When Grumpy Met Sunshine: A Novel

Charlotte Stein

Feb 2024 · Sold by St. Martin's Griffin

About this ebook

A steamy, opposites-attract romance with undeniable chemistry between a grumpy retired footballer and his fabulous and very sunshine-y ghostwriter.

When grumpy ex-footballer Alfie Harding gets badgered into selling his memoirs, he knows he’s never going to be able to write them. He hates revealing a single thing about himself, is allergic to most emotions, and can’t imagine doing a good job of putting pen to paper.

And so in walks curvy, cheery, cute as heck ghostwriter Mabel Willicker, who knows just how to sunshine and sass her way into getting every little detail out of Alfie. They banter and bicker their way to writing his life story, both of them sure they’ll never be anything other than at odds.

But after their business arrangement is mistaken for a budding romance, the pair have to pretend to be an item for a public who’s ravenous for more of this Cinderella story. Or at least, it feels like it’s pretend—until each slow burn step in their fake relationship sparks a heat neither can control. Now they just have to decide: is this sizzling chemistry just for show? Or something so real it might just give them their fairytale ending?

Ratings and reviews

These two were absolute magic! They had me giggling right away, I guffawed, and had burst of laughter at what they said and did. They also had ridiculous chemistry, and a slow burn that takes most of the story to ignite. Wow, make plans for some “time outs” when reading, you’ll need them once things do take off, because it is scorching hot! While all this is happening, you get to know them, you get to see beyond what they present, and you fall so deeply in love with them, they break your heart

I tried so hard to like this story. It fell flat for me. The premise was good but full of silly angst, for two adults, they just lacked the sense to be honest and upfront. To top it off, they were not even funny. Sad, just sad.

I thought the humor the author displayed on social media was right up my alley. So, when this book, with a heroine who sounded like she could be another one of my own personalities, started showing up everywhere I was looking, I knew I had to give this book a read. And it was one hundred percent my kind of humor. It’s snarky and dry, and you really kind of have to be paying attention to catch the full impact of the zingers that just snuck by. Plus, I connected with Mabel on a fundamental level.

About the author

Charlotte Stein has written over thirty sexy novellas and novels, including the RT award nominated Intrusion and the DABWAHA nominated Run To You. When not writing she can be found eating jelly turtles, watching terrible sitcoms and occasionally lusting after hunks. She lives in West Yorkshire with her husband and their totally real dog.