The irony of DNF a book called DNF is not lost on me. I liked the premise but it was too much of a slow burn for me to get into. Maybe another time

What a very cute very meta rom com book! As an editor and generally literary minded person, I absolutely loved all of the references to the book writing and publishing process. As a fan of the romance genre, I enjoyed this book immensely.

Our hero and heroine revel in the tropes they partake in, and you can almost hear the author cackling with glee writing this book. Sometimes that will take me out of a book, not so here. I was having so much fun giggling along with her and was so fully invested in the characters and their stories that I stayed along for the ride and didn’t miss a beat. I also LOVED the Gilmore Girl references! As a long time fan it really helped me envision the town and colored the feel of the story in a rose tinted, familiar glow that was both nostalgic and new.

The narrators (I listened to this book) were great, I really enjoyed them and I would listen to books read by them again anytime. I recognized both of them, probably from previous books and they were both well chosen for their parts!

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for providing me with an advance review copy of this book for free in exchange for my honest review.

10 out of FREAKING 10!!!!! Perfect book for of course a reader like myself. The enemies to lover aspect was a nice touch. Even though you know what was going to happen when they get snowed in together, it was still an amazing thing to read and how the twist at the end when she finds out about why he was so adamant about keeping his second author identity a secret. It just added so much intensity to the story and I couldn't stop listening to it.

📖 BOOK REVIEW 📖

Did Not Finish- Nicola Marsh
⭐️⭐️💫

So…this is going to get awkward.

I was given this audiobook by @netgalley and @dreamscape_media in exchange for an honest review.

Essentially, the book is about (and dedicated to) Bookstagrammers/reviewers and the power we have to make or break an author’s reputation.

The FMC is a book reviewer who has DNFd the MMC and left an unsatisfactory review about his book. Now they are trapped together in a house due to a freak snow storm and the tension blossoms into something more.

So here comes the awkward bit. I didn’t like this book. I think it had solid bones for a great story. The execution just wasn’t there for me.

The romance was rushed. I didn’t feel much connection with the characters as individuals or as a couple. The seggsual tension seemingly came out of nowhere. The intimate scenes were decently built up, but then…door slammed closed/fade to black. That’s completely fine, I just think that I would have preferred a little more during or even after glow cuddling/conversation to help create some sort of bond. It just wasn’t there.

The side stories were okay. I wasn’t fully invested in them either, I just didn’t connect with the characters. There were random side characters/conversations that I didn’t feel were necessary for the story.

The ending was sweet. It was a nice grand gesture.

Ironically, I did want to DNF this book but I kept going because it felt like there could be a really fun story there. It just missed the mark for me, unfortunately.

Mia is an up and coming author who is a professional reviewer by day. When she wins a contest with her favorite thriller author she is over the moon. What she doesn't know is that she is the first to arrive and it is by design so Axel can lay the groundwork to find out more about her reviews. He has been keeping a secret, he is also an erotic author who she has DNF in the past and he cannot get over that. When they are snowed in together will the secrets come out or with their chemistry will over. What happens when Mia goes home? I enjoyed this one and recommend it.

Fun quick read. The narrators were both enjoyable and an addition to the story. The story flew by. I will definitely look for the author for more books.

I did finish DID NOT FINISH by Nicola Marsh, and overall, I’m glad I stuck with it. But I’m not going to be running out to buy any of her other books as a result. It was cute, slightly predictable, and very wink-wink meta—making fun of the wide array of tropes in romance fiction as the two main characters, both authors, strove to act out each and every one. But there were many details I found irritating as well. The hero is supposedly an acclaimed and talented suspense writer, yet the books in his library were shelved in color-coded order. His latest book has serious flaws, which the heroine explicitly details in an ARC review, but neither he nor his editor make any attempt to alter the publication schedule and revise. And I also found details of the subplot involving his disabled sister (I’m using dis-abled here because her physical condition is the result of a car accident that left her permanently impaired) slightly off, particularly a conversation recounted towards the end of the book between a caregiver and the hero. And okay, as I tend to fall towards the more prudish end of the spectrum, I found the heroine’s initial sexual overtures early in the story a bit unexpected.

