From the Jump

May 9, 2022
This winning friends-to-lovers romance from Waldon (The Layover) centers on a group of college best friends—Liv, Phoebe, Simone, Mac, and Deiss—who have stayed close for 11 years. Still, Liv feels like the odd one out, envying the others’ self-confidence and money. Having grown up poor and occasionally homeless, she works herself to death at her office job. But just before her friends leave for a safari that Liv’s afraid to splurge on with them, Deiss challenges Liv to get off the corporate treadmill. Impulsively, she starts saying no to the unfair demands of her job and follows her friends to South Africa. There, she winds up sharing a room with Deiss, who has a secret past of his own. The proximity forces Liv to finally admit her ever-present attraction to Deiss—but Phoebe makes her vow not to ruin the group dynamic by sleeping with him. So when Deiss reveals the attraction is mutual, Liv must decide whether their potential relationship is worth the risk. Though the story starts slowly and Liv remains a repressed character for much of it, the romance is charming and believable and the group’s vacation will delight armchair travelers. Fans of Susan Mallery and Jill Shalvis should snap this up. Agent: Claire Friedman, InkWell Management.

June 10, 2024

Though they keep her life in order, Liv's strict lifestyle rules have kept her from many experiences, including joining her college friends' annual trip abroad. Reaching her breaking point, she abruptly quits her graphic designer job and joins her friends in South Africa, where a new closeness begins to develop between her and Deiss, one of their group. Upon returning home, she finds she's not only out of a job, but also a home. Moving in with Deiss, the two fight their growing attraction, fearing if they act upon it, their friend group won't survive the aftermath. Prolific narrator Brittany Pressley's unquestionable talents shine in this contemporary friends-to-lovers romance. Nimbly navigating the large cast of characters, her expressive delivery and knack for unique voices keeps listeners invested in Liv and Deiss's love story. Pressley's portrayal of Liv's internal anxiety makes her a more realistic protagonist. When conflict ensues, Pressley deftly moves between Liv's pain and angst and the antagonist's mean-spirited and jealous reactions to the protagonists' relationship. VERDICT Though a nonessential purchase, Pressley's narrative skills add a higher level of enjoyment to this slow-burn contemporary romance.--Amanda L. S. Murphy

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