself. He’s not the type to gush or flirt for the sake of it, but the way he coaches her—challenging her mindset, refusing to let her tear herself down—says everything. His care shows up in every action. Every scene between them feels charged, not necessarily from physical chemistry (though that’s there too 🤭👀), but from genuine emotional connection.
I’ll admit, I went in expecting a much grumpier hero based on the synopsis, but Owen isn’t that kind of grump. He’s direct and serious, but also patient and deeply kind. And his role in helping Brooke break through her own self-doubt? Honestly one of my favorite parts of the entire book. He doesn’t “fix” her. He helps her see herself clearly again. 🥹🥹
Their relationship builds slowly. Friends first, laughter second, and something much deeper growing in between. It’s a slow burn in the best way, grounded in friendship and mutual respect. I do wish we’d gotten to peek inside Owen’s head (a dual POV would’ve made me absolutely feral), but the mystery around him also fits the story. It makes every little reveal about his past hit harder.
And then there’s the twist of Brooke’s muse… let’s just say it’s deliciously ironic that she doesn’t even realize where her inspiration’s really coming from until it’s almost too late.
Beyond the romance, Pick Me shines as a story about rediscovering yourself—the parts you lost, the confidence you buried, and the courage it takes to show up again after setbacks. It’s funny, a little messy, perfectly human, and full of heart.
If you love slow-burn chemistry, supportive heroes, and stories that balance humor with growth, this one will absolutely hit the spot. Just be warned lol… you might find yourself suddenly wanting to grab a paddle and hit the pickleball court too. 🏓💕
-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-favorite quotes-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-
“What we tell ourselves forms our reality. You keep saying you're clumsy and hopeless, and you will be—I promise you that.”
⸻
“To me, Owen was one of a kind. Sure, on paper he was just an everyday cute guy who camouflaged his attractiveness in sloppy clothes, but the wattage of his smile and warmth in his eyes made you feel seen.”
⸻
“"I can't find a single thing wrong with you," he murmured as he worked, so softly that he might've been talking to himself.”
-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-
things to know about the book ↓
🏓 friends→lovers
🖊️ yummy pining 🤭😩
🏓 he’s obsessed and she doesn’t know
🖊️ forced proximity
🏓 coach x student
A huge thank you to Netgalley, Harlequin - Romance, and Stacey Kennedy for allowing me to read this arc. These are all my honest opinions in this review.
──────────
・❥・⁀➷ pre-read
kinda in a pickleball era rn so im hoping this is at good as im imagining 🤞🏼🏓
November 28, 2025
3.25 / 5 Stars
This one was just alright for me. Sadly, I didn't connect with the love story as much as I had hoped. In “Pick Me,” Brooke is a romance book writer, who is lacking inspiration since her last breakup. She needs a muse badly. Enter Kai, an exceptionally hot man who loves pickleball. The next logical step? Sign up for pickleball lessons, even though she thinks she is painfully unathletic, so that she can keep running into Kai and get the inspo she needs. Coach Owen Miller is her secret weapon and he also happens to be attractive and super kind even when he is surly and serious. Will Brooke keep chasing her muse or finally see what is right in front of her?
You will probably like this book if you like:
💚 Pickleball romances
💚 Grumpy MMC x Sunshine FMC
💚 Friends to lovers
💚 He falls first
💚 Other man drama
💚 Books about books (she’s a romance book writer)
💚 A dash of fake dating
I LOVE a love triangle romance (you’re telling me TWO people are obsessed with our protagonist? Don’t tempt me with a good time), but this was not really a love triangle. Kai is just an idea for most of the book and when he appears, it is pretty brief, so this read as “other man” drama which is not my favorite trope. It was hard to reconcile why Brooke would stick to the muse concept when Owen was right there being exceptionally kind and encouraging and hot. Why can’t he be the muse? Her reasoning felt so shaky at best and that it made it hard to root for her.
There were also various plot points that felt forced. For a hot second they try fake dating when they each see their exes, which felt like a ploy to get them to physically touch. There is a plot point with a fire at her apartment which forces her to spend time at Owen’s house. If they had committed to the fake dating or committed to the forced proximity, I maybe would have bought into it, but it all felt tangential.
The way things went with Kai also didn’t feel great. I am not going to spoil anything but the final conversation between Kai and Brooke would have driven me crazy if I was Owen (while Owen is okay with it). I think there was an opportunity to solidify one relationship and it wasn’t taken.
All of that being said, it is a very quick, easy read. If you like sports romances and want to try something different with pickleball, you may really enjoy this. If you like other man drama, you will love this. If you like reading about the writing process, you will like this because Brooke is an author.
Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for providing this eARC! All opinions are my own.
Publication Date: November 18, 2025 (out now)
__________________
Pre-Read Thoughts: the dedication is for “everyone with repressed middle school gym trauma” and that hits close to home 😂
This one was just alright for me. Sadly, I didn't connect with the love story as much as I had hoped. In “Pick Me,” Brooke is a romance book writer, who is lacking inspiration since her last breakup. She needs a muse badly. Enter Kai, an exceptionally hot man who loves pickleball. The next logical step? Sign up for pickleball lessons, even though she thinks she is painfully unathletic, so that she can keep running into Kai and get the inspo she needs. Coach Owen Miller is her secret weapon and he also happens to be attractive and super kind even when he is surly and serious. Will Brooke keep chasing her muse or finally see what is right in front of her?
You will probably like this book if you like:
💚 Pickleball romances
💚 Grumpy MMC x Sunshine FMC
💚 Friends to lovers
💚 He falls first
💚 Other man drama
💚 Books about books (she’s a romance book writer)
💚 A dash of fake dating
I LOVE a love triangle romance (you’re telling me TWO people are obsessed with our protagonist? Don’t tempt me with a good time), but this was not really a love triangle. Kai is just an idea for most of the book and when he appears, it is pretty brief, so this read as “other man” drama which is not my favorite trope. It was hard to reconcile why Brooke would stick to the muse concept when Owen was right there being exceptionally kind and encouraging and hot. Why can’t he be the muse? Her reasoning felt so shaky at best and that it made it hard to root for her.
There were also various plot points that felt forced. For a hot second they try fake dating when they each see their exes, which felt like a ploy to get them to physically touch. There is a plot point with a fire at her apartment which forces her to spend time at Owen’s house. If they had committed to the fake dating or committed to the forced proximity, I maybe would have bought into it, but it all felt tangential.
The way things went with Kai also didn’t feel great. I am not going to spoil anything but the final conversation between Kai and Brooke would have driven me crazy if I was Owen (while Owen is okay with it). I think there was an opportunity to solidify one relationship and it wasn’t taken.
All of that being said, it is a very quick, easy read. If you like sports romances and want to try something different with pickleball, you may really enjoy this. If you like other man drama, you will love this. If you like reading about the writing process, you will like this because Brooke is an author.
Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for providing this eARC! All opinions are my own.
Publication Date: November 18, 2025 (out now)
__________________
Pre-Read Thoughts: the dedication is for “everyone with repressed middle school gym trauma” and that hits close to home 😂
September 12, 2025
My first ever Pickleball romance! I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I actually loved it!
Brooke is an author, with an Unfortunate case of writers block and an impending deadline from her publisher.
Ever since her ex broke her heart, she just can’t seem to find any inspiration.
Until- she sees Kai.
She instantly gets a boost of motivation, and determines him to be her muse. She needs to be around him more to keep up her writing streak.
The way to do this? Become a pickleball pro just like him.
It turns out the hardest part might not be learning to work the court, but instead trying not to fall for her new coach, Owen.
I thought this was so enjoyable.
I love Tennis romance, so I thought I would give this a go as they’re pretty similar. And, I was not disappointed.
The plot was great and kept me so entertained.
I don’t always go for love triangle tropes, but this was executed so well.
I was kind of dying for Brooke to get it together and pick the right man!
I have to talk about Owen and his dedication to helping Brooke?!
From coaching her, to helping her find inspiration for her new book, to reading her pervious books to support her.
He was working overtime for his dream girl and I loved that.
This would be really good to read if you’re interested in sports romance, but want something light.
It is mostly about Brooke’s life and the romance aspect of things, instead of being super sport heavy.
