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so_brookeish's review
2.75
This was such a mixed bag for me.. I almost DNF’d more than once and honestly now that I’m done I’m not sure it was worth pushing through for me.
The potential was there! I was immediately drawn in by the cover, the cute exercise pin as a title, and the synopsis sounded right up my alley!
I was really engaged right up to 30% and then the book kind of fell apart for me! (Which is weird, because after reading other reviews it seems I’m not alone in that percentage marker.. WHY!?)
I struggled with the paging of this story, some parts flew by and then entire sections would drag on and leave me skimming. I wasn’t overly invested in either character, they felt very formulated and not like real people, and the chemistry was just lacking all the way around for me! Add in a real late third act break up and a rushed finished and I’m not sure this book is one I’ll recommend in the end..
There are a few things I liked though, and I definitely want to mention them because honestly it’s what kept me pushing along!
I loved the fitness rep! I felt like it was handled in a really healthy way! It didn’t lean to extremes, there was no shame, it had a fun gym family and I loved it as a setting!
The other thing was POTS rep! I had heard of POTS before but never really looked into it! I can honestly say this is the first book I’ve read with that rep and I think that’s really cool!
All in all, this wasn’t a home run for me, but I’m sure it’ll find its audience!
The potential was there! I was immediately drawn in by the cover, the cute exercise pin as a title, and the synopsis sounded right up my alley!
I was really engaged right up to 30% and then the book kind of fell apart for me! (Which is weird, because after reading other reviews it seems I’m not alone in that percentage marker.. WHY!?)
I struggled with the paging of this story, some parts flew by and then entire sections would drag on and leave me skimming. I wasn’t overly invested in either character, they felt very formulated and not like real people, and the chemistry was just lacking all the way around for me! Add in a real late third act break up and a rushed finished and I’m not sure this book is one I’ll recommend in the end..
There are a few things I liked though, and I definitely want to mention them because honestly it’s what kept me pushing along!
I loved the fitness rep! I felt like it was handled in a really healthy way! It didn’t lean to extremes, there was no shame, it had a fun gym family and I loved it as a setting!
The other thing was POTS rep! I had heard of POTS before but never really looked into it! I can honestly say this is the first book I’ve read with that rep and I think that’s really cool!
All in all, this wasn’t a home run for me, but I’m sure it’ll find its audience!
bookstagramsam's review
2.0
2.5 stars. I really wanted to love this book. The beginning was good and really sucked me in but then the story started to spiral. I feel like the author was trying to put so much into the story and it started to get diluted.
I really liked Rayah the FMC a lot and loved her wit.
The other thing I didn’t love about the book were the multiple POVs. It was hard to determine whose POV we were at with clear directive in the beginning.
I really feel this book had a to.n of potential and feel the author has a lot of promise as well. I just couldn’t get into this book.
I appreciate the opportunity to get to read it prior to releasing.
I really liked Rayah the FMC a lot and loved her wit.
The other thing I didn’t love about the book were the multiple POVs. It was hard to determine whose POV we were at with clear directive in the beginning.
I really feel this book had a to.n of potential and feel the author has a lot of promise as well. I just couldn’t get into this book.
I appreciate the opportunity to get to read it prior to releasing.
bribreez's review
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
3.75⭐️/ 2🌶️
When it comes to getting in shape there’s a number of reasons why. For Jake Newman, his reason was to get in the best shape ever in order to secure his spot as the newest cinematic superhero for a movie that was just announced. What better place to get the help he needed than his best friend who works at an impressive gym back home in his small town. Rayah, the owner of the gym was all about fitness, and trying to make sure her business was in tip, top shape as well. All seemed well at first glance, but both Rayah and Jake had their own problems to deal with. This was a lighthearted, fluffy romance that featured likable characters, a small town, and humor. Also, a bit of that overprotective was from Jake over Rayah.
When it comes to getting in shape there’s a number of reasons why. For Jake Newman, his reason was to get in the best shape ever in order to secure his spot as the newest cinematic superhero for a movie that was just announced. What better place to get the help he needed than his best friend who works at an impressive gym back home in his small town. Rayah, the owner of the gym was all about fitness, and trying to make sure her business was in tip, top shape as well. All seemed well at first glance, but both Rayah and Jake had their own problems to deal with. This was a lighthearted, fluffy romance that featured likable characters, a small town, and humor. Also, a bit of that overprotective was from Jake over Rayah.
I’m not much of a fitness person, but even I could tell that Jake had his struggles throughout the course of the story. In order for Jake to be movie ready to be the newest superhero for an upcoming movie, he needed to be in the best shape ever, but things were complicated with his POTS. Essentially, Jake couldn’t push exert himself too much or else he would become dizzy, accelerated heart rate, just a few symptoms to name that came with his condition. I had never heard of this condition before so, it made me see exactly what Jake was faced when trying to train with Rayah and Pierce (*Jake’s best friend). Despite the difficulty that Jake was faced with, he was determined to train and move past those limitations that he had always known his whole life. For the most part, Jake did have some setbacks from altitude sickness and the occasional dizziness, but he was motivated to try his best which I found admirable about him.
