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Brady Family #1
Foundation
alternate cover edition of ASIN B089B5Z4L9
Meet the Brady family. They're brilliant, brooding and barreling into relationships whether they like it or not.
Zack Brady doesn’t do relationships. He does calculations.
When his family engineering firm sends him to investigate a sinkhole at a client’s house, Zack feels a tremor in the foundation of his carefully calculated world.
Her name is Nicole Kennedy. She’s loud and crass, and has no time for nonsense. She certainly doesn’t have time for a mysterious trench swallowing her yard. To make matters worse, the grouchy engineer who shows up to fix it is the same jerk she’s forced to run beside during the corporate relay race her boss insisted she run.
Somewhere between jogging and poring over geotechnical engineering plans, Nicole and Zack feel the earth move. Can they overcome their past to build something meaningful?
Foundation is book one of the Brady Family series. If you love messy family dynamics, unforgettable characters and sizzling chemistry, you’ll devour this new series by Lainey Davis, creator of the Stag Brothers series.
Meet the Brady family. They're brilliant, brooding and barreling into relationships whether they like it or not.
Zack Brady doesn’t do relationships. He does calculations.
When his family engineering firm sends him to investigate a sinkhole at a client’s house, Zack feels a tremor in the foundation of his carefully calculated world.
Her name is Nicole Kennedy. She’s loud and crass, and has no time for nonsense. She certainly doesn’t have time for a mysterious trench swallowing her yard. To make matters worse, the grouchy engineer who shows up to fix it is the same jerk she’s forced to run beside during the corporate relay race her boss insisted she run.
Somewhere between jogging and poring over geotechnical engineering plans, Nicole and Zack feel the earth move. Can they overcome their past to build something meaningful?
Foundation is book one of the Brady Family series. If you love messy family dynamics, unforgettable characters and sizzling chemistry, you’ll devour this new series by Lainey Davis, creator of the Stag Brothers series.
195 pages, ebook
First published March 26, 2020
1030 people are currently reading
1362 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 196 reviews
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August 25, 2023
4.25 ⭐️ My first ever audiobook!
I've given audiobooks chances before, but never before had I gotten an audiobook without having the actual book to look at and follow while listening. I usually end up loosing focus and frustrated because my pace and intonation are always different from the people narrating the book, so I'd always quit them and read the book by myself. Not this one though.
This was such a novel experience for me - and it was amazing!! Nicole and Isaac are so amazing. I loved them both individually and together. Also, the spice here is surprising for such a cutesy cover... so overall an absolutely great first experience. I literally couldn't stop listening!!
I feel like I want to give this whole series a read now... or a listen. Either way, I'm definitely coming back!
I've given audiobooks chances before, but never before had I gotten an audiobook without having the actual book to look at and follow while listening. I usually end up loosing focus and frustrated because my pace and intonation are always different from the people narrating the book, so I'd always quit them and read the book by myself. Not this one though.
This was such a novel experience for me - and it was amazing!! Nicole and Isaac are so amazing. I loved them both individually and together. Also, the spice here is surprising for such a cutesy cover... so overall an absolutely great first experience. I literally couldn't stop listening!!
I feel like I want to give this whole series a read now... or a listen. Either way, I'm definitely coming back!
February 19, 2023
2/19/2023 - Now that I’ve listened to all the Stag Brothers books, I’m relistening to this & then diving into the rest of the Brady series. 🥰
5/30/2022 - I listened to Beautiful Game (Stag Brothers #5) last month and jumped at the chance to enjoy more of Lainey Davis’ writing. This is book 1 in the Brady Family series which is a spin-off from the Stag Brothers series and some of those characters appear in this book. However it’s written in such a way that you can enjoy this without that foundation.
I loved this book – start to finish. Brought together both through an office/company competition and when Nicole’s yard needs an engineer, Nicole and Zack are both grumpy and somewhat combative. They’ve both been hurt by family, are floundering at work, and not interested. However they feel the immediate zing. Neither is looking for a relationship so they enter into a no-strings fling.
A central theme in the story is training for a marathon. Nicole has a history with her mother constantly commenting on her weight. I really appreciated the fact that Davis focused on how much Nicole progressed as a runner in terms of stamina and times and not on pounds lost or being thinner.
At times funny, sad, and super sexy – I really enjoyed how Davis balances all these elements. The chemistry that these two had in and out of the bedroom (or kitchen! ❤️🔥 ) was amazing. Lots of time to get to know them individually and as a couple. There’s a breakup but I liked that it didn’t drag on too long and it’s used for Nicole and Isaac to really resolve some other issues before coming back together.
