I really wanted to love this book. But sadly I had the hardest time getting into it. I don’t know what it was but it was a struggle. This book still might be for you though! It just wasn’t my thing.

she was cute! nothing to write home about but i enjoyed it more than i expected to, and it honestly flew by. i read it in like, one good sitting and am potentially interested in reading one miss eva siedler’s next work…

⭐️ 3 ⭐️

<b>Work It Out </b>

<b><ins>Plot: </ins></b>
Actor Jake Newman has 90 days to get into shape. He stays at a high-end health resort where he meets owner, Rayah Summers. On the brink of bankruptcy her future relies on Jake keeping his health issues at bay and not falling for his charm.

Romance | Disability Representation | He falls first | Found Family

<b><ins>My Thoughts: </ins></b>
I really struggled! to get through this. I really wanted to like this. The set up and concept was so interesting to me. But the writing style and constant dialogue killed me. I felt like nothing really happened. I would have DNFed this but I wanted to see it through. Some parts were really cheese and gross. I just wanted to like this but I didn’t.

Jake needs to get in shape for his new action movie and so he ends up in Rayahs Bootcamp where is best friend is also working.
But he hides a big secret and that's not only tricky for him also for Rayah.

great characters, big surprises, heartwarming, emotional

Loved it

Have fun reading!

This was such a mixed bag for me.. I almost DNF’d more than once and honestly now that I’m done I’m not sure it was worth pushing through for me.

The potential was there! I was immediately drawn in by the cover, the cute exercise pin as a title, and the synopsis sounded right up my alley!
I was really engaged right up to 30% and then the book kind of fell apart for me! (Which is weird, because after reading other reviews it seems I’m not alone in that percentage marker.. WHY!?)

I struggled with the paging of this story, some parts flew by and then entire sections would drag on and leave me skimming. I wasn’t overly invested in either character, they felt very formulated and not like real people, and the chemistry was just lacking all the way around for me! Add in a real late third act break up and a rushed finished and I’m not sure this book is one I’ll recommend in the end..

There are a few things I liked though, and I definitely want to mention them because honestly it’s what kept me pushing along!
I loved the fitness rep! I felt like it was handled in a really healthy way! It didn’t lean to extremes, there was no shame, it had a fun gym family and I loved it as a setting!

The other thing was POTS rep! I had heard of POTS before but never really looked into it! I can honestly say this is the first book I’ve read with that rep and I think that’s really cool!

All in all, this wasn’t a home run for me, but I’m sure it’ll find its audience!

Thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the chance to read this book.

TW : domestic abuse.

This is a romance story centring around Rayah, who has major trust issues and family baggage, and Jake, who is a celebrity with a secret health issue. They are attracted to each other from the get-go, there are hurdles to overcome, friends to let down gently and a strange town festival to enjoy. It's an entertaining story that is easy to fall into and speed through.

I have saddly DNFed this book. It wasn’t my cup of tea. I am not sure if i just wasn’t in the right headset, but the promissing beggining started crumble after 20/25%. I was getting lost and some the dialogue just as well the situations were getting bit cringy.

Even tho i love multiple POV something wasn’t working here for me.
I really enjoyed Jake and him dealing with his issues. It was refreshing seeing a vulnerable MMC.
I might give this a go in the future, but for now I am very sorry. I am sure this story will find a reader but it wasn’t me at this time.

3.5⭐️

This is a fun romance that simultaneously deals with some heavy topics. I didn’t expect a few topics dealt with in this book but I really enjoyed it.
Jake is an actor who needs to get into shape to get a superhero role, but he’s keeping his health condition (POTS) a secret. Rayah is the owner of a private gym and is struggling with overcoming a trauma.
I liked that this book taught me a bit about POTS, as I’d never heard of it before.
I was super into this book at the beginning, but after the first few chapters I hit a slump and couldn’t get back into it. I waited til I overcame my slump and then came back to this book.
I enjoyed this romance overall. It’s super cute. The mmc is really refreshing and it’s not your typical grumpy x sunshine. (I’d almost say it’s reverse). I loved the banter between the characters. At times it was a bit cringey but I mostly found it really fun.
As much as I loved the characters personal journeys and such, I didn’t feel super connected to them or find myself rooting for their relationship. If I didn’t fall in a slump maybe I would’ve enjoyed this more thoroughly but I guess we’ll never know.

"Work it Out" is a charming small-town romance featuring Jake, a famous actor, and Rayah, a former gymnast. The book captivates with its engaging characters and subtle handling of sensitive issues. While the initial chapters draw readers in with compelling characters and writing style, the story later loses momentum. Nevertheless, the chemistry between the main characters is palpable, and their vulnerability and trust add depth to the narrative. The representation of Jake's disability, POTS, is commendable, providing valuable insight into his struggles. Although the narration's flow could be improved, the author's writing style and humor shine through. Overall, while there are areas for improvement, the book is an enjoyable read, and readers will likely anticipate more from the author.