The pickleball is there- but I wouldn’t say it’s the main focus of the book.
Personally I like that. Since I don’t play the game, I was nervous to read this thinking I would be confused.
Luckily, I wasn’t. It was a super quick, easy and fun story!
Thank you to Netgalley, Avon and Harper Voyager and author Victoria Schade for providing me with the eARC of “Pick Me”, in exchange for my honest review!
Publication date: November 18th, 2025
Brooke is an author, with an Unfortunate case of writers block and an impending deadline from her publisher.
Ever since her ex broke her heart, she just can’t seem to find any inspiration.
Until- she sees Kai.
She instantly gets a boost of motivation, and determines him to be her muse. She needs to be around him more to keep up her writing streak.
The way to do this? Become a pickleball pro just like him.
It turns out the hardest part might not be learning to work the court, but instead trying not to fall for her new coach, Owen.
I thought this was so enjoyable.
I love Tennis romance, so I thought I would give this a go as they’re pretty similar. And, I was not disappointed.
The plot was great and kept me so entertained.
I don’t always go for love triangle tropes, but this was executed so well.
I was kind of dying for Brooke to get it together and pick the right man!
I have to talk about Owen and his dedication to helping Brooke?!
From coaching her, to helping her find inspiration for her new book, to reading her pervious books to support her.
He was working overtime for his dream girl and I loved that.
This would be really good to read if you’re interested in sports romance, but want something light.
It is mostly about Brooke’s life and the romance aspect of things, instead of being super sport heavy.
The pickleball is there- but I wouldn’t say it’s the main focus of the book.
Personally I like that. Since I don’t play the game, I was nervous to read this thinking I would be confused.
Luckily, I wasn’t. It was a super quick, easy and fun story!
Thank you to Netgalley, Avon and Harper Voyager and author Victoria Schade for providing me with the eARC of “Pick Me”, in exchange for my honest review!
Publication date: November 18th, 2025
September 9, 2025
Post breakup, romance writer Brooke is in a slump. Her roommate invites her to play pickleball to get out of the house and find some inspiration. While there, she meets a cute high level player named Kai and dubs him her next muse. To grow closer to him, she begins taking pickleball lessons from Owen, the center’s coach. The more time they spend together, Brooke realizes that her feelings for Owen grow while the muse status she put on Kai starts to diminish.
Overall, this was a quick and cute read. If you know nothing about pickleball like I did, you will definitely learn a lot about the sport. There was a little aspect of fake dating that was thrown in briefly that felt a little random and then was never talked about again. That felt like the theme to me, things were mentioned as if they were important but never brought up again.
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the advanced copy!
Overall, this was a quick and cute read. If you know nothing about pickleball like I did, you will definitely learn a lot about the sport. There was a little aspect of fake dating that was thrown in briefly that felt a little random and then was never talked about again. That felt like the theme to me, things were mentioned as if they were important but never brought up again.
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the advanced copy!
May 3, 2025
Brooke, a romance writer in a writing slump, finds her Muse, Kai, in the pickleball court. Everything goes to plan. The meet cute check, Run in the same circle check. To impress him, she takes lessons with a professional coach, Owen.
The premise is great. That’s why I picked up this ARC. A writer taking up pickleballs lesson to impress someone only to fall for her coach. There are too many guys. There’s Kai, the muse. Leo, her ex, which doesn’t come to play but the reason why she’s in a slump, Owen, actual MMC. I don’t feel the chemistry between them. It wasn’t really opposites attract. He’s sporty, she’s a nerdy writer, but they both love reading.
Owen also had trauma of being in a love triangle and doesn’t want to get with Brooke. That’s valid! Brooke was playing him along honestly. While she is still pursuing Kai, she kisses him. He says no and puts space because he knows this is a telltale sign of love triangle. The pining could have work when there is undeniable chemistry or the other man is a jerk.
Kai, the other guy, had nothing particularly wrong. He was a rich guy who went to Yale to continue his family company. He doesn’t like reading 😑 He isn’t a match for Brooke. I don’t think not having the same hobbies as you is a red flag, not respecting your career is though. It didn’t work because Owen and Kai are both equally bland. So, I wasn’t rooting for any of them
It wasn’t bad but I’m just sad because it could be so much more. I see potential.
🏓 Pickleball coach, ex tennis pro
🏓 romance ghostwriter
🏓 love triangle
🏓 both are readers
The premise is great. That’s why I picked up this ARC. A writer taking up pickleballs lesson to impress someone only to fall for her coach. There are too many guys. There’s Kai, the muse. Leo, her ex, which doesn’t come to play but the reason why she’s in a slump, Owen, actual MMC. I don’t feel the chemistry between them. It wasn’t really opposites attract. He’s sporty, she’s a nerdy writer, but they both love reading.
Owen also had trauma of being in a love triangle and doesn’t want to get with Brooke. That’s valid! Brooke was playing him along honestly. While she is still pursuing Kai, she kisses him. He says no and puts space because he knows this is a telltale sign of love triangle. The pining could have work when there is undeniable chemistry or the other man is a jerk.
Kai, the other guy, had nothing particularly wrong. He was a rich guy who went to Yale to continue his family company. He doesn’t like reading 😑 He isn’t a match for Brooke. I don’t think not having the same hobbies as you is a red flag, not respecting your career is though. It didn’t work because Owen and Kai are both equally bland. So, I wasn’t rooting for any of them
It wasn’t bad but I’m just sad because it could be so much more. I see potential.
🏓 Pickleball coach, ex tennis pro
🏓 romance ghostwriter
🏓 love triangle
🏓 both are readers
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 24, 2025
~3.75~
Thank you to Netgalley, the publishers, and the author for granting me this ARC in return for an honest review <3
"I'll wait for you, as long as it takes."
I was pleasantly surprised by the outcome of this book. See, at the beginning I had my doubts because the way the first one or two chapters were written felt rough. But then I got deeper into the story, got to know the characters, and I enjoyed it so much. There's something so warm about this book. Something so relatable, and when you find a romance novel that's relatable who truly does something to the heart strings.
No, this isn't a masterpiece. And no, it's not so fantastical but it was good. The romance was sweet, though it felt slow at time, and nothing felt half-attempted. Victoria Shade knew what she was talking about in the pickleball lessons, she knew what she was talking about in the horse scene, and she knew how to describe the struggles of a writer. And I really liked that, because that isn't always the case.
However, though there's lots to praise that doesn't mean this was all cupcakes and rainbows. As I stated before the beginning wasn't very hooking. To be completely honest it felt as though dialogue had been written and then descriptive paragraphs were put in to fill space. And that was in a way, disappointing. The writing style did improve though early after (maybe somewhere around the second more likely third chapter) so it didn't last long, but it still was there.
But ANYWAYS, moving onto the couple of the hour....
╰┈➤ ❝ 𝓑𝓻𝓸𝓸𝓴𝓮 & 𝓞𝔀𝓮𝓷 ❞
Let's just give a moments to them hehe:
"Do you remember what you asked me at our first lesson?"
"I'm sure I asked you a lot of stupid questions, so take your pick."
"You asked me if I'd ever had an immediate reaction to a person. A 'bam' connection, I think you called it...I need you to know I had the reaction when I first saw you."
Ugh, they were actually really cute. I mean the way Owen consistently, from the very beginning, cared for her and wanted the best for her was very heart warming. They weren't over the top and they didn't stand out, they were real. (I feel like that word is going to come up a lot in this review because it perfectly describes this book AND the way it makes you feel). And that's what made them special. The fact that their case, story, didn't seem SO impossible; that their emotions weren't dramatized made it all so much sweeter. I mean they never even technically said "I love you", but they didn't need to. They said with actions, with the unspoken words, and that was enough. Much like in real word scenarios. They don't need words to explain or reason what they feel, they just feel it.
He helped her get out of her head, he was ALWAYS there for her, and that was something she needed without even knowing. He was everything she needed and more, it just took her a little while to figure out it was him and not Kai. And by a little while I mean a WHOLE LOTTA WHILE. And then when they finally followed through their happiness lasted for about a chapter and then it ended and that was just so deflating. I would've loved to see more of their time together before their breakup but other than that (and how excruciatingly long I had to wait for them to finally 'get together') they were nice.