Lovely HEA. Cute little epilogue. I’m ready for Liam & Maddie’s story, Suspension.
Narration:
I absolutely adored the narration. Admittedly I’m a fan of both Carly Robins and Tom Taylorson – so this was such a treat to listen to. They both do a great job giving all the characters Davis created unique voices and bringing through all the personalities. There’s also a lot of fun banter and a few emotional scenes that Taylorson & Robins are equally skilled with. Fantastic listen.
While I do own the ebook, I did receive an advanced copy of the audiobook from the author and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
5/30/2022 - I listened to Beautiful Game (Stag Brothers #5) last month and jumped at the chance to enjoy more of Lainey Davis’ writing. This is book 1 in the Brady Family series which is a spin-off from the Stag Brothers series and some of those characters appear in this book. However it’s written in such a way that you can enjoy this without that foundation.
I loved this book – start to finish. Brought together both through an office/company competition and when Nicole’s yard needs an engineer, Nicole and Zack are both grumpy and somewhat combative. They’ve both been hurt by family, are floundering at work, and not interested. However they feel the immediate zing. Neither is looking for a relationship so they enter into a no-strings fling.
A central theme in the story is training for a marathon. Nicole has a history with her mother constantly commenting on her weight. I really appreciated the fact that Davis focused on how much Nicole progressed as a runner in terms of stamina and times and not on pounds lost or being thinner.
At times funny, sad, and super sexy – I really enjoyed how Davis balances all these elements. The chemistry that these two had in and out of the bedroom (or kitchen! ❤️🔥 ) was amazing. Lots of time to get to know them individually and as a couple. There’s a breakup but I liked that it didn’t drag on too long and it’s used for Nicole and Isaac to really resolve some other issues before coming back together.
Lovely HEA. Cute little epilogue. I’m ready for Liam & Maddie’s story, Suspension.
Narration:
I absolutely adored the narration. Admittedly I’m a fan of both Carly Robins and Tom Taylorson – so this was such a treat to listen to. They both do a great job giving all the characters Davis created unique voices and bringing through all the personalities. There’s also a lot of fun banter and a few emotional scenes that Taylorson & Robins are equally skilled with. Fantastic listen.
While I do own the ebook, I did receive an advanced copy of the audiobook from the author and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
abgebrochen
February 21, 2022Bei 15% abgebrochen.
Seltsam ziellose Szenen und Figuren, deren Persönlichkeit auf mich willkürlich zusammengestückelt wirkten. Nope.
Seltsam ziellose Szenen und Figuren, deren Persönlichkeit auf mich willkürlich zusammengestückelt wirkten. Nope.
September 15, 2022
It's good to learn about soil erosion etc, but more attention needs to be paid to the main plot. And the editing! One guy's name starts off as Justin, is changed to Jared, then Jason and back to Jared. There one woman called Emma and two others addressed as Em - not the short form for Emma, but three different people.
Want to read
August 16, 2020🎁 FREE on Amazon today (8/16/2020)! 🎁
July 29, 2023
get ready for the stuff your kindle day reads to start rolling in bc they’re gonna be rough
June 14, 2022
3.5
This was a quick, steamy opposites attract/forced proximity romance between Zack Brady, an engineer and Nicole Kennedy, the woman in need of help thanks to an unexpected sinkhole on her property. These two get off on the wrong foot when they're put together in the company relay race and then later when Zack is the one who shows up to help with her property problems. Despite his gruff exterior though, Zack can't resist his attraction to Nicole and the two give in to their steamy chemistry. Good on audio with two narrators and a host of big-hearted meddling family. I'm interested to see what's next in this open door series by a new to me author. Perfect for fans of Staci Hart and Susannah Nix.
This was a quick, steamy opposites attract/forced proximity romance between Zack Brady, an engineer and Nicole Kennedy, the woman in need of help thanks to an unexpected sinkhole on her property. These two get off on the wrong foot when they're put together in the company relay race and then later when Zack is the one who shows up to help with her property problems. Despite his gruff exterior though, Zack can't resist his attraction to Nicole and the two give in to their steamy chemistry. Good on audio with two narrators and a host of big-hearted meddling family. I'm interested to see what's next in this open door series by a new to me author. Perfect for fans of Staci Hart and Susannah Nix.
