Sweet Talk

Love Lines #2

by Cara Bastone

It’s officially booty o’clock, I’m alone again in my kitchen choking down a slice of terrible chocolate cake…and I’m pretty sure I just got drunk texted by the man I have a ginormous crush on.

I’ve been daydreaming about Eliot Hoffman’s dimples for two months, and even though I’m sure this was a mistake on his end, it doesn’t mean it’s not an opportunity on mine. It’s the middle of the night, and I just wanna talk to him. So I text him back.

And then somehow we keep talking…ALL NIGHT. We’re both insomniacs, so talking all night soon turns into talking EVERY night.

And talking about nothing soon turns into talking about something.

And here we go from in-depth analysis of reality TV to my relationship with my family to his amazing artwork. There’s no topic we don’t cover…

Except for who I really am. It’s the only question of his I won’t answer.

As my crush turns into an avalanche of Eliot, I think of him all the time now. But if he knew who I was, the entire house of cards we’ve built this relationship on would come toppling down. I want him to be mine, but we might never be more than just a sweet dream….

Genres: Romance, Audiobook, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Fiction, Rom Com, Chick Lit

238 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 22, 2021

About the author

Cara Bastone is the author of Ready or Not. She lives and writes in Brooklyn with her husband, sons, and an almost-goldendoodle. Her goal with her work is to find the swoon in ordinary love stories. She's been a fan of the romance genre since she found a grocery bag filled with her grandmother's old Harlequin Romances when she was in high school. She's a fangirl for pretzel sticks, long walks through Prospect Park, and love stories featuring men who aren't hobbled by their own masculinity.

source: Amazon

Reviews

[♥︎ Heather ⚔ (Semi-Hiatus-attempting return) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Omg another super cute one! Loved it! 😍

You remember that romance series that came out last year? The Improbable Meet Cute series? This KINDA reminds me of that, but better (I only liked two of the books in the improbable meet cute series)

Short and fun and adorable! Audible over here doing the damn thing with fantastic original audios! 💘

Happy Valentine's Day! 💘💋🧸

[Kiara (easing back in) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ⭐️ Not the same kind of cute as book one, but cute nonetheless. 🥹

📱 The Premise

One wrong-number text unexpectedly connects Eliot and Jessie—and suddenly, sleepless nights don’t feel quite so lonely.

Hours of talking, watching the same shows while on the phone, and sharing things they never thought they’d tell each other turn a simple conversation into something neither is quite ready to let go of.

The only problem? She knows exactly who Eliot is, while he has no idea who she is.

🌙 My Thoughts

Going in, I expected the same light, funny, cozy vibe that made the first one so easy to get swept up in. This one felt a little more serious and grounded in comparison. Not angsty or heavy by any means—it just had a quieter feel.

And honestly, for such a short book, I was impressed by how much depth there was. I felt like I really got to know both Eliot and Jessie as characters.

“The sad thing is that not only do I want to talk to him, I really just wanna talk to anybody. Before that voice message, it had been almost twelve hours since I spoke a word aloud.”

╰┈➤ Eliot & Jessie

I really liked these two together.

Jessie has this confident, badass exterior, but I loved getting to see the softer and more vulnerable side of her as she opened up to Eliot.

“On the outside, I'm a tough cookie. On the inside I'm pure candy.”

And Eliot? He’s basically the sweetest cinnamon roll ever. 🫶 He seems so put-together at first, but underneath that, he quietly carries his own insecurities.

Despite how different they are, I really loved how natural their connection felt.

“You seemed like you were having a good time.”
“JD, you were the main ingredient to that good time. I do not need to stay in that loud, stinky club without you.”

Not to mention Eliot’s grand gesture at the end. Easily one of my favorite moments. 💞

💐 Final Take

While I still prefer the first book, I’m glad I read this one. It wasn’t quite as funny or as effortlessly bingeable for me, but it was still a sweet romance with plenty of heart to it—and this time we even got an epilogue, which definitely made me happy. 🤭

Tropes / What to Expect

📱 Wrong Number Romance
💞 Friends to Lovers
🎭 Hidden Identity
☎️ Texting & Phone Calls
✨ Opposites Attract
🎀 No Spice
🎧 Partial Duet Narration

Love Lines Series

Call Me Maybe — 4.5 ⭐️ My review
Sweet Talk — 4 ⭐️
Seatmate — TBR

── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
✧･ﾟPre-Read ･ﾟ✧

book one was way too cute
not to come back 🥹

[rei ‧₊˚✩彡]

pre-read:

first book for the month of june! the first book was SO cute that i just have to read the second book INSTANTLY to keep the momentum going 🤭🫶🏼 plus people told me that i should definitely read the rest of the series so here we are!

