This was a cute and heartwarming "Christian" Romance that kept me engaged and entertained 70% of the time. I put Christian in quotes because it did have some mention of prayer and faith but that was the extent of "Christian" that was represented. "Clean Read" would have been a better category in my opinion. It definitely had a hallmark feel with an enemies-to-lovers vibe going on. There were so many parts of the book that felt cute and believable but equal parts far-fetched and super cheesy.

From reading online reviews, it seems that the audio version had better ratings so that would be the format I would choose if you are interested in this book.

*I received a digital copy of Love in Tandem via Tyndale House Publishers and NetGalley, all thoughts are my own.

Love in Tandem by Becca Kinzer is one of the funniest, most endearing stories I’ve ever read. This book had me laughing so hard tears streamed down my face. I loved every single second of this delightful story, and I am genuinely sad my time with these characters is over. Charlotte is a wonderful heroine. She is sarcastic and silly and quirky. I love her dedication to her students, her school, her family, and her hometown. And I really appreciate how she chooses to see the best in every situation. Zach is the best kind of hero. He is strong and protective, but he also has a wonderful playful side that came out in spades in this story. I love how he pushes Charlotte out of her comfort zone when she needs it, but isn’t afraid to be a teddy bear when she needs a good hug and someone in her corner. I really loved the give-and-take relationship between Charlotte and Zach. They are a great partnership because they bring out the best in each other. And their chemistry…WOWZA! So good! I also really loved the various themes discussed in this story. My eBook is highlighted like crazy. Specifically, I love the discussion on faith — genuine faith vs. superficial faith. I won’t spoil anything, but there is a character who believes their faith is solid…and then that faith gets tested…and then this character realizes their faith isn’t as solid as they believed, which makes this character think that maybe they’re a fraud. This realization rocks this character’s world, but leads to some really awesome character growth and a great HEA. And I was there for every single second!

Love in Tandem is a must-read novel. I HIGHLY recommend this excellent, hilarious, heartwarming story. If you need a good belly laugh, if you want a read that will leave you smiling ear to ear, then this is definitely the book for you!

I received a copy of this novel in eBook form from the publisher, Tyndale House, via NetGalley, in order to review. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This was such a unique and fun love story with some deep themes, great relationships, and growth woven in between the banter and swoon. Read if you like fake fiancés, forced proximity, and themes of faith.

Things I Loved:
-“It’s a terrible thing when a teacher survives an entire school year only to die the first minute of summer vacation.”
-Psych reference! 🍍
-Melba
-“That’s what it was. He’d gotten rid of the man bun. No wonder she found him attractive now. She hated man buns.” (Same! 😂)
-“And hey, aren’t you supposed to be on a canoe trip right now?” “I am. Can’t you hear the utter despair and agony in my voice?”
-John Wayne and cheesecake
-“Because the whee-way killed your car and you need to call Trusty Rusty.” “Exactly.”
-Mr. Uber
-“She didn’t even have to say it. An answer to prayer. And not just Charlotte’s. Somewhere these past five hundred miles, Zach had started uttering quite a few himself.”
-Faye
-“Ah, crud. So you’re saying I went after the wrong lost sheep? I tell you, this shepherding gig never gets easier.”
-The whole entire ending ♥️

This was my first read by Becca Kinzer and will definitely not be my last! I loved all the side characters and the little story arcs playing out along with the big picture. It was a delightful and uplifting read all around.

I’m still gushing to anyone who will listen over Becca’s newest book, Love in Tandem. (except my husband who now thinks we need to take a tandem bicycle trip, lol) This book has all the rom com fun without any of the spice. I was laughing out loud, quite literally, with the characters as the story unfolded. Charlotte and Zach’s story was so much fun.

I’m not going to lie, I was first apprehensive that each of the main characters’ exes were marrying each other, and that one was Zach’s brother. It’s not really a trope I’m usually interested in reading, but since I loved Dear Henry, Love Edith so much, I had to give this book a chance. Thankfully, the story didn’t center around the exes for long, and the humor all along the way smoothed things over quickly.

