4.5 stars

I really enjoyed Work It Out by Eva Siedler! Having never read anything by that author before, and not having too much experience with the publisher before this, I was really in the dark as to how I was going to feel about this book. I’m not gonna lie, the unfamiliarity added a small layer of excitement and curiosity to my reading experience.

And I’m happy to share that I was very pleasantly surprised! I really liked the main characters, the side characters, and the setting. Each character felt well-developed and unique, making it easy to get invested in their individual stories and relationships. The setting, while not overly described, was depicted more through vibes and how the characters interacted with it, creating the perfect backdrop for the story of Work It Out.

The story progressed at a good pace, there was great chemistry between the two love interests, and while some parts were funny, there were some serious topics that were tackled as well. This balance of lighthearted moments and deeper themes made the book feel well-rounded and engaging. I have to say I also appreciated how Siedler handled the serious issues with sensitivity and depth.

I was invested from the start and really enjoyed myself throughout Work It Out. In the future, I’ll definitely be reading more by Siedler! This book has left me eager to explore more of this author’s work and see what other love stories might be in store for readers.

eally loved this one. Great character development and back story. 4.5 stars

Only issue/suggestion: proposal should have waited until an epilogue/there should have been an epilogue. We don’t make up and propose in one scene. Also more spice would have been appreciated

Writing was awkward, not for me unfortunately I couldn’t get into this one. Also, I couldn’t understand the characters very well, they did not feel developed enough and felt like a one-dimensional personality.

I loved Jake and Raya's story. It was so good. I wanted it to go on. This was such a great story!
5 star read for me.

It was a really cute story that’s perfect for a quick in between read. I loved how Rayah is this strong and independent character. She’s smart and resilient and even funny at times. The banter between the characters was one of my favorite aspects. I really appreciated the Rep in this story too and how well it was done. The only thing I didn’t like was that there were times where the story dragged a bit for me but overall I enjoyed it.

I was looking forward to reading this book because I thought the premise was cool and held promise, but unfortunately the novel did not deliver on that for me. The writing felt awkward, the characters felt underdeveloped and the plot was underwhelming to me. It was a good book, but not a great one. I did like the setting and drama that unfolded throughout the novel though, so it could be a great book for others.

I tried on three different occasions to read this book but found I just couldn’t get into it. I didn’t feel that I could connect with the characters and I just wasn’t fond of how the story was unfolding. I read about 70 pages and had to DNF :(

I was really looking forward to this one and hoped for a cute rom com. Unfortunately, I didn’t click with the characters and the flow of the story, so I decided to DNF.

I genuinely think this book just did not hold my interest at the time and that other readers will enjoy!

3.5⭐️ rounded up.

Actor Jake Newman has the chance to achieve his dream of landing the leading role in a huge action film. But he needs to get his abs in gear in order to make it a reality. So he sneaks off to his hometown and the new high-end health resort to do so out of the public eye. What he didn’t anticipate was the very cute former gymnast Rayah Summers to be his trainer.

Rayah has sunk everything she has into the resort in order to help others shape their bodies and their lifestyles. Unfortunately, a string of bad luck is threatening to send her into ruination—until heartthrob Jake Newman makes his appearance with the money and publicity that could turn her luck around. The pair are depending on each other and not even some fiery chemistry is going to keep them from reaching for the stars…

This story was a fun, quick read for all the romance enthusiasts. The chemistry between the pair is obvious from the get-go and it’s fun to watch as they dance around each other. In addition to the two main characters, there is a great found family at the resort that Rayah has clearly curated as a replacement for the family she never had as a child and they are truly so endearing.

While it was a fun romp overall, there were definitely pieces of the story that were “because romance reasons” level of unbelievable. The most egregious, in my opinion, was Jake’s health condition and his friend’s willingness to help him cover it up knowing full well that it could, and likely WOULD, cause issues while training. It is something that I could NEVER imagine happening in real life because of the liability (and also because decent human beings want to keep each other ALIVE), but it’s played off in the story as just a minor hurdle. What I did appreciate about that particular storyline was the responsibility that was quickly assumed when it inevitably came to light—that was definitely much more believable!

Where the story shines is definitely the character work and relationships. Rayah’s relationship with all her trainers is built upon mutual love and respect and it was honestly so lovely to see “tough” characters want to throw down for those they care about and actually show emotion. In addition to the relationships within the resort, there is a beautiful relationship between Jake, his grandparents, and one of his co-stars that really brought to life how easy (and also important!) it is to build your community.

