The Grumpy Player Next Door

Copper Valley Fireballs, Book 3

By: Pippa Grant

Narrated by: Savannah Peachwood, Wen Ross

Length: 10 hrs and 11 mins

Publisher's Summary

I, Tillie Jean Rock, am not in love with my brother’s teammate.

Sure, he might have those biceps and that “I am the grouchiest of grouchy bears” smolder, and he might shovel snow off his driveway next door wearing nothing but boxer shorts and rubber boots, and he might be running a side business feeding all the stray goats in town, but studliness is only skin-deep.

And I might flirt with him every chance I get, but I swear it’s only to annoy my brother.

And him.

Because Max Cole?

Under all of those glorious muscles and chiseled cheekbones and searing glares beats the heart of a heartless devil.

I could no sooner fall in love with a guy who treats me like a kid, and judges me at every opportunity, and sets an army of garden gnomes loose on my yard, than I could fall in love with my grandfather’s pet parrot.

But I can definitely annoy him. I can 100 percent get on board with annoying him.

That’s what you do when you don’t like your neighbor, right?

But you know what they say about love and hate…

It’s a very thin line.

Especially when the real reason I’m not in love with Max Cole—that he’s incapable of love—might not be true at all.

The Grumpy Player Next Door is a fun-filled enemies-to-lovers romcom featuring a ray of sunshine on a mission, an athlete who’s only grouchy around her, and an epic prank gone wrong. It stands alone and comes complete with small-town shenanigans, a goat who’s not nearly as wise as his name suggests, and proof that sometimes, love is the best kind of vengeance.

©2021 Pippa Grant (P)2021 Pippa Grant

Grumpy Bear

Love that Pippa can write real issues of Depression and anxiety that real people suffer from everyday and the struggles they go through to combat, sometimes exceeding sometimes dropping deeper into that hole wondering if you can crawl out of it. Love, family and friends are a big part of helping them, yet allowing that person time to heal and reflect when its needed. Tillie and Max's story is beautiful and heartfelt and the narrators do an awesome job putting those thought and feelings right out there for you. Awesome job and story.

Love Tillie Jean

More quirk and glitter than you can shake a stick at. The slow-burn romance was stellar. Great characters, but it’s important to know the town layout and constant background characters and team players to truly keep up with the flow from the start. There’s enough slap stick humor and jovial elements for a few spit takes and laugh till you cry moments galore.And it’s one that RomCom fans will treasure.

Exactly what I needed

Pippa Grant is a true master at delivering stories that touch real life issues. Throw in laugh out loud humor and a parrot that almost stole the limelight and this, like all the others I've read, is a true winner. Savannah Peachwood and Wen Ross are outstanding!

Could have been more, but still very good.

First, I love this audio duo. Savannah Peachwood just voices Pippa heroines so well and on point. Wen Ross was great as well. While he definitely didn’t top his previous Pippa book, he was still excellent.

The story went up and down for me though. I went ahead and rounded to 4 stars because it did keep me engaged and I loved the prank wars. I think TJ being flirty was cute, almost like a role reversal. I did have a little bit of an issue with Max repeatedly feeling unworthy. I get it. His childhood was messed up, but I knew that the first several times it was mentioned. More time on his mental health would have meant a bit more to me even though we know his found family was there the whole time.

I will say this, I really love Shipwreck. I love it so much. It’s my happy place and I’m glad we got to visit it again.

Tillie Jean finally gets her happy!

Tillie Jean gets her happily ever after and we get more Shipwreck... everyone wins! Tillie and Max's story is a new favorite for sure. Pippa brings us back to Shipwreck to show us how a growly bear pitcher can fall in love with the princess of bright and sunny. Tillie Jean and her family remind us that we can't choose our family but they are always there to support us. Max's grumpy self learns that he's worthy of love despite his past. The antics in this book are exactly what we love in a Pippa book... cursing parrot, bleating goats and the best pranks.

Max made my heart hurt for him and his past which made him the growly bear that he is today. Once he started to show himself to Tillie Jean my heart was so super happy. He is definitely on my Mount Rushmore of Pippa men. This story was able to give us a deeper dive into the inner workings of Shipwreck and the characters that live there. As always I love being able to catch up with previous leading characters from the Fireballs. Now... please... can we have Cooper's book...

Cute story that will keep you in stitches

Cute story. The town of Shipwreck is a quirky town and the quirkiest of them all just may be Tillie Jean Rock. Yep, Max Cole is staying far away from his friend, and teammate’s, sister. Except he can’t. If you enjoy lots of humor with your romance then you need to get this book!

