The Setup

Smash Point Social Club #2

by Cynthia Gunderson

Talk about mixed doubles...

Justin's ex is on the executive team for the pickleball tournament series he’s hosting.
And she’s bringing her new celebrity boyfriend on the tour.

He needs a doubles partner off the court—stat.
Enter prickly, private, and the last person you’d expect to agree to fake date anyone.

But she’s got a killer poker face, a solid paddle grip, and zero interest in real romance.
Which makes her the perfect fake girlfriend.

The plan?
Keep it casual. Fake some chemistry. Win the tournament—and the breakup optics.

But between their kitchen banter, flirty foot faults, and steamy “practice drills,” lines are blurring fast.

Now they’re stuck in close quarters on the tournament tour, dinking around with fake feelings that might not be so fake...

One Click and start reading if you

Black Cat/RetrieverFake DatingOnly One BedSizzling Banter

Genres: Audiobook, Romance, Fake Dating, Sports Romance, Sports, Novella, Forced Proximity

Paperback

Published August 1, 2026

Reviews

[Leticia🌻 · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5

The Setup is book 2 in the Smash Point Social Club series; it's a closed door/sports romance with fake dating and force proximity elements. It follows Sam, Alecia's friend and coworker, who decides to accompany Alecia and Calder to a pickleball tournament for the weekend because the electricity at her apartment was going to be off for maintenance.

While at the tournament, she realizes that she will be sharing a suite with Justin, who recently went through a tough breakup and whose ex is at the tournament as well with her new celebrity boyfriend. As the story progresses, Sam and Justin's relationships develops into something more than just fake boyfriend/girlfriend and we learn more about Sam's past and personal struggles.

Overall, it was a very cute and quick read. I thoroughly loved that the author achieves a sense of depth in all the characters she creates in these stories.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Kate McMurry · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite of the two novellas in this duology

Sam is around 25. She is the BFF of Alecia, the FMC from the first book, The Big Dink. It's important to read these two books in order and read both of them. The events in The Setup occur a couple of months after the close of TBD. In addition to its own romance, TS serves as a kind of epilogue for the romance of TBD. Both TS and TBD offer the single POV of the FMC and are written in first person, past tense, and both are set in Denver.

Sam never considered herself athletic before she and Alecia started playing pickleball on the staff team from their job. But she has fallen in love with pickleball, and she is gradually getting quite competent at it. She and Alecia have taken pickleball lessons and played in pick-up games and tournaments at Smash Point, a private athletic center which is dedicated to pickleball.

Sam's love interest, Justin, is friends with Calder, Alecia's love interest. We are never specifically told Justin's age, but I'm guessing that he is, similar to Calder, in his late 20s.

Justin is the son of the owner of Smash Point. The main part of this story involves a two-day pickleball tournament at Colorado Springs which is run by Justin's company, Baseline Collective. He started his pickleball organization 18 months ago, and it is already turning a profit. Justin has organized four tournaments at four corners of the state of Colorado, and the one in this story is at Colorado Springs.

At the tournament, Alecia has arranged for Sam to sleep on the couch in a two-bedroom suite with two young women whom she knows from Smash Point. She doesn't tell Sam that Justin is in the second bedroom and that Sam will be sharing the en suite bathroom connected to his bedroom. Her first sight of him is shirtless in athletic shorts, leaning against the counter of the kitchenette. She is both shocked and quite attracted to handsome, ripped Justin. He does not leer at her or make a pass, but rather, behaves in a friendly, gentlemanly manner.

This is a slow-burn, forced-proximity, fake-dating romance. There is sex at the very end of the novella, but it is closed-door.

I liked both Sam and Justin. Sam has a great sense of humor, and Justin is a sweetheart. I'm always delighted to find a well written sports romance, especially when there are no drunken, foul-mouthed, promiscuous jocks involved.

I got access to the audiobook version for free through my Audible membership. It is also available through Hoopla. It is narrated by the author, and she does a good job.