If you liked Emily Henry's "Book Lovers" and want more of the same you may enjoy "Did Not Finish"

The story definatly catered to readers and acknowledges it common tropes.

I found the story very middle of the road. It was easy to read but not a stand out. I did not really feel the chemistry between Mia and Axel as well as the initial conflict / resentment between the characters was flimsy at best. Which is why it was a easy hurdle for them to overcome.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for an advanced audiobook for review.

Did Not Finish
by Nicola Marsh
Pub Date: 04 Oct 2022

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC audiobook for an honest review.

This was such a fun, sweet book with all your favorite romance tropes between grumpy and Miss Sunshine and throw in a cat to top it off. Axel a famous writer has an ax to grind with Mia a book reviewer. Mia wins a writing competition to be mentored by said writer at a retreat. His plans to get revenge by having her come a day earlier than the other writers and then tear apart her writing to give her a taste of the power of someone's review goes awry. Nothing goes the way he plans with an unexpected snowstorm, an attraction and a genuine like with his "enemy"...and suddenly the turn of events become something unexpectedly good.

I enjoyed both our romantic leads, side characters, and the storyline. There is just enough of cute mixed with the angst. The narrators did a good job bringing the characters to life. This is my first Nicola Marsh book, but I will definitely add her to my list of authors to watch!

first of all, I want to say thank you to Nicola Marsh, Dreamscape Media, Parlance Press and NetGalley for gifting me an audiobook copy of Did Not Finish in exchange for my honest review. With that being said, I absolutely loved this book. Not only do I love the fact that it was based on two characters who were in publishing/writing, I loved the names and ultimate storyline as well. Axle had a tough outer shell and he thought it would be no match for Mia, but my oh my, was he wrong on so many levels. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know both sides of their stories and how Nicola merged these two people together. I fully believe that there are so many book lovers who will love this story just as much as I did. Highly recommend.

Mia is a renowned book blogger, whose reputation is a career-wrecker with her reviews of "DNF." Axel is a bestselling author who loves his life living as a recluse. Mia wins a weeklong retreat with Axel to help her with the novel she is currently writing herself. Is it a coincidence that Mia shows up a day before everyone else and then ends up stranded at Axel's during a snowstorm? Can these two move on from enemies/lovers? This was a fun and quick read. I enjoyed the side story of Axel's sister.

I listen to the audiobook and enjoyed the dual narration by Kendra Murray and Connor Brown. Thanks to Dreamscape media and NetGalley for the advanced audiobook.

This book was just what the doctor ordered. I had been reading more thrillers than anything lately and this was just the change I needed. I felt like I was part of the story and the narration was wonderful! Light-hearted and funny, the story held my attention the entire time!

“It’s bad enough an unseasonal blizzard means I’m stuck with my PA’s annoying cat, but to make matters worse, Mia Samson and her poison pen are in my house too. The renowned reviewer has tanked enough books with her dreaded DNF and I need to teach her a lesson.
But my enemy is not what I expect and if I’m not careful, I’m in danger of revealing my secret to the one person who can use it against me.”

[In Chandler’s voice] Could the book *BE* more tropetastic?

Forced Proximity. Enemies to Lovers. Grumpy Sunshine. 2 POV.

And a partridge in a pair tree.

This book was a fun little romp. Nice and short, but still full of wit and character development.

I enjoyed how they joked about their acting out of the E2L trope and how Mia recounts her sexploits as if she was writing a book review.

I didn’t love how quickly they got together, or that there were clichés every second sentence, but I did appreciate all the book publishing insider knowledge (I’d always wondered why JKR and Nora Roberts wrote under different pen names) and Axel’s relationship with his sister.

7/10

Thanks to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media, and Parlance Press for this bite-sized ARC.

A unique twist to the rom com that encompasses many tropes that we all love! Wrapped in witty dialogue, lots of love and tons of entertainment this audiobook is the one you need to listen to! Especially if you review the books that you read as you will understand the characters more than most! This was my first book by this author, but it won't be my last! I'm going to start investigating her backlist and have already put her on my must watch for new releases list! I love an author who can write real women with intelligence and wit, and I can positively state that this author hit it out of the park with this one! The narration was outstanding on the audiobook and if you are a fan of listening to books, then this rom com needs to be on your must listen list!

