This was a refreshingly real romance. No cutesy about it. I mean a romcom is fun once in awhile but I prefer a romance with real issues. I also enjoyed the narrators and they both did a good job at acting out the scenes and not just reading the book. The book was well written, with a good story line thatI wanted to follow. The only reason it is not perfect as I do not see myself re-reading. Thank you Netgalley for the ALC copy in exchange for my honest review. I do also love the way they addressed mental health.

Up Close and Personal is a fun, flirty, and surprisingly heartfelt rom-com that totally caught me off guard—in the best way. Jo is a super popular spin instructor with a killer online presence, perfect hair, and just enough snark to keep things interesting. Enter Silas, a grumpy journalist who thinks her job is basically just yelling motivational quotes while people sweat. Naturally, she sets out to prove him wrong.

But here’s the twist: Silas isn’t the smug, cynical guy she expects. He’s awkward in a cute way, shows up to her classes, actually listens to her, and has his own struggles with mental health that make him way more layered than Jo ever imagined. Their relationship builds through diner lunches, thrift store adventures, and some seriously swoony moments that had me grinning like an idiot.

There’s tension (obviously—he’s writing an article that could wreck her), but the real magic is how their connection grows into something soft, real, and earned. If you're into slow-burn banter, emotional depth, and couples who truly get each other, this one's a total win.

4.75 ⭐️

I really had a great time with this book. It's not the greatest read I've ever had, but the anxiety and mental health representation in it is absolutely so well done that it overshadowed parts where I was a bit bored and/or things were moving a bit slow.

I feel like the romance in this is more of a subplot, but I still found it endearing. I absolutely LOVED Jo. She is so freaking relatable. She's a powerhouse that is going through anxiety, burnout and almost a loss of identity in a way. Her character was written so well. I don't think there's a women in her 20s / early 30s who WOULDN'T be able to relate to her. The mental health representation didn't feel forced or overdone, it just felt raw, real and vulnerable.

I'm not going to lie, I was not a fan of the MMC at the beginning of the book, and he didn't fully grow on me by the end, BUT I did love how he took care of the FMC throughout. I loved the slow burn of their romance. It truly came out of nowhere to them, but was bleeding from the words to the reader.

I listened to the audiobook of this, and the narrators absolutely smashed this! I would HIGHLY recommend this being consumed via audio if you're an audiobook girly. It absolutely added to the overall vibes of the book!

The Vibes:
-Opposites Attract
-Journalist x Spin Instructor
-On Page Interviews
-Third Act Conflict
-Slow Burn Romance
-Mental Health Representation
-Emotional Healing & HEAVY Character growth

Overall, if you're someone who struggles with mental health (anxiety or depression), please pick this up. I felt seen throughout this book by reading Jo's character and because of that it truly is such an important book to me! Absolutely pick this up!

Jo’s a spin queen with hair goals and a waitlist longer than a Taylor Swift ticket queue. She’s got it all—except peace, apparently. Enter Silas, a hot journalist who thinks her job is just yelling at people on bikes (rude, but not totally wrong).

What starts as a slow-burn romance turns into feelings?? and then—plot twist—possible scammer alert.

I listened to the audiobook, and honestly, it was a vibe. Great pacing, lovable narrators, and enough emotional cardio to count as exercise. The story had charm, the characters were relatable, and the slow burn didn’t drag (for once!).

Would I read more from this author? Yes. Would I trust Silas with my heart? Debatable.

It’s been years since I worked out in a gym, but Up Close & Personal by Ana Holguin made me want to join a spin class asap. What an inspiring and heartfelt debut!

Jo De La Cruz has spent the last decade as a semi-famous spin instructor, both in always-full classes at the gym and in streamed classes for riders at home. But she’s burnt out and contemplating her next move, all while battling overwhelming anxiety. She decides to (finally) tell her full story to a journalist, Silas Anders. He’s famous for hating everything, but even he can’t resist Jo’s charms, both in spin class and in their one-on-one interviews. Is it crossing the professional line if they start falling for each other? And what about the big secret Silas has been keeping?