Charlotte never wanted to leave her small town, Zach has a knack for finding adventure in all of his travels. Through crazy circumstances, they end up together on a 500 mile tandem bike challenge on the Natchez Trace Trail to raise money to save her school’s music program. The adventure and hilarity only go up from there! Our family loves to go camping, so their travels had me dreaming up adventures for our boys when they get a little bit older.

Some favorite quotes from the book :

“Then a text came back from her mom. ‘Headed out for another walk. Such a beautiful day! God is good! No matter what, God is good!’”
**I feel like this is exactly what my momma would have sent me in this situation.

“I came here to ask you about money for the Canoodling Couples Challenge, but the whee-way killed my car, and I don’t have my phone to call Trusty Rusty”

“Wow. Was this motherhood?”
**Yes, over and over yes. Lol

And of course…

“I don’t want to ride tandem in this life with anybody but you.”

I’d recommend Love in Tandem to anyone who loves light hearted, funny, clean romance stories. This was a fun read and I enjoyed the whole cast of characters. Having said that, this isn’t going to be a strong favorite for me because this just isn’t my genre. Although funny, there are just too many ridiculous (to me) situations and actions. The cover is adorable and I’m looking forward to gifting my pre-ordered paperback copy. Thanks to Tyndale House Publishers for the early copy to read through NetGalley. I am leaving this review voluntarily as my honest opinion because I love books and authors. This book came out in April 2024 so is available now.

This is a very cute, clean romance. I like the faith based part of this book a lot as it was natural and not forced.

We follow Charlotte who is a music teacher in a small town in Illinois and she is trying to keep her job but funding is being cut so she is looking at creative ways to raise money so she can keep living in this town where her family lives as well. She has a brother that recently got out of jail, a sister that she is very close with and her parents who she is very loyal and committed to. Charlotte is still recovering from an engagement that ended at the altar. Through a calamity of mishaps she finds herself on a tandem bike ride of 500 miles in the hopes of raising enough money too keep herself and the school music program up and running. Her partner on this ride just so happens to be her ex-fiance's brother, Zach. The two are opposite in so many ways but while on this ride they have to make nice and get along to win the prize.

This is a story that is full of adventure and fun as well as a super sweet love story. I really enjoy this author's writing and will definitely read anything she writes.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ & 1/4 (3.25 stars)
Read: April 2024
Format: ARC and Kindle

The author’s debut book was a solid 5 stars from me. Perhaps I shouldn’t compare but it’s impossible not to.

CONS 4 me: I loved the premise of the book with the tandem bike ride but it took until halfway through the book before they actually went on the 500-mile ride.

While I know life includes some jumping to conclusions, the FMC and her sister were spectacularly overboard on very serious matters, repeatedly.

I didn’t care for the interjections in the story that were from the viewpoint of Sophia, the sister. I felt caused the story to feel disjointed in places.

The humour was so smart and hilarious in the prior novel and the book still had good meat to it. In this book, the humour felt overdone and/or exaggerated. For me, it seemed all of any ‘’meat’ came in at the end.

PROS 4 me: There were moments in this book that I enjoyed and smiled to myself. The moment the FMC had with the older gentleman to tell him about the passing of the senior lady was like a modern version of, “Who’s on first?”

I also liked the ending of the book and how time and work had to take place before the Happily Ever After happened.

However, that all being said, I’m sure some people will enjoy this book more I just really preferred the first book.

4.5 stars

Oh y’all, this was such a fun read! Love in Tandem by Becca Kinzer is one of those books that just makes you ridiculously happy while reading it. I adored these characters, especially the banter & chemistry between polar opposites Zach and Charlotte who sort-of stumble into a fake relationship … and then a canoodle-ship (in which canoodling is supposed to be off limits) through very little fault of their own. The icing on the cake? How they know each other in the first place… which I’ll let you discover for yourself but which just made the whole situation equal parts more horrifying and more delightful!