[Hannah Rose · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don’t know what I expected from a Pickleball romance.

[Kristen ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

┈ TROPES ┈
✦ Fake Dating
✦ Sport Romance - Pickle Ball
✦ Forced Proximity
✦ Only One Bed
✦ Clean Romance
✦ Black Cat / Golden Retriever
✦ Sizzling Banter
✦ MF Romance
✦ Novella / Short Story

┈ MAIN CHARACTERS ┈
Heroine/FMC: Sam Wright
〰️Physical Attributes: Long brown hair, gorgeous
〰️Occupation: Marketing
〰️Age: N/A
〰️Nickname(s): N/A

Hero/MMC: Justin
〰️Physical Attributes: Muscular, abs
〰️Occupation: Pickleball Club Owner
〰️Age: N/A
〰️Nickname(s): N/A

┈ OVERVIEW ┈
Pacing: 5/5
Characters: 4/5
Intimacy Level: Closed Door/Fade to Black
Spice: 1/5
Overall: 3.5/5
Cover Art: 4/5
Book Format: Audiobook
Narrator(s): N/A
POV: Dual 👥
Would I Recommend? 👍
Read Again? 👎
📍Setting/Location: Denver
TW/CW:
H/h virgin? No
First kiss💋: 29%
First time they have sex: N/A
First time they say "I Love You": N/A
Noteworthy Chapters🔥: 8
✔️Smut List: N/A
OW/OM Drama? A little
H/h cheat? No
Time apart? No
Did I cry, laugh, or swoon? Laugh
Ending: HFN
Standalone/Series? Yes to both
Epilogue? Yes

[Alieke · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this type of stories; they're short, they're sweet, you really don't need too much headspace to enjoy it.

Justin and Sam are such opposites, but we know opposites attract. They're typical black cat x golden retriever energy and I'm here for it. Especially combined with her spontaneously pretending to be his girlfriend, loved it.

Expect:
Grumpy FMC x sunshine MMC (black cat x golden retriever)
Fake dating
Jealous ex
Giggle-inducing texts and flirty banter


I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this as I did yard work and it put a great, big, goofy grin on my face the whole time. TBH, even tho it was just yesterday, I don’t really remember the finer details of the book, but I do remember feeling extra happy and fizzy inside as I listened to it. My enjoyment def warrants 4 stars!

Plot- Again, I’m in love with the pickleball setting. The plot was fine for a short novella.

Characters- The FMC is likable.
The love interest was adorable and sweet.
The side characters were surprisingly awesome, especially the supportive and cool female friendships that developed.

Romance- Good chemistry. Great communication. I feel like they are a good fit for each other. Ends in a HFN dating relationship.

Writing- Great


Content-

Language- no swears
Spice- closed door. Lots of casual talk of sex and joking about foreplay.
Triggers/Violence- no
Substance abuse- no
Spiritual/religious- no
Cover- good!
POV- single POV
Cliffhanger- no.
Format- I listened on Hoopla
Narration- great

[Deidre Smallwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was another cute installment in the Smash Point Social series! Sam was one of my favorite characters from the first book, so I was excited to read her book. Fake dating and black cat x golden retriever? Say no more. Like the first book, this did a good job of balancing the romance with the female friendships, and it revisited characters from the first book. A couple new characters were introduced, and the ending seemed to set up the next storyline.

[Alicia x · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up The Setup for the black cat x golden retriever and fake dating tropes and it delivered. The chemistry and banter were really fun, and I enjoyed the story overall.

My only wish is that we got the male lead’s POV too. I feel like being inside his head would’ve added more depth and made the emotional moments hit even harder.

[Olivia · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

Listen these short story novellas hit a sweet spot in my romantic soul. Is it cheesy? Yes. Is it predictable? Yes. Do they fall in love relatively quickly? Yes.

I just can’t seem to bring myself to care! It’s such a fun time and honestly a great listen if you want something easy to slip in between reads.