*AHEM*
Mr. Owen Miller
»----► "You have my heart, Brooke. Since the very first moment I saw you."
Oh honey, we could tell.
This man was head over heels in love with Brooke before he even knew her name. And that's not even an exaggeration. He truly did fall in love at first sight with this girl, and it was obvious. But it was obvious in a cute way. He kind of gave off the vibe of that one Notting hill scene where Julia Roberts is standing in his book store and says: "I'm just a girl standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her." Obviously Owen didn't say anything like that -like at ALL- for some reason I got the same from him as I got from that scene.
He did everything he could for her because he wanted her to have what she wanted. THAT'S how much he cared.
Now, he's not my type in a man and he wasn't what I expected but I grew to love him. Not as a book boyfriend, but as a character. As him. He didn't make me swoon, he made me smile.
He was precious in a boy-ish way, and I like that :)
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
Now enter
↳ Brooke Murphy ༉‧₊˚✧
Our cutesy writing queen.
She was honestly so relatable, I saw my own personality in her. (Which is why at time I felt embarrassed FOR her, because I felt LIKE her). There were moments where she either annoyed me because she kept mentioning how she's not athletic (like girl, it comes to a point), and then there were moments where I frustrated with her because I wanted her to realize Kai wasn't who her muse was Owen was! She eventually realized it, and I was very proud of her :)
But anyways, back to her character. I'm going to be completely honest, there were moments where she was just utterly delusional. (Can't protest though because as hopeless romantics aren't we all?) I specifically noticed it when she was talking about Kai and referred to him as her future husband. It was at that moment that I knew, she was me and I loved her character. She was so simple, chill, and fun while also showing the complexities and difficulties of a writer and just a girl in love. It was wonderful.
<><><>
Overall, this was a really cute and quick read. The feels were fun and happy, and if you're looking for a nice romcom add this to your tbr :)
Thank you to Netgalley, the publishers, and the author for granting me this ARC in return for an honest review <3
"I'll wait for you, as long as it takes."
I was pleasantly surprised by the outcome of this book. See, at the beginning I had my doubts because the way the first one or two chapters were written felt rough. But then I got deeper into the story, got to know the characters, and I enjoyed it so much. There's something so warm about this book. Something so relatable, and when you find a romance novel that's relatable who truly does something to the heart strings.
No, this isn't a masterpiece. And no, it's not so fantastical but it was good. The romance was sweet, though it felt slow at time, and nothing felt half-attempted. Victoria Shade knew what she was talking about in the pickleball lessons, she knew what she was talking about in the horse scene, and she knew how to describe the struggles of a writer. And I really liked that, because that isn't always the case.
However, though there's lots to praise that doesn't mean this was all cupcakes and rainbows. As I stated before the beginning wasn't very hooking. To be completely honest it felt as though dialogue had been written and then descriptive paragraphs were put in to fill space. And that was in a way, disappointing. The writing style did improve though early after (maybe somewhere around the second more likely third chapter) so it didn't last long, but it still was there.
But ANYWAYS, moving onto the couple of the hour....
╰┈➤ ❝ 𝓑𝓻𝓸𝓸𝓴𝓮 & 𝓞𝔀𝓮𝓷 ❞
Let's just give a moments to them hehe:
"Do you remember what you asked me at our first lesson?"
"I'm sure I asked you a lot of stupid questions, so take your pick."
"You asked me if I'd ever had an immediate reaction to a person. A 'bam' connection, I think you called it...I need you to know I had the reaction when I first saw you."
Ugh, they were actually really cute. I mean the way Owen consistently, from the very beginning, cared for her and wanted the best for her was very heart warming. They weren't over the top and they didn't stand out, they were real. (I feel like that word is going to come up a lot in this review because it perfectly describes this book AND the way it makes you feel). And that's what made them special. The fact that their case, story, didn't seem SO impossible; that their emotions weren't dramatized made it all so much sweeter. I mean they never even technically said "I love you", but they didn't need to. They said with actions, with the unspoken words, and that was enough. Much like in real word scenarios. They don't need words to explain or reason what they feel, they just feel it.
He helped her get out of her head, he was ALWAYS there for her, and that was something she needed without even knowing. He was everything she needed and more, it just took her a little while to figure out it was him and not Kai. And by a little while I mean a WHOLE LOTTA WHILE. And then when they finally followed through their happiness lasted for about a chapter and then it ended and that was just so deflating. I would've loved to see more of their time together before their breakup but other than that (and how excruciatingly long I had to wait for them to finally 'get together') they were nice.
*AHEM*
Mr. Owen Miller
»----► "You have my heart, Brooke. Since the very first moment I saw you."
Oh honey, we could tell.
This man was head over heels in love with Brooke before he even knew her name. And that's not even an exaggeration. He truly did fall in love at first sight with this girl, and it was obvious. But it was obvious in a cute way. He kind of gave off the vibe of that one Notting hill scene where Julia Roberts is standing in his book store and says: "I'm just a girl standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her." Obviously Owen didn't say anything like that -like at ALL- for some reason I got the same from him as I got from that scene.
He did everything he could for her because he wanted her to have what she wanted. THAT'S how much he cared.
Now, he's not my type in a man and he wasn't what I expected but I grew to love him. Not as a book boyfriend, but as a character. As him. He didn't make me swoon, he made me smile.
He was precious in a boy-ish way, and I like that :)
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
Now enter
↳ Brooke Murphy ༉‧₊˚✧
Our cutesy writing queen.
She was honestly so relatable, I saw my own personality in her. (Which is why at time I felt embarrassed FOR her, because I felt LIKE her). There were moments where she either annoyed me because she kept mentioning how she's not athletic (like girl, it comes to a point), and then there were moments where I frustrated with her because I wanted her to realize Kai wasn't who her muse was Owen was! She eventually realized it, and I was very proud of her :)
But anyways, back to her character. I'm going to be completely honest, there were moments where she was just utterly delusional. (Can't protest though because as hopeless romantics aren't we all?) I specifically noticed it when she was talking about Kai and referred to him as her future husband. It was at that moment that I knew, she was me and I loved her character. She was so simple, chill, and fun while also showing the complexities and difficulties of a writer and just a girl in love. It was wonderful.
<><><>
Overall, this was a really cute and quick read. The feels were fun and happy, and if you're looking for a nice romcom add this to your tbr :)
June 18, 2025
3.5 ⭐️’s: This was a quick and fun read! I was very unfamiliar with Pickleball and after reading this book, I think I’ll have to give it a try!
Brooke is a ghost-writer of cowboy romances (my favorite!) and has lost her inspiration after a breakup. To get her out of her apartment, her roommate, Meredith, tells her to join her at the pickleball club. Brooke is bad and catches the eye of the resident coach, Owen. Brooke’s eye is caught by his student Kai. She decides he is her new muse! She starts up pickle ball lessons with Owen in hopes to get better and see Kai at the club more often. As the lessons go on, her feelings begin to change about Owen but she can’t seem to give up her muse Kai.
I enjoyed this book and would rate it 3.5 stars! It was a quick read, learned a lot about pickleball, and I think the author did a great job of showing the differences in conversation between Brooke and Owen and Kai.
Excited to recommend it to friends when it’s released on November 18th!
Thank you to NetGalley, Avon, and Harper Voyage for this ARC!💕🫶🏼
Brooke is a ghost-writer of cowboy romances (my favorite!) and has lost her inspiration after a breakup. To get her out of her apartment, her roommate, Meredith, tells her to join her at the pickleball club. Brooke is bad and catches the eye of the resident coach, Owen. Brooke’s eye is caught by his student Kai. She decides he is her new muse! She starts up pickle ball lessons with Owen in hopes to get better and see Kai at the club more often. As the lessons go on, her feelings begin to change about Owen but she can’t seem to give up her muse Kai.
I enjoyed this book and would rate it 3.5 stars! It was a quick read, learned a lot about pickleball, and I think the author did a great job of showing the differences in conversation between Brooke and Owen and Kai.
Excited to recommend it to friends when it’s released on November 18th!
