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Up Close & Personal
A jaded journalist challenges a celebrity fitness instructor to prove her job isn't a scam in this swoony, sizzling rom-com for fans of 27 Dresses and Jessica Joyce.
Jo De La Cruz should be on top of the world. As one of spin’s hottest instructors, her workouts stream into thousands of living rooms, her waiting list is harder to access than Area 51, and even her hair has its own social media page. But Jo’s struggling from a decade in the spotlight—which is when she meets the annoyingly handsome journalist who claims her job is just yelling at people from a bike.
Converting a hater is a challenge Jo can’t resist.
Only nothing about Silas Anders matches her expectations. He throws himself into her classes, he’s genuinely interested in Jo’s hobbies, and—most surprising of all—he knows what it’s like to struggle with mental health. Between all-you-can-eat-diner lunches, thrifting adventures, and sizzling summer nights, Jo might even be catching feelings. But as buzz for the article skyrockets, Jo discovers that the man she’s been falling for may, in fact, be the one scamming her.
Will trusting him break her heart—or lead to a love worth riding for?
Jo De La Cruz should be on top of the world. As one of spin’s hottest instructors, her workouts stream into thousands of living rooms, her waiting list is harder to access than Area 51, and even her hair has its own social media page. But Jo’s struggling from a decade in the spotlight—which is when she meets the annoyingly handsome journalist who claims her job is just yelling at people from a bike.
Converting a hater is a challenge Jo can’t resist.
Only nothing about Silas Anders matches her expectations. He throws himself into her classes, he’s genuinely interested in Jo’s hobbies, and—most surprising of all—he knows what it’s like to struggle with mental health. Between all-you-can-eat-diner lunches, thrifting adventures, and sizzling summer nights, Jo might even be catching feelings. But as buzz for the article skyrockets, Jo discovers that the man she’s been falling for may, in fact, be the one scamming her.
Will trusting him break her heart—or lead to a love worth riding for?
384 pages, Paperback
First published April 29, 2025
30 people are currently reading
8587 people want to read
About the author
Ana Holguin
2 books64 followersAna Holguin grew up in the American Southwest and eventually made her way to the other side of the Mississippi, where she landed in Chicago. She now lives and writes in the City of Broad Shoulders.
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April 29, 2025
જ⁀➴ 3 stars
Thank you to NetGalley, Ana Holguin, and Forever Grand Central Publishing for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Update (4/29/2025): Happy publishing day to Up Close & Personal!
⋆˚☆˖°⋆｡° ✮˖ ࣪ ⊹⋆.˚ ⋆˚☆˖°⋆｡° ✮˖ ࣪ ⊹⋆.˚ ⋆˚☆˖°⋆｡° ✮˖ ࣪ ⊹⋆.˚ ⋆˚☆˖°⋆｡° ✮˖ ࣪ ⊹⋆.˚ ⋆˚☆˖°⋆｡° ✮˖ ࣪ ⊹⋆.˚ ⋆˚☆˖°⋆｡° ✮˖ ࣪ ⊹⋆.˚
I honestly don’t even know how to start this review because this isn’t a bad 3-star rating if that makes any sense. I actually did enjoy reading this and this was quite the breath of fresh air and palate cleanser I’ve been needing this month with all of the longer 400+-paged books I’ve been reading. However, I believe that my issues with the book lie not in the writing itself, but in the characters, specifically Silas, our MMC.
Johanna de la Cruz seems to have it all. As a top spin instructor for Haven since its launch a decade ago, her workouts are broadcast to thousands of people in their homes and in the Haven gym location where she works in NYC. Deep down, she's struggling with the level of fame she's received, and has been for the last decade. Enter Silas Anders, a journalist whose spiel at the Metropolitan is to write about hot takes and unpopular opinions. In other words, he's the resident hater. When Silas gets the opportunity to write about Jo and prove that all she does is look pretty and yell at people on a stationary workout bike, Jo's not only eager to prove him wrong, but get out of her comfort zone and do a tell-all on her life behind the scenes of her job.
Before I get into the actual review of the book, I wanted to point out that this was a debut! It's been so nice to read from fresh, new voices in any genre, but it seems like in recent history it's been in the romance genre for me. Ana Holguin's voice, prose, and writing style felt super easy to read and flowed well, and she created an engaging story that kept me interested to find out more about Jo and Silas.
I loved Jo's character. I just wanted to give her a big hug the entire time. I loved the mental health representation with her anxiety disorder, and we get to see how it has affected her everyday life and her growth as a person since she started her job at Haven. I'm glad that more books are addressing things like mental health and normalizing talking about it. I think it makes characters more human, especially Jo, since she's achieved influencer/celebrity status in the story, and I feel like a lot of people tend to idolize celebrities and influencers and believe that their lives are perfect on and off social media. I loved seeing her grow into herself as a person throughout the story, overcoming her anxiety, and getting out of her shell a little more.
The only critique I would have about Jo is that we don't get to learn much about her outside of her job at Haven and her anxiety. Both play a large role in her character arc, yes, but there's mentions of her family and life growing up in Texas, she has two best friends--Amber and Serena--but I wish we got to see more interactions among them and learn more about her life growing up because I feel like there's more to her character than her anxiety and her job. Granted, her family is in a totally different area of the country, Serena doesn’t live in NYC, and Amber’s busy with wedding preparations, but I feel like Jo’s character arc almost had tunnel vision in the sense that all we know about her is that she has anxiety and she’s a spin instructor. There wasn’t any deep character development beyond that, aside from some brief mentions of her family back home in Texas and some memories she had working at Haven over the last decade.
My biggest issue lies with Silas. His entire job at the magazine he works for is to be a “part-time hater,” to put it in his own words. He went viral once for writing a hit piece, and he and his magazine decided to run with that and make it his gimmick. I hated that he went into this article with Jo, thinking that all she has to do is sit there and look pretty while she makes loads of money for doing the bare minimum. He holds onto this mentality for way longer than I personally would’ve liked, and it rubbed me the wrong way. Later, when he starts to realize he is, indeed, wrong, he lives in this constant state of cognitive dissonance where he STILL wants to write a hate piece on Jo. Also, the conflict between Jo and Silas towards the end of the story was totally unnecessary. I genuinely didn’t think any of that was necessary, and it was a complete 180 from the couple of scenes before it happened. It was so abrupt, so random, and unnecessary.
Overall, this was a solid debut for Ana Holguin! I hope she continues to grow and write more in the future. Aside from the few things I mentioned, I enjoyed reading Up Close & Personal and I can't wait to see what she has in store for us in the future!
⋆˚☆˖°⋆｡° ✮˖ ࣪ ⊹⋆.˚ ⋆˚☆˖°⋆｡° ✮˖ ࣪ ⊹⋆.˚ ⋆˚☆˖°⋆｡° ✮˖ ࣪ ⊹⋆.˚ ⋆˚☆˖°⋆｡° ✮˖ ࣪ ⊹⋆.˚ ⋆˚☆˖°⋆｡° ✮˖ ࣪ ⊹⋆.˚ ⋆˚☆˖°⋆｡° ✮˖ ࣪ ⊹⋆.˚
Trigger/content warnings (thank you to Ana Holguin for providing these!): anxiety disorder, detailed description of a mental health crisis, the recovery process, online harassment (trolling), sexist language, sexual content
⋆˙⟡ 𝒫𝓇𝑒-𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒹: This is eARC 2/3 that I have to read by next week! I impulse requested this so let's see how this is!🩷🧡I've been in a romance book kind of mood lately because the sun's out and everything seems a lot brighter and happier now that spring is in full force here, so let's hope this delivers🍀🤞🏼✨ (This is also a debut author so I can't wait to see what her writing style is like! I love a good debut.)
Thank you to NetGalley, Ana Holguin, and Forever Grand Central Publishing for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Update (4/29/2025): Happy publishing day to Up Close & Personal!
“All we have control over in this wild, sometimes ugly world is ourselves and our actions. Who we are is made up of the choices we make, the actions we take—I believe that, deep in my bones.”