What I Liked:
- Journalist and interview subject romance. I loved the whole setup of how Silas and Jo start a professional relationship. Over the course of several interviews, Jo is forced to open up to Silas a lot, but he shares his similar struggles with her, too. They have friends in common as well, and I liked them starting to see each other more as friends (and crushes) as the weeks passed.
- Silas is so contrarian! He has a reputation for hating everything and being more critical than most. He enters into this article project determined to hate Haven, pick apart Jo, and destroy them all in his final write-up. But he quickly realizes he was wrong. I loved seeing him recognize the talent and passion in Jo, the quality of her spin classes, and the merit that Haven actually has.
- Jo’s mental health. She’s been battling anxiety for years, and she has some secrets about her mental health journey over the past decade. Silas, too, has “invisible monsters” in the form of depression. I enjoyed their discussions of mental health, Jo’s efforts to manage her anxiety and get out of her comfort zone, and Silas’s writing about it all.
- Discussions of fame and parasocial relationships. Related to the above is the unique position Jo is in regarding her level of fame. Not quite a celebrity, but certainly someone many people recognize and want to take pictures with. It’s starting to be too much for Jo and she’s looking for a change.

Audiobook:
Maria Liatis and Kellen Boyle narrate as Jo and Silas, and I love what each brings to their respective character. Jo’s sweetness and vulnerability are shown perfectly. Silas manages that balance between a grumpy hater and a genuinely kind person. This audiobook elevated the reading experience so much!

Final Thoughts
Up Close & Personal is such a wonderful debut! I loved the romantic relationship, portrayal of mental health, and depictions of a highly popular spin class. (Seriously, this book reignited my desire to resume in-gym workouts soon! My at-home routine isn’t cutting it anymore.) This novel is at once a breezy, fun read yet also one that is profound and meaningful. I look forward to Ana Holguin’s next novel, Second Chance Duet, due out on March 10, 2026.

3.75 stars!

Jo is a pretty famous cycle instructor, think Peloton streaming and in person style, and Silas is a journalist for a local magazine.

Silas goes in to writing a story on Jo with a pretty jaded attitude and an image of Jo in his mind that does not end up being the truth.

I enjoyed the mental health rep in the book and that we had 30 something main characters. I also liked the growth of their relationship as they became closer over time and seemed to gain a better understanding of each other. I felt like for a rom com the story felt relatively real and believable, I liked the growth of the characters, and I appreciate a little spicy thrown in there (it was not a ton though).

From my understanding, this is a debut, so I am excited to see what this author writes next.

Update review:

This book is about Silas Anders, who is assigned to write an article about a fitness place that’s known for its packed classes. It’s a big piece that the journalism company really wants, and Silas has to get to know one of the instructors to make it happen. He starts going to classes and showing interest in Joe’s hobbies. They go on a bunch of adventures, and who knows, they might be falling in love with each other, but you’ll have to read to find out what happens :)

This was perfect as an audiobook. I enjoyed the dual narration and felt like I was right there with them :)

Thank you, NetGalley and Hachette Audio

4⭐
Jo, popular Spin instructor is being interviewed by Silas about her 'raving classes', but what Jo doesn't know is that initially it was basically gonna be a smear article about 'riding in one spot'. However, as the interviews commence, I guess so does feelings.

Loved this!

Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Audio for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I didn’t care enough about the characters, they seemed flat and one dimensional. I was bored most of the book. It was based on a magazine journalist and a semi-famous spin class instructor. Not my cup of tea.

I looooved this Peloton adjacent universe!

RTC, very cute, very sweet, much lovey.

-----------------------------------------------
Update: Review

"Besides, this story isn't about Haven as a company, its about a specific person."

AHHHH! Its been a month and half since I listened to the audiobook and I still LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it and have found myself recommending it to so many people. Ana Holguin, babe, you really cooked here. Shoutout to Maria Liatis and Kellen Boyle for killing it on the narration! You both really brought my ultimate and modern enemies-to-lovers fantasy to life. <3

"My brain short-circuits at his warm voice, stringing together the words you, me, and ride. A part of me readies to fire back with a comment about riding hard, but the jab dissolves on my tongue as I realize what I've done."

