Thank you so much to Dreamscape Select for a copy of this audio!

This is my first Kayla book that I read but I do own two of her other books which I decided will be consumed this year.

I have never read a professor x student book before (unless you want to count Vladimir & My Dark Vanessa) so I was engrossed in how this story was going to play out.


What I thought Kayla did great was her description of the action. I felt like I was a part of the chase.
I could picture Finley and Ryker in the thrust (wink) of the tornado and how scary and yet thrilling it all was.

I knew Kayla was a SPICY writer and she delivered just as I imagine! I was definitely blushing while reading! Ryker was so attractive to Finley from the moment she walked into his classroom and loved her body. And I liked how Kayla didn’t ignore the power dynamic of the two and what it could mean for both of them if they pursue the relationship. I was very nervous on how it would all play out so you will just have to read it to see how it all worked out!

I love duet narration and this one is done so well! Victoria Connolly, Grayson Owens, Robb Moreira were all fabulous!! Grayson especially has the Midwest accent that just makes you swoon. Robb really brought to life Joey and I thought his inflection really matched his personality. I have listened to a few books narrated by Victoria and she as always is so good! Her and Grayson played well back and forth during their dialogue.

One thing that is different with this one compared to other book are the slight sound effects throughout the book. It just made the story more complete and made listening fun. And I want more books especially thrillers to follow similar production. Even if they were just snippet of sound effects it still was pretty cool to have!

Another shining light to this story was the sidekick Joey! I was really hoping that this would have turned into a spin off between him and Hawk but sadly for us it seemed to wrap up nicely for all the characters. But hey it could still happen – maybe? Pretty please?

If you are looking for a quick, spicy, action filled book with a plus size heroine and a Tornado Daddy, give this one a read!

First of all I’d like to thank the author and publisher for this ARC. As a Midwest resident I was very excited to listen to this ARC. I loved the sound effects, anytime I heard the siren go off I had to pause to make sure it was the book and not a real siren. I did like the rush of storm chasing and I thought Joey was a great side character and appreciated his comedic relief. Unfortunately the romance fell flat for me. It felt more like lust instead of love and the romance could have been stronger and more developed in my opinion.
Thank you again for the opportunity to listen to the audiobook!

4 stars.

"Whirlwind" by Kayla Grosse is a quick, sexy, thrilling story featuring an age gap and a forbidden (adult student/professor) relationship. Grosse really knows how to write spice! Major "Twister" vibes going on here, and I am not complaining! Finley and Ryker were SO HOT together! For a forbidden romance, it's not *so* forbidden, but I didn't mind. I really enjoyed the back-and-forth banter between them. I also loved the secondary characters, too! My only complaint is I would have liked a little more than just a forbidden romance that has come to fruition. I feel like this is all insta-love, despite them knowing each other from class for a while. I needed a little more angst and pining from their romance and a little less lust. Still, I found this to be a fast-paced, fun read filled with enough action and laughs to keep me interested. Also, I was absolutely smitten with Victoria Connolly, Grayson Owens, and Robb Moreira's group narration. They all fit these characters so perfectly! Their narrations made me even more invested in this story. I loved the special effects weather noises as well, they added some much needed engagement to this story.

Thank you to NetGalley, Kayla Grosse, Dreamscape Select, and Fat Babe Publishing, INC. for the complimentary ALC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

Storm chasing has never been so fun! Tornado Daddy is a hoot, trying so hard to deny his attraction to his star student. The whole professor/student thing is hardly a deal breaker in this case as they’d both rather be out chasing storms than in class. I absolutely loved Joey, his sass & over the top persona stole the show. Ryker & Finley are the cutest couple though. She is smart, confident and so much fun. He is stiff, but fun when he lets go. The story is pure, simple fun!

The narration team of Victoria Connolly & Grayson Owens made this such a delight to listen to. Then you add the gravy of Joseph’s antics read by Robb Moreira, and this becomes the perfect snack!

I received a copy of this ALC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I had no clue what to expect from this book, especially since this is my first time reading this author. But I was very pleasantly surprised. I also really enjoyed it because I’m a lover of the movie Twister, and this gave me all the Twister (and I guess Twisters 🙄) vibes. The entire book felt so new, fun, and refreshing. I really love our two main characters, Finley and Ryker. They have such great, and very spicy, chemistry. This book wasn’t overly spicy, but the scenes that were written were HOT HOT HOT! Since I also listened to this book on audio, I have to mention how much I loved the narrators as well as the sound effects.

Great story!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Now this was so fun!! We love a down bad man and let me tell you this man was. However Joey did something more even if he was a side character. This had me hooked right away and had such a good time. Yeah I was slightly looking for me but in the end I am not complaining about it. It checked all the boxes a quick romance audiobook needs. Recommend if you need a palette cleanser for sure!

What a whirlwind.
Spice 🌶🌶🌶.
If you're looking for a quick read to get you out of a reading slump, then read this.
For all the fans of Twisters with a bonus of spice, read this.