December 11, 2020
DNF at 53%. Poorly developed characters with choppy flow.
July 5, 2022
I read it, but really disliked both main characters, and most of their families and friends.
July 16, 2023
The Mean Girl, The Babe Rocket, and The Lone Wolf
It's been a while since I didn't care for the female main character in a story. Nicole was one nasty mean girl. I usually spend my time waiting for the alpha-hole to turn into a nice person, not the girl. Of course all it took was great sex, and a crack of Isaac’s palm on the cold skin of her ass to straighten Nicole out! I usually hate reading any spanking scenes, but I truly enjoyed reading that crack on that mean girl's butt.
Sad but true, in real life broken childhoods cause so much ugliness in people. Great Read
It's been a while since I didn't care for the female main character in a story. Nicole was one nasty mean girl. I usually spend my time waiting for the alpha-hole to turn into a nice person, not the girl. Of course all it took was great sex, and a crack of Isaac’s palm on the cold skin of her ass to straighten Nicole out! I usually hate reading any spanking scenes, but I truly enjoyed reading that crack on that mean girl's butt.
Sad but true, in real life broken childhoods cause so much ugliness in people. Great Read
September 4, 2023
3.5⭐️
Fun listen
Fun listen
February 18, 2025
Cute rom-com about a guy who falls for a smart mouthed, capable woman.
June 30, 2024
Heavily debating DNF but it’s a short book and I’m behind on my reading challenge.
August 28, 2023
I love a fun romcom that embraces characters who embraces their intelligence and stubbornness. It's a short but efficient book that was a fun weekend read.
dnf
June 19, 2022DNF @ 8%
The synopsis sounded interesting, but I disliked both characters immediately, especially the heroine. I disliked their whole first interaction. He was supposed to coach her to be able to finish some run, but he immediately started running fast, even though he knew she was a beginner. And she never told him that it was too much and ended up passing out. And other people's children were mentioned a lot, and I don't care about that.
The synopsis sounded interesting, but I disliked both characters immediately, especially the heroine. I disliked their whole first interaction. He was supposed to coach her to be able to finish some run, but he immediately started running fast, even though he knew she was a beginner. And she never told him that it was too much and ended up passing out. And other people's children were mentioned a lot, and I don't care about that.
May 28, 2022
Foundation is book one in the Brady Family series and is the grouchy geek romance story of Nicole Kennedy and Isaac (Zack) Brady.
Nicole Kennedy lives a very structured life; all her ducks are in a row except when it comes to matters of the heart. Nicole is a commitment-phobe so prefers her love life to be of the one-night stand variety or to last no longer than a week at most, she does however own an impressive collection of battery-operated boyfriends that serve her well when she doesn’t feel like dealing with men at all. Nicole is the Director of Strategy at Stag Law and her boss and best friends husband Tim strong arms her into taking part in the corporate relay race along with the rest of the team and sets up a training programme to get them ready for the race. Nicole is paired with Isaac, a gorgeous, grumpy guy who, when a trench opens up in her backyard ends up being the one sent to inspect it and get to the bottom of what is causing her yard to slide into the river. Will Zack be able to not only fix her yard and save her property but also work out the complicated calculation that will make Nicole’s heart whole again?
Zack Brady’s life consists of work, running, family time, repeat. Zack is a Geological Engineer and loves nothing more than working on calculations and problem solving but one thing he can’t seem to get to grips with is matters of the heart and commitment. As an experienced runner he is paired up with Nicole from Stag Law to train for the corporate relay race his father makes them take part in every year and Zack can’t even be mad as Nicole, while she may be loud, uncouth and has no time for bullshit, she is beautiful. She has curves in all the right places and a head full of unruly curls that just adds to her chaos. When Zack is sent to assess a residential property, at first, he’s angry but when he realises he’ll be spending more time with Nicole, he can’t help but be thankful for the trench in her garden. Between getting hot and sweaty training and hot and sweaty between the sheets can Nicole and Zack build on the foundations they’ve laid and create a life together?
The insanely talented Carly Robins and Tom Taylorson brought all the hilarious, quick witted banter to life with their epic comedic timing. Ms Robins never fails to have me cackling with laughter at the way she delivers her banter. I really do love Carly’s sweet, lilting tone and the way she can just sharpen up that tone to emphasise when the character is upset or angry. Carly really is one of my favourite female narrators. Tom Taylorson is still a fairly new name to me in the audiobook world; however, he is fast becoming one of my favourites. I love the strong, confident, alpha tone to his voice which was perfect for Zack plus he had me laughing out loud. A fantastic pairing, I can’t wait for more from this duo.
