Thank you netgalley and dreamscape media for the free ALC my opinions are my own. This is auch a phenomenal book loved the meet cute kiss cam. The fmc strength and resilience was incredible. The mmc was dreamy considerate and as different as they were the more aimilar them appear wirh complicated family issues parent relations closeness to grandparents and so much more. Cindy writes perfect sweet / closed door bòoks.

Thank you to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media & Cindy Steel for the audio of The One With the Kiss Cam in exchange for an honest review.

I was not familiar with this author or title, but in the mood for a light-hearted romance & this fit the bill PERFECTLY!

This story centers around Nora & Duke. Nora never dates because she fears turning out like her mother, but she ends up going on a date with a guy she matched with on a dating app & he is NOTHING like his photo or profile description. Their date takes place at a professional basketball game & while her horrible date is at the concessions, the Kiss Cam repeatedly lands on Nora & Duke, the stranger next to her. They've had chemistry nearly the whole game that started over a shared armrest, so when the Kiss Cam proves to be relentless, they go ahead and kiss - and it is life-changing. They end up spending one night together checking off bucket list items & then Nora has to move to North Dakota to care for her ailing grandmother.

Three years later, Nora returns & as fate would have it, she's working for her aunt's cleaning company which happens to be in the same building as Duke's marketing business that he shares with his two best friends. Soon after reuniting, Nora is accepted into a graphic design internship with Duke's company, RDM. From here, Duke & Nora try not to flirt with each other, but they are very unsuccessful!

Obviously, we know they will end up back together. I really loved this story. It was fast paced & it was easy to root on Nora & Duke's relationship to win out. The characters were perfectly written & I love that we were given a strong female lead who preferred independence (to a fault) & a male lead who was just so kind & genuine and really wanted to help Nora out with no strings attached, simply because he cared.

4.5 Stars & I will highly recommend this book!

Cindy Steel is a must-read author for me and she did not disappoint with this book. I thought I knew what was going to happen and then she wrote it into something different and better than what I was expecting. I usually prefer dual points of view except in cases where it would ruin some plot surprises and I think single point of view worked well for this story. Nora has had a rough life and Duke’s care for her was the sweetest. This book has Cindy’s signature flirty banter and sweet yet sizzling swoon. There were a couple of plot points that weren’t my favorite but this was otherwise a very enjoyable read. I listened on audio and enjoyed the narration as well.

I received an advanced copy of this audiobook via NetGalley. The thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

Content Notes: Kisses

Thank you to Dreamscape Media for early access to an ALC via NetGalley. These are my honest thoughts.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4!

This book sucked me in and I finished in a day! The audio was well produced and the story was captivating. This story's premise is a strangers-to-friends who have a meet cute at an NBA game when the kiss cam won't stop harassing them. Then, they go on a one night only adventure to check off bucket list items, before life drags them in separate directions. Years later, the main characters have a chance encounter that gives them their second chance.

Things I loved:
- the friendship that blossomed between the two characters
- he falls first, and hard
- the opposites attract vibes (he's rich, she's poor; he's got the world at his feet, and she's cleaning up the dirt off his shoes; etc.) + the fact that they both have parental drama from opposite sides of the spectrum (plus I loved the "lawn mower parent" analogy!)
- the care that's taken by the MMC to raise up the FMC to thrive instead of survive
- the workplace-ish romance vibes
- small town Idaho, doting grandson MMC
- the rom-com moments

This was a sweet story! Definitely had different elements and things I really enjoyed.

Quick Summary: A Valentine's Day treat 💕💗💓💞

My Review: The One with the Kiss Cam by Cindy Steel is a sweet contemporary rom-com that is a dream read.

About the Book: Three years ago, Nora and Duke met in the weirdest way. They celebrated their meeting with a bucket list challenge. Before they knew it, their moment in time was up. Fast forward, the two cross paths at work. They quickly fall into a playful friendship and a strictly platonic professional relationship. A business trip leads to more. What's a little flirting or kissing got to do with anything?

