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Resistance Training
Vivian only has one big regret in life–and a million little ones if you count all the calories she didn’t consume while she was living with the guy who dumped her. But Vivian is glad she moved to Portland with her ex. She’s glad he left her for someone who lives in the city she moved from, because she can now eat her feelings and those feelings taste like wine, tacos, pastries, and gourmet ice cream.
She’s even happy when her newly-engaged sister informs her that she’s hired the toughest personal trainer in town to whip Vivian back into shape for her wedding, because it finally brings her face-to-face with that one big regret—her former best friend from high school.
Brad Mitchell, who claimed she broke his heart and disappeared after they graduated. Who never replied to all those emails about how much she regretted hurting him. The once-chubby, grumpy nerd who was the other person in their two-member book club. The one who now looks infuriatingly hot in a compression tank top and sweatpants.
Brad goes by Mitch these days. He has the same wry sense of humor, a lot of exciting new muscles, and one aggravating, old grudge. But as he puts Vivian through resistance training that tests his own stubborn resolve too, their old spark refuses to die—it just keeps doing more reps.
And those long-ignored emails sitting in Brad's archived inbox folder? They just might take these former best friends from enemies to lovers and give them the second chance they deserve—if he ever reads them.
*This standalone is a complete rewrite and much longer version of a book with a different title that Kayley unpublished.
She’s even happy when her newly-engaged sister informs her that she’s hired the toughest personal trainer in town to whip Vivian back into shape for her wedding, because it finally brings her face-to-face with that one big regret—her former best friend from high school.
Brad Mitchell, who claimed she broke his heart and disappeared after they graduated. Who never replied to all those emails about how much she regretted hurting him. The once-chubby, grumpy nerd who was the other person in their two-member book club. The one who now looks infuriatingly hot in a compression tank top and sweatpants.
Brad goes by Mitch these days. He has the same wry sense of humor, a lot of exciting new muscles, and one aggravating, old grudge. But as he puts Vivian through resistance training that tests his own stubborn resolve too, their old spark refuses to die—it just keeps doing more reps.
And those long-ignored emails sitting in Brad's archived inbox folder? They just might take these former best friends from enemies to lovers and give them the second chance they deserve—if he ever reads them.
*This standalone is a complete rewrite and much longer version of a book with a different title that Kayley unpublished.
302 pages, Paperback
First published September 23, 2025
About the author
Kayley Loring
47 books1,814 followersAmazon Top 25 and USA Today bestselling author Kayley Loring spent many years as a screenwriter (under a different name) in Los Angeles before moving to the Pacific Northwest to live out her childhood dream of being a Disney heroine who talks and sings to woodland creatures. When not trying to keep animals alive, she’s writing steamy romantic comedy novels, obviously. She’s breathing cleaner air, writing dirtier words, and staring at her computer screen until her eyeballs dry out instead of prancing around Southern California in miniskirts and going to the hair salon. Still waiting for the woodland creatures to clean her house, though.
Read or listen to Kayley’s books when you want humor, heat, and heart. You’ll enjoy top-notch banter, strong heroines, lovable characters you’d want to know in real life and you’ll swoon over perfectly imperfect book boyfriends. All Kayley Loring books are steamy open door romance. Be sure to check out her next-level audiobooks!
Learn more at www.kayleyloring.com
Come join Kayley in her Facebook reader group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/kayle...
Follow Kayley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kayleyloring/
Listen to Kayley talk to the wildly talented narrators who narrate her audiobooks on the Multiple Eargasms with Kayley Loring podcast!
Read or listen to Kayley’s books when you want humor, heat, and heart. You’ll enjoy top-notch banter, strong heroines, lovable characters you’d want to know in real life and you’ll swoon over perfectly imperfect book boyfriends. All Kayley Loring books are steamy open door romance. Be sure to check out her next-level audiobooks!
Learn more at www.kayleyloring.com
Come join Kayley in her Facebook reader group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/kayle...
Follow Kayley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kayleyloring/
Listen to Kayley talk to the wildly talented narrators who narrate her audiobooks on the Multiple Eargasms with Kayley Loring podcast!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 245 reviews
November 13, 2025
Small spoiler and profanity -
I’m clearly the odd man out here, but I fucking hated - okay, maybe strongly disliked Brad Mitchell. Coach. Sir. Mitch the Whiny Bitch. Like get over your shit and man the fuck up! Yeah, shit happened in high school, but she’s the most important person to you and you throw an eight year ego tantrum? Then when she’s “back”, you try to strong-arm her while still clinging to your “pain” like it’s your personality trait? Boy, please. You’re not 17 anymore. His stubbornness and that never ending grudge grinded my damn gears.
Even when he went back and read the text messages and realized, for a nano second, it wasn’t even that bad he still chose to let his teenage heartbreak fester. Like, sir… therapy.
