I could not listen to this fast enough!! I loved the narrators voices, it was so fun that Silas even SOUNDED like he was reporting to us. I think it’s great when authors get the hard to talk about topics like anxiety. Will definately tell all my friends about this one, especially my spinners

Audiobook Review 📖🎧🚲
thank you so much partner Hachette Audio and Forever Pub for the free audiobook.

Up Close & Personal
by Ana Holguin
Narrated by Maria Liatis; Kellen Boyle

About the book 👇🏽

Jo De La Cruz should be on top of the world. As one of spin’s hottest instructors, her workouts stream into thousands of living rooms, her waiting list is harder to access than Area 51, and even her hair has its own social media page. But Jo’s struggling from a decade in the spotlight—which is when she meets the annoyingly handsome journalist who claims her job is just yelling at people from a bike.

Converting a hater is a challenge Jo can’t resist.

Only nothing about Silas Anders matches her expectations. Between all-you-can-eat-diner lunches, thrifting adventures, and sizzling summer nights, Jo might even be catching feelings. But as buzz for the article skyrockets, Jo discovers that the man she’s been falling for may, in fact, be the one scamming her.

🎧🚲 My thoughts

I had a good time with this debut! The audiobook was a well paced listen and I was able to finish it in no time. The narrators were great and really kept my attention leaving me with the confidence that I’d listen to more books read by both of them. I enjoyed the main characters, they felt real and relatable which is what I look for in books. I also thought this slow burn had the right amount of build up! I landed right in the middle with the rating, I had a good time reading it and I’d read more by this author!

Happy reading 📖 🎧🚲

Bro this book fucking hits. It handles the relationship very well and although it does have that terrible third act where they get into a fight I still really enjoyed it because they knew that it was leading up to it because our boy did do her dirty but he acknowledged it the whole way through which I think is very good.

I do love the forced proximity In books I think that is just a very cute bonding and I love it every time

I love the friends that they have and that they actually have personalities and stuff just being like supportive friend #1 supportive friend #2
The anxiety and depression that these characters go through is very nice to be brought up I know like a lot of books are touching on mental health and how characters struggle with it but it's always refreshing when it's done in like a good manner

I will say I listen to the audiobook before it launched thanks to netgalley and the only thing that I didn't love was a female narrator 's English accent + whenever Silas would start talking I never felt like it was Silas seems like a different man this narrator is still very good he is just not what I have in my head as the voice of Silas you know?

That being said I would like to think netgalley for this ARC And I want to see more from Ana Holguin!

3.5 stars. I love when books have dual narrators for the main characters, so I was excited to hear that this book is dual-narrated. I listened to this audiobook on 1.25x speed because 1.0x was a bit slow for me. The narrators did a great job at putting emotion into the characters' voices, and they made it easy to understand what was general narration and what was being spoken aloud. When I first started listening, the male narrator was putting emphasis/stress on syllables that felt a bit strange, but eventually I got used to his cadence.

The story itself was fun yet unexpectedly emotional/deep when it got into mental health discussions. Even though I liked the story, it did take a while for me to become connected to the characters. Spoiler warning: The third act breakup was heavily foreshadowed, but I was hoping it wasn't going to happen anyway.

I can't really say why this didn't work for me. Ultimately, I think it comes down to wrong expectations, and to me the blurb suggested kind of a rivalry between the MCs because of the phrasing of the challenge. This was more of a friends to lovers situation tho and for that it wasn't done bad. I appreciated the mental health rep.
The narrators were great, no notes.

I really enjoyed this one, surprise to me. In the beginning I was very hooked, halfway I was like this getting a bit long but overall I had a great time reading it. I really liked this. I felt for Jo so much and her vulnerability.

I loved the narrators for this one and a lot of little things about it.

Cute concept, but I wanted more from the characters, like, who are they beyond the bike? (get it?haha)

This book was a very slow burn and I mean slow like... I listened at 1.5x speed and it still felt slow. It took a while to get into the story, and while the plot was easy to follow (and a little predictable), it had its sweet moments.