I wanted to like this book - I really did. With that being said, this book was all over the place. It was felt like the author had multiple storylines but one book opportunity and just threw them all into this book.

Chronic illness? Yup.
Love story? Yup.
Severe trauma? Yup.
Recalling said trauma? Yup.
Random pic? Yup but why?!!

Check trigger warnings by the way. I was not expecting that.

There were so many characters to keep track of and I just didn’t have connections with them. Also, I just felt like Jake was a little too much. I didn’t love but maybe you will.

I was given an Advanced Reader Copy by NetGalley for an honest review.

When it comes to getting in shape there’s a number of reasons why. For Jake Newman, his reason was to get in the best shape ever in order to secure his spot as the newest cinematic superhero for a movie that was just announced. What better place to get the help he needed than his best friend who works at an impressive gym back home in his small town. Rayah, the owner of the gym was all about fitness, and trying to make sure her business was in tip, top shape as well. All seemed well at first glance, but both Rayah and Jake had their own problems to deal with. This was a lighthearted, fluffy romance that featured likable characters, a small town, and humor. Also, a bit of that overprotective was from Jake over Rayah.

I’m not much of a fitness person, but even I could tell that Jake had his struggles throughout the course of the story. In order for Jake to be movie ready to be the newest superhero for an upcoming movie, he needed to be in the best shape ever, but things were complicated with his POTS. Essentially, Jake couldn’t push exert himself too much or else he would become dizzy, accelerated heart rate, just a few symptoms to name that came with his condition. I had never heard of this condition before so, it made me see exactly what Jake was faced when trying to train with Rayah and Pierce (*Jake’s best friend). Despite the difficulty that Jake was faced with, he was determined to train and move past those limitations that he had always known his whole life. For the most part, Jake did have some setbacks from altitude sickness and the occasional dizziness, but he was motivated to try his best which I found admirable about him.

As I read, I found myself enjoying the characters and the story. Rayah and Jake were from different worlds, namely that Jake was an actor whereas Rayah worked at the gym she owned. Although they had different careers, with the objective of becoming stronger and overall in good shape for an upcoming role, Jake found himself working with Rayah and her trainers. I thought the way Jake and Rayah were was sweet, and great. I especially loved how quickly Jake became protective and an absolute sweetheart towards Rayah as well. Most of the time, I’m not really a fan of insta love or just instantly liking a person off the bat, but the way it was done with Jake and Rayah, it didn’t feel rushed, it just worked. Rayah and Jake’s chemistry went from professional, to flirtatious, to that undeniable level of wanting each other. Lots of cute yet semi tension filled moments were sprinkled throughout the story, and made those special romantic moments between Jake and Rayah all the more enjoyable.

Overall, I liked Rayah and Jake, they were good characters and very likable. Jake was determined to do whatever he could despite the obstacles he faced with his POTS. Jake was a flirty, fun guy and seeing him fall for Rayah was actually sweet. Rayah was a tough woman who focused on maintaining her gym, but also liked seeing how strong she was compared to the men at the gym. This was a cute, lighthearted romance, and the characters were likable, even the side characters. While the plot wasn’t “out of this world”, it was a good story that held my attention and I enjoyed it for the sweetness and humor that was shown throughout the book.

This was such a cute, fun, small town read. I loved that it highlighted a disability that isn't talked about a lot. I'll be honest in saying I didn't know much about this and it was a nice addition to the story. Jake and Rayah were so cute together. Though they had a bumpy start and a few miscommunications. I loved seeing their relationship grow and some self discoveries that they worked through. This was a fun, quick read!

Get your gym shoes on and grab your headphones because Work It Out by Eva Siedler is out today (January 29th) which shows what happens when an actor meets his match while training for a new role!

This novel wasn’t my favorite… it genuinely feels like the author just cut out classic romcom tropes and pasted them into this book without really fleshing them out at all.

The insta-love felt too fast and more lusty than any true affection. Like honey, you can’t feel betrayed by a man you met 3 days ago. This isn’t Romeo and Juliet…

None of the characters were all that likable, except for maybe Jake’s grandparents. Everyone else just felt like very flat characters with not much substance or that their personalities were almost bipolar/went from one extreme to the other.

The amount of plot lines that just got thrown in a third of the way into the book with no background was very bizarre and made the main plot of the novel even more confusing, especially with the timeline of the novel. Literally, the first half of the book takes place over the course of like 3 days or something.

The author attempts to add some depth to the novel by adding in a characters who have disorders or have dealt with domestic and/or sexual abuse, but the novel just gets so bogged down with frivolous plot lines in the beginning that by the time I got to the heavier topics, I wasn’t all that interested in the novel anymore.