I liked Vivian, but I hated how much she had to fight for his attention. His personality just drove me nuts! He’s the kind of hardheaded that makes me wanna slap a motherfucker just to knock some sense into them.
Side note - there was a lot of Scorpio ♏️ references to his personality, and as a Scorpio, I’m offended, we are not like him. Those traits were all Brad, we are not the same lol
The banter was fine, the chemistry was there, and it sucked me in enough to keep reading (even while I was irritated). I kept waiting for growth that never really came. Sure, we get the HEA and Brad “comes around,” but he’s still scraping the bottom of the boyfriend barrel. There are douchebags in other books who’ve had more character development.
Anyway, that’s my rant - Oh and shoutout to the Golden Girls side characters. The seniors in this book carried it. They were hilarious and honestly the saving grace of the story.
I’m clearly the odd man out here, but I fucking hated - okay, maybe strongly disliked Brad Mitchell. Coach. Sir. Mitch the Whiny Bitch. Like get over your shit and man the fuck up! Yeah, shit happened in high school, but she’s the most important person to you and you throw an eight year ego tantrum? Then when she’s “back”, you try to strong-arm her while still clinging to your “pain” like it’s your personality trait? Boy, please. You’re not 17 anymore. His stubbornness and that never ending grudge grinded my damn gears.
Even when he went back and read the text messages and realized, for a nano second, it wasn’t even that bad he still chose to let his teenage heartbreak fester. Like, sir… therapy.
I liked Vivian, but I hated how much she had to fight for his attention. His personality just drove me nuts! He’s the kind of hardheaded that makes me wanna slap a motherfucker just to knock some sense into them.
Side note - there was a lot of Scorpio ♏️ references to his personality, and as a Scorpio, I’m offended, we are not like him. Those traits were all Brad, we are not the same lol
The banter was fine, the chemistry was there, and it sucked me in enough to keep reading (even while I was irritated). I kept waiting for growth that never really came. Sure, we get the HEA and Brad “comes around,” but he’s still scraping the bottom of the boyfriend barrel. There are douchebags in other books who’ve had more character development.
Anyway, that’s my rant - Oh and shoutout to the Golden Girls side characters. The seniors in this book carried it. They were hilarious and honestly the saving grace of the story.
September 9, 2025
Resistance Training is flirty, funny, and full of so much heart and a little heartbreak(Don’t fret! There is an HEA!) Brad and Vivian haven’t spoken since high school, but you can’t help but root for them from page one. Brad has totally transformed his life since being the sweet, chubby best friend back in high school, and Vivian is embracing her newfound freedom (and her love of tacos, pie, and artisanal ice cream). Her biggest regret? The way their friendship ended years ago still lingers for her and Brad, though he is RESISTING that pull. Kayley Loring balances all of that history with sharp banter, sizzling chemistry, and those laugh-out-loud moments she’s known for. It’s a feel-good romcom with so much heart and heat, you’ll devour it as fast as Vivian devours dessert!
October 15, 2025
3.5 ⭐️. This was a fun, fast, flirty read. I love Kayley Loring and this was in her typical quirky style w lots of good banter and humor.
There were, however, several plot holes (not really holes, but we’ll call them that anyway) that confused me. 🤔 👇
Vivian and Brad Mitchell were best friends in high school until she went to prom w Brad’s bully 🤷🏻♀️ and he got upset and ghosted her for 8 years. Just disappeared from her life. 👻🧐. That is until Vivian’s sister tracks him down and - without her knowledge - hires Brad to be her personal trainer, who now goes by the name Mitch. 🤨. All of this is just confusing to me:
🧐Why would she go w Brad’s bully to the prom??
🧐How could he just completely ghost her??
🧐Why does he agree to be her trainer??? Make it make sense.
Anyway, if you can suspend belief for a minute it’s a cute story. 😬
And anyway, anyway, they have never forgotten about each other. He was secretly head over heels in love w her and so rocked by the prom situation that he gave up his spot at Princeton and became a personal trainer. 🤦🏻♀️. Nothing wrong with this, but seems like a giant over-reaction.
She doesn’t know any of this. She wrote him multiple emails at the time to explain how upset and hurt she was and how much he meant to her, but he deliberately never read them.
So now they’re back in each other’s company, she’s going all out to win him back (which, I’m sorry; I’d be insanely hurt and angry after being ghosted FOR EIGHT YEARS but I’m not that nice, I guess. And also to be fair - she went to the prom w his BULLY. Aye). I actually loved her confidence and her efforts to win him back w her humor and body, that she knows is banging. Lol. She wants her friend who she still misses terribly and he tries desperately to resist her.
Lots of talk about his amazing ass and abs and lots of talk about her amazing ass and boobs. 😂
❤️. No third act break up. Thank goodness. The whole story is them working their way back to each other and to re-establish trust.
