It’s a mini review! I’m clearing out my review queue of all the books I can’t seem to convince myself to finish, for one reason or another. That doesn’t mean these are negative reviews, it simply means that something isn’t compelling me to keep reading at the moment. Maybe I’ll go back to them another day, maybe I won’t!
DNF Details:
How far did I get? Three hours into the audiobook, which was more than a quarter of the way through.
Why did I stop? I was bored. I do love Canterbary’s writing (Boss in the Bedsheets made my Best of the Year list a few years ago!), but her last few books just haven’t hooked me. In this case, these two are supposed to have such crazy chemistry that our heroine breaks her own rules for the night – but we didn’t see the chemistry, we were just told about it. Apparently, they slept together eight times in one night (sure), and yet we only got a short description of their time together. So it was feeling off to me from the start, and then once they got into the workplace setting it continued to leave me feeling bored and detached… so it was an easy decision to set it aside.
Was I enjoying it initially? I had such a good feeling about this book and was so excited when the audio went live early. I went into it with all these positive vibes and in the right mood for the story, but it was apparent almost from the start that it wasn’t going to be a total win for me. Looking back at my review of Boss in the Bedsheets, I remember saying how the story hooked me in within a few pages. This was the exact opposite experience. So, no, I wasn’t really enjoying it initially.
Would I finish this? Only if it becomes beloved like In a Jam was, otherwise no. The tropes are right up my alley and I was in the mood for a story like this, so I can’t blame my disappointment on reading it on the wrong day. The (bad) audiobook didn’t help though, so maybe that threw me off more than I realized.
Who would I recommend this to? Longtime fans of Canterbary. Anyone who likes a workplace romance that focuses on modern views of power imbalances, etc.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/4bIQw4B
Audio Note:
Well, it wasn’t very good on audio, and that certainly didn’t help the situation. Or, more accurately, I should say that it wasn’t good for me. Stella Hunter is actually a talented narrator, and I’m sure she has a lot of fans out there. However, I’ve heard her voice so many… let’s say high maintenance… heroines that I associate her with unlikeable characters at this point. Essentially, her voice gives me the ick now. I can get past it when the story is good, but when it’s not it’s a problem. It’s my first experience listening to Oscar Reyes, and I didn’t love him. I think he’s newer to narration and it shows – he was perfectly fine voicing the hero, but his voice for the heroine was not great, to say the least. The combination made for a disappointing audio experience for me. The runtime (around 11 hours) means you could probably binge this in a day, though not sure I’d recommend it as a workday listen. They hook up very early on, even if it’s not overly descriptive. I imagine there’s a decent amount of spice later on, but I didn’t get that far.
Audiobook: https://amzn.to/3zhg1vS
Blurb:
Grey’s Anatomy meets a gender-swapped Wedding Crashers in this spicy rom-com about a one-night stand with The One, walking the tightrope of love and workplace ethics, and knowing which rules are worth breaking.
Every summer, superstar surgeon Whitney Aldritch crashes weddings with her best friend. The first one was an accident though after a decade of dropping in uninvited, they’re masters of their craft. They keep the rules simple and they never go to bed alone.
Then there’s Henry Hazlette, best man and the best one-night stand of Whit’s summer. She never imagined she’d see him again but now he’s one of her new surgical residents—and completely off-limits.
Whitney has staked her reputation on leading the hospital’s new ethics initiative. While Henry is under her supervision, they have to keep it professional. But it doesn’t help that she can’t turn around without running face-first into his offensively broad chest or rubbing up against him in crammed elevators. Also not helping: the way he smiles at her like he can hear her every not-safe-for-work thought.
All they have to do is survive this residency—and the accidental tarot card readings that hit too close to home, a few uninvited houseguests, and the hospital’s hyperactive rumor mill—but only if they’re prepared to bend some rules as the feelings go from just for tonight to get it out of our systems to mine.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/4bIQw4B
Try another book by Canterbary!
If you haven’t tried her yet, I really do recommend her writing. My personal favorite remains Boss in the Bedsheets. It’s another office romance, but this one is hysterical and has totally different vibes.
Blurb:
“I should’ve known from the moment I sat down beside him on the plane that anyone as tightly wound as him would be an almighty beast in bed.”
Mr. Santillian,
Despite the fact I’m currently living out of your guest room and sleeping with you most nights, I am writing to announce my resignation effective two weeks from today.
In other words, I’ll locate someone who is both obscenely overqualified and willing to devote their days to the handful of tasks you are able to wrench from your perfectionist, micromanaging grip. It may be difficult to find a Nobel laureate genius looking for basic filing work on such short notice, but I’ll do my best.
Don’t worry about your sister’s wedding this weekend. I still plan to attend as your date, assuming you’ve finished hating me by then.
Thank you in advance for your understanding.
Zelda
Ms. Besh,
Resignation not accepted.
I’ll see you at home.
Ash
CW: history of emotional abandonment, briefly discussed on-page; family estrangement; history of emotional abuse by a romantic partner, one on-page event and brief discussion.
Read the review here
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3kEFfxa
About the Author:
USA Today Bestseller Kate Canterbary writes smart, steamy contemporary romances loaded with heat, heart, and happy ever afters. Kate lives on the New England coast with her husband and daughter.
Keep up with all the news and goodies here ➜ http://www.katecanterbary.com
Join the conversation in Kate’s private reader forum ➜ http://facebook.com/groups/TheWalshery/
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