Thank you entangled for sending me an E-ARC of Work it Out!

I am so sorry to DNF this one. I think I just wasn’t the ideal reader for it. I love a good romcom and it started off cute. I just had my qualms that made me feel like I was pushing myself to read it.

Work It Out is a cute small-town romance between actor Jake Newman and gym owner Rayah Summers. I liked the pace of this book, I loved the side characters, and Jake and Rayah had a fun chemistry and relationship.
I wish we got more attention on Jake's past, but I did find it confusing when it changed back and forth with his name being Chris/Christopher (his real name) and Jake (his actor name)
It was a cute, fast-paced read.

Thank you Netgalley and Entangled Publishing for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion

This was a really cute book and I really enjoyed it! Thank you, Entangled for sending me an ARC for a review!

This is one of those stories where you have a character who is highly dependent on numbers and doesn't really believe in love (Deanna) and an artistic, nerdy, hopeless romantic who is hung up on his childhood neighbor crush (River). Deanna happens to be the sister of River's childhood crush, and from the beginning tells River he needs to get over Lexi because they would never work. Years later, when River moves back next door to take care of his sick grandma, feelings start to kick up again, and Deanna has to do everything she can to keep River away from Lexi.

Deanna is techie, and has developed a new dating app that she's trying to get investors for to make even bigger. She has used numbers and algorithms to find the perfect matches for people, including her playgirl sister Lexi. She is currently in her first real, longer term relationship and Deanna doesn't want it messed with. When grown up River catches her eye, Deanna makes a bet with River. If he can convince her of the magic of falling in love, he can go after Lexi. If he can't, he has to stay away and help Deanna keep Lexi and her boyfriend together. It really isn't an issue for Deanna pretty quickly because River starts to fall for her the more they hang out and get to know each other.

I had a lot of fun reading this, especially when it's the woman who is in the tech industry and is the powerhouse in the relationship. She's smart and intimidating, and River is all for it. There is a lot of really great banter and some really great humor from a grandma who writes smutty romance novels ;)

Spice:🌶🌶.5

Contemporary romance may not be my favorite subgenre but I'm always willing to take a bite when the plot intrigues me. Work It Out seemed like it had potential, but I was inundated by overexposition. I was bombarded by too many characters and a bloated narrative. The story started off with deceit and I immediately knew what my reading experience would entail. Jake and Rayah could have had a perfect romance, but it appeared like they were committed to self sabotage. Lying about a serious medical diagnosis before embarking on an intense exercise regime is a red flag the size of Arizona.

I wanted to like this couple, I really did. I love endearments and Jake called her Cupcake. It was cute at first until it was repeated nearly three times per page. Sweet little nicknames are a nice touch, but goodness gracious, use some variety. There was also a gross love triangle element and the heroine ended up kissing the third party with nary a sizzle. She wasn't fully involved with the hero yet but it still felt wrong. Rayah gave off major Shawn Johnson vibes and was a firecracker in a tiny muscular body. The hero lightly fetishized her size and grew ickier as the book progressed. As a pocket princess myself, I was very self conscious over my diminutive height while I read. I get that she's tiny, but leave the poor lady be!

This was my first exercise-centric romance and let's just say we didn't Work It Out. It's a bummer because I was looking forward to a new trope to experience. I'll still experiment with contemporary and hopefully I can find another book that meets the same enjoyment I've found with historical and paranormal romance. I do all my exercises at home with my darling Youtuber GrowWithJo and refuse to pay for a membership, although I would be more inclined if I scored a honey like Jake. I know the gym is a great way to meet people, but I'm not interested in liars. Looks like it didn't work out this time. Maybe next time, pal.

this was SO cute and a fantastic romcom! the premise was definitely unique and this cover?! i was obsessed.

i’m not usually one for third person pov, but that’s really just a personal preference. this was done okay (albeit a little confusing at times to distinguish who we were looking at), but it wasn't completely intolerable. i found myself intrigued by the story from the start. it was cheesy, sweet, & had rep that i don’t typically see in these books.

the characters definitely won me over and i loved rayah (fmc). she was funny & sarcastic and i think her dynamic matched the mmc’s! i wish there was more depth to them, but they were still cute & i was rooting for them.

there was also definitely some unnecessary drama involved, but overall, a good & fun read that i enjoyed.

loved this romance between a gymnast and an actor and finding their way to love while he is dealing with a new chronic illness. I would to see her friends all find love including blaine. loved the smexy times.