🗣️Communication. - This is fully one-sided until about 80%. She tries to get him to communicate over and over. Telling him how she feels, how sorry she is, etc being generally fun and flirty and he isn’t giving her anything. This works for the first 50% and then it’s just kind of annoying. Thankfully, we know how he feels through his entertaining fitness journal entries.
♾️ Connection - it is very clear that they had so many points of mutual interest when they were teens and it’s fun to hear about them in the present as she basically throws them in his face.
🫣 OW - there are no other women referenced; only that they each wish they have been each other’s firsts. OM - her controlling ex who left her for another woman. He’s not present in the story except to serve as motivation for her to get fit bc she’s going to see him at her sister’s wedding. (I hate this trope, but…)
🌶️ Spice - they are both fully lusting after each other. Which I find a little weird since they were platonic friends in HS. Both had unrequited feelings, but still. Anyhoo, whatevs. The spice starts at around 50% with a very weird scene where he massages her when she is naked from the waist down and then goes down on her. And then gets her water and leaves. Like very out of the blue and weird given where they are in their reunion. I would have preferred that actually talk about whatever happened and then get to the sex but that’s just me 🤷🏻♀️
🏡. Family/Friends - we have the meddling but loving older sister, meddling older fitness clients of Mitch/Brad, Two cute cats
👥. Dual POV; HEA. 6 month later engagement; Marriage and baby in epilogue
- best friends to ghosted to lovers
- grumpy/sunshine
- cute pets
- Twilight references
- shared love of reading
- bullying referenced; MMC was chubby in HS
- body positivity for her- she loves her curves and body even while she’s eating ice cream and moping after her breakup. She loved Brad back in HS and didn’t care about whether he was chubby.
- Chubby HS nerd to super hot fitness guy; I kind of wanted her to be somewhat indifferent to his new hot body, just bc I wanted him to know she loved him either way. But that’s just me
- an extremely forgiving, but very self confident FMC
There were, however, several plot holes (not really holes, but we’ll call them that anyway) that confused me. 🤔 👇
Vivian and Brad Mitchell were best friends in high school until she went to prom w Brad’s bully 🤷🏻♀️ and he got upset and ghosted her for 8 years. Just disappeared from her life. 👻🧐. That is until Vivian’s sister tracks him down and - without her knowledge - hires Brad to be her personal trainer, who now goes by the name Mitch. 🤨. All of this is just confusing to me:
🧐Why would she go w Brad’s bully to the prom??
🧐How could he just completely ghost her??
🧐Why does he agree to be her trainer??? Make it make sense.
Anyway, if you can suspend belief for a minute it’s a cute story. 😬
And anyway, anyway, they have never forgotten about each other. He was secretly head over heels in love w her and so rocked by the prom situation that he gave up his spot at Princeton and became a personal trainer. 🤦🏻♀️. Nothing wrong with this, but seems like a giant over-reaction.
She doesn’t know any of this. She wrote him multiple emails at the time to explain how upset and hurt she was and how much he meant to her, but he deliberately never read them.
So now they’re back in each other’s company, she’s going all out to win him back (which, I’m sorry; I’d be insanely hurt and angry after being ghosted FOR EIGHT YEARS but I’m not that nice, I guess. And also to be fair - she went to the prom w his BULLY. Aye). I actually loved her confidence and her efforts to win him back w her humor and body, that she knows is banging. Lol. She wants her friend who she still misses terribly and he tries desperately to resist her.
Lots of talk about his amazing ass and abs and lots of talk about her amazing ass and boobs. 😂
❤️. No third act break up. Thank goodness. The whole story is them working their way back to each other and to re-establish trust.
🗣️Communication. - This is fully one-sided until about 80%. She tries to get him to communicate over and over. Telling him how she feels, how sorry she is, etc being generally fun and flirty and he isn’t giving her anything. This works for the first 50% and then it’s just kind of annoying. Thankfully, we know how he feels through his entertaining fitness journal entries.
♾️ Connection - it is very clear that they had so many points of mutual interest when they were teens and it’s fun to hear about them in the present as she basically throws them in his face.
🫣 OW - there are no other women referenced; only that they each wish they have been each other’s firsts. OM - her controlling ex who left her for another woman. He’s not present in the story except to serve as motivation for her to get fit bc she’s going to see him at her sister’s wedding. (I hate this trope, but…)
🌶️ Spice - they are both fully lusting after each other. Which I find a little weird since they were platonic friends in HS. Both had unrequited feelings, but still. Anyhoo, whatevs. The spice starts at around 50% with a very weird scene where he massages her when she is naked from the waist down and then goes down on her. And then gets her water and leaves. Like very out of the blue and weird given where they are in their reunion. I would have preferred that actually talk about whatever happened and then get to the sex but that’s just me 🤷🏻♀️
🏡. Family/Friends - we have the meddling but loving older sister, meddling older fitness clients of Mitch/Brad, Two cute cats
👥. Dual POV; HEA. 6 month later engagement; Marriage and baby in epilogue
- best friends to ghosted to lovers
- grumpy/sunshine
- cute pets
- Twilight references
- shared love of reading
- bullying referenced; MMC was chubby in HS
- body positivity for her- she loves her curves and body even while she’s eating ice cream and moping after her breakup. She loved Brad back in HS and didn’t care about whether he was chubby.
