I am underwhelmed by this as a whole. The premise was super cute and done well, but...I'm a spice lover. And this being "sweet" edged into "sickly sweet" at times. I would have liked to see some "rougher edges" to Jax in general. He was very...contrary. He doesn't like people, but he's opening a Wilderness Exploration Center to...deal directly with groups of people?? Doesn't seem ideal. It was little things like this that lost it a star from being a good read at 4.

This was a perfect closed door rom-com that kept me laughing! I loved how quick and easy it was to listen to. The characters were likable and I became very invested in their story. Another book that will be perfect for summer!

A fun, humorous, clean romance that you can binge in one sitting without realizing that time has passed. I was so engaged in this audio! The narrators, Abigail Reno and David Bendena, do a great job and are so easy to listen to for hours straight, so I did (: Holly and Jax are absolutely lovable, relatable characters with so much chemistry even just starting off becoming friends. Their dynamic is adorable and charming and they're both witty and just plain fun. And the way Katie Bailey portrays the dating scene for adults mid 20s-early 30s right now is spot on. After a series of awful dates, many witnessed by Jax who bartends at her typical first date spot, Holly has not found her "perfect man" but who better to help than Jax? He knows which guys are red flags and is willing to help in exchange for some business help from Holly. A perfect deal... except for the obvious attraction between the two but no worries because Jax doesn't believe in love so can't be Holly's prince charming, right? What follows is a lot of fun and banter for our MCs as they become friends and then something more. Their friendship is so well developed and they each bring something more out of each other and help each other become more confident. They're so sweet with each other and I love that Jax always wants to come to Holly's rescue even when they're strangers. The Quit List is a light, happy, wholesome romcom that will leave you wanting more of these characters. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys romcoms or just easy quick reads in general -- it'll have you laughing out loud and leave you in a good mood once it's over.

- dual POV
- friends to lovers
- slow burn
- dating coach
- opposites attract
- clean romance ~ no real spice but honestly I barely noticed
- mountain man vibes
- only one tent (;

This audio will be available June 11th so keep an eye out! And I'll definitely be checking out Katie Bailey's other books because this was so cute!! Season's Schemings is about Maddie & Seb who are mentioned in this book (MAddie is Jax's step sister) and technically comes first but both can be read as standalones.

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

The Quit List by Katie Bailey
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thankyou NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for an ALC of The Quit List. The audiobook will be available from the 11th of June.

This was such an easy listen and I was captivated the whole time. This was a slow burn strangers to friends to lovers. Jax and Holly met after Jax saved Holly from a bad date at the restaurant he was working at.

Jax’s voice in the audiobook is so swoon and super enjoyable to listen too. After the initial shock of his voice being not what I expected I actually found it really suited his character.

This book was great with the dual POV and I loved the self development of both characters. Their unlikely friendship formed as Jax and Holly realised they could help each other out with their personal projects.

I loved how caring and protective Jax was throughout the whole book and especially on their hiking trip! There was an only one tent trope and a loveable adventure dog 😍

No third act breakup or miscommunication made this a super heartfelt and enjoyable read!!

Thank you very much NetGalley and Dreamscape Media. I loved having the opportunity to listen to an advanced copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

This is a great rom-com that checks all the boxes of a “perfect rom-com” list and proves that the perfect one does indeed exist. (For those who have already read it, ya see what I did there?)

You’ll fall in love with these characters and their narrators. The banter is amazing and the storyline makes for such an enjoyable, easy read. I can’t even begin to tell you how many times I laughed out loud.

I wish I could book a hiking trip with these guys and meet some Vikings along the way!

This was so cute!! Holly is on the latest in a string of bad dates when the bartender, Jax, steps in to help her diffuse a situation. aka, the guy is throwing a fit after she says she'd like to end the date.

Holly is a self proclaimed poor judge of men’s character, while Jax is able to read their profiled like a book. He doesn’t want a relationship though, and Holly’s ready to settle down. So she asks him to help find her perfect man.

It’s dual POV, with two narrators. I generally don’t enjoy male narrators, but I thought both did a great job!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for my advanced audio copy!

This was the sweetest book! I loved how both characters brought out the best in each other and they supported each other. I really did love everything about this book. The narrators did a fantastic job at brining these characters to life and I can’t wait to listen to more books narrated by them. Highly recommend this opposites attract romcom.

It was absolutely adorable lovers two people with really bad stories on their past relationships and family with broken pasts great characters! Jax is the best book boyfriend that truly grows into himself trying to help her find her way I loved this book and story

I fell in love with Katie Bailey’s books on my honeymoon. I love her writing style, and characters she creates. I really connected to Holly and her insecurities. Jax is my newest book boyfriend 🤤 cannot recommend enough!