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

I really loved the first book in this series, but this one was even better! So much fun, so adorable, and legit the sweetest romance. The audio production is phenomenal and the story is great. Eliot is a cinnamon roll hero and Jessie is such a baddie. I loved them together. This was a great wrong number romance that I couldn’t get enough of! I definitely want to check out more from this author because I’m loving her books!

Audio book source: Audible Plus
Story Rating: 4.5 stars
Narrators: Lidia Dornet and Chris Brinkley
Narration Rating: 5 stars
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Length: 5h 42m

[Snjez · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I enjoyed this one a lot more than the previous book.

First of all, I really liked both characters. Especially Elliot. I'm not sure if someone that sweet and kind and forgiving exists in the real world, but I still loved him. More so because of some of the things we learn about him. And it was interesting to read about a female character like JD.

Second of all, I loved both narrators. They made the characters sound very real and believable. And I cannot express how much I enjoyed listening to Chris Brinkley's voice. So soothing.

Things I enjoyed less:
I could have done without the Jack side plot. The whole situation felt too serious and the way Elliot look past that so easily in the end felt completely unbelievable.

Overall, I think that JD's family situation was a bit too dramatic and the story about her mum didn't make much sense to me.

Even though Elliot went along with it, the fact that JD knew who Elliot was the whole time but kept her identity a secret felt a bit uncomfortable after a while.

The story dragged a bit in the second half. There is a part of the story that we are familiar with from book 1, but this time it was just a different POV. And I didn't enjoy book 1, so listening to the same conversations again wasn't that exciting.

The sounds of incoming messages at the beginning of the story were really annoying and distracting. I managed to listen through them on my second try.

[Chelsea (chelseadolling reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

So!!! Cute!!!

[Warda · Rating 5 out of 5]

The absolute cutest! I was so happy for these two! 😭

I’m in love with these short stories Cara Bastone has created with Audible. The production for it is just a treat to the ears.

[ren ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet Talk had me grinning from beginning to end, it was the perfect pick-me-up after a rough week and I’m so glad I gave this new-to-me author a try. The plot basically involves a wrong number and a not-so-unlikely romance between two insomniacs… That’s all I’ll say because you’ll definitely want to delve into the 'mystery' yourself!

♡ Characters ♡

The Heroine (whose name I won’t refer to ‘cause it’s a little spoiler-y) and Eliot, were so lovable. I won’t say much about The Heroine, other than that she’s incredibly loyal and strong, and her confidence was just so damn cool.

And Eliot!! He was definitely the highlight of the story for me. Eliot was such an interesting hero and I mean, actually interesting. If you need a break from perfectly chiseled man-whores with their obnoxiously extravagant lifestyles, Eliot is totally for you. He felt like a real guy – he didn’t always say the perfect things, and he was kind of (adorably) dorky but he captured my heart with his own unique charm!

♡ The Romance ♡

The romance between Eliot and the heroine was incredibly sweet. The friends to lovers aspect was seamless and one of the best I've read in a while. Everything just flowed so easily between them... even the moments when Eliot said some pretty embarrassing things. I wasn’t exaggerating when I said I couldn’t stop grinning, I genuinely loved every single one of their interactions.

♡ Other thoughts ♡

One thing I was surprised about, was how easily I could relate to Eliot. I rarely ever find myself relating to heroes, so this was really nice. I love how vulnerable and reflective he was… The moment he self-consciously told the heroine he looked nothing like Dwyane ‘The Rock’ Johnson only made me love him more. I just wish there were more heroes like him...

If you’re in the mood for a sweet, feel-good romance with the cutest cinnamon roll hero… you might want to give this book a try!

Note: If you have access to the audiobook version, it’s pretty much perfect.