Thank you to NetGalley, Avon, and Harper Voyage for this ARC!💕🫶🏼
June 18, 2025
3.5 stars. I wasn’t going to get this book because I play pickleball and I did not want to read a book that got it wrong. A lot of people think pickleball is lame and “oh tennis is a real sport and pickleball isn’t” blah blah blah blah. But I was pleasantly surprised at how much the pickleball dynamic in this book matches my own community in Oklahoma. You have your uppity pickleball club where everyone over 4.0 plays and newbies are terrified. You have your community centers and parks where older people and newbies play. There are some pickleball douche bags that take it way too seriously and coach you on the court and make you want to rip your hair out and then you have the most pleasant and caring people EVER who become family. So the pickleball stuff? Great. It was a happy little time for me. I was genuinely terrified that this 2.0 heroine was going to somehow magically become a 4.0 player within a month, which would have been a no go for me. It took me two years and hundreds and hundreds of hours of open play and lessons and drills to play at a 4.0 level and it would’ve made my head explode. So I was happy to see the heroine play at a 3.0 level after a solid month of hard work.
Also I was DYING when Brooke suggests that she just play open play with her pickleball crush and Owen had to let her know that was never gonna happen. Pickleball snobbery is real! 🤣 That 4.0 dude isn’t interested in slumming it with a beginner loooool. As someone who only got into pickleball so I could be good enough to play competitively with my husband, I get it. It’s not fun to just get my ass handed to me on the court and it’s not fun to play with someone who sucks. I have high hopes for Brooke to get to a 4.0 level someday and be able to play with her man. It really is the best.
Also Owen gets her a real paddle and makes fun of her cute one she got from Amazon and it was truly wonderful.
Anyway enough blabbering about pickleball. The romance in this book is alright. Didn’t love it, but also didn’t hate it. Love triangle-esque was pretty grating to me towards the end. I mean OBVS she isn’t really into this Kai guy, why is she trying to convince herself she is? Why were we torturing ourselves with this? It was very obvious from the beginning that Owen was instalove into Brooke and Brooke is INTO OWEN. But also I enjoyed some happy kisses and hugs. And also pickleball made me confront daddy issues too???? Ughhhhhh whyyyy, so I did like Owen being a therapist on the court lol.
Overall, it was good and pickleball rules.
This was an ARC, review is my own.
Also I was DYING when Brooke suggests that she just play open play with her pickleball crush and Owen had to let her know that was never gonna happen. Pickleball snobbery is real! 🤣 That 4.0 dude isn’t interested in slumming it with a beginner loooool. As someone who only got into pickleball so I could be good enough to play competitively with my husband, I get it. It’s not fun to just get my ass handed to me on the court and it’s not fun to play with someone who sucks. I have high hopes for Brooke to get to a 4.0 level someday and be able to play with her man. It really is the best.
Also Owen gets her a real paddle and makes fun of her cute one she got from Amazon and it was truly wonderful.
Anyway enough blabbering about pickleball. The romance in this book is alright. Didn’t love it, but also didn’t hate it. Love triangle-esque was pretty grating to me towards the end. I mean OBVS she isn’t really into this Kai guy, why is she trying to convince herself she is? Why were we torturing ourselves with this? It was very obvious from the beginning that Owen was instalove into Brooke and Brooke is INTO OWEN. But also I enjoyed some happy kisses and hugs. And also pickleball made me confront daddy issues too???? Ughhhhhh whyyyy, so I did like Owen being a therapist on the court lol.
Overall, it was good and pickleball rules.
This was an ARC, review is my own.
December 5, 2025
Huge thanks to @avonbooks and @harperaudio for the gifted print and audio copies!
Brooke Murphy has an epic case of writer’s block. The only problem is that her next cowboy romance in the series she ghostwrites is due in just months. When her roommate insists Brooke leave the house and join her to do something fun, she forces Brooke to go with her to an indoor pickleball club. There she encounters Kai, the most handsome man she has ever seen, and she decides he will be her muse to fuel her in finishing the novel. Which means she needs to learn pickleball. Owen, Kai’s instructor agrees to take her on. She’s less than sporty and they have to start with the basics. But Owen’s approach to coaching ends up helping Brooke understand so much about her psychology in addition to pickleball but as Kai begins to take notice, she can’t help but be drawn to enigmatic Owen with his unique fashion choices and renaissance man mentality.
Ummm….this book is both so fun and so tender. Brooke’s arc of growth and realization is equal parts zany, real, and heart-felt. Owen is every green flag and has such a fun backstory that is revealed in pieces over the course of the book. The secondary characters - Brooke’s family, her friends, the pickleball community as so warmly constructed that I felt genuine affection for all of them. And this slow-burn love story is deeply rooted in what it means to truly see someone, know someone, and allow yourself to be seen. You will be rooting for them, both in pickleball and in love. It is fun, funny, charming, and filled with love - in romance, in friendship, in family.
🎧 Audiobook Thoughts: (9h 48m) Narrated by the incomparable Patti Murrin, the audio really shines. @Pattimurrin is a narrator that will be the reason I select an audiobook but I didn’t realize she was narrating this one until I started it, so it was a special treat. She really brought Brooke and Owen to life.
Brooke Murphy has an epic case of writer’s block. The only problem is that her next cowboy romance in the series she ghostwrites is due in just months. When her roommate insists Brooke leave the house and join her to do something fun, she forces Brooke to go with her to an indoor pickleball club. There she encounters Kai, the most handsome man she has ever seen, and she decides he will be her muse to fuel her in finishing the novel. Which means she needs to learn pickleball. Owen, Kai’s instructor agrees to take her on. She’s less than sporty and they have to start with the basics. But Owen’s approach to coaching ends up helping Brooke understand so much about her psychology in addition to pickleball but as Kai begins to take notice, she can’t help but be drawn to enigmatic Owen with his unique fashion choices and renaissance man mentality.
Ummm….this book is both so fun and so tender. Brooke’s arc of growth and realization is equal parts zany, real, and heart-felt. Owen is every green flag and has such a fun backstory that is revealed in pieces over the course of the book. The secondary characters - Brooke’s family, her friends, the pickleball community as so warmly constructed that I felt genuine affection for all of them. And this slow-burn love story is deeply rooted in what it means to truly see someone, know someone, and allow yourself to be seen. You will be rooting for them, both in pickleball and in love. It is fun, funny, charming, and filled with love - in romance, in friendship, in family.
🎧 Audiobook Thoughts: (9h 48m) Narrated by the incomparable Patti Murrin, the audio really shines. @Pattimurrin is a narrator that will be the reason I select an audiobook but I didn’t realize she was narrating this one until I started it, so it was a special treat. She really brought Brooke and Owen to life.
June 19, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me this ARC which I’ll gladly recommend ten times over!!! It’s been awhile since I’ve read a book that has kept me so interested that I stayed up late into the night to finish. Trust me when I tell you you’ll hit a certain age and sleep becomes a necessity and not just a luxury, so it’s not often I indulge into the late hours. But Pick Me by Victoria Schade, a new to me author, had me double checking the time because it didn't even feel like “bar hours.” What I liked most was you were essentially reading three stories unfold within one epic love story. Oh and this new phenomenon called Pickle Ball, which I’ve heard in passing but most likely wouldn’t have cared to learn about it if wasn’t for reading Pick Me! I, like Brooke, am not the athlete in my family. MMC Owen was all over the place personality wise, but his Golden Retriever side easily draws you in and has you rooting for this couple against all odds. A must read in my book!
December 1, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Wow. Another sports romance? And this time Pickleball? Okkkkkk!
I’m loving the new sports romances being etched into the world and I know this one is HUGE in America, when I got accepted this on NetGalley I was SO excited to read it! Reasons being… sports romances!! Ahhhhh!!
Brooke is a writer in the stages of publishing her next book, she lives with her best friend Meredith, they match each others vibes PERFECTLY!
When Colton, Meredith’s boyfriend starts inviting her to Pickleball games at the local grounds, Meredith thinks this is a perfect opportunity for Brooke to broaden her horizons and get out of her writing slump.
Enter Kai. Perfect pickleball player, cute, funny, everything that Brooke wants in a man. But he’s too out of reach for Brooke.