About the Narration: Perfectly delightful!

My Final Say: I loved this book! It was everything I wanted as a Valentine's Day gift to myself. Beautiful.

Rating: 5/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: NA/A
Re-read: Yes
Keeper: Yes
Favorites Shelf: Yes
Audiobook: Yes
Narration: +

Sincere appreciation is extended to the author, to the publisher (Dreamscape Media), and to NetGalley. Thank you so very much for the opportunity to review this title. It was lovely. I'm grateful that I was granted the chance to receive an ARC. The words I have voluntarily shared are my own.

3.75-4 stars

This is a really cute story with the cutest meet cute!

On a date with a dud at an Utah Jazz game, Nora finds herself on the Kiss Cam with the hunky stranger beside her. That’s all the plot regurgitating I’m going to do. You have to read it to figure out the rest, but know it’s worth it. Oh, so, so worth it.

Nora and Duke are just great. Opposites attract for sure. He’s well off, she’s hard up. His family is overbearing, hers is non existent yet needy. She’s grumpyish, he’s a ball of sunshine. He’s her new boss, she’s the lowly Intern. I loved it all.

This is a single POV book and I would’ve LOVED an opportunity to see Duke’s side of things, but Nora’s side was still great.

This book is funny. Like F U N N Y. Closed door legit Rom-Com, but you don’t even realize there’s no spice because you’re enjoying yourself too much.

Justis narrating was great. She was the perfect Nora.

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for submitting the audio for possible review.

Thank you so much to Dreamscape Media for the ALC!

I have loved this book for a while now and am so glad it's finally being made into an audiobook! All of Cindy's books are absolutely fantastic!

🏀I couldn't stop smiling during this one and I think that's the biggest compliment I could give it! That smile turned to a laugh SEVERAL TIMES. All of Cindy's books have made me laugh so that means she's ACTUALLY FUNNY 😉

📹The meet cute was the cutest of all meet cutes! Forced together on a 💋📹 at a 🏀 game!

Justis Bolding was a great choice for the narrator and was easy to listen to!

The audio version will be available on March 15, 2024!

From the very beginning I was hooked the characters are well written. I had so many moments when I had to pause the audiobook to laugh! The narrator does a wonderful job bringing the characters to life.

Another sweet romance from one of my fav kissing only authors! This second chance workplace love story starts off at a basketball game when Nora gets rescued from an awkward kiss cam moment with her unlikable online date by Duke, the man sitting on her other side.

Fast forward three years and life hasn't turned out the way Nora has hoped with a financially reckless mother and more debt than she cares to admit. When a paid internship opportunity arises, Nora jumps at the chance only to find herself reunited with Duke.

I loved all the workplace shenanigans, the banter, the heartfelt conversations between Nora and Duke, their amazing meet cute and the way they eventually find their way back to one another. Perfect for fans of authors like Jenny Proctor and amazing on audio narrated by Justis Bolding.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

Sooo cute! I really liked this story. It was your typical love story but also unique. This is one I will recommend and reread.

💋The One With The Kiss Cam💋
“Was getting turned on by watching your date be a conscientious driver a sign of maturity? Asking for a friend.”👀
If you like:
💋Adorable Meet Cute
💋Romantic Comedies
💋Bucket Lists
💋Wedding Crashing
💋Right Person, Wrong Time
💋Second Chance Romance
💋Workplace Romance/Forbidden/Boss
💋Workplace Shenanigans
💋Forced Proximity
💋Banter & Laugh Out Loud Moments
💋Teasing/Tension/Flirty Sodas
💋Closed Door/Kissing Only
💋HEA 🖤
Then you’ll love The One With The Kiss Cam.
This book was absolutely adorable, and I ate every minute of it up!
“Hope and fear occupy the same space. But, in reality there can be only one. You have to choose.”
“I’ve seen your heat Kiss Cam. And, I must be selfish because I want every bit of it.”
Format: 🎧Audio
Narrator: Justis B hit a slam dunk with this one!
Length: 9 hours 50 mins at 1.5 speed
#theonewiththekisscam #cindysteel #meetcute #ALC #romanticcomedies #dreamscapemedia #audiobooks