Extra note: This is book 2 and can be read as a standalone as I have done.

Final note: Should probably mention this is a clean romance too. Sorry to all the smut lovers.

Rating: 4.5/5

[Ꮗ€♫◗☿ ❤️ ilikebooksbest.com ❤️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one has to be done in Audiobook format!




The following ratings are out of 5:
Narration: 🎧🎧🎧🎧🎧
Romance: 💋💋💋💋💋
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📙📒
World building: 🌎🌍🌏🌎
Character development: 👩🏻🧑🏼‍🦱👩🏻‍🦱👱🏻‍♂️🦸🏼‍♂️

The heroine: J.D. - grew up in New York with her father and brother. She boxes at the local gym, rides a motorcycle and has a bunch of Tattoos. She take care of her father who is sick and recently had to move into assisted living or a nursing home. She has a crush on Elliot and has for a while.

The Hero(es): Elliot - a handsome, intelligent man who is clean cut, keeps his apartment in order and sees himself as a pretty big nerd. He is very nice, treats people with respect and loves his younger sister.

The Story: Elliot is suffering from insomnia and late one night when he tries to text his sister to see if she is still up, he accidentally sends the text to J.D. She answers back since she also doesn’t sleep much and from there they start texting back and forth. Elliot has a few learning disabilities and doesn’t like to text much so he changes things up and calls J.D. He doesn’t know who she is since he had her in his phone contacts as a bunch of unrelated characters. Though he calls her J.D. because those characters were in there.

This was probably the best audiobook I have listened to thus far. It was dual narration done by Chris Brinkley and Lidia Dornet and they couldn’t have been more perfect for these two characters. J.D. is wicked cool and has a great New York accent and Elliot is self depreciating, intelligent and a gentleman.

The majority of the book was them talking on the phone and so the audiobook format was absolutely perfect for it. It was much more like acting than just reading the narration. Also there were sound effects like when they were walking outside you could hear outside background noises or when they were inside and someone knocked on the door or something like that you could hear it.

This book was all romance and two people falling for each other while each learned more about the other, including things they never told anyone else. It wasn’t steamy at all and I didn’t mind whatsoever. I think that would have actually wrecked the vibe. I really liked both of these characters and I loved listening in on their phone conversations.

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[Stacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Only one kiss...and I was still satisfied

Holy Shamoly!! That was bloody awesome!!

I am loving Cara Bastone and her Love Lines series. I was completely engaged and listened with a big goofy smile on my face. Narrators, Lidia Dornet and Chris Brinkley do a marvellous job of bringing the characters to life. The storyline was captivating and I loved the originality and quirkiness of the characters. I admit that I'm a bit of a doofus for not realising until halfway through (or maybe even later) that I knew Eliot. Even worse, I didn't realise that it was a series (slaps palm to my forehead) until I started typing this review.

This story has a slightly dorky hero who you can't help falling in love with, and a heroine carrying the world on her shoulders. They are an unlikely couple who form a friendship that grows stronger every day. But, he doesn't know who she is, and she doesn't want him to know that he's been her secret crush.

What follows is a sweet and funny story that swelled my heart with joy and left me smiling like a loon.

If you are a fan of audiobooks and enjoy listening to a dual narration, I suggest giving Sweet Talk, and the Love Lines series a try. It is a clean story but I love it even more because of it. The storyline and narration are enough without it, which is very unusual for me. I will definitely be listening to more in this series, and if Cara Bastone sees this review ... PLEASE WRITE QUICKLY!!

[nick (the infinite limits of love) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5

You all know I'm a self-proclaimed Cara Bastone fangirl. I love her works so much and she continues to impress me with her sheer talent. I couldn't wait to dive into the audiobook of Sweet Talk. Last year, Call Me Maybe, the first book in this series, charmed my pants off. I had high hopes going into Sweet Talk and as always, Cara delivered for me.

