I thought this book was really cute, i really appreciated all the struggles she went through and how real it all felt. It felt like this was an actual couple i could meet, not some outrageous love story and i really really liked that about this book. I thought the pacing was great and the cover is super cute although the author name is a bit hard to read being the color it is.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This romance was cute, but I wanted to shake Isla throughout the book. She was very immature and was living her life like a college student and did not take initiative for anything. In the end I am glad she found love and drive to change her outlook on life.

One might expect that this would be a medium romance novel, full with all the banal happenings and the old medium love growing between a man's sister and his best friend. Well, it was not.
Isla sounded irresponsible and loserish at the beginning of the book, but her determination at finding a place to live, making some extra money and gain some self appreciation grew little by little in me. I actually began to respect her creativity and determination at times when other people would just give up.
Cade sounded like a nice guy and a responsible adult most of the time. I could feel his doubts and feelings for both his friend (and family) and Isla. It was so well described that I could live the feelings together with him.
The end of the book seems to resolve all doubts and problems too quickly, but actually the problems solved and doubts ironed out were easy ones, should only Isla always speak the truth or speak for herself.

Goodreads review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5773231055

Single POV
Brothers bestie (second brother)
He falls first

This book is filled with millennial misery. It essentially felt like a snapshot of my life. While inspiring to see how the characters navigate our collective reality; it was gut wrenching.

Despite this it was still a 4.5 star read for me. The story was good, I was engaged the whole time, I was invested in the characters. Watching Isla try to correct her own life was a joy and I loved that Cade fell deeper for her. Even though the book is told from Isla's POV it's as though we realise Cade's feelings without her being in the loop. I personally would have loved a dual POV but I totally get why it wasn't.

The title alone had me interested. Isla is a recent graduate struggling to make ends meet. She loses her apartment, promotion, plus school loans are due. She doesn’t know where to go but to impose on her brother. However he’s out of town and his BBF Cade is using the apartment. Cade and Isla have known each since childhood, she was caring towards him however as adults it’s a different story. Cade tries to help her by hiring her as a date for company functions. This only leads to attraction and stirs feeling towards to each other. It’s an entertaining love story. I recommend the book.

Oh my goodness I am so excited to review this book! Rent to Be is funny and sassy with great banter. In this story we see complex relationships with family, fake dating, brother's best friend, and friends to lovers with heart. The heroine is down on her luck, in the worst way possible; this book had very realistic viewpoints on finances and college loan burden. In an effort to get back on her feet, she makes several questionable choices, including a scary doll house, a fur coat, and a stubborn refusal to ask for help (thanks to damaging family-of-origin beliefs--thanks mom and dad). By trying to hide her problems she gets roped into a scheme by the hero; steamy kissing and *ahem* as well as fishing are involved. At the core of the story is the underlying fear of being too much or not enough, which I personally struggle with; this made the characters relatable.

The narration and voices were well done, and the tempo kept the story moving along. I'd listen to this narrator again!

In closing: "Even when I tried to keep my distance, I couldn't seem to stop loving you."

Steam: 4/5
HEA
Would definitely read again!
Score 4.5/5

I would like to thank RB Media and Netgalley for this audiobook ARC. All opinions are given freely and are my own.

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the audio version.
I will first off say that the narrator did a good job. The negative for me is the language is really really bad like really bad. I just feel with this being a rom com they book should not this bad and sexualized.

⭐️2.5/5 📚206

I’m really disappointed about it because the premises sounded great but this book didn’t do it for me. The writing was nice and the banter was good. There are multiples laugh out loud moments in here too and the ending was cute, but Isla made me want to tear my hair out. She made errors, and took bad decisions and acted very childishly sometimes (often) and I don’t think she tries her best to question herself objectively. In my opinion, I don’t think she changed a iota in this story although she’s badly in need of a grow up.

Also, ⚠️ spoilers ⚠️ it’s obvious that Cade is pining for her since their childhood but I regret that his point of view wasn’t exploited as much as Isla’s. And in the end, she affirms that she was in love with him too for all this time but I didn’t feel it, I would have like to be shown and not just told.

