I wanted to like this book - I really did. With that being said, this book was all over the place. It was felt like the author had multiple storylines but one book opportunity and just threw them all into this book.

Chronic illness? Yup.
Love story? Yup.
Severe trauma? Yup.
Recalling said trauma? Yup.
Random pic? Yup but why?!!

Check trigger warnings by the way. I was not expecting that.

There were so many characters to keep track of and I just didn’t have connections with them. Also, I just felt like Jake was a little too much. I didn’t love but maybe you will.

I was given an Advanced Reader Copy by NetGalley for an honest review.

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.

This was such a cute, fun, small town read. I loved that it highlighted a disability that isn't talked about a lot. I'll be honest in saying I didn't know much about this and it was a nice addition to the story. Jake and Rayah were so cute together. Though they had a bumpy start and a few miscommunications. I loved seeing their relationship grow and some self discoveries that they worked through. This was a fun, quick read!

Get your gym shoes on and grab your headphones because Work It Out by Eva Siedler is out today (January 29th) which shows what happens when an actor meets his match while training for a new role!

This novel wasn’t my favorite… it genuinely feels like the author just cut out classic romcom tropes and pasted them into this book without really fleshing them out at all.

The insta-love felt too fast and more lusty than any true affection. Like honey, you can’t feel betrayed by a man you met 3 days ago. This isn’t Romeo and Juliet…

None of the characters were all that likable, except for maybe Jake’s grandparents. Everyone else just felt like very flat characters with not much substance or that their personalities were almost bipolar/went from one extreme to the other.

The amount of plot lines that just got thrown in a third of the way into the book with no background was very bizarre and made the main plot of the novel even more confusing, especially with the timeline of the novel. Literally, the first half of the book takes place over the course of like 3 days or something.

The author attempts to add some depth to the novel by adding in a characters who have disorders or have dealt with domestic and/or sexual abuse, but the novel just gets so bogged down with frivolous plot lines in the beginning that by the time I got to the heavier topics, I wasn’t all that interested in the novel anymore.

Overall, this book wasn’t terrible, but it didn’t blow me away either…

*I received an ARC from Entangled Publishing in exchange for my honest opinion.

I was thrilled to find out that I had been given an advanced reader copy of the book because I loved the idea behind it. You felt bad for the main characters because you liked them and could relate to them. Another thing that really spoke to me was how this book talked about a condition that isn't talked about much in pop culture. That there was so much going on in such a short number of pages confused and overloaded me. That's why I thought the end was rushed. I think a lot of people will enjoy this, but that's just my opinion.

3.5 stars rounded up.

Work it Out by Eva Siedler was an interesting read, it had a lot going for it, humor, diverse characters, some tough topics, and celebrities. It follows the perspectives of Jake, who is trying to get ready to audition for a role in an upcoming superhero movie when he meets Rayah, who owns and operates the facility he is at in his hometown. It is a contemporary romance, set in a small town. It has a great disability representation that I really liked seeing. The plot was pretty good, kept me engaged and invested in characters and story, it was more on the serious side, but had some hilarious moments that had me busting out laughing. The romance was ok for me. I had a hard time with the chemistry and development of their relationship, especially at the beginning of the book but by the end it was great. I loved both Jake and Rayah, they were both great characters to follow, well developed and flushed out. Jake had great humor, did not let anything slow him down and sometimes got in his own way. Rayah was just amazing, compassionate about her work and people. There are some trigger warnings in this book so please check them out before picking it up. I enjoyed this read and would recommend it.
Trigger warnings: Sexual assault, domestic abuse.
I received an advanced ebook, via Netgalley. This review is my own honest opinion.

The author narrated the plot in a fun and quirky way, which makes the book way interesting to read. The characters in the books are so relatable, and I was rooting for the couple the whole time. The comedy and chemistry between Rayah and Jakes are not overdone, plus there's a plot/background story other than focusing on their love story.

"Work It Out" by Eva Siedler is a delightful and quirky romance perfect for fans of Amy Lea and Talia Hibbert. Actor Jake Newman sneaks off to a health resort in his hometown to prepare for a film role, hoping to keep his secrets hidden. Meanwhile, former gymnast Rayah Summers struggles to save her resort from bankruptcy with Jake's help. As sparks fly between them, Rayah must navigate business challenges, staff drama, and her growing feelings. Despite some bumps along the way, it's a heartwarming read about love and second chances.

Thanks to @entangled_publishing I had the opportunity to read Work It Out, the debut book from Eva Siedler.

There’s tons of humour, tenderness, patience, and compassion throughout this book as the MCs deal with some heavy issues. These include an MMC with POTS who needs to learn how to manage his disability while achieving his goal of bulking up for a movie role; a FMC who was an elite gymnast and is a survivor of sexual assault and dealing with blackmail from her father; and uncertainty over whether the FMC’s business will survive.

There is immediate chemistry between Rayah (FMC) and Jake aka Chris (MMC) from the get-go, but there is space to let their attraction build, with interest on both sides, as well as an awareness that jumping into bed together ASAP may not be the best way to go.