As I read, I found myself enjoying the characters and the story. Rayah and Jake were from different worlds, namely that Jake was an actor whereas Rayah worked at the gym she owned. Although they had different careers, with the objective of becoming stronger and overall in good shape for an upcoming role, Jake found himself working with Rayah and her trainers. I thought the way Jake and Rayah were was sweet, and great. I especially loved how quickly Jake became protective and an absolute sweetheart towards Rayah as well. Most of the time, I’m not really a fan of insta love or just instantly liking a person off the bat, but the way it was done with Jake and Rayah, it didn’t feel rushed, it just worked. Rayah and Jake’s chemistry went from professional, to flirtatious, to that undeniable level of wanting each other. Lots of cute yet semi tension filled moments were sprinkled throughout the story, and made those special romantic moments between Jake and Rayah all the more enjoyable.
Overall, I liked Rayah and Jake, they were good characters and very likable. Jake was determined to do whatever he could despite the obstacles he faced with his POTS. Jake was a flirty, fun guy and seeing him fall for Rayah was actually sweet. Rayah was a tough woman who focused on maintaining her gym, but also liked seeing how strong she was compared to the men at the gym. This was a cute, lighthearted romance, and the characters were likable, even the side characters. While the plot wasn’t “out of this world”, it was a good story that held my attention and I enjoyed it for the sweetness and humor that was shown throughout the book.
pierrereads's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Chronic illness, Medical trauma, and Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Injury/Injury detail
readers_sea's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I honestly couldn't say a lot about what didn't work for me... The characters were fine and the plot was okay but I found myself dragging myself through this book. Overall, it just felt a bit flat to me. I wish there was more to root for, but the circumstances just weren't super interesting to me.
I felt like the pacing was off and a bit all over the place. Sometimes the POVs were hard to follow, but it did have potential. There were a lot of funny moments and heartwarming interactions, but as a whole, I felt it was lacking.
I felt like the pacing was off and a bit all over the place. Sometimes the POVs were hard to follow, but it did have potential. There were a lot of funny moments and heartwarming interactions, but as a whole, I felt it was lacking.
marianbooks613's review
medium-paced
4.0
I was a little confused at first. The story of Jake and Rayah is good, I can't deny it, but I was a little lost in the first few chapters. Once I figured out what was going on, everything started to make sense. It was an enjoyable read, although I felt like these two rushed into a romantic relationship a bit. However, they also took their “time” getting to know each other, so that's a point in their favor. There is a little bit of drama at the end, but it is resolved quickly.
This is a light read, but it does deal with some heavy themes that could be triggering for some readers. Please check the trigger warnings before reading.
thanks to the author, netgalley and the publisher for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review!!
This is a light read, but it does deal with some heavy themes that could be triggering for some readers. Please check the trigger warnings before reading.
thanks to the author, netgalley and the publisher for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review!!
mdevlin727's review
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Too many plots to keep track of and none of them felt fleshed out enough
lagadema's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
3.75
I enjoyed reading this cute small-town romantic comedy. I liked the chemistry and banter between the main characters but also the surrounding characters were interesting which made the story more complete. The storytelling was nice and I will look for other books by this author.
whatsalittlesmut's review
4.0
This book is a romantic comedy that will have you full belly laughing.
Jake is a movie star with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia (POTS) and he is trying to gain muscle for an upcoming role. His condition makes it hard to exercise and he keeps it secret so that it doesn’t affect his chance at action movies.
The FMC, Rayah, is the owner of the training facility and has had a traumatic past that resulted in her ending her gymnastics career. She and Jake have an immediate connection and it is hard for them to resist one another in and out of the gym.
I like that this book has disability representation through the MMC. It bucks the norm while also providing a swoony character. I also appreciated that the FMC has struggles that she too has to overcome. Neither character is flawless and they literally have to “work it out” in order to move forward.
The banter between the MMC and the FMC and pretty much all of the characters is top tier in my opinion. There were so many instances where I couldn’t help, but crack up. The townspeople especially are hilarious! I got major Stars Hallow vibes each time I read about Jake’s grandparents and their friends. They are shameless meddlers and pop up throughout the story.
So if you are looking for a romcom with plenty of banter and a little spice, this book might be for you!
Jake is a movie star with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia (POTS) and he is trying to gain muscle for an upcoming role. His condition makes it hard to exercise and he keeps it secret so that it doesn’t affect his chance at action movies.
The FMC, Rayah, is the owner of the training facility and has had a traumatic past that resulted in her ending her gymnastics career. She and Jake have an immediate connection and it is hard for them to resist one another in and out of the gym.
I like that this book has disability representation through the MMC. It bucks the norm while also providing a swoony character. I also appreciated that the FMC has struggles that she too has to overcome. Neither character is flawless and they literally have to “work it out” in order to move forward.
The banter between the MMC and the FMC and pretty much all of the characters is top tier in my opinion. There were so many instances where I couldn’t help, but crack up. The townspeople especially are hilarious! I got major Stars Hallow vibes each time I read about Jake’s grandparents and their friends. They are shameless meddlers and pop up throughout the story.
So if you are looking for a romcom with plenty of banter and a little spice, this book might be for you!