From the very first line – “It’s a terrible thing when a teacher survives an entire school year only to die the first minute of summer vacation.” – I started out this story on a giggle (hey, I’ve been that teacher) and kept chuckling until the very end. I also hooted with laughter a time or two – as everything that COULD go wrong DOES go wrong with perfect comedic timing – and fanned myself a lot (because perpetually ‘affectionately-annoyed’ Zach makes a toe-curlingly swoony non-canoodling-canoodler when he forgets to be noble). It’s not all comedy and kisses though, and I thought the author did a great job exploring some deeper layers – like disappointment with God – without weighing down the story.

Ahem… I do have a tiny little bone to pick with the author however. At one point, Charlotte mentions that some traumatic events in recent years had caught up with her mom, making her look closer to 57 than 47. At which point I nearly threw my Kindle across the room because someone please tell me that turning 47 this year does NOT mean I am old enough to be a romcom heroine’s MOTHER?!? Anyone? Please? Clearly, Becca Kinzer meant to say closer to 67 than 57, right? Right?? LOL don’t worry, I won’t take out my ‘how did i get to be this old’ angst on the book or author (or my Kindle) but ouch that did hurt a little haha.

Bottom Line: What could possibly go wrong when an avid outdoorsman finds himself paired up with a decidedly outdoors-averse music teacher for a 500 mile tandem bike ride along the Natchez Trace with one tent? If you said ‘everything’ you would be most delightfully correct! Becca Kinzer is an expert at comedic timing and penning swoonilicious kisses – and even combining the two. I loved getting to know Zach and Charlotte and watching them fall in love (and kiss… did I mention the kissing?), and I also enjoyed the subplots involving their respective families and the explorations of wounded faith. If you need a story that will lighten your heart and put a smile on your face, then you need to read Love In Tandem! A perfect choice for fans of Becky Wade, Courtney Walsh, and Pepper Basham!

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)

I enjoyed reading Love in Tandem by Becca Kinzer. I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and the publisher. This is my honest and personal review. Happy Reading!

*Title: Love in Tandem -a standalone

*Release date: 4-2-24, read:4-9-24

*Author: Becca Kinzer, never read author

*Format: eBook and audiobook

Thanks to NetGalley, Tyndale House Publishers, and RB Media for this ARC & ALC💙 ! I voluntarily give an honest review and all opinions expressed are my own.

*Narrator: C.J. Bloom

*Run time: 8:24

*Setting: Bailey Springs. IL

*Genre: Christian Rom-Com

*Tropes: fake dating, small town, slow burn romance, forced proximity, 1 bed/sleeping bag, opposites attract, road trip

*Synopsis: Charlotte is a middle school music teacher that has lost funding, and Charlotte may lose her job. The reliable donor A.P. Hopkins has a new "challenge" for prize money to fund the program- $25,000 for a tandem bicycle 500 mile road trip.

*Characters

* Charlotte Carter- has a failed engagement and helped her mother (47) w/ cancer diagnosis, now in remission.

* Zach Bryant-a world traveler, returns home for his brother Ben's wedding

*Benjamin "Ben"- Charlotte's ex fiancé and Zach's brother

*Sophia-Charlotte's younger sister, a college student working part time @ the local hospital.

*Joshua-at the hospital when A.P. Hopkins died. Meets Sophia and tells her the truth about Hopkins "challenge."

*Shannon-Zach's ex, marrying his brother Ben

*Will-Charlotte's brother, released from prison a year ago, estranged from Charlotte.



*Review : The narrator is C.J. Bloom who read all the characters . I believe the voice fit the characters with standouts of Charlotte and Zach. Their voices complimented each other through their fighting and banter. The reading style brought the story to life and the pacing flowed easily with the story. The narration and the author were in sync. The narrator paused and announced every time a new chapter came. The book had a table of contents which helped me follow along with the e-book and audio. I loved the wholesome feel and fun, and I'd love to read Will's story.