This book was stupid cute! I can’t remember the last time I smiled and giggled out loud so much while reading. I even had happy tears in my eyes at the end. I think Duke may be my new book crush, because he is absolutely divine and sweet and adorable and I just wanted to hug him. This was my first time reading Cindy Steel and if the rest of her writing is like this, I’m hooked!

I am so glad the narrator didn’t take away from the story or characters, she was great! Huge thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Audio for the advanced audiobook!

This is such a cute story!! I am a fan of the kiss cam at sporting events so I knew I wanted to read this story. I love how even though they didn’t see each other for years, Duke still remembered everything about Nora and showed her as they spent more time together. Such a great story- I’d give it a 4.5 stars.

Thank you for the ALC for my honest review.

My favorite thing is finding a closed door romance that does not seem too juvenile and Cindy Steel did it with The One With the Kiss Cam. Nora and Duke’s relationship begins when caught on the kiss cam at a basketball game (could that be any better). I love how they complimented each other so perfectly. From the bucket list adventures to the deep conversations to the meddling grandparents and to the amazing epilogue, you will feel it all. Plus, if you are an audiobook fan, I loved the narrator for Nora!

Read if you like:
-Workplace
-Witty banter
-Bucket lists
-Meddling grandparents
-Clean romances
-Jumbotrons

Thank you Dreamscape for the ALC. Pub 3/15

Awww that was adorable. Nora is perpetually down on her luck and is hard to trust anyone. Three years ago, she has an amazing night with Duke, but then moves away. She's always been a little in love with him, but will he even remember her? Well, turns out he does, and he's got a girlfriend now, but it doesn't stop him from wanting Nora back in his life.
Things in her life are going from bad to worse and she could use a friend. When he starts helping her out more and more, she starts to wonder if she can really trust him with her heart.
It's obvious that Duke is smitten from the moment he meets Nora and he just wants to help. Now he's her boss and that presents a whole new set of issues, but as days go on and they get closer and closer and everything and everyone else starts to fall away, can Nora really let her walls down and let someone in?
I really liked this book a lot, and I understand why there had to be a separation, but I have to say I hated it hahaha. Nora coming back breathed new life into Duke, but for someone so driven and so seemingly hung up on someone else, he jumped head first into something a little quickly (then acted super confused as to why she didn't want to see this on social media and stopped following him) for my liking and then jumped right out too. He showed up for Nora though, and that was commendable.
Thanks to Dreamscape, Cindy Steel and Netgalley for an early audio copy.

This one couldn't get higher than 3 stars from me, even though it's well written, because it's not a romantic story to me. The relationship begins as an emotional affair and the fact that the MMC is cheating on his girlfriend of 3 YEARS (!!!) taking the FMC on a cutesy bucket list tour around their town, flirting up a storm, etc. is never seriously addressed. I honestly rooted against her the whole time - she's like 'I don't want to make bad love choices like my mom' but then she gets together with a man who's wasting his longterm girlfriend's time while monkeybranching to her. *Face, meet desk.* Ugh.

📚 Series or Standalone: standalone
📚 Genre: romance
📚 Target Age Group: adult
📚 Cliffhanger: no

✨ Will I Reread: no
✨ Recommended For: fans of Colleen Hoover who don't mind an unredeemed cheater MMC

💕 Characters: 1/5 (MMC gets 1/5 for being trash, FMC gets 1/5 for being stupid)
💕 Writing: 4/5
💕 Plot: 3/5
💕 Pacing: 4/5
💕 Unputdownability: 3/5
💕 Enjoyment: 3/5
💕 Book Cover: 4/5

Thanks, NetGalley and Cindy Steel, for the gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.