I really enjoyed this new read by Katie Bailey! It was my first time experiencing her novels, and I really loved it. It was a slow-burn, closed-door romance full of content. I enjoyed getting to know the characters and anticipated them finally realizing they were the right match for each other. I enjoyed that rather than being her knight in shining armour, he helped her become true to her own personality. He helped her to come out of her shell and gain the confidence she hid below the surface. Will definitely read more books by Katie Bailey in the future!

NetGalley gifted me an ARC of this novel, but all opinions expressed are my own.

I never understood the concept of a book boyfriend until Jax; he’s everything you could possibly want in a man, right down to the flawed, “I’ll never be good enough” attitude he has. Holly is perfect for him; their banter and chemistry make for a fun, humorous read. I loved getting to know them and following along as they fell in love. Highly recommended for a feel-good read.

Katie Bailey’s The Quit List was a cute and fresh rom-com, following Holly Greene and her goals…. And disastrous dating app dates.

It was on one of these disastrous dates that Holly meets Jax Grainger, a knight in shining bartender guise. He saved her from a bad and dismissed date who came back and tried to bully Holly. Jax took care of this frog-in-prince-charming’s-dating-profile unwelcome presence. Holly thanked Jax and when chatting with him afterward, she found out that he has noticed that she brings many, many different men every week, but never the same one twice. She also quickly learned that Jax is not “The One” for her, but he is a good listener, even if he is rude to her.

Holly has a list of exactly what she wants in her perfect man. She is so worried that she is almost a spinster that she feels like she needs to find “The One” right now. She is only searching for men seeking to get married, and trying not to waste any more of her time on relationships with men like her ex, who strung her along for years.

Now, Jax helps Holly see through the hidden meanings in dating profiles and literally tosses her list for her perfect man away. Will Holly ever find her prince, or is she doomed to continue to only kiss frogs?

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this fun audio ARC!!!

I really enjoyed this story. It was a slow burn but loved listening to the characters connect.

I felt like Jax's story could have been more involved, a deeper dive into his commitment phobia. This was a story that showed us friendship and finding people who bring out the best in you.

The audio narration was great!

I just finished listening to "The Quit List" by Katie Bailey, narrated by Abigail Reno and David Bendena, and I wanted to share my thoughts! After a series of terrible dates at the Full Moon Bar & Bistro, Holly Greene, a hopeless romantic, is in need of some help finding the one. That's where Jax Grainger, the charming and off-limits bartender with his ability to read people, aka dating advice, comes in.

The banter-filled friendship that develops between Holly and Jax is absolutely delightful. Jax is such a kindhearted guy, always there for Holly and caring for her throughout the story. Seeing his fear of commitment challenged him as he started to understand what love truly meant was beautiful. At the same time, Holly realizes that Jax might just be the perfect person to complement her life.

The humor in the book is fantastic, the kisses are steamy, and I always enjoy seeing characters engaging in outdoor adventures (Jax being a certified wilderness guide definitely adds to the fun!). I enjoyed this closed-door romcom that brought maturity and sizzling tension to the story. Overall, it was a gratifying experience!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley.

The Quit List -a standalone

Published 6/11/24 audiobook, read 6/11/24

By: Katie Bailey-new to me author

Run Time: 10:08

Narrators: Abigail Reno and David Bendena-told in dual 1st person POVs of H and h. The narrators' voices fit the characters perfectly. Jax and Holly were brought to life by the narration, and it kept me interested . Both the narrators and the author worked well together and the pacing was quick.

Thanks to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for this ALC ! I voluntarily give my honest review and all opinions expressed are my own.

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Adult/Women's Fic

Tropes: slow burn romance, clean romance, friends to lovers, dating coach, wilderness hike, opposites attract

Summary: Holly Greene (29) is looking for her Prince Charming but keeps getting frogs. She has terrible dates and still has feelings for her ex boyfriend Dylan turned boss at her job at the Pinnacle Hotel. Jax Grainger is a handsome bartender/wilderness guru who doesn't like long relationships or want to get married. He rescues Holly from a bad date, and gives her some advice about men. She decides to make him her dating coach, and she will help him market his new venture as a wilderness guide who leads excursions from his newly renovated cabin. As they grow closer, their feelings turn into something more but both of them know it's not meant to be.