- Chubby HS nerd to super hot fitness guy; I kind of wanted her to be somewhat indifferent to his new hot body, just bc I wanted him to know she loved him either way. But that’s just me
- an extremely forgiving, but very self confident FMC
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 16, 2025
Brad, where have you been, Loca?!? “Resistance Training” is a flirty, fun and laugh out loud former best friends to enemies to lovers romance that was a feel good rom-com in the Kayley Loring world.
Regrets are a part of life and Vivian has a ton of them. But moving to Portland with her now ex is not one of them. And she’s thrilled that her sister is engaged and when her sister says she’s hired the toughest personal trainer to whip her back into shape… she comes face to face with her biggest regret of all, Brad Mitchell. Brad Mitchell was her best friend in school and after an unfortunate incident, his house was sold and his family had moved away. Brad had claimed that Vivian broke his heart but there are emails that she sent he’s never read. Vivian is determined to get him to read those emails and while he puts her through a tough exercise regimen, the sparks they had back then reignite.
Vivian and Brad were so much and I loved their story. Vivian is a woman a lot can relate to because of everything she’s been through. But she’s lived, she’s learned and she’s continuing on with life. I loved how her trainer was her former best friend who went from a chubby nerd to a fit and musclely nerd. Brad was hurt from a moment in time when they were in school and used that to fuel his fitness and life regimen. He thought he was over it all but having Vivian come back into his life brought back all of those feelings and he tried to build a wall. But Vivian is a determined woman and was going to climb it no matter what. Their banter was fantastic and had me laughing out loud more than once as I read their story. It was a perfect tease until they gave into their attraction to each other. There is a little bit of heartbreak but it’s worth it to get their HEA. The emails she sent Brad after he had vanished after graduating were so sweet. The ending was perfect for them and I loved this story.
Regrets are a part of life and Vivian has a ton of them. But moving to Portland with her now ex is not one of them. And she’s thrilled that her sister is engaged and when her sister says she’s hired the toughest personal trainer to whip her back into shape… she comes face to face with her biggest regret of all, Brad Mitchell. Brad Mitchell was her best friend in school and after an unfortunate incident, his house was sold and his family had moved away. Brad had claimed that Vivian broke his heart but there are emails that she sent he’s never read. Vivian is determined to get him to read those emails and while he puts her through a tough exercise regimen, the sparks they had back then reignite.
Vivian and Brad were so much and I loved their story. Vivian is a woman a lot can relate to because of everything she’s been through. But she’s lived, she’s learned and she’s continuing on with life. I loved how her trainer was her former best friend who went from a chubby nerd to a fit and musclely nerd. Brad was hurt from a moment in time when they were in school and used that to fuel his fitness and life regimen. He thought he was over it all but having Vivian come back into his life brought back all of those feelings and he tried to build a wall. But Vivian is a determined woman and was going to climb it no matter what. Their banter was fantastic and had me laughing out loud more than once as I read their story. It was a perfect tease until they gave into their attraction to each other. There is a little bit of heartbreak but it’s worth it to get their HEA. The emails she sent Brad after he had vanished after graduating were so sweet. The ending was perfect for them and I loved this story.
September 17, 2025
I am a HUGE Kayley Loring fan. I enjoy her heartwarming and emotional yet funny writing style.
This book found relatable. Having delt with weight issues and sometimes wanting to get a revenge body on all the haters over the years.
Vivian is eating her feelings after her boyfriend dumps her. She changed her life for him following him so he could take a new job opportunity. She decides to make some health changes after hearing her sister is engaged and the wedding is fastly approaching.
Mitch a personal trainer with one hell of a body is now Vivian’s trainer but he is also her childhood friend who was chubby and bullied all through school. They had a falling out over who Vivian went to prom with but she didn’t know that he was his bully.
The storyline was both full of heart and emotions. This is a great read and I expected nothing less from
Kayley!
This book found relatable. Having delt with weight issues and sometimes wanting to get a revenge body on all the haters over the years.
Vivian is eating her feelings after her boyfriend dumps her. She changed her life for him following him so he could take a new job opportunity. She decides to make some health changes after hearing her sister is engaged and the wedding is fastly approaching.
Mitch a personal trainer with one hell of a body is now Vivian’s trainer but he is also her childhood friend who was chubby and bullied all through school. They had a falling out over who Vivian went to prom with but she didn’t know that he was his bully.
The storyline was both full of heart and emotions. This is a great read and I expected nothing less from
Kayley!