Trope
✔️ Age-Gap
✔️ Student/teacher relationships
✔️ Plus Sized FMC
✔️ Storm Chasing

The storm really consumed them 😍
I had so much fun listening to this. It was narrated so perfectly, especially the first two narrators. The sound effects, sub characters were all so likable.

Thank you, NetGalley, Author for this audiobook.

Whirlwind - Kayla Grosse

Series: N/A
Release Date: February 12, 2025
Audiobook Length: 6h 49m
Narrator(s): Victoria Connolly, Grayson Owens, Robb Moreira
POV: Dual POV; First Person
Genre and Sub Genre: Contemporary Romance
Main Location(s): Kansas; Oklahoma
Tropes: age gap (17 years, 25 fmc + 42 mmc), student x professor, forced proximity, forbidden romance
TW/CWs: lots of tornados, near-death experience, open-door sex scenes, consensual teacher/student relationship
On KU?: Yes
HEA?: Yes
Rating: 3.5/5
Spice: 2.5/5

Summary:
A forbidden, high-stakes romance between a storm-chasing professor and his ambitious grad student.
Finley Buckley has spent years admiring Ryker West, the renowned storm chaser and her new professor. When she’s chosen to join his team on a research expedition, she knows it’s her chance to prove herself in the field. But long days on the road, adrenaline-fueled chases, and one too many close calls make it impossible to ignore the tension between them. Ryker knows their attraction is a disaster waiting to happen, but resisting Finley is proving harder than outrunning a tornado.
With forbidden romance, forced proximity, grumpy/protective hero energy, and a thrill-packed setting, Whirlwind is a fast-paced, tension-filled romance that blends danger, passion, and the undeniable pull of fate. If you love age gaps, dirty-talking professors, and adrenaline-fueled love stories, this one’s for you.

Review:
Whirlwind delivers on action and tension, with thrilling storm-chasing scenes that kept me hooked. The forbidden romance between Ryker and Finley had potential, but I wish we saw more of their dynamic before the chase rather than just being told they had tension all year. Their relationship felt lust-driven rather than deeply emotional, and the third-act breakup felt unnecessary.
While the spice and adrenaline-packed moments were fun, the romance didn’t feel fully developed. The audiobook narration was good, but the sound effects were distracting at times. If you’re looking for a fast-paced, steamy forbidden romance with a unique setting, this is a solid quick read.

I loved this action packed story!! Storm chasers capturing and researching tornadoes throughout the Midwest. Finley has earned a spot on her professor’s storm chasing team for the weekend. I found myself laughing several times during the story especially the character Joey had me cracking up!

The audiobook was duet style narrated by Victoria Connolly, Grayson Owens and Robb Moreira. These three were the perfect voices for the characters of Ryker, Joey and Finley. The audiobook did have some sound effects that just made the listening so much more immersive.

Forbidden age gap and a Twister(s)-style type story?! SOLD. Nothing sounds more delicious than some tornado chasing action paired with a luscious forbidden romance SWIRLING all around. I've long since had Kayla Grosse on my TBR- the tropes she tends to write (curvy heroine, age gap, forbidden romances, high spice novellas) all are some of my catnip/comfort tropes, so I was excited to dive into the Whirlwind audio. And it was definitely a fun and engaging listen.

The audio was really great- I love duet narration, and while this isn't necessarily a "graphic audio" format, there are some great sound weatherish sound affects that really helped set the tone and vibe for the story. I'm actually not super familiar with either Victoria Connolly or Grayson Owens (the narrators), but enjoyed both performances.

Though I've not read Kayla before, given the length of her other books I expected this to be a quick and shorter read, but I did find myself wishing we'd just had a bit more pre-story context and development. It felt like we were thrust right into an already developing romance- where they are just about to fall over the edge of resisting each other. Because of that, we don't see the meet-cute, the tension build up, ALL that forbidden romance resistance - so we really kind of miss the forbidden feel and all the push-pull build up. We do have a few flashback moments, but they weren't really relative to the relationship development, so this just felt like a place where I wanted a bit more "story" to feel really connected to their chemistry.

But outside of that this was a fun listen. The pace was fast and easy, and shockingly despite it being a forbidden romance and also one full of danger, the angst was pretty low too (the stakes didn't feel particularly precarious in either way). Despite feeling a bit "dropped" into the relationship dynamic, I did like the chemistry between Ryder and Finley- and the book certainly has some great spicy moments. Plus, this gave me all the heat and post-tornado sexiness I'd wished we'd gotten in Twister (and Twisters) - so as a fan girlie of both of those movies, this was the spicy upgrade I needed. A solid listen- quick, fun, and spicy.

3.5 stars overall for the story, 4 for the audio performance

What to Expect
Forbidden Romance
Age Gap
Storm Chaser/Twister Inspired
Shorter novel (felt more novella)
Student x Professor
Forced Proximity
Plus Size FMC

This was an amazing audio and read!! I love Kayla writing style. I have read a few of her books and they have all been great. The narrators did a fantastic job. I loved all the sound effects the audio had. It really brought the book to life. I absolutely loved whirlwind and highly recommended you listen to it!