Rating: 4 ⭐

Comments: This was a solid rom-com with the hero as the dating coach for the heroine. Jax knows a lot about men and tells Holly she has to make herself happy and good things will come. She had a "hit list" of attributes she wanted in a man, and Jax turns it into the "quit list" of things she needs to stop doing. I loved how he gets her out of her comfort zone and they try hiking together. Jax showed his vulnerable side talking about his father's cheating and abuse of his mother . The hockey players sound like a lot of fun and I'd definitely read more about Aaron, Dallas, and Aubrey.

The Quit List is a rom-com set in GA and follows Holly, who is close to 30 and ready to find the love of her life. Jax is a bartender who has no interest in love & wants to move from the city life to the country to start his own business doing guided hikes.

Holly frequents the bar that Jax works at for her dates from her dating app, & one day, Jax and her talk about what it is she’s doing on so many different dates. In turn, Holly tells Jax about her dating “must haves,” & he promptly tells her that she’s going about dating the wrong way, which starts the “quit list” they make to try and find Holly her match.

I listened to this book via Netgalley, and I enjoyed it. It was a lighthearted closed door romance. I enjoyed both of their character growth in becoming who they wanted to be whilst falling for each other. I also think the book did a good job of showing a relationship that is unexpected, but still showing you that you can do the hard things.

Would recommend for someone looking for a light-hearted low stakes romance palette cleanser or for anyone who likes rom-coms!

• 𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘 •

𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: ☆☆☆☆☆ 5/5

I listened to this book as an audiobook, and I can not get over how pleasant the narrators sounded. The story is told in dual pov and had a nice flow to it. This book was such a surprise for me, I would never think I would love it as much as I did. The character are fun and have their own things to overcome. The pacing was very realistic and made me giddy on how this couple met and fell in love.

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘨𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘷𝘪𝘢 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺. 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘣𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸, 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.

Thank you Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for the advanced copy of this audiobook for my honest opinion.

Holly Greene is looking for the love of her life. She spent years pining over someone who may never truly want to be with her and she’s ready to move on. However, after having a horrible date, she is saved by Jax Grainger. Unlike Holly, Jax does not believe in love. He doesn’t believe in relationships and likes to keep things casual. Jax is also very good at reading people and after Holly has horrible date after date she comes up with an idea — have Jax help her find Mr. Right.

While helping Holly find the right guy, Jax starts to realize he may not be as opposed to relationships as he once was, when it includes Holly, that is. Holly also cannot deny the sparks she feels when her and Jax are together. Realizing they might just want to make things work, Holly and Jax need to figure out how they’re going to balance having each other in their lives, when their lives are so different.

I thought this was a cute book. It was what a romcom should be. I did listen to the audiobook and I feel like it makes the story so much better when you can put a voice to the characters. The narrators did a great job!

I loved Jax and how he was always honest with Holly. He didn’t try to coddle her. He was always there when she need him too, especially when it mattered or when people were trying to put her down. I loved how Holly showed growth. She went from having a strict list of what she wanted in a man to looking at the bigger picture (thanks to Jax). She also started to go for what she wanted and stuck up for herself. I also like that it was a slow burn story because it goes with the fact that Jax didn’t want a relationship in the beginning.

Would I recommend? Yes — if you love romcoms!

Second time reading this book, but this time in Audiobooks format. Absolutely loved it, AGAIN! Highly recommend for anyone interested in a sweet, clean romcom that will make you completely swoon.

If you’re looking for a sweet, opposites attract summer read, this is it. The Quit List is a closed door romance about learning to seek passion and adventure in your life, rather than looking for someone to simply tick boxes. Both characters had past trauma to process, which made them feel more fleshed-out. I loved that Jax wasn’t just an attractive love interest, but actively cared about and challenged Holly to accept no less than she deserved. I didn’t realize this was a series, so I’m off to find Jax’s sister’s story!