⋆˚☆˖°⋆｡° ✮˖ ࣪ ⊹⋆.˚ ⋆˚☆˖°⋆｡° ✮˖ ࣪ ⊹⋆.˚ ⋆˚☆˖°⋆｡° ✮˖ ࣪ ⊹⋆.˚ ⋆˚☆˖°⋆｡° ✮˖ ࣪ ⊹⋆.˚ ⋆˚☆˖°⋆｡° ✮˖ ࣪ ⊹⋆.˚ ⋆˚☆˖°⋆｡° ✮˖ ࣪ ⊹⋆.˚
I honestly don’t even know how to start this review because this isn’t a bad 3-star rating if that makes any sense. I actually did enjoy reading this and this was quite the breath of fresh air and palate cleanser I’ve been needing this month with all of the longer 400+-paged books I’ve been reading. However, I believe that my issues with the book lie not in the writing itself, but in the characters, specifically Silas, our MMC.
Johanna de la Cruz seems to have it all. As a top spin instructor for Haven since its launch a decade ago, her workouts are broadcast to thousands of people in their homes and in the Haven gym location where she works in NYC. Deep down, she's struggling with the level of fame she's received, and has been for the last decade. Enter Silas Anders, a journalist whose spiel at the Metropolitan is to write about hot takes and unpopular opinions. In other words, he's the resident hater. When Silas gets the opportunity to write about Jo and prove that all she does is look pretty and yell at people on a stationary workout bike, Jo's not only eager to prove him wrong, but get out of her comfort zone and do a tell-all on her life behind the scenes of her job.
Before I get into the actual review of the book, I wanted to point out that this was a debut! It's been so nice to read from fresh, new voices in any genre, but it seems like in recent history it's been in the romance genre for me. Ana Holguin's voice, prose, and writing style felt super easy to read and flowed well, and she created an engaging story that kept me interested to find out more about Jo and Silas.
I loved Jo's character. I just wanted to give her a big hug the entire time. I loved the mental health representation with her anxiety disorder, and we get to see how it has affected her everyday life and her growth as a person since she started her job at Haven. I'm glad that more books are addressing things like mental health and normalizing talking about it. I think it makes characters more human, especially Jo, since she's achieved influencer/celebrity status in the story, and I feel like a lot of people tend to idolize celebrities and influencers and believe that their lives are perfect on and off social media. I loved seeing her grow into herself as a person throughout the story, overcoming her anxiety, and getting out of her shell a little more.
The only critique I would have about Jo is that we don't get to learn much about her outside of her job at Haven and her anxiety. Both play a large role in her character arc, yes, but there's mentions of her family and life growing up in Texas, she has two best friends--Amber and Serena--but I wish we got to see more interactions among them and learn more about her life growing up because I feel like there's more to her character than her anxiety and her job. Granted, her family is in a totally different area of the country, Serena doesn’t live in NYC, and Amber’s busy with wedding preparations, but I feel like Jo’s character arc almost had tunnel vision in the sense that all we know about her is that she has anxiety and she’s a spin instructor. There wasn’t any deep character development beyond that, aside from some brief mentions of her family back home in Texas and some memories she had working at Haven over the last decade.
My biggest issue lies with Silas. His entire job at the magazine he works for is to be a “part-time hater,” to put it in his own words. He went viral once for writing a hit piece, and he and his magazine decided to run with that and make it his gimmick. I hated that he went into this article with Jo, thinking that all she has to do is sit there and look pretty while she makes loads of money for doing the bare minimum. He holds onto this mentality for way longer than I personally would’ve liked, and it rubbed me the wrong way. Later, when he starts to realize he is, indeed, wrong, he lives in this constant state of cognitive dissonance where he STILL wants to write a hate piece on Jo. Also, the conflict between Jo and Silas towards the end of the story was totally unnecessary. I genuinely didn’t think any of that was necessary, and it was a complete 180 from the couple of scenes before it happened. It was so abrupt, so random, and unnecessary.
Overall, this was a solid debut for Ana Holguin! I hope she continues to grow and write more in the future. Aside from the few things I mentioned, I enjoyed reading Up Close & Personal and I can't wait to see what she has in store for us in the future!
⋆˚☆˖°⋆｡° ✮˖ ࣪ ⊹⋆.˚ ⋆˚☆˖°⋆｡° ✮˖ ࣪ ⊹⋆.˚ ⋆˚☆˖°⋆｡° ✮˖ ࣪ ⊹⋆.˚ ⋆˚☆˖°⋆｡° ✮˖ ࣪ ⊹⋆.˚ ⋆˚☆˖°⋆｡° ✮˖ ࣪ ⊹⋆.˚ ⋆˚☆˖°⋆｡° ✮˖ ࣪ ⊹⋆.˚
Trigger/content warnings (thank you to Ana Holguin for providing these!): anxiety disorder, detailed description of a mental health crisis, the recovery process, online harassment (trolling), sexist language, sexual content
⋆˙⟡ 𝒫𝓇𝑒-𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒹: This is eARC 2/3 that I have to read by next week! I impulse requested this so let's see how this is!🩷🧡I've been in a romance book kind of mood lately because the sun's out and everything seems a lot brighter and happier now that spring is in full force here, so let's hope this delivers🍀🤞🏼✨ (This is also a debut author so I can't wait to see what her writing style is like! I love a good debut.)
April 16, 2025
REVIEW TO COME😍🔥!!!!!!!!!
June 3, 2025
3 stars: ★★★☆☆
Thanks to Hachette Audio | Forever & Netgalley for the ALC 💌
Okay sooo... this one’s kinda hard to sum up. Like, I wanted to love it. I really did. The vibes were right: fitness girl vs. grumpy journalist? Yes pls. Mental health rep? We love. But even though it technically checked the boxes, the feels just didn’t land like I hoped.
It’s good. Just not romance good.
Tropes:
🌿 Opposites Attract
🖋️ Slow Burn Romance
🌿 Mental Health Representation
🖋️ Workplace/Industry Critique
🌿 Character Growth/Emotional Healing
The blurb had me expecting chemistry, tension, that “omg they’re falling for each other” energy... but honestly? It read more like an introspective coming-of-age journey—with a sprinkle of flirtation—than an actual swoony love story.
Jo? Loved her.
She’s a powerhouse spin instructor with anxiety, burnout, and a whole lot of pressure on her shoulders. She felt real. Her moments of vulnerability? So well written. And I adored how the book normalized mental health struggles in high-functioning adults. It didn’t feel forced, it felt lived in.
But Silas... I have thoughts.
He starts off pretty insufferable. Like, the kind of guy who writes think-pieces about why yoga's a scam and why matcha is a cult. 🙄 His whole “I’m just here to expose the fitness industry” vibe grated on me. And while he does grow—slowly—I still wasn’t fully convinced. His emotional development felt half-baked. Like bro, if you’re gonna fall for her, I need more than just sad-boy looks and diner chats. GIVE ME DEPTH. Not vibes.
Also... where was the chemistry??
There were cute moments. Some genuine laughs. But the romance? Felt lukewarm. It never built to anything. No tension. No "oh crap they’re gonna kiss" butterflies. Just a gentle slow burn that fizzled out before it ever really caught fire.
And can we talk about that third-act conflict ?
So unnecessary. So predictable. So… flat. I honestly rolled my eyes. It felt like it was added just because rom-coms are "supposed" to have a breakup. Not because it made actual sense in their arc.
That said—Ana Holguin can write.
Her voice is fresh. Jo’s POV felt authentic. The banter was fun. I liked the spin (lol) on influencer burnout and toxic internet culture. And her commentary on reclaiming your narrative? Solid.
Would I recommend it?
Yeah—as a contemporary fiction with romance elements.
Not as a romance. Because if you go in expecting swoons, pining, and butterflies... you might leave feeling underwhelmed.
But for a debut? A respectable start.
I'm still curious to see what Ana does next—because the bones of something really special are there. She just needs to lean harder into the heart stuff next time.
CW: anxiety disorder, mental health crisis (described), recovery process, online trolling, sexism, sexual content
Final verdict:
A soft, mental-health-forward story with a cool concept, a lovable heroine, and a romance that just needed more fire. Not bad. Not amazing. But a decent ride.
Thanks to Hachette Audio | Forever & Netgalley for the ALC 💌
Okay sooo... this one’s kinda hard to sum up. Like, I wanted to love it. I really did. The vibes were right: fitness girl vs. grumpy journalist? Yes pls. Mental health rep? We love. But even though it technically checked the boxes, the feels just didn’t land like I hoped.
It’s good. Just not romance good.
Tropes:
🌿 Opposites Attract
🖋️ Slow Burn Romance
🌿 Mental Health Representation
🖋️ Workplace/Industry Critique
🌿 Character Growth/Emotional Healing
The blurb had me expecting chemistry, tension, that “omg they’re falling for each other” energy... but honestly? It read more like an introspective coming-of-age journey—with a sprinkle of flirtation—than an actual swoony love story.