That said, there was a lot of description about things that didn’t really matter and yet barely anything about the characters themselves. The FMC and MMC both felt like they only existed for their jobs, which made it hard to connect with them.

Silas, our MMC, just didn't land for me, his background didn’t really explain who he is now, and his sudden shift from “I don’t like you” to “I’m in love with you” felt… abrupt. I wanted some build-up, some tension, some spark!

BUT there were moments I truly enjoyed. The female friendships were adorable and felt really genuine. Honestly, I found myself wishing I had a girl group like that in real life, supportive, playful, and always there for each other. And the scene where Silas takes care of her when she’s hurt? Super sweet. It was one of the rare times I felt connected to him as a love interest.

I also really appreciated the honest portrayal of anxiety and emotional breakdowns. Those scenes were well done.

Oh! And the audiobook... the female narrator tried to do male voices, and unfortunately, it was more cringe than convincing. It kind of took me out of the moment a few times.

Final thoughts: if you’re looking for a slow, easy read with a hint of romance and some spice, this could work for you. Just don’t expect deep character development or a fast-paced love story.

Thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the advanced audio book.

Wow. This narration was absolutely amazing. I loved the dual narrators. A absolutely adored this book. Jo and Silas were phenomenal characters with Jo having an amazing amount of character growth throughout the book. I loved the fact that this book had so much depth and substance to is touching mostly on mental health with a dash of romance. As a debut book I thought Ana wove this story to pull your heart strings in the best way.

I look forward to more from Ana. What a rocket of a book to start with and just makes you want to go buy a bike and work out.

Thank you so much to Hatchette Audio, Forever Publishing, and Ana Holguin for the ALC of this book.

this is a completely captivating, absolute joy of a book! I love Jo’s entire character: she’s so authentic, relatable, adorable, & strong. her dedication to her mental & physical health is inspiring & special to read. I love the way she connects with everyone, especially Silas, who she so openly connects with.

And Silas just couldn’t help himself but fall helplessly, hopelessly in love with Jo (I get it, me too) and I loved how he found such safe & special ways to connect with her for his article which leads to deep romantic connection. I wish Silas had been honest abt his original intentions with the article, but I understood his perspective (his pov here was amazing, very helpful), & I appreciated the way the story acknowledges the faults in this conflict and the way it ultimately resolves itself in a very realistic & beautiful way.

the audiobook was amazing!!! the narration and production was perfect in letting me fully immerse myself in this beautiful story.

thank you so much for the ALC 🥹💛

Thank you Hachette audio for an early ALC of Up Close & Personal. I knew I was going to love this story. A romance centered around a company similar to Peleton; this was a really fun read/listen. I appreciated the open discussion on anxiety and depression. I think it's a really important topic and it was nice to read about it - it was discussed in a positive/hopeful wa.
The narrators were wonderful. Maria Liatis and Kellen Boyle did a wonderful job bringing the main characters of Jo and Silas to life. This audio really hit different in a good way.
This was definitely a slow/slow burn type of romance but I enjoyed the overall story. All of the charaters were likeable and no one was too deplorable, which was nice.
If you are a fan of mental health representation, fitness/health industry, journalism, slow burns with the right amount of comedy, you are sure to love this book as much as I did!

If you are looking for a slooooow burn romance, you’re going to want to read UP CLOSE & PERSONAL by Ana Holguin.

Jo is a rising star in the fitness world, but behind the scenes, she’s battling burnout and self-doubt. When cynical journalist Silas is assigned to profile her, he's ready to expose the cracks… until Jo shatters every assumption he’s made. As tension builds and attraction grows between writer and subject, both are forced to confront their true feelings.

