✨ 𝐀𝐋𝐂 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰✨

“𝙒𝙚 𝙙𝙧𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙦𝙪𝙞𝙚𝙩, 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙤𝙣 𝙢𝙮 𝙠𝙣𝙚𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙢𝙮 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙤𝙣 𝙢𝙮 𝙨𝙡𝙚𝙚𝙫𝙚.”

𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐲 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬: Closed door
𝐒𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐧: 71%
𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬: Second chance romance, opposites attract, reverse grumpy x sunshine, workplace romance,
𝐏𝐎𝐕: 1st person, Single POV
𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Single

🏀 Meet cute
🏀 Witty banter
🏀 Dr. Pepper vs. Coke
🏀 Modern day Cinderella

This book probably has one of my favorite meet cutes ever! I loved all the banter between the characters, the secret notes, and the surprise sodas! Duke (MMC) is so sweet to Nora (FMC) and will do anything to help her succeed. I typically don’t like insta-love, but this book was so cute I didn’t mind it one bit.

The audiobook was great! The narrator did a great job bringing the characters to life!

This was such a fun listen! I love Cindy’s books because they are just funny and feel good stories. Friends to lovers is one of my favorite tropes. I just felt like the characters were super relatable.

I listened to the audio version of this book which was provided to me by NetGalley. It was a great one to listen to. This romance wasn't just a la-la land, happily ever after. There were some issues that were touched on that helped add to the characterization and the storyline. Duke, the male lead, was pretty amazing. I don't know if you would find a guy this great but I would sure love to. This book made me laugh so many times! I loved some of the situations and the conversations. There is the token mean girl but there are other characters that really shine. This was a clean romance but the chemistry was there, for sure. If you want a light, but not too light, romance that will give you happy feelings and a smile at the close, you should give this book a try.

This was fun listen. The story paced well and the narrator was easy to listen to. I’ll definitely listen again when I’m looking for a reread.

ALC Review
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Okay this book was completely different than what I was expecting. I was expecting a cute kiss cam typical romance. This book had so much more emotion than that.

I loved Nora and Duke so much. Duke is the sweetest damn man and you can tell he is just gone for her. Nora really has a hard time trusting people and has gotten such a shit hand dealt to her. I loved seeing them develop a friendship on top of a romantic relationship. Nothing felt rushed and they communicated so well.

Also Dukes grandparents are so freaking cute, I couldn’t get enough of them!

💛Kiss cam moment
💛Bucket lists
💛Employee/ boss
💛Complicated relationships with parents
💛He falls first

This book started out strong with the whole kiss cam thing. After that it went down hill. I found the whole book to be a bit of a downer. All Nora did was talk about her past and how broke she is. It felt like a black cloud hanging over everything.

This was such a good book! I loved how it was a different take on the second-chance romance trope, and how our characters came from very different socioeconomic backgrounds. It was so interesting to see the different things they've faced because of their upbringing, but that it didn't deter them from being together. I also loved how positive they were about the working class and that our male MC nor his friends but her down for cleaning the office and actually helped her. Overall, it was an excellent romance and an excellent book. I'll definitely recommend it to others.

The One With the Kiss Cam by Cindy Steel
Duke and Nora’s story was lovely and well written. It gave me all the feelings. This book was an emotional roller coaster for me, the best kind of course. Both Duke and Nora have their own stories to tell. Nora's story tore on my heartstrings and I couldn’t help but want more for her and Duke was the best kind of hero. He made Nora get out of her comfort zone and try new things. I loved everything about this book but some of my favorite things included:
One fun meet-cute
Duke never giving up on Nora
Dr. Pepper vs. Coke
The fun texts and notes
So many fun side characters
Duke’s grandparents
The bucket list
If your looking for opposites attract, a fun meet-cute, some witty banter, bucket list ideas, some wonderful minor characters and a hero that will steal your own heart then this is the book for you. This book is a closed-door romance and single point of view. I listened to this in audio and really loved the narration.
CW: difficult relationship with parents

I thought this book was super cute! It was an easy read and very enjoyable. The entire book you were rooting for the relationship. Loved it!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5 Stars

Happy publication day to Cindy Steel and The One with the Kiss Cam! Thank you to @authorcindysteel and Dreamscape Media ( @dreamscape_media ) for allowing me to listen 🎧 to this book for an honest review!