This was plane ride read #2. Super quick celebrity romance that had as many ups as downs. Definitely needed a bit more editorial work, but overall strived to hit new notes and was mildly successful.


Thank you to Entangled Publishing, LLC, Entangled: Amara, and NetGalley for providing an eARC for a honest review.

DNF

Eva Siedler's forced proximity romance Work It Out centers on the relationship between trainer Rayah Summers and actor Jake Newman.

I had anticipated that I would at the very least enjoy this book because of the gorgeous characters and cover detail. But I was mistaken.

Because the chapters and paragraphs in the book were so long—up to eleven minutes—I knew right away that I wouldn't particularly enjoy it.

Also, Rayah acted as though she was in her early twenties even though she appeared to be in her late twenties or early thirties. What was she thinking when she laughed evilly. Like hello? That was so random.

Also, I didn't sense any chemistry at all between Rayah and Jake. When they were together, there was no tension because they were both so dull. And although I made an effort to give them a chance, I was unable to go on.

Even though I didn’t really enjoy the novel or the main characters, I really loved Pierce and his humor.

*Thank you to NetGalley, Entangled Publishing, and to the author, Eva Siedler, for providing me with this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.*

Jake Newman needs to be buff to get a role as a superhero… enter Rayah Summers, an ex-gymnast who owns a gym. As she helps him change his body, he helps her heal her heart.

This book. It had such potential, and it just didn’t live up to it. It has representation of chronic illness and assault survival, but that is the only positive about this book. There was no chemistry between the main characters as the pacing was way off, and there were a ton of underdeveloped side characters. The dialogue was immature and condescending to the point that it was painful to read.

And this has nothing to do with the story, but the nicknames were annoying. Jake refers to Rayah as “Cupcake” which she hates at first, but then she’s into it simply because he’s hot. Also, Jake is obviously a stage name, but it’s never explained.

This book was a huge disappointment, but I did miraculously make it through the whole book, so two stars, I guess.

Work it out is a sweet love story between two unlikely characters. My only complaint was that ending seemed a little rushed and there was no epilogue that showed where the characters were later on in the future.

Thank you Netgalley and Entangled publishing for the ARC.

Unfortunately I DNF’ed @ 13% as I found the female protagonist unlikable and really struggled to get through the writing. I felt that the writing was a bit cringeworthy at times and others I had to re-read sentences as they had run on for awhile and didn’t make sense. I thought the plot had a lot of potential! I liked how the male character had POTS, it’s great to have good representation of physical health issues.

I wanted to love it! Had such a great premise, but even in the first chapter - there were like 12 characters introduced and I don’t even know who was who anymore! There was also a love triangle that was kind of forced, which I wasn’t a fan of - leave Jake and Rayah alone and let them fall in love! But, the banter, the hysterical moments, the side character development was top notch. Loved the writing style and would give the author another go. Thanks for the opportunity to read!

Thank you NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the copy of this eARC. This was a cute book that was quirky and was able to touch on serious topics in a way that wasn’t too overwhelming. Overall, it was an easy plot with endearing characters. There were points where it was hard to understand who’s POV the book was from, things felt rushed, and there were attempts to make plot connections that didn’t quite land. It took a little longer to get through the book for that reason, but that doesn’t mean that others won’t love it!

I finished this book so quickly i just couldn't put it down!

The relationship between our two main characters was a dynamic that i have never seen represented before. Their chemistry, banter and dialogue was completely organic and the author played off of the two's personalities perfectly.

I enjoyed seeing the chronic illness representation in the MMC and how everyone in the book handled it (without being too specific ). Also what was later revealed about the FMC was handled perfectly by the MMC. I am being so vague but read the book to find out ;)

As for tropes go.....you have forced proximity, hurt/comfort, secrets, and opposites attract! Go ahead...add this book to your GR shelves.

This book was hilarious and heartwarming, if you're looking for a new book to checkout i would pickup this one! Happy reading everyone!

