First of all, Thank You Netgalley for the ARC granted to me. It took me a little while to get immersed in the narrative(not b ecause ita wasn't good but, most because my mood while I was reading it) but I could appreciate the whyole story.

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐐𝐔𝐈𝐓 𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓
ʀᴀᴛɪɴɢ: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

💙𝙲𝚕𝚘𝚜𝚎𝚍 𝙳𝚘𝚘𝚛 𝚁𝚘𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎
🏕️𝚂𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝙵𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝙻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚜
💙𝚂𝚑𝚎’𝚜 𝙻𝚘𝚘𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝙵𝚘𝚛 𝙻𝚘𝚟𝚎
🏕️𝙷𝚎 𝙲𝚘𝚊𝚌𝚑 𝙳𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝙷𝚎𝚛
💙𝚂𝚕𝚘𝚠 𝙱𝚞𝚛𝚗

💓𝗣𝗲𝘁𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲: 𝗛𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘆𝘄𝗼𝗼𝗱💖

⁀➷ “She’s perfect. Everything I never knew I wanted. Everything I never knew I needed.”

Holly is looking to settle down after spending years of her life waiting for a man who never gives her the time of the day. She has been spending time every weekend with blind dates that never go anywhere. he caught the eye of Jax, a bartender and a self-proclaimed player who aspires to be a wilderness guide. They struck a friendship that developed into him helping her find Mr. Right and her, helping him with his business. But why look when the right person is literally in front of your eyes…

This story hits way too close to home for me, Holly is approaching her 30s and feels like she didn’t accomplish anything in her life and was wasting her 20s. She was waiting for a man who dangled a promise off forever but kept putting her off the side. Jax is the one who shows her that it’s alright to demand more, in fact, she deserves it. Jax has a lot of baggage from the past, he frustrates me so much because he’s in denial for most of the book. But he makes it up in the end, I love how they both find a way to put themselves first and ultimately bring them to choose each other.

I’m really enjoying Katie Bailey’s writing, she wrote the most fun banter chemistry without the spice and I love it! I highly recommend this to fans of sweet romcoms with a witty sense of humor!

✿ 𝙸 𝚛𝚎𝚌𝚎𝚒𝚟𝚎𝚍 𝚊 𝚌𝚘𝚙𝚢 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 NetGalley 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚊𝚖 𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚛𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠 𝚟𝚘𝚕𝚞𝚗𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚕𝚢 ✿

Holly and Jax are delightful characters, and this fast-paced rom com is absolutely perfect. It's funny without being over the top, and their relationship develops believably, with great banter and a sweet, touching romance. The tropes of found family, kooky best friends, fake fiancés, and friends to lovers, all work well. The back stories of each, Jax's troubled relationship with his controlling father and Holly's toxic work situation and terrible judgment when it comes to men, add interest to the storyline. This opposites attract story is a lot of fun!

This book was such a sweet, funny, happy closed door romcom. I loved Holly and Jax separately and they are so cute together. Jax tries to help Holly find a forever partner (given he has no interest in commitment) They end up going on a backpacking trip together (watch out for the only one tent trope!) I still have no desire to go on a multi-day hike ever in my life.

It was a total treat to read this one as the writing was amazing, plus the characters were so charming and beautiful. I adore it.
This is my first read from the author's work and i had a great time reading this one.
Definitely going to check the other works by the same author.

5 Stars.

🏔️ The vibes:
- dual pov
- Opposites attract
- Dating coach
- Dog daddy with tattoos

🥾 My thoughts:
Okkkk this one reminded me SOOOO much of He’s Just Not That Into You and honestly the entire thing really worked for me!! I also kept thinking Jax reminded me of Hitch when he’s coaching Holly on how she was going after all the red flag guys out there and how she was coming off as desperate in her search for love. I loved the dynamic of Jax and Holly and the date coaching vibe that was happening.

🥾 I envisioned this MMC as the personality of Ryan Gosling from Crazy Stupid Love with the FMC having the personality of Ginnifer Goodwin from He’s Just Not That Into You. (Apparently this book reminded me of all my favorite movies and book). The friendship and banter was so sweet. The chemistry and flirting was so hot. I just loved this couple so much. I loved their dynamic and their growth individually and together.

