A misunderstanding in High School leads to Eli and Charlotte breaking up, leaving them both shattered. Years later, Eli and Charlotte are pitted against each other on Brain Battle, a semi-popular trivia game. Both of them have major financial reasons to go for the all the way for the win, so they're set on destroying one another...that is...until they're placed on a team. Can they battle through their problems and studying together? Or will the battle be more than they can take on?

I was really looking forward to a quirky romance set on a trivia game show. 1. Because I love trivia shows, and 2. I actually like second chance romance. However, this fell a little flat for me. There were a lot of little things that we never got answers to. It was a little darker motivation for the characters, which was fine because I love when a rom-com has some strong reality ties to ground it, however, it was just eh for me.

Another thing was Eli and Charlie as in their thirties with the major pressures of financial debt from certain family members and I felt as if they were still seventeen-year-olds from the way they dealt with a lot of their problems.

Overall, it's a cute read but I don't know if I'd pick it back up again.

My thanks to Netgalley and Alcove Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

The idea of a romance taking place during a game show really intrigued me, but I felt that the characters fell too flat for me to really enjoy the story. Their thoughts and actions felt incredibly juvenile for their age and it was hard to believe that they, in their 30s, could both still be so affected by a high school relationship. Though this wasn’t really my cup of tea, I think that this book can be enjoyable for those who want a quick, emotional, and unique romance.

To be clear, I would have given this book 3.5 stars; as that wasn’t an option, I went ahead and bumped it to 4 stars.

Things I enjoyed about the book:

1. I felt like I was on the game show. My Dad LOVED watching game shows, so it was nice to read about a family who enjoyed watching them together.
2. I loved the bits of trivia that were scattered throughout the book. It helped tie in the game show, and Charlie’s love of random trivia.
3, The ties that both Charlie and Eli felt to their families was admirable. It was great that Charlie never judged Eli’s Dad for going to jail, and Eli never judged Charlie’s family for being ridiculously overbearing.
4, Happy endings are forever my favorite - this one was pretty good!

Things I did not enjoy/wish were different:

1. I felt like we didn’t really get resolution as to why Lucky was hanging around Eli’s Dad. Was it nefarious on the part of Clint or was it just happenstance?
2. I was not a fan of Charlie. I felt like she flip-flopped between being so angry with Eli, to forgiving him, to being super angry with him again, to them ending up together. Like…you haven’t seen the guy in 13 years, run into him on a game show, and then randomly decide to let him live with you for a week? Say what?
3. The reason Eli and Charlie “broke up” was ridiculous. And then to just never talk to each other again? Doesn’t make sense to me.
4. I wish there was more of the snark or angst between Eli and Charlie at the beginning of the book. It felt like they kind of got over it super quickly and then were just attached at the hip almost.

With all that being said, I enjoyed the book. It was an easy read that I was able to finish relatively quickly. Coming off reading a book that was intense and a bit of a mind-stressor, this was a nice palate cleanser. I would definitely read more books by Kelly!

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for letting me read this book in exchange for my honest review.

Big thanks to NetGalley & Alcove Press for providing an ARC for free, in exchange for an honest review.

First and foremost, there are formatting issues with the ebook (I've read it on Pocketbook), so I hope it'll be fixed prior publication.
This is a book about second chance romance between two quiz-nerds and I must say the story is cute, but nothing more in my opinion. I give it a good-hearted 3-star even though to me it's a DNF at ~70%.
Let's see why:

- The concept of the book is interesting and refreshing, but unfortunately I didn't fin myself emotionally invested in any of the characters.
- The story felt too juvenile for two characters (Charlotte & Eli) who are both 30 years old adults. They often acted as if they were still teenagers and the turn of events often felt juvenile too.
It didn't help that Charlotte was quite self-centred which is a very unlikable trait for me. Also she has a one-track-mind and too obsessed over something that happened 12 years ago - and honestly, having in mind that 12 years ago they were teenagers, it's understandable as kids do stupid things all the time, yet she can't seem to let go things.
- Also, both characters' backstory is too depressing. I know it gives the motivation behind their acts and all, but man, I would really take it down a notch, because it was just overwhelming from page to page.
- Eli is a guy yet he somehow feels too introspective, and both Eli and Charlotte are textbook overthinkers which is such a drag after page 100...

- Strangely, I feel like that (Omniscient) Third-Person Narrative would fit better the story, than the dual First-Person Narrative. I think it's because there's more "tell" than "show", and even all the tells are represented as if the characters would make statements which is a bit weird. Why not show the reader all the stuff through situations and memories and nostalgia, etc, than just declaring things? The book is really storytelling-heavy. Readers rather need to explore and put 2 and 2 together on their own, than just telling them what's going on.

- There was repetitiveness, too. I.e. we read about why Eli needs to win the prize, the money and only 2 or 3 pages later we're reminded again with a different wording. Same goes to Charlotte. We get it, we get the motivation, we get the past life happenings, so why rub it under our noses in every x pages all over?

- There are some grammatical errors and lack of end-of-sentence punctuation, together with some accidently left words. i.e. "I will send me you in email", etc. So the book needs more editing.

