Cindy Steel's The One with the Kiss Cam is a creative and very enjoyable story! From the charming meet-cute, to the interesting family drama, I'm impressed with the unique twists and turns this novel takes. This is definitely not your usual romance.

The audio version of The One with the Kiss Cam is nicely performed by Justis Bolding. What an amazing array of voices they use - I truly couldn't believe all of these characters are done by the same narrator. What a wonderful job they did.

This has got to be the cutest meet cute l've seen in a long time! I absolutely loved it! This was such a good rom com, I could honestly picture this as a movie. It was so much fun.
Nora had the worst string of bad luck, and she felt super relatable. Duke was super swoon worthy! I felt the same as Nora most of the time with her frustrations with him, but overall he was a super likable MMC and I found myself smiling often when they were flirting.
This book was closed door, but it was a sizzling closed door. Like, the doorknob was hot, be careful not to touch
I really enjoy sweet/closed door romances that don't shy away from idea of finding someone "sexy". There's definitely a feeling of "realness" with the authors writing in these moments that I really appreciate!
Overall, it was a really fun read and I highly suggest!
Also, narration was great!

This book was archived before its publish date and I was un able to read it time. So i'm unable to give it a true review. This review is based on the blurb.

This is such a sweet and charming romance! Nora finds herself locking lips with a stranger on the kiss cam at a basketball game as he rescues her from a terrible date. They have a whirlwind adventure for one night only since Nora is moving soon. Three years later their paths cross again when Nora finds herself working in the same office as Duke.

This was such a sweet and charming romance. I loved the chemistry between Nora and Duke and his encouragement for her to just enjoy the moment and not overthink it. Duke is a wonderful male lead as he never judges Nora for the chaotic circumstances she's navigating in life. There are lots of flirty moments and tension in the workplace.

If you want a story that will keep you smiling, pick this up! I think fans of Sarah Adams will enjoy.

I also loved the audiobook narration by Justis Bolding. Thanks Dreamscape Media for the complimentary copy!

This book was adorable! Right from the beginning, I was drawn into Nora and Duke’s lives and I loved every piece of it. Nora and Duke, armrest partners at a basketball game (even though Nora is on an awful first date with someone else), appear on the kiss cam. Once they collect their winnings, they have one night together and check some fun items off their bucket lists. Years later, Nora runs into Duke at work and their lives spark again. I had a smile on my face the entire time reading this. The chemistry and banter between Nora and Duke were top notch. Nora’s character was more complicated than Dukes, but I enjoyed both. I listened to the audiobook and absolutely loved both narrators. They did a great job at portraying Nora and Duke. There were many swoon worthy moments. I loved the bucket list theme that ran through the whole story. This is my second Steel novel, and it definitely won’t be my last!

I had read this late last year and absolutely enjoyed it. Less than three months later, I've listened to the audiobook and been reminded of all the things I loved about it the first time around.

Nora had a tough life trying to progress but falling behind when setbacks destroyed her progress. Duke wanted to make life better for her and I love that he pushed through her reservations and made it all happen.

I also enjoyed all the teasing and top notch banter that I've come to expect from Cindy Steel books. The buildup to their second first kiss was amazing! I couldn't help smiling.

I enjoyed this audiobook so much. Thank you to Netgalley and Publisher for an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Perfectly bingeable from the first page! I quickly noticed a smile on my face as I got into this book.

A romcom that has enough reality to make it feel relatable, yet fun and sweet, and makes you remember the butterflies you feel when you find your person.

I loved that the characters were rounded with family background drama (don't we all have a little bit of this). They were each trying to find and make their way in their young lives amongst school, jobs, friends and rent.

This book had the perfect ingredients to make a delicious, fresh, romantic comedy that sent me directly to her backlist to find more.

Sidenote, I did read Faking Christmas last year by Cindy Steel which led me to this one, and I highly recommend that one for you

The One With The Kiss Cam was such a cute romcom that I binged in one sitting. I truly enjoyed it. It was so swoon worthy and just made my heart so happy. Their little meet cute was the sweetest thing. I loved how it was instant-attraction but not instant-love. We really got to dig into their relationship and fall in love with them both.

Nora & Duke are just so sweet, they are so funny, they have great banter and they fit so well together. I love how they never forgot about each other and reconnected 3 years later. Duke was so patient with Nora, as she was so iffy with relationships due to how she was raised. He made my heart melt.

I've never read this author before and I definitely want to try more. She has the perfect blend of humor and emotions. It made for a truly delightful read. Honestly it's just the sweetest and so much fun, I adored it !