Enter Owen. Always the second option, when Brooke asks for help from Owen, he’s skeptical. Brooke is desperate for Kai to notice her, to spark her writing again. So Owen says yes.
This book is FULL of twists and turns and sooo many plot twists. I love this book and the ending so much. And if you’ve not read a pickleball romance or this… READ IT!! You won’t regret it!!
Thank you once again NetGalley!
Wow. Another sports romance? And this time Pickleball? Okkkkkk!
I’m loving the new sports romances being etched into the world and I know this one is HUGE in America, when I got accepted this on NetGalley I was SO excited to read it! Reasons being… sports romances!! Ahhhhh!!
Brooke is a writer in the stages of publishing her next book, she lives with her best friend Meredith, they match each others vibes PERFECTLY!
When Colton, Meredith’s boyfriend starts inviting her to Pickleball games at the local grounds, Meredith thinks this is a perfect opportunity for Brooke to broaden her horizons and get out of her writing slump.
Enter Kai. Perfect pickleball player, cute, funny, everything that Brooke wants in a man. But he’s too out of reach for Brooke.
Enter Owen. Always the second option, when Brooke asks for help from Owen, he’s skeptical. Brooke is desperate for Kai to notice her, to spark her writing again. So Owen says yes.
This book is FULL of twists and turns and sooo many plot twists. I love this book and the ending so much. And if you’ve not read a pickleball romance or this… READ IT!! You won’t regret it!!
Thank you once again NetGalley!
December 3, 2025
*GASP* Hannah read another sports romance 😱
This book was so cute!! I loved that Brooke was a cowboy romance ghost author! She had such a fun personality and I loved reading about her quest to find her "muse"
This is another book about a sport I know nothing about, but I felt like this book did a good job of providing a basic understanding of pickleball terms. This book left me rooting for Brooke as she started to learn more and more.
I thought Owen was a big sweetie and it was fun (and infuriating) seeing him fall for Brooke at the being and her being oblivious.
Overall this was a fun sweetie sports romance that I'd recommend to anyone, especially any pickleball lovers 🤭🥒
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review
This book was so cute!! I loved that Brooke was a cowboy romance ghost author! She had such a fun personality and I loved reading about her quest to find her "muse"
This is another book about a sport I know nothing about, but I felt like this book did a good job of providing a basic understanding of pickleball terms. This book left me rooting for Brooke as she started to learn more and more.
I thought Owen was a big sweetie and it was fun (and infuriating) seeing him fall for Brooke at the being and her being oblivious.
Overall this was a fun sweetie sports romance that I'd recommend to anyone, especially any pickleball lovers 🤭🥒
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review
December 17, 2025
Thank you Avon for the gifted copy.
No doubt there was plenty of pickleball content, but the romance was meh.
Full review to come!
No doubt there was plenty of pickleball content, but the romance was meh.
Full review to come!
November 28, 2025
This was a cute low stakes romance. I’m glad Brooke found her voice and her passion. And I’m happy Owen learned to move past his hurt to be happy with Brooke.
July 21, 2025
4 stars 🌟 i love pickleball so of course i loved owenbrooke 🎾👟📖 this couple was soooo sweet and i loved their “semi” slow-burn 😚
it was super cute how smitten owen was from the start and how they both slowly started to connect during/after all the lessons 🥹 i will say that the whole kai/muse thing was a bit strange and dragged on longer than i liked but otherwise this was still really good!!
a special thank you to netgalley and avon for the arc in exchange for an honest review!
it was super cute how smitten owen was from the start and how they both slowly started to connect during/after all the lessons 🥹 i will say that the whole kai/muse thing was a bit strange and dragged on longer than i liked but otherwise this was still really good!!
a special thank you to netgalley and avon for the arc in exchange for an honest review!
November 18, 2025
Victoria Shade is quickly becoming an auto-buy author for me!!! I loved this slow burn pickleball romance between Brooke, a struggling romance author still hurting from being dumped by her ex and Owen, the man she hires to coach her about the game she knows nothing about in an attempt to catch the eye of a man she feels sparks for the first time in ages.
From the hilarious opening involving stepping in dog poop to all the delicious forced proximity, great banter, publishing insider insights, sizzling chemistry, he falls first, secret billionaire, NYC vibes - it all just worked for me. Brooke has a dirty mind and keeps fantasizing about Owen in different sexy scenes she's written, meanwhile he's hesitant about putting himself out there and getting hurt again.
Great on audio and HIGHLY recommended for fans of books like Alls fair in love and pickleball or Pickle perfect. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review. I'm beyond excited that there's a new book by this author coming out in January 2026!!! I can't wait for Fated skates!
🔥Steam level: a couple open door scenes
From the hilarious opening involving stepping in dog poop to all the delicious forced proximity, great banter, publishing insider insights, sizzling chemistry, he falls first, secret billionaire, NYC vibes - it all just worked for me. Brooke has a dirty mind and keeps fantasizing about Owen in different sexy scenes she's written, meanwhile he's hesitant about putting himself out there and getting hurt again.
Great on audio and HIGHLY recommended for fans of books like Alls fair in love and pickleball or Pickle perfect. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review. I'm beyond excited that there's a new book by this author coming out in January 2026!!! I can't wait for Fated skates!
🔥Steam level: a couple open door scenes
September 29, 2025
If you know me, you know I love a sports romance. Now, this is the first pickleball romance I've picked up and I'll admit, I was hesitant. As someone who plays often, this felt a little on the nose. Initially it even made me laugh because my (romantic) partner and I are known for not being able to be (pickleball) partners because he's too competitive and we fight like hell ahem, bicker when we play together. So! Long story short, I went in with low expectations and left still feeling disappointed.
In this book you follow Brooke Murphy, a cowboy romance ghostwriter looking to "find her muse" on the pickleball court, and Owen Miller, a pickleball coach at a local pickleball club (facility? idk. Just know that it was fancy.) Basically, Brooke tasks Owen with getting her up to speed on pickleball so she can impress her crush who also gets coached by Owen (??), only to fall for her coach instead.
Now, I think the problem with this book is that I got the ick early on. Owen's nickname is "The Big Gripper" ............... yeah, you heard it right, icky. Brooke also spent the first like 40% of the book just ragging on Owen's style. She made fun of his bucket hat for way too long and just kept calling him average looking. Like, girl, let him rest. Overall, I just didn't get the sense Brooke actually liked Owen, it just felt... convenient.
In my opinion, there are better sports romances out there, but if you're looking to pick(le) up a pickleball romance, give it a whirl!
Thank you NetGalley, Victoria, Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC in exchange for my thoughts & review.
2/5 stars
In this book you follow Brooke Murphy, a cowboy romance ghostwriter looking to "find her muse" on the pickleball court, and Owen Miller, a pickleball coach at a local pickleball club (facility? idk. Just know that it was fancy.) Basically, Brooke tasks Owen with getting her up to speed on pickleball so she can impress her crush who also gets coached by Owen (??), only to fall for her coach instead.
Now, I think the problem with this book is that I got the ick early on. Owen's nickname is "The Big Gripper" ............... yeah, you heard it right, icky. Brooke also spent the first like 40% of the book just ragging on Owen's style. She made fun of his bucket hat for way too long and just kept calling him average looking. Like, girl, let him rest. Overall, I just didn't get the sense Brooke actually liked Owen, it just felt... convenient.
In my opinion, there are better sports romances out there, but if you're looking to pick(le) up a pickleball romance, give it a whirl!
Thank you NetGalley, Victoria, Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC in exchange for my thoughts & review.
2/5 stars
November 10, 2025
what do you do when you are a Tennis loving girl who has been playing that sport since she was little. And then you give her a pickleball book? Context on my personal background with pickleball… I had tried to delay my venture into this sport for MONTHS but just like Brooke, when I started playing I was like “oh shit”. That also mimics my reaction seeing this arc in my email (minus the fact that I got emailed an arc like that itself is CRAZY)
Brooke is a ghostwriter trying to romantic inspiration for her next book but can’t find any due to her most recent breakup. So where then a pickleball court to find her next romantic MMC inspiration. Proceeding to get into the sport she begins lessons from Owen (Owen ily) and he start to proceed to get her connected with her muse. Like all romance books you know who are going to be together by the end of it (Thank GOD I LOVE BROOKE AND OWEN)
There is one movie I think it was from the early 2010 with Hilary Duff that this book reminded me of much. Working your way and trying to find a gateway to what you want but unexpectedly come out in the end shocked that what you wanted was right in front of you the entire time.