Jo? Loved her.
She’s a powerhouse spin instructor with anxiety, burnout, and a whole lot of pressure on her shoulders. She felt real. Her moments of vulnerability? So well written. And I adored how the book normalized mental health struggles in high-functioning adults. It didn’t feel forced, it felt lived in.
But Silas... I have thoughts.
He starts off pretty insufferable. Like, the kind of guy who writes think-pieces about why yoga's a scam and why matcha is a cult. 🙄 His whole “I’m just here to expose the fitness industry” vibe grated on me. And while he does grow—slowly—I still wasn’t fully convinced. His emotional development felt half-baked. Like bro, if you’re gonna fall for her, I need more than just sad-boy looks and diner chats. GIVE ME DEPTH. Not vibes.
Also... where was the chemistry??
There were cute moments. Some genuine laughs. But the romance? Felt lukewarm. It never built to anything. No tension. No "oh crap they’re gonna kiss" butterflies. Just a gentle slow burn that fizzled out before it ever really caught fire.
And can we talk about that third-act conflict ?
So unnecessary. So predictable. So… flat. I honestly rolled my eyes. It felt like it was added just because rom-coms are "supposed" to have a breakup. Not because it made actual sense in their arc.
That said—Ana Holguin can write.
Her voice is fresh. Jo’s POV felt authentic. The banter was fun. I liked the spin (lol) on influencer burnout and toxic internet culture. And her commentary on reclaiming your narrative? Solid.
Would I recommend it?
Yeah—as a contemporary fiction with romance elements.
Not as a romance. Because if you go in expecting swoons, pining, and butterflies... you might leave feeling underwhelmed.
But for a debut? A respectable start.
I'm still curious to see what Ana does next—because the bones of something really special are there. She just needs to lean harder into the heart stuff next time.
CW: anxiety disorder, mental health crisis (described), recovery process, online trolling, sexism, sexual content
Final verdict:
A soft, mental-health-forward story with a cool concept, a lovable heroine, and a romance that just needed more fire. Not bad. Not amazing. But a decent ride.
October 9, 2025
Like Silas, I too approached this task with preconceived opinions, and found myself pleasingly surprised by the outcome.
Ana Holguin’s debut could have used some work here and there but, in the end, is a lovely story about exactly that: preconceived opinions about people we think we know only because they are in our phones or in our TVs, completely forgetting about the fact that they are real people too, and we don't know them.
It’s probably the oldest aspect of popularity that we can think of, but AH’s take on anxiety and mental illness was something of a fresh breath to read.
Honestly, I find it difficult to talk only about the “good” aspects of the novel and not also about the things I’d have liked to read in addition to the main topic, but I’ll go only as far as say that, since the MCs are kinda still in their roles and we don't see much outside of that, I just would have loved some more romance between them.
↠ 3 stars
Thanks to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley, who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.
Ana Holguin’s debut could have used some work here and there but, in the end, is a lovely story about exactly that: preconceived opinions about people we think we know only because they are in our phones or in our TVs, completely forgetting about the fact that they are real people too, and we don't know them.
It’s probably the oldest aspect of popularity that we can think of, but AH’s take on anxiety and mental illness was something of a fresh breath to read.
Honestly, I find it difficult to talk only about the “good” aspects of the novel and not also about the things I’d have liked to read in addition to the main topic, but I’ll go only as far as say that, since the MCs are kinda still in their roles and we don't see much outside of that, I just would have loved some more romance between them.
↠ 3 stars
Thanks to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley, who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.
April 18, 2025
𝑻𝒉𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒆𝒚𝒆𝒔, 𝒔𝒐 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒚 𝒃𝒍𝒖𝒆, 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒔𝒐 𝒇𝒐𝒄𝒖𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍 𝒂 𝒃𝒊𝒕 𝒐𝒃𝒋𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒇𝒊𝒆𝒅, 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒊𝒏 𝒂 𝒏𝒐𝒏-𝒔𝒆𝒙𝒖𝒂𝒍 𝒘𝒂𝒚. 𝑨𝒔 𝒊𝒇 𝑰 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒏 𝒆𝒙𝒉𝒊𝒃𝒊𝒕 𝒊𝒏 𝒂 𝒎𝒖𝒔𝒆𝒖𝒎, 𝒐𝒓 𝒂 𝒑𝒊𝒍𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒑𝒖𝒛𝒛𝒍𝒆 𝒑𝒊𝒆𝒄𝒆𝒔—𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝑰’𝒎 𝒂 𝒒𝒖𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏, 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒆’𝒔 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒂𝒏𝒔𝒘𝒆𝒓.
Nothing like a journalist getting assigned to write a profile on a woman he thought he could stereotype… only to be incredibly wrong in the best way 💞 SWOOON
This is the story of how Silas is sent to cover a piece on Haven Studio, a company focused on fitness classes, especially spinning. That’s where he meets Jo, one of the most well-known spin instructors at the studio. When she finally agrees to the interview, Silas quickly realizes she’s nothing like he expected 👏
This book has a big focus on mental health, particularly anxiety and depression, and I loved how the author crafted Jo’s character as someone who deeply loves what she does but still struggles with her own inner battles. She wants to tell her real story, and Silas is the one who listens.
𝑮𝒐𝒅, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒍𝒂𝒖𝒈𝒉—𝒊𝒕’𝒔 𝒂 𝒉𝒊𝒈𝒉, 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒔𝒆.
You get both POVs, and of course, the slow burn as they start to realize their attraction to each other outside of the interview is REAL it was such a beautiful and heartfelt combination. I truly enjoyed this book since I do have my own inner struggles and it was nice to see that from a relatable character.
AGH I ALSO LOVE THE VULNERABILITY not only from her but from him!!! MEN CAN CRY TOO AND WE LOVE IT!
tropes
💛 journalist x spin instructor
💛 strangers to lovers
💛 slow burn
💛 forced proximity (the interviews)
⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.
➳ 𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱｡ꪆৎ ˚⋅ I forgot to log this one in, but ya girl is already 10% in and loving it!
Thank you Forever Publishing for my eArc
Nothing like a journalist getting assigned to write a profile on a woman he thought he could stereotype… only to be incredibly wrong in the best way 💞 SWOOON
This is the story of how Silas is sent to cover a piece on Haven Studio, a company focused on fitness classes, especially spinning. That’s where he meets Jo, one of the most well-known spin instructors at the studio. When she finally agrees to the interview, Silas quickly realizes she’s nothing like he expected 👏
This book has a big focus on mental health, particularly anxiety and depression, and I loved how the author crafted Jo’s character as someone who deeply loves what she does but still struggles with her own inner battles. She wants to tell her real story, and Silas is the one who listens.
𝑮𝒐𝒅, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒍𝒂𝒖𝒈𝒉—𝒊𝒕’𝒔 𝒂 𝒉𝒊𝒈𝒉, 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒔𝒆.
You get both POVs, and of course, the slow burn as they start to realize their attraction to each other outside of the interview is REAL it was such a beautiful and heartfelt combination. I truly enjoyed this book since I do have my own inner struggles and it was nice to see that from a relatable character.
AGH I ALSO LOVE THE VULNERABILITY not only from her but from him!!! MEN CAN CRY TOO AND WE LOVE IT!
tropes
💛 journalist x spin instructor
💛 strangers to lovers
💛 slow burn
💛 forced proximity (the interviews)
⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.
➳ 𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱｡ꪆৎ ˚⋅ I forgot to log this one in, but ya girl is already 10% in and loving it!
Thank you Forever Publishing for my eArc
November 21, 2025
This is my favorite kind of romance, one with attraction built on more than looks, a hint of trauma, and a slow burn that has you itching for them to finally take the plunge!
I am an absolute sucker for friends-to-lovers, but then add in that we start the book as strangers and I’m a goner.
Not only do we get to see these two lust after each other because they are both genuinely lust-worthy characters but we also get to see them slowly open up to each other and come to really care for one another before that sweet sweet slow burn finally erupts into a kiss.
What’s to love…
- strangers to friends to lovers
- he takes care of her when she’s hurt
- SLOW burn
- anxiety rep
- Writer MMC + public figure/influencer FMC
- dual POV
- he’s down bad for her
What not to love…
- 3rd Act conflict was a bit predictable and very avoidable
- the two POVs did not have the most distinct voices and occasionally I had to remind myself who’s head I was in
🌶️ - Ch 27, very tame and easy to skip if thats not your thing.