I loved this audiobook; it was the perfect way to kickstart a new series getting to know a new family while also giving us an update from our favourite Stag brothers and their families. The Brady’s are a lot of fun, and I can’t wait to get to know each sibling as the series progresses. I freakin’ loved this!
Nicole Kennedy lives a very structured life; all her ducks are in a row except when it comes to matters of the heart. Nicole is a commitment-phobe so prefers her love life to be of the one-night stand variety or to last no longer than a week at most, she does however own an impressive collection of battery-operated boyfriends that serve her well when she doesn’t feel like dealing with men at all. Nicole is the Director of Strategy at Stag Law and her boss and best friends husband Tim strong arms her into taking part in the corporate relay race along with the rest of the team and sets up a training programme to get them ready for the race. Nicole is paired with Isaac, a gorgeous, grumpy guy who, when a trench opens up in her backyard ends up being the one sent to inspect it and get to the bottom of what is causing her yard to slide into the river. Will Zack be able to not only fix her yard and save her property but also work out the complicated calculation that will make Nicole’s heart whole again?
Zack Brady’s life consists of work, running, family time, repeat. Zack is a Geological Engineer and loves nothing more than working on calculations and problem solving but one thing he can’t seem to get to grips with is matters of the heart and commitment. As an experienced runner he is paired up with Nicole from Stag Law to train for the corporate relay race his father makes them take part in every year and Zack can’t even be mad as Nicole, while she may be loud, uncouth and has no time for bullshit, she is beautiful. She has curves in all the right places and a head full of unruly curls that just adds to her chaos. When Zack is sent to assess a residential property, at first, he’s angry but when he realises he’ll be spending more time with Nicole, he can’t help but be thankful for the trench in her garden. Between getting hot and sweaty training and hot and sweaty between the sheets can Nicole and Zack build on the foundations they’ve laid and create a life together?
The insanely talented Carly Robins and Tom Taylorson brought all the hilarious, quick witted banter to life with their epic comedic timing. Ms Robins never fails to have me cackling with laughter at the way she delivers her banter. I really do love Carly’s sweet, lilting tone and the way she can just sharpen up that tone to emphasise when the character is upset or angry. Carly really is one of my favourite female narrators. Tom Taylorson is still a fairly new name to me in the audiobook world; however, he is fast becoming one of my favourites. I love the strong, confident, alpha tone to his voice which was perfect for Zack plus he had me laughing out loud. A fantastic pairing, I can’t wait for more from this duo.
I loved this audiobook; it was the perfect way to kickstart a new series getting to know a new family while also giving us an update from our favourite Stag brothers and their families. The Brady’s are a lot of fun, and I can’t wait to get to know each sibling as the series progresses. I freakin’ loved this!
August 23, 2024
Foundation by Lainey Davis was such a fun listen. Ms. Davis is still fairly new to me, (Beautiful Game was my first by her) and now I can see I have a lot of catching up to do. I love when authors build up family relationships in their stories and Foundation is a perfect example. Its title is so fitting since it’s book one in the new Brady Family series, and it lays the groundwork for the books to come.
Enemies to lovers is one of my favorite romance tropes. Enemies may be a little strong here, but Nicole and Zach definitely have less than flattering impressions of each other when they first meet. Over time those sparks of annoyance transform into an attraction that neither of them can deny.
The meet cute was original and the plot and pacing kept me completely enthralled in the story. Nicole and Zach have each had their share of grievances in both their family and professional lives. Both are gun shy when it comes to commitment so they mutually agree to a no strings attached relationship. The question becomes how they adapt when their feelings become deeper than they anticipated. I love how Ms. Davis builds her characters with such depth. They both have many dimensions with flaws and insecurities just like we all do. It makes the characters and their relationships so much more relatable and keeps the reader invested in them.
Carly Robins is terrific as Nicole. She is so great when it comes to feisty heroines who speak their minds and refuse to be doormats. And she always delivers when it comes to the comedic elements of a story. As for Zach, Tom Taylorson captures all of the dreamy qualities you want in a romantic leading man. His voice is so smooth and his delivery is so natural. This is only the second title I have listened to by him and I sure hope he adds more romance to his repertoire because he is so captivating.
I really enjoyed every bit of this story and I’m already looking forward to hearing Liam and Maddie’s story next.