This is a story of a drunk text gone wrong (or right??) which ends up bringing together two people who otherwise may never have gotten together. Both Eliot and Jessie are night owls who struggle with insomnia, so they wind up texting each other, watching TV shows together, and this soon transitions into phone calls. Jessie happens to know exactly who Eliot is (and even has a crush on him) but she keeps him guessing as to her identity because she doesn't think she is his type. What starts off as a playful friendship soon develops into flirtatious banter which then evolves into a much deeper relationship. While, for the most part, the first book remained heavy on the light and fluffy side, Sweet Talk dives a little deeper into some heavier topics. If you've read Cara Bastone's Forever Yours series, the tone here is very similar to the tone there. The author is very skilled at balancing the heavier themes with lighthearted moments and she handles everything with care, so it's an absolute treat to listen to even though your heart is heavy at times.

I loved both Jessie and Eliot. They both have charming personalities. Jessie, with her combat boots-wearing badass exterior, but soft and vulnerable interior, is a joy to get to know throughout Sweet Talk. I feel like my love for her only grew more and more as the story progressed. While Cara's characterization is definitely why Jessie was a fantastic character, Lidia Dornet's narration also is to be commended. Without Lidia, there would be no Jessie. Her voice embodies Jessie's characteristics and she does a beautiful job at showing all the nuances of Jessie's personality through voice modulation. She especially nails Jessie's sadder moments. One thing I really liked Jessie is her relationship with her father. They share a loving bond and she clearly looks up to him and wants to make him proud. She's also grappling with the grief of his impending death from cancer. It's a lot of burden on someone so young so my heart ached for her. She's very strong though but Eliot teaches her that it's okay to be vulnerable.

Eliot is an equally endearing character and I couldn't have imagined a better fit for Jessie. He is a sweet, slightly nerdy man with a big heart. If you listened to Call Me Maybe, you may remember him as Vera's brother. I already liked him a lot there and he somehow only got more lovable here. I loved hearing him nerd out over his uber-popular webcomic, but most of all I liked how kind and attentive he is. Once again, I think the Audible team nailed it with the voice casting for Eliot. Chris Brinkley has a fun and soothing voice, exactly how I imagine Eliot's voice to be, and he absolutely brings Eliot's boyish charms to life.

The chemistry between Jessie and Eliot is palpable from the very beginning. It's hard not to be entirely wooed by these two and I promise, they will leave your heart feeling 1000% lighter and with a gigantic grin on your face. I love how Cara Bastone writes romantic relationships. There's something very real about them and ugh, guys, they just make me swoon so hard. Jessie and Eliot are definitely one of my top OTPs. I will be melting into a puddle of goo every time I think about them and I will be screaming about them to everyone at the top of my lungs. Also, this book has one of THE BEST couple conflict resolution at the end. Be prepared to gush nonstop - you've been warned!

Final thoughts: Sweet Talk was incredible. Not only is the story itself charming, full of life, and exceptionally romantic, but the audiobook production itself is a work of art. The excellent narration, the chemistry between the narrators, and the use of fun sounds such as incoming text pings and background noise, all make for a memorable listening experience. I can't recommend Sweet Talk enough.

CWs: robbery, use of a gun on the hero by an intruder, parent dying of cancer

Relationship disclosure: Cara Bastone and I are mutuals on social media.

[Nina (ninjasbooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve really started to like Bastone’s style. Much is just dialogue, but it is warm and cute with a lack of the typical miscommunication trope, only some secrets that makes sense and is met with understanding when they are eventually revealed. Heartwarming for sure!

[Kristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another adorable one for the series

This was a bit more emotional and I didn’t love all the lying, but I guess they made sense in the end. Super cute and well done audiobook. Tough girl/ soft guy is a great combo that we don’t see much of. This author does a great job showing different , non toxic kinds of heroes. This one had an epilogue which I appreciated. I might bump it to five because it made me happy. The connection wasn’t quite as good as the previous book though. Too much avoiding attachment on her part.

[Noi (in & out) · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's about the brother of the fmc from the 1st book.
They start talking through texts and a wrong number situation.
The mmc is an adorable man with ADHD!
The fmc is an independent woman.

Fun story, love the audio.

[Lucy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved Call Me Maybe (Book 1) last year, so I was happy to try Book 2. This story isn't as funny Book 1, but it's still pretty entertaining. The characters are quirky, witty, and vulnerable. They each have issues they're trying to overcome, so there as a lot more depth to this story.

