Isla has always wanted to prove to her parents she isn't a mess up. Even though that's how her family sees her and they are constantly comparing her to her brother and he just goes along with it.
So she has a MBA and is still at a entry level job and everyone gets promoted around her this job isn't her life. But she makes very little so she gets behind on rent and her "friends" and roommates kick her out. Nowhere to stay and she can't tell her family when she remembers her brother is out of town for work for a month when she gets there she finds Cade her brothers best friend and he's close to the family. She can't stay there what to do? when she sleeps at work on night and overhears someone needs a house sitter she jumps on it and stays and finds others that need a house sitter to make extra money.

One of the only problems is Cade knows something is up and sees her at the neighbors house house sitting. He promises not to say anything if she promises to be his fake girlfriend for some work events.

Here's the problem the more time she spends with him at his work events the more she sees another side of him and the difference in his work environment then hers. Things seem like they are looking up when one house job turns everything upside down. Will she tell her family the truth and tell them how she feels or keep the lie up. And not just with her family but about her true feelings towards Cade

I like this just wasn't a simple solve it backside issue but a issue that stuck to the for front of the story and something a lot of people struggle with after college being broke and not being able to get there head above water.

Thank you to NetGalley and RB Media for this audio arc in exchange for my honest review

2 ⭐️

I mean… it wasn’t terrible. It also wasn’t good. It was basically porn with a little plot. It also kept trying to earn political points which really felt out of place.

**Thank you, NetGalley and RB Media for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.**

This book was super cute! I really liked the development of one of the main characters, Cade, although I felt Isla (our lead female protagonist), to be a bit annoying with her neediness, constant running nose (when feeling emotional), and just general lack of care for her situation in life. She seemed very emotionally stunted and immature. Despite this, I thought the conversations and interactions between her and Cade were cute, although the descriptive love scenes were a bit corny in general.

All in all though, I thought the book was a fun summer read, something that you could easily get into, and I thought the narrator of the audiobook was great!

Rent to Be by Sonia Hartl
Format: ALC 🎧
Narrated by Kirsten Leigh
Available now.

Rent to Be is a fun romcom that tackles the challenges of being a young adult trying to find their place in the world. Add a little forced proximity/brother’s best friend and you have an entertaining book.

The characters were interesting and I enjoyed how the book took on the challenge of trying to find balance in one’s life and recognizing what is most important. Still, I found myself losing interest here and there. I think a little more character development and a bit more banter would have helped to keep my interest throughout. That being said, the narration was enjoyable helping to bring the story to life.

Many thanks to NetGalley and RB Media for the opportunity to listen to this ALC for my honest review.

Rent to be is a comedy with a splash of romance, all looked at with a real life lens. Isla is working in a fancy firm with no regards to her well being and has a huge student loan debt. She goes to get brother's apartment and finds Cade, her brother's best friend who practically grew up with her. They had a little complicated history as they kept taking jabs at each other. However, because of complications in her life, Isla starts a house sitting business and gets caught by Cade who strikes a deal with her. He will keep her secret but she had to be his pretend girlfriend.
This book was something else. The end is OBVIOUSLY predictable but i enjoyed the journey ohh soo much! It sounds horrible but Isla's hardships and her response to everything made me laugh out loud wherever I was. But it's not just the laughter that kept the book going. The constant "will they won't they" kept me tight on my chair and when they did get together, it was such a hot scene. I would highly suggest not to read that particular chapter in public. And keep a glass of cold water handy. Even the side characters brought a lot of content. Neeta was one of my favourite characters as her relationship progressed with Isla. This book also puts a light on complicated family dynamics. I was concerned that the book was going to be just about Isla and Cade and a little bit about Seb and Neeta, but i was really happy to see the parents' arch in it too. Overall I loved the book.
Reasons why you should read this book:
• Crazy funny hopeless female lead
• Crazy family and their dynamic with the kids
• Crazy ass sex scene
• Super crazy ending

As you can guess, this book is one crazy book and highly recommend you to get a pizza and come and go crazy with this book.

Rent to Be is the story of every Millennial’s nightmare: dead-end entry level job, more student loan debt then she’s ever going to be able to pay off, and nowhere to live because she’s been priced out of the housing and rental markets.