- Charlotte was often referred to or called as Charlie by Eli, and personally it bothered me, because in my head they are 2 different names. I mean I know that Charlie can be a nickname for Charlotte, but still, the way it was used was distracting to me. Namely, because there was no system or pattern behind when Eli used Charlie and when he used Charlotte. I.e. He called her Charlie for 9 times and then Charlotte on the 10th mention, then got back to Charlie again. And we didn't even get the explanation behind, like why the nickname? Or based on what he calls her Charlie 9 times and then Charlotte seemingly for no reason on the 10th time? No memory, no nothing at all that would help me clear my confusion.

- There was some minor distracting things too, that came from the writing style, or to be more precise from the author's personal decision behind how she writes specific things. Let's take an example so I can make sense of what I mean:
Charlotte explains to the readers what is "Mjölnir" (Thor's hammer), but she doesn't explain what she means by saying "having a Jim-Pam vibe" when sharing her earphone with Eli. Now, personally I'm happen to be a huge The Office tv-show fan, but those who are not might be confused about what the heck is a Jim-Pam vibe. I suggest either explain all these examples throughout the whole book, or explain none of it and trust the reader to look it up if they want to. I mean I'm sure that probably there's more people who are more familiar with the Avengers than with The Office.

- And lastly, just an idea - the book could have started with a quiz show scene or a tense situation so it immediately creates an exciting opening which is full of anticipation and plants lots of questions into the reader's mind so we can be hooked on right away to read more. It would be a great starting point to build up the story and backstories in my opinion. To be frank, the first 2-3 chapters were personally hard and a bit boring to get through, but luckily it got more interesting after that. Too bad the turn of events were not my cup of tea and often too juvenile as I wrote before, that made me lose my interest both in the story and in the characters - so this is why I DNF it at ~70%.

Reviewed for NetGalley:

Charlotte “Charlie” gets a chance at her favorite quiz show and earn money for her ill grandmother, only to find Eli, the man the broke her heart back in high school.

Definitely were some cute moments and cute premise, but found the main characters somewhat lacking.

Really funny, exciting, and different book! I loved the plot and how the author made such a plausibly unbelievable situation believable. The dichotomy between the main characters personalities, yet how they meshed so well, was fun!! It got a little but steamier and R-rated then i prefer, but i skipped over those parts. I would definitely recommend it!!

Propulsive and surprisingly heavy story with a much-needed HEA

Thank you to Alcove Press for giving me a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Charlotte (Charlie) and Eli haven’t seen each other in 13 years, since Eli ghosted Charlie and ended their relationship in high school. Now they’re unexpectedly back together for the first time under the lights of a live television game show, where they must compete as a team. The narration is dual perspective, alternating between Charlie and Eli’s POV.

This book was very readable and propulsive. I really liked the characters, was rooting for them, and enjoyed their chemistry.

Something to note is that for a romcom, this does include a lot of heavy backstory because both of the protagonists really need the prize money, and the story delves into their struggles considerably. While this did provide characterization, it does get very heavy when you learn about their intense struggles living on the poverty line. For some, the novel may not have the escapist feel that is so often associated with the genre.

Overall, I liked the book and found it to be a quick and absorbing read, but it also felt heavy for the genre.

This was a very entertaining and fun romance book. I love trivia, so I could relate to the characters. The dynamic between all the characters was immaculate and perfect. The story was quite fast-paced and I enjoyed it. The letters at the end were soooo sweet and how the love interests revealed their love. I would recommend this book to anyone that wants a quick and fun trivia romance.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Charlotte, a long time lover of game shows, finds out she's been selected for her favourite trivia game show . A dream come true as she could really use the money for her grandmother's healthcare. Unfortunately, when she discovers Eli, her high school sweetheart who shattered her heart, is there a contestant as well. He needs the money to help his dad stay out of trouble. When the stakes are high, they need to work together to win the money (and their hearts), but a surprise player is ready to mess up their plan.

This book just didn't deliver for me. The premise was interesting, but the delivery was off. First, a heart shattering break-up was alluded to and how Eli felt it was his only choice to protect Charlotte. But when revealed it seemed so lame in comparison to the amazing bond they apparently. So yeah I wasn't sold on the main reason these two characters broke up in the first place and how this devastated them both for the next decade. I was expecting way more angst or something. Maybe if there had been flashbacks to their past this would've helped. Second, I feel like the characters overall didn't any depth. Other than their life problems, they both seemed blah. Not much insight into who they were as people or how they had grown. Finally, the plot itself moved awkwardly and we didn't even get the answers to the big questions. Did they win the money or was it lost due to the scandal? Did Eli's dad actually do something illegal? Unfortunately I did not love this one.

I was very excited to read Let's Get Quizicle! As someone who has auditioned for game shows in the past I was pumped to be able to connect with a story line. The concept was really unique and held a lot of promise. I really enjoyed the little tidbits and facts that were spread throughout the novel, it really sold the quiz game show theme throughout. The author’s writing style was interesting and held my attention and I liked the general idea of the book.

