Wanted: hot nerd seeks dating coach.Picture this – I’m ready to win back the love of my life, and I’m going big this time. We’re talking boom box, sing her name in the rain, let the whole damn neighborhood know I’m good and ready this time around. After all, if you’re going to grand gesture the ever-loving hell out of a second chance, you need to pull out all the stops. There’s only one little … only one little problem.
My college girlfriend isn’t the one who shows up when I play my “I’ll do anything to win you back” tune. The woman who flings open the second-floor window tells me my ex doesn’t live here anymore. But she’ll help me win her back. Anything for romance, anything for a guy so willing to go big for love. And that’s what I want at first. Until I get to know my new “romance coach” and discover she’s funny, clever, and keeps me on my toes. Now I don’t want to win anyone else’s heart. I want the woman who’s been helping me all along. Trouble is – she thinks I’m in love with someone else, and when we take off on a road trip, everything I think I know about women is about to be unzipped and turned inside out.
***
He’s the last person I ever expected to pop into my life, but he might be exactly what I need to save the thing that matters most to me. All I have to do is not fall for him.
Unzipped is a standalone romance!
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Ohhhhh where to start! These characters were real and beautifully flawed. Kyler is adorably clueless when it comes to women. He tries, but losing his mother at a young age, he is raised in a house with his father and three brothers with no woman influence.
Finley is fascinated by “Tom” and thinks his story may be just what she needs to pull her show out of the gutter and off of the chopping block.
They agree to a plan. She helps him win back his ex-girlfriend and in return, she pulls from real life to make her show a hit.
What happens when the one you thought wanted is no longer the one you want.
As with all Blakley’s men, I fell hard for this love-clumsy man and his quirks. And the fact that her heroine is hooked on all the great female comedians is endearing. And although this is a lighter read, there are still twists and turns to keep you guessing.
This book was a laugh-out-loud must read!
3.5 stars
I’m usually a giant fan of all of Lauren Blakely’s books. However, I will admit Unzipped wasn’t my favorite. That’s not to say I didn’t like it. The story definitely gets better as it goes on. But overall, I thought it was just ok.
Lauren Blakely continues to be the banter queen. I enjoyed Kyler and Finley’s back and forth. Finley in particular was fantastic. I loved her sass and her quick wit. Lauren writes the best women. Always smart and delightfully entertaining. Love them. Unfortunately, I did have a problem with Kyler. I don’t know what it was about him but he rubbed me the wrong way. Maybe it was his one too many eighties movie reference or his obliviousness but he didn’t do it for me. I’m usually down for a sexy nerd. It just fell flat for me this time.
I have to wonder if I did myself a disservice by listening to the audiobook first instead of reading the ebook. I’m not usually an audio girl but my love for Lauren Blakely books and my inability to be patient made me dive right in. Unfortunately, I was underwhelmed. I’m not the biggest fan of the male narrator. He’s just not my cup of tea.
Unzipped was an entertaining read. I enjoyed Kyler and Finley’s story a lot. That awkward first meeting to time spent together to the road trip-it was all just pure fun. These two had the perfect banter and seeing the friendship evolve as the story continues was great. I liked how they helped each other and discovered that there is just more. They complemented each other nicely. Their quirks and humor made the story more amusing and made them so relatable. I couldn’t stop smiling and laughing as I read. I liked the little gems that Lauren would drop in the story-got me so excited and I couldn’t wait to see what treasures I would discover next. Unzipped was a cute romantic story that will leave you giddy.
Lauren’s Romcom at its finest! I LOVED these two! Finley, the funny show creator and writer, and Kyler (Tom) the rollercoaster creator. They are funny, witty and a blast to read about.
Finley is quirky and really funny. She says what’s on her mind and wears weird sunglasses which I totally dig! She’s always upbeat and tried to stay on the positive side of things.
Tom, on the other hand, really is the epitome of “Hot Nerd” lol! And so clueless about a lot of things, especially women! I guess it’s a good thing he has a “love doctor” to help him out.