The narrator🎙️for this audiobook 🎧 is Justis Bolding. (And, they did a phenomenal job.)

📅 March 12, 2024 was the pub date for The One with the Kiss Cam. 📅

I mean, I can’t say enough about this book, how cute the love story was, and how swoon worthy Duke is! His character restores everyone’s faith by letting us know that good guys still exist. This may very well be in the running for best book of 2024. Yes, that’s how much I liked it!

Nora’s friends think she is a dull dud and should be out having more fun…seizing the day. So, Nora says yes to one date with a guy that has tickets to a NBA game. 🏀What could really go wrong when basketball is part of the equation? Well, everything. Nora’s date is repulsive and she is counting down the minutes until she can leave for the comfort of her own home.

When her date slips out to buy concessions 🍿🥤, the kiss cam pans over to Nora and the guy she is sitting beside. She says no because she doesn’t want to kiss 💋 a stranger in front of hundreds. However, after the third or fourth feature from the kiss cam, she and the stranger give the audience what they want. Nora has heard of love at first sight but after her kiss cam experience, she may believe in love at first kiss.

The stranger is Duke and he flirts with Nora all night long. He also offers her a ride home so that she doesn’t have to suffer through another car trip with her date. Duke and Nora spend the night together just talking and getting to know one another. They both fall pretty hard. But, they don’t see each other again for a few years. Duke has been in a three year relationship. Is it right person and wrong time scenario or a star crossed lovers outcome? You’ll need to read the book to find out!

Cindy Steel is a comedic genius and prolific writer. I will definitely be reading Cindy’s other books and suggest that you should too!

I picked this book up on a whim because I was drawn to the cover, and then hooked by the synopsis. This was my first book by this author in any capacity (audiobook or otherwise) so I really felt like I was taking a gamble, and I’m so happy to say – it totally paid off.

This was such an adorable story. There was no spice, but I didn’t miss it. Like, at all. In fact after I finished it I had to think back to even remember that there was no spice. I was so caught up in the story that I didn’t even notice – which is a testament to the storytelling I think. It was like an adorable fairytale, filled with smart dialogue and witty banter. The chemistry between Nora and Duke was sparky and simmery and underlaid with a heartfelt sweetness that was positively addicting to me. I saw someone refer to this as a “huggable” book and man, that perfectly captures my sentiments as well.

The narration was also incredibly well done. We have only a female narrator, but she did a great job of navigating both Nora and Duke’s dialogue without pulling me out of the story. She had me so caught up in the story that I was surprised when I realized I was almost to the end. And then, of course, I was a little sad because moving on from Nora and Duke’s delightful company feels a little empty.

The One with the Kiss Cam was such a wonderful audio experience that I will absolutely be going back to check out Cindy Steel’s other work. This was a “feel good” story that put a smile on my face throughout nearly the entire thing. I loved it! ~ 4.5 Stars

“it was just one date…”⁣
⁣
i have waiting for the one with the kiss cam by @authorcindysteel to be an audiobook since the book released near the end of last year. now that it’s finally available, i’m so glad it didn’t disappoint. 🥰⁣
⁣
from the start, this story promises to be a lot of fun. a basketball-game kiss cam and out-all-night shenanigans spark a connection between nora and duke. when they meet again (in very different circumstances), that connection is still there—but life has changed since they first met.⁣
⁣
the romance develops between setbacks, rom-com moments, and heart-to-hearts, and i was delighted to root for nora and duke through it all.

This is my first book by this author but definitely not the last! The One with the Kiss Cam had so many fun and flirty moments, yet was also packed with feeling, confusion, hurts, some heartache, friendship, and much more.

The narration was really well done. At first, I was concerned that I might not connect as deeply with these characters because the entire story was told from Nora’s perspective. But that ended up being something that worked so well for this story, because it kept Nora wondering about exactly how things could possibly work out for she and Duke.

There was great romantic tension and chemistry between these two characters and an office setting that made their interactions something that they had to be mindful of. I loved discovering the hearts of these two characters. Early on, it became clear that Nora helped her family anytime they demanded it of her and that often led to the loss of her dreams. But it was beautiful to see glimpses of Duke’s heart in this story and realize exactly the type of man he is and the depths of his feelings for Nora.

I loved this story and look forward to reading more books by this author.

I received a complimentary copy of this audio book, however, I also purchased the ebook. All opinions are my own.

