A cute, clean romance. I had never thought about tandem bikes as a metaphor for love but it turns out it was the perfect vehicle 😉

However, I have some serious issues with this book.
1. I didn't look at the good read reviews and NetGalley didn't mention that this was a Christian Romance. As someone who is not overly religious, I didn't love the "keep the faith," "thoughts and prayers," and general God talk in the book.
2. They don't start the bike ride until 42% in. I feel like I was lied to about how much of this book was going to be the bike ride.
3. As a person who was told I had to get out of my small town if I wanted to do anything meaningful with my life, I didn't love the narrative that no one would every want to be with Charlotte because she didn't want to leave her hometown in Bailey Springs, Illinois. I understand that love is sacrifice but after that whole thing, why was Charlotte the one who had to give up on her dreams to make the relationship work? Why was there no compromise? Zach got everything he wanted including the girl, and Charlotte had to leave her family and her job behind. How is that fair?
4. Not a negative but it was jarring at first for Sophie to have her own chapters. I really enjoyed her story, but I wasn't expecting it.
5. Maybe I missed it but Melba's story was NEVER resolved and that will haunt me forever.

Not my favorite book, and frankly, I will probably never read another one of her books. It was cute, the side characters were fun, and the story was okay. Not my cup of tea, but just not my vibe.

2 Stars.

I enjoyed this book so much!! The perfect clean romcom! I loved the banter and the cheese of this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Tyndale for the opportunity to read this book!

3 stars
I just truly struggled to get through this one. I love clean romances and appreciate good banter between partners, but I was struggling to feel the connection between these characters. I also don’t think the biking competition premise did it for me. This is not a bad book by any means, but just wasn’t the rom-com I was looking for.

I enjoyed the narrator of this audiobook and think she has an upbeat, engaging voice, which worked well for this book.


Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and RB Media for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I really appreciate it!

An opposites attract Christian romance - sign me up! This book follows a small town Charlotte as she looks for ways to fund her public school so she can keep her career going. While in pursuit for funding Charlotte comes across a 500 mile bike trip that involves a tandem bike. And unfortunately that path leads us to her ex-fiance's wanderlust brother Zach.

What I love about this book is that the couple seems realistic. Sometimes in Christian romances the characters do not seem realistic (or at least not people that are really relatable). They seem to balance realistic Christianity and temptations/challenges that would come up in a regular relationship. This book is sweet and funny and I really enjoyed it.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a light and sweet romance. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this story.

Opposites truly do attract in this witty and funny rom-com. I love the premise of the book and I really loved that both her and her sister found someone to love. All the characters really had to find themselves while finding each other and it made for such a cute story. All of them really found what they were looking for even though it wasn’t what they thought it would be.

I want to like this book, but somehow my attention is just not able to get sucked in which keeps me from being attached to the characters and caring what happens to them. I will try this author again.

This was a super cute read! I listened to the audio book and found myself laughing out loud at parts! The narrator was awesome! Very light on the romance since it is a Christian book. I enjoyed Charlotte and Zach’s growing romance. Forced proximity is always a win in my mind! 4 stars!

I love the idea of this book but was a bit disappointed at the follow through. I just really didn't feel the spark between the two main characters so the ending didn't feel natural. I had to force myself to keep listening as it just really didn't hold my interest.

Thank you to Netgalley, RB Media and Becca Kinzer for this ALC.

2.5 Stars. I loved the premise of this book, but it wasn’t what I was hoping for. The story line was sweet but a bit dull, and I found myself rolling my eyes at times. I didn’t feel any real chemistry between the characters, and I had to push myself to finish.

Thank you to NetGalley and RB Media | Recorded Books for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest feedback.

I really enjoyed this novel. I laughed out loud multiple times and was gripped by the plot. The ending was incredibly cute and cheesy but it was worth it. I have a favourite scene in this book that I empathize with. And I loved the main character Charlotte. Thank you for the ARC. I’m looking forward to reading more books by this author.