Now did this book make me want to immediately jump onto a pickleball court, eh bit I will not exclude it anymore from my rotations of sports (and if I have an Howard to be my friendly partner on the court IM SOLID)
Thank you to HarperCollins Publishing for the ARC I was truly utterly shocked by both this book and the email!
Brooke is a ghostwriter trying to romantic inspiration for her next book but can’t find any due to her most recent breakup. So where then a pickleball court to find her next romantic MMC inspiration. Proceeding to get into the sport she begins lessons from Owen (Owen ily) and he start to proceed to get her connected with her muse. Like all romance books you know who are going to be together by the end of it (Thank GOD I LOVE BROOKE AND OWEN)
There is one movie I think it was from the early 2010 with Hilary Duff that this book reminded me of much. Working your way and trying to find a gateway to what you want but unexpectedly come out in the end shocked that what you wanted was right in front of you the entire time.
Now did this book make me want to immediately jump onto a pickleball court, eh bit I will not exclude it anymore from my rotations of sports (and if I have an Howard to be my friendly partner on the court IM SOLID)
Thank you to HarperCollins Publishing for the ARC I was truly utterly shocked by both this book and the email!
May 6, 2025
This was a really cute read! 4.5/5 round up (which I rarely do)
As someone who dislikes miscommunication tropes and does not care for slow burns, I was delighted how the author goes about the former trope. Conflicts were not dragged out too long, and the plot building was done pretty well!
As for this being a slow burn, it had a bit of spice but maybe 1/5 to 1.5/5 spice level? But I still enjoyed the dynamics between the two MCs. I understand that the FMC was not looking for literary inspiration in the right places but it just added to the tension. At the end of the day FMC was trying to pay bills and was desperate to get her writing done so can we blame her?
I was able to breeze through this and found myself kicking my feet giddily. I think the beginning is just the part I cringed a bit but once the plot started to unravel this became a really enjoyable read. This book is not something I would typically grab but I’m glad I found the plot details interesting enough to read this, I had a lot of fun doing so!
Thank you to HarperCollins and NetGalley for this eARC!
As someone who dislikes miscommunication tropes and does not care for slow burns, I was delighted how the author goes about the former trope. Conflicts were not dragged out too long, and the plot building was done pretty well!
As for this being a slow burn, it had a bit of spice but maybe 1/5 to 1.5/5 spice level? But I still enjoyed the dynamics between the two MCs. I understand that the FMC was not looking for literary inspiration in the right places but it just added to the tension. At the end of the day FMC was trying to pay bills and was desperate to get her writing done so can we blame her?
I was able to breeze through this and found myself kicking my feet giddily. I think the beginning is just the part I cringed a bit but once the plot started to unravel this became a really enjoyable read. This book is not something I would typically grab but I’m glad I found the plot details interesting enough to read this, I had a lot of fun doing so!
Thank you to HarperCollins and NetGalley for this eARC!
May 8, 2025
Wow the chemistry these two had was amazing!
This was a random book I found and I’m so glad I was approved for an early copy.
I was invested in Brooke from the very first page. She’s smart, funny and honest. And then there’s Owen! He was charming and a bit mysterious.
There were no bad characters in this book. I adored all of them and their relationships to one another.
And of course I have to give Marti a quick mention!
It had a perfect balance of pickleball scenes. It didn’t over power the story just added to it.
I will be on the lookout for more books by this author!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an arc for my honest review!
This was a random book I found and I’m so glad I was approved for an early copy.
I was invested in Brooke from the very first page. She’s smart, funny and honest. And then there’s Owen! He was charming and a bit mysterious.
There were no bad characters in this book. I adored all of them and their relationships to one another.
And of course I have to give Marti a quick mention!
It had a perfect balance of pickleball scenes. It didn’t over power the story just added to it.
I will be on the lookout for more books by this author!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an arc for my honest review!
November 17, 2025
Pick Me drew me in from the very beginning and had me laughing and swooning the entire time.
I loved being inside Brooke's head and found her absolutely hilarious. I loved all of the references to the books she wrote and the writing industry in general; I love a good book about books!! Owen was a fantastic MMC and I loved the friends to lovers trope and getting to see their relationship develop! I was just grinning while listening and waiting for them to come to their senses!
I'm a big fan of sports romance books but this was my first foray into pickleball!! It was the perfect amount of ✨sports✨ for me and I kind of want to try playing now??
Highly recommend this book!
I loved being inside Brooke's head and found her absolutely hilarious. I loved all of the references to the books she wrote and the writing industry in general; I love a good book about books!! Owen was a fantastic MMC and I loved the friends to lovers trope and getting to see their relationship develop! I was just grinning while listening and waiting for them to come to their senses!
I'm a big fan of sports romance books but this was my first foray into pickleball!! It was the perfect amount of ✨sports✨ for me and I kind of want to try playing now??
Highly recommend this book!
December 3, 2025
3.5 ⭐️ These pickleball romances are so cheesy… and am I still eating them up? YUP. This is the fourth one I’ve read, and I have zero intention of stopping. Pick Me, in particular, was a fun friends-to-lovers story—entertaining, easy to read, and delightfully corny. The love triangle was a bit meh for me, but overall I had a great time. And all the pickleball talk? Easily my favourite part 😍
November 16, 2025
A sports romance around…pickleball? Okay, let’s give it a shot.
I didn’t find it all that swoony.
The characters weren’t pulling me in and by the time we get to the actual romance it felt rushed. I can see how others may enjoy this more than I did if they’re looking for a really easy read, but I needed just a bit more *pazazz* to keep my interest.
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy
I didn’t find it all that swoony.
The characters weren’t pulling me in and by the time we get to the actual romance it felt rushed. I can see how others may enjoy this more than I did if they’re looking for a really easy read, but I needed just a bit more *pazazz* to keep my interest.
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy
November 18, 2025
4⭐️ / 3🌶️
Thank you Avon Books for the ALC!
This was a very cute pickleball romance! It had a little bit of a love triangle, which I was not entirely a fan of (even if it wasn’t really there), but still. I hated to see Owen feel like he was her second choice.
This was definitely an entertaining listen and can’t wait to read what comes next from Victoria!
Thank you Avon Books for the ALC!
This was a very cute pickleball romance! It had a little bit of a love triangle, which I was not entirely a fan of (even if it wasn’t really there), but still. I hated to see Owen feel like he was her second choice.
This was definitely an entertaining listen and can’t wait to read what comes next from Victoria!
did-not-finish
October 30, 2025Right away, this book did NOT capture me. I received an audiobook advanced reader copy and have had a lot of duds, so I TRIED. I put this on 2.5x speed and WORKED at listening to this. But, it's soooooo boring and I won't force myself to keep going. I stopped reading around 65% when they kiss for the 2nd time and they are still not together and she's thinking of her other crush. Sigh and gag me.
Here's the deal. I don't think I enjoy romances about romance authors. It's just not that interesting to be so meta. She's got writer's block so she's hunting down a romantic interest to help her write her story. Yawn.
This story is so shallow. Brooke was dating a man for 4 months who basically love-bombed her and then ghosted her (sorry, not sorry, I'm not defining these terms). She now has writer's block cause "love can't be real". She gets an instalust crush on some dude and thinks "there goes my new muse" and tries to make herself good enough for him.
Now, the best thing about this "teach me" trope is Owen (the hero/coach) helping her dismantle false beliefs about her athleticism. Other than that, it's a big ole snorefest. It's obvious from the beginning the Owen crushed on her hard just like she crushed on the "muse" (Kai) but he doesn't have the balls to ask her out, even when they're kissing. Seriously, you can't say "I know you had some attraction to Kai, but would you give me a chance?"
Instead he sneak attacks by trying to false friend zone her. He offers her free lessons and constantly is at her beck and call.
