Mia wants to be more than review other people's books. She wants to be an author. When she is selected to spend a week with an acclaimed, but reclusive, writer she is hopeful she will make connections to help pursue her goal.

Axel is a successful author with some secrets and family baggage. He actually selected Mia's novel so that he could give her a piece of his mind about a less than stellar review she made.

When she arrives in his home neither is what the other expected. Then a freak snowstorm traps them alone together since the other winners were scheduled to arrive the next day. Lust takes over and starts leading to love, but Axel's secrets threaten ruin everything.

This book will keep you entertained. The characters are well developed. And the narrators do a good job expressing the characters. I like the male voice a bit more than the female.

It has a bit too much sexual detail for my taste. And it is definitely for adults only.

It also has a lot of literary jargon that could alienate the casual reader.

Such a fun story! So many of my favorite tropes: stranded, winter holiday, small town, enemies to lovers, opposites attract. The main characters have irresistible chemistry and their constant back and forth will keep readers turning the page and crossing their fingers. The author does a good job of aligned these characters backstories and their lives in a way that helps them cross paths but still clash. Though they both have their own goals, neither one is looking for love, making it all the more genuine when it comes into their lives.

I will liken this book to a hot guy who knows he's hot and doesn't try as hard to be charming. This book had ALL the tropes that I like. We had enemies to lovers, forced proximity, secret past, planned revenge, the cat that hates everyone but you. So everything!

Somehow it still fell a bit flat. Mia is a book reviewer and gave a bad review on the last few books by an author and Axel takes it very personally because of a connection to that author. He plans to bring her up early for a writer's retreat (she's of course writing her own book) and shame her into writing more positive reviews in the future(????) You know, as one does.

They get snowed in together alone and end up finding out they actually like each other which is nice since he was such a grump at the beginning. I mean, I could never be a romance heroine because I would have locked myself in my room with wifi and every angry girl song I could find for that weekend but good for you Mia. That's why you got to spend a week in a giant library with a romance hero and I did not.

I really liked the narrators and the audiobook length was super short.

Thank you to Netgalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own.

If you're a fan of Gilmore Girls and Hallmark movies (fade to black) as well as grumpy/sunshine, forced proximity, small town, and insta-love.. this book is for you! Overall I thought this story was just okay, I had a hard time getting past the insta-love (I just didn't feel it) and it was a lot to pack in, in under 7 hours! I enjoyed the premise but it just felt rushed. Narration was easy listen at 2x.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this ALC!

Did Not Finish, by Nicola Marsh, is the story of respected book reviewer Mia Samson who writes sometimes painfully frank reviews, including the dreaded DNF. However, Mia is also an aspiring author herself, with her first love of suspense and secondly regency romance.

Wanting to learn from the best, Mia enters a competition to be included in a small selection of would be authors at a retreat led by suspense novel elite Axel Low. When she is selected, Mia takes leave and confides only in her best friend Rosie who is in PR.

The retreat will be held in the small Nebraska town of Sugar Plain. When Mia arrives she is met by Axel’s right hand man Buzz and taken to Axel’s rural farm. Buzz returns to town soon after getting her settled. Later in the day a freak fall blizzard moves in, sealing Mia, the author, and a very grumpy cat in the farmhouse for days.

The story unfolds to tell the story of past hurts and mistrust and the evolution of so much more. This delightful tale will have the reader rooting for the outcome and Ms. Marsh will not disappoint in this well plotted story. I very much enjoyed this story and only hope she will write more stories from Sugar Plain. I do recommend this book!

Did Not Finish by Nicola Marsh
Release date: October 4/22
⭐️⭐️⭐️

I want to thank @netgalley and Dreamscape Media for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook for an honest review.

I am torn in reviewing this book as I need to separate the story from the narration. The story is of a Mia, book reviewer and aspiring author, who meets and falls in love with her literary hero Axel. Generally a bit predictable and unrealistic but still enjoyable. Also the side story of Axel adds some depth to keep the reader interested. Similarly the characters are appealing and the reader wants them to be successful.
On the other hand the narration does not add to the story at all. Normally I would not have finished this audiobook, ironic given the title, but was drawn in enough by the story to keep me listening. Overall, if you like a story where hopes and dreams come true, I would recommend reading the book and skipping the audiobook.

Thank you NetGalley, Nicola Marsh and Dreamscape Media for the Audiobook of Did Not Finish. This is my personal review.
I enjoyed the dual narration by Kendra Murray and Connor Brown. Having it done by them gave me a deeper insight into the connection between the two characters.
The storyline being was about a writer and a book reviewer being stuck together during a freak snowstorm. The chemistry between the two for me just was not there.