There is just something about Beccas writing that jives well with me, keeps me eagerly wanting to know what will happen and has me laughing or smiling more times than I can count until the very end. That's not always the easiest combo to do, but Becca knows how to do it well. I was so excited to check this out after having her other novel, "Dear Henry, Love Edith" in my top favorite books of last year and this one did not disappoint.

What can you expect?
-fake dating (the ex-fiance’s brother)
-forced proximity (500 mile tandem bike ride, anyone?
-awkward (but cute/silly) moments that make you smile
-quotability
- light faith content
- familial moments
- banter, wit & laughs from start (truly, the first line had me laughing) to finish
& to start using the word “canoodle” more than you did prior to reading this story

In terms of the active part of the journey itself, I absolutely can see myself as Charlotte. I would've been the one struggling with all that biking - insisting that we need a break only to find you're not even halfway to the halfway mark of the trip, or being the one who is not nature savvy and boy can you tell! (in the most fun way)- just a reminder to always have a Zach-type around to balance it! haha. And speaking of balance, I thought Zach & Charlotte as a pair balanced each other out well & they were both cute & fun to read about as they progressed into the romance aspect of things.

As Zach & Charlotte embark on their journey we occasionally get the perspective of Charlotte's sister, Sophia, as she tries to find out more answers regarding the money. As her story line unfolded more in those chapters I wasn't as invested in what happened to her/connected to her as I'd like to be, but as a character I did like her.

I appreciated the familial elements within the book and could connect to Charlotte and her care/worry for her Mother in particular and being reminded from her Mother that "God is good, no matter what, God is good". Yes,t here are a few light faith moments sprinkled throughout this book as well which I loved reading. The surprise that unfolded near the end with the family, did NOT see that coming but it was an interesting one to add in for them. I loved that there was a familial aspect to this book as well making it more than "just" a rom-com, something I always need.

If you're looking for a story that has adventure, healing, family, light faith, love & a whole lotta laughs- check out Love in Tandem. The story will fly by and be the perfect pick me up you need. P.S. I HIGHLY recommend the audiobook as the narrator bought these moments even more to life.

*Thank you to the publisher & Netgalley for an advanced listening copy. All opinions are honest and entirely my own.

In "Love in Tandem," opposites attract when Charlotte Carter, a small-town music teacher, and Zach Bryant, a globe-trotting adventurer, find themselves riding a tandem bicycle on a 500-mile road trip to save a music program. As they pedal through challenges and unexpected turns, they discover that their differences might just be what makes their journey together worthwhile.

Charlotte is a resilient and determined MFC whose passion for music drives her to save the school's music program. Zach is adventurous and free-spirited, initially hesitant about the tandem bike trip but gradually warming up to Charlotte and the cause. Their interactions are filled with wit, tension, and growing chemistry, making this the most delicious slow burn.

The story is filled with humor, heartwarming moments, and unexpected challenges that keep you page turning to find out if they succeed in their quest to save the music program and fall in love along the way.

I really enjoyed the audio and I am hoping to buy the paperback to annotate it as well.

I was able to listen to about 43% of the audiobook before it stopped working. It may have been my phone, since it's low on memory, but I'm not sure. I really enjoyed what I did hear, and hope to hear the rest someday! Great narrator. Hilarious mishaps. I was laughing out loud.

Love in Tandem by Becca Kinzer is a charming tale that beautifully blends romance with themes of faith and personal growth. As someone who typically steers clear of Christian fiction, I was pleasantly surprised by how seamlessly the author integrated realistic religious discussions into the narrative. Instead of feeling forced or preachy, these moments added depth to the characters and their journey.

The dynamic between the main characters, Zach and Charlotte, is a true highlight of the story. Their banter is witty and endearing, making their journey from unlikely partners to something more all the more enjoyable. Listening to the audiobook, I found myself fully immersed in their adventures, thanks in part to the excellent narration.