October 14, 2025
honestly it was a very weird book. parts of it were touching and entertaining but something about thw pacing was off. Like why are they fucking a minute after resolving all the past issues (and during)? I thought more time should have been spent on them reconnecting. Also Brad/Mitch was super annoying and childish for most of the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 19, 2026
This one was a weird one. Some good parts but really I feel like the inspo for this book was just someone who wanted to get with their trainer LOL the book adds a childhood friends to “enemies” to lovers aspect on it but when I found out the “trauma” that made them “enemies”… I legit said “THAT’S IT?!”
September 16, 2025
Vivian's boyfriend dumped her. The same boyfriend she upended her life for so that he could accept a great job. She has been eating her feelings and wallowing in her post breakup funk, when her sister calls her to announce that she is not only engaged but that the wedding will be held in three months and that Vivian is a bridesmaid. And that said boyfriend is in the wedding party with his new fiancée! She has been worried about Vivian’s funk and love of pies and announces that she hired the best personal trainer in town to get Vivian out of that funk.
Enter Mitch, personal trainer extraordinaire, with the body of a greek statue, who makes heads turns when he walks by. But Mitch is not exactly Mitch, he is Brad Mitchell, Vivian's childhood friend. He's the chubby teenager that was her best friend in high school, the one who she had a two-person book club with, the one that she hurt terribly when she went to prom with his nemesis (the guy who unbeknownst to her bullied him). And he cut her from his life. Cold turkey.
I don't like the whole "revenge weight loss" idea. AT ALL. But I trusted Kayley to make me like Brad/Mitch and Vivian. And she did.
I totally understood why Brad felt the way he did. I felt sorry for Vivian too, because she lost the most important person in her life and she didn’t even know how. If only he had read those emails…
Kayley makes you like Vivian - she is a hoot - so you get teenage Vivian and root for her. And for those who think that Brad was holding a grudge for too long, well, you definitely have never been bullied. That was him switching self-preservation mode. You do what you have to do. Good for him that he turned that into a career and a new way of life.
I loved their inner monologues! They are so funny and quintessential Kayley!
Ah, and the epilogue is so cute! I am a sucker for epilogues and I loved this one!
We have kitties, meddling elderly folk, diary entries, old emails, banter, funny texts, 'it's always been you' and a sister who knew exactly what to do!
10/10! All the Fs!
Content notes: fat-shaming, body image issues, cheating (not main characters), bullying
Enter Mitch, personal trainer extraordinaire, with the body of a greek statue, who makes heads turns when he walks by. But Mitch is not exactly Mitch, he is Brad Mitchell, Vivian's childhood friend. He's the chubby teenager that was her best friend in high school, the one who she had a two-person book club with, the one that she hurt terribly when she went to prom with his nemesis (the guy who unbeknownst to her bullied him). And he cut her from his life. Cold turkey.
I don't like the whole "revenge weight loss" idea. AT ALL. But I trusted Kayley to make me like Brad/Mitch and Vivian. And she did.
I totally understood why Brad felt the way he did. I felt sorry for Vivian too, because she lost the most important person in her life and she didn’t even know how. If only he had read those emails…
Kayley makes you like Vivian - she is a hoot - so you get teenage Vivian and root for her. And for those who think that Brad was holding a grudge for too long, well, you definitely have never been bullied. That was him switching self-preservation mode. You do what you have to do. Good for him that he turned that into a career and a new way of life.
I loved their inner monologues! They are so funny and quintessential Kayley!
Ah, and the epilogue is so cute! I am a sucker for epilogues and I loved this one!
We have kitties, meddling elderly folk, diary entries, old emails, banter, funny texts, 'it's always been you' and a sister who knew exactly what to do!
10/10! All the Fs!
Content notes: fat-shaming, body image issues, cheating (not main characters), bullying
December 27, 2025
4.5⭐️
I loved everything about Vivian! The witty banter was in every page and the ridiculousness of some situations kept the story light.
I loved everything about Vivian! The witty banter was in every page and the ridiculousness of some situations kept the story light.
November 13, 2025
DNF :( I just could not get into this book I’ve been trying to read it for 2 weeks now and never wanted to pick it up
September 29, 2025
I can always count on a Kayley Loring book to make me laugh and smile, and this one definitely did that. Vivian has recently been dumped by her fiancé and her older sister is worried about her. I don't really get why her sister was so concerned with Vivian's weight, but it fit with the story. Her sister sets her up with a personal trainer in a local gym and it turns out to be Vivian's old high school best friend, Brad--who she hasn't seen since their senior year.
It's been eight years since high school graduation and Brad doesn't like to think about those days. He was given the nickname "Fat Brad" and has some issues with Vivian with that. Since then, he has transformed his body to being muscular and fit and goes by the name "Mitch."(His last name is Mitchell.)