4.25⭐

Featuring ~ dual 1st person POV, grumpy/sunshine, recluse, age gap (28 & 38), forced proximity, snowed in, insta~ish love, fade to black

Mia & Axel
Mia is excited to win a contest to go on a retreat to bestselling author, Axel Low's, house for a week long retreat. A book reviewer by day and an aspiring author by night, she's hoping to get feedback on her work. When they get snowed in, and none of the other contest winners can make it, they soon act on their mutual attraction. But does Axel have an ulterior motive that could ruin things before they even fully get started?

I was so sad about Axel's family situation. He was a really sweet man under the grump. The trope name drops throughout the book was fun, but somewhat overdone, to see as I've read at least 1 book from every trope listed. I did not really get an enemies to lovers vibe with them at all. There is zero steamage here, they talk a big game and it seems like we're going to get some action...but then poof ~ fade to black. Overall, I enjoyed this quick read.

I'm excited for the next book featuring hot lumberjack lookalike, Buzz.

I was fortunate enough to receive a kindle copy and the audiobook to review. I started out listening to it, then switched to my kindle, then back again and ultimately I preferred the kindle, so that's how I tackled most of it.

Narrated by Kendra Murray & Connor Brown for 6 hours and 40 minutes, easy to follow at 2x. The narration was okay, but I wasn't overly in love with either of their voices.

A shut-in author hosts a writing retreat to help promote his new book, inviting the inspiring author, but actual book critic, to rip her work to shreds. Well, things don’t go as planned. The romance tropes right themselves in this quick, enjoyable read. Axel and Mia have instant chemistry and bring so much to each others lives. 3.5 stars from me.

This is my first Nicola Marsh read, though I’ve been eyeing many of her titles for quite some time! If they’re all as good as this one, I have a huge backlist that I’m going to have to pick up!

I really quite enjoyed this storyline and plot, about a book reviewer (Mia) for a prominent NYC publication, starting to write her own novels in secret, being picked to go to a writers retreat held by a reclusive mystery novelist that she idolizes. He (Axel) also secretly writes erotic under a pseudonym, and Mia trashed his last release, but writing that it was so bad she couldn’t even get through it - she DNF. Her reviews are super influential so the book tanked. He relies on those book releases specifically to fund something he keeps hidden from the world and his mystery fans, and plans to seek revenge on her at the retreat… until a snowstorm wreaks havoc on everything.

I definitely enjoyed the writing and the characters, the whole storyline was so much fun and I wish it was longer! I’m planning to look into picking up her other similar books (not necessarily her thrillers). I will definitely be recommending it! It is closed door, though. Enemies to lovers, forced proximity, romance writers - all the tropes!

Audio - narrated by Kendra Murray and Connor Brown. They are both new-to-me narrators and they both gave great performances. I did enjoy their voices and thought they fit the characters well. I just had one nit-picky detail that kind of drove me batty through the whole listen - there was an author’s pseudonym constantly discussed throughout the entire book (a huge detail in the story). Both narrators pronounced it differently. I’m talking it didn’t even sound like they were saying the same name, kind of different. This is something that should have definitely been noted through the first listens and something that should have been corrected. It’s super distracting! Takes you right out of the zone.

I received an advance review and advance listen copy from NetGalley and Dreamscape Media, Parlance Press, and this is my honest review.

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 a reclusive writer Axel Lowe. Mia loves Lowe 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. Sales waned after her review where she DNF’d the book.

The attraction is instant. The retreat is only seven days. Things quickly get steamy, very consensual and entirely behind closed doors. I like that she owns her sexuality and knows that it can’t be more than a fling. It helps that they are actually snowed in together cut. In fact one of the fun things in the book is the discussion of the many various trope used in writing. I still didn’t warm up to him because he still wants her to be go easy on his review. What they want from each other are not equal. She wants an introduction but she still has to be good enough to sell a book. He is asking her to compromise her professional standards because he wants to make money. He has a good reason for needing his books to sell but it's a big ask.

I listened to the audio book and enjoyed the narrators especially Kendra Murray. Overall I enjoyed the story with its book tropes and Gilmore Girls references. If you enjoy closed door romances or books about writing you will enjoy this. I was more sold on her character than his but I like their potential HEA. Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for a audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I listened to the audio of Did Not Finish and I really enjoyed this dual narration. I think they both did a great job with this story!

Nicola Marsh wrote a great contemporary romance that honestly I felt that any book reviewer could relate to. I enjoyed both of the main characters and the back story broke my heart a little.
I'd definitely read this again!

Mia Samson is a book reviewer hoping to break out as a novelist. When she wins a retreat with acclaimed author Axel Low, she thinks this may lead to her big break. Then they get snowed in together, and the plot thickens.