If you are like me and was left severely disappointed with the slow burn and lack of an HEA in the new movie TWISTERS, then this one is for you! Did I imagine Glenn Powell as the MMC? Yes, I did. This is the stormchaser book that I didnt know that I needed in my life. This was a first for me by Kyla Grosse but I cant wait for more! The audiobook is done in Duet with Victoria Connolly, Grayson Owens, and Robb Moreira. They did such a great job and can we talk about the sound effects?!? Dreamscape did not disappoint. At one point, I jumped, because I thought it was my own phone going off. So maybe dont listen during a storm. Lol.. You will love this book if you like a taboo (student/teacher) Age Gap, Curvy FMC, and twisters vibes. Also, it is very rarely that I love side characters as much, if not more than the mains, but this book has the best side characters! All the sass and banter! Thank you Netgalley and Dreamscape for the ALC to this story!

its a forbidden love between a professor Ryker west and a student Finley and they work together studying and chase storms. After spending time and they have a moment Professor believes its a mistake and hurts Finley. when Finley starts hanging around with her friend Joey Professor West believes their is something going on and gets jealous to the point that he confront Finley and they give a relationship a try. the banter between each character is hilarious and sweet.

tbh this was such a treat. the vibes were immaculate.
this was one of the best audios i’ve listened to in a WHILE. the narration was top tier. I loved that it was a duel narration, and the small sound effects throughout were the perfect touch without overdoing and overshadowing the story.

I loved the story. I loved the characters. i just had a great time 🤷🏼‍♀️

It gave twister vibes and truly it was so fun.

Plus size FMC
MMC that’s obsessed with her
College professor / student
Storm chasers / photographers
SPICE THAT SPICED
forced proximity

it really was just a treat! if you can listen to the audio, i 100% recommend doing that!

was it the greatest book ever written? no. did i have a top tier time and listen to it in 1 sitting? Yes.

Def recommend and will be revisiting this author!

I knew from the very first sentence I was going to love this book. It was soooo good. I only listen to audiobooks while I am working out and I found myself looking forward to my next work out just so I could listen. I loved both narrators. Very good book.

Loved this audiobook! The story was so exciting and compelling! Interesting take on the Professor x Student trope. Both characters are very adult about it and don’t want to see the other hurt by their decision to be together. The storm chasing was fun! And the spice was even better 😘

The narrators were fabulous! They all did such an amazing job with these characters.

Whirlwind was quite the whirlwind of a book to read.

The one problem I had with this book was just how much they focused/brought up the professor element of this book. I get it he was her professor but there were other elements they could have brought up a few times like the yearning they both had for each other or the age difference or how she was a fan of him before, or how he was leading this chase. I felt like there were so many moments that any other element that makes this story or trope appealing could be used but they kept bringing up the same point, even though there were never really in the classroom setting while the story is being told. I think I would have enjoyed the story more with that huge4 focus on that element with more scenes in a classroom verse the flashbacks it had to the classroom to explain the backstory.

That being said this is a perfect read for anyone who loved the movie Twisters but was hoping for more of the romance element in that movie. This book had action and a fast pace and the narration was compelling and exciting. I will read any book with a plus size main character especially one so proud of who she is and not someone who feels unworthy because of that.

I recommend this book to anyone who loved the Twisters movie but was left wanting more romance ... especially if the romance was with a professor. Thank you NetGally for the opportunity to read this story.

I enjoyed the pacing of the romance between Ryker(professor West) and Finley. They are really cute and I appreciate it being medium angst between them willing to sacrifice/put off their own careers for each other just to give their relationship a shot. I love Joey, Hawke and Ezra, an amazing set of friends/side characters. Not to mention my favorite tidbit being the cross over with Jake from Night Hawk, can’t wait for his book next year!!!!

A good concept, well executed - but that's about all there is to it. Nothing wrong with that - it hits the spot for fans of "Twisters" who wanted more spice - but I like a little more nuance in my romance. (I was also skeptical of their "solution" to the power imbalance problem.)

⭐️: 5/5

🌪️ Age Gap
🖤 Forced Proximity
🌪️ Student Professor
🖤 Action Adventure
🌪️ Light Breed!ng K!nk
🖤 Pining
🌪️ Plus-size FMC

Okay who is ready to give me all the professor recs because DAMN. I was in love with Ryker by the second page and it only got better as it went on. The way Ryker and Finley’s relationship developed was adorable. I loved their relationship, it was both super sweet and hot. I wished this was longer only because I’m super greedy. I didn’t expect to love this as much as I did because they weren’t my go to tropes, but I think that’s changed 😏.

Just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, we were given the audiobook. Duet style is my favorite audiobook narration style, not only was this duet, but also had sound effects which took the reading to the next level! The actors were absolutely fantastic, I loved that each of the characters had clear voices and personalities brought through from the book. I especially loved Joey, to hear his crazy self come to life was fantastic! Highly recommend this audiobook!