Many thanks to NetGalley, Audio ARC provided by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op and the author for the ALC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This one was so much better than the Makeup Girl. Even then everything was too quick yet not really?? It was a ONS?? but wasn't. Like I did like how organically everything came together yet it felt too weird? artificial? I don't know how to explain it I guess.

So Bella works as a social media marketing manager and meets Joe properly when she orders pizza for her friend and he comes to deliver it. But it turns out that Joe had already seen her and was attracted to her and was sad he didn't know who she was?

I was so annoyed at Bella for the way she was getting frustrated st Joe?? like Girl you know what is going on - seriously.... Anyways I was also annoyed at Joe for how taken for granted he was taking the whole scene to be??

The narrators were good at the characters, even though the accents sort of went in and out.

I wanted to like this book so much. The blurb was cute and grabbed my attention, but I had to force myself to finish listening. The narrators, Dan Hoskin and AJ Wilder, did an amazing job with what they had to work with and were honestly the best part of this experience.

The premise had real potential. Bella works at an ad agency where she’s unhappy, and she meets Joe, a charming pizza shop owner. What she doesn’t know is that he’s actually a billionaire. They bond after his father passes away, and she shares her experience with her mom being ill. I liked the connection there, but the relationship moved way too fast.

There were weird moments of self-doubt and a lack of communication that just didn’t feel natural. The story felt rushed, and the way their families were introduced didn’t flow. While I did enjoy the idea of Bella and Joe falling quickly, it didn’t feel heartwarming. It felt more like something was missing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for allowing me the chance to listen to this advance listener copy.

"The Pizza Man" by Eddy Twice is a fast-paced, quirky rom-com that gives us a lot to laugh about. The story follows a woman working in advertising who crosses paths with a pizza shop owner—who, surprise!—turns out to be the son of a billionaire (but we don’t find that out until later).

The MMC is adorably odd in the best way, and the banter had me literally laughing out loud at times. It’s got that full-circle rom-com energy that makes it feel like a cozy movie, and the side characters really brought some extra flavor. I listened to this one on audio and thought both narrators did a great job capturing the fun, flirty tone.

That said, a few things didn’t quite land for me. The plot moved very quickly and I found myself wanting more time for the relationship and story to build. And while there was one hilariously awkward scene that made me laugh, the choice to make the FMC a 30-year-old virgin felt unnecessary and out of place overall.

More concerning was a subplot that vaguely hinted at a sexual harassment dynamic between the FMC and a business associate, which was never addressed or resolved. It felt tossed in and left hanging, which pulled focus in a story that was otherwise focused on humor perfectly mixed with emotional moments. While the book keeps a rom-com tone, there are some deeper threads, like the MMC’s father passing and the FMC’s mother being ill, that add emotional weight, even if they aren’t the main focus.

Still, if you're in the mood for something quirky, fast-paced, and full of personality, I recommend this book.

This is why I don't give a lot of thought to reviews before I read a book. I enjoyed this one a lot and I am really glad to have read it.

There are a lot of edits missing, clearly marked parts where the narrator indicated a repeat to get it right but both versions are left in. The first couple times I thought I was losing my mind. haha It was still great narration!!!

2.5

⚠️ no content warnings on audio - death of a parent

Unfortunately this one just didn't work for me. I am glad I had the audio but I really struggled with it. The timelines constantly confused me and there were many times I just couldn't connect. There were so many very very short chapters. So many tropes shoved into such a short book.

This one just wasn't for me but I'm sure it's for someone! It was also labeled erotic on netgalley and it is far from that. It has open door spicy scenes but minimal.

thank you for this ALC

I would have enjoyed this book much more had I opted for a Kindle version. Unfortunately, I found the dual narration to be lacking; it came across more like AI than a human voice. I found this irritating.

Joe notices Bella when she comes into his pizza shop. They meet up again when Bella's advertising company does a job for him. He is dressed as a pizza. The premise of this book sounds good, but to be honest, it just jumped around way too much for me, and I wasn't invested in the characters enough to concentrate.

If you're looking for a short, funny contemporary romance, it would be worth picking up.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Feel a little like this was a pizza with all the toppings. Too much going on for me to enjoy. Might give it a second chance but at this moment I just couldn't get into it.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this arc.

The cover and on NetGalley is very different than on Goodreads. The one on NetGalley fits the content of the book a lot better.

This book was an easy read. Bella is overworked, underappreciated. Joe recently opened a pizza shop, and is smitten with Bella from the moment they meet.

Bella has saved herself for "the one", which I find interesting to be mentioned in a book. However her first sexual encounter doesn't really match that claim, so I kinda wonder why it's in there.

Overall, it was a cute read.

Bella is in advertising and meets Joe at work when he is in an ad for his pizza restaurant dressed as pizza. They both have family crises and end up bonding together. (Not sure why the Goodreads summary says her name is Lily--looks like a different book's summary there)

Not really sure what this was, there was a lot of really awkward interactions when they do interact and then all of a sudden they were hooking up. She has a lot of really strange interactions with several men around her to be honest and gets into some really weird situations. Really didn't like the virgin shame, that's real antiquated. She is really immature, he leaves after they hook up for the first time because his dad is dying and she is upset that a few hours later he hasn't texted her...what? She thinks he's ghosting her because it's been a few hours and then he sees him hugging someone at the hospital. Or when she accompanies him to his father's funeral and she's mad he doesn't give her all his attention...seriously?

Audio has some editing errors that were pretty obvious, even with the narrator indicating he messed up and repeating.

Cute, quick read that was light enough to keep me listening, I just didn’t connect with the characters. I wish I had read this and not done audiobook version; the narrators made it hard to listen to. Both of them felt flat, monotone and even robotic at times. I was so distracted by hating their voices, it took away from the book itself. I would not recommend this audiobook.