Thank you NetGalley and Forever for the eARC. All opinions are my own.
4.25⭐️ | IG | TikTok |
I am an absolute sucker for friends-to-lovers, but then add in that we start the book as strangers and I’m a goner.
Not only do we get to see these two lust after each other because they are both genuinely lust-worthy characters but we also get to see them slowly open up to each other and come to really care for one another before that sweet sweet slow burn finally erupts into a kiss.
What’s to love…
- strangers to friends to lovers
- he takes care of her when she’s hurt
- SLOW burn
- anxiety rep
- Writer MMC + public figure/influencer FMC
- dual POV
- he’s down bad for her
What not to love…
- 3rd Act conflict was a bit predictable and very avoidable
- the two POVs did not have the most distinct voices and occasionally I had to remind myself who’s head I was in
🌶️ - Ch 27, very tame and easy to skip if thats not your thing.
Thank you NetGalley and Forever for the eARC. All opinions are my own.
4.25⭐️ | IG | TikTok |
May 2, 2025
✨️ ARC REVIEW ✨️
Up close & Personal by Ana Holguin
AVAILABLE NOW
This was such a beautiful heartfelt story from plot to characters everything came together so beautifully. The mental health rep was so beautifully handled, I resonated with the FMC a lot in some parts. I loved watching the couple come together and them being vulnerable around each other; sharing parts of their lives with each other, it's not often that I root for the couples from the get go but as the saying goes when you know you know 😂🙆🏼♀️ If you enjoy witty banter Romcom with emotional depth then be sure to pick this up!
Tropes
▪︎ Enemies to lovers
▪︎ Forced proximity
▪︎ Opposites attract
▪︎ Slow burn
▪︎ Mental health rep
Plot Summary
Jo De La Cruz is living the dream—or at least, that’s how it looks on screen. She’s a star spin instructor with a massive online following and a hairstyle as famous as her workouts. When broody journalist Silas Anders calls her entire career a scam, Jo decides to turn the tables and prove him wrong. What she doesn't expect is for him to actually try. As Silas throws himself into her world, their fiery back-and-forth turns into flirty tension, and Jo begins to wonder if he's more than just a skeptic with a pen. But when she learns the truth behind his article, Jo has to decide if taking a risk on love is worth it—or if she’s been played.
Thanks to Hachette Audio and NetGalley for the ALC
Up close & Personal by Ana Holguin
AVAILABLE NOW
This was such a beautiful heartfelt story from plot to characters everything came together so beautifully. The mental health rep was so beautifully handled, I resonated with the FMC a lot in some parts. I loved watching the couple come together and them being vulnerable around each other; sharing parts of their lives with each other, it's not often that I root for the couples from the get go but as the saying goes when you know you know 😂🙆🏼♀️ If you enjoy witty banter Romcom with emotional depth then be sure to pick this up!
Tropes
▪︎ Enemies to lovers
▪︎ Forced proximity
▪︎ Opposites attract
▪︎ Slow burn
▪︎ Mental health rep
Plot Summary
Jo De La Cruz is living the dream—or at least, that’s how it looks on screen. She’s a star spin instructor with a massive online following and a hairstyle as famous as her workouts. When broody journalist Silas Anders calls her entire career a scam, Jo decides to turn the tables and prove him wrong. What she doesn't expect is for him to actually try. As Silas throws himself into her world, their fiery back-and-forth turns into flirty tension, and Jo begins to wonder if he's more than just a skeptic with a pen. But when she learns the truth behind his article, Jo has to decide if taking a risk on love is worth it—or if she’s been played.
Thanks to Hachette Audio and NetGalley for the ALC
May 1, 2025
Jo is a professional spin instructor for Haven (think Peloton). She is livestreamed to homes everywhere. Her workouts are legendary. Her Instagram account is verified, and her hair has an account of its own. Silas is a journalist for a lifestyle magazine with preconceived assumptions of fitness instructors, especially the trendy, influencer types.
I land on a 2.5⭐ rating here, right down the middle and not a bad review for a debut novel. I appreciated the mental health representation that was abundant and well done throughout the book. I enjoyed Jo as a strong female main character. Silas, on the other hand, did not deliver much. Overall, I felt there was a lack of character development for both characters, especially Silas. I do not feel like I truly got to know either of them on any level higher than basic surface information. I was never fully invested in the characters, and with that I had a hard time buying into any sort of romantic chemistry between them. It just wasn’t a believable relationship to me. I personally don’t enjoy lack of communication as a plot device, so the third-act breakup was difficult to get through. And it was entirely too predictable.
This was a dual perspective story. The audiobook narrators felt a little flat to me, although this may have been the material influencing my listening experience.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.
I land on a 2.5⭐ rating here, right down the middle and not a bad review for a debut novel. I appreciated the mental health representation that was abundant and well done throughout the book. I enjoyed Jo as a strong female main character. Silas, on the other hand, did not deliver much. Overall, I felt there was a lack of character development for both characters, especially Silas. I do not feel like I truly got to know either of them on any level higher than basic surface information. I was never fully invested in the characters, and with that I had a hard time buying into any sort of romantic chemistry between them. It just wasn’t a believable relationship to me. I personally don’t enjoy lack of communication as a plot device, so the third-act breakup was difficult to get through. And it was entirely too predictable.
This was a dual perspective story. The audiobook narrators felt a little flat to me, although this may have been the material influencing my listening experience.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.
October 12, 2025
“can I write an article about you” - the end
Read
January 31, 2025Howdy! I wrote this book and sure hope you enjoy it. While this contemporary romance often leans into its humor and lightness, it does touch on some more difficult subjects and themes. I'll share these below so you can read with care.
Thank you so much for reading my debut novel! :)
Content warnings:
Thank you so much for reading my debut novel! :)
Content warnings:
April 15, 2025
Behind every badass Latina, there's always a white man with an evil agenda.
To say I'm disappointed is to say the least.
I came into the book expecting an enjoyable story but left feeling upset. Once again we are given a book in which a white mans actions overshadow the talent of a Latina.
You don't even find out that the FMC's ethnicity up till the 50% mark so take that as you will...
Silas is unlikeable from the very start. When you meet him, there's a poor distaste towards his character because from the very get go does he misjudge the FMC via her online social media presence. He also is known for having an attitude and judging everyone at his work. Which is a red flag in itself but the biggest of them all is when he approaches the FMC in person under FALSE PRETENSES and begins a relationship with her based off his lies.
He's a reporter on the job writing about the FMC's cycling career and as he continues to meet with her does he change his mind and think "hey, she's not so bad like I thought?"
*YAWNS*
I mean this for every latina out there because unfortunately the "white man tries to ruin her career and lies constantly" is a trope in books. We deserve better than this. We are not on an agenda to prove white people that we're worthwhile. Our existence shouldn't constantly be devalued by white people who clearly don't listen.
We shouldn't settle for crumbs!
a note,
I do want to share that I do strongly believe that this book could've been great. The conversations of mental health were really well done and the fmc is a great character, unfortunately, giving the MMC a POV and his actions overshadow these qualities. And therefore, I could not rate this book any higher.
White men stop trying to ruin BIPOC women's career challenge? Cause it seems like this is a trope that everyone and their mom has been writing about.
To say I'm disappointed is to say the least.
I came into the book expecting an enjoyable story but left feeling upset. Once again we are given a book in which a white mans actions overshadow the talent of a Latina.
You don't even find out that the FMC's ethnicity up till the 50% mark so take that as you will...
Silas is unlikeable from the very start. When you meet him, there's a poor distaste towards his character because from the very get go does he misjudge the FMC via her online social media presence. He also is known for having an attitude and judging everyone at his work. Which is a red flag in itself but the biggest of them all is when he approaches the FMC in person under FALSE PRETENSES and begins a relationship with her based off his lies.
He's a reporter on the job writing about the FMC's cycling career and as he continues to meet with her does he change his mind and think "hey, she's not so bad like I thought?"
*YAWNS*
I mean this for every latina out there because unfortunately the "white man tries to ruin her career and lies constantly" is a trope in books. We deserve better than this. We are not on an agenda to prove white people that we're worthwhile. Our existence shouldn't constantly be devalued by white people who clearly don't listen.
We shouldn't settle for crumbs!
a note,
I do want to share that I do strongly believe that this book could've been great. The conversations of mental health were really well done and the fmc is a great character, unfortunately, giving the MMC a POV and his actions overshadow these qualities. And therefore, I could not rate this book any higher.