Meanwhile, Brooke is clueless. For someone who just experienced a foundation-less love bombing relationship, she sure is ready to jump into some super shallow waters. I don't have more hope for Owen than I have for Kai.
This book is trite, formulaic, and extremely boring.
The narrator is fine, but can't rescue this book from the pit.
Here's the deal. I don't think I enjoy romances about romance authors. It's just not that interesting to be so meta. She's got writer's block so she's hunting down a romantic interest to help her write her story. Yawn.
This story is so shallow. Brooke was dating a man for 4 months who basically love-bombed her and then ghosted her (sorry, not sorry, I'm not defining these terms). She now has writer's block cause "love can't be real". She gets an instalust crush on some dude and thinks "there goes my new muse" and tries to make herself good enough for him.
Now, the best thing about this "teach me" trope is Owen (the hero/coach) helping her dismantle false beliefs about her athleticism. Other than that, it's a big ole snorefest. It's obvious from the beginning the Owen crushed on her hard just like she crushed on the "muse" (Kai) but he doesn't have the balls to ask her out, even when they're kissing. Seriously, you can't say "I know you had some attraction to Kai, but would you give me a chance?"
Instead he sneak attacks by trying to false friend zone her. He offers her free lessons and constantly is at her beck and call.
Meanwhile, Brooke is clueless. For someone who just experienced a foundation-less love bombing relationship, she sure is ready to jump into some super shallow waters. I don't have more hope for Owen than I have for Kai.
This book is trite, formulaic, and extremely boring.
The narrator is fine, but can't rescue this book from the pit.
September 19, 2025
Easy 5 star read for me. I usually don’t read a lot of romance books but this one caught my eye. I instantly fell in love with the characters and couldn’t put this book down. I knew nothing about pickleball before reading this book and now I want to play. It’s been a bit since I finished this book and I still think about it. I can’t wait to pick up a physical copy when this book is published. This book is easily one of my favorite books I’ve read. It’s cozy. I love it. I want to play pickleball. Thank you so much to NetGalley and the author for this arc.
December 22, 2025
3.25-3.5
The “Pickle Me, Choose Me, Love Me” subject line in the email I received from the publisher really sparked my interest and who am I to resist a good Grey’s Anatomy reference.
I expected a cute sports romance, which I kinda got, especially with the sport in-question being pickleball, which I’m not too familiar with. Or more like not familiar at all.
However, besides the sports, there’s also a bigger & unexpected focus on the main character’s job as an author, more specifically her ghostwriting job for a publisher under a pen name. And with that some insights into the dodgy side of publishing.
The romance is as cute as it is annoying.
After her now ex-boyfriend ghosted her, Brooke seems to have lost her romantic spark, which leads to her not being able to write her contracted cowboy romance. With an approaching deadline and about zero words on paper, she decides she needs a muse that will solve her problem.
Brooke finds that muse in Kai. When she meets Kai, she also meets Owen. And this is the annoying part: this turns into a somewhat love-triangle situation, even if Brooke doesn’t want to call it that (she even says so in the book).
Brooke fancies Kai. Sort of. And idealizes the idea of him being her cowboy romance savior.
Owen, Kai’s pickleball coach, decides to help Brooke to get to know Kai better, though Owen, very clearly, fancies Brooke from the very beginning.
Brooke grows fond of Owen during their pickleball training, but refuses to drop the idea of Kai as her muse, or him in general, until basically the end of the book, when she realizes that she would rather be with Owen.
Kai is completely oblivious and only is sort of interested in Brooke after he finds out that she’s not a total loser when it comes to pickleball.
At least Brooke makes progress with her contracted book as well as her personal writing project.
I don’t think it was necessary to have this whole Kai situation hang over the story for almost the entirety of the book. And if there was a need for a love triangle-ish plot, it might as well be done to its full potential.
Nonetheless, Brooke and Owen make a really good couple and they do have some incredibly sweet and great moments throughout the book. Brooke just had a questionable approach to this whole situation and I can understand why, given Owen’s backstory, he was hesitant.
I would have loved to read from Owen’s pov and understand, in his own words, why he’s so private and guarded. The information we learn about him is partially directly from him and partially from other people.
What I think is odd and what left me a bit confused about this is that everything we learn about Owen from other people, is never brought up between Brooke and him. No idea why.
Brooke’s contracted cowboy romance and her ghostwriting gig kinda get resolved in the book, but also not really. She was basically ghosted by her former publisher, which seems like a nod to the beginning of the book.
I also wouldn’t have minded some sort of confrontation with Brooke’s ex. The opportunity was there, might as well take it.
Would I recommend this book? Sure. It’s a nice and quick read.
For me personally, Pick Me just didn’t hit that sweet little spot of being overly invested.
Thank you to HarperCollins for providing this book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
The “Pickle Me, Choose Me, Love Me” subject line in the email I received from the publisher really sparked my interest and who am I to resist a good Grey’s Anatomy reference.
I expected a cute sports romance, which I kinda got, especially with the sport in-question being pickleball, which I’m not too familiar with. Or more like not familiar at all.
However, besides the sports, there’s also a bigger & unexpected focus on the main character’s job as an author, more specifically her ghostwriting job for a publisher under a pen name. And with that some insights into the dodgy side of publishing.
The romance is as cute as it is annoying.
After her now ex-boyfriend ghosted her, Brooke seems to have lost her romantic spark, which leads to her not being able to write her contracted cowboy romance. With an approaching deadline and about zero words on paper, she decides she needs a muse that will solve her problem.
Brooke finds that muse in Kai. When she meets Kai, she also meets Owen. And this is the annoying part: this turns into a somewhat love-triangle situation, even if Brooke doesn’t want to call it that (she even says so in the book).
Brooke fancies Kai. Sort of. And idealizes the idea of him being her cowboy romance savior.
Owen, Kai’s pickleball coach, decides to help Brooke to get to know Kai better, though Owen, very clearly, fancies Brooke from the very beginning.
Brooke grows fond of Owen during their pickleball training, but refuses to drop the idea of Kai as her muse, or him in general, until basically the end of the book, when she realizes that she would rather be with Owen.
Kai is completely oblivious and only is sort of interested in Brooke after he finds out that she’s not a total loser when it comes to pickleball.
At least Brooke makes progress with her contracted book as well as her personal writing project.
I don’t think it was necessary to have this whole Kai situation hang over the story for almost the entirety of the book. And if there was a need for a love triangle-ish plot, it might as well be done to its full potential.
Nonetheless, Brooke and Owen make a really good couple and they do have some incredibly sweet and great moments throughout the book. Brooke just had a questionable approach to this whole situation and I can understand why, given Owen’s backstory, he was hesitant.
I would have loved to read from Owen’s pov and understand, in his own words, why he’s so private and guarded. The information we learn about him is partially directly from him and partially from other people.
What I think is odd and what left me a bit confused about this is that everything we learn about Owen from other people, is never brought up between Brooke and him. No idea why.
Brooke’s contracted cowboy romance and her ghostwriting gig kinda get resolved in the book, but also not really. She was basically ghosted by her former publisher, which seems like a nod to the beginning of the book.
I also wouldn’t have minded some sort of confrontation with Brooke’s ex. The opportunity was there, might as well take it.
Would I recommend this book? Sure. It’s a nice and quick read.
For me personally, Pick Me just didn’t hit that sweet little spot of being overly invested.
Thank you to HarperCollins for providing this book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
August 23, 2025
Thank you NetGalley, Avon and Harper, and the author for granting me this Arc in exchange for my honest review.
“I’ll wait for you as long as it takes”
I LOVE a good sports romance book. And when the man falls first? That trope SIGN ME UP!
With that said, I was very unsure at first. The first 20-30% of the book felt very rough and choppy. Like it was trying to find its footing. But once it did, I actually enjoyed it! No it wasn’t a masterpiece but it was a cute little summer in NYC romance. And who doesn’t love a NYC backdrop for a slow burn romance?
Brooke is battling a case of writers block so she takes pickleball lessons to meet a boy but ends up swooning over her coach. I just wish I would have seen more moments of the swooning sooner. It took 70% of the book before we started seeing it from Brooke’s end and I wish we would have started to see small moments sooner because it made it feel rushed towards the end.
