Sweet Cheeks

By: K. Bromberg

Narrated by: Andi Arndt, Sebastian York

Length: 10 hrs and 44 mins

Publisher's summary

It all started with the invitation. To my ex-fiance's new wedding.

I should have ignored it. Thrown it away. Set it afire. But I didn't. I replied.

With a plus one.

Enter Hayes Whitley. Mega-movie star. The man who has captured the hearts of millions. But I gave him mine years ago. He was my first love. He was my everything. Right until he up and left to chase his dreams without so much as a simple goodbye.

When he showed up out of the blue 10 years later, I should have known to steer clear. I should have rejected his offer to take me to my ex's wedding and told him he was crazy when he suggested we act like a couple to show my ex, it's true, I could do better than him.

But I didn't.

And now we're left wondering if the pieces of the life we once shared still fit together somehow. First loves are hard to forget. The question is, do we want to forget? Or do we risk the chance and see what happens next?

©2016 K. Bromberg (P)2016 K. Bromberg

I gave this audiobook an A-/B+ 4 narration/story!

I gave this audiobook an A- for the narration and a B+ for the story at AudioGals.

Narration by Andi Arndt and Sebastian York

Sweet Cheeks gives a unique spin to a story that romance listeners have no doubt heard before: the second chance at love trope. The interesting twist is that Ms. Bromberg splices and dices this trope with a couple of other contemporary romance tropes (the movie star with a small town girl and the jealousy inspiring “plus one” date to the former fiancée’s wedding to another woman) and adds her own clever touches (grudge cupcakes and Hollywood antics) to make the story sound fresh and new. Further complimenting this fun, romantic tale is the splendid dual narration by Andi Arndt and Sebastian York.

Saylor Rodgers recently broke up with her fiancé whom she dated for a number of years but never felt a close connection to. Now she is single and dealing with a struggling cupcake business that she runs along with her brother. With her ex’s deep roots to the small California town they live in, it seems that post break-up, all her former friends have sided with her ex-fiancé and his country-club mom, and will not dare set a toe in her bakery shop for fear of the social backlash.

Meanwhile, as if this weren’t enough to deal with, Saylor also receives an invitation to her former fiancé’s wedding – a near carbon copy event to the one she and he had been planning (even at the same resort destination), except now it’s to another woman who could be her twin. What’s a girl to do? While contemplating the answer, the response gets inadvertently mailed (with a “plus one” designation) and her brother insists that the solution to the whole mess – including ameliorating their present black list status among their town’s socialites – is for Saylor to attend the wedding with a man who commands even more social/star power than her ex. Now who could that possibly be? Fortunately for Saylor, her brother knows just the man: his best friend, Hayes Whitley, who is now a huge movie star. Only one catch with this agenda – Hayes broke Saylor’s heart a long time ago when he left without a word to pursue his dreams. Can the man who broke her heart so many years ago possibly be the answer to her present calamity, never mind lead to a HEA?

So ensues a series of comical and heat-filled events that include a Hollywood diva who doesn’t take well to Hayes escorting Saylor to the wedding, a small town gossip lover’s dream as wedding guests become privy to the social event of the year, and then a protracted social media battle in which “grudge cupcakes” and their healing powers become the latest and most fashionable trend!

See the full review at AudioGals.

Wow!!! Don't miss out on a great book!

I love a book that can bring out all emotions from happy to sad and a bit of sass. Great job K Bromberg, you brought your A game.

Less Internal Dialogue

I listened to the audio version of this book. The narration was great. I think I would have enjoyed it even more of Sebastian York had been reading ALL of the male dialogue, and Andi Arndt had been reading ALL of the female dialogue.

A few times I was startled when at the end of Saylor's chapter Hayes had been speaking. Then Hayes chapter would have Hayes' dialogue at the beginning, but there was a deep male voice being Hayes.

The storyline was good. I think I'm a bit more vindictive as I would have insisted Jenna's performance be done in front of the press. I did wish there had been more of Hayes and Saylor communicating, and less of their internal dialogue.

The whole situation with Saylor's ex and his new bride was surreal. Who would step into someone's shoes like that? Was she that desperate?

Hayes would have had to do more explaining about both 10 years ago and the situation with Jenna before I would have gone anywhere with him.

This was a sweet, steamy second chance romance with a really entertaining last 1/3rd of the book that leads to an HEA. So glad it was part of Audible Escapes catalogue.

Sweet second chance story

I love second chance stories and overall I really enjoyed this one. There were a few things that stopped me from giving it five stars.

What I liked- I really enjoyed Andi Arndt and Sebastian York’s performance. I’ve listened to quite a few books lately that Sebastian has narrated but this was my first one with Andi Arndt and i really enjoyed both of their voices. I also enjoyed the witty banter and communication via social media between Hays and Saylor. The supporting characters in the story added a lot to the story. I’m going to have to research this author to see if Rider or Dee get their own story.

The things I didn’t like- spoiler alert—

The biggest issue I had was Hay’s reason for leaving without any communication to Saylor about leaving. I 100% don’t have a problem with him leaving to chase his dreams but it seems so out of character for him to leave and not say anything to Saylor. And then to stay gone and with zero communication for 10 yr seemed weird to me and I struggled putting that Hays with the genuine, caring guy I felt like he was from the moment he arrived at the bakery. I mean he struggled with not telling Saylor right away that Rider had called him and asked him to come home to help her. I honestly figured that blow up would be the beginning of the trouble for Hays and Saylor. I was pleasantly surprised when that situation was handled so maturely. But I continued to struggle with how quickly Saylor just got over the fact Hays left and never said one word to her for 10 years. He came back to town, spoke to her brother and his mother but not her. And supposedly he was head over heels in love with her and it was so hard for him to leave. Clearly I’m still having a very hard time with one point of the story!

Overall I really enjoyed this story and would recommend it to others that enjoy romances and particularly second chance novels.

AWESOME LISTEN

I listen to audible books while I carry mail. And I just wanted to thank you for helping me escape reality with all your wonderful stories!!!

"Just one more kiss"

4.5 Stars! I love a good second chance romance, and boy did Bromberg do this one well! Hayes and Saylor was just a perfect couple! I love the determination in everything that Saylor did. I love her relationship with her brother. I love how the were childhood sweetheart and found their way back to each other. Bromberg was great in making you feel their story. She grabbed your attention and did not let it go until the book was done! Well done on another great story!

This narrating combo is always great!!!

Andi Arndt and Sebastian York never disappoint. K. Bromberg gives them a great story to work with. Can we have a second book with Ryder finding someone?

Hayes Whitley....sigh

I loved this book! Excellent choice in narrators, a good adult story, no jumping to a ton of conclusions and all around enjoyable read.

first love

loved it!!! perfect love story. can't beat first loves boy meets girl. girl loves boy.

Oh Yeah, Sweet & Sexy!

This book had me from the start! I mean I couldn't resist the fact that Sailor's ex sent her an invitation to his wedding that is occurring less than a year after she walked away from him. So in a moment of weakness Sailor fills out the RSVP card and her assistant sends it back by accident. Hayes is Sailor's brother's BFF who she had a crush on from childhood. Hayes left on a whim to pursue his dreams of becoming an actor when he gets a big break not returning to his childhood town. Sailor needs a date for her ex's wedding to prove a point and Hayes offers to help out. While Sailor and Hayes are radio silent during the wedding events, things at home blow up things are also heating up between these two. Sailor and Hayes banter was funny, sweet, a little angsty, and lots of sexy fun!

This specific video review will be included in the November 2018 wrap-up.

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