This story is sweet and fun. I just loved Vivian's personality. After being in a relationship with a controlling man, she now wants to have fun and do what she wants. She never forgot about Brad, though. He tries to not be affected by her, but it's cute that he can't.
Read this if you like:
Dual POV
Fast Paced
Grumpy/Sunshine
Twilight references
Steamy
Best Friends to losing touch to lovers
Humorous
Banter galore
Awesome older secondary characters
Thank you to the author for an advanced readers copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
It's been eight years since high school graduation and Brad doesn't like to think about those days. He was given the nickname "Fat Brad" and has some issues with Vivian with that. Since then, he has transformed his body to being muscular and fit and goes by the name "Mitch."(His last name is Mitchell.)
This story is sweet and fun. I just loved Vivian's personality. After being in a relationship with a controlling man, she now wants to have fun and do what she wants. She never forgot about Brad, though. He tries to not be affected by her, but it's cute that he can't.
Read this if you like:
Dual POV
Fast Paced
Grumpy/Sunshine
Twilight references
Steamy
Best Friends to losing touch to lovers
Humorous
Banter galore
Awesome older secondary characters
Thank you to the author for an advanced readers copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
October 19, 2025
Vivian was one of the worst characters I've ever read about
September 29, 2025
4 stars
A laugh-out-loud funny, kind-of-second-chance-romance, this is a fun and playful standalone romance that had a constant smile on my face. I had such a great time reading this book, and I loved it.
Vivian is on a mission of vengeance to get herself in shape for her sister’s wedding so that she can stick it to her ex-boyfriend and his new fiancé, who he cheated on her with. Her ever- supportive sister sets her up with a personal trainer, who just happens to be her best friend from high school, Brad.
Vivian and Brad were outcasts together, formed a two-person book club, and were each other’s ‘person’, but it all tragically fell apart, and they haven’t spoken since graduation. Now, eight years later, they are thrust back together and Vivian’s sweet but plain best friend is now a hotter than hell trainer who hates her.
Brad was madly in love with Vivian as a teenager, but he was left broken hearted and has done his best to forget about her since then. He has failed miserably, and now the object of all of his wildest fantasies is his new client, bending and stretching in lycra, while he gets up and personal with her body.
It’s a funny situation, made all of the more hilarious by Vivian’s antics. She is confident and sassy, and she holds nothing back when it comes to trying to reconnect with Brad… in all the ways. She flirts, teases, and openly taunts him, and the harder he tries to keep her at arm’s length, the harder she pushes. The sexual tension is fantastic, and it’s not long before all of that chemistry explodes into wild sexy time. But the anger and pain from the past is still there, and there is much soul searching needed to move on from their past hurts and learn to trust and move forward.
It’s a fast-moving story, but the build-up is so good! And when the big romantic moment comes, it’s pretty freaking epic. It’s emotional and intense, but still fun and light-hearted, fitting with this couple and their playful dynamic. I read with a huge smile on my face, feeling all the feels and full of swoon, and I just loved watching these two come together.
As a couple, they’re strong, playful, fun-loving and sexy, and so wildly in love. It’s a delight to see them together, and I grinned through most of this book and finished it feeling happy and supremely satisfied.
Such a fun read, I loved it – 4 stars.
An Advanced Reader Copy was generously provided by the author for an honest review.
A laugh-out-loud funny, kind-of-second-chance-romance, this is a fun and playful standalone romance that had a constant smile on my face. I had such a great time reading this book, and I loved it.
Vivian is on a mission of vengeance to get herself in shape for her sister’s wedding so that she can stick it to her ex-boyfriend and his new fiancé, who he cheated on her with. Her ever- supportive sister sets her up with a personal trainer, who just happens to be her best friend from high school, Brad.
Vivian and Brad were outcasts together, formed a two-person book club, and were each other’s ‘person’, but it all tragically fell apart, and they haven’t spoken since graduation. Now, eight years later, they are thrust back together and Vivian’s sweet but plain best friend is now a hotter than hell trainer who hates her.
Brad was madly in love with Vivian as a teenager, but he was left broken hearted and has done his best to forget about her since then. He has failed miserably, and now the object of all of his wildest fantasies is his new client, bending and stretching in lycra, while he gets up and personal with her body.
It’s a funny situation, made all of the more hilarious by Vivian’s antics. She is confident and sassy, and she holds nothing back when it comes to trying to reconnect with Brad… in all the ways. She flirts, teases, and openly taunts him, and the harder he tries to keep her at arm’s length, the harder she pushes. The sexual tension is fantastic, and it’s not long before all of that chemistry explodes into wild sexy time. But the anger and pain from the past is still there, and there is much soul searching needed to move on from their past hurts and learn to trust and move forward.
Surrendering to this, to her, is the bravest thing I’ve ever done, and the relief is better than anything I’ve ever known.