The cherry on top was how Siedler was able to demonstrate the importance of male/female platonic relationships. Both Rayah and Jake have very strong and very deep relationships with individuals who they love deeply…and platonically. Those individuals have a different idea of what they want their relationship to be and make it known, only to be gently rebuffed. But the great thing is that Siedler allows these characters to have their emotions and cope with them in healthy ways in order to come back and strengthen their bonds even further. We need more strong platonic relationships like this in media.

Overall, go into this story ready to suspend your disbelief and you'll likely find yourself having a good time. The overall story is lighthearted, funny, and sizzling chemistry, but Siedler balances it with some heavier topics such as sexual abuse and panic/anxiety attacks so please take care of yourself while reading.

Disclaimer: I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher for free and have voluntarily written this review.

I dnf'd this one.
Idk if it was me or the book.
It was just not hitting right.

I am going to try again when I am in a more romcom mood!

If you love Rom Coms, you will love Work it Out. Super hot and big time actor, Jake Newman, needs to get in shape fast for his next movie. He chooses to go to a super swanky health resort in his hometown in Arizona to bulk up and to hopefully avoid the prying eyes in the city of angels. At this resort, Jake meets his new trainer Rayah Summers. Rayah is a former gymnast, is super sweet outside the gym and tough as nails while she trains. She owns the resort and wants to help anyone better themselves. Jake and Rayah need each others help to accomplish their goals but first they need to not fall in love with one another. Loved this books unique look into the traditional Rom Com. There banter is hilarious and the love is so sweet. Most definitely recommend reading this book if you need a pick me up.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the chance to read this book.
Sadly I couldn't get into the book and dnfed it.

Thank you Entangled for sending me this book. I really thoughtI would have liked this book but it ended up not being my cup of tea. Although I did appreciate the vulnerability of the mmc.

I enjoyed this quirky romance that blends humor, heart, and Hollywood glamour. The supporting cast added depth to the story and I loved the electricity between Ryah and Jake.
Many thanks to Entangled and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. I really enjoyed this and will be getting copies for my shop.

I had higher hopes for his book. It just felt a bit disjointed and hard to get invested in. The ending felt rushed and unrealistic.

Work It Out was an interesting take on a small town romance with some chronic illness representation and incredibly heavy on gym mentality. It was a little hard to follow due to the volume of side characters, the gym boys all blended together and then I got confused and didnt entirely know who was talking and their backstory. Be sure to check trigger warnings because there are a lot of items touched in this one and I was in no way prepared for some of them. At the end of the day it was fine but I am not sure it came together the way I had hoped.

Thanks to the publisher for the gifted copy.

This book had so much potential, but sadly, I didn't love it as much as I thought I would. I was interested until about 35% and then it just kind of fell apart, and I really struggled to even skim through the rest.

There were a bunch of different rom com tropes, and I think the author could have cut down and only included a couple. It felt like overkill on the trope front. The dialogue wasn't the best, and I honestly didn't love either character very much. Rayah was okay, but Jake just made me cringe on repeat.

I did like the POTS rep, and that the MMC was the one that had POTS - usually I feel like the female is the one that has the health issue. So that was a plus for me.

I think with some polishing this author has potential.

This was my first read by this author and I was not disappointed - it was quick, quirky and so much fun! The banter and tension between our MCs had my kicking my feet, and watching their relationship develop was so sweet. My heart is still so happy, thank you to NetGalley and the author for letting me arc read this book!

Thank you both Entangled Publisher and NetGalley for the ARC! All thoughts are my own and are free!

As soon as i read the synopsis i said sold. Sometimes i just need a cute fun fast pace read to get me through the day. Thats exactly what Work It out does. It was the perfect light small town romance read.

Rayah and Jakes banter and chemistry was just chefs kiss. I laughed so much when these two were together. I enjoyed reading a book about the MMC being vulnerable for once, but i would have loved more background on his past. Rayah was portrayed as this strict person but not once did she bat an eyelash why Jake started calling her by pet names.

The plot was great, the side characters all had their purpose and the pace of the book was perfect. The beginning was slightly confusing but once you figure things out its easy from there. Sometimes i dont like disability representation in books, not because it isnt important, but because sometimes the author doesnt execute it correctly. I think Eva did a perfect job in representing it in this book.

Overall this book was a 4 star for me! If you want something quick paced, easy to follow (after a few chapters) and alot of banter this is you book!

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