This one has fake dating, one bed, and workplace romance 🙌

[Jenia · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Thank you to BookSirens for E Copy, in exchange for an honest review*

Last year, I read The Big Dunk, the first book in Smash Point Social Club, and I adored Alecia and Calder’s story. I loved Sam from the moment she was introduced in the first book and was excited to find out that the next one is about her. I loved The Setup even more; there was something about Sam and Justin’s story that I couldn’t stop smiling. I liked the way Cynthia portrayed Justin and Sam, though I felt their relationship developed a little too quickly. However, you couldn’t help but root for the two of them. I know that they were pretending, but both give off the vibes that say otherwise. I couldn’t turn my pages fast enough; I wanted to see what would happen with two of them next.

I liked the way that Justin and Sam connected, and that they watched Friends together; which happens to be one of my favorite shows. I wondered how long it would take them to admit their feelings to one another. I found myself rooting for the two of them, all throughout the book. Just like the last book, I wished that the book was longer; mostly because I didn’t want for their story to come to an end.

Smash Point Social Club were the first book that I read about pickleball, and now I want to read more. I’m also eager to check out rest of Cynthia Gunderson books. Highly recommended for sports romance fans.

[Melissa Young · Rating 1 out of 5]

This review was posted on Young Creative Press if you like this review check out my other reviews and posts at youngcreativepress.com

I decided to check out The Setup as it’s been sitting in my Audible library for so long that it expires on Audible Plus soon. As I was spending the day doing housework, it seems like the perfect short listen to accompany me and while it was entertaining enough, it wasn’t the book for me.

I’m not quite sure what The Setup was trying to be. It was all over the place. There was no build up to the romance, the characters all talked stiffly and a pickleball romance is not something I ever want to read again – I don’t even know what it is. 

The fact that The Setup is a fake dating romance is what drew me to it, we all know I’m a sucker for them. Unfortunately, the fake dating part didn’t land. There’s not a lot of it going on and they confess actual feelings for each other almost straight away. You need time to build the angst, have them almost get caught, have a fight about their situation and then share a passionate kiss that gives away how they really feel. Also, I may be misremembering but I feel like Justin kissed Sam without asking her first.

There’s a Harry Potter reference less than 30 seconds into this book which instantly gave me the ick (hate this term but it’s the only way I could think to describe my feelings). You can’t be talking about it in a positive way in the big 2026, it makes you look like an idiot or a bad person. 

The only reason why I finished The Setup is 1. I listened while sorting out my clothes and 2. It’s really short. If this had been a full length romance, I would have DNF it after the first hour or so. Not a lot was really happening and the character’s motivations weren’t very convincing.

I actually don’t think the majority of this book entered my brain. I can’t tell you much of what happened other than they play pickleball, watch friends and she works in marketing because every romance heroine does (this is a bit of a joke as I also work in marketing as a copy writer). I’m not sure if listening to book one first would have helped, I’m pretty sure they’re standalones, but these characters didn’t connect with me.

I was going to end this review by saying if you have Audible Plus and you’re interested in a pickleball romance, you should check this out, but it won’t be available by time this review goes up (sorry).

[Nicole | Nicole's Bookstagram · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Setup is a delightfully playful pickleball romance full of flirty banter, sizzling kisses, and fun friend dynamics. It’s a light, feel-good novella that’s easy to devour and leaves you smiling. This is the second book in the Smash Point Social Club series, but it can absolutely be read as a standalone.

I loved Sam and Justin together! Their chemistry is instant, and they have no trouble bouncing quips back and forth. Justin comes across as a total sweetheart, even though he’s super flirty with everyone. My heart ached for him with the way his ex treated him. I was cheering Sam on as she stepped in and pretended to be his girlfriend. Justin was so endearing when he thanked her and asked if she’d be willing to do it again. I was kicking my feet when he told Sam he should show her his best kiss—he felt adorably vulnerable instead of smooth and rehearsed. There were so many sweet moments woven in between the steamy kisses. Justin suggesting they watch a movie over the phone was one of those low-key moments that made their connection feel even sweeter.