This book isn’t for me, although I’m sure others will enjoy it. The humor doesn’t resonate with me. Also, I’m tired of rom coms opening with cliched bad dates. They don’t entice me to continue reading. I enjoyed the audiobook narration.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

Katie Bailey's The Quit List is a closed door romance in which Holly Greene enlists commitmentphobic bartender Jax Grainger to help her vet her prospective dates after he proves to be a much better judge of character when it comes to Holly's love life.
So far I've loved all Katie Bailey's other audiobooks even though they did not have the best narration. They were still fun and cute, but The Quit List didn't quite live up to her previous ones. There were a lot of cute moments, but much of the book dragged. The dual POV narration was just okay. The narrators did not do much to differentiate between their male and female voices, particularly in the chapters read from Jax, the male main character's perspective. Holly's lines were read in the same gruff, masculine voice as Jax's.
Katie Bailey's books have increased in popularity, but it still seems like the audiobooks are an afterthought. They could be great with better casting.

4.25 ✨

This was such an adorable, fun, easy listen/read. If you want a closed door romance with great characters and a fun plot, then give this a go!

The narrators did a really great job with this and did a great job bringing these characters to life.

I really enjoyed the plot. Holly has gone on date after date trying to find the perfect guy who checks all her boxes. She wants to move on from the guy she's been pining over for years and bring a change to her life. Jax, the bartender who always witnesses Holly's dates, steps in and shows her that maybe what's she looking for isn't really what she's looking for.

The two team up to help Holly find the perfect guy. You know what that means...Holly and Jax becoming friends but secretly lust for one another? Predictable? Yes. SO GOOD? OHHH YES.

Holly is a very relatable character. How she views her love life situation really hit home and I could really relate. I really felt for her and I just wanted her to be happy. She's sweet and wholesome and I really am so glad she found Jax.

Jax is a lumberjack hottie and I was totally swooning for this man. The man who "doesn't want to settle down or look for anything serious". Boy...you were GONE the moment you spoke to Holly and I was cheering you on the whole damn time. He just has this way about him that I really loved. Protective but not obnoxious. Jealous in the cutest way. Charming in the BEST way. I really loved him.

I really loved their chemistry together and loved when they would hang out. They just felt so right for one another. With them, you are getting a SLOOOOOW burn. As someone who loves slow burns, I was okay with it. I just wish we got more of them actually being together.

As much as I liked the plot, there were definitely times I felt things get a little slow and I just wanted something to ignite the flames! But other than that, this was really cute and I really did enjoy listening to it!

I thought we had some really nice lessons learned and I'm glad that Holly was able to find herself better and see what she truly wanted. I'm glad Jax could help her do so...even if he benefitted from it as well (lol).

I definitely recommend this! Thank you so much to NetGalley for the ALC of this book!

Another banger from Katie Bailey, so glad this was my first read from June! This was so incredibly cute and fun, I breezed through the audiobook in practically one sitting. Not to mention the audiobook narrators were perfection!

I loved the Holly and Jacks dynamic and none of the developments felt forced, everything was paced excellently and felt earned. I do love me a fake dating scenario, and this concept executed it to perfection! Can't wait to read even more from Katie Bailey!

I also didn't realise at first that this was in connection with the Donovan Family (with Holly being the sister of Mindy from that series), so although those aren't required reading it was a fun little easter egg!

In this delightful rom-com, a hot bartender and wilderness mountain man named Jax is staunchly against relationships, having seen terrible examples set by his father. However, he finds himself falling for Holly, the girl he’s giving dating advice to in exchange for her help in marketing his new wilderness guide business.

The story is low-stakes, fun, and flirty, with a closed-door romance that still manages to build great tension between Holly and Jax. Holly, on a quest to find "the one," endures a series of awful dates at the bar where Jax works. Observing her misadventures, Jax steps in to offer his dating expertise. Although Holly initially views Jax as the opposite of what she wants, she discovers that he might be exactly what she needs.

Jax's character is irresistibly attractive, and his journey from a commitment-phobe to someone willing to open up to Holly is heartwarming. Holly is a relatable character, caught up in the pursuit of the perfect man for a white-picket-fence life after being strung along by the same man for too long. Jax helps her see that there's more to life than adhering to societal expectations.

Their story is sweet and endearing, with Jax genuinely wanting Holly to find happiness. He learns to take his own advice and opens up to the possibility of a relationship with her.

The narration by Abigail Reno and David Bendena is superb, bringing these characters to life with engaging and soothing voices. Dreamscape Media delivers another top-notch production, making this book a perfect, cute, and fun read for the summer. It’s an easy listen that you might just finish in one session.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for providing this ALC.

I loved everything about The Quit List. This was one of those feel good rom coms that deserves to be listed up there with How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, The Proposal, and Sweet Home Alabama. The type of story that I’ll always turn to after a rough day and need a pick-me-up. The vibes were immaculate in this story and I finished it in less than 24 hours during a work week. Holly and Jax were adorably nostalgic and their chemistry had me cheering from the sidelines the entire time. I adore them both and think that Katie Bailey did such a wonderful job of establishing their personalities. Being that this was a romance, I expected some spice, but I honestly wasn’t upset that there wasn’t any. This story didn’t need it to further the plot and I felt every bit of tension as if it were my own. I can’t wait to dig into the authors backlist.

