The Rebound by Leanna Slade

 

Summary (from the publisher): How far would you go to win back the love of your life?

Only from Audible comes this exclusive laugh-out-loud rom-com, perfect for fans of Emily Henry and Beth O’Leary.

Kitty Harris has it all: cosily coupled up with boyfriend Archie, she’s putting in the hours at an ad agency to land her dream job. OK, so maybe they’ve become a bit too comfortable in their routine, with pizza night every Thursday, and maybe the agency isn’t so much up-and-coming as been-and-gone, but Kitty is happy.

Until one diamond ring sitting pretty in her pepperoni ruins everything. Kitty does NOT want to get married, not after being caught in the crosshairs of her parent’s destructive divorce. Desperate not to lose Archie altogether, Kitty suggests a summer-long break so she can turn her ‘I don’t’ into ‘I do’. Somehow.

Enter Leo Evans, Kitty’s impeccably dressed advertising nemesis who loves to appear at the very worst moment. Needing a distraction of his own, Leo claims to have the cure for Kitty’s cold feet: a no-strings rebound fling and a ten-date plan to face her marriage fears. Kitty shouldn’t really be fraternizing with the gorgeous enemy, not when they’re about to go head-to-head for the biggest pitch of their careers, but if it means getting her happily-ever-after with Archie, it’s a risk she’s willing to take.

This rebound is about to get complicated. Luckily, you can’t catch feelings when you’re still madly in love with someone else...right?

Review: Kitty Harris, scarred from her parents' horrific divorce, is content with her long-term boyfriend Archie and low-level ad agency job. While her relationship with Archie is very predictable and maybe even a bit stale, its comfortable and familiar. Until Archie proposes. Kitty is thrown into an emotional rollercoaster confronting the idea of marriage, something she has never wanted for herself. Eventually, Archie and Kitty agree to a summer-long break so Kitty can try to come terms with her marriage anxiety. During their break, Kitty is drawn more and more to the handsome Leo Evans, who works for a rival ad agency. Leo seems like a great chance for a no-strings rebound fling. But Kitty had not counted on developing feelings for Leo, who comes with his own complicated past. 

This was such a cute romantic comedy, with surprising character depth and witty dialogue. I especially liked that Kitty is working not to just figure out her love life - she works hard over the course of the novel to improve her friendships, her relationship with her family, and her career. In the aftermath of her unwelcome marriage proposal, she uses the break to evaluate what is truly important to her and focus on making it better. The audible book was also narrated by actress Claudia Jessie and her narration added considerably to my enjoyment of this story. It was hard not to root for Kitty and Leo and delight in their budding relationship. 

Stars: 4