When Grumpy Met Sunshine: A Novel

by Charlotte Stein, Emily Spowage Narrated by Emily Spowage

Overview

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?

A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin's Press.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

"This, children, is how the professionals do it... It’s the difference between seeing choreography laid out in footprints on the floor, and being swept away by the dance. " - New York Times

"Upbeat, engaging, witty, and funny, this book from Stein... will captivate readers." Library Journal, starred

"We truly understand why Alfie can start to open up to Mabel, and why Mabel is captivated by the Alfie only she gets to know. Watching them come together is so satisfying." -ARA

"I highlighted so much of the text as I read. I enjoyed the turns of phrase and the banter and the baffling, charming absurdity of their courtship. I liked both Mabel and Alfie very much. I would like to be Mabel’s friend. Possibly Alfie’s too but he’s not big on friends so maybe not." - Dear Author

"If you’re looking for the rom-commiest rom-com to ever rom or com, then look no further... Warmth and joy permeate the entire book." - BookPage

“Charlotte Stein's When Grumpy Met Sunshine has voice and banter for days! Alfie and Mabel were constantly saying the last thing I would've expected, sometimes in a laugh-out-loud way and other times in an eyebrows-raised-up-my-hairline now we're cooking with gas kind of way. Stein truly understands the promise of the premise when it comes to the grumpy/sunshine dynamic, celebrity romance, fake dating . . . I sped through reading this book!" - Alicia Thompson, bestselling author of Love in the Time of Serial Killers

"When Grumpy Met Sunshine is the perfect blend of kindness, hilarity, and some serious spice, wrapped up with an ending that made me cry! A huge thank-you to Charlotte Stein for this absolute gem of a rom-com.” - Victoria Dahl, USA Today bestselling author

"When Grumpy Met Sunshine is the rom-com of your dreams! Charlotte Stein takes her signature melt-your-face-off heat and pairs it with wry humor that Talia Hibbert and Olivia Dade fans will adore. I squee-ed in delight so often while reading this book... I have no choice but to crown it one of my top "feel good" books of all time!" - Jen Comfort, author of Midnight Duet

Praise for Charlotte Stein:

"Hot. Intense. Emotional. Sexy. Charlotte Stein writes provocative erotic romance so deliciously you never want her books to end!" — New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Monica Murphy

“Charlotte Stein put me inside the heroine’s mind and it was an amazing place to be. I never wanted to leave.” — New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Tessa Bailey

Library Journal

★ 11/01/2023

Mabel Willicker is a ghostwriter, a good one. Her newest project is the memoir of ex-footballer Alfie Harding. She's the 17th writer they've tried—Alfie has rejected all of them so far. Then Mabel walks in and calls him on his behavior. Their chemistry and banter have Alfie opening up about things he never thought he'd reveal, but when a fan sees Mabel leaving Alfie's house—a house even his friends have never visited—everyone assumes she's his new girlfriend. To preserve the facade that Alfie is writing his own memoir, he and Mabel agree to a fake relationship until the book is released. Soon their friendship turns into something much steamier, and Mabel is no longer sure what's fake and what's real. This opposites-attract, fake-relationship romantic comedy features the ultimate cinnamon-roll hero. Alfie is short-tempered and belligerent with everyone except Mabel, who uncovers the lovable man underneath. With Mabel, he's different, but she's the only one who doesn't see it for what it is. VERDICT Upbeat, engaging, witty, and funny, this book from Stein (The Professor) will captivate readers. Highly recommended for all collections.—Heather Miller Cover

FEBRUARY 2024 - AudioFile

Emily Spowage performs this sizzling contemporary romance with a light touch. Gruff former professional football star Alfie is urged by his agent to write his memoir. Curvy, cheerful Mabel applies to be his ghostwriter. When the two are seen together, they're mistaken for a couple. To hide the real nature of their relationship, they pretend to be dating. Spowage brings out the humor and emotional intensity as the two bicker and stumble toward a completed book--and more. While her shifts in vocal tone are subtle, it's easy to differentiate each character. Snippets of social media discourse are interspersed throughout to illuminate the community's speculations about the pair. This is a bighearted romance about an unlikely pair who discover they have much in common. M.J. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine

Product Details

BN ID:	2940159917119
Publisher:	Macmillan Audio
Publication date:	02/06/2024
Edition description:	Unabridged

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