*Rating: 4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

After a broken engagement and watching her mother fight to beat cancer, Charlotte has found solace and stability in her job as a music teacher. She is devastated when she learns that, without a financial windfall, the music program may be cut next year. There is a way to win enough money to save her job: by going on a tandem bike ride intended for couples with Zach, her ex-fiance's brother, as her partner. They plan to simply complete the ride and split the prize money, but on their travels, unexpected feelings arise.

This is a fake relationship romance where opposites attract and family ties play a significant role. I loved both main characters and their interactions, and all the fun details of their bike ride. I also enjoyed the side plot starring Charlotte's sister and the man financing the ride. A perfect light read for spring and summer, LOVE IN TANDEM is filled with heart and humor, which culminates in a sweet happy ending sure to put a smile on your face. If you love clean Christian romance with depth and strong character development, grab a copy of this book!

3.5 Stars🌟 I was very excited to read this book after absolutely loving the author’s debut last year, but this one just didn’t quite do it for me. For some reason, I could not connect with the characters. I think they were almost a little too quirky for my taste, and some of the plot points didn’t feel very believable to me. But it was still a fun and humorous adventure, and if you like opposites attract, ex’s brother, fake dating, and only one tent tropes, you should give this one a try!

Thank you to NetGalley and Tyndale for sending me an eARC of this book! All thoughts and opinions above are my own.

A crumbling music program, a broken engagement, and a long tandem bike ride with the ex-fiance's brother--what could go wrong?
The set up of this book is a great indicator of what reading it is like. It is variably sweet, funny, ridiculous, and emotionally messy. There is a little suspension of disbelief that has to happen, but I personally enjoyed the lightheartedness of the reading experience. I thought the development of the relationship between the two main characters was realistic, and I appreciated the cast of secondary characters.
Two factors kept me from giving this a full 5-star rating. 1) The pacing felt very slow in the beginning. I found myself wondering when we were finally going to see the love story starting to play out. It was worth it for sure, but it felt a bit more drawn out than necessary. 2) I am all for depictions of faith being lived out in "real life" (or at least a fictional version of it). But in this case, the faith of the two characters felt tacked on and very superficial. I imagine that the author wanted to keep the tone light, which I get, but it ended up feeling forced.
Nevertheless, the positives far outweigh any downsides, and I would recommend this! If you're looking for a fun and funny romcom with heart, Love in Tandem would be a great pick. Perfect for fans of Courtney Walsh and Melissa Ferguson!
I also highly recommend reading the author's note ❤️.
Thank you to Netgalley, Becca Kinzer, and Tyndale for the advanced review copy. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for granting my request to read this book in exchange for my honest opinions.

If you need a feel good romance that will bring back the butterflies to your stomach, This book is it. It was such an easy read, amazing storyline and great characters

Love in Tandem - Becca Kinzer - 4 Stars

Love in Tandem was SO funny! I loved Dear Henry, Love Edith last year by Becca and was so excited to dive into her next read and I was not disappointed! I laughed and laughed in this book! If you are looking for a book that is light hearted with LOTS of laughs, this is for you!

I really needed this book to during the time too after reading a fairly heavy historical fiction read. So glad I picked this up! I love Becca's writing style too!

In this story, we follow Charlotte who is a music teacher. She realizes that the grant funding for the school's music program is getting cut and she is concerned about how to continue the program. We see Charlotte in a HILARIOUS meet cute situation meet up with Zach Bryant - her brother's ex-fiancé- and somehow their family thinks they are dating! So, in this fake dating situation and thrown together in a 500 mile tandem bicycle contest for some BIG prize money- and you have a great story that is sure to bring lots of laughs.