Work it Out by Eva Siedler is a heartwarming and entertaining story about Jake Newman, a Hollywood actor who sneaks off to a high-end health resort in his Arizona hometown to get in shape for a lead role in an action film. However, things don't go as planned when he meets Rayah Summers, his new trainer, who is a former gymnast and the owner of the resort. Rayah is hardworking, cute, and an absolute hard-ass, and Jake finds himself drawn to her.

The story is well-written and engaging, and the characters are well-developed. The author has done an excellent job of capturing the complexities of relationships and the dynamics between the characters. The book explores themes of love, trust, and the importance of communication in relationships.

The setting of the health resort adds a magical and romantic element to the story, and the author has done an excellent job of bringing the location to life. The drama of Jake's secrets and health issue adds an element of suspense to the story, making it hard to put the book down.

Overall, Work it Out is a heartwarming and entertaining story about love, trust, and the importance of communication. The book will leave you rooting for Jake and Rayah's love story as they navigate the complexities of their relationship and try to find happiness and closure.

Thank you entangled publishing for the ARC! I thought this cover was cute and the description seemed like a fun idea. I think this book had a ton of potential… the first 15% was good and I was interested. But at some point it felt like there was way too much going on. I couldn’t keep up with each character and how they fit into the story. The writing was hard to follow a lot of the time too. I would’ve enjoyed this more if it had been in first person POV instead of third person. And it was too Insta-lovey for my taste. I wish Jake and rayah had a little enemies to lovers to start off! I really liked the idea and the chronic illness rep but there was just too much extra stuff going on that overshadowed that.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was originally drawn in by the cover of this book and the description. The humor is top notch and the dialogue was really quick and funny.

But I’m afraid, it lost me around 30%. The male main character got unbelievably cheesy. And then the plot got so convoluted. It was hard to follow and not enjoyable to read. I kept reading until finally dnfing at 51%. It didn’t keep my attention AT ALL.

I think it has great potential but unfortunately not for me.

I really enjoyed this book. The characters are flawed and believable and I found myself rooting for them to make it work. The plot is cute with a silliness to it that kept me wanting to discover what happens next. It is a quick read with a little bit of spice. I can see this easily become a series with the other characters pairing off as well. I'd come back for the next book.

Rayah Summers is about to lose her gym and she is in desperate need of saving... which is where handsome actor Jake Newman comes in. He needs a place to lie low for a while and get in shape for his upcoming movie, he's the perfect remedy to her problem. Or is it?

The pages of Work It Out bring the glitz and glamour of Hollywood to a small town in Arizona when movie star Jake Newman sets out on a journey to bulk himself up for movie role and wants to do it in secret. Gym owner Rayah thinks it's the blessing that is going to save her failing business, but her newest gym member is hiding a few details about his health that just so happen to throw a wrench into his plan to bulk up. He can't complete a workout without collapsing, which could easily be seen as an issue on the gym's part and that's bad for business... which is more than a little unsettling, and something she is going to have to get to the bottom of before it shuts her doors completely.

This small town romance hit all the right notes and kept me thoroughly entertained... Rayah and Jake were a wonderful pairing, their interactions spawned many moments that had me laughing out loud. This book was a nice little pick me up after reading so many darker titles the last few weeks, highly recommend!!

I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving my honest and unbiased opinion.

This is the first book I've read that I feel compelled to mention the trigger warning. I would definitely check that out, there are some disturbing topics in this book. Having said that, the dedication page was awesome! I read it and knew this was going to be a good read. Jake Newman is stubborn, loyal, driven, and compassionate. Jake's also an actor that needs to get in shape fast for an upcoming casting call. This is how he meets, Rayah Summers, the owner of the fitness center Explosion and former gymnast. Rayah is vertically challenged, intimidating, strong, stubborn and sassy. The whole town is talking about Jake's arrival and so are Rayah's team members. Put these two in a room together and you'll hear some of the craziest back and forth comments. I loved all the characters in this book. I thought they were well developed and all of them had a purpose. I had a full roller-coaster of emotions reading this. From confusion, anger, sadness, frustration, and repulsion, to happiness, excitement, appreciation, compassion and understanding. I would love to read more about any of these characters. I would also like to read more from this author. Definitely a fan!