Thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy of Rent to Be. This was an adorable rom-com that I listened to over audio. When both main characters had grown up together things start to spice up and the fmc's life starts to fall apart and the mmc wants to help!

This was an enjoyable, easy, breezy listen! It was an interesting premise, but a lot of the main character decisions left you going who would even think this is a good idea. The author tried to get us on board with the mcs plight of student loans and a dead end career, but at the same time it was really hard to actually feel bad for her. Overall the love story was cute and makes me wish I had different neighbors growing up.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
4 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Friends to lovers theme, but of course let's pretend first is becoming a common storyline...this one was funny and entertaining.
I enjoyed the audiobook and would suggest you give this one a read especially if you love the friends to lovers theme!

Isla's millennial struggles push her to stay at her brother's condo, but she's surprised to find his friend, Cade, there. To maintain her secret, she agrees to pretend to be Cade's girlfriend for work events. As her lies unravel, she faces her growing feelings for him.

.Brother’s best friend.
.Fake dating
.Forced proximity
.Friends to lovers
.He falls first
.Mutual pinning
.Millennial struggles

The writing in this book flows easily, and the pacing maintains a quick and engaging rhythm throughout. It hooks the reader and sustains their interest throughout the story. It doesn't necessarily break new ground, but it does succeed in providing a delightful and speedy read, while embracing some well-loved tropes.

The two MCs have undeniable chemistry, and their banter is consistently sharp and entertaining. Beyond the romance, the story also delves into the challenges faced by millennials, tackling issues like housing problems, student loans, and the corporate ladder. Although I can't entirely relate, being from outside the US without the burden of crippling student debt, I empathise with the female lead as she struggles to make ends meet.
One aspect I wished the book had explored further was the female lead's relationship with her parents. I wished she would’ve stood up for herself better. The last conversation she had with them felt inconclusive.

The spice strikes a good balance, offering passionate moments without becoming overly explicit.

The audiobook narrator does an exceptional job, maintaining the listener's engagement throughout the entire narrative.

In sum, this book is a pleasant diversion, perfect for those moments between more intense reads. While it doesn't reinvent the wheel, it accomplishes its goals well.

(Review will be posted on Instagram @Beco_books shortly)

Well this was a very horny book, even in the non spicy scenes.

Isla has hit a rough patch in her personal and professional life, and ends up inadvertently turning to her brothers best friend for comfort.. and more.

The characters are all loveable, and while there were some things I didn’t love, like how quickly Isla and Nina went from awkward to bffs, overall I really enjoyed this.

I’m also so glad that Isla ended up sticking up for herself to her family and finding a new career path. The epilogue was a cute touch too.

I’m a sucker for the brothers best friend trope and this one did not disappoint! I loved Isla and Cade’s relationship! They were always there for each other and that grew the closer they got! I also loved the narrator and the life she brought into each character! Definitely will be recommending!

The perfect Summer read!
A wonderful friends to lovers brother's best friend romcom. I loved the banter. The atmosphere transported you and also brings back the best memories of summer growing up. The story is well written and easy to read. I couldn't put it down. The audio Narrator is a joy to listen to. I definitely recommend this book for any lovers of contemporary romance.

Isla is having a rough week....month....year. When she is kicked out of her apartment with nowhere to go, she may have to level with her brother's best friend, Cade to keep her secrets.

Isla and Cade agree to a temporary fake relationship for his workplace. He only wants for them to think he's in a relationship to deter the constant matchmaking of his coworkers. It seems like a perfect solution. Isla can go to his work events where there is usually wonderful food and Cade agrees not to tell her brother that she's struggling to pay her bills. But the best laid plans don't always work out as intended. Cade and Isla begin to act like this pretend relationship may have some reality to it. They both resist letting it cross that line because of Isla's brother, Seb and his close relationship to Cade. But eventually the heart may take over and then what will they do?

I really enjoyed the romance in the book and personal interactions in the book. What I struggled with was Isla's intense frustration with large companies, student loan debt and money issues.. Honestly, it felt too preachy to me at times. I'm not saying if she did or didn't have valid points. I'm just saying I didn't expect that in this book. I was expecting a little lighter read but it was still well-written and enjoyable.

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: I also received an early copy of the audiobook. It was well done with good narration. The story flow was solid and made for an enjoyable listening experience. 4 Stars

Thank you to NetGalley for both early copies of the ebook and audiobook.

Loved this book! I could relate to the main character so much. The work, money and family struggles of a millennial who did what she was supposed to and go to school and get a higher education. But she still struggling with loans and barely making it by in the beginning of her career. Loved all the characters and wouldn’t change a thing!

This book! it was so fun and relateable! I definitely just love the roommates and close quarters/proximity trope. I thought the humor was done quite well too, and besides the fact that she could potentially become homeless any moment, it was quite fun and lowstakes.

think this very much represents the life of an educated millennial these days. Drowning in student loan debt and parental expectations.

Anyways, Isla is sweet and I would call her a people pleaser. That’s why she struggles so much to stand up for herself.

I really enjoyed the ending more than anything else. I love that she finally has a voice and is willing to confront those causing her stress. I don’t think this is a happy ever after ending. It’s much more realistic than that.

I really enjoyed this story! The love story was really sweet and spicy. The little ways Cade tries to get closer to Isla. It was so sweet. They have known each other since little kids and the flashbacks were sweet and tied their past together so nicely.

I did knock a star because I felt like there was a lot of griping about capitalism. Stick it to the man kinda thing, which is, whatever. But that little line of logic in the book wasn’t my thing.

Content: swears and open door content.