I liked how they became increasingly honest and vulnerable with each other, sharing their pasts, their worries, their goals. They believe in one another, and provide support and encouragement. And they have some spice in the bedroom once they get there!

Overall, this was a fun read but IMO, tried to do a bit too much and could have been edited down. I think there were some sub-storylines that weren’t really needed and only seemed to serve one or two key scenes that could have been included in a different way. There were also some scenes with one side character that gave me the ick when he declared his love for the FMC and that he was first attracted to her when she was underage and he was in his 20s.

The author, Eva, is an excellent writer, wrote some strong banter and humourous scenes (the hamburger scene was a delight!) and I’m excited to see what she writes next.

This is a sweet and funny read. Rising star Jake returns to his hometown to bulk up for the chance to play a superhero away from the limelight. He signs up to an intense fitness retreat owned by Rayah and is immediately smitten with her. This was a great premise but at some points things got a bit messier than they needed to be. I loved the small town setting and the funny characters, but there were A LOT of them - kind of hard to track or stay invested at times. Jake is a hilarious and endearing character though, and I totally rooted for him throughout and certainly did laugh out loud!

What to expect:

- small town romance
- celebrity romance
- PT and client
- forced proximity
- he falls first
- quite spicy

This one follow Rayah, who is trying to get her wellness resort to be something, and movie star Jake who needs to get fit, quick, for a role. Jake is just the break Rayah needs to help reach her dreams.

This one is full of hilarious, vulnerable and heartwarming moments. This cover for this one definitely pulled me in and I am so glad I judge this book by the cover. 😉

I cannot wait to see was Eva has up her sleeve next.

Jake is a television star desperate for his big into motion pictures. He see’s his chance to star in an superhero action film. The only problem is Jake has POTS. So training and bulking up is not only difficult but dangerous. After winding up in the headlines over a hug with his MUCH younger costar, Jake decides to leave Hollywood for a while to hide from the press and train for his chance at the new role.

Rayah is a former Gymnast who after being a part of an olympic scandal cuts her ties as a professional athlete and opens a state of the art training facility. The last thing she wants is to get involved with a Hollywood star or be involved in another lawsuit.

Of course just like the unpredictable Monsoons, Jake and Rayah are flooded with feelings with each other that they don’t really want to fight. Can Jake continue to keep his illness a secret from her, and can they both weather the storm of jealousy when others are fighting for their attention?

You’ll just have to give it a read and find out.

Thanks entangled publishing for the chance to read and review this book.

DNF, I really wanted to like this book but, it just wasn't for me, I just couldn't relate to any of the characters and felt it fell flat. Thank you to Entangled for the chance to read this book :)

Jake is an actor up for a role but he needs to get into serious shape in 90 days. He ends up at Rayah’s gym keeping his medical disability a secret from her. Great story! I love books that have medical disability representation.

Thanks you for the ARC for my honest review.

This book was so entertaining! I absolutely loved the author's humor. Rayah was a powerhouse. That woman was sassy and feisty. What made it even better was those were the traits that Jake admired in her. He had so much respect for her. I absolutely adored these two together. Not only was their chemistry off the charts but they also supported one another.! 3/5 stars
Special thanks to the author and netgalley for the arc copy of this book in exchange for my honest review

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.

Work IT Out by Eva Siedler

Jake and Rayah

Jake, a TV star wanting to work around his POTS ( related to reduced blood volume when standing up) to become buff for a superhero movie role

Rayah- spa/gym owner trying to overcome a traumatic past as a top gymnast with no support system

There is a delicate balance including serious issues in a romantic comedy. Did this story deal with the issues with the levity they deserved? yes

Were the leads likable, strong and have chemistry together? Mostly yes, hot stuff, yes

Did the comedic elements and supporting characters blend and aid the story realistically and seamlessly? No

I had trouble getting into the story. The premise for the story and the auxiliary characters were overblown, annoying and most times unnecessary. I had to wade through convoluted to get to the real.

Jake had some clever lines that made me laugh but stuff that was supposed to be small town quirky and well meaning, outrageous family and friends, not funny.

If you like extra extras, misunderstandings, clearly labeled bad guys with good leads, important issues and steam, this is for you. I would like to thank Entangled Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced copy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled for the eARC! I was initially drawn in by the cover of this book and the description. The humor is top notch and the dialogue was really clever and humorous.
However, the MMC became so unbearably cheesy. The plot felt all over the place and it was hard to follow. I kept reading but I struggled to pay attention throughout, and this highly un-engaging. Maybe this perfect others, it had a lot of potential and I enjoyed parts, but unfortunately this book is not for me.

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!!

Work it Out by Eva Siedler is a contemporary romance featuring a b-list actor and a former gymnast.

I initially picked this up because the publisher blurb mentioned it was perfect for fans of Amy Lea (who I've been meaning to read) and Talia Hibbert (one of my favorite contemporary romance authors). Unfortunately, I found the plot pretty meandering and I DNFed the book at 70%.

There's some interesting diversity here in the form of a character with POTS--postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome--a condition that causes your heart to beat faster than normal when you transition from lying down to standing up. This is a kind of silent disability that I hadn't heard of before, and I'm glad to have learned more about it.