White men stop trying to ruin BIPOC women's career challenge? Cause it seems like this is a trope that everyone and their mom has been writing about.
April 19, 2025
Yes. Just yes.
This was like a breath of fresh air from all of the crappy reads I've been through lately. It was refreshing to finally be able to thoroughly enjoy something for the first time in way too long!
Equal parts fun and emotional—which is the best thing about reads like this in my opinion! The mental health representation had me feeling so seen—both Silas and Jo struggle mentally, and to see them fighting the same invisible monsters I fight made me feel so validated because I often feel as if I'm alone in this battle, but I'm not. I'm seen, and I'm not alone, and this book was a great reminder of that.
The writing was so raw; I felt every single word that was written—it was humorous as well, which adds a nice comedic touch to the emotional bits of the story!
It’s important to me when reading a book to be able to connect with the main characters, and I could not have connected more with these two! I love how Jo's from Texas—because GIRL ME TOO—I loved to be able to relate to her in that way too, among many others. The Texan humor was amazing! And as for Silas? Raw. Next question. The way he genuinely cared for her and her mental health literally had me MELTING. There’s nothing hotter than a man who admires his girl fiercely.
Put these two together, and you have the utmost tension and such tender love. I haven't felt such potency between love interests in too long! Silas loves Jo in all of the ways that matter—I love that cutie so much. The way he was so proud of her when she stepped out of her comfort zone and fought her internal battles showed his feelings for her tenfold… I NEED HIM. While this had explicit scenes, it wasn't lustful at all, which I appreciated SO much. They didn't just jump into bed together; it's very much a slow burn, and the feelings were deeply rooted inside of one another.
I'm HEAD OVER HEELS obsessed with this couple and this entire book; it highlights the importance of going out of your comfort zone—which, admittedly, I don't do often due to my anxiety, just like Jo. But this read gave me newfound hope! I found a part of myself while reading this.
ᝰ.ᐟ 𝗧𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝘀/𝗺𝗶𝗰𝗿𝗼 𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝘀
Enemies to lovers
Dual POV
Found family
Slow burn
Mental health rep (anxiety & depression)
He tends to her injury
He helps her through a panic attack
He brings her flowers
4.8 ★
𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙤 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙂𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘼𝙍𝘾!
This was like a breath of fresh air from all of the crappy reads I've been through lately. It was refreshing to finally be able to thoroughly enjoy something for the first time in way too long!
Equal parts fun and emotional—which is the best thing about reads like this in my opinion! The mental health representation had me feeling so seen—both Silas and Jo struggle mentally, and to see them fighting the same invisible monsters I fight made me feel so validated because I often feel as if I'm alone in this battle, but I'm not. I'm seen, and I'm not alone, and this book was a great reminder of that.
The writing was so raw; I felt every single word that was written—it was humorous as well, which adds a nice comedic touch to the emotional bits of the story!
It’s important to me when reading a book to be able to connect with the main characters, and I could not have connected more with these two! I love how Jo's from Texas—because GIRL ME TOO—I loved to be able to relate to her in that way too, among many others. The Texan humor was amazing! And as for Silas? Raw. Next question. The way he genuinely cared for her and her mental health literally had me MELTING. There’s nothing hotter than a man who admires his girl fiercely.
Put these two together, and you have the utmost tension and such tender love. I haven't felt such potency between love interests in too long! Silas loves Jo in all of the ways that matter—I love that cutie so much. The way he was so proud of her when she stepped out of her comfort zone and fought her internal battles showed his feelings for her tenfold… I NEED HIM. While this had explicit scenes, it wasn't lustful at all, which I appreciated SO much. They didn't just jump into bed together; it's very much a slow burn, and the feelings were deeply rooted inside of one another.
I'm HEAD OVER HEELS obsessed with this couple and this entire book; it highlights the importance of going out of your comfort zone—which, admittedly, I don't do often due to my anxiety, just like Jo. But this read gave me newfound hope! I found a part of myself while reading this.
ᝰ.ᐟ 𝗧𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝘀/𝗺𝗶𝗰𝗿𝗼 𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝘀
Enemies to lovers
Dual POV
Found family
Slow burn
Mental health rep (anxiety & depression)
He tends to her injury
He helps her through a panic attack
He brings her flowers
4.8 ★
𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙤 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙂𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘼𝙍𝘾!
April 6, 2025
Audiobook Review 📖🎧🚲
thank you so much partner Hachette Audio and Forever Pub for the free audiobook.
Up Close & Personal
by Ana Holguin
Narrated by Maria Liatis; Kellen Boyle
About the book 👇🏽
Jo De La Cruz should be on top of the world. As one of spin’s hottest instructors, her workouts stream into thousands of living rooms, her waiting list is harder to access than Area 51, and even her hair has its own social media page. But Jo’s struggling from a decade in the spotlight—which is when she meets the annoyingly handsome journalist who claims her job is just yelling at people from a bike.
Converting a hater is a challenge Jo can’t resist.
Only nothing about Silas Anders matches her expectations. Between all-you-can-eat-diner lunches, thrifting adventures, and sizzling summer nights, Jo might even be catching feelings. But as buzz for the article skyrockets, Jo discovers that the man she’s been falling for may, in fact, be the one scamming her.
🎧🚲 My thoughts
I had a good time with this debut! The audiobook was a well paced listen and I was able to finish it in no time. The narrators were great and really kept my attention leaving me with the confidence that I’d listen to more books read by both of them. I enjoyed the main characters, they felt real and relatable which is what I look for in books. I also thought this slow burn had the right amount of build up! I landed right in the middle with the rating, I had a good time reading it and I’d read more by this author!
Happy reading 📖 🎧🚲
thank you so much partner Hachette Audio and Forever Pub for the free audiobook.
Up Close & Personal
by Ana Holguin
Narrated by Maria Liatis; Kellen Boyle
About the book 👇🏽
Jo De La Cruz should be on top of the world. As one of spin’s hottest instructors, her workouts stream into thousands of living rooms, her waiting list is harder to access than Area 51, and even her hair has its own social media page. But Jo’s struggling from a decade in the spotlight—which is when she meets the annoyingly handsome journalist who claims her job is just yelling at people from a bike.
Converting a hater is a challenge Jo can’t resist.
Only nothing about Silas Anders matches her expectations. Between all-you-can-eat-diner lunches, thrifting adventures, and sizzling summer nights, Jo might even be catching feelings. But as buzz for the article skyrockets, Jo discovers that the man she’s been falling for may, in fact, be the one scamming her.
🎧🚲 My thoughts
I had a good time with this debut! The audiobook was a well paced listen and I was able to finish it in no time. The narrators were great and really kept my attention leaving me with the confidence that I’d listen to more books read by both of them. I enjoyed the main characters, they felt real and relatable which is what I look for in books. I also thought this slow burn had the right amount of build up! I landed right in the middle with the rating, I had a good time reading it and I’d read more by this author!
Happy reading 📖 🎧🚲
dnf
March 26, 2025DNF @44%
This book is technically well written, but I got no sense of who these characters were beyond their jobs. Also, I felt no chemistry between them. The descriptions of the characters could also use a lot of work. It took me so long to figure out what the FMC looked like beyond her hair. It felt like the author forgot that the readers need characters described the first time we meet them.
Overall, this was bland, and I was bored.
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for my honest review.
This book is technically well written, but I got no sense of who these characters were beyond their jobs. Also, I felt no chemistry between them. The descriptions of the characters could also use a lot of work. It took me so long to figure out what the FMC looked like beyond her hair. It felt like the author forgot that the readers need characters described the first time we meet them.
Overall, this was bland, and I was bored.
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for my honest review.
May 3, 2025
Up Close and Personal by Ana Holguin
Contemporary romance.
Streaming spin classes has gained Jo De La Cruz almost a million followers. But after ten years of training and urging people on their bikes to sweat, she’s tired of same thing and is looking for the next career move.
Silas Anders is a New York metropolitan journalist with a history of skepticism in his writing. When he’s assigned the story to figure out why Jo is so popular, he finds a common connection and arranged to meet her outside the spin classes. When she admits she doesn’t handle her own social media, she puts them both in a bit of an awkward position of getting to know each other both on and off record. The more time they spend together, the more they find in common. Will the final story make or break them?