This book was so cute!

I loved watching this couple grow into each other despite being so different in the beginning. This is everything I want in a fluffy Rom Com.

The narration was also fantastic!

4/5

The Quit List written by Katie Bailey and narrated by Abigail Reno and David Bendena was such a cute listen. Both narrators did an excellent job. I enjoyed both of their voices.

Holly Greene is ready to get married. She has made it a goal to find the one and to settle down. She has a list of prerequisites and knows what she wants. Unfortunately, despite having a date every week, Holly has not found the one. In fact, they seem to be getting worse.

Jax is a bartender at the restaurant where Holly meets her weekly dates. After another failed date, Jax and Holly spark up a conversation,

Jax is a bad-boy, not looking for commitment. He is about to quit his job and start an outdoor adventure company. Holly works for a miserable ex-boyfriend, who refuses to promote her and often degrades her.

Jax helps Holly come up with a realistic list of qualities she should look for and encourages her to be herself.

After more unsuccessful date, a whole lotta time together, and a weekend in the wilderness, Holly realizes maybe she already found prince charming.

Super cute listen.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscapes Media for the advance listen in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Katie Bailey’s The Quit List is a delightful and engaging rom-com that offers a fresh take on the classic opposites-attract trope. This charming novel delivers a perfect blend of humor, chemistry, and heartfelt moments, making it a thoroughly enjoyable read for romance enthusiasts.

The story revolves around Holly Greene, a determined woman on a mission to find her happily ever after. Holly is laser-focused on finding her Prince Charming, meticulously avoiding distractions that could lead her astray. Enter Jax Grainger, the witty, smart-mouthed, and undeniably handsome bartender who is everything Holly is determined to avoid. Jax has long since given up on the idea of love, making him the polar opposite of Holly’s ideal man.

Bailey crafts a compelling narrative as Holly, after being rescued by Jax from a disastrous date, decides to enlist his help in her quest to find the perfect man. Jax, despite his own reservations about love, agrees to play the role of Holly’s dating coach. The dynamic between Holly and Jax is electric, filled with witty banter, playful teasing, and undeniable chemistry. Bailey excels at creating tension and building up the romantic potential between the two characters, making their interactions a joy to read.

Holly is a relatable and endearing protagonist. Her determination to find true love and her optimistic outlook on life are both admirable and slightly naïve, making her a character readers will root for. Jax, on the other hand, is a charming bad boy with a heart of gold. His reluctance to believe in love is well-explained and adds depth to his character. As the story unfolds, readers see layers of vulnerability and warmth beneath his tough exterior.

One of the standout aspects of The Quit List is the humor. Bailey infuses the story with laugh-out-loud moments and clever dialogue that keep the tone light and entertaining. The romantic tension between Holly and Jax is palpable, and their journey from reluctant allies to something more is both satisfying and believable.

The novel’s pacing is well-balanced, allowing for a gradual build-up of their relationship without rushing into clichés. Bailey avoids the common third-act breakup trope, opting instead for a more realistic and refreshing approach to the development of Holly and Jax’s relationship. This choice keeps the story engaging and avoids unnecessary melodrama.

The Quit List is also notable for its low-spice content, making it suitable for readers who prefer a more closed-door romance. The focus is on the emotional and intellectual connection between the characters, with plenty of suggestive humor and innuendo to keep things interesting without explicit scenes.

In conclusion, The Quit List by Katie Bailey is a highly enjoyable rom-com that delivers on all fronts. With its lovable characters, witty dialogue, and heartwarming romance, it’s a perfect read for those looking for a feel-good love story. Holly and Jax’s journey is a testament to the idea that sometimes the best things in life are the ones you least expect. This four-star read is sure to leave a smile on your face and a warm feeling in your heart.

An adorable closed door romance. I felt giddy while reading this! Holly and Jax are such a perfect match. I loved the outdoorsy feel this book brought. I feel like it was a great intro into summer. I also loved the mention and characters from her other books making a small cameo. Such a fun and easy rom-com read. If you are a fan of Katie Bailey, or a fan of sweet closed door romance, this book is for you!

The audio book narrators in this book were also perfection. I think they captured the characters perfectly! I love when the voices match the character vibes.

"Find someone to complement you, not complete you."

City girl / Country boy
Opposites attract
Manly man
Only one tent / forced proximity
Non spicy
Friends to lovers
Dating coach
Protective mmc

This is my first read by this author and I loved how she was able to write a closed-door romance that actually wasn’t lacking on the sexual tension that I crave in my reads. I loved Holly and Jax and of course Rick Astely🐕
Overall I thought this was a super cute read and I highly recommend to anyone who enjoys clean romances with hilarious banter and outdoor adventures with a swoon worthy MMC.

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the ALC

- Strangers to friends to lovers
- Opposites attract
- Protective MMC
- He’s her dating coach
- Forced proximity
- Only one tent