🎧 The narration by Justis Bolding was on point. She was so good at playing both male and female characters. She had all the intonations, she made me laugh, she did the banter perfectly. Truly made the book come to life.

✨️ Thank you to @netgalley, @dreamscapemedia & @cindysteele for my gifted ALC in exchange for an honest review.

The One With The Kiss Cam is a sweet, wholesome romance based on a chance meeting at a basketball game (which does include a kiss thanks to the kiss cam) three years before the majority of the story takes place. It's a second chance romance story with MCs who come from very different backgrounds which is primarily why the FMC, Nora, doesn't think they could work out. Duke is just such a good guy and the reader will pick up on his cinnamon roll vibes from the very first meeting between him and Nora at the basketball game. I like that the author also didn't just have our girl fall for a random man at a game and immediately trust him and his friends, she acknowledged that irl this could come off as sketchy and that Nora would, rightfully so, be a bit standoffish and wary of men offering her a ride. But the way Duke and his friends accept her wariness and are understanding and try to put her at ease was sweet. I'm not saying I would get in their car after meeting them at a game but the author presented this scenario in a way that would actually be believable so that made me happy.

Nora is used to fending for herself and taking care of her family. She's had a rough upbringing and has never been able to really be selfish. Duke grew up with wealthy parents and has started his own successful business with his friends, so money has never really been a concern for him. He's never worried if he'd make rent or have enough to replace his tires. When Duke and Nora run into each other again after 3 years in another meet cute scenario you can just tell he's not going to let her get away. And he doesn't, telling her to apply for an internship at his company and helping her move towards her goals. I love Duke; he's so friendly and giving, flirty but respectful and just all around a good person. Nora is hesitant to flirt back because he's technically her boss and she doesn't want anyone to think she's getting special treatment. Even the smallest interactions between the two of them are super cute and it's obvious how aware they are of each other. They have great chemistry but this is more of a closed door romance so there's no real spice, which didn't detract at all from their story. It's a great, light read with some tougher subjects of money insecurity and difficult childhood. I recommend it to anyone looking for a sweet romance story and the audio is a quick listen!

boss x intern
second chance romance
fun meet cute
bucket lists
cinnamon roll MMC
closed door romance
opposites attract

Justis Bolding did a fantastic job narrating. The audio was clear and easy to listen to -- seamlessly going from chapter to chapter. The pacing was on point and I felt fully engaged throughout listening. I would 100% recommend listening to the audio if audiobooks are your thing!

I voluntarily listened to and reviewed an ALC from Dreamscape Media via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5


Thank you, NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for allowing me to listen to an early copy of The One With the Kiss Cam.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked this audiobook. It was the perfect cute and wholesome rom-com I didn´t know I needed.
I love a well-written rom-com and this one had everything:

Meet Cute
Workplace ´romance´ (sort of)
Strangers to Friends to Lovers
Cute note (and sodas) exchange
Cinnamon roll MMC

The plot was simple and even though Nora had a very unlucky upbringing I could relate with her on many occasions.
Duke was the perfect gentleman. How he respected Nora and loved her, both as a friend and romantically was so sweet.

This definitely enters my list of comfort reads.

The voice actress did an amazing job voicing all the characters and I loved her voice for Duke. When people complain that female actresses cannot make a boy sexy, well that is a big fat lie! And Justis Bolding proved it

This was one of my favorite books of the year so far! "The One with the Kiss Cam" is a fun, closed-door romance that starts off in an unusual way.

While on a very bad blind date, Nora ends up kissing the stranger sitting next to her (who was NOT her date!) when the Kiss Cam zooms in on them, not once, not twice, but three times! But this recklessness is far from normal for her. She's buttoned up, closed off, and intent on remaining romance-free until her career is exactly where she wants it to be.

Duke, her partner in this unexpected kiss, seems to have his act all together! He's got great friends, runs a business (out of his garage), and doesn't seem to need any help from anyone, while Nora's life feels like a total train wreck thanks to her irresponsible and unreliable mother.

As Duke and Nora decide to enjoy a no-strings night of fun (with no romance), Nora decides to let loose and enjoy the evening. After all, she's moving in three days and will never have to see Duke again. But what starts as a wild evening of innocent fun and games becomes more serious with each passing hour as they start to realize that what time they have may not be enough time after all.

I really enjoyed so many aspects of this story! It was just the right mixture of seriousness and fun to make for a perfect romance.

Thank you to Cindy Steel, Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for an advance review copy.

Are you looking for a cute, fun, closed door romance?! Pick this up for your next read! I thoroughly enjoyed the audio version and think the narrator did a great job!

