Can any human being ever reach that kind of light: CLEAT CUTE.

Cleat Cute by Meryl Wilsner
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

I'm a sucker for a good sapphic romance and CLEAT CUTE certainly fits the bill. Soccer star Grace Henderson shoulders the pressures of serving as captain of her team plus acting as figurehead of the soccer community ever since she was a teen. She's not out to anyone but her family. Young Phoebe Matthews is a soccer upstart, out and proud. Matthews appears loud and brash, but has a caring, thoughtful side and is focused solely on her soccer career. Phoebe and Grace form an unlikely friendship, which soon becomes friendship with benefits. But as Grace struggles with an injury and Phoebe becomes more and more successful, the two wonder if their friendship and budding relationship can survive.

CUTE is a really fun read, and if you like sapphic and/or sport books, you'll enjoy this one. I personally found it slow to warm up to, but eventually grew to care for the characters, especially Grace. I loved and empathized with this tough woman, who felt the pressures of the world so deeply and found solace in her routines and solitude. The force of life that is Phoebe takes over Grace's world, shocking her out of her regularly scheduled life, and letting her see everything through fresh eyes. This may be exactly what she needs. Watching the two of them be good for each other--that's the beauty of this book. (Okay, their sexual tension and banter isn't exactly so bad, either.)

The hardest part of CUTE is the thinking. Something about the narrative style makes it feel like there's so much rehashing of feelings and introspection. There's a lot of telling and less showing. At times I wasn't in the mood to read it and deal with all the internal chatter.

But, if you can get past that, CUTE is filled with diverse characters and queer relationships. The supporting cast is excellent. It's a sports romance, but you do not need to be a soccer expert to enjoy it (but if you are a sports fan, you'll get into that aspect). It covers the pressures of playing sports, being in the public eye, and neurodivergent personalities.

While this book dragged a bit for me at times, I love having so many books about queer relationships in the world. It's a fun sports romance! 3.5 stars.

I received a copy of this book from St. Martin's Press and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.

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