Overall, Love in Tandem is a wholesome read that will leave you with a smile on your face. Perfect for fans of clean romance, fake dating tropes, and opposites attract themes, this book is a delightful escape into the world of love and self-discovery.

Love in Tandem was my first audio ARC on netgalley, and I am so happy about that. The audio was fun, but I really wish the book had been a dual POV in 1st person so we could have been inside the minds of the characters, while also having a dual narration audiobook. 3rd person keeps me from really feeling attached to the characters, but Becca Kinzer did a great job with keeping me interested. This was a fun and cute Christian romance. I’m not sure I loved having a 2nd love story with the main character’s sister thrown in as well. I’m also not so sure how believable it is that the main character was able to ride 500 miles on a bicycle with no training beforehand, but if I don’t think about how far they went, I can still enjoy the story. 3.5 stars rounded to 4.

Loved this one! Great book and great audio. I can’t wait to read more from this author. Perfect timing and pacing, and I loved all the funny little antidotes. A romcom read.

Music teacher Charlotte is in a time of crisis. Her ex-fiance is getting married and her music program needs funding. When an extremely random meeting and massive misunderstanding lead to her being mistaken as her ex-fiance's brother's girlfriend, Charlotte is paralyzed about how to play off a situation with so many emotional layers.

Zach has always carried a little flame for Charlotte, but he knows she's very attached to her small town life and that would never jive with his outdoorsman, see-the-world self. But when their families seem to need them to keep their charade of a relationship ongoing, and a chance to raise money for Charlotte's school comes along, Zach finds himself helpless to do anything but sign on.

That's how an adventurous guy and a very-not-adventurous girl end up taking off on a 500-mile bicycle ride. They don't know it now, but they'll be beset by weather, wild hogs, theft, and helpful and not-so-helpful strangers. Can they keep up their fake relationship that has very real sparks? Or will this drive them further apart than before?

This zany adventure had me laughing out loud all along the way. I loved all the crazy worst case scenarios they ran into, and I especially loved that this romcom isn't only surface deep. There's a thread of faith woven through to remind us that God has been with us all along, even the hard stretches where we didn't see Him. Turns out that walking with Him is the greatest adventure of all.

If you enjoy a good romantic comedy, I highly recommend Love in Tandem. Zach and Charlotte will pedal right off the pages and into your heart.

Love in Tandem
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I totally enjoyed this darling fun book. It is a great laugh out loud & feel good romantic story. You will cheer for the characters. Laugh & shake your head with a smile. It was so Fun!!
Thank you NetGallery!

I had the pleasure of receiving an advance audiobook of "Love in Tandem" from NetGalley, and I must say, it was a thoroughly enjoyable experience. The book exudes the charm of a quintessential early 2000s romantic comedy, one that would translate wonderfully onto the big screen.

As I delved into the story, I found myself repeatedly amused by the escalating mishaps of Charlotte and Zack on their tandem bike adventure—an engaging plot device that never failed to deliver surprise and delight. The narrative was wonderfully paced, and the narrator played a pivotal role, infusing each scene with energy and keeping the entertainment coming.

What I particularly appreciated was the exploration of the individual storylines of the two sisters. This dual perspective not only enriched the narrative but also added layers to the characters, making them more relatable and their journeys more impactful.

"Love in Tandem" is, without a doubt, a book worth picking up, especially for those who enjoy a light-hearted story with genuine emotional depth and plenty of laughs. The well-executed audiobook format only enhances the experience, making it a perfect companion for a relaxing day at the beach or a long commute.

A cute, closed door rom-com featuring forced proximity as Charlotte goes on a tandem bike journey with Zach (her brother’s ex-fiancé!) to try and win money and save her school music program. There were some laughable scenes resulting from calamities along their journey, the banter was well portrayed and there were a few faith-based scenarios too. I listened to this on audio and thought the narrator did a great job.