I could relate to Isla in a lot of ways - especially the never ending student loan debt.

This was such a fun, light audiobook with one of my favorite tropes (fake dating) as well as brother’s best friend, forced proximity, and miscommunication. This was a quick, sweet read with light spice. Not a heavy plot - would be perfect as a beach read.

Thank you to @hartlsonia @alcovepress & @netgalley for the ALC!

3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

I really loved Cade's storyline and the social issues that were brought up with his story arc!! For me, that was the best part! And I thought the author did a wonderful job with his storyline. This turned out to be a sweet and fun read! This is just personal preference, but I wanted more of the characters' backgrounds and would have liked more stories/flashbacks from when they were young. Naked chicken etc. was funny in the beginning, but the author had strong characters that I felt could have been explored even more. For my taste, it leaned too much on nudity throughout for me. Still a very cute read!

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

I really enjoyed the audiobook. It was really funny and entertaining. A quick read for sure!
Lots of laugh out load moments

What you’ll find in Rent to Be:
💙 Brother’s best friend.
💙 Fake dating
💙 Forced proximity
💙 Friends to lovers
💙 He falls first
💙 Mutual pinning
💙 Millennial struggles


“If only I thought about you half as often as you think about me.”“If only.”

I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you NetGalley for this gifted copy.

Honestly, I didn't make it very far into this book before I realized it wasn't for me and called it quits. I couldn't stand the main character! Although her financial situation was relatable, she came across as childish and just annoyed me and made it so that I couldn't get into this book.

2.5 stars

overall an enjoyable romcom, but just not for me personally! this story picks up lots of common tropes such as friends to lovers and fake dating and uses them well if you don’t mind the plot being very predictable. there were a little too many platitudes (“how can i love anyone else before i love myself” etc.) for me and some of the dialogue really made me cringe, but generally the writing is fun and engaging. some smaller aspects of the plot are a little illogical, but otherwise it’s a decent classic romance story with all of the twists and turns you’d expect.

This was a GREAT story to listen to! AWESOME narration! Great main characters. The plot was easy to find. The story was engaging and easy to follow. Will be purchasing this book. Shout out to Netgalley and publishing for allowing me to listen and review this story.

4 STARS!

Cute story, where a girl starts fake dating her brothers best friend out of necessity after losing her apartment. He asks her to pretend to be his girlfriend in exchange for his silence about her terrible living situation.
I love the couple, they have such chemistry and that was fun to read about.
However, i had a hard time connecting to the fmc, im not sure why yet. I also felt a strong dislike for the parents lol but i think that was supposed to happen.

Do recommend, nice, fun, pallet cleanser, and good audio too!

Thank you to netgalley and the author for sending me the audiobook in exchange for an honest review!

This was such a funny, sweet & spicy read. It was so much fun and had me laughing out loud multiple times. It was a bit of a slow burn, which usually I don't like, but I found it worked well in this book.

The characters were relatable facing a lot of millennial issues, which were totally realistic. Their issues were all super believable and I found myself super invested in their outcome. I really enjoyed Cade and Isla together and apart, they were just a great set of characters. Isla was a bit more on the extreme side of things, she refused to ask for any help at all, which I would've taken all the help offered.

I really enjoyed the storyline and the way it unfolded. The spice was good and hot but not overbearing to stir you away from the plot which is what I love.

I really enjoyed the narrators on the audiobook, I could easily feel the emotions, they also made it super funny where I found myself chuckling a few times. I really enjoyed listening to them.

If you're looking for a brother's best friend romance with great characters and a relatable storyline pick this one up!

✨️Thank you to @netgalley, @alcovepress, RBmedia & @soniahartl for my free ARC & ALC in exchange for an honest review.

"Rent To Be" tackles some really relatable issues for the new adult audience. I found the discussion and difficulty around money and income super relatable, and I really appreciated the discourse that it caused, because that's life! Unfortunately, I didn't find the romance as palatable.
Isla was childish throughout the book, and Cade didn't charm me. Neither demonstrated the responsibility that I appreciate in characters (or human beings in general). I wasn't convinced by their story, and I wanted more than "he's hot and I've known him forever".
The topics outside of the romance were interesting, but unfortunately, this IS a romance book, and it's main focus didn't do it for me.