It’s a fast-moving story, but the build-up is so good! And when the big romantic moment comes, it’s pretty freaking epic. It’s emotional and intense, but still fun and light-hearted, fitting with this couple and their playful dynamic. I read with a huge smile on my face, feeling all the feels and full of swoon, and I just loved watching these two come together.
“We’re all the same when we’re in love – there’s nothing easier than falling in love for the first time in your life. It’s how we respond to getting our heart broken that first time that defines who we become as adults … But do you know how rare it is to have the opportunity to be healed by the person who broke your heart? For that person to be willing to heal you and grow with you, as the new people you’ve both become?” … “That shit is priceless.”
As a couple, they’re strong, playful, fun-loving and sexy, and so wildly in love. It’s a delight to see them together, and I grinned through most of this book and finished it feeling happy and supremely satisfied.
Such a fun read, I loved it – 4 stars.
An Advanced Reader Copy was generously provided by the author for an honest review.
September 24, 2026
Ok wow so not sure why I didn’t DNF it. I guess I wanted to stick through it like the awful work out references in here. The things that bothered me the most
1. What straight guy is going to read twilight, quote twilight, dress up like it to ask someone out to prom, do a wedding of it? I mean did I like twilight in highschool sure but I also liked Barney as a kid and I am not doing that as a wedding theme
2. This whole main plot takes place in 7 days. He goes from hating and being so impacted by her he gives up college and his goals to get a revenge body but in 7 days is healed loves her and forgives her. Yeah sure that makes sense
3. While we are on things being realistic, after three workouts her body is toned enough for him to be proud of the body he built?
4. Don’t get me started on the control freak weirdo villain sister but it’s ok because she forced her sister to work out and meet him.
5. The only work out theme in this book was me picking it up questioning my life decisions and putting it back down only to torture myself into picking it back up to see if it got better. Spoiler it did not. All it did is build my forearms.
1. What straight guy is going to read twilight, quote twilight, dress up like it to ask someone out to prom, do a wedding of it? I mean did I like twilight in highschool sure but I also liked Barney as a kid and I am not doing that as a wedding theme
2. This whole main plot takes place in 7 days. He goes from hating and being so impacted by her he gives up college and his goals to get a revenge body but in 7 days is healed loves her and forgives her. Yeah sure that makes sense
3. While we are on things being realistic, after three workouts her body is toned enough for him to be proud of the body he built?
4. Don’t get me started on the control freak weirdo villain sister but it’s ok because she forced her sister to work out and meet him.
5. The only work out theme in this book was me picking it up questioning my life decisions and putting it back down only to torture myself into picking it back up to see if it got better. Spoiler it did not. All it did is build my forearms.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 15, 2025
Cute friends to enemies (ish)/second chance romance to lovers
It never would have been a problem at all if he had read the emails at the time. Smh. He was really childish about the whole thing. I get being hurt but she was the most important person to you and you "loved her" but never told her how you feel and because she went to prom with someone else you never talked to her again? and still held onto the grudge 8 years later? and made her work so hard for your "forgiveness" when she didn't even really do anything that bad. and he changed everything about himself because he was hurt. it's ridiculous. and he's so immature and stubborn but not in a good way. I really didn't see any growth on his part. the spice was nice. would have loved more spice.
It never would have been a problem at all if he had read the emails at the time. Smh. He was really childish about the whole thing. I get being hurt but she was the most important person to you and you "loved her" but never told her how you feel and because she went to prom with someone else you never talked to her again? and still held onto the grudge 8 years later? and made her work so hard for your "forgiveness" when she didn't even really do anything that bad. and he changed everything about himself because he was hurt. it's ridiculous. and he's so immature and stubborn but not in a good way. I really didn't see any growth on his part. the spice was nice. would have loved more spice.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 25, 2025
5 Star Review Resistance Training by Kaylee Loring
From the first chapter I was hooked on Vivian and Brad’s second chance at love story.
Recently dumped, Vivian’s engaged sister hires Brad to help Vivian get in shape.
However these two have a past that must be confronted before they have any chance at a happily ever after.
For Brad, Vivian broke his heart and he had never forgiven her. However as much as they try they cannot ignore the heat that sizzles between them.
The characters were engaging, the story emotional at times, and it ticked all the boxes for me.
From the first chapter I was hooked on Vivian and Brad’s second chance at love story.
Recently dumped, Vivian’s engaged sister hires Brad to help Vivian get in shape.
However these two have a past that must be confronted before they have any chance at a happily ever after.
For Brad, Vivian broke his heart and he had never forgiven her. However as much as they try they cannot ignore the heat that sizzles between them.
The characters were engaging, the story emotional at times, and it ticked all the boxes for me.
September 18, 2025
This is a story of second chances. Former best friends, turned enemies, turned trainer/trainee to lovers is the best trope of this type that I have read so far! I really liked this story of growth, redemption and holding your ground.