⛺️ The Quit List ⛺️
Katie Bailey

If you are looking for a super sweet opposites attract where he is her dating coach this one is for you! This was the first ALC (advanced listening copy) I was approved for on @netgalley and it was a good listen! It has a dual POV with two great narrators. This is a great summer read with some hiking and camping including only one tent at one point….talk about forced proximity! This one is also great for anyone who prefers closed door romance! The banter was good and overall, this was a great read!

One Sentence Summary
Holly Greene, determined to find her Prince Charming, enlists the help of the cynical bartender Jax Grainger—who's everything she's not looking for—only to find herself struggling to stick to her plan and avoid his irresistible charm.

Read if you Enjoy
🧲 Opposites Attract
📝 Dating Coach
⛺️ Only One Tent
🛏️ Forced Proximity
🗣️ Banter
🚪 Closed Door

The Quit List
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Author: Katie Bailey

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Dreamscape Media and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: He quit believing in love a long time ago. She won't quit until she finds The One... and he's everything she's NOT looking for.

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. Easy peasy lemon sque... Oops.

My Thoughts: This was a very cute friends to lovers romcom that I really enjoyed. Jax quit believing in love long ago, from how his father treated his mother, to past relationships, he just likes to keep things casual and then move on to the next. Holly Greene wants her fairytale happily ever after and has precise requirements of who her prince should be. After Jax saves Holly from the worst date ever, Holly seizes an opportunity. Jax can help her find her Prince Charming. The one rule, stay out of his hold and definitely do not kiss him. This follows the tropes of friends to lovers, opposites attract, and date coaching.

This was a dual narration between Holly and Jax, in their respective perspectives. Holly lacks confidence in a few areas of her life, but she is independent and fierce. Jax, opposite to Holly, is insecure, but confident, sexy, and a bit charming, even if he does not mean to be. The characters were created with depth, had witty banter, chemistry, were fun, and they were intriguing. The author’s writing style was complex, closed door, endearing, swoony, funny, and engaging. While this is a slow burn, it does not feel like it. I loved everything about this novel, from the bar scenes (aka failed dates), to the evening club scene and the hike, it was just perfection. The “screw it moment” was brilliant.

TW: parent trauma. The audiobook is only 10 hours and 8 minutes long and the book is a reasonable 346 pages. The narrators, Abigail Reno and David Bendena, were fabulous. They had perfect voice variation that carried across character distinction. They nailed the pitch and flow, allowing me to listen at 2x the speed with no issues keeping up and following along. While this is closed door and not labeled as a spice novel, it was not missed. There were special tender moments that just made my heart swoon. This was a lighthearted sweet read that I really enjoyed. I would recommend to others readers.

What a super cute book!

" I told you once to find a man that kisses you like he's going to move heaven and earth for you, he's going to bring down the sun moon and stars but what I didn't tell you is to assist fine a man who loves you like that who waited up every day in your corner, who will do anything for you, go to the ends of the earth for you but I didn't need to tell you any of that because you already have one."

I really enjoyed the plot, the characters were very realistic to me like I could invision them easily.. I loved the connection they built slowly.

So many great swoon worthy moments that just made my heart grow like the Grinch 💗

Great book recommend

The Quit List is such a sweet closed door romance! It is fast-paced and fun, with the romance and banter between Holly and Jax being absolutely perfect! I loved the two as individuals and even more as a couple. The chemistry was definitely there and undeniable, no matter how hard they tried. Jax is the perfect guy, no matter how many times he said they don't exist!


Thank you NetGalley, Dreamscape Media, and Katie Bailey for a wonderful book/ audio.

This was the perfect audiobook to binge, as it was a quick and enjoyable listen! I absolutely loved the setting, the characters, the development, so basically everything about it! :D

Holly is looking for the perfect man and she has a strict list of what she wants in a guy, but after meeting Jax she realizes she needs to cast a wider net. As he gives her advice and helps her navigate some dates, the two of them start spending more and more time together as friends.