I have read so many "I fell in love with my brother's best friend" books. The forced romance between the main characters, the irritating parents of Isla, and the execution of fake dating disappointed me. Overall, I gave the book a solid, semi-satisfied three stars, but I wish I had loved it more. It was cute but didn't give me all the feels.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to freely listen for an honest review.

It took me a while to warm up to this one. Isla’s life had become such a dumpster fire that it was difficult to relate to, let alone to believe. But I in no way doubted why Cade would love her, or why Neeta would become her friend. Isla May look like a hot mess, but she’s also charismatic and loving. Her parents, however - yeesh. They’re totally to be blamed for starting her dumpster fire. But like all romcoms, we arrived at a great HEA. The narrator was fantastic, switching characters with ease. She moved at a good pace, and her inflections for Isla were completely believable. I received a copy of this audiobook from the publisher through NetGalley.

Title: A Unique Spin on Romance with Heartfelt Twists

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

"Rent to Be" by Sonia Hartl is a delightful departure from conventional romance novels, offering readers a fresh and engaging take on the genre. With its clever premise and well-drawn characters, this book proves to be a memorable read.

Hartl's writing style is witty and sharp, injecting humor into the narrative without sacrificing depth. The banter between the protagonists is a standout feature, adding a layer of authenticity to their dynamic. It's refreshing to see a romance novel that doesn't rely solely on clichés, and instead, the author crafts a story that feels genuinely unique.

The characters in "Rent to Be" are endearing and multi-dimensional. Their quirks and imperfections make them relatable and easy to root for. The development of the relationship between the main characters feels organic and believable, avoiding the trap of rushed or contrived connections. Hartl takes the time to build their interactions, allowing the reader to invest emotionally in their journey.

One of the strengths of this book lies in its exploration of themes beyond romance. The underlying messages about self-discovery, independence, and the importance of pursuing one's dreams are woven seamlessly into the plot. This adds depth to the narrative, making it more than just a love story.

While the story is engaging overall, there were moments when the pacing felt slightly uneven. Some scenes seemed to move swiftly, while others lingered. This didn't detract significantly from the overall enjoyment of the book, but it's worth noting.

In summary, "Rent to Be" is a breath of fresh air in the romance genre. Sonia Hartl's ability to infuse humor, originality, and depth into her storytelling is commendable. This book is recommended for readers seeking a romance novel that offers more than just a love story, providing a genuine and heartfelt exploration of self-discovery and human connection. It's a worthwhile addition to any bookshelf.

This classic roommate kicks you out and you'd rather be homeless than sleep in close proximity to your brother's best friend is exactly the read I needed! There's so much to love about the tropes found within this happily ever after. But author Sonia Hartl takes on some deeper more complex topics too. From student loan debt to the corporate grind and the never ending onslaught of "adulting," MBAs and more education don't always mean guaranteed success.

With parent relationship strain, financial strain and now trying not to fall for your brother's bestie strain, prepare to unpack some heavy boxes with this fun read!

It was an ok read. There were parts of it I enjoyed. I like the characters, all of them actually, and the plot; but there was nothing wow or new or very interesting about it. There was a little too much repetitiveness about the situation Isla found herself in. I felt like the character was actually potentially growing but the author kept bringing her back to reality by repeating the situation. Was a little weird and I felt gaslighted for her, and Cade, if that even makes sense. I wish there were half stars because I would go with 2.5. The story itself and characters I think deserves a 3. Because the author constantly brought the mood down with the reminder, I'm going to have to go with a 2.

Thank you RB Media, Recorded Books and NetGalley for the arc.

4⭐, 2.5🌶️

This was a cute book, and I really enjoyed the plot of Isla finding her way in such a tough spot in life. I found myself caring more about her progress and growth than her romance with Cade. Even though Cade was retty dang sweet and adorable in his own right.

Tropes:
💙 Brother's Best Friends
💛 Fake Relationship
🧡 Forbidden Romance

Thank you NetGalley and RB Media for an ALC of Rent to Be, by Sonia Hartl, narrated by Kristen Leigh. This is my honest, free review!