I was excited to preview this book because I have enjoyed previous romcoms from Nicola Marsh. From a technical standpoint, this audiobook was fine... decent plot, character development, overall writing, and the narration was solid (the male narrator in particular skillfully nailed the angst). But unfortunately I found the "romance" part of this romance lacking. Insta-love is a hard sell, and I just couldn't buy into these characters as a couple.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for providing me with an audio ARC to review!

I guess Christmas is near, I will give a generous gift of a 3. It was quick, super short, very easy reading and full of all the hallmarky troupes you might expect.
-Instalovers
-Enermies to lovers
-Forced Proximity
-Hidden Identity
-Miscommunication

It was a lot to pack into a short ~6 hours audio book, but somehow Marsh did it. All of the troupes were pretty obvious, like they all came with huge flashing signs. They all were pretty natural, but the instant love connection happened way to quick and sudden, that was the only one that was "distasteful" . I think if you are a Hallmark-Gilmore Girl fan this one is for you. Otherwise I would suggest skipping it unless you plan on booking an appointment with your ophthalmologist to help you unroll your eyes...

Thank you Netgalley for this advanced copy listen. I was not influenced in anyway for this honest review.

In this book within a book, Mia Sampson and Axel Lowe work past one of romance's most common tropes, enemies to lovers, as they embark on a professional relationship that turns personal in very short order. In every book group I am involved in (and there are many) readers and fellow book reviewers often discuss books they DNF (Did Not Finish). Therefore, this latest book by Nicola Marsh was very relatable.

While Mia’s guilty pleasure is reading, it is also her job as a professional book reviewer for a huge New York publication. Her reviews can make or break a book. Make or break an author. The author that is currently affected by Mia’s latest and upcoming reviews is the reclusive heartthrob, Axel Lowe. He is an author with a contract that has very stringent rules. While living a secretive life when it comes to the books that he writes, Axel knows the politics behind writing books, and even the responsibilities of the book reviewers that review his work.

While Mia understands some of Axel‘s concerns from the very beginning, professional integrity is the one thing that she will not compromise on. Beyond wanting her upcoming novel that she hopes to soon get critiqued the man who is her literary idol, she first had to get past being a fangirl when it came to Axel Lowe. While she is one of several other authors who won a one-week writing retreat at Axel Lowe's home, she arrived a day earlier than the other guests. That should promise Mia unfettered access to Axel and the advice she warrants. A drastic change in weather ultimately results in a drastic change in what happens between Mia and Axel.

Did Not Finish is an engaging book with a surprising emotional edge. I loved the characters exhausting familiar tropes that many romance readers enjoy as they navigate their attraction to one another. This book only lost one star because Mia's reactions seemed a bit over the edge. To be fair, just as Axel had baggage when it come to any sort of emotional involvement, Mia has her own baggage, which might be why she had the reactions she did. However, with Axel living the life of a recluse who was living in guilt, the story kept me riveted.

This engaging read landed in my TBR as an audiobook ARC. I loved the dual narration of Mia and Alex, aa it was narrated by Kendra Murray and Connor Brown. It was a true delight to sense the feelings behind the words as I listened to this delightful read.

Many thanks to Parlance Press and Harper Audio and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Thank you @netgalley for a ALC of Do Not Finish. This was a fun romance with:
- forced proximity
- grumpy / sunshine

It's a bit of Insta love with intense attraction between Axel and Mia. Their interaction was fun and the story moved quickly. Great narration with a little bit of a twist I didn't see coming.

I had pretty high expectations for this one, after seeing it on bookstagram, and I wasn’t disappointed! Super cute!

I ate this book up in a single day. I was lucky enough to get an audiobook ARC from NetGalley, so I really related to the main character who reviews books for a living. Her secret true passion is to be an author, though, so when she gets a chance to win a retreat with one of her favorite bestselling authors and get his feedback, she is elated. Unfortunately, Axel, the bestselling author, knows exactly what she does for a living and isn't as excited to meet her as she is him. This book had witty humor and a little bit of a plot twist.
Kendra Murray and Connor Brown did an amazing job narrating. I really loved Brown's deep voice in opposition to Murray's chipper voice.
Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for letting me listen and review!

This was a cute story about two writers who end up stranded together at his remote home. The characters are well-developed and the story keeps your interest but there’s nothing new with this story. It is so many different tropes mashed into one – enemies-to-lovers, instalove, secret identities – and they all work well together. I enjoyed the characters and the story overall and will definitely read more by this author.

I really like this! It was fluffy and cute the whole way through and I never really read books about writers and stuff so that was interesting. 3.5 stars. I wasn’t swooning over this but it was a fun time