I went into this expecting a cheesy good time, but unfortunately it was more like cold leftover pizza edible, but not exactly satisfying. The premise had potential (escort mixup? sign me up), but the execution felt halfbaked. The chemistry was more “microwave dinner” than “wood fired romance.”

Also, not enough actual pizza. False advertising.

I struggled with this book and did not finish it. I was bored and could not get invested in the characters. The book is in the erotica genre, but I did not get to any spicy scenes. I am not sure if spice would help as the character interactions seemed very young adult.

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑷𝒊𝒛𝒛𝒂 𝑴𝒂𝒏 by Eddie Twice
⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was such a cute story romance, and I love the secret billionaire trope!! 🤗. I also loved that the characters dealt with real-life-problems.

I think my biggest critique with this book would be the lack of character development. The 2 main characters were a little two-dimensional & unrelatable making it difficult for the reader to connect with them. The characters’ lack of depth, I think, made the narration difficult. There were also a LOT of secondary characters which made it difficult to keep track of everyone and how they fit into the story. (Another thing that really pets my peeves is the use of the sentence:” I could care less.” 😖)

I loved the premise for this novel, and think it had true potential, but overall felt unfinished to me.

Tropes:
*Strangers to Lovers
*Secret Billionaire
*Workplace Romance
*Death of a Parent
*Dual POV
*Mild spice

Thank you NetGalley and Victory Editing Co-Op for my gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

#netgalley #thepizzaman #audioarc #arc #audiobooks #romancestagram #giftedcopy #booksandhappy #bookreview #honestreview

Joe sees Bella one time when she comes into his pizza shop and is smitten. Bella is having some family hardships, and trouble at work. When Joe's world implodes, Bella is there for him. But is it just a fling, or is this something that can last?

It was sort of just... bland. I didn't care about any of the characters, and the story didn't really draw me in at all. They seemed like teenagers going through adult things, and it was annoying often. There were many times where I was just confused at why the character was doing what they were doing or thinking what they were thinking.

The narration was fine. Both narrators did a good job of having different voices for all the characters.
I rated it 1.5/5 stars rounded up to 2. Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing for the advanced listeners' copy!

Thank you to NetGalley, Eddy Twice, and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-Op, for an ALC of this audiobook. This review is my own honest opinion.

The Pizza Man had a bold, chaotic energy and a quirky premise that initially grabbed my attention. I was genuinely curious to see how Bella and Joe’s worlds would collide and whether their chemistry would spark something truly fun or heartfelt.

Unfortunately, the romance didn’t quite hit for me. The connection between the characters felt rushed, and the emotional depth never really settled in. Moments that should have had more weight breezed by, and the pacing made it hard to connect with either Bella or Joe on a deeper level. Their chemistry felt a bit forced, like the story was telling me they were falling in love without really showing why or how.

Listening to the audiobook also made it tougher to engage. The narrators’ performances felt flat and monotone, lacking the inflection and character-driven emotion that might have brought the story to life. I often found my mind wandering, and I honestly think I might’ve liked the book more if I had read it instead of listened to it. I had to really push myself to finish—had it not been an audiobook, I likely would’ve DNF’d.

Will post to Goodreads shortly

Rating: 3/5
Bella is super focused on her work at a marketing agent. She works hard to fund her mother's treatments. Joe is the owner and main chef of Joe's Eatery and the son of a billionaire CEO. They meet serendipitously several times in the book before Joe becomes a client of Bella in an effort to promote his restaurant. Their relationship strengthens and their connection is undeniable.

I thought this was a cute, short love story. It was predictable and it felt rushed. One minute they're on their first date, the next, they're saying "I love you"s. I wish it was a slower burn. However, it was still adorable and a fun listen.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

Short and sweet, this was a perfect mix of heat and heart. The secret billionaire and strangers-to-lovers elements gave off a thrilling, forbidden vibe I really enjoyed. Both characters felt real because of their detailed backstories — they weren’t just typical romantic leads.
Their chemistry grew naturally, and while I wished for a bit more about how their feelings developed, the moments they shared felt genuine and warm. The balance between passionate and tender scenes worked well, keeping me fully engaged.

I liked how the pace allowed emotions to breathe instead of rushing everything. Even with its length, it pulled me in and made me care. This kind of romance, with a touch of mystery, is exactly what I enjoy when I want something fun and satisfying.

Unfortunately this one wasn’t for me. I found it really hard to get into the story, it kept moving around and I didn’t feel like it sat with the important things long enough to give nuance to them. I had to force myself to keep going with it and if it hadn’t been an ALC I would have DNF’d because it felt like a mess written by someone who wasn’t sure how to clean it up.

Thank you to Netgalley for letting me read this in exchange for an honest review.

Joe runs a pizza shop and it is his pride and joy. He becomes a client of Bella, who works at an advertisement agency. Despite the inconveniences of life, they manage to schedule a date together. I wish Bella wouldn't have answered the phone while she was on a date even if it was her best friend trying to get the details of her date. She could've just texted her or responded later.

Joe is such a kind person. He makes pancakes for breakfast before she wakes up. He seems to have a genuine concern and care for Bella. I liked when Bella comforted Joe when he was going through a difficult time with his father. The ending was perfect, I giggled when Joe delivered her pizza personally and they played it off so casually. Thank you to Netgalley, Victory Editing Netgalley Co-Op, and Eddy Twice for an ARC of this audiobook. This review is my own honest opinion.

I’m sorry to say this was not for me. The writing was hard for me to get into and so was the narration. I found it hard to stay focused on the story. The bouncing of the povs also wasn’t my favourite.

I liked Bella though. She was quite relatable