🎧 I alternated between an ebook and an audiobook which was narrated by Maria Liatis and Kellen Boyle. I loved these narrators. Both did a wonderful performance with their POV using different voices for male and female and secondary characters. Emotions were clearly expressed making the reading engrossing and appealing.
I listened to this at 1.5 and slightly higher to more closely match my reading and conversation speed.
A romance with career focus assessment interlaced with falling in love and “limitless possibilities”.
Hot (as in sweaty - exercise sweaty!) and delightful.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley and publisher Hachette Audio.
Contemporary romance.
Streaming spin classes has gained Jo De La Cruz almost a million followers. But after ten years of training and urging people on their bikes to sweat, she’s tired of same thing and is looking for the next career move.
Silas Anders is a New York metropolitan journalist with a history of skepticism in his writing. When he’s assigned the story to figure out why Jo is so popular, he finds a common connection and arranged to meet her outside the spin classes. When she admits she doesn’t handle her own social media, she puts them both in a bit of an awkward position of getting to know each other both on and off record. The more time they spend together, the more they find in common. Will the final story make or break them?
🎧 I alternated between an ebook and an audiobook which was narrated by Maria Liatis and Kellen Boyle. I loved these narrators. Both did a wonderful performance with their POV using different voices for male and female and secondary characters. Emotions were clearly expressed making the reading engrossing and appealing.
I listened to this at 1.5 and slightly higher to more closely match my reading and conversation speed.
A romance with career focus assessment interlaced with falling in love and “limitless possibilities”.
Hot (as in sweaty - exercise sweaty!) and delightful.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley and publisher Hachette Audio.
August 13, 2024
THIS is what I want in a romcom! Characters that leap off the page, a propulsive plot that’s built as much on deep internal challenges as it is situational external ones, and a swoony, SEXY romance I can’t help but root for! When I read a romcom, I want all the feels AND a layer of depth to sink my teeth into. Ana Holguin gave us all that in Jo & Silas’ love story—and even more in all the ways Jo learns to love her damn self!! I flew through this one. So excited to see what this author does next!
April 26, 2025
2.5⭐
Thank you so much to Forever and Netgalley for providing an advanced copy of this. All thoughts and opinions are still my own.
I'm really torn on how to rate this one because I really enjoyed the first half of this book. But the latter half caused me to dislike it more and more as it went - in fact I pretty much skimmed the last chapter & epilogue. 2.5 stars feels a little harsh but in the end, I really just didn't enjoy this one.
The setup and themes for this were fantastic. I love seeing other sports (in this case cycle) in romance outside of the typical hockey, baseball, etc. And this deals heavily with mental health, found family, and the fitness industry.
Overall I think this handled the mental health aspects well. The heroine, Jo, deals with anxiety and the hero depression. On page it discussed the stigmas around mental health disorders and not feeling shame or embarrassed.
But I just never get on board with this romance. Because the hero was the most bland milk toast of a love interest...
Seriously what was his personality? We got lots of insight into Jo but outside of the hero being a writer and some vague mentions of college he could have been replaced with literally anyone. There was nothing there.
On top of that, the final conflict was dangled over our heads too often and too blatantly. I spent the entire book just waiting for that bomb to drop and grew annoyed and frustrated every time it was brought up.
While this definitely wasn't my favorite book, I do think there was a lot of potential here. There was nothing bad or blatantly offensive, it just lacked the character depth and development to make me feel anything for their romance. So I'm definitely still interested to check out this author's next book.
Thank you so much to Forever and Netgalley for providing an advanced copy of this. All thoughts and opinions are still my own.
I'm really torn on how to rate this one because I really enjoyed the first half of this book. But the latter half caused me to dislike it more and more as it went - in fact I pretty much skimmed the last chapter & epilogue. 2.5 stars feels a little harsh but in the end, I really just didn't enjoy this one.
The setup and themes for this were fantastic. I love seeing other sports (in this case cycle) in romance outside of the typical hockey, baseball, etc. And this deals heavily with mental health, found family, and the fitness industry.
Overall I think this handled the mental health aspects well. The heroine, Jo, deals with anxiety and the hero depression. On page it discussed the stigmas around mental health disorders and not feeling shame or embarrassed.
But I just never get on board with this romance. Because the hero was the most bland milk toast of a love interest...
Seriously what was his personality? We got lots of insight into Jo but outside of the hero being a writer and some vague mentions of college he could have been replaced with literally anyone. There was nothing there.
On top of that, the final conflict was dangled over our heads too often and too blatantly. I spent the entire book just waiting for that bomb to drop and grew annoyed and frustrated every time it was brought up.
While this definitely wasn't my favorite book, I do think there was a lot of potential here. There was nothing bad or blatantly offensive, it just lacked the character depth and development to make me feel anything for their romance. So I'm definitely still interested to check out this author's next book.
April 16, 2025
This was... interesting. I liked how the book was paced, from them being strangers to friends and eventually lovers. The 'will they, won't they' vibes was well done and I actually enjoyed it. However, I just did not feel like the characters, Silas especially, were fleshed out past their jobs. We got to see more to Jo, got to glimpse her struggles with anxiety and depression and got to see her with her friends, which I appreciate, but we got none of that for Silas except for his friendship with Derek.
The book is your basic stereotypical romance in the sense that I was able to guess to a T what was going to happen, and I found the 3rd act conflict ridiculous, but overall it was still a pretty solid debut in terms of writing.
Since I listened to the audiobook it went by pretty quickly. I liked listening to both narrators although the volume went up a couple notches everytime the male narrator came on and I admit I jumped everytime.
Thank you to Netgalley and Hachette Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review
The book is your basic stereotypical romance in the sense that I was able to guess to a T what was going to happen, and I found the 3rd act conflict ridiculous, but overall it was still a pretty solid debut in terms of writing.
Since I listened to the audiobook it went by pretty quickly. I liked listening to both narrators although the volume went up a couple notches everytime the male narrator came on and I admit I jumped everytime.
Thank you to Netgalley and Hachette Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review
April 28, 2025
there’s nothing better than a down bad man admitting when he’s WRONG and silas is that guy.
when jo is questioning her next move out of the spotlight of the top cycling studio in nyc, silas gets assigned to do a piece on her and the studio. he’s only a part-time hater, and cautiously approaches the job. and he’s proven dead wrong. everything he thought he knew about fitness influencer culture and jo specifically gets turned on its head and he is full on obsessed with her.
I ate up the nyc setting in this one! growing up and living in nyc my whole life I can sometimes be picky with my city’s rep, but ana did it so true. I loved the girl friend dynamics in this and jo’s journey. the anxiety rep and therapy rep were really special. and the romance was a delicious slow burn and I lovedddd the first kiss omg. the hurt/comfort scenes were TOP TIER.
my only real issue with this is the third act. I get jo’s anxiety makes her feel like she needs to escape, but bestie, he loves you just hear him out!!! and silas was an idiot for hiding shit from her.
this was a really great debut and I can’t wait to see what ana does next! thank you forever publishing for the gifted copy!
what to expect
⟢ fitness instructor/influencer x jaded journalist
⟢ anxiety rep
⟢ hurt/comfort
when jo is questioning her next move out of the spotlight of the top cycling studio in nyc, silas gets assigned to do a piece on her and the studio. he’s only a part-time hater, and cautiously approaches the job. and he’s proven dead wrong. everything he thought he knew about fitness influencer culture and jo specifically gets turned on its head and he is full on obsessed with her.
I ate up the nyc setting in this one! growing up and living in nyc my whole life I can sometimes be picky with my city’s rep, but ana did it so true. I loved the girl friend dynamics in this and jo’s journey. the anxiety rep and therapy rep were really special. and the romance was a delicious slow burn and I lovedddd the first kiss omg. the hurt/comfort scenes were TOP TIER.
my only real issue with this is the third act. I get jo’s anxiety makes her feel like she needs to escape, but bestie, he loves you just hear him out!!! and silas was an idiot for hiding shit from her.
this was a really great debut and I can’t wait to see what ana does next! thank you forever publishing for the gifted copy!
what to expect
⟢ fitness instructor/influencer x jaded journalist
⟢ anxiety rep
⟢ hurt/comfort
April 16, 2025
Absolutely loved this book!
Jo is a popular spin/fitness instructor who meets Silas, a grumpy journalist assigned to write an article about Jo and Haven Fitness. Silas thinks Haven is a cult and thinks yelling from a bike all day is ridiculous. As he gets to know Jo, his thoughts about her and her job start to change.