I also really liked Sam as an FMC. She’s kind, confident, and unapologetically herself, which made her easy to root for. I enjoyed catching up with Alecia and Calder while getting more time with Brooke and Rachel. Cindy does a great job setting up the next book featuring Rachel and the single-dad firefighter (at-least that’s my guess.)

The Setup is a steamy fade-to-black romance, with intimacy implied but kept off the page. If you enjoy lighthearted, sizzling romances that are fast-paced and low-commitment, this is a great go-to series.


✨Includes:✨
🐾Black Cat x Golden Retriever
🧲Opposites Attract
😏Fake Dating
🛏️One Bed
😘Kissing Practice
👟Pickleball Romance
🖤Fade To Black
❤️‍🔥Suggestive Humor
⏱️Quick Moving Relationship
📖Novella Length
🧍🏻‍♀️Single POV

Thank you Cindy Gunderson and BookSirens for the ARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

So this is the friend of the girl on the first book. She's kind of been tagging along with her friend and her pickleball instructor boyfriend now. And after the power goes off for some maintenance she goes kind of with them on a little tour. She gets put in a room with these other two girls and when the guys who actually runs the pickleball tournament. At the same time she's kind of up for a promotion but she has to find like a pro bono marketing to help boost herself. She realizes it that he doesn't really have any marketing and decide she's going to help him. His ex also runs a pickleball tournament thing too at the same places at the same time. She brings her celebrity boyfriend to try to outdo him and the publicity is a lot better for her. When she catches the ex with Despicable guy she decides to step in and help him and pretends to be his girlfriend. So throughout this competition she has to continue to act like his girlfriend because his ex keeps like harassing him. Shelby hears her ex actually in the bathroom talking about the celebrity guy ending it that he knows he's just been there to make it her ex jealous and he's done. They end up falling for each other some cute little moments like they kiss. And she told the other women kind of walk in on it and she's like oh it's not bad and he's like oh you caught me off guard. Kind of funny

[Lisa Benison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, Well-Written, Opposites "Thrown" Together in a Pickle Ball Setting

This is a nice follow-up to the first book in the series but easily works as a standalone. As a casual, recreational pickleball player I enjoyed the setting but I don't think you need to play or understand the game to enjoy the story. Sam and Justin are complete opposites - she is introverted and needs to be pulled out of her shell, while he is very extroverted and works hard to make a success of his club and tournaments. They are literally "thrown" together in a "fake dating situation" in tight quarters and as they get to know each other, shed their misperceptions, and realize that working together helps both of them, a mutual attraction develops and turns into more - so much fun! I can't wait for the next book in the series - Enjoy!

I was sent an ARC by the author and I am voluntarily leaving my honest review.

[Aleksandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Setup by Cynthia Gunderson is a light, feel-good fake dating romance that’s pure fun from start to finish. Introverted Sam and extroverted sweetheart Justin are total opposites, and watching them get “thrown” together on the pickleball tournament tour is a delight. Their banter is flirty, their chemistry is instant, and the black cat/retriever dynamic works beautifully—Justin’s golden-retriever energy paired with Sam’s quiet confidence is chef’s kiss.
I loved the tight-quarters fake dating, the sweet emotional moments, and the steamy-but-clean fade-to-black romance. The pickleball setting adds charm without ever feeling overwhelming, even if you know nothing about the sport. While the novella length keeps things moving quickly (sometimes very quickly), it’s still a satisfying, smile-inducing read. A great standalone and a fun continuation of the series—I’m definitely coming back for more.

[Emma Kincaid · Rating 3 out of 5]

Justin and Sam were such a cute match in book #2 of the Smash Point Social Club series! I love a fake dating trope that turns into more! When Justin has a run in with his ex, Sam knows just the thing to do to make her jealous, pretend to be his girlfriend of course.