Funny and romantic, one of my favorite combinations! Lauren must have a secret vault she keeps hidden full of ideas for her characters. With as many books as she puts out, I never get bored. Her characters are unique, with unique jobs (I mean, c’mon, Tom designers freaking roller coasters! So cool!) and unique situations. Never a dull moment when you dive into a Blakely book!
Lauren delivers another sweet and fun read. Strangers to friends to lovers with great banter and plenty of laughs.
This was a funny and sweet romance that pays homage to the wonder of romcoms. I loved all the 80’s movie references and nods to pop culture. Finley and Kyler (Tom) were hilariously quirky and it was so much fun watching life imitate art. I both read and listened to the audiobook of this one. Joe Arden’s performance was beyond amazing and he could not have been more perfectly cast as the lovable and slightly clueless Tom. He played the endearing and adorkable nerdy hero so well, but also delivered when things got hot and heavy. Joe Arden and Andi Arndt are fast becoming one of my very favorite narrating pairs. Even though Unzipped is not duet narration, I did enjoy that the text messages are cut together like it is. The story itself doesn’t reinvent the romcom wheel, but rather highlights the parts audiences love so much when they watch these films. There isn’t a lot of drama or angst which I appreciated. I couldn’t wipe the smile from my face while listening to this one and my heart was left all nice and gooey (as it should be after a romcom). Fans of Lauren Blakely will not be disappointed!
Audiobook Review
Overall 4.5 stars
Performance 5 stars
Story 4 stars
Unzipped made me grin so very much, I usually don’t listen to audiobooks until I’ve read an ebook, but when it’s a Lauren Blakely book? I’ll take whatever format I can get my hands on first so I can devour it! Seriously. This book-both ebook and audio-is pure RomCom gold. This title had me laughing throughout, snorting along with the heroine and shaking my head and sighing at our hero. I fell in love with these characters and know this is a book I’ll come back to time and again.
Finley is my kind of heroine. Smart, funny and a little bit vulnerable. Her personality came shining through in this audio. I love her job and how creative she is with it. Seeing her relationship with her father was sweet and really showed insight as to why she is the person she is. I would love to be her friend and just hang out with her.
Kyler/Tom had me GRINNING. I’m such a sucker for a grand gesture and I loved seeing him go all in….even when things didn’t work the way he thought they would. He was adorkable (nope, that’s not a typo). He was clueless on so many levels (and smart on others) but I loved watching him absorb and learn from Finley. His journey into love was a joy to experience. And honestly, he had me the moment he referenced Say Anything….swoon.
These two have great chemistry. The banter is spot on and just fun. I’m not kidding when I say I was constantly chuckling. I loved seeing how they came together as a couple. This played out perfectly in both the ebook and the audio. I thought the narrators did a great job of bringing them and their emotions to life. I fell for Tom right along with Finley again when I read the book-and I wouldn’t change a thing about that. I loved the development outside the bedroom, though I LOVED their sexy times together as well.
The plot of this book was just FUN. Pure fun to listen to and Joe Arden and Andi Arndt really brought their A game with their performances. This story felt new and the references to some of my very favorite movies had me grinning. Reading this book had me smiling all over again.
The writing is strong and like I mentioned, the plot felt fresh. I think that’s hard to do with the amount of movie references in this book! It just flowed very well for me. The secondary characters were fun as well-I loved all of Tom’s brothers. They really had me laughing.
I absolutely loved this book-both in ebook and audio- and highly recommend it.
Another great story from Lauren Blakely! This was so cute and funny. I’m giving it 4 out of 5 stars. This review is for an ARC, and reflects my honest opinion.
I was a tiny bit nervous going into this one based on the summary, but I absolutely adored it. Both of the main characters were amazing, although the guy was kind of clueless at times…but in a sweet way. It’s not really spoiling anything since it’s in the summary, but Kyler (aka Tom for most of the book) big gestured the “wrong” woman, but in a roundabout way, she ended up being Mrs. Right after all.