I loved seeing Jo and Silas’ relationship develop. His care for her and her mental health was so refreshing and I loved seeing Jo open up while battling with her anxiety. Overall this was such a fun book that also touched on some important topics. A great debut from Ana Holguin! I look forward to reading more from her.
Thank you to the author, Forever, and Hachette Audio for the ALC!
Jo is a popular spin/fitness instructor who meets Silas, a grumpy journalist assigned to write an article about Jo and Haven Fitness. Silas thinks Haven is a cult and thinks yelling from a bike all day is ridiculous. As he gets to know Jo, his thoughts about her and her job start to change.
I loved seeing Jo and Silas’ relationship develop. His care for her and her mental health was so refreshing and I loved seeing Jo open up while battling with her anxiety. Overall this was such a fun book that also touched on some important topics. A great debut from Ana Holguin! I look forward to reading more from her.
Thank you to the author, Forever, and Hachette Audio for the ALC!
March 31, 2025
3.5⭐
First things first, I had such a great time with this story. This was a really solid debut. I loved Ana's writing and I will definitely be reading whatever she writes next.
I absolutely loved Jo as a FMC and how Ana highlighted the fact that someone who outwardly seems so confident and put together can still have "invisible monsters". I really appreciate the representation of mental health and anxiety here.
That being said, I had a few qualms about this. I wasn't a total fan of Silas (MMC), and how he handled the situation, especially how successful in his career he was. There were a lot of instances of telling and not showing. For example, every chapter in Silas' POV, the original zero draft was brought up every time, reminding the readers that this is going to come back and bite him. Mentioning it once or twice is fine, but after that trust that your readers will catch on. I also thought the resolution at the end was a bit weird and maybe too easy? Again, we were "told" that Silas just had to wait until the article pubs in August so that Jo would forgive him and that's exactly what happened. The resolution then switched to Jo apologizing profusely to Silas and that just didn't sit well with me after Silas went behind his friend's back to meet her in the first place.
However, I really had a fun time with this story. This was such a strong debut and I really think Ana will be writing more amazing things in the future. Plus this made me want to start a cycle class 😂
Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for this e-ARC!
First things first, I had such a great time with this story. This was a really solid debut. I loved Ana's writing and I will definitely be reading whatever she writes next.
I absolutely loved Jo as a FMC and how Ana highlighted the fact that someone who outwardly seems so confident and put together can still have "invisible monsters". I really appreciate the representation of mental health and anxiety here.
That being said, I had a few qualms about this. I wasn't a total fan of Silas (MMC), and how he handled the situation, especially how successful in his career he was. There were a lot of instances of telling and not showing. For example, every chapter in Silas' POV, the original zero draft was brought up every time, reminding the readers that this is going to come back and bite him. Mentioning it once or twice is fine, but after that trust that your readers will catch on. I also thought the resolution at the end was a bit weird and maybe too easy? Again, we were "told" that Silas just had to wait until the article pubs in August so that Jo would forgive him and that's exactly what happened. The resolution then switched to Jo apologizing profusely to Silas and that just didn't sit well with me after Silas went behind his friend's back to meet her in the first place.
However, I really had a fun time with this story. This was such a strong debut and I really think Ana will be writing more amazing things in the future. Plus this made me want to start a cycle class 😂
Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for this e-ARC!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
December 7, 2025I initially picked this one up because of its comparison to Jessica Joyce and Abby Jimenez. I am happy to say, those comparisons were right! I flew through the pages, it reminded me of Yours Truly but with a FMC with anxiety. This was such a cute romance with a deep look into mental health, specifically anxiety disorder. As someone with anxiety, I truly connected with that storyline. This was a slow burn romance that focused more on Jo's desire to reveal more of herself to the world, while slowly falling for skeptical journalist along the way. I loved both Jo and Silas and I could feel the tension rising straight out of the pages. I also loved the Pelton-esque of Jo's life, as someone who tried one spin class and declared never again, it was interesting to see the other side to a fitness influencer life. If you are a romance fan that also enjoys a story that goes a bit deeper and discussed mental health, definitely make sure to add this one to your TBR.
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
April 5, 2025
There are many things to love about this novel: the unique setting - a cycle studio, the honest and real way it dealt with anxiety, the wonderful friendships. I found the mental health aspect especially refreshing and loved how accepting everyone was of Jo’s anxiety.
After a bumpy start, Jo and Silas fall into an easy friendship while he interviews her for a magazine piece about her being a “celebrity” cycle instructor. The more they get to know each other, the closer they get and the friendship slowly turns to more.
The one problem I had was what is going to cause the miscommunication/third act break up is televised from the beginning and so I spent the whole time waiting for it and hoping it wouldn’t happen. When it did, I was both disappointed it went that direction and relieved that I could release the breath I’d been holding.
But I wouldn’t let that detract anyone from picking up this books and enjoying a fun romance with plenty of depth and a few laughs.
I received an advanced copy through Netgalley in return for an honest review.
After a bumpy start, Jo and Silas fall into an easy friendship while he interviews her for a magazine piece about her being a “celebrity” cycle instructor. The more they get to know each other, the closer they get and the friendship slowly turns to more.
The one problem I had was what is going to cause the miscommunication/third act break up is televised from the beginning and so I spent the whole time waiting for it and hoping it wouldn’t happen. When it did, I was both disappointed it went that direction and relieved that I could release the breath I’d been holding.
But I wouldn’t let that detract anyone from picking up this books and enjoying a fun romance with plenty of depth and a few laughs.
I received an advanced copy through Netgalley in return for an honest review.
March 30, 2025
This had such a cute concept, but I wasn’t always sold on the connection between the main characters. It’s definitely a slow burn, but despite the gradual build, I didn’t fully feel the chemistry. The conflict between the couple was also fairly predictable, which made the plot feel a bit flat.
That said, the last 20% was the highlight—it picked up the pace and added some much-needed excitement. One thing I did love was the anxiety representation, which was handled with care and authenticity.
Thank you to Forever Publishing and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!
That said, the last 20% was the highlight—it picked up the pace and added some much-needed excitement. One thing I did love was the anxiety representation, which was handled with care and authenticity.
Thank you to Forever Publishing and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!
April 18, 2025
Thank you Forever Publishing for my #gifted ARC and thank you Hachette Audio for my #gifted ALC of Up Close & Personal! #UpClosePersonal #AnaHolguin #marialiatis #KellenBoyle #hachetteaudio #ReadForever #Forever
𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐔𝐩 𝐂𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞 & 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐀𝐧𝐚 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐧
𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬: 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚 𝐋𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐊𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧 𝐁𝐨𝐲𝐥𝐞
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐀𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐥 𝟐𝟗, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓
𝟒.𝟓★
The second I read the description, I knew I had to read this book. As an avid Peloton lover and book lover, this book just sounded like the perfect blend. On top of that, I love books that focus on mental health representation and I loved how well the author incorporated anxiety representation into this book. This rom-com had so much to it, and that’s what made me love the characters and the plot so much. Both Jo and Silas had their own personal battles and there was much vulnerability involved and that made me love these two even more. This book had the slow burn, found family, lots of chemistry, and so much more. If you are a Peloton, or just a romance lover in general, this one is for you!
🚲Famous Spin Instructor x Journalist
🚲Anxiety Representation
🚲Found Family
🚲Slow Burn
🚲Dual POV
🚲NYC Setting
🚲Perfect for Fans of Abby Jimenez, Kate Spencer & Jessica Joyce
🎧Maria Liatis and Kellen Boyle were PERFECT for Jo and Silas. I’ve listened to Maria before, but this was my first time listening to Kellen, and I can’t wait to find more audiobooks narrated by him! Both did such an amazing job bringing their characters and the entire story to life. I found my time listening to be so enjoyable and would highly recommend this one on audio. It was so easy to follow with the dual narration and loved that I found a new narrator to watch for in Kellen Boyle!
𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐔𝐩 𝐂𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞 & 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐀𝐧𝐚 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐧
𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬: 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚 𝐋𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐊𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧 𝐁𝐨𝐲𝐥𝐞
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐀𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐥 𝟐𝟗, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓
𝟒.𝟓★
The second I read the description, I knew I had to read this book. As an avid Peloton lover and book lover, this book just sounded like the perfect blend. On top of that, I love books that focus on mental health representation and I loved how well the author incorporated anxiety representation into this book. This rom-com had so much to it, and that’s what made me love the characters and the plot so much. Both Jo and Silas had their own personal battles and there was much vulnerability involved and that made me love these two even more. This book had the slow burn, found family, lots of chemistry, and so much more. If you are a Peloton, or just a romance lover in general, this one is for you!
