The Feel Good Factor

By: Lauren Blakely

Narrated by: Joe Arden, Erin Mallon

Length: 7 hrs and 2 mins

Publisher's Summary

That irresistible, tattooed hottie who’s been flirting hard with me since he rode into town? The one who kissed me senseless in the back of a waffle truck the other day? Yeah, turns out he’s my new housemate.... 

Things I don’t need while up for a promotion to police sergeant - a roomie who makes me think criminal thoughts.   

Can I arrest him for being too good-looking?   

But I soon learn Derek is strong, caring, generous, good with kids, and kind to puppies...and might be able to help me with my promotion, which gives me an idea....   

A no-strings-attached fling with the fiery redhead who revs my engine? Why, yes, that does sound like a delicious perk of my new job in this new town.   

Except, it turns out Perri’s my sexy, sassy landlord.   

When she comes to me with an out-of-left-field proposition, resisting her is going to take more than handcuffs.  

©2019 Lauren Blakely (P)2019 Lauren Blakely Books

✫✫ 5 Stars ✫✫

The name of this book describes exactly how Lauren Blakely books make me feel, as always I am left smiling with a happy heart. I describe her books as "Feel Good" books.

In this book we are back in Lucky Falls with Arden's friend Perri. I love when you start a book and feel like you already know every one! Perri and Derek have mad chemistry from the very first time they meet. I loved that they are 100% each other's types and both have something the other needs. Perri is a Cop with goals and I thought she was going to protest too much since she was very concerned about her job but thankfully she is a tough women who can handle anything that comes her way. I think what I loved most about her is that when she is upset, she lets herself feel it then puts on her big girl panties and does the right thing. Derek IS my ultimate book boyfriend type! He looks like a hot & tatted bad boy but really he is a huge softy for kids, his family and spends his life helping others! I mean he's an EMT! How could you want more!
Together these two tow the line a little but it doesn't last long, why deny yourself something you want and deserve in your life. The ending was sweet and melted my heart a little.

Lauren Blakey is the queen of quirky characters but in this book I didn't find either of them to be quirky at all, they were very relate-able for me. I enjoyed that change very much. This one felt like it was more about the connection, chemistry and happiness which is exactly what I loved about it.

The narration of course was PERFECT! But I expect nothing less from LB or these narrators. Erin Mallon is ALWAYS a big win for me and let me tell you, listening to her do animal sounds in this one had me cracking up! Joe Arden is also great, he really is good at bossy "in the bedroom" men and in this book he nailed it!

At the end of this Audiobook, we get a BONUS with the STRONG Suit! This is a novella about Ginny and Noah from Birthday Suit! YES....The book with Erin Mallon and the Australian accent and Joe Arden as Noah the very high strong guy who is totally into Ginny (and maybe addicted to 5 hour Energy drinks LOL). This was so much fun! I loved these characters in Birthday Suit so much so I was beyond excited when LB gave us a sneak peak into their story. It was everything I wanted it to be except long enough ;)

Feel Good Listen

Lauren Blakely has done it again. I love how I feel listening to her books, and the Feel Good Factor does not disappoint. Love how she writes a friends with benefits that develop to more. The humor in the book is so much fun. I love the characters in this book with their banter and attraction. Perri and Derek have great chemistry, and the friends of Arden, Vanessa add to the book. Joe Arden and Erin Mallon also have incredible chemistry narrating this book. They have a connection that brings the characters to life. I was smiling while listening to this book, and felt like I was with friends.

Didn’t finish

I was really looking forward to this read but it bored me straight out of the gate. I stuck with it because the male narrator is good. However-uh when Erin Mallon-uh started narrating-uh I just couldn’t keep going-uh. I might’ve been able to get through it otherwise but her narration is too distracting and grating.

Call the Fire Department

Your gonna need both the fire department and ambulance while listening to this book,so hot and spicy you’ll either self combust or have a heat stroke.Gabe and Ardens story was sweet,frustrating, but sexy...Perry and Dereks story is like doing the ghost chilli pepper challenge.Those two have fireworks right off the getty-up,they let eachother know right away there’s chemistry between them.Erin and Joe are great as usual doing the narration.Too bad though they couldn’t get them to narrate as a duet in tandem with eachother,but always great listening to their narration along with a great story line written by Lauren who in my opinion has some of the sexiest books out there.Can’t wait to hear Shaw and Vanessa’s story. Voyeurism without the guilt and jail cell.

Lots of sexy

Joe and Erin make this couple soar into your imagination... it’s a must for future replay of the best sex scenes! Reminds me of Clay and Julia... Lauren you’re one of my top authors for just that reason.

It's OK

Normally I love Lauren Blakely. Her dialogue is sassy, her characters are fun, she avoids bitchy ex's, manipulative parents, and whiny kids. Her heroes and heroines are sexy and caring people.. But her last few efforts have felt phoned in to me. I was so dazzled by Wanderlust a couple of years ago, and nothing since has lived up to that.

In this case, there's a lady cop and a tatted up EMT who feel an instant attraction. They end up as housemates, and they plan to enter a kissing contest. There is the girlfriend posse that is fairly standard in her books, and the guy has a sister he confides in. Things heat up for the housemates, of course, and then they start having feelings. You can imagine the rest, I'm sure.

