It Seemed like a Good Idea

By: Lauren Blakely

Narrated by: Erin Mallon, J.F. Harding

Performed in duet by Erin Mallon and JF Harding! A spicy and hilarious forbidden small town rom com from #1 New York Times bestselling author Lauren Blakely!

He ghosted me once, now he’s supposed to protect me?

I don’t need a bodyguard—I run a small-town lavender farm, for bee’s sake. But when my identical twin sister lands the movie role of a lifetime that’s being shot in my hometown I get one anyway. And guess which broody, tattooed protector the studio sends to keep the paparazzi off my porch?

Last month’s almost one-night stand. The guy with the wicked mouth and heated eyes who slipped out before the fun even started. But turns out the sexy jerk is excellent at rescuing me from sneaky photographers at the market. Then the coffee shop. I’m trying hard to stay mad after the third time my new bodyguard saves me.

To top it all off, he’s staying in the cottage at my farm. With me. And there’s only one bed.

Maybe if we finally give in and finish what we started, it’ll relieve the tension? But one night quickly turns into another. Then into late-night secrets and soft confessions we shouldn’t say out loud. Especially since he’s leaving and I’m staying, and there’s no way we can be more than a summer romance that ends far too soon.

©2025 Lauren Blakely Books (P)2026 Lauren Blakely Books

Lauren never disappoints!

This is such a sweet low angst story in duet with great narrators! Loved the bodyguard and twin trope! Highly recommend!

4.25 Stars!

I really enjoyed Banks and Ripley's story. From their almost hook up to Banks having to protect her and figuring out their feelings for one another, it was a great ride. I love the tension their almost hook up brings and then being forced with one another all the time. The tropes hit just right and the characters were so enjoyable! Darling Springs is such a cute little town and we get to meet a good new group of characters. I loved the chemistry between Banks and Ripley, especially how they try to poke at one another. I flew through their story quite quickly and I am looking forward to more in this town.

JF Harding 😍

I was so excited for this and was not disappointed at all. Perfect balance of swoony, funny and spicy ❤️

JF HARDING is a god!!!!!

I will listen to anything with JF Harding and he’s great in this! His voice is so playful, flirty and HOT! I’m enjoying the story so far too. The female narrator doesn’t match Hardings intensity. She has an unnatural cadence to her reading that sounds forced; an “announcers voice” not a real person. It’s unfortunate and takes away from the connection between the characters.