I loved the fact that Brad/Bradley/Mitch is a former nerd turned personal trainer. He took his pain and turned it all to gain. I liked the journal reflections to show that it didn't just happen over night. I loved all of the pop culture references as he and Vivian reconnected and grew. This book was really relatable for me.
I loved the fact that Brad/Bradley/Mitch is a former nerd turned personal trainer. He took his pain and turned it all to gain. I liked the journal reflections to show that it didn't just happen over night. I loved all of the pop culture references as he and Vivian reconnected and grew. This book was really relatable for me.
October 1, 2025
3.0-3.5 stars. Have been looking forward to this book. I love this author. This is a cute story. Some great laugh out loud lines that I highlighted the heck out of. Adored the addition of cats Harry Styles and Bella.
October 8, 2025
Such a fun read!
What can I say, I'm a sucker for a good second chance rom com! Brad was a tough nut to crack. Stubborn but honestly hilarious. All he needed was his Sparky! So many good parts in this book. Chefs kiss!
What can I say, I'm a sucker for a good second chance rom com! Brad was a tough nut to crack. Stubborn but honestly hilarious. All he needed was his Sparky! So many good parts in this book. Chefs kiss!
October 3, 2025
This was so freaking cute.
June 14, 2026
Not usually into smut but this was good smut
July 13, 2026
Such a fun book! I love Vivian the fmc and all her dialogue. I want to be part of their ABC.
June 19, 2026
2.5/5 stars
Despite being shorter than most books I read, this dragged. Cute premise, poor execution
Despite being shorter than most books I read, this dragged. Cute premise, poor execution
November 30, 2025
It was good. Nothing like I’ve ever read before and wouldn’t reread because it’s not any of my favorite tropes, but it was cute and I enjoyed it!!
September 15, 2025
So good!
Oh my I loved Bradley & Vivian! The writing absolutely had me in stitches & smiling at so many parts.
Oh my I loved Bradley & Vivian! The writing absolutely had me in stitches & smiling at so many parts.
September 16, 2025
NOW LIVE!!
What an amazing story!! I absolutely adored every single word!
The backstory, the current story, the characters - all perfection.
The grumpy/sunshine relationship, the quirks that we come to love from Kayley's characters are, quite simply, top notch stuff.
Vivian has such a unique outlook on life and I actually highlighted a quote for the first time in a very long time because it hit me in the feels and I related so much to it!
Brad/Mitch is wonderful. He's a true cinnamon roll and the ideal man!
I didn't want to leave the book and characters behind when I got to the end (at 2am, because I just couldn't put the book down!)
What an amazing story!! I absolutely adored every single word!
The backstory, the current story, the characters - all perfection.
The grumpy/sunshine relationship, the quirks that we come to love from Kayley's characters are, quite simply, top notch stuff.
Vivian has such a unique outlook on life and I actually highlighted a quote for the first time in a very long time because it hit me in the feels and I related so much to it!
Brad/Mitch is wonderful. He's a true cinnamon roll and the ideal man!
I didn't want to leave the book and characters behind when I got to the end (at 2am, because I just couldn't put the book down!)
February 21, 2026
3.5 ⭐️This was fun. Plenty of sarcastic banter, which always makes me LOL.
October 25, 2025
Immature. Poorly written. Weirdly body shamey? Skimmed the last half.
June 12, 2026
2.5 stars
Idk who needs to hear this, but this book was cheesy as hell.
Not only was it cheesy, but Brad, Bradely, coach, captain, Mitch, or what he shoulda went by was crybaby bitch. He was annoyingly egotistical about his "hurt" feelings.
When he re-read his text from high school, nothing in them entertained the idea of hurting or breaking someone's heart.
All that build up for his hurt little ego. He had the personality of a wet mop.
Vivians character was tolerable. She had funny quips but had to fight for his "love" too much IMO.
She gave too much of herself and effort for an overgrown baby.
The golden girls were a nice side character add in.
Idk who needs to hear this, but this book was cheesy as hell.
Not only was it cheesy, but Brad, Bradely, coach, captain, Mitch, or what he shoulda went by was crybaby bitch. He was annoyingly egotistical about his "hurt" feelings.
When he re-read his text from high school, nothing in them entertained the idea of hurting or breaking someone's heart.
All that build up for his hurt little ego. He had the personality of a wet mop.
Vivians character was tolerable. She had funny quips but had to fight for his "love" too much IMO.
She gave too much of herself and effort for an overgrown baby.
The golden girls were a nice side character add in.
October 16, 2025
I was already worried I wouldn't like this from the author's note. But I still read the first chapter... and b/c I'm a glutton for punishment, I started the second. And I didn't even make it to the second page of the second chapter. It was THAT bad. Basically read if you enjoy pre-pubescent potty humor b/c there is no other way to describe this.
DNF
DNF
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