There was a big emphasis on the 80s, movies, and comedy in this, which was a refreshing breath of air. I’m barely an 80s baby, but I can appreciate the movies from that decade like everyone else. They were mostly over-the-top romantic, and this book definitely took after them in certain aspects.
I loved Finley; she was a hoot. I wished she were a real person so I could be friends with her. Tom was super adorable, the epitome of a hot nerd. I also really liked their jobs; I haven’t seen any characters with his job before, and hers is slightly unique as well. We mostly focused on these two for the entire book, but I loved the small sections with his family and her dad. I also really liked seeing some of the people in the town. At least two of them will be in an upcoming book, and maybe more if they weren’t in her previous books.
I highly recommend you check out this author’s books if you like contemporary romance! I finished this in one day. Her books are always entertaining, and super fast/enjoyable reads.
Unzipped is Lauren’s next brilliantly sexy, witty, and fun rom-com. If you follow my reviews then you already know Lauren is one of my favorite all-times authors. Ever. And you might remember that I am not a fan of reading the synopsis until I am about to write a review. I am crazy like that. And…this synopsis is perfect so I will make this fast.
Kyler aka Tom needs help. Lots and lots of help. He wants to win back his college girlfriend. His first and only love. She told him to try again when he got his act together. He is ready. After eight years. He thinks starting with a big gesture is the way to go, so he gets his boom box out and holds it up up high. Only it’s not Cassie’s house he is standing in front of. It’s Finley. A stranger who offers to help him get the girl. And, the first lesson is not to ever get the boom box out again. Or at least call first.
Finley has found her muse. Tom is comedy gold for the show she is writing. She thinks he is adorably clueless. And nerdy hot but she won’t go there. She did the whole “I am still in love with my ex” bit and she won’t go there again. So, she will teach him about women. How to date them. Listen them. What not to do but she won’t give in to his adorable ways. His movie-quoting cuteness. His thrill-riding flirtiness. After-all, he isn’t here to date her. He is here on pretend dates to win someone back. Too bad because the pretend kiss between them is oh…so hot.
I LOVED this one!!! I love them all but this one had a different feel. It still had all the Lauren awesomeness but with an added bonus. I don’t know if it was the movie quotes. The extra wittiness. The slow burn. I do know I fell for Tom and Finley. Hard. They gave me all the feels. I laughed out loud. I giggled silently. I blindly cried. I didn’t want to stop reading through the tears. It was just so damn cute and perfect.
Overall…I want to read it all over again! It was that good.
P.S. I am going to see Debbie Gibson in concert in May! Hahaha. I am a ‘80s kid.
Quotes:
This woman is a bit of a nutjob, and yet I’m digging her crazy company.
“Let’s talk about work. Do you want to hear more about how a thrill ride works?”
“Yes,” I say, relieved.
He leans forward. “Angle. It’s all about angle.”
I wave the napkin. “I surrender.”
“You did all that for the sake of a joke? You’re so cute.” I blow on my fingertips.
Clearly by his meticulously planned big gesture to reconnect with his college girlfriend, Kyler, aka Tom, doesn’t understand the first thing about women nor does he understand that he can’t rely on gimmicks and his love of 80s pop culture, especially movies, to woo back a woman he hasn’t seen in over 8 years. And even though Tom is adorkable and quite intelligent, the fact that he’s clueless about what the opposite sex wants and needs is made clearer and clearer the longer he communicates his thoughts and ideas to the woman who had the ‘unfortunate or fortunate’ opportunity, depending how you look at it, to witness his public humiliation…maybe that’s too strong a word but it’s definitely something I wouldn’t want to see again;)
From awkward strangers to quirky fast friends to a couple who don’t quite know how to act on their growing feelings towards each other because the basis of their time together has been about Tom reconnecting with the woman who could have been the love of his life. But as Tom and Finley’s story continues, it becomes beyond clear just how perfectly matched these two are…now Tom just has to find a way to prove to Finley that she’s the only one he wants regardless of how they met and Finley needs to be willing to put her heart on the line again after it was mangled by her last boyfriend who used her as a rebound and then went back to the woman he had always and only wanted, his ex.