This wasn't as good as book one in my opinion, but it was still a great read! Justin and Sam have great chemistry and I love the pickleball setting again. What I loved about this book specifically is how the characters had so much depth, even for being on the smaller side for a book. Justin, Sam, and his ex-girlfriend Minnie each have depth to their characters and have their own battles they were working through. This is something book #2 did have more than book #1 which I really appreciated.

Pickleball sports reads may just be my new fav!

[Deanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Sam and Justin together! Their chemistry is instant, and they have no trouble bouncing quips back and forth. Justin comes across as a total sweetheart, even though he’s super flirty with everyone. My heart ached for him with the way his ex treated him. I was cheering Sam on as she stepped in and pretended to be his girlfriend. Justin was so endearing when he thanked her and asked if she’d be willing to do it again. I was kicking my feet when he told Sam he should show her his best kiss—he felt adorably vulnerable instead of smooth and rehearsed. There were so many sweet moments woven in between the steamy kisses. Justin suggesting they watch a movie over the phone was one of those low-key moments that made their connection feel even sweeter.

[Steff Gwilliam-Kent · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second visit to Smash Point Social Club.

If you want a quick easy read that works as a follow on or a standalone read.

This book follows Sam & Justin that are thrown together in the Pickleball tournament in a fake dating situation. Lots of flirty banter, instant chemistry and pure opposites attract vibes. Sam needs to be pulled out of her shell, while Justin is the absolute extrovert.

Yet another of Cynthia's books that continues to keep me rushing back to read everytime I see a new release! I'm also still loving the switch to a different sport. As much as I love the hockey player romances and have been down a deep dark hockey hole....a change in sport made for a breathe of fresh air I didn't know I needed!

[Anna B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun in the world of pickleball just got a whole lot more fun. Sam has immersed herself in the happenings at Smash Point Social, and might just have a secret attraction to Justin, the owner.

When she finds out his ex is competing against his club she jumps in with both feet. After all her skills are in branding and marketing. She can keep it professional, right?

Justin is working hard to represent his club in the best way possible but his rival seems to have all the advantages. Then along comes Sam. She’s a force to be reckoned with. And one he might just be willing to risk everything for.

This is a cute romcom that I really enjoyed. It’s an easy read which makes it perfect for a relaxing evening.

[Jordan Rolsma · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a short, sweet read! I really liked the chemistry that Justin and Sam had together, and the movie phone call date was especially cute. I know that this is a novella, but I would've liked to see some plot points fleshed out a bit more (e.g., learning more about the story with Adam - Sam mentioned that he was a friend, but the way she talked about him leaned a bit more into boyfriend territory for me). I would've also enjoyed learning more about Justin's backstory, but maybe that was discussed more in the first book. I did enjoy the pickleball aspect of this story, though - it's a refreshing change to the traditional sports featured in contemporary romances.

** I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. **

[Jacquie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book had an interesting storyline, but the plot wasn’t as well developed as I wanted. Some parts felt rushed, and the story didn’t always go into enough detail to make the events or characters feel fully developed. Because of this, it was sometimes hard to stay fully engaged in the story. However, the book did have a few cute and enjoyable moments, especially in the interactions between the characters. While it wasn’t my favorite book, those small moments made it a decent read overall.

Content courtesy: It is listed as a clean read, but definitely has some mild language and toes the line with the bedroom scene. Innuendos, discussion about condoms and not as close door as something listed as clean read usually is.

[Jenny Lynn Curry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty much any book by this author is an auto read for me! I have not been able to put her books down. They have such a great flow, and the plot is always a good one.

This one was no different. The second book in the Smash Point Social series. This one follows Sam and Justin, and they are the cutest!!

Sam who is up for a promotion if she can bring in a solo account, and Justin who is trying to prove himself in the tournament world against his bigger and louder ex company, and ex girlfriend.