I adored this book! It had all my favorite tropes and more. Not to mention, it was a book about books, which are my favorite. Mia is a book reviewer who holds sway in the book world. She is notorious for being brutally honest. When Axel, a famous book author, hosts an author's retreat, they are forced to spend some quality time together.

They are so perfect for each other and the chemistry was immediate. The tension reeled me in from the beginning. Mia's character is so strong and intelligent. She is someone that young girls would look up to and aspire to be like. Her work ethic and drive make her such a compelling character and the perfect match for Axel.

Axel is mysterious and broody. There are so many layers of him to uncover throughout the book. Only Mia has managed to bring him out of his shell after several years of being a recluse. She challenges him and drives him crazy. This is such an underrated story and gives me strong Emily Henry vibes. I would definitely recommend this to fans of her books!

Mia Samson is a respected and popular professional book reviewer writing for a NYC based publication. She is working on writing her own book and is thrilled to when she gets selected for a week long writing retreat with the reclusive writer Axel Lowe. Mia loves Lowe’s work and is thrilled for the opportunity. She is hoping for professional feedback, and possibly an introduction to his agent. In the beginning Axel is an asshat. He intentionally has her arrive a day early and his plans are to destroy her by overly critiquing her writing. His endgame is to have her go easy on a line of erotica books that he publishes under a pseudonym. This book feels very much like a Hallmark movie, the male narrator did a good job but the story lacked the kick that it needed to separate from the pack of books people read. I like the premise which was a bit unique but the flair in the book is missing and the push to really digest the book. I would recommend for a light read for sure.


The audiobook that I enjoyed was an ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

So Axel super needs therapy.

This is a fun trope-y romance, packing in as many tropes as you could want (occasionally at the expense of some of the tropes - it’s billed as “enemies to lovers” but it spills so quickly over into romance, that it is more “one-sided initial dislike to lovers” speed run). You’ll get more mileage out of “the grumpy one and the sunshine one” trope here. Part of the fun is the sort of tongue in cheek references to fannish slang and trope-y language—rather than simply containing the tropes, it calls each trope out by name in a slightly meta, very funny way.

Plenty of miscommunication, silly jealousy, and “snowed in” hijinks. And it’s a fun and very quick read.

But seriously, Axel needs therapy. His unhealthy misplaced guilt and unaddressed trauma is ruining his life. (But also—extremely mild spoilers—I do not like that his apology to Mia occurred in a way that was a bit creepily reminiscent of the way Axel’s sister’s abusive ex tracked Axel’s sister down at her place of work for a different “apology.”)

As an aside, I don’t really like that they bonded over “hating” cats. It was played for humor! There is a very good cat named Mr. Darcy, and they treat him wonderfully and clearly *do* like him, but they keep going off an mini tirades about hating cats as they pet him, or let him sleep on the bed, save him from the snow, or cuddle him. It’s funny, sort of. They obviously don’t actually hate him,whatever they say, but seriously such a good cat needs to be more properly appreciated. He’s a very good cat.

Thank you to NetGally and Dreamscape Media, Parlance Press for the audio version of this book. Everything I write is of my own thoughts feelings and opinions. I am not compensated in any way for my review.
I loved this book! I can not even start to tell you how many books I start and DNF the big difference is I never write reviews for my DNF.
This was a cute book on an author wanting to get revenge on a reviewer who wants to be an author. He is having issues with his sales due to a bad review. He is encouraged his team to hold a workshop in his huge home for authors. when he finds out this one reviewer put in for a spot he selects her. Has her come early then because of a storm the others can not come anymore. This is a romance novel so yes they have a fling and fall in love. for the rest of the story you will just have to get this book and find out!!

There's something special about reading books about book reviewers, knowing that I'm going to be writing a review of it. Mia is a popular book reviewer, widely known for her cold “Did Not Finish” reviews. Axel is the grumpy, mysterious writer whose work she often critiques. I also enjoy when the characters are self-aware and poke fun at the tropes they’re living. And this book was full of my favorites–snowed in, grumpy/sunshine, and a little bit of enemies to lovers although the enemies part didn’t last long.