What I loved most about Finley was her honesty when it came to, not only helping Tom come up with a new plan to ‘get back his lost love’ but also laying out the reasons that his ‘Say Anything’ scene remake was not something he should ever try again. And because Finley can’t help but be her perceptive self, she had Tom pegged from the very beginning, which helps her to truly get to know who he is and it also helps him to learn what he truly wants in a significant other – not the idealized version he’s had in his head for the past 8 years.
The use of movie one-liners was a perfect way to bond Tom and Finley,
because it not only illustrated how much they had in common but it also allowed their relationship to grow naturally, even if his original reason for meeting Finley had to do with another woman.
I loved the whole art imitating life plot line, especially since Finley could use the reality of Tom’s actions as well as her own to hopefully help restore life to her flatlining comedy series, but I also felt like even if it didn’t save her show, she could easily come up with new ideas based on everything she experienced with Tom while being his travel buddy as well as his mentor, his friend, and ultimately, the woman he wanted.
UnZipped is an adorable, feel good romantic comedy – one that reminded me of all the 80s movies that I loved and just how awkward things can be at the beginning of new relationships, especially ones that start in unique ways. I’m glad Lauren Blakely gave her readers both her main characters’ perspectives because they each had their own unique way of seeing things and their respective pasts led them to who they are today, which is pivotal in truly understanding why these two make the decisions they do.
I’m sure after reading UnZipped there was a spike in the amount of 80s romantic comedies watched because that’s exactly what I wanted to do after finishing Tom and Finley’s story.
4 Poison Apples
Lauren Blakely can make some of the most memorable characters and these two are no exception!
I adore Kyler…or is it Tom? Whatever you choose to call him, Tom is AMAZING! He’s unlike any hero we’ve seen. Usually, our book boyfriends are put together. Not Tom. Tom is a bit of a disaster, but oh how you’ll love him anyway! There’s a few things he doesn’t lack though. He’s charming and charismatic, not to mention sexy with all his “hot nerd.” A guy with brains and unlimited sexiness? Yes, please!
Finley is the best! I loved this girl. She’s fun, quirky, and hilarious. She has no filter and such a good heart. She loves to find humor in everything and is a firm believer that laughter is the best medicine. She comes with an unending supply of witty remarks and great advice, and I love it!
Put these two quirky characters together and watch the sparks fly….and then promptly watch them try to put them out. This is a fun ride to watch unfold. It’s definitely like something straight out of the movies. This one gets ALL the stars from me!