I did like the banter between Brooke and Owen and talk about a SLOW BURN. I love a good slow burn but this was so slow that felt rushed as I stated at the end.
Owen from the beginning was showing heart eye signs for Brooke. I love a man who is down bad from the beginning. Everything he did was what was best for Brooke. It wasn’t over the top gestures but they were real moments that Brooke needed to help with her writing. We find out more about him but I felt like I still didn’t know him and what made him who he is and why. His past is mentioned in passing and it seems like it’s important. He sold a tech app and made millions it seems but it’s brushed up in passing. All the side jobs he did as well. I feel like we don’t get to know him outside of his relationship with Brooke. He felt like such a complex character that was truly worth getting to know and understanding coloring more.
Now to Brooke. She was chill simple and not complex at all. She had a bad break up that made her have a writers block. That’s happened to us all in some capacity. I feel like outside of her having a writers block and learning to love pickleball we don’t get to know her as well. She isn’t a complex FMC like I’m used to and that’s not always a bad thing. Not everyone needs a tragic backstory.
Overall, it was a cute simple love story with one spicy scene. It wasn’t over the top and it isn’t a book I’ll look back on but I truly enjoyed the last 30% of it. 3 stars.
“You have my heart, Brooke….It’s been yours since the moment I saw you”
“I’ll wait for you as long as it takes”
I LOVE a good sports romance book. And when the man falls first? That trope SIGN ME UP!
With that said, I was very unsure at first. The first 20-30% of the book felt very rough and choppy. Like it was trying to find its footing. But once it did, I actually enjoyed it! No it wasn’t a masterpiece but it was a cute little summer in NYC romance. And who doesn’t love a NYC backdrop for a slow burn romance?
Brooke is battling a case of writers block so she takes pickleball lessons to meet a boy but ends up swooning over her coach. I just wish I would have seen more moments of the swooning sooner. It took 70% of the book before we started seeing it from Brooke’s end and I wish we would have started to see small moments sooner because it made it feel rushed towards the end.
I did like the banter between Brooke and Owen and talk about a SLOW BURN. I love a good slow burn but this was so slow that felt rushed as I stated at the end.
Owen from the beginning was showing heart eye signs for Brooke. I love a man who is down bad from the beginning. Everything he did was what was best for Brooke. It wasn’t over the top gestures but they were real moments that Brooke needed to help with her writing. We find out more about him but I felt like I still didn’t know him and what made him who he is and why. His past is mentioned in passing and it seems like it’s important. He sold a tech app and made millions it seems but it’s brushed up in passing. All the side jobs he did as well. I feel like we don’t get to know him outside of his relationship with Brooke. He felt like such a complex character that was truly worth getting to know and understanding coloring more.
Now to Brooke. She was chill simple and not complex at all. She had a bad break up that made her have a writers block. That’s happened to us all in some capacity. I feel like outside of her having a writers block and learning to love pickleball we don’t get to know her as well. She isn’t a complex FMC like I’m used to and that’s not always a bad thing. Not everyone needs a tragic backstory.
Overall, it was a cute simple love story with one spicy scene. It wasn’t over the top and it isn’t a book I’ll look back on but I truly enjoyed the last 30% of it. 3 stars.
“You have my heart, Brooke….It’s been yours since the moment I saw you”
November 12, 2025
3.25⭐️
Brooke is a romance ghostwriter whose inspiration has completely dried up after a recent breakup. In an effort to revamp her life and spark her creativity, she tags along with her friend Meredith to a pickleball club—where she meets Owen, an instructor, and Kai, a handsome member. Brooke instantly decides Kai will be her new muse… if only she could find a way to get close to him. So when Owen offers to give her lessons and put in a good word with Kai, she jumps at the opportunity. But as Brooke spends more time with Owen, she starts to realize that maybe her muse has been right in front of her all along.
This was a quick and easy romance with a surprising amount of pickleball content (which was fun to learn about!). I didn’t necessarily connect deeply with the characters, and I was hoping for more pining and less of the love triangle dynamic—especially since one side of it felt a bit one-sided and oblivious. Brooke’s obsession with Kai as her “muse” also started to feel a little repetitive after a while.
That said, the banter was witty, and the side characters were charming and really added warmth and humor to the story. Patti Murrin did a fantastic job narrating; her delivery brought a lot of personality to the characters and made the audiobook much more engaging. I’m not sure I would have enjoyed it as much in print form.
Overall, Pickle Me is a light, low-stakes rom-com perfect for readers looking for a playful romance with sports, humor, and a slow realization that love might be closer than you think.
Thank you to HarperAudio Adult and NetGalley for the ALC. All opinions are my own.
Brooke is a romance ghostwriter whose inspiration has completely dried up after a recent breakup. In an effort to revamp her life and spark her creativity, she tags along with her friend Meredith to a pickleball club—where she meets Owen, an instructor, and Kai, a handsome member. Brooke instantly decides Kai will be her new muse… if only she could find a way to get close to him. So when Owen offers to give her lessons and put in a good word with Kai, she jumps at the opportunity. But as Brooke spends more time with Owen, she starts to realize that maybe her muse has been right in front of her all along.
This was a quick and easy romance with a surprising amount of pickleball content (which was fun to learn about!). I didn’t necessarily connect deeply with the characters, and I was hoping for more pining and less of the love triangle dynamic—especially since one side of it felt a bit one-sided and oblivious. Brooke’s obsession with Kai as her “muse” also started to feel a little repetitive after a while.
That said, the banter was witty, and the side characters were charming and really added warmth and humor to the story. Patti Murrin did a fantastic job narrating; her delivery brought a lot of personality to the characters and made the audiobook much more engaging. I’m not sure I would have enjoyed it as much in print form.
Overall, Pickle Me is a light, low-stakes rom-com perfect for readers looking for a playful romance with sports, humor, and a slow realization that love might be closer than you think.
Thank you to HarperAudio Adult and NetGalley for the ALC. All opinions are my own.
October 26, 2025
ARC review
3.5 ⭐️
Set during a Manhatten summer, Brooke is a romance author with writers block and a submission deadline looming. Her best friend takes her to try out pickleball in the hopes it will spark some inspiration for Brooke, which might come in the form of hot club member Kai.
Owen is a coach at the club who begins coaching Brooke with pickleball to get and help her get Kai’s attention and get her writing mojo back.
It took me a while to get fully in to this book (probably about 45%) but once I was in, I was IN. The characters have such a sweet romance that has me kicking my feet. I also thought the pickleball element was fun and a bit different from the usual sports romances.
The story also took “fake dating” to new levels with how central Kai was to the story (I feel like often with fake dating, the person they are faking it for is not on the page all that much which was not the case here!).
I also learned my new favourite description of a basic, privileged man - a smooth marble 😂
One really minor criticism is that Owen never tells Brooke about his business. I know she connects the dots and it doesn’t really drive the story forward but I just felt like his background was a key plot point and I would have liked to have heard about it from Owen directly.
Overall, an enjoyable rom com! Thank you SO much to NetGalley and Harper Collins for selecting me for this arc. All opinions are my own.
3.5 ⭐️
Set during a Manhatten summer, Brooke is a romance author with writers block and a submission deadline looming. Her best friend takes her to try out pickleball in the hopes it will spark some inspiration for Brooke, which might come in the form of hot club member Kai.
Owen is a coach at the club who begins coaching Brooke with pickleball to get and help her get Kai’s attention and get her writing mojo back.
It took me a while to get fully in to this book (probably about 45%) but once I was in, I was IN. The characters have such a sweet romance that has me kicking my feet. I also thought the pickleball element was fun and a bit different from the usual sports romances.
The story also took “fake dating” to new levels with how central Kai was to the story (I feel like often with fake dating, the person they are faking it for is not on the page all that much which was not the case here!).
I also learned my new favourite description of a basic, privileged man - a smooth marble 😂
One really minor criticism is that Owen never tells Brooke about his business. I know she connects the dots and it doesn’t really drive the story forward but I just felt like his background was a key plot point and I would have liked to have heard about it from Owen directly.
Overall, an enjoyable rom com! Thank you SO much to NetGalley and Harper Collins for selecting me for this arc. All opinions are my own.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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