‘Rent To Be’ by Sonia Hartl is really a great read/listen you will enjoy from start to finish.  Sonia was able to write the book in a way where I was able to see this play out in my head as if I was watching a movie.  The narrator Kirsten Leigh was also a huge player in making sure that the book transitioned to an audio version.  Sometimes when you have only one narrator it’s hard to get into the opposite sex voice, but Kirsten was able to do all parts for this story very well and it didn’t feel odd at all.

It doesn’t matter what type of Millennial you are because everyone will be able to relate to the main character, Isla Jane.  Not only are the struggles she has something we all have had at some point in our lives, they’re ones that really make you want her to have everything in life. It’s great that this book does have a happy ending and she does get her Mr. Right.

If you are looking for Romance with just a hint of spice this book is perfect for you.  It’s a great end of summer read that you will not want to put down until the very end.  I am giving this book four stars and one I will for sure read again.

This book and audiobook are available now for you to get wherever you purchase your books/audiobooks.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Recorded Books for this ARC copy of the Audiobook.  This no way influenced my review of this Audiobook.

I received this audio book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
I really enjoyed this one. It had a ton of tropes that I love.
- childhood friends
- brothers best friend
- fake dating
This couple was so cute. The love that they had for each other from the very beginning was epic. They want nothing but to protect each other from the world. They would do anything for each other. The spice was great.
I highly recommend this one.

I absolutely loved this book. It took up important topics, and the narrator was perfect for this.
Tropes -
Fake dating
Friends to lovers

🌶🌶

I'm sure this'll work for a lot of romance readers, but it just wasn't my particular cup of tea - I lean more towards literary than commercial when it comes to romance, so this was a bit too quippy and a bit too heavy on the physical attraction and constant nakedness.

Rent to Be by Sonia Hartl is a beautiful love story of two childhood friends to lovers. Isla is broke, after years of Uni, and lots of debt. She is kicked out of her apartment where she hasn't been able to make rent. Thus her going to her brother's apartment. When she gets there, to her horror she discovers that her going brother's best friend, Cade is staying there while her brother is away. So like any normal person, Isla decides to start a house-sitting business. While Isla's life is falling apart, Cade's abrupt return to her life causes them to become friends. Enter their fake relationship to help Cade, get his coworkers off his back. Are they destined to be together? Will Isla learn to stand up for herself?

I did enjoy this Book. The characters were both so annoying and realistic that it was good. Isla's lack of boundaries and Cade's fear of nobody being there for him were written so well. You felt a part of you was being ripped out. Isla, while her character was understandably having the issues she has, I found her to be a bit childish at moments. Then I realised that due to her upbringing, she wasn't allowed to feel, so she would act childish in certain situations. Cade made me want a boyfriend. While he is complex, we see him actively trying to improve constantly. I enjoyed the way he was written. Constantly fighting the stereotypes that were placed on him at such a young age and proving them wrong. I'm annoyed though, on his behalf, Isla's parents treated him the way they did. You should never use someone as a social-climbing stone, and that it should come from the goodness of your heart, not the fact it makes you look better.

Thank you to Net Galley for letting me listen to this amazing audiobook, Narrated by Kristen Leigh. They did a great job and helped bring out the emotions through their reading.

I received this book as part of an ARC.

*3.5 stars rounded up*

Rent to Be is a romance novel that also discusses the hard reality of growing up after college. This romance has a great fake dating trope with high chemistry between Isla and Cade.

When Isla gets kicked out of her apartment for failing to pay rent, she decides that she will stay at her brother’s place for a temporary place to stay. Unfortunately, she quickly finds that it is occupied by her brother’s best friend Cade. After learning about house sitting for her companies executives, Isla believes she has found the perfect job for temporary housing and all the food you can eat! That is until Cade finds out.

Cade makes her a deal, pretend to be his girlfriend during company events and he won’t tell her brother or parents about losing her apartment or her side business. Can they keep things platonic during these events or will they realize they were meant to be?

I really enjoyed the chemistry between Isla and Cade. There interactions always made me laugh and I knew that they would be a great couple. However, there seemed to be a lack of communication during arguments and I felt things were kind of rushed at the end. I also was not the biggest fan of Isla as an individual as I disagreed with many of her choices through out the book.

I read this book along with listening to the audio. I enjoyed the narration and found myself finishing this book in one sitting.

Although not my favorite romance book, I did enjoy the chemistry between the two main characters, while also having Isla determine that having a “high profile” career is not everything. Sometimes you need to find a new path to make you happy.

Thank you NetGalley and RB Media for the opportunity to review Rent to Be. I voluntarily listened and reviewed an advanced copy of this audiobook. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

4.5 ⭐️

This audiobook was such a wonderful was to escape. It is the perfect use of brother’s best friend- with a mix of fake dating. Two of my favorite tropes. The spicey spice was a very welcomed surprise!
I am going to check out the author’s back list. This was a very enjoyable listen.

Special thanks to Net Galley and RB Media for sharing this advanced listener copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I received the audiobook of Sonia Hartl's Rent to Be from NetGalley. I thought this was a great book. The audiobook was great and the narrator did a fantastic job. I listened to it all in one day.

I empathized a lot with the FMC Isla. Being buried under student loans and the expectations of society to "be" a certain way is difficult. Cade, the MMC, also had his own set of issues to work through. I liked the way Hartl worked real issues into the story while still keeping it fun and spicy.

My only real issue with the book is that the epilogue didn't quite sync with the rest of the book for me. I think it did need an epilogue since the book ended so abruptly that the reader would expect their to be some resolution there, but it definitely needs to be rewritten in my opinion.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an audiobook copy in exchange for my honest review.