Unfortunately, between the character's back stories, the way the characters handled their rekindling of their relationship and the direction the story eventually went, there wasn't a ton else that I loved. I didn't find the MMC loveable, at all. He continuously made the same wrong choice (so it's clear he hasn't grown or changed even though he comes clean at the end he still did the wrong thing), and he immediately falls in love with this woman who he ghosted 12 years before, it's unrealistic that he would still be carrying a torch for her after all this time. The FMC's willingness to forgive him (MULTIPLE TIMES) for the same indiscretion and so easily and quickly jump into bed with him has me baffled. I found that I did not have much respect for her after that. The fact that the basis for the entire novel was her grandmother's desire that everyone tell the truth and the FMC's entire life revolving around that concept was hard to get behind. I absolutely LOVE a cheesy love story, but I actually, physically rolled my eyes during the epilogue.

This novel definitely had promise but unfortunately it didn’t hold up in the end.

Thank you net galley, the publisher, and author for providing me a complimentary e-ARC. This review is voluntary and mine alone.

Immediately, I was taken by the premise of this book. Game shows, enemies to loves with history, second chances. it all sounded so promising! Plus, the title. Every time I think of it, I think of Olivia Newton-John's "Let's get Physical" song. Let's get Quizzical! Quizzical!

This story has a lot going for it. I loved Charlotte's family banter and Eli's love for his dad shown by supporting him so he doesn't turn to illegal activities again. I enjoyed the story arc and watching the characters grow. Charlotte comes off a little stiff in the beginning but does get better. It's just her personality.

The only major negative thing is for some reason the formatting in my e-copy was messed up. There were parts of the book where there was only one word per line.
It
looked
like this.
But of course, that may just be my copy, and may not reflect the final version, as this was an ARC. Therefore, the odd formatting I found on my device did not affect my rating or how I felt about the book.

Cute book... Predictable. Good read for a beach day, but nothing crazy over the top. I did feel that our FMC thought a little too highly of herself and I didn't love her character. I felt more for our MMC... reading his parts came a little easier for me.

I read another book from this author before, and enjoyed it very much. So when I received this free ARC from Netgalley and Alcove Press, I was excited.

The premise of this one was cute, and I dug in. This is a second chance story (of 13 yrs!) when they are tossed together and have to figure out how to work to get the win. Some of the quiz answers were interesting, but when I got deeper in, I found myself wanting more from the characters.

I'm not giving spoilers... but I struggled to connect with Charlotte and Eli. I don't know that I entirely believed the reasons for the chemistry between them now.

I did enjoy the read, it read smoothly, but I didn't love it as much as I wanted to. Maybe next time. I do recommend this author's works. I am voluntarily leaving my review.

Sexy, funny, and just amazing! New author for me and was happily surprised with how much I liked this genre! Would recommend!

I very much liked the setting of a game show, and I was eager to find out how that would be played out. The story started really fun, it was well described how they entered the game show, the nerves, the camera on you, and then ending up with your ex-boyfriend from high school. Eli and Charlotte kind of never broke up because Eli basically ghosted her at school, but I couldn’t fathom how anyone could still be furious about that 13 years later. And although I really liked the game show aspect, I found the characters a bit bland. Charlotte was too angry about what happened in my opinion but she did allow Eli to stay at her place to practice and study questions?! At first she made a big deal about the past, how could she ever forgive him, but then she suddenly forgave him and they got back together. I found it a bit rushed and not realistic.
What I did like a lot were the quiz questions throughout the book; the background was not something I had read before so that was a refreshing idea. And the title is just perfect! Overall a nice, quick read without much character development.
I received and reviewed an advanced copy of this book and I am grateful for this opportunity. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book is a second-chance love story with a game show setting. Charlotte and Eli are typical enemies-to-lovers characters. Given their past, I would have liked more backstory in the romance, as I found its development too rushed.

This books was exactly what I needed it to be - a standalone “junk food” love story. I loved the plot and the high school sweethearts trope at play here. The game show drama was something I’d never read before and I loved it! Add this to your list of new romances for 2023! I know you’ll love Charlie and Eli the way I do.

Thanks to NetGalley and the author for this ARC.

This second chance romance just didn’t convince me. Some of dialogue was so predictable: the main character describing how being with him “felt like home.”

The back stories and twists were not convincing and the main character was very “holier than thou”, even though at the VERY end she realizes it.

I did think it would be more quiz show related and less behind the scenes related.

Ohlert's Let's Get Quizzical is a classic enemy to lovers romance between ex high school sweethearts - Eli and Charlotte. Both brainiacs have backstories which see them going on a quiz show, and - surprise surprise - being paired together.

If you love a good trivia game show, this book's well worth a read. With loveable characters, a couple of plot twists and some flashbacks, it's a pretty easy read!

This was a sweet romance story with a unique setting of a game show. I enjoyed seeing Charlotte and Eli's relationship build over time throughout the story, moving between flashbacks and current scenes. It had just the right touch of mystery to keep you wanting to turn the page!