Strictly Business

A BBW Romantic Comedy

By: Andrea Smith

Narrated by: Alexander Cendese

Length: 4 hrs and 29 mins

Publisher's summary

Brant Taylor has no plans to settle down anytime soon.

He's on the fast-track at his father's company, Taylor Toys, and has plans to one day be the President and CEO. Brant's social calendar is overflowing with possibilities. As the Plant Manager, he is tasked with selecting the candidates for the summer intern program for college students who may want a future with the company. But when Brant is forced to hire his younger sister and her friend for the program, his extracurricular activities are curtailed due to their antics, which seriously push his limit, and he’s none too happy about it.

His sister’s best friend, Delilah Mayfield, (who he nicknamed "Pudge" as a kid) has always had a mouth on her, for as long as he can remember. But her attitude isn’t the only thing that has developed over the past few years, and Brant has taken notice. Typically, she is nowhere near the type of girl to pose a distraction for Brant—he prefers them svelte and sweet, and Delilah is neither of those things—she’s so much more.

Still, he finds she’s a distraction he just doesn’t need. Will Brant be able to ignore his attraction to his little sister’s best friend, or will his job suffer?

©2023 Andrea Smith (P)2023 Andrea Smith

Fabulously Entertaining! Terrific Story & Listen🎧

This delightfully entertaining romantic comedy is a best friend’s older brother workplace romance. The story is original with interesting storylines that hooked me in right from the start, grabbing my attention and holding it captive the entire time. Brant Taylor’s focus is on his career and he does not have time for meaningful or long-term relationships. He is aiming to become the President and CEO of Taylor Toys, his father’s company, which he wants to take over. He is currently working on a secret project, a product that will expand the business, because he knows there is a market for them. Currently, he is the manager of the plant which is a cross from the corporate offices. Every summer they get interns from the local college to work for experience and earn credits for school. And just his luck, his sister was going to be one of those interns and next to her was her best friend Delilah Mayfield, the girl he named “Pudge” when she was a kid. She is no longer that pudgy kid, she had grown into an attractive beauty, but she still had that smart aleck mouth. He knew there would be trouble if she and his sister were paired together, so he kept them as far from each other as he could, but even that was not enough. Delilah always had a crush on Brant, but she was just his little sister’s friend and, by the look of the girls he was usually seen with, not his type. But something changes and the more he sees her the more interested he becomes, but Brant does not have time for that and has enough going on at work.  I loved how everything played out in this book, the writing, potting, and world building are fantastic, as are the character growth and development. This book has the perfect balance of drama, humor, witty dialogue that is brilliant, heartfelt emotions and a slow burn, but so worth the wait romance. Andrea Smith, thank you for another fabulous story, the laughs and the emotional rollercoaster ride.

🎧📚🎧And for the fabulous narration, Alexander Cendese is a talented narrator and a versatile voice artist. He does an amazing job bringing these characters to life and does so with a complete understanding of who they are, giving each their own distinct voice and personality, making it easy to follow and tell who is who. Cendese is a natural in every role he plays, as if the roles were made just for him. He sets the perfect tone for the story, handles the witty dialogue and back-and-forth dialogue with ease and lands the humor effortlessly. You can hear how much heart he puts into his work as he captures all the characters’ emotions and projects them into his performance, having you feel every single one.  This entertaining storyteller is a pleasure to listen to and his narration enhances the already great story to another level.  Alexander Cendese, thank you for another wonderful listen. 

Somewhat Spicy Workplace RomCom

I was entertained by this slightly naughty romantic comedy. Brant Taylor liked his women to be svelte. Delilah Mayfield was curvy and very much the opposite of the type of women that Brant dated. Delilah was accepted into Brant's father's company's summer intern program, and due to some unexpected events Brant found himself seeing Delilah in a new light. The story was cute. The characters were fun. Alexander Cendese's narration was great, and his performance added to my enjoyment of the story. I was given a free copy of the audiobook, and I have voluntarily posted this review.

entertaining

This story is fun, quirky, campy, a workplace romance.
Delilah is a curvy strong woman, with a personality to match. She had a crush on her best friend, Brooke's brother -Brant, since she was 12.
Now Delilah and Brooke are working as interns at Brooke's family toy company.
It's A lighthearted comedy , with sexual innuendos and mishaps along the way, to make this an enjoyable story.
Alexander Cendese is a wonderful storyteller. He brings joy and delight to this story.

so funny! highly recommend!