🥾 Also I may be off base here but the potential set up for Aaron and Olivia!!! Hockey teammate/ best friend’s sister… we need it nowwwwww.

Release date: April 5, 2024.

Thank you so much to Katie Bailey, the Victory Editing NetGalley Coop, and NetGalley for the gifted copy.


*note- posted review on Instagram feed permanently and a reel on my feed permanently; goodreads; Storygraph; barnes and noble; and Amazon. Links provided.

Jax's book was long awaited and did not disappoint. Holly and Jax's chemistry was off the charts, from the inception they just clicked and worked like puzzle pieces and as the book developed it was cool to see that chemistry blossom into more of a romantic relationship. Also he such a good brother to Maddie, like it was cool to see their relationship from his point of view.

Ps. Thank you for the ARC

Holly Greene is on a mission to find her happily ever after. And her journey to love does not include a detour to Bad Boy Bartenderville, population Jax Grainger. Jax may be witty, smart-mouthed, and handsome, but he’s the kind of guy who views love as a four-letter word… and the last thing Holly needs is to waste any more time. She’s in her seeking Prince Charming era, not her playboy villain era.

But after he saves her from the world’s worst date, Holly sees an opportunity: Jax may not check any of the boxes on her list, but he’s the perfect person to help her find a man who does. All she has to do is stick to the plan—and stay out of the sexy bartender’s arms.

Witty and refreshing! I loved Holly's focus and Jax's personality, and the way they become comfortable together before falling in love. I really enjoyed this quick, entertaining read!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced digital reader's copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review!

The Quit List by Katie Bailey is a romcom and the story of Holly and Jax.
 
Holly is looking for love and you follow her on several dates, but all of them turn out to be a waste of time. Holly is such a sweet person who is focused on ideal scenarios and lists and during the book she learns to be more spontaneous and adventures and that was one of my favorite aspects of this book.
 
Jax is a bartender, and he is really good at reading people. He also has a cute dog and is a good guy at heart. But he doesn’t want to settle down and is working on his dream of doing hiking tours in the Appalachian Mountains. He reminds me a bit of one of my fav characters Ryke Meadows and I absolutely love Jax.
 
These two meet after one of Holly’s failed dates when Jax attends to her. And afterwards their paths cross again and Jax helps Holly with her dating. At the same time, Jax pushes Holly out of her comfort zone, and they go on little adventures. And I absolutely adored all the moments they shared, and the pacing of this story was just perfect. Holly and Jax weren’t looking for love, but they found it anyway throughout the story and that felt very natural.
 
Overall, The Quit List is such a good romance and I totally recommend checking out this book. 4,5 stars.
 
(ARC kindly provided in exchange for a review.)

Seems like this is going to be very different from most of the other reviewers experiences, and I have read and very much enjoyed every single one of Katie Bailey’s books… but it wasn’t my favorite - I didn’t love it. I had to go back and re-read huge chunks of the book several times because it didn’t hold my attention.

I kept getting distracted by everything else happening around me because it didn’t grab me and completely immerse me in the story like it normally does (and like all her other books have). I’m normally a huge fan, but this one, which I was so looking forward to, is only a 4-star for me.

The storyline, of a pushover working the front desk at a hotel, under the supervision of her ex, constantly hoping he’ll get back together with her (while he’s paying just enough attention to keep her in his back pocket), who is starting to go on a string of terrible dates so she can move on from him… gets on the radar of the bartender at the restaurant where she always meets these awful guys. After about 10 painful to watch weeks, he steps in when one is particularly angry that she isn’t going to put out, and the dating-coach type friendship forms between Holly and Jax. He’s branching out to become a wilderness guide and she needs a change, so she acts as his novice hiker and helps with his website and social media. He also has her create her quit list, of things she’s no longer going to do or put up with. Jax is a rugged mountain man who is anti-relationship, but wants to help.

It sounded really cute but but it fell a bit flat for me and like I said, couldn’t keep my attention. Straight through to the end, I was hopeful it would get better… I loved the dog, though! I know there are so many other people out there who absolutely loved this and I wanted to love it, too, and after sitting on reviewing it for a few days, my opinion didn’t change. There are a few really good parts, but the overall experience wasn’t my best. I wish I could rate it 5!

I received an advance copy from NetGalley and this is my honest feedback.