There are also a couple of nice faith moments. I did want more with the romance personally, so I feel like this was more "com than rom", but still really enjoyed the story. I also loved reading the author's note and learning about Becca's real life experience on a 500 mile tandem bicycle trip with her husband - how fun!

I look forward to seeing what Becca writes in the future! One of my favorite authors for sure. Highly recommend!

Thank you to the author and publisher for a copy to honestly read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

BOOK REVIEW - Love in Tandem - Becca Kinzer - 3/5 Stars

THE STORY
I'm in two minds about this story, it was a very cute entertaining read but there were some things about the storyline that while they bothered me, they probably wouldn't bother most people. First the good things! This story was very entertaining, very rom-com. The characters very cute and loveable, especially Charlotte with all the scenarios she managed to get herself into. The concept was brilliant, I definitely know of relationships that didn't survive the challenge of camping trips etc. And I loved all the miracles along the way.

Now the other things. My family is big into triathlons and so I know just how much time and energy they put into training to be able to compete in long distance races, so Charlotte suddenly being able to cycle 90 miles in a day with no physical training or having done any exercise period is just so unbelievable. Second the story felt very rushed, especially Sophia's, a couple of times I wondered if I'd somehow skipped a chapter as I wasn't sure how the story got from A to B so quickly with nothing happening in between. I not a fan of insta romances and this one had two. But these things probably don't bother most people, just me.

THE ROMANCE
This is a rom-com so it had all the swoony feels, angst, funny and romantic internal monologues and of course sweet kisses!

THE TRUTHS
It's not until challenges come our way that we learn how strong our faith really is and what our foundation is built on. So as much as we hate difficulties in our lives, we need to them to keep our faith strong, our foundation secure and our focus on God. So stay strong and keep the faith!

I absolutely loved Love In Tandem. I fell in love with Zack & Charlotte. This is such a cute story and I found myself laughing many times while reading this story.
Highly recommend this delightful read.

Thank you Tyndale & NetGalley for this ARC in return for an honest review.

I was happy to learn this author had another book out since I adored Dear Henry, Love Edith, her debut novel. Her new book caught my attention from the very first line. “It’s a terrible thing when a teacher survives an entire school year only to die the first minute of summer vacation.”

I found it intriguing how Charlotte got caught up in a tandem bike race. I wondered where the author would lead us next. Oh, the locations we traveled, adored every minute of the ride, and the people the author added to the mix were fun. What made me admire this story was learning the author went on a similar adventure with her fiancé.

I enjoyed the author’s notes where she shared how she biked from Nashville, Tennessee, to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on a tandem bicycle they borrowed from good friends. Neither one of them had ridden tandem before. They quickly got the hang of it, “(The author states, "Well, after we crashed into a bush at our very first stop,…) “..we knew one thing for certain – we were ready to pedal through more of life’s journeys together.”

This is a delightful diversion with lots of adventure, entertaining characters, and a deeper-than-expected plot. I adored it and you will too!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I requested and received a copy of this book by the publisher, and NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog https://psalm516.blogspot.com/

This was cute, lighthearted, cheesy to the point of hokey, and easy to read! I listened to the audiobook and adored it.

Love in Tandem is perfect if you want to read something that doesn’t take a lot of brainpower but that is still enjoyable. The plots are easy to predict, the characters are straightforward, and nothing too bad happens (there’s some romance issues prior to the book, but on-page there’s nothing too negative).

It’s easy and sweet. <3

So heartwarming & sweet! Love in Tandem was adorable and left you with a smile on your face. Charlotte and Zach get themselves stuck into a fake dating situation that transpires to a 500-mile tandem bike ride. The growing relationship and banter between Charlotte and Zach are just so fun and enjoyable. Love in Tandem is wholesome and clean. This book is labeled as Christian and there is some talk of God & their faith in the book which takes the enjoyability factor up for me.

Thank you, Tyndale House Publishers, and NetGalley, for an ARC in return for my honest review.