Book Smart Kate

Book: 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫 Audiobook performance: 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫 Spice: 🌶️

by Jamie Harrow (Sept 24, 2024) – Many thanks to @prhaudio and @duttonbooks for the free audiobook! #prhaudioinfluencer Below is my honest review of this fantastic debut novel!

Annie returns to her alma mater eight years after graduation, taking on a role as the videographer for the school’s basketball team—a position she revolutionized during her student days. She’s excited about the job, but her former coworker, Ben, still on staff with the Ardwyn Tigers, isn’t so thrilled to see her. Their once-easy camaraderie has turned frosty, with Ben holding a lingering grudge over Annie leaving her student position years ago. As the Tigers mount an unexpected run toward the NCAA championship, Annie and Ben’s workplace rivalry begins to thaw, revealing that perhaps neither fully understood the other’s true motives—both in the past and in the present. Beneath the tension, a slow-burn attraction simmers, and despite their best efforts to push it aside, it eventually becomes undeniable.

There is so much to love about One on One! It’s not just a fun rivals-to-lovers workplace romance but also a sharp commentary on the pressures of college athletics, the realities of sexism in the workplace, and a spot-on critique of reality TV shows like *The Bachelor* and *Love Island*. Annie and Ben are well-rounded, deeply relatable characters, and their friends are just as compelling. Their unique histories, friendships, and evolving perceptions of each other make their relationship transformation feel natural and heartfelt. From thermostat wars and bets on a Bachelor-style show to long, late-night walks home, their rivalry gradually shifts into a friendship that blossoms into an adorably tender and awkward romance. Harrow expertly weaves in moments of hidden truths coming to light, with a satisfying resolution that leaves you cheering for the characters’ personal growth.

The audiobook narration by Kyla Garcia is so immersive that I initially thought it was a duet! Her performance adds depth to both Ben and Annie’s characters, bringing the story to life in a truly captivating way. Brava!

Are you a sports fan? What are your sports, who are your teams?