The One With The Kiss Cam by Cindy Steel ★★★.5

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for a copy of the audiobook of The One With The Kiss Cam by Cindy Steel!!

It’s been quite a while since I’ve listened to romance and I am so happy I got to pick this one up! Listening to audiobooks is one of my favorite forms of reading and this one did not disappoint. This book was narrated by Justis Bolding and she is quickly becoming one of my new favorite audiobook narrators. Her narrating style heavily reminded me of Renee Dorian, who narrated one of my favorite audiobooks (The Cheat Sheet by Sarah Adams). It was super easy to get into Bolding’s storytelling and I absolutely could not hit pause.

Now getting into the book…
The One With The Kiss Cam was a great read. Seriously. I am a sucker for cutesy, fluffy romance books and this was exactly that!! Nora was a fun, powerful female main character. Exactly what I like in FMCs. Her work ethic is unmatched, and quite honestly, motivated me to get working on my piles of assignments, exams, and essays. Duke was EVERYTHING I love in my male love interests!!!!! There’s something about funny, considerate, rich CEOs that just do it for me everytime. Duke is the most kind and caring man I’ve read in SO LONG. Every last thing he did for Nora just raised my standards, chapter after chapter. The characters in this book were not lacking one bit and I seriously wish I could spend so many more minutes in their world and seeing their love grow.

The only reason I gave this book a 3.5 star rating was because I feel like this story has just been done so many times before. Same books, different font (literally). It was lacking a tiny bit of originality. This plot line, problem, and solution have all been done before! I wish Steel would have just given us a TINY bit more. This easily could’ve been my next favorite romance novel.

NEVERTHELESS, this book was so fun to read. I loved it. If you are a fluffy romance lover like me, this HAS to be your next read. I promise. Duke and Nora are worth it!!

Oh my I loved this one. This was my first book by Cindy Steel and I am absolutely won over. This was such a lovely Rom-Com with so much heart.
Normally love at first sight (or in this case first kiss) is like my very least favourite trope but I have been converted.

From the moment strangers Nora and Duke are compelled to kiss on the kiss cam at a basketball game, we are taken on the sweetest journey with them. Of course real life isn’t an actual rom-com so it isn’t always easy but oh the motorcycle ride is worth it!

The chemistry is real, the kisses are sizzling, the grandparents are lovely and the best friends are supportive.

This book will have you laughing, sighing and smiling as you binge it from start to end because you will not want to put this one down.

Favourite Line:
“You Can Quote every romantic comedy ever made, but you can’t see the guy who loves you standing in front of your face”

I listened to this on Audiobook and thought narrator Justis Bolding did a great job. Easy to listen to, great inflection and she definitely made those tender moments come to life.

🌶️ This is sizzling kisses only

Thank you to author Cindy Steel and Dreamscape Media for an Audio ARC of this novel. All opinions are my own.

This was SUCH a cute book!! I feel like it was a little slow, but I loved the closed door romance. The characters were fantastic.

Do you believe in love at first kiss?

When I read the premise for this book it looked irresistible! I knew I had to read it.

Nora is on a thoroughly disastrous first date at an NBA game. She desperately counts the minutes until the game is over and she can go back home.

And Just when Nora thinks this evening couldn’t get any worse…

The moment her date steps out to the concession stand, the dreaded kiss cam zooms in on her and a stranger in the seat next to her. Oh great! Well, he is cuter than her current date. And probably a lot less boring. But just the same, he is a complete stranger.

To kiss or not to kiss…that is the question!?

Personal note:
So…I also had a disaster of a first date at a professional basketball game. And like Nora, also the first (and only) NBA game I ever attended. Granted, mine wasn’t as bad as Nora’s. Just the same, I couldn’t wait to leave the game and there was definitely no second date. Wish someone in the seat next to me would have rescued me too! Since life isn’t a rom com, it would take a few more years and many horrendous first dates for him to find me!❤️

Okay, enough about me. Back to the book!
When Nora and the kiss cam stranger also known as Duke run into each other years later, Duke is determined to prove to her good guys do exist. If Nora will just give him a chance she might just see what’s right in front of her.

A very sweet and fun rom com. I listened to the audio and the narrator Justis Bolding did a fabulous job!

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media🎧

Nora doesn't date. She doesn't have time for it. Her best friend signs her up for a dating app and she agrees to ONE date. She then finds herself on the worst date ever. She is smelly, sloppy, all around slovenly. Their date is at an NBA game, so she can't leave. Plus he drove her. She finds herself leaning closer and closer to the stranger next to her. When her date wanders off for a snack, she finds herself on the Kiss Cam with the stranger. They ignore it, but it keeps coming back to them. They relent- it is just a kiss. Suddenly Duke, the stranger, is helping her escape her terrible date. They spend the evening together- and only one evening since she is moving away. But she never forgets him. Years later, she runs into him and the spark is still there.