The story was fun and fast-paced, and I enjoyed Axel and Mia’s bookish banter. I especially adored Axel’s grumpishness towards the cat that he clearly loved.

The one thing that put me off somewhat was how insecure Mia was. The second Axel mentioned another woman’s name, Mia jumped down his throat without knowing anything about her, assuming they were sleeping together. Girl, chill! You met this man five minutes ago! Every time Axel mentioned another woman, Mia just turned absolutely grating.

This is my first book by this author–rom-com or otherwise–but I’m excited to read more of her work in the future.

I enjoyed the audio production which made this book fly by–thank you to Dreamscape for the NetGalley approval.

The following review will be posted on my blog on Tuesday, October 11th, a week after publication. It will be shared on Twitter and Instagram between today and the day the article is published, as well, but it has already been posted on Goodreads. The blog post includes links to order the books and to its Goodreads page, so readers can add it to their to-be-read books.





Author: Nicola Marsh
Narrated By: Kendra Murray and Connor Brown.

Genre: Romance
Actual Rating: 4 stars
Spicy Meter: 2 fire emojis
Content Warnings: Discusses domestic abuse, parent death, car crashes, and snow storms. Has some sexual content and innuendos.

“Did Not Finish” follows Mia Samson, a book reviewer and aspiring author, as she is chosen to spend a week in a writers’ retreat with 5 other new writers and her favorite author, Axel Low. Little is known about this multi-bestselling author, Axel, so Mia was stoked to be there, with the non-disclosure agreement and all, by a small town in Nebraska—all her Gilmore Girls dreams were coming true. One thing she did not expect, though, was how they would be snowed in for that week… alone. Mia arrived a day before everyone else, so Axel could tear her novel apart, the same way Mia tore other’s careers apart with her DNF reviews. In this close-proximity and stranded approach to an enemies-to-lovers story, you’ll get to know Mia and Axel in depth, with all their doubts and insecurities.

If I’m being honest, I almost did not request this audiobook because the cover simply wasn’t for me. The color scheme, the fonts… It just did not look like the kind of books I usually like. I am so so glad I looked past that.

“Did Not Finish” tells the story of a warm romance stuck in the middle of a snowstorm. Starting with a sexual attraction and then moving into something more, it was great to see how Axel and Mia opened up to each other. This book is fast-paced and I was there for it.

I was lucky enough to get an advanced reader copy of the audiobook of this novel and I must say I loved the experience. I feel like there are books that work and there are books that don’t when performed as an audiobook, but this was definitely a book that did, if that makes sense. Mia’s and Axel’s voices, as narrated by Kendra Murray and Connor Brown, were just as I would have imaged them. The quality of the audiobook and narration are unparalleled, I am so glad I got to experience it.

About the actual contents of the story, we know things get frisky, but we don’t get too much detail on that. We also get to see how these characters have some moments of miscommunication due to their own traumas and doubts. I’m well aware this wasn’t a suspense book, but throughout the novel we know things about one character that the other character doesn’t know and that felt forbidden, low-key illegal. Like, with every single miscommunication we knew exactly what went wrong and what was the truth behind the misunderstanding.

I think Mia and Axel are an unusual pair, but I’m still happy they got their happily ever after. The grand gesture that came from the last misunderstanding was so sweet. Then, the epilogue was all we needed it to be. If I weren’t happily in a relationship, I would wonder why these kinds of things wouldn’t happen to me as a reviewer.

I would highly recommend this novel if you like books about books (and reviewers and authors). I found it hilarious how these characters talked about tropes when they were following tropes themselves. Nicola Marsh did an amazing job at capturing the subtle rivalry between reviewer and book author and she gave us a romance to remember long after the book is over.

If you click here, you’ll be redirected to Goodreads, so you can add the book to your TBR list.

Or you could click here, and be redirected to Amazon, so you can order the book.

ARC provided by NetGalley and Dreamscape Media, and published by Thorpe Bowker, in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: October 04, 2022