Pickle Perfect — Books, Beauty, & Buys

By: Ilana Long
Published Year: 2025
Publisher: Berkley
Pages: 368

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This in no way shape or form influenced my opinion of this novel.

Summary (Provided by Goodreads): A second chance at love crashes one woman’s tropical pickleball vacation and serves up an adorkably swoony romantic comedy.

Lulu Gardner only takes predictable shots. After faulting on tennis stardom at eighteen, Lulu, now a thirtysomething single parent, is in control of her game. But when an unanticipated blunder threatens her teaching job, Lulu’s stable, well-planned—okay, boring—world spins out. And somehow, her godparents convince her to join them for a “de-stressing” destination pickleball vacation in Costa Rica. Maybe an all-inclusive picklecation is just the pick-me-up she needs to loosen her grip.

Or it would have been if she wasn’t backhanded by the sight of her high school fling Tyler Demming on the beachside courts. Fresh off the pickleball pro tour, the reigning bad boy of paddle sports is as studly and snarky as ever. Even though his public image took a hit with a ballsy publicity stunt, Tyler seems to be the big shot he’s always been.

But Lulu’s had years to steel herself against his rugged good looks and hypnotic charm. Despite the changes she sees in Tyler since their teenage days, Lulu will have no problem keeping her head in the game and her heart on the sidelines. Or so she tells herself….

First Impressions

I’m not personally into the pickleball trend, but one of my friends really enjoys it. When I was offered this book to review I figured it sounded cute so why not? The cover isn’t bad but I don’t know if it would’ve caught my eye on that alone.

What I thought

I should’ve realized this was a second chance romance…

Lulu was set to be a tennis pro until life got in the way. Her boyfriend at the time, Tyler Demming, went on to be a professional pickleballer. 15 or so years later, Lulu’s job is on the line so she takes an all inclusive pickleball trip with her aunt, uncle, and daughter. On vacation, she runs into Tyler who is doing some image rehab after getting kicked off of the pro pickleball tour. They then get thrown together on a separate adventure tour around Costa Rica that is being tested out by the resort.

I gave up on this book at about 70%. Like I said, this is mostly on me. I cannot stand second chance romances. Tyler disappears at 18, never contacts Lulu, she’s hung up on him for years and hates him. But then when she sees him again it’s all “my body immediately reacts to him”. Blech. Like, you don’t even know this man! I also found nothing redeemable about Tyler. He never appears to take responsibility for anything he did or does and just expects Lulu to fall back in love with him because they were in love at 17 and 18.

On top of that, I found the premise of this book to be very silly. Not only are they just thrown into the Costa Rican jungle to complete adventures such as zip lining and white water rafting, but then they’re also supposed to be playing pickleball? And Lulu who hasn’t picked up a racket in years is great? There also was a scene where Tyler’s wife/ex-wife literally just shows up in the forest. Like, Tyler and Lulu are in his cabin/hotel room situation and she literally just wanders up in the dark. It’s so bizarre.

Lulu didn’t redeem this book for me at al either. I found her daughter completely unnecessary to the story and she was insufferable. She doesn’t like new things because she doesn’t like the unexpected. So this entire adventure she doesn’t want to participate in anything. To the point of even giving up on ziplining after one try. I would be so over her.