So when the ex-girlfriend starts to publicly belittle Justin, Sam steps in and ends up becoming the pretend girlfriend for the weekend.

But soon….who’s pretending??

[PollyAnna Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first started reading The Setup, I forgot that it's part of a series! Lol. It didn't take me long to remember the first book, though. It was fun getting to still see Alecia and Calder as we walked through Justin and Sam's story. I liked seeing their barely-there acquaintance move quickly into friendship, and then fly to their being in love. It's wonderful when a couple is able to admit their deep feelings for one another rather than drag their feet and/or be wishy-washy about their feelings. I am clueless regarding pickleball, but that doesn't detract from my enjoyment if Justin and Sam's story in the slightest!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A power outage was the cause for Sam to give in and attend a pickleball tournament for a weekend and sharing a suite with three starts off such a fun few hours. The humour had me laughing out loud.
The lesson I learned from this is to not take everything at face value and a person's attitude can be from something unrelated.
It was good to be reminded that being kind is not always appreciated, but do it anyway. There just had to be a few good-looking and friendly people in this club, but I must admit, Justin's personality as well as his looks would have drawn me to his circle of friends.
I received a copy from BookSirens and this is my honest and voluntary review.

[Francy Saa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick-paced, no bullshit, sweet, funny, and entertaining—what more could I want from a story than that roundabout feeling of comfort during and after?

The way they connect, despite already knowing each other through their group of friends and shared sport, feels so down-to-earth and true to real life that the book becomes a window between reality and fiction—something I deeply enjoy and wish happened more often.

Kudos to the author, because this series is truly cozy and feels like a balm to come home to after a hard day in the real world.

***I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Mumntwins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great book by Cynthia Gunderson. Thanks Booksirens for allowing me to be part of the review team, I just loved this book. The first one was hilarious. This one was more serious with an undercurrent through it. Alecia and Calder are back still going strong. Now they have set up Alecia’s friend Sam and Calder’s bestie Justin. It is so sweet with bits of comedy. I think she has set it up perfectly for another book about Rachel and the single dad fire firefighter as well. Or atleast I hope he is single. Can’t wait to read the next one. Quickly becoming one of my favorites.

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

These books by this author are always too short! They are always so good. I actually listened to this narrated by the author and I have to say that the author does an amazing job.

I can't really pinpoint a particular part of this book that I really liked but it was just a really good read. I love that I'm starting to learn more about pickleball because it's not a common sport in Australia. I'm super happy that this series will continue because I love this group and I'm learning so much!

Big thanks to the author and book sirens for a copy of this book. This is my honest opinion.

[Lynda · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐

This one was sweet, easy to read, and gave me all the small-town, fake dating vibes. 💕🏓

The chemistry between the main characters had its moments, and I enjoyed watching their relationship slowly grow. There were some cute scenes that had me smiling, but I never got that butterflies-in-your-stomach feeling I look for in a romance. 🥹

The pacing felt a little rushed, and I wanted more emotional depth to really connect with the characters. By the end, I liked them together, but I wasn't completely invested in their love story.

Overall, it was a fun, cozy romance that was enjoyable while I was reading it, but it won't be one that sticks with me. A solid 3-star read! ⭐📚💛

[May Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit confused, but narration was okay

Can we call this a pickleball romance? This is indeed something new, considering that the craze is also new (at least on this side of the globe). I felt it was a bad idea to start in the middle of the series, since I still had no idea who the characters were, even after finishing it. I guess this is the downside of reading audiobooks, but nonetheless, it was a nice, easy read that I surprisingly finished in a day. Perfect companion for chores and walk to and from work.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I highly recommend the second book in the Smash Point Social Club series. This sports romance follows Sam and Justin, founder of Baseline Collective, as they fake-date during a Colorado Springs pickleball tournament. Their shared suite and "practice drills" provide excellent chemistry and tension. While I suggest reading the series in order, this was a quick, cute read with impressive character depth. I received a copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.