Thursday, November 8, 2018
11:03 AM
Unzipped is Lauren Blakely’s newest hilarious, sexy, fun romantic comedy. Lauren Blakely is just phenomenal. She can write anything and make it fresh, witty, unique and exciting. I listened to Unzipped in audio and I’m such a new fan of audio and I’m loving listening to books come to life. Unzipped was special to me because Tom is a big gesture guy and he loves to use movie quotes in everyday conversation. I also do this and I was giddy listening to him quote my favorite movies! Tom wants to win back his college girlfriend. He thinks go big or go home so he jumps right in. Except it’s not her who hears but her neighbor Finley. She can’t help but love his gesture, but after learning why he did it she wants to help him win her back. But she’s also going to get something out of it. She’s a tv show writer and she needs a muse. Tom is perfect! He’s nerd sexy with his glasses and perfect face and he’s hopeless when it comes to what women want. He has a lot to learn and she has a lot to teach! They aren’t initially attracted to each other. It’s more of a slow burn as they get to know each other, have fun together and learn new things. Then they go on a road trip together. Tom realizes he’s not chasing his old love anymore, he wants new love. With Finley. Finley is afraid of her feelings for him because she’s been here before. Left for the old girlfriend. But Tom is just so great, she can’t help but fall for him. He’s so clueless and I just wanted to pat him on the head and say “Bless your Heart.” Finley is the perfect teacher, because she knows how women think and what they want. Tom is also helping her write new episodes of her show and they are some of her best work. They make a great team. They are pretending to date so he can learn. She is getting awesome material. And they are getting closer. Tom is learning and when he realizes he wants Finley, he’s making all the right moves to woo her. Will Tom do all the right things to show Finley he wants her forever? Will Finley let her guard down and see the real Tom? I loved this story! The movie quotes, the 80’s references, the hilarity, the swooning, the jokes, the music, the gestures. It was all perfection. This romance is so much more than just an unexpected lovers story. It shows Tom growing up and moving on. Letting go of childhood notions and looking at what’s right in front of you. Finley learns to let go of her past and trust the man she’s with. Not all men are the same and Tom is special. It made me nostalgic for my childhood. I wanted to call old friends. Watch Moonstruck, Say Anything, Love Actually, Bull Durham and all of my 80’s favorites. Not going to lie, I already started watching a few! Andi Arndt and Joe Arden are fantastic! They have the comedy down perfectly and Joe has mastered the sheepishness of poor Tom! They are a few of my favorite narrators. They always bring me into the story with the great voices, ability to chuckle, use the right tone and bring the characters to life. They do emotion so well, I felt what they are feeling. Overall, I laughed out loud, smiled a lot, shook my head, got tingles, laughed more and really, really loved it.
Unzipped by Lauren Blakely
We’ve all read the stories about the guy screwing up at some point and trying to win his girl back, haven’t we? Well, Unzipped isn’t *quite* that book. While we do have the clueless, oblivious, adorably sexy nerd – complete with big gesture – ready to do some serious groveling, he’s missing one tiny factor: the right girl. What he gets instead, is his ex-girlfriends neighbor who decides – based on the delivery of said gesture – that our hero needs some help if he wants to win the girl. What does she get out of it? Fantastic new material for her comedy show that’s in danger of being cancelled.
Kyler and Finley started off as friends in this cute story. And while there was undeniably an attraction there, they managed to focus on the task at hand, which was to get Kyler back with his ex. Actually, they managed to control the attraction until such point that Kyler recognized what and who he really wanted. It was a sweet friends to lovers romance that delivered on the flirtatious and delightful Blakely banter.
*I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.
**Reviewed by Melinda for Joandisalovebooks Blog.
This book was GREAT and I adored it!
I was sucked in by the blurb and am extremely grateful that I was offered up the book for free as an ARC in return for my honest feedback.
Kyler is a sweet but kind of clueless when it comes to women. The blurb explains it perfectly- all he knows about romance is from the 80s classic movies. Which is not a horrible thing, but it isn’t exactly ideal either. He finally is at a good place in his life and is just missing that one thing- his other half.
He is sure that his old college ex girlfriend is the one to take this place since she was the only woman that he has actually cared about. He has a plan to win her back, basically to go big in an 80s kind of way!
He finds out where she lives and plans on serenading her, imagine his surprise when his leading lady is not the one to catch his “amazing” serenade- he actually got the wrong address.
Enter Finley, a comic that writes her own stories and has a pretty successful show. She is a little down in the dumps in the muse category though and not sure where to go with it. Imagine her delight when comedic gold falls into her lap, well her front lawn.
Finley wants to help Kyler get his leading lady and if some crazy situations come up that stirs her creative side, then it is a win win for both!
The only problem is what happens when both of them start to have feelings for each other? Will Kyler still want to get back with his ex? Would Finley just be a rebound?
WHAT HAPPENS????!!!
Well this, my lovely readers, you need to read to see. I can tell you that the twists and turns along the way are definitely worth the read and I give this story a 5 out of 5!
PS: As mentioned above, I received this book for free in return of giving my honest feedback.