But Holly doesn't feel any sparks with any of her dates and all the sparks with Jax. She's been burned by one sided love before and knows that Jax is not looking for anything serious, but she decides that having him in her life even as just a friend is better than not at all.

Jax is slowly falling for Holly and questions all of his carefully laid out plans of living in the mountains alone. Because how can he possible be on his own when he's gotten a glimpse into life with Holly?

Things I liked:
⛺ Only one tent (AKA my favorite microtrope)
⛺ Caretaking
⛺ No third act breakup
⛺ Tension & fiery kisses
⛺ Closed door
⛺ He helps her find "the one"
⛺ Except he becomes "the one"
⛺ Idiots in love
⛺ She learns to stand up for herself
⛺ He's a dog daddy (and a daddy daddy)
⛺ Hot mountain man

4 stars!

"She's perfect. Everything I never knew I wanted. Everything I never knew I needed."

Synopsis: Holly is looking for her happily ever after. Jax is a bartender who is starting his own business as a wilderness guide. After saving her from a horrible blind date, Jax and Holly strike up a friendship that turns into him helping her find 'the one' while she helps him with his business. But how long will it take her to realize her perfect match is right in front of her?

Overall thoughts: This is exactly what you want a romcom to be! It's funny, sweet, and so wholesome. I was giggling and kicking my feet everytime Jax pretended to be Holly's boyfriend during those awkward situations. I can't tell you how many times I wanted to to just grab them and yell "KISS!!" I thoroughly enjoyed the audiobook. There was low conflict and no third-act break up, which made it perfect for listening on the go: doing chores, driving, on walks, etc. I tend to get a little bored with romcoms, but the audiobook really kept me hooked! I also really loved the Seb/Maddie cameos. Highly recommend reading their book first (Season's Schemings), but both are standalone.

What I didn't love: The slow burn was a little too slow for me. We didn't get a first kiss until the last 80 pages? Woof. The voice actors were great, but if you're going to go have one for the mmc and the mfc's povs, might as well have each actor voice their character's during the other person's pov (imo).

Tropes:
- opposites attract
- witty banter
- strangers to friends to lovers
- closed-door (kissing only)
- slow burn
- dating coach
- only one tent
- no third act break-up

Um...I just crushed this in less than 24 hours, it is so stinking cute!!

I love a romcom and this had all the criteria for a good one! Forced proximity, dating coaching, one TENT and so much sexual slow burn tension that makes that first kiss oh so worth it! This was a closed door romance but all the build up was just as satisfying.

I listened to the audio and felt like the narrators got it so spot on — loved Jax’s voice! When he said “good girl” I practically melted! Multiple POVs so you see if from both Holly and Jax’s side with no third act breakup and healthy communication. I meannnn....what more could a girl ask for!?

This definitely was a 4.5 star read for me and now I can’t wait to dive into more Katie Bailey books!!

This was a delight!

* opposites attract
* outdoorsy MMC / girly FMC
* great banter
* friends to lovers
* closed-door (kissing only)

Meet cute: Holly, our FMC who is on the look out for her forever guy (and failing terribly) gets saved from a terrible date by our MMC, Jax, a commitment-phobe bartender working at the restaurant Holly is at.

Jax and Holly develop a fast friendship that was filled with some great banter and genuine affection for each other. He's helping her with her dating profile (and what to "quit" looking for) and she's helping him market his new wilderness guide business. They had great chemistry and brought out the best of each other. I honestly loved them both and was rooting for them the whole time! It was a slow burn but with great tension and build-up that really paid off.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for an ALC of this audiobook - all opinions are my own!

Jax & Holly

Tropes:
• Dating Coach
•Tattooed MMC
• Witty Banter

Thoughts: This book is so cute! It's the perfect romcom! Holly is having issues finding a decent guy to date and who else is more equipped to help her find the right man than the hot tattooed bartender? This is now my favorite Katie Bailey book. One of the things she does so well is explosive, sizzling chemistry but still maintains writing closed door books. If you are looking for a fun read, you'll love this book! I loved the audiobook! Highly recommend!

(Dual POV and Closed Door)