Both narrators deliver strong, well-paced performances that perfectly match the characters. Maria Liatis and Kellen Boyle bring Jo and Silas to life, with voices that felt exactly as I imagined. Boyle’s delivery of the overly peppy spin studio assistant was a standout. The character voice was spot-on and hilariously reminiscent of my own SoulCycle experience.

From their first interaction, Jo and Silas’s chemistry simmers throughout this ultra slow burn, forbidden romance (he’s a journalist, she’s his subject!). Beyond the romance, themes addressing mental health are thoughtfully explored, with Jo’s journey through her anxiety and to self-discovery feeling deeply authentic. Silas becomes a steady presence Jo didn’t know she needed, showing up for her in all the right ways. The conflict between the two felt realistic (though at one point his apology teeters on love bomb-y… he quickly course-corrects!) and their reconciliation is heartfelt.

If you’re a sucker like me for yearning, pining, and characters learning to show up for each other, this one’s for you on audio!

Thank you Hachette Audio and Forever for providing this audiobook for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This book had a little bit of it all! This was such a sweet story of two people who both had their own baggage and managed to find one another and learn to love not only each other but themselves!
It was a slow burn but in all the best ways. I usually don't like a slow burn, but this was written so well that I enjoyed it.
I had some trouble with the narrator's voices being similar, but I always figured out what perspective we were in. Dual POV.
Joe & Silas were such a great couple. I loved there is mental health representation and it was done very well.
Characters are well developed. The plot was well done.
I read and listened to this book so fast. Well worth the read!

This book has such a cute premise, a modern update of 27 Dresses set in the world of Peleton like health influencers. I've really been into audiobooks lately and was excited when I got approved for an advanced copy. When I really think about it, 27 Dresses is not a good movie. It was enjoyable fluff, with an uneven plot. I don't remmeber that though and I just remember the taxi scene or the bar scene and love the nostalgia. So, it really ins't surprising i felt similarly about this book. To be fair, I did DNF. It was mostly because the narrators sounded like they were AI, devoid of appropriate emotion. Perhaps I would have liked it better if I read it. But the combination of flat narration and a cheezy story just didn't work for me.

*Received as an ARC Audiobook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review/feedback*

I enjoyed this audiobook sooo much! From the narrators to the story itself, I was hooked from the very beginning. As an avid fan of spin classes myself, this was such a fun read. I thought the storyline was extremely well thought out and the main characters had so much growth and chemistry together. This was definitely a slowww burn but I enjoyed every minute of it. I loved Jo (the FMC)!! She was such an interesting character and I loved how there were hints of her backstory and her struggles throughout - just enough to keep the reader interested. I also really enjoyed Silas' character - I found him very relatable and he arguably had the most growth in this entire book. Together, Jo and Silas were the best unlikely match-up I've ever seen.

I also want to mention how incredible the narration was for this book. I will say at first I wasn't sold on the FMC narration, but she definitely grew on me and by the end I felt like she hit her stride and truly embodied Jo's personality. The narrator for the MMC was equally as incredible and both together really brought these characters to life!

The narrators do a great job bringing this story to life—leaning into all elements from the responsibility of the anxiety/depression rep to the steamier moments too. Really well done! I blew through it.

ana holguin mi reina cómo me encanta este libroooo!!!!

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this audiobook was OUTSTANDING. maria liatis and kellen boyle were incredible narrators for this. this is probably my favorite audiobook i’ve ever listened to. the voices had such good inflection and matched ever scene perfectly. i was engaged from start to finish and didn’t want it to end. 10/10 audio experience!!!
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FIRST and foremost i want to highlight the mental health representation in this book. ana deserves all the flowers on this end because this book offers such a raw and insightful perspective on anxiety and depression. i myself have generalized anxiety disorder and while it isn’t to the extent that jo has it, there were many scenes where i felt so seen and understood. anxiety is such a difficult disorder to endure and even harder to explain. people who don’t have it often cannot fully understand, so to see myself jn this way in a character is really special for me. and as much as jo’s battle is highlighted, so is silas’ with depression. it’s something he’s worked hard to manage for the entirety of his adulthood. both jo and silas are in therapy and i love to see it painted in such a positive light. therapy is one of the best things that ever happened to me and i am so happy we are continuing to open up this conversation and eliminate the stigma.