It is pretty rare for me to rate something 5 stars. And, to be honest, if it were a 10 star rating system, I'd give it 9. However, I am OK with the rating. The characters were likeable. They supported each other. They helped each other grow. The story was sweet and funny, and I really enjoyed their relationship.

Justis Bolding narrates the audiobook. She did a good job with the narration. I started at 1.5 but it felt a tad slow and upped it to 1.75. No complaints about the narration.

I received an advance audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

Have you ever been caught on a Kiss Cam at an event? Have you considered what you would do if caught in that position, go through with a kiss, just wave, ignore it? I think I would go for the kiss, what about you?
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The One With the Kiss Cam by Cindy Steel obviously features just such a scenario (big clue in the title). I listened to this one, thanks to @Netgalley and @dreamscapemedia
and enjoyed this easy, fun read.
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Nora wouldn’t even have been at the basketball game if her friend hadn’t convinced her that she needed to have some fun in her life and say yes to the date. Getting caught on the kiss cam and the wild night that followed was not at all what she had expected. As it does, though, life got in the way and years passed before Nora and Duke met again. When they do, all I wanted was for their relationship to last.
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Nora has had so much crap in her life and Duke is such a great guy, they need each other! I love a book that keeps me cheering on a couple and laugh along the way.
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This sweet closed door rom com is certainly worth everyone checking out. Perfect for moodreaders like me in the midst of all the basketball on tv.

Thank you Dreamscape and Netgalley for the ALC!

This was such a fun book! I’m so pleasantly surprised by how much I loved this one. Right from the get go you are met with laugh out loud humor, flirty and cheeky banter, strong book boyf vibes and just a lot of FUN! These were characters that I really rooted for from beginning to end and I just couldn’t get enough of them.

This is a closed door romcom and sometimes it can be hard for me to feel the chemistry and romantic connection between the MCs when it’s so chaste, but Cindy Steel really nailed the chemistry and tension between the characters. I was really impressed with her writing and getting us to *feel things* between them when the physical aspect of the relationship isn’t present.

The narrator, Justis Bolding, was new to me and I had a really pleasant experience listening! The narrator conveyed the flirty banter well, the emotional moments and just really brought these characters to life.

This book was a total win for me!

Oh, how I enjoyed this - the whole book and storyline and the characters! I’ve rushed over to kindle and the audio stores and picked up a couple more of Steel’s works because I need more! More of her incredible words and writing and stories!

Right from the very first couple of sentences I was completely hooked - actually, it was the blurb, and the way the whole thing was written from the start I didn’t want to put it down (had to, to go to work, but I still read it in a day). Duke and Nora have a meet-cute about their armrest while she’s on a date with a really awful guy she met on a dating app … her bestie made her go out with someone because she never went out or dated or had fun. She’s leaving town in a couple days to care for her grandma so she figures what’s the harm.

Nora and Duke wind up being harassed by the Kiss Cam multiple times until they give in and do it (she’s shocked by how good and natural it feels), when her bad date has gone to get more disgusting food and drinks, and then when he finally ticks her off enough, she’s ready to leave and Duke and his buddies escort her out. They have a brilliant evening after the Kiss Cam incident doing some bucket list items and she’ll never see him again… so she goes with it, but winds up in the ER until she’s got to go write an exam. Mega-level crush achieved…

Fast forward a few years to after grandma has passed and she’s back in town, post dropping out of school and needing to pay back all the bills so she’s taking on yet another job with her aunt. She runs into Duke in the elevator of her aunt’s building! Trying to avoid Duke turns out to be the hardest thing to do, especially since she’s never let go of those feelings, and even though he’s had a girlfriend since she left, she doesn’t think he has either. He does all the right things to win her over but he’s suddenly become her boss, who is taken, and even more off limits - why does he have to keep doing the most incredible things like bringing her Dr. Pepper!

I loved the interaction between Nora and Duke, the super amazing banter, and even though it’s a clean (kissing only) RomCom, I barely noticed the lack of steam because it was plenty slow burn intensity building in the storytelling! I most definitely recommend this to all - with it being clean there’s a wider audience that can enjoy it, and OH, will you all enjoy! 4.5 most glorious stars (rounded up to 5)! But do yourselves a favor and get the audio version - narrated by Justis Bolding, she does an absolutely beautiful job!

I received an advance listen copy from NetGalley and Dreamscape Media, and this is my honest feedback.