🚲Famous Spin Instructor x Journalist
🚲Anxiety Representation
🚲Found Family
🚲Slow Burn
🚲Dual POV
🚲NYC Setting
🚲Perfect for Fans of Abby Jimenez, Kate Spencer & Jessica Joyce
🎧Maria Liatis and Kellen Boyle were PERFECT for Jo and Silas. I’ve listened to Maria before, but this was my first time listening to Kellen, and I can’t wait to find more audiobooks narrated by him! Both did such an amazing job bringing their characters and the entire story to life. I found my time listening to be so enjoyable and would highly recommend this one on audio. It was so easy to follow with the dual narration and loved that I found a new narrator to watch for in Kellen Boyle!
April 27, 2025
Thank you, Net Galley, and Ana Holguin, for the advanced listener's copy of this book. All opinions are my own!
This was such a sweet and fun read! I absolutely loved that Jo was a Haven (a Peleton-esque exercise company) star. It was fresh and so interesting to be pulled into a whole new world that I know nothing about. And I loved watching Silas transition from, frankly, pretty judgmental to a full on convert.
This was such a sweet and fun read! I absolutely loved that Jo was a Haven (a Peleton-esque exercise company) star. It was fresh and so interesting to be pulled into a whole new world that I know nothing about. And I loved watching Silas transition from, frankly, pretty judgmental to a full on convert.
April 23, 2025
Hachette Audio ALC
This was such a fun romance that started with an interview of Jo by Silas about being a fitness instructor but turned into so much more. I loved their relationship here. The reader really gets to see these characters go from strangers to friends to lovers in a way that felt authentic and so supportive. I really loved how Silas showed his caring nature throughout this story. I thought the behind the scenes view of being a famous fitness instructor was fascinating. Jo had so many complex layers due to her job and I liked the pace at which she slowly opened up about her journey with her job and mental health. This was a stellar debut, and I look forward reading this author again in the future.
I also loved the dual narration here. I always feel that it adds so much depth to a novel. I could hear the tenderness of Silas from Kellen Boyle's performance. For Jo, Maria Liatis managed to capture her full range of emotions wonderfully.
This was such a fun romance that started with an interview of Jo by Silas about being a fitness instructor but turned into so much more. I loved their relationship here. The reader really gets to see these characters go from strangers to friends to lovers in a way that felt authentic and so supportive. I really loved how Silas showed his caring nature throughout this story. I thought the behind the scenes view of being a famous fitness instructor was fascinating. Jo had so many complex layers due to her job and I liked the pace at which she slowly opened up about her journey with her job and mental health. This was a stellar debut, and I look forward reading this author again in the future.
I also loved the dual narration here. I always feel that it adds so much depth to a novel. I could hear the tenderness of Silas from Kellen Boyle's performance. For Jo, Maria Liatis managed to capture her full range of emotions wonderfully.
October 9, 2025
4.75! I had such a fun time reading this! Jo is an instructor at a SoulCycle-like fitness company. The public adores her, but behind the scenes, she’s struggling. To make things more complicated, a journalist named Silas is investigating her and wants to write an exposé on her job.
It took me a little while to get into the book, but once it clicked, I couldn’t put it down. I loved Jo from the beginning—she’s such a relatable, easy-to-love character. She’s full of energy and warmth, yet quietly battling anxiety and the challenges that come with it. Beyond the romance, what really touched me was Jo’s journey of learning to live with anxiety without letting it define her. Holguin did a phenomenal job portraying that experience through Jo, making her feel like a real, fully human person.
As for the romance, I really enjoyed the slow-burn dynamic between Jo and Silas. They’re both hesitant, which makes their eventual connection feel earned and meaningful. One of my favorite tropes in romance books is when love appears when the characters least expect it, because to me, it feels like faith. I’ll admit I was unsure about Silas at first, but he won me over with his vulnerability and how deeply he fell for Jo. He’s a yearner, and I love a good yearner.
This is definitely a book I’ll be rereading!
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!
It took me a little while to get into the book, but once it clicked, I couldn’t put it down. I loved Jo from the beginning—she’s such a relatable, easy-to-love character. She’s full of energy and warmth, yet quietly battling anxiety and the challenges that come with it. Beyond the romance, what really touched me was Jo’s journey of learning to live with anxiety without letting it define her. Holguin did a phenomenal job portraying that experience through Jo, making her feel like a real, fully human person.
As for the romance, I really enjoyed the slow-burn dynamic between Jo and Silas. They’re both hesitant, which makes their eventual connection feel earned and meaningful. One of my favorite tropes in romance books is when love appears when the characters least expect it, because to me, it feels like faith. I’ll admit I was unsure about Silas at first, but he won me over with his vulnerability and how deeply he fell for Jo. He’s a yearner, and I love a good yearner.
This is definitely a book I’ll be rereading!
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!
April 7, 2025
Jo is a Haven instructor and Silas thinks he knows what they are all about. he is tasked with writing and article about Jo and the Haven team, but he isn't prepared for how much his perspective will change when he meets her. From her social media, Jo looks like she is a sparkly sunny personality, but when he gets closer to her, he realizes she is so much more than he bargained for. Silas has a job to do and his code of ethics is getting blurred each minute he spends with Jo and learning more about her.
I grabbed this because of the plot. I use my at home bike and love my classes too and I thought that it would be fun seeing the possibility that my instructors were so much more behind the front they put up. There was a lot of emotion in this read and I loved the diversity and mental health rep. The one thing that annoyed me was the conflict was easy to see (basically as soon as it was written I knew where it was going) and that one conversation could have avoided it all together. Even the press of a delete button. It was looming there the whole time I was reading and I was yelling at him to just say something, but he never did. I really loved Jo's best friends and how they were there for her no matter what. I also loved her Haven family too. I know this book was mostly about found family, but I would have also liked to see a bit more from her real family as well. 3.5 stars.
I grabbed this because of the plot. I use my at home bike and love my classes too and I thought that it would be fun seeing the possibility that my instructors were so much more behind the front they put up. There was a lot of emotion in this read and I loved the diversity and mental health rep. The one thing that annoyed me was the conflict was easy to see (basically as soon as it was written I knew where it was going) and that one conversation could have avoided it all together. Even the press of a delete button. It was looming there the whole time I was reading and I was yelling at him to just say something, but he never did. I really loved Jo's best friends and how they were there for her no matter what. I also loved her Haven family too. I know this book was mostly about found family, but I would have also liked to see a bit more from her real family as well. 3.5 stars.
March 16, 2025
4.75 stars!!
this was so cute !!! i genuinely enjoyed this one SO MUCH!! there is a hurt/comfort caretaking moment that i will be thinking about for a LONG time !!!!! 😭 the yearning & slow burn in this one is top notch!!!
as a former journalist, i love how ana wrote silas' character ! one of the most genuine & authentic journalists i've seen in a book yet. gets assigned a story & immediately stalks the person you're going to interview?? sounds about right !!!! sits down to write the story & have a thousand tabs open, shifting between them all??? YEP! and if i'm honest, i've always thought, what if i meet ~the one~ when i sit down for a normal interview? and man ana captured that beauty & mystery so so perfectly for silas & jo.
and jo.... i love her so much. her struggles are so so raw. i cannot explain how perfectly & beautifully ana captured how it feels to face invisible monsters inside our mind every single day 😩
thank you so much ReadForeverPub & Netgalley for the arc! this is my honest review.
this was so cute !!! i genuinely enjoyed this one SO MUCH!! there is a hurt/comfort caretaking moment that i will be thinking about for a LONG time !!!!! 😭 the yearning & slow burn in this one is top notch!!!
as a former journalist, i love how ana wrote silas' character ! one of the most genuine & authentic journalists i've seen in a book yet. gets assigned a story & immediately stalks the person you're going to interview?? sounds about right !!!! sits down to write the story & have a thousand tabs open, shifting between them all??? YEP! and if i'm honest, i've always thought, what if i meet ~the one~ when i sit down for a normal interview? and man ana captured that beauty & mystery so so perfectly for silas & jo.
and jo.... i love her so much. her struggles are so so raw. i cannot explain how perfectly & beautifully ana captured how it feels to face invisible monsters inside our mind every single day 😩
thank you so much ReadForeverPub & Netgalley for the arc! this is my honest review.
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