Overall, this book wasn’t terrible, but it didn’t blow me away either…

*I received an ARC from Entangled Publishing in exchange for my honest opinion.

I was thrilled to find out that I had been given an advanced reader copy of the book because I loved the idea behind it. You felt bad for the main characters because you liked them and could relate to them. Another thing that really spoke to me was how this book talked about a condition that isn't talked about much in pop culture. That there was so much going on in such a short number of pages confused and overloaded me. That's why I thought the end was rushed. I think a lot of people will enjoy this, but that's just my opinion.

3.5 stars rounded up.

Work it Out by Eva Siedler was an interesting read, it had a lot going for it, humor, diverse characters, some tough topics, and celebrities. It follows the perspectives of Jake, who is trying to get ready to audition for a role in an upcoming superhero movie when he meets Rayah, who owns and operates the facility he is at in his hometown. It is a contemporary romance, set in a small town. It has a great disability representation that I really liked seeing. The plot was pretty good, kept me engaged and invested in characters and story, it was more on the serious side, but had some hilarious moments that had me busting out laughing. The romance was ok for me. I had a hard time with the chemistry and development of their relationship, especially at the beginning of the book but by the end it was great. I loved both Jake and Rayah, they were both great characters to follow, well developed and flushed out. Jake had great humor, did not let anything slow him down and sometimes got in his own way. Rayah was just amazing, compassionate about her work and people. There are some trigger warnings in this book so please check them out before picking it up. I enjoyed this read and would recommend it.
Trigger warnings: Sexual assault, domestic abuse.
I received an advanced ebook, via Netgalley. This review is my own honest opinion.

The author narrated the plot in a fun and quirky way, which makes the book way interesting to read. The characters in the books are so relatable, and I was rooting for the couple the whole time. The comedy and chemistry between Rayah and Jakes are not overdone, plus there's a plot/background story other than focusing on their love story.

"Work It Out" by Eva Siedler is a delightful and quirky romance perfect for fans of Amy Lea and Talia Hibbert. Actor Jake Newman sneaks off to a health resort in his hometown to prepare for a film role, hoping to keep his secrets hidden. Meanwhile, former gymnast Rayah Summers struggles to save her resort from bankruptcy with Jake's help. As sparks fly between them, Rayah must navigate business challenges, staff drama, and her growing feelings. Despite some bumps along the way, it's a heartwarming read about love and second chances.

Thanks to @entangled_publishing I had the opportunity to read Work It Out, the debut book from Eva Siedler.

There’s tons of humour, tenderness, patience, and compassion throughout this book as the MCs deal with some heavy issues. These include an MMC with POTS who needs to learn how to manage his disability while achieving his goal of bulking up for a movie role; a FMC who was an elite gymnast and is a survivor of sexual assault and dealing with blackmail from her father; and uncertainty over whether the FMC’s business will survive.

There is immediate chemistry between Rayah (FMC) and Jake aka Chris (MMC) from the get-go, but there is space to let their attraction build, with interest on both sides, as well as an awareness that jumping into bed together ASAP may not be the best way to go.

I liked how they became increasingly honest and vulnerable with each other, sharing their pasts, their worries, their goals. They believe in one another, and provide support and encouragement. And they have some spice in the bedroom once they get there!

Overall, this was a fun read but IMO, tried to do a bit too much and could have been edited down. I think there were some sub-storylines that weren’t really needed and only seemed to serve one or two key scenes that could have been included in a different way. There were also some scenes with one side character that gave me the ick when he declared his love for the FMC and that he was first attracted to her when she was underage and he was in his 20s.

The author, Eva, is an excellent writer, wrote some strong banter and humourous scenes (the hamburger scene was a delight!) and I’m excited to see what she writes next.

This is a sweet and funny read. Rising star Jake returns to his hometown to bulk up for the chance to play a superhero away from the limelight. He signs up to an intense fitness retreat owned by Rayah and is immediately smitten with her. This was a great premise but at some points things got a bit messier than they needed to be. I loved the small town setting and the funny characters, but there were A LOT of them - kind of hard to track or stay invested at times. Jake is a hilarious and endearing character though, and I totally rooted for him throughout and certainly did laugh out loud!

What to expect:

- small town romance
- celebrity romance
- PT and client
- forced proximity
- he falls first
- quite spicy

This one follow Rayah, who is trying to get her wellness resort to be something, and movie star Jake who needs to get fit, quick, for a role. Jake is just the break Rayah needs to help reach her dreams.

This one is full of hilarious, vulnerable and heartwarming moments. This cover for this one definitely pulled me in and I am so glad I judge this book by the cover. 😉

I cannot wait to see was Eva has up her sleeve next.