There is very little that is original here, and the characters and dialogue just fell flat, in my opinion.

Dear Lauren, you need to start re-imagining your books. You've been an auto-buy for a long time, but not so much now. And PLEASE stop using Erin Mallon as your female voice. Her delivery is so affected, with way too much drama and breathy-ness. I have put up with her from time to time, but my tolerance for her is extremely limited. I doubt I'll be purchasing any more of your books that feature her, especially after this one. Joe Arden is pretty good in this book, but he's not 'onstage' as much as I like the male lead to be. Why not write a novel told exclusively from the male POV? Get Joe or Zachary Webber to narrate...I'd get that in a heartbeat!!

Ok, now that I've vented, I think most of you will probably think this is an ok effort. (For me It was barely ok, but I was hoping for so much more.) It follows the tropes and the formulas, There are no surprises, but it's not tragic or melodramatic in any way. It's a happy book, it not an especially witty one.

Love Love!

Love this book so hard you guys! Lauren Blakely is a feel good romance queen! Perri is a spit fire and Derek was the perfect match for her! He did not relent and it was such a fun ride! The narration is perfection! Erin and Joe together are hot as helllll! I love them so much. SO worth the credit!!

Need More Stars

Another five-star read/listen from Lauren Blakely. Absolutely swoon-worthy,. Who wouldn't want a Derek if their own?

I Love You Madly & Always

Overall 4.5 stars
Performance 5 stars
Story 4 stars

The Feel Good Factor was a cute friends with benefits/roommates to lovers romcom. It had all the things I love about Lauren Blakely's books - a sexy and swoony hero, a strong and intelligent heroine, fantastic secondary characters, and a story that just makes my heart happy. I really loved the banter and push and pull between Perri and Derek. They have instalust right away, but the real chemistry occurred when they got to know each other beyond the physical. Derek was such a teddy bear with his nieces and nephew. I loved seeing that softer and gentler side to him. I did not blame Perri one bit for her ovaries exploding at the sight of Derek in full "dad mode". LOL

One of my favorite parts of the story was the friendship between Perri, Arden, and Vanessa. I loved how supportive, understanding, and loyal they were to each other. It's clear that these ladies would do anything and everything for their friends and I appreciated that Lauren Blakely took time to highlight this special relationship. It also helped to set up the next book/novella featuring Perri's brother, Shaw, and her BFF, Vanessa. I did find the story fairly predictable, but the conflict Perri and Derek faced at the end felt true to their characters and their experiences. Plus, it set the stage for an epic romcom style finale. The epilogues will have you grinning ear to ear and Lauren Blakely fans are sure to enjoy this newest addition!

Joe Arden and Erin Mallon were fantastic as always! This duo is so hilarious together and their voices complement each other well. Joe Arden was perfect as cocky (but really a giant teddy bear inside) Derek. He is playful and sexy, but oh so sweet! Arden's narration of the final epilogue was so heartfelt and filled with so much emotion that I teared up. The audiobook also includes a bonus novella called Strong Suit. It features Ginny and Noah, who fans of Blakely may remember from The Birthday Suit. Mallon's Australian accent is so much fun and Arden's hyperactive performance as Noah had me laughing out loud! I loved the preview of Nobody Does It Better too, and can't wait for Vanessa and Shaw's story!

Better Lovers than Roommates

A cop and a paramedic walk into a food truck, sounds like a joke but this romance is no joke and these two souls find that their no relationship pack just blew up in their faces and not is it good. Love the characters and the narrators.

A story to get lost in

I don’t think I’ve read or listened to a Lauren Blakely book that I haven’t loved, and The Feel Good Factor featuring paramedic Derek, and police woman Perri is up there with the best of them. Add in Joe Arden’s wonderful rasp, and I was a gonner. The story is fun, flirty, sexy and very romantic. Neither Perri or Derek hide their feelings from each other. They are just very good at self control, oh, and teasing, they’re so good at teasing each other. So when they end up sharing an apartment together they are determined not to let it affect their newfound friendship, even with a kissing contest looming on the horizon. Two wonderful characters. Derek is a true gem, he’s like the perfect book boyfriend, a great personality with the looks and sex appeal (and a dirty mouth) to go with them. What a super easy, extremely sexy read that I totally got lost in.

Excellent

I really enjoyed listening to the book and it was read by two of my favourite narrator's Joe Arden and Erin Mallon.

Blakely, Arden AND Mallon, where do I sign up???

Well folks, I'm not quite sure how she does it, but she has done it again!

How this woman sleeps in between writing so many books I have no idea, but each one keeps getting better and better.

This book definitely had the 'Feel Good Factor' I was grinning like a Cheshire cat the whole time, also blushing like a nun, as wholly hell Lauren Blakely is a wild cat with her love scenes!

We get to meet Derek and Perri in this story, there are sparks from the off as Perri is a cop and pulls Derek over, with her fiery red hair and sexy uniform, Derek is ga-ga.

What turns out to be a 'meet cute' also turns out to be a steamy no-strings attached kind of thing, until Derek rents a room in Perri's house!

Narration is by the always perfect couple, Erin Mallon and Joe Arden.
They are a narration delight, the bounce off of each other brilliantly, and the steam....oh my goodness, the steam, I had to make sure my phone didn't spontaneously combust!