It was a refreshing clean romance book. I enjoyed that there was not a third act breakup as well as the fact that the story took place in Georgia since I lived there for a few years while I was in college. I was not overly connected to the characters but enjoyed the story which is why I rated it 3 stars instead of 4.

#Review: *The Quit List* - Katie Bailey
4.9✨

This one was super cute and funny book. Thank you Katie Bailey and NetGalley for this copy.

Holly is determined to find her true love. And for this to happen, she is starting to heavily date, but she faces only disappointments. One of her dates reacts pretty bad one night and this is where our lumberjack, gorgeous man pops up (Jax). He saves her from that furious date and starts helping her more by trying to find the right person for her.

The more time they spend together, the more comfortable they feel in each others company. Feelings are starting to creep in their souls. I loved how they were always making jokes on something or even on themselves, but in a cute way.🤭 Jax was so sweet and protective of Holly, but he had his own doubts about himself, if he was capable to be involved in a relationship.

Each of them are finding new sides of themselves while they're spending time together and they try to be their best version of themselves. Holly needs to get over her ex boyfriend/boss, who is still playing and flirting with her and Jax needs to overcome his anger against his father.

The escapade they had in the wilderness was the perfect setting: adventurous, fun, scary, intimate.

I liked reading this one. It was relaxing, funny and inspiring. I recommend it if these tropes are for your taste:
📝 #StrangersToLovers;
📝 #ForcedProximity;
📝 #OppositesAttract;
📝 #Protector;
📝 #RoadTrip;

This is hands down my favorite Katie Bailey book so far. The tension between Jax and Holly is amazing in it. Jax has set the bar high with a single milkshake showing he will do anything for Holly without even a second thought.

"I think you spend all your time focused on what other people want, instead of what YOU want. And you try to give other people a version of you that you think they'll like, instead of just being yourself."

The Quit List is my second Katie Bailey book and I loved it so much! This book follows Holly who meets bartender Jax while she is on a string of bad luck dates. Together, they come up with an agreement for Jax to help Holly weed out the bad men on dating apps in exchange for Holly helping Jax develop a social media presence for his new wilderness guide business.

This book was so cute and such a quick read! The characters had great banter and the chemistry seemed very realistic. I loved reading about Jax accomplishing his dreams of becoming a wildness guide while also realizing he can be both a business owner and a good partner. Holly really grew from being unsure about her life to really finding herself and learning to stick up for herself. This was a really cute read!

I was lucky enough to receive as an ARC 🥰

The Quit List is a charming and entertaining romantic comedy that will leave readers laughing and swooning in equal measure. With its witty banter, lovable characters, and heartwarming romance, this book is a delightful addition to the genre.

Holly Greene is determined to find her happily ever after, but she's not interested in getting sidetracked by bad boys like Jax Grainger. Despite his undeniable charm, Jax has a reputation for avoiding commitment, which is the last thing Holly needs in her quest for true love. However, when Jax comes to her rescue on a disastrous date, Holly sees an opportunity to enlist his help in finding Mr. Right.

Set against the backdrop of Bad Boy Bartenderville, The Quit List offers a delightful romp through the world of cocktails and romance. As Holly and Jax embark on their quest to find love, they find themselves drawn to each other in unexpected ways, leading to plenty of hilarious mishaps and heartfelt moments along the way.

What sets this book apart is its exploration of love, friendship, and the importance of staying true to oneself. Bailey skillfully navigates the complexities of modern dating, showing how sometimes the best things in life come when we least expect them. As Holly and Jax navigate the ups and downs of their relationship, they discover that love may not always fit neatly into the checkboxes on a list, but it's worth fighting for nonetheless.

The Quit List is a delightful romantic comedy that will leave readers smiling from ear to ear. With its relatable characters, witty dialogue, and swoon-worthy romance, this book is sure to capture the hearts of readers everywhere. Don't miss out on this charming and uplifting story of love, laughter, and unexpected connections.