Same as Book 1, the audio performance is fantastic. It's like listening to a play. The narrators for this book are different from Book 1, but they did a great job bringing the story to life.

Should you listen to Book 1 before this one? You don't need to, but it'd be helpful if you want to know the background on Vera and Cal's relationship. Of course, I really liked Book 1 so I say don't skip it 😁.

This is my second book by this author, and now I'm looking forward to catching up on her other books. I really enjoy her fun and witty writing style.

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn’t love this one as much as the first in the series 😝 But it’s still a decent read 👍

[aarya · Rating 4 out of 5]

2021 Spring Bingo (#SpringIntoLoveBingo🌷): Favorite Trope

Content Notes: past home intrusion/attempted robbery and trauma/fear resulting from the incident, heroine’s father has terminal cancer, difficult sibling dynamics, alcoholism

SWEET TALK is... surprising. I loved CALL ME MAYBE (featuring Eliot’s sister Vera and his best friend Cal) and expected the sequel to have a similar light/fluffy tone.

It does not. It really does not. Don’t get me wrong — the first half is laugh-out-loud shenanigans as Eliot and Jessie send each other flirty voice memos. But as the reader starts to understand why Jessie can’t reveal her identity to Eliot, the tone shifts darker and tips over into angst territory (not a lot, but enough so that it felt different from CALL ME MAYBE). It’s difficult to review SWEET TALK because what I really want to talk about are gigantic spoilers (so I won’t talk about it, alas). I did include the darker themes in the spoilery CWs, if you’re curious or in need of advance warning.

I love, love, love the relationship between Eliot and Jessie. I have cartoonish heart eyes when I think about them. 😍 Eliot’s dyslexia and learning disabilities are beautifully handled, and I adored his artistic hobby (especially the grand gesture toward the end!). He’s a sensitive, considerate, golden retriever of a hero and perfectly paired with Jessie. She’s been crushing on him for months and her vulnerable interior is masked by a badass/competent front.

What I didn’t like: I’m still thinking over the ending. I have no idea how to feel (it’s not about the romance, it’s about something unrelated to the main couple). This is not a good critique because I just have a bunch of question marks about how this subplot was resolved. My issue isn’t even about the end result, but more... how did it happen so fast? I needed more relationship time after the Big Tense Confession (it ends super abruptly, even with an epilogue). So... I don’t know. Lolsob. I’m curious to see what others think.

I’m still four-starring SWEET TALK because the central romance is wonderful and the audiobook production is A+. Seriously, kudos to whoever casted SWEET TALK because I love the narrators Lidia Dornet and Chris Brinkley. I know there’s one book left in the series, and I hope it’s about Jessie’s friend Tasha (host of a relationship advice podcast!). I have a pretty good radar for these things, so let’s see if I’m right. 😅

Read via audio (narrated by Lidia Dornet and Chris Brinkley).

Disclaimer: I received a free audiobook from the publisher (Audible) in exchange for an honest review.

[paula ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 ⭐

Awwww that one was sooo cuuuteee. I like it more than the first one even. Jessie and Elliot are the cutest ever! ❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹

[Dani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reread 7/2022
5⭐️
The heroine's identity was blaringly obvious from the start, I was just really dumb the first time I listened to this audiobook 🤦🏻‍♀️


~~~~~~~~~
4.5⭐️
This had no reason being this good 😩

✨ Wrong-number/ texting plot
✨ Hero is dyslexic, very much a cinnamon roll, nerdy, maybe neurodiverse? (not explicitly stated)
✨ Heroine's identity is a secret from hero, but she's badass and tough-looking, ie. tattoos, piercings, muscles

H has met h before, saved her number but not her name, so he doesn’t know who she is, but she does know who he is. The plot twist was AMAZING, the tie-in storyline to book 1 was IMMACULATE, and I am IN LOVE.

I need to get into Bastone’s backlist!

[Mimi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eliot Hoffman hasn't been able to sleep for the past few months.
He keeps waking up at a certain time each night, and he can't seem to fall back asleep.
After another sleepless night, he sends out a late night text.
Apparently to the wrong person, he keeps texting her because he feels a connection.

J.D. knew the text wasn't meant for her.
She knew she shouldn't respond because of who she is and her brother, but she did. Continuing to text him without revealing who she is.

A late night text links the two of them as their feelings for each other grow deeper as they become closer and closer.
------------------
I have mixed feelings about this book. At first, I enjoyed it, but as the minor plot slowly revealed itself, it ruined the book for me.

The description of this book sounded like something I would enjoy.
A late night text from an acquaintance results in a romance. But the minor plot about Jessie's brother made me so uncomfortable.

It wasn't the only thing I didn't like about this book. The power dynamics between the two were slightly unbalanced.
Jessie/J.D. is the superintendent of Elliot's apartment, meaning she has access to his apartment and has some sway in that complex.
All of her interactions before the text(where she developed a crush on him) was when she was doing her job as superintendent. Like, she kept texting him back because of the crush she developed on him when she saw him in person.

They never interacted outside of that role, so it's a little creepy that Jessie developed her crush during those interactions.
If she developed her crush during the conversations they had over the phone, maybe it would've read better.

I wish that there was some instance in this book where she also considered the fact that she holds some power over Eliot and has access to his apartment even when Eliot didn't know who she was.
It's such an iffy privacy concern(if she was a man, it would've been viewed way worse), but she didn't cross a line, so I tolerated it.

What made me deeply uncomfortable was the minor plot.
Basically, I thought that Jessie's brother and Eliot had a disagreement or some weird rivalry thing, and that's why Jessie didn't want Eliot to know who she was.
Because of that, I thought all that daydreaming Jessie did was cute.
That the book would resolve the disagreement, etc., and happy ending!

Then, it was revealed that her brother was the source of his trauma.
That he held Elliot at gunpoint and robbed him.
Jessie knew exactly who robbed him the very first day they interacted, knew why he couldn't sleep, and kept her mouth shut as she romanced him.
I understood why she protected her brother. He's her brother and her dad's on his healthcare.
I get that, but it's so unethical for her to pursue a romance with her brother's victim.
It's not like she didn't know that her brother traumatized him.
He installed two security systems, constantly checked the status of his case(I'm not 100% sure if Jessie knew this thing), and couldn't sleep at night because of that incident.
She didn't confront her brother about what he did, didn't check to make sure he didn't have access to the complex anymore, just did nothing for 3 months about the robbery.


I get why she was feeling conflicted, but victims should always be protected over the assailants, and Jessie chose to protect her brother over Eliot.
So she shouldn't have pursued a romance with the victim of the person she's protecting.

Hell, at the end of the book, Eliot still doesn't feel safe in his apartment and is deciding whenever or not to move into Jessie's apartment (and would he feel safe in an apartment where his assailant still has access to?).
I just wish this crime wasn't the minor plot because it completely soured the romance for me, and I couldn't think it was cute without thinking how unethical the whole thing was.


Honestly, if I knew about the minor plot, I wouldn't have picked this audiobook up.
I expected a sweet romcom, and it was until that reveal which soured the whole thing for me because of how unethical the romance was.

[Jacob Proffitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is second in an audible production and happens more-or-less concurrent with the first. There's a scene that plays in both, just from the perspective of the different siblings (Eliot is Vera's brother). You really don't need to read them in order, but it does enhance the experience somewhat knowing Vera's story while experiencing this one.

This was unexpected in a lot of ways. Not least is that the power dynamic is opposite to how it usually is when one character knows the other's identity. Jessie knows full-well who she's texting, but Eliot does not. She's up front about it, so they both know that he doesn't know and she does, and I really liked how that plays out in the story. Not least because they're both such fundamentally kind people and Eliot wears that on his sleeve while Jessie keeps her heart buried under her, deliberately, rough exterior.