It was nevertheless less a fine read and a good audiobook.

Rent To Be by Sonia Hartl is a fake dating, brother's best friend, friends to lovers, heartwarming romcom. It was so obvious from the beginning that the Cade (MMC) was into Isla (FMC) and they were so easy to root for. While the love is light an heartwarming some very serious issues are discussed. Isla is incredibly relatable with underemployment and drowing in student debt and with Cade having being raised in poverty. The narrator did a fabulous job. Overall an enjoyable, quick listen!


Thank you to RB Media and NetGalley for this ALC!

I really enjoyed this book, Isla and Cade were fun to read and I had a hard time putting it down. I'm a bit of a sucker for stories where the guy falls first, especially if he's been in love with her for quite a while but couldn't or wouldn't act on it for some time.

Isla is a disaster, but it's honestly realistic. Some people have any and every bad thing happen to them, it's just how they react to and handle the situation that makes the difference. And Isla doesn't necessarily handle things well, but she doesn't have a lot of support so that tracks.

I'd read about these two again, they were a lot of fun. And I also really liked how with Cade's support Isla felt comfortable to confront her parents and set boundaries.

Isla’s life is not what she expected - after earning her MBA she still can’t get a decent job and can barely stay afloat in paying her bills. To make matters worse, her roommates kicked her out since she can’t afford rent. The only thing that might save her is the fact that her brother is out of town for a month, and his condo is vacant. But when she arrives, she discovers her brother’s best friend, Cade, is borrowing the condo while his own condo gets renovated. Cade and Isla strike a deal - she pretends to be his girlfriend at a series of work functions and he won’t tell her family she is homeless.

This book was so fun! I was laughing at all of the chaotic situations Isla got herself into and her antics throughout the story. She was incredibly relatable, as were her struggles with adulthood and asking for help. I also loved Cade and Isla together - their chemistry as well as their shared history made them a perfect match. He was patient with her and supported her as she was trying to find her way, but more importantly, their connection was incredible.

I switched between the audiobook and ebook here, and both were incredible. For the audiobook, Kirsten Leigh was a wonderful narrator and was a joy to listen to.

Thanks to Alcove Press and RB Media for the advance copies.

First of all I really liked it, it was very realistic! I had a lot of fun listening to this audiobook. I really like the trope brother’s best friend! I also liked the fake dating. The personality of Isla was really relatable. I really laughed during the audiobook. Loved it!! It was really entertaining!

Lighthearted, somewhat spicy friends to lovers romance that was an easy listen/read. Relatable content that touched on some serious topics without losing the lighthearted tone.

A sweet, funny and a little steamy romantic comedy full of friendship, family, bad choices, second chances, and touching rock bottom before facing life again. Isla and Cadet’s lives have been intertwined since childhood but had missed the chance to have a future together. The audiobook is great, Kristen Leigh is an amazing narrator.

Isla Jane is living the millennial nightmare. She’s got a shiny new MBA and no way to pay for it, thanks to her dead-end entry-level job, and nowhere to live, thanks to her miserable salary. Going home to her parents is not possible, but for once Isla’s brother may be her saving grace. He’s out of town on business for a month, meaning the guest room in his condo is blissfully empty.

Or so Isla thinks, until she runs into Cade Greenley, her brother’s best friend—who’s crashing there while his own condo is undergoing renovations. When a desperate plan to sleep under her desk miraculously turns into a house-sitting job for one of the big bosses at her office, Isla is certain her luck has turned—with no one, Cade included, the wiser. It’s a perfect solution—until Cade catches her sunbathing at a mansion that is definitely not hers, and she admits she’s house-sitting because she can’t afford rent.

The pair strike a deal—Cade will keep Isla’s secret from her overbearing parents if she agrees to pose as his girlfriend at a few upcoming corporate events. The fun and friendly vibe of his office is a surprise compared to hers, but the biggest shock is that each “date” with Cade feels less and less fake. Suddenly she’s looking forward to every minute they spend together while the chemistry between them sizzles. As Isla’s house-sitting scheme begins to unravel, she'll have to face the fact that her biggest lie of all is the one she's telling herself: that she's not falling in love with Cade.


