Undercover Bromance

By: Lyssa Kay Adams / Narrated By: Andrew Eiden

Length: 9 hrs and 8 mins

Really really liked it—BUT—Big Sis made a few very apt points…

Big Sis and I listened to Undercover Bromance at the same time, and when we came together to discuss it, she kinda sat back in her chair, ramrod straight, and asked me What I Thought. Now, this generally bodes ill for whatever audiobook we’re about to discuss as, if she LOVES something, wild horses couldn’t hold her back.

But here’s the thing: I merrily whipped right through this, oh soooo happy to NOT be listening to a Heavy-Duty story chronicling Nazi atrocities and a Devil May Care American attitude. It had brought me to m’ knees, leaving me feeling shame and hopelessness (And someday soon I’ll review it, like AFTER I get some more different and/or lighter listening fare in. I NEVER DNF an audiobook, but I’m thiiiiiiis close…!). So when I started Undercover Bromance, and The Bros went into a bookstore to openly—and proudly—ask for the Romance Section, I was charmed. Shenanigans followed, and near the end, I found m’self with a tear or two rolling down my cheeks.

So when Big Sis was all patiently waiting for a reply, I could only say: Awwww, gee, I really Liked It A Lot, describing the little Bromance scene that played along near the end.

And that’s when Sis offered her caveats to her Thumbs Up, a Thumbs Up with Hesitations. You see, I’ll just address Andrew Eiden as Awesome Narrator here… with the caveat that… he’s, uhm, the ONLY narrator here in Book 2. Book 1 had a separate Awesome Narrator for the Romance book that was featured, the one which the Bros prescribed for baseball star Gavin, based upon the needs of his relationship. Here? Nope, Big Sis decried the HUGE lack o’ Romance book. There’s s’posed to be a Romance Suspense book dovetailing the story, but it’s baaaarely alluded to, making this less Bromance BOOK Club, and more Just Plain Bros.

Further? It ain’t Bros for, like, a truly laaaaarge amount of time as our heroine is Liv, Thea From Book 1’s sister. And her personality is all Feminist Wrath. Okay, okay, okay, the book does a grand job giving us an Uber-strong woman, but her Core Wound from her father goes on and on and on re: Can’t Trust ANYbody… until: BOOM! She Does, and her Wound Resolution doesn’t get the play Thea’s did in the previous book. Thea had major work to do back there, but Liv gets a pass really quite easily here.

The gist?

Bromance Bro Braden Mack has it all… except for a girlfriend. On the eve he’s trying to dazzle the socks offa a lawyer with Social Injustice awareness, he orders a ridiculously overpriced cupcake, tries to have a pic taken with the Pastry Chef (Liv), jostles said Chef, and said Chef, oooops! drops it ‘pon the lap of Mack’s date, the woman who’s not only not impressed but is APPALLED that ANYone would so flagrantly burn money like that on fribbles. So! Liv is totally on the Hot Seat with her Famous TV-star Chef Boss, and when she trudges over to see him to beg for her job, she instead catches him with his junk out, sexually harassing the restaurant’s Hostess.

She’s INCANDESCENT with rage and, when she refuses to back down and say she Saw Nothing, she’s not only fired but blackballed in the grand Restaurant Scene. Mack, knowing it was his fault, tries to come to her rescue with a job offer, but she haaaates Mack as he ate her Chinese leftovers some time ago. This is an Enemies to Lovers story, which generally ain’t a fave trope of mine, but I liked Mack’s character development, and the Liv Has To Get Over Herself To Bring Her Boss down worked.

Plus?

If The Russian doesn’t make you absoLUTEly wanna get to HIS story, nothing will. He’s just hilarious here, tough but good-hearted, and his bowels are still exceeeeeedingly weak (Note to Russian: Stay away from cheeeeese!).

So there’s all of that, but even with those Dings, both Big Sis and I are totally going to get to Book 3 sometime.

Note: Yeh yeh yeh, this Contemporary Romance is Adult Romance so don’t be surprised by the occasional graphically written sex scene. These scenes made Big Sis’s toes curl, but to me, they were fewer than in Book 1. You have been warned.

All in all, an extremely enjoyable way to pass 9-hours. And I am soooo looking forward to The Russian again. And Noah. And! And!

And!!!

Amazon