The summary of the novel described it as fans of 27 Dresses and I would 100% agree with the comparison, and would actually take it a step farther to say the alignment of comedy is on-par with each other. While I wouldn't consider our favorite Hater-Lover Silas to be a James Marsden, necessarily, I do see him in the rom-com Hall of Fame. But Jo? Jo is my girl and I'd like to hug her, then shake her, and then sing her praises. Ana Holguin REALLY put so much of herself into this character and, by that distinction, made her so relatable and real to regular girls like me. Granted, I'm not a fit, super-popular, and absolutely gorg spin instructor but I'm like in an adjacent realm, okay?!


My favorite quotes:

"My boundaries respected, followed by a gentle reassurance. Its been so long since I had a true anxiety attack, that I braced myself for the worst possible outcome..."

"If someone who looks as strong as I do on the outside is this weak on the inside, then I'm just a f*****g phony, right?"

"All we have control over in this wild, and sometimes ugly, world is ourselves and our actions. Who we are is made up of the choices we make and the actions we take."

-- And on love:

"Its the kind of smile that showcases her pearly teeth, reaching those eyes that feel like unending warmth on a winter day. She is truly lit up from the inside out. In that moment, I realize I'm in very big trouble."

While the storyline of this romance is rather cute, the narration is not good.

I struggled to listen as I sat in traffic. The female narrator is pretty good but the male narrator is excruciating! I am not a fan and had to switch from the audio to the e-book because I could not listen to another word from him.

He has a certain amount of vocal fry and a nasal bit to his voice that was just hard to listen to.

I hate writing negative reviews like this but it really was not what I expected.

1 star for the audio, 3 stars for the story, averaging out to 2 stars.

Thank you to Net Galley and Hachette Audio for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

I absolutely enjoyed this audiobook. Jo is such a relatable, layered character who is ambitious and successful but she is also quietly struggling with anxiety and burnout. The mental health rep was so well done and did not feel forced. I loved the banter, the slowburn tension, the emotional connection it all just worked. It’s a rom-com that’s fun and swoony, but also hits deeper than expected. (Rounded up to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Jo De La Cruz is Haven’s famous fitness sweetheart in New York City, coaching in-person and online cycling classes streamed and loved by thousands of people. Silas Anders is a grumpy journalist for a popular newspaper who specializes in writing unpopular opinions. There is plenty of good press about Haven and Jo but Silas wants the undercover scoop on her and the cult world of Haven fitness and uses his personal connections to get to her. As they get closer and Silas begins to feel the magic that is Jo and Haven, will he choose her or a juicy story that ruins her?

This story features important messages of self love, forgiveness, and growth. It also has fantastic anxiety representation, something I don’t see a whole lot in books.

As a Peloton enthusiast and someone who suffers from severe anxiety, I was really excited to read this book because of the plot and it did not disappoint! I loved the characters and their flaws and obstacles that lead to a beautiful ending. The dual POVs, which I love in my romance, and narrators were great.

Thank you so much to Forever, Hachette Audio, Ana, and NetGalley for the advance audiobook!

This book gave me ANXIETY!!!!!! (in a good way). It took me a bit longer than usual, but this book was full of heart and love. The conversation about mental health was so well done. My only critique is that I hate the miscommunication trope. I loved this book, loved this narrator. And LOVED THE REPRESENTATION!!!! Panic attacks and anxiety SUCK but reading about others experience, even fictionally, helps me feel less alone.

4 stars.

I liked "Up Close & Personal" by Ana Holguin a lot! It is quite an interesting, delightful read. I usually don't love books about fitness influencers as I find them to be too judgmental towards "other" types of bodies, but this one felt fine and not super judgmental. I found the story to be well-paced, well-written, and even a little emotional at times. The banter between characters is excellent. Their romance was a little slow-moving, but it all culminated in a solid courtship. I like how Silas starts the book being an insufferable jerk, but comes around and learns not to judge a book by its cover. I enjoyed Jo's journey as well. This story has some good anxiety representation where he character is concerned. I hated the miscommunication, though, but that's just me. Maria Liatis and Kellen Boyle do a spectacular job narrating this book. I don't believe I have heard an audiobook narrated by either of them before, but they are both on my radar now. Their voices complement each other extremely well and kept me engaged throughout the entire story. Their pacing is fabulous, their diction is perfect, and their inflection is great! Loved them! All in all, this is a great book!