Author: Sonia Hartel
Narrated By: Kirsten Leigh

Rent to be was this weeks audiobook.
Sonia Hartel did a wonderful job showing the millennial struggle. Her perfect execution of childhood trauma was endearing and the boy next door/ brothers best friend trope was perfect.

They chose well when they selected Kirsten Leigh to narrate this audiobook. She was entertaining and easy to listen to. She made the wonderful book that Sonia wrote pop with her 5 star narration.

4.5 stars

This was my first Sonia Hartl book and I'm glad I discovered a new to me author.
Rent To Be is a fake relationship, brother best friend trope and I loved the fact the author deals with the real life issue of how hard it is to earn enough money to pay student loans and live independently as an adult. Finances problems aren't a common topic in romance books but Isla's struggles are easy to relate to.

Isla has a brand-new MBA but sadly her shiny new degree doesn't come with a good paying job and one unexpected payment and she finds herself without a place to live.

She plans to stay at her brother's house while he's in London for a work trip but her luck is really not on her side and she discovered her brother's best friend Cade is staying over while renovations are being done in his house. They end up striking a deal, Isla will pretend to be Cade's girlfriend and his work functions and he won't tell her brother the truth about her situation.

Isla doesn't want to tell her family or Cade how hard it is for her to pay her bills and ask for help since she was always the black sheep of the family and she just want them to be proud of her.
I loved seeing how Cade and Isla got to know one another in a romantic way and how Isla matured and grow a backbone.

I just wished we could have get Cade's point of view but overall Rent To Be was a great audiobook and I enjoyed listening to it, it was funny, sexy and had just enough drama and emotions to keep the plot interesting.

Rent to Be is a funny, sweet romance. Isla is relatable as a person who has an advanced degree and a job that doesn’t pay a living wage. Haha millennial problems, am I right? 🫠 I laughed at several awkward moments that Isla and Cade had. I loved the tropes and enjoyed their path to the HEA. I think they complement each other well and helped each other grow! I enjoyed the narrator!

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for giving me an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.
4.5*
I truly loved this book! I could not put it down! This book has so many tropes I nearly lost count: Childhood friends to lover, brother’s best friend, forced proximity, fake dating, rivals to lovers. And I was worried so many tropes would be difficult to read without feeling forced and cringey, but this book did it seamlessly.
This book has all the elements needed for a good romance and goes beyond. Not only showing Isla’s relationship with Cade, but also showing how relationships with family can develop and change as time goes on.
I really respect Hartl’s decision to attack real issues in this novel, acknowledging how difficult life can be in this political and economic climate. And to do so without making the entire novel feel preach-y.

I was filled with excitement and anticipation as I pressed play. However, I must admit that my first encounter with an audio book left me with mixed emotions.

The storyline had the potential to be captivating and compelling, but unfortunately, it fell short of delivering on its promises.

As the narrator's voice resonated through my speakers, I initially felt a surge of enthusiasm. The concept held much promise, and the convenience of experiencing literature with just my ears seemed enticing. Yet, as the minutes ticked by, I found myself battling a peculiar battle against sleep.

I would like to express my appreciation to Netgalley and RB media for the opportunity to review this book

Rent to Be by Sonia Hartl was meant to be. What a cute, easy-breezy, fun listen!

From the Cuchi purse, to the adventures in house sitting, to her trips to the library, to sleeping under her desk in her cubicle, Isla’s antics had me laughing out loud.

After recently reading several suspense novels, the sexy-time made me blush, but man, I was rooting for Cade and Isla and their happily-ever-after.

And, to think, it all started with a comforter and teddy bear!

Got to love a fun, light-hearted listen. Thank you to NetGalley and Recorded Books for this advanced copy of Rent to Be in exchange for my honest review.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5765805438