Cooper City Fireballs

A slow burn Romcom that keeps readers laughing and in love. Pippa has a style of writing very similar to my other fave authors and this book lives upto the hype.
Full Of sexy, witty banter, flirtation and pranks, I love the opening Glitter Bomb drop and laughed loudly while walking around my neighbourhood.
Sexy swoony player moves next door to the off limits sister of fellow player and Max has his Pants and hands full of this svelte vixen - Tillie Jean. But brother Cooper has been like a family to max and he can't dip his wand in the family pool no matter how hard TJ flutters her eyelashes or sways her Ass at him
Hilarious situations and some OTT reactions are scattered throughout.
Nice job Pippa!!
4 stars for FireBalls

Swoon city!!

Loved this book so much!!! Couldn't have been any more excited to go back to Shipwreck and it didn't disappoint one bit. So glad we got to see Grady and Annika as well as some of the other lovable characters we haven't seen for a few books. It felt like a great balance of Shipwreck fun while still keeping the focus on the main characters as their relationship built.
This book had all the Pippa laughs you'd expect and a heavy dose of heart. I appreciated the portrayal of Max's anxiety and loved how Cooper looked after him as a friend, without busting his balls for it. His chemistry with Tillie Jean was off the charts too. The narrators were amazing and my ears were as happy as my heart by the end. Definitely makes my list of books to re-read / re-listen!

Max Can Be My Neighbor Anytime!

Oh how I love me a grumpy hero. It is the best watching those walls come down and down they did for Max. He was not ready for the tenacious Tillie Jean! I loved these two! The pranks, the denial of feelings. There was some serious sexual tension and I was so here for it because the wait was all worth it! Pippa Grant never cease to amaze me with her incredible ability to write a story that is hella funny but uber sexy all at the same time. One minute you’re laughing and the next reaching for ice water to cool off! Savannah Peachwood and Wen Ross made for the perfect Tillie Jean and Max!

Sweet and Warm Romance

I enjoy all of Pippa Grant's books. I wouldn't go so far as to say that this one is hilarious, but it has cute and funny sections to it. Don't go in thinking that this is going to be a side splitter. However, it is well worth the read. It's sweet and funny, and filled with quirky characters.

Glitter fest!

Loved this so hilarious with all the practical jokes, fun family comments, goats & parrot

Fun! Fun! Fun!

Pippa Grant always brings a smile to my face! She has so much humor laced in her books, it makes them fly by and keeps me engaged in the story. This third book in the Copper Valley Fireballs is enemies to lovers, brother’s best friend and a sports romance too! All things I love included as we get to know Tillie Jean and her grumpy neighbor, Max. She has had a love hate relationship with him since he came on the Fireballs, and she just cannot figure out why. When he walks into a prank meant for TJ’s brother, our fun begins. If it can happen between these two, it does, creating an awkwardness that is just the right amount of foreplay. But no matter the situation, this slow burn romance is keeping the embers low as Max keeps holding back. The question is why? What will happen if the two get involved? Will try team be ok with it? And TJ’s brother? And what is really the reason he Max is hesitant? Chemistry, pranks, glitter, sassy parrot, family and that small town feel, Grant has us laughing and falling in love. It’s fun and flirty, frustrating and hysterical. And the characters are lovable. You can’t help but love this one, it’s my favorite of this series!

Narrated by Savannah Peachwood and Wen Ross, we are treated to a team that knows exactly how to bring humor and love alive. Peachwood is perfect as the independent, stubborn, yet lovable Tillie Jean. Ross has a warmth in his voice that I love, but he can create that standoff feel that Max definitely puts out. Incredible comedic timing and a great complimenting of voices, this team is a fantastic casting and a wonderful listen.

4 Stars

I absolutely love Pippa Grants books. Always plenty of fun banter that makes you laugh out loud, with some good sizzling goodness thrown in!
The prank wars in this book are truly epic, and really hope that we hear more on them in future books.
This book was a bit more slow moving then usual for Pippa’s books but I still really enjoyed it!

Frienemies to lovers sports off season romance

I love Pippa Grant and her wacky sense of humor. I love these characters. Things to expect in this book: pranks, siblings fighting and standing up for each other, struggles with anxiety, lots of flirting, lots of laughs, family interference, lots of glitter, the list could go on but I’ll stop there. The narration is wonderful. I definitely recommend this book. 🎧 Audiobook obsession

Here goes back to Shipwreck with even more glitter

A flawed hero meets his ideal woman but can't take that step..

I love it when it looks impossible at the start but you see that spark and gradually over time things turn around and love blossoms.

Set in Shipwreck, a crazy madcap town that I'd love to visit wherever meet the characters we met in earlier books. This time it's Tillie Jean's turn, the pranks with her brother continue, Long John Silver the badly behaved parrot and Sue the goat are around causing havoc as usual.