Strictly Business kept me laughing throughout. The narrators did a wonderful job of portraying the characters perfectly. Brant Taylor had a lot to learn, and surprisingly, he learned it from "Pudge", err... I mean Delilah! hilarious!

Fun Entertaining Story!

Ha Ha! What a fun entertaining story! This is written in not one but TWO of my favorite genres!! One is little sister‘s best friend and the other is office romances. Not only do we get a captivating story between the two main characters but we also get to see the wonderful camaraderie between the two best friends. The story thrilled me with its originality and it made me laugh and smile quite a few times while listening.

I listened to this on audio. Alexander Cendese does a great job! I am continually amazed at all the different voices he can do.

Fantastic & fun!💜

I really enjoyed this book. The characters were so much fun and very relatable, particularly if you’ve ever had a childhood crush.
The camaraderie between best friends, and the brother/sister relationship were reminiscent of my own family and best friend.
I love a great curvy woman romance.
The narration was fantastic. Alexander Cendese is one of my all time favorite narrators even if his female voice isn’t my favorite. His enthusiasm and timing is brilliant.
This is a standalone with an HEA.
I recommend this book.

Sisters Spotlight 💜

Loved it

I just listened to this audiobook and it was a delightful and humorous experience. The story, centered around Brant Taylor and Delilah Mayfield, unfolds in a workplace setting and explores themes of romance and personal transformation. Brant, initially dismissive of Delilah due to her curviness, undergoes a significant change in perspective, adding depth to the story.

The narration by Alexander Cendese is outstanding, bringing vibrancy to each character and enhancing the overall listening experience. His ability to capture the essence of each character, from Brant’s initial arrogance to Delilah’s spirited personality, makes the story engaging and relatable.

What makes this book stand out is its blend of comedy and romance, creating an enjoyable balance that keeps the listener entertained throughout. The audiobook format, with its expressive narration, adds an extra layer of enjoyment, making the characters’ interactions and the narrative more dynamic.

Overall, this is an excellent choice for anyone looking for a lighthearted romantic comedy. The story is well-crafted, the characters are likable and well-developed, and the narration is top-notch. Whether you’re a fan of romances, workplace romances, or just enjoy a good romantic comedy, this audiobook is definitely worth a listen.

A Curvy Girl Workplace Romance

Strictly Business by Andrea Smith is a curvy girl workplace romance that I listened to on audio narrated by Alexander Cendese.

I really enjoyed the relationship that bloomed between Brant and Deliah. I liked that we got both of their points of views throughout the book. It really brought the story to life.

Alexander did a great job on the narration. I look forward to listening to more of his work in the future.

I would recommend this book if you're looking for a curvy girl romance, workplace romance, forbidden romance, or contemporary romance.

Wonderful!

This kept me laughing through the whole story. I really enjoyed it! I wish I could give it more stars. The narrator was very good. Alexander made it fun.

Dipping in the Company Ink

Brant Taylor is... way too full of himself and undoubtedly led around by his... 🤫🍆 Delilah "Lila" Mayfield, or "Pudge" as he calls her (a nickname carried over from childhood), is a bit of a hot mess and her BFF, Brooke, doesn't do her any favors.

It's sometimes comical, but I was honestly unimpressed. Things got better in the second half, and it ended up a decent listen. Will I listen again? Probably not.

I received an author's copy of the audio book. The narrator is Alexander Cendese. I like him fine for male characters (and I enjoy his British accent), but not so much for females. They come across whiny. Sure, sometimes whining is what's happening, but not all of the time. 🤨

Story: 3 stars
Narration: 3 stars
Listening Speed: 1.5x

H - 26; h - 22