Thank you to NetGalley, Ana Holguin, Hachette Audio, and Forever for the complimentary ALC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

Although I really enjoyed the narration of this book, it did fall a little bit flat for me. I thought it had lots of promise, but I just didn’t get into it as much as I had expected.

Thank you to NetGalley, and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A delightful, charming, poignant and laugh out loud contemporary romance. I really enjoyed every moment of Silas and Jo’s unfurling romance, peaking behind the camera into the fitness world and its impact on mental health. Read by dual narrators Maria Liatis and Kellen Boyle, I thought the production was really fantastic and both voice actors brought the characters to life in an authentic way. I will say I thought both of their voices sounded a little young for the ages of the characters but nevertheless, I got swept up into the drama and romance and throughly enjoyed the audio book.

Such a great book!
I couldn't obtain a physical copy of this book, so I opted for the audiobook instead. I was a little bit scared because I'm very particular with audiobooks, but I was not wrong with this one.

I hope the author and the narrators work together again, they make a great team.

This was ... fine. Honestly, this was very much a "It's not you, it's me" type book situation. There's nothing inherently wrong with it. It's fun and cute and super sweet. However, I am a person who would rather die than attend a spin class and have someone yell inspirational crap at me, so I just could not get excited about the execution. Will read more from this author though!

3 stars: ★★★☆☆
Thanks to Hachette Audio | Forever & Netgalley for the ALC 💌

Okay sooo... this one’s kinda hard to sum up. Like, I wanted to love it. I really did. The vibes were right: fitness girl vs. grumpy journalist? Yes pls. Mental health rep? We love. But even though it technically checked the boxes, the feels just didn’t land like I hoped.

It’s good. Just not romance good.

Tropes:
🌿 Opposites Attract
🖋️ Slow Burn Romance
🌿 Mental Health Representation
🖋️ Workplace/Industry Critique
🌿 Character Growth/Emotional Healing

The blurb had me expecting chemistry, tension, that “omg they’re falling for each other” energy... but honestly? It read more like an introspective coming-of-age journey—with a sprinkle of flirtation—than an actual swoony love story.

Jo? Loved her.
She’s a powerhouse spin instructor with anxiety, burnout, and a whole lot of pressure on her shoulders. She felt real. Her moments of vulnerability? So well written. And I adored how the book normalized mental health struggles in high-functioning adults. It didn’t feel forced, it felt lived in.

But Silas... I have thoughts.
He starts off pretty insufferable. Like, the kind of guy who writes think-pieces about why yoga's a scam and why matcha is a cult. 🙄 His whole “I’m just here to expose the fitness industry” vibe grated on me. And while he does grow—slowly—I still wasn’t fully convinced. His emotional development felt half-baked. Like bro, if you’re gonna fall for her, I need more than just sad-boy looks and diner chats. GIVE ME DEPTH. Not vibes.

Also... where was the chemistry??
There were cute moments. Some genuine laughs. But the romance? Felt lukewarm. It never built to anything. No tension. No "oh crap they’re gonna kiss" butterflies. Just a gentle slow burn that fizzled out before it ever really caught fire.

And can we talk about that third-act conflict ?
So unnecessary. So predictable. So… flat. I honestly rolled my eyes. It felt like it was added just because rom-coms are "supposed" to have a breakup. Not because it made actual sense in their arc.

That said—Ana Holguin can write.
Her voice is fresh. Jo’s POV felt authentic. The banter was fun. I liked the spin (lol) on influencer burnout and toxic internet culture. And her commentary on reclaiming your narrative? Solid.

Would I recommend it?
Yeah—as a contemporary fiction with romance elements.
Not as a romance. Because if you go in expecting swoons, pining, and butterflies... you might leave feeling underwhelmed.

But for a debut? A respectable start.
I'm still curious to see what Ana does next—because the bones of something really special are there. She just needs to lean harder into the heart stuff next time.

CW: anxiety disorder, mental health crisis (described), recovery process, online trolling, sexism, sexual content

Final verdict:
A soft, mental-health-forward story with a cool concept, a lovable heroine, and a romance that just needed more fire. Not bad. Not amazing. But a decent ride.