4.5⭐️, 1🌶️

So the beginning of this book had me a tad apprehensive on whether or not I would like it, but after we did the multi year jump, I was hooked. I loved the second chance romance + forbidden (workplace) + friends to lovers in this non-spicy romance. Both of the Mc’s were enjoyable and I liked the pacing of the book!

Typically this book I would have devoured this audiobook so much faster than I did. The ONLY reason it took me so long to listen to it was life got in the way (newborn problems). I really enjoyed the narration and overall this was an adorable and delightful audiobook!

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for an ALC of The One with the Kiss Cam by Cindy Steel, narrated by Justus Bolding. This is my honest and free review!

This was such a humorous book! I laughed so much listening to this. I’m a fan of Cindy Steel and Kiss Cam didn’t disappoint. I thought the story was great, mostly because Nora is so dang relatable. Steel does such an amazing job building relationships with her characters. The witty banter is always top notch. There’s a personal nostalgic feeling with her characters. It reminds me of time I’ve spent with friends, new relationships, and family.

Narration was perfect. I have no criticism to dish. I really enjoyed this read!

Nora is on BAD first date at a NBA game and she can't wait to leave. The stranger beside her is finding the situation funny. When her dates goes tot he concession stand she starts talk to the stranger and then the kiss cam comes to them.

humm no he is a stranger and there's no way she's going to kiss him.

But what if she does?

Her date comes back and it just gets worse so she decides to leave and the kiss cam guy offers her a ride. She ends up taking it and spending the rest of the night with him and its a moment she will never forget. You see shes moving away and won't be back for sometime. But she holds this night close to her.

fast forward to years later and who does she end up running to Kiss Cam Duke and can she trust him? trust herself and give him a real shot?


Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this audio arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

In The One With The Kiss Cam, a woman, Nora, is on a terrible blind date at a basketball game when she and the guy seated on the other side of her, Duke, get caught on the kiss cam. Fast forward a few years and Nora and Duke are thrown together again in a work situation.

Let me tell you, I loved this book. It was just delightful. The cutest romcom with all the live in the moment, complete your bucket list and be true to yourself kind themes. The banter had me cackling, the romance was beyond sweet, Duke is a perfect book boyfriend and the movie references were so on point. I loved the more serious issues that Nora was dealing with and how she navigated and conquered them in a realistic, relatable way #. All in all, this was just a really funny, sweet and charming book and now I want to read this author’s backlist.

“I fell in love with you the night we met. I tried to forget you, but it was impossible. And then, when I saw you again, I knew my life’s mission would be your happiness.”

- Kiss cam meet cute
- One night ticking off the bucket list
- Second chance-adjacent
- Workplace romance (boss x intern)
- Single POV

Nora's friend thinks she needs more fun in her life, so she reluctantly says yes to going on a date to a basketball game. However, things take an interesting turn when the kiss cam lands on her and the stranger sitting on the other side of her.

One kiss later, and she's agreeing to a spontaneous night of fun-filled bucket list adventures. They part ways, but when he re-enters her life, Nora can't help thinking they're meant to be.

After really enjoying Cindy Steel's Faking Christmas, I was excited to try this audiobook, which is narrated by the same person.

However, it didn't quite captivate me as much. I do enjoy how Cindy blends authentic characters with witty banter, cute heroes, and oodles of tension. I just didn't feel a strong immediate connection to the characters.

But they slowly grew on me as the story progressed and they had their second meet cute. Duke was a great MMC, and I would've given A LOT for his POV 😅. But his love and devotion of Nora would have to do!

Overall, if you're looking for a lighthearted, sweet romance filled with cute gestures and rom-com moments, this might be for you.

If you are in the mood for a lighthearted, fun rom com with an adorable meet cute, this is the book for you. I really liked both of the main characters, Duke and Nora. Even though it was definitely attraction at first sight, I liked that the story took place over several years since it was a while between their initial meeting and running into each other again. I thought this gave more depth to the characters and made their story more relatable.

I enjoyed listening to this story on audiobook. The narrator did a great job bringing the characters to life.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for a copy of this audiobook. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

This is definitely chick-lit.
And for someone that is in the mood for it, it a damn good one.
The narrator didn't had a perky or overenthusiastic intonation.
The story is catchy and a bit of a cliché, but in a good way.
The characters are lovable if stubborn.
The only thing that was a bit messy was the time gap at the beginning. Otherwise, a very entertaining book.