NO SPOILERS!
Lauren Blakely has never failed to write a sweet, sexy, funny, and utterly entertaining standalone romantic comedy, and Unzipped was no exception! The storyline and characters were fantastic, and I loved the author’s writing style and sense of humor.
Tom and Finley were definitely characters to root for, and I fell in love with them and their story almost immediately. It was unique, fun, and entertaining from beginning to end, and I loved every moment of their journey. I loved reading the book from both Tom and Finley’s point of view, and all of their playful, witty, and hilarious banter and interactions with each other. Even though Tom and Finley’s story wasn’t always a walk in the park, I was very happy with the conclusion.
Unzipped was another fun, unique, entertaining, and laugh-out-loud standalone rom-com from Lauren Blakely, and I would HIGHLY recommend it! Lauren Blakely is always my go-to author when I want a sweet, sexy, funny, feel-good romance, and I can’t wait to read her next rom-com!
4 Stars
Classic laugh out loud Lauren Blakely, Unzipped is sweet and a little corny, but I loved it. Kyler and Finley spoke to my grand gesture, 80’s loving heart. Kyler, is the quintessential hot nerd, and I absolutely loved him. After having his heart broken by his true love in college, Cassie, he straightened his act and got serious about school and got the degree and dream job he loves. Determined to win her back, he tracks her down and goes all “Say Anything” Lloyd Dobler on her, complete with the boombox and everything. Too bad for him, everything goes to wrong, including finding out he’s serenading the wrong house. Finley is a television writer and I absolutely adored her. She’s funny and quirky and is thoroughly enjoying the awful serenading coming from the gorgeous nerd outside her house. Who knew asking him for coffee would change both of their lives forever.
These two were total strangers when they first met, but quickly became best friends who couldn’t help but fall in love. I loved the whole premise to this story, and as someone who grew up in the 80’s, I loved all the movie quotes and references. Unzipped is another great read from one of my favorite RomCom authors.
Angela – Alphas Do It Better Book Blog
Lauren Blakely is always surprising me… She can get a romance into something else and make it funny, sexy, different. She has a voice for her characters that are unique and she can create this world that is so entertaining and so good to read.
I will not spoil Unzipeed for you… But here is the thing… It has a super cute couple who are so connected that it takes them a road trip to finally see that they should be together.
If you like the 80’s and Say Anything, John Cuzack it is the right book for you. If you don’t like give it a chance because it is really one of the best romance books I have read it in a while.
Lauren Blakely’s newest release, Unzipped is the perfect meet-cute full of 80’s movie nostalgia that will make you laugh and swoon. Kyler/Tom is a hot, adorkable nerd who isn’t the smoothest with the ladies. He tries but falls flat so Finley comes to his rescue. The way these two meet is epic (and totally embarrassing for our hero) as he Lloyd Doblers the wrong girl. Kyler’s legendary mixup leads him to the hilarious and adorable Finley and these two embark on a journey that will make you smile endlessly. Full of adventure and fun, Finley and Tom (as she calls him) find something in each other that they didn’t know they were looking for. Our hero and heroine compliment each other brilliantly, playing off each other’s wit and wisdom as they both grow in their own way. Blakely builds their chemistry at a leisurely pace and readers will relish their slow burn. When Finley and Tom finally connect romantically, the sparks fly endlessly.
Unzipped is funny, silly, romantic, sexy and fun. With interesting characters and a witty storyline, this one will surely brighten your day.
Unzipped is a sweet funny rom com that had me swooning and laughing at the same time. I enjoyed Tom and Finey’s interactions with each other. Another good read by Lauren
This book is a little slice of heaven! Kyler is a beautifully clueless wannabe romantic, who, through the guidance of the gorgeously sweet and funny Finley, starts to emerge from his cocoon to become a slightly more clueful , Tom. With some of the wittiest banter, heart warming moments, along with the magical fulfilment of roadtrip tropes, this book is a total delight from start to finish!