Thank you NetGalley and Katie Bailey for gifting me with this ARC, that I ended up liking so much that I'll have to buy the actual book!
It's like Naturally, Yours and Practice Makes Perfect had a baby, and this is the result, but I'm impressed on how The Quit List managed to tackle on themes I've read before and not only give it a fresh twist, but in some instances actually improved it.
Like Practice Makes Perfect (another great book, which is brought my attention to this one and the first thing that Quit List made me think of) the scene opens on a bad date. Our romantic hero witnesses said bad date, and this how they enter become entangled. The main difference between Quit List and Practice though is that Jax is a stranger, whose noticed this lady coming week after week with date after date, each time with different guys, this immediately he is intrigued. When one of those dates end with the guy harassing Holly, our FMC, he steps in, and from there enters her world. In Practice, Annie and Will already knew each and had feelings, but Jax and Holly are mostly strangers, albeit PERFECT strangers. After Holly explains to Jax her dilemma, Jax tries to offer a bit of advice, although he himself cannot bring himself to ever fall in love because of his own past.
But it doesn't mean he can't stop thinking of Holly, and as fate would have it, he wanders into her having yet another bad date, this time out beyond the confines of the restaurant, and makes assessments that turn about to be correct about the prospect Holly is trying to date. Turns out, he's correct again. Maybe Jax is on to something? From there, she decides to to enlist his help as her own personal dating coach to separate the frogs from the princes. The only problem??? The only prince she would meet just so happens to be right in front of her all along, and he knows it.
This was such a cute story, and I enjoyed Jax and Holly's banter. Holly and Jax's chemistry is clear from the get-go, and I loved visiting each of their POVs as they get closer to each other, while experiencing some of their own self doubt. Jax and Holly both have personal issues to work through, but in each other, they find strength.
I also have to point out that this book executed the nature theme and stepping out of one's own comfort and trying new things better than Love, Naturally, another book with very similar themes. Like Beckett, Jax is also trying to kickstart his new career and venture out into a new life that suits him better. Like Presley, Holly is also into internet marketing with this skill is able to help her new friend get his business out there. For one thing, we get plenty of scenes with Holly and Jax being out in the wild with Jax introducing Holly to new activities, pushing Holly past her comfort-zone. I thought this was well done here, and the sparks were certainly flying.
This is a clean, sweet romance with a lot of laughs that had me gushing to the very end, and like I've said, now I 've got to get the book! It even inspired me on my next camping trip.

I loved Jax and holly so much! This was such a sweet romcom, it had me giggling out loud! The banter between them was my absolute favorite! There was so much tension but very little spice which really suited this story and kept it short and sweet. It was a guick read but it all tied together perfectly in the end. I give it 5stars and definitely recommend!

This was such a satisfying, feel-good, friends to lovers, opposites attract romance. I couldn't put it down and had a smile on my face the whole time I was reading. Jax and Holly together were the cutest and I loved how Jax helped Holly come into her own and fight for what she wanted and she taught him how to open his heart to love. Lots of swoony moments, an only one tent situation and a hot waterfall scene. HIGHLY recommended, especially for fans of authors like Sarah Adams, Madison Wright or Juliana Smith. Many thanks to NetGalley and the author for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

Steam level: kissing only

Jax has become a certified wilderness guide after some extensive training and is preparing to start his own business. For the moment he is working at a bar and saves Holly, the fmc from an another bad date. They part ways and Jax hands in his notice at the bar to start his business thinking he will never see Holly again. Meanwhile Holly is still trying to find a date and when she is waiting on another no show, Jax appears. This gives Holly the idea to ask Jax to help her find someone to date. As Holly starts the journey to find her ideal man maybe she’ll find herself too.
The cover is what initially drew me to this story but I ended up really enjoying it. I absolutely loved these two characters. Their friendship felt so genuine and I was rooting for them to admit their feelings! The slow burn was slooowww between them and had me not wanting to put the book down. It was great having the dual POVs so you could really tell how they were feeling about each other. This was the first book I’ve read by this author and I definitely want to read more!

Tropes
💞 friends to lovers
💞 dating coach
💞slow burn
💞 one bed
💞 no spice


Rating 5/5⭐️

Jax, don't listen to Maddie... Jealousy looks great on you! 🔥 And so does that flannel... 😅 Gosh, Jax is just *chef's kiss*

If you're looking for your next closed door romance, look no further! This has everything you will need! Opposites attract, dating coach, one tent, kissing practice, hockey players, vikings, and so much chemistry!

Happy Reading!