Indeed, as funny as their interactions are, it doesn't obscure the heart of tragedy the story contains. Eliot is having a hard time coping with the trauma of a robbery in his home and that's providing him sleepless nights and a lot of inner turmoil. And I loved that he doesn't just get over it and that he really is the cinnamon roll he projects. He's kind and gentle and struggling with a cultural expectation of "manning up" that he can mostly handle, but not without a bit of identity crisis.

And I loved Jessie's care for him, even if it is from afar. She engages with him, knowing that their differences are only really external, taking the opportunity to show a side of herself she otherwise keeps deeply hidden. So she inverts the power position she is in (by knowing his identity without him knowing hers) by using it to be vulnerable because deep down, she knows she is a caretaker at heart and struggling in her own way to be true to herself.

And I even came to appreciate the secret she harbors. It's a huge coincidence that turns out not to be coincidence at all and is a dagger pointed at the heart of their burgeoning relationship. I loved how that played out, too, and Jessie's coming to terms with her screwed up family was more powerful than I had expected.

I keep wanting to find an excuse to downgrade this to four stars, but I have no idea why. So five stars it is. I thoroughly enjoyed the story. The characters were interesting and I've come to really like the audio choice where each narrator voices their own character's dialogue even when it isn't their PoV. It works so well because it means the voice and tone are consistent regardless of which PoV currently has the narration.

A note about Chaste: Their relationship happens while they're separated by phone. So they gain emotional intimacy before Eliot learns who Jessie really is. So there isn't really any point where they can engage in sexy times. And that worked very well for this story.

[Dab · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not as cute as the first one but still cute 🥰

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh I just adored this audio! I love everything Cara Bastone touches. It was a throwback to Call Me Maybe, and i loved seeing those stories intertwine! This one was sweet and fun! Simply loved it!

[Ari · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can’t believe that my dumbass didn’t see the plot twist coming. 💀😩

Anyways, Sweet Talk was such an adorable read and I can’t wait for the next book in the series. I shall binge-read Bastone’s backlist while I wait!

[Ri ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars

“Maybe one of the best parts of starting something up with someone is, you get to see all your yummy parts through their eyes.”

I am convinced that Cara Bastone can never write a bad book. She’s one of my favourite romance authors now—like, I would devour anything she writes because she just gets me. This book was perfect. One of the cheesiest, most romantic, and cutest novellas I have ever read. It was unrealistic, but I would always pray for this type of love. This whole series is such a unique concept! I love it so much 🩷🤭

“I seriously cannot tell you how much joy this is bringing me. Whatever the opposite of a panic attack is, I’m currently having it. This is a euphoria attack. There’s too much oxytocin in my bloodstream right now. I’m gonna pass out.”

Elliot is the golden retriever man with an adorable, nerdy personality, and Jesse is the badass woman who can do anything, rides bikes, and has piercings. I never say this, but I would date both of them if I could. I absolutely adore them! They are perfect individuals and they make a perfect couple. I need what they have! The effortless friendship, the devotion to each other during their conversations and nightly routines, the way they could just share anything with one another without any hesitation, the way they understand each other! Everything about them is beautiful, swoon-worthy, and adorable. I also loved how opposite they are in terms of personalities.

The audiobook? Absolutely perfect! Both narrators did an astounding job. It was like watching a rom-com movie in my mind—it was that good🤌🏼 The background music and sounds only added more realness to the story.

[veronica ☽ · Rating 2 out of 5]

A slow read, that definitely wasn’t for me! I need more than one kiss and a few phone calls to feel the romance. When Jessie receives a late night text from a number, she knows exactly who it is. She has been dreaming of him ever since they met. He's kind, charming, and handsome...
*record scratch*
Except Eliot doesn't know who he is texting... He unfortunately saved her number under random letters and accidentally texted her instead of his intended booty call. Deciding to talk over the phone, they realize they share multiple similarities. They are both insomniacs and love baking shows. Finding comfort in each other, they become secret friends, without truly knowing each other's identity. If Eliot were to discover who Jessie was, he might never want to talk to her again. Without realizing it, Eliot is slowly falling in love with the woman behind the late night phone calls," JD" (Jessie). Is she the cute bartender down the street? One of his sister's friends? Or could she be right under his nose without even knowing? The only option they have is to learn to trust and love.

tropes: strangers to friends to lovers, clean romance, disability rep (dyslexia), and reverse grumpy sunshine

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my opinion.

[Antonella · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5⭐

[kat · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.25 stars ☆

that's it. I'm taking a break from reading.

[Hulya Kara Yuksel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened the audiobook. 😊

[MissBecka Gee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a lovely surprise!
Super cute, clean romance.
Book 1 and 2 are free on audible, and can be read as stand alone's.