second, i want to talk about how much i adore these characters. jo is a BADASS spin instructor who has worked so hard to be where she is today. she conquers her fears every day to inspire thousands of people and i admire her so much. i loved her relationship with serena and amber and had so much fun with her from the start. silas is my emotional king who is misunderstood. from the beginning, even when he comes off as a little bit cold and cynical, i knew i would love him. that man was head over heels for my girl jo from day one. she flipped his perspective with just one class and had him not only turning his article into a positive piece, she had him wanting to be around her. he is extremely compassionate — he cared so much for jo, not just at a surface level but for her career, her health, and her general well being.

i truly enjoyed everything about this book. this is an outstanding debut for ana holguin and i cannot wait to read more from her in the future. thank you forever for the advanced copy!!!

Thank you to Hachette audio for the review copy! Up Close & Personal is a great romance read for anyone looking for a plot that is more than the romance and one that leans into self growth and themes on anxiety/pressure and perhaps wanting to be seen for more than one part "thing" *that thing here being a prominent fitness instructor/somewhat reluctant influencer enduring a lot of behind the scenes strain and a reporter who wants to be more than the writer who hates everything (these themes worked for me in terms of reminding me that everyone has more to their identity that we know or see). I also thought examining the fitness world was important as it seems at times that can really get out of hand with kind of cult like mentalities and engagement so exploring the instructor side was a welcome character emphasis.

A few notes that held back my 100% loved it review: The pacing was a little slow for me at times and yet I also wanted more of a background to each character before the main plot began, I didn't feel I had a strong sense of who Jo and SIlas really were, especially Jo and her mental health struggles and I think setting that up first, perhaps with an epilogue, would have lead to a faster and more immediate understanding of her character. The relationship development was engaging as well but also felt a little rushed and slow at the same time, rushed in that they meet and there seems to be an immediate attraction (which doesn't always work for me it it's not well explained) but then it's a slow less than banter filled romance, I like banter and slow burn tension and that wasn't quite there.

A rom com with mental health representation! I absolutely loved watching the mfc peel back layers. I loved that we didn't get all of her in one go but in this natural flow and we could see her slowly getting more comfortable.

However this book was a miss for me. It's a super slow burn for rom com. We Know they both like each other but no one acts or speaks on it for over 60% of the book. In the meantime I couldn't quite connect to their romance and everything in the end just seemed wrapped up so nicely. I also would have loved more descriptions on the characters so I could paint that picture.

Overall I ended up a bit bored and disconnected.

Up Close & Personal is a fun and lighthearted romance with a touch of emotional depth. While the story brings plenty of charm and cheesy romance, it also touches on serious topics like depression, adding a layer of realism. It didn’t completely wow me, but it was still an enjoyable read. If you love sweet, feel-good romances with a bit of heart, this one is worth checking out!

Thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the advanced audio book.

When Jo, a celebrity spin teacher, meets Silas, a culture magazine writer, they strike up a deal: he'll start attending her spin classes and interview her with the hopes that she can turn him from being a hater of this "spin culture" to understanding why she's become famous because of it.

The premise of UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL started out very cute, and I appreciated that Jo was a complex character (dealing with anxiety from social media interactions when she first became famous), but the conflict at the heart of the story--the why this couple will eventually have to break up--which is that Silas used his connection to his college roommate (who is engaged to one of Jo's best friends) to gain access to her, didn't stand up for me. Silas acts as though he can't share any of this information with anyone because it would end his friendship, but it was Jo who suggested that he interview her, which made the conflict no longer a real conflict and took all of the air out of the story.

Strong writing but I couldn't stick with it because of the lack of conflict.