If you're looking for your next favorite beach read, you absolutely must read “All’s Fair in Love and Pickleball” by Kate Spencer. 

As someone who reads a lot, especially romance novels, there’s so much out there when it comes to beach reads. And I feel like it’s a lot of the same. Same authors I’ve already read, stories that are overhyped, and characters that feel so one-dimensional that it becomes lethargic to read. 

But Spencer’s “All’s Fair in Love and Pickleball” felt like a breath of fresh air coming from the woman who’s a pickleball journalist by day and romance reader by night. This book was a lovely combination of humor, romance, emotional depth, and of course pickleball. 

This is the perfect book for pickleball lovers, readers, and hopeless romantics. Basically, it’s the perfect read for the summer. 

“All’s Fair in Love and Pickleball” tells the story of Bex, who’s trying to save the beloved racket club she inherited after her mother’s passing. All hope seems to be lost until Niko arrives on court, a former tennis bad boy who needs to clean up his image. Bex and Niko strike up a deal – partner up together to win a tournament and save the pickleball club. How hard can that be?

Between training and fake dating, it’s clear these two enemies to lovers have some major court chemistry. Though it is a little spicy, so keep that in mind. 

I cannot recommend this book enough. Stop what you’re doing right now and run to your local bookstore to buy it. 

I’ll admit that I was a little skeptical. I work in pickleball and I read a lot of romance novels. And while I’ve read a lot of sports romance, I was worried if pickleball could have the same luster as a hockey romance. And I’m happy to report that Spencer has absolutely made pickleball sexy. 

It’s also so evident that Spencer loves the sport as much as we do. Spencer isn’t an author who’s cashing in on the pickleball fad. She’s even gone as far as using the feud between pickleball and tennis players as motivation to spark the enemies-to-lovers trope between the two love interests. And not surprisingly, Niko falls in love with pickleball too by the end.  

The joy of the sport shines through the charming setting of the SoCal Sunset Springs Racket Club, and the cast of delightful characters we meet throughout the story. It’s truly a delightful mix of humor and heartfelt moments that feel authentic, like we really know these people and can easily see why they make great partners on and off the court. 

So, here’s your assigned reading from Pickleball.com. Read “All’s Fair in Love and Pickleball” and fall in love. It’ll make you swoon. 

Click here to buy “All’s Fair in Love and Pickleball” and follow Spencer on Instagram.

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