I received a complimentary copy of the audiobook from the author by my request and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
Enemies to lovers is one of my favorite romance tropes. Enemies may be a little strong here, but Nicole and Zach definitely have less than flattering impressions of each other when they first meet. Over time those sparks of annoyance transform into an attraction that neither of them can deny.
The meet cute was original and the plot and pacing kept me completely enthralled in the story. Nicole and Zach have each had their share of grievances in both their family and professional lives. Both are gun shy when it comes to commitment so they mutually agree to a no strings attached relationship. The question becomes how they adapt when their feelings become deeper than they anticipated. I love how Ms. Davis builds her characters with such depth. They both have many dimensions with flaws and insecurities just like we all do. It makes the characters and their relationships so much more relatable and keeps the reader invested in them.
Carly Robins is terrific as Nicole. She is so great when it comes to feisty heroines who speak their minds and refuse to be doormats. And she always delivers when it comes to the comedic elements of a story. As for Zach, Tom Taylorson captures all of the dreamy qualities you want in a romantic leading man. His voice is so smooth and his delivery is so natural. This is only the second title I have listened to by him and I sure hope he adds more romance to his repertoire because he is so captivating.
I really enjoyed every bit of this story and I’m already looking forward to hearing Liam and Maddie’s story next.
I received a complimentary copy of the audiobook from the author by my request and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
September 2, 2023
I'm still trying to understand how HE ended up being the bad guy and "needing to grovel" when she was the one that was a total B-- and started the fight. She ran hot and cold the entire time they spent together and SHE didn't bother to make effort with him at any point, it was just all about her. She didn't even apologize for her part when he did grovel. From day one she treated him like sh*t for no reason. Her lousy attitude and constant self-pity and not appreciating his efforts is awful and she doesnt deserve him. I need a HEA, but I dont think this is one, considering the entire book HE did so much for her and she didn't do a single thing for him. A relationship where one gives and one takes the whole time is not happy imo.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 31, 2022
Lainey Davis, you are winning at life. I absolutely LOVED this audiobook! The characters and plot development was fantastic. All the other characters added to it, making it such a fun and unique story. They're written so well and are completely engaging. It was easy to visualize every detail. Isaac and Nicole are yin and yang. The story of their transition into lovers flowed smoothly and effortlessly. Who knew engineering could be so sexy! They meshed so well together and their chemistry was super hot! Thank you so much Ms Davis for letting me ALC this fun and flirty romance! This was my first [audio]book by you, but it definitely won't be the last!
Tom Taylorson and Carly Robins were cast perfectly for their roles. Their timing, pitch, tone, and pace were exemplary. Their transitions between characters and interactions with each other was flawless. This story is full of quick-witted banter, which they delivered perfectly. They really brought this story to life, and made the listening experience that much more enjoyable. I highly recommend the audiobook version of Foundation!
5 Fun and Flirty Stars!
NOLA504NERDS
Tom Taylorson and Carly Robins were cast perfectly for their roles. Their timing, pitch, tone, and pace were exemplary. Their transitions between characters and interactions with each other was flawless. This story is full of quick-witted banter, which they delivered perfectly. They really brought this story to life, and made the listening experience that much more enjoyable. I highly recommend the audiobook version of Foundation!
5 Fun and Flirty Stars!
NOLA504NERDS
Want to read
May 26, 2023Readers are saying the Brady Family series is "like This is Us...but they do it."
Come fall in love with the Brady fam.
Also available in audio! Narrated by Tom Taylorson and Carly Robins
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Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/Foundation...
Come fall in love with the Brady fam.
Also available in audio! Narrated by Tom Taylorson and Carly Robins
Direct from me: https://payhip.com/b/O5j32
Hoopla: https://www.hoopladigital.com/title/1...
Kobo/Kobo Plus: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/audiobook/...
Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/...
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/foun...
Chirp: https://www.chirpbooks.com/audiobooks...
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/audiobo...
Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/Foundation...
June 1, 2022
Foundation, an Audiobook by Lainey Davis is the intriguing story of Zack and Nicole. Who would have thought a romance story about lawyers and geotechnical engineers could be so engrossing, entertaining, and full of tongue-in-cheek humor! I absolutely loved it!!!
These two are completely antagonistic towards one another from the get-go, when they are forced into a race together…and now, he’s working on the trench in her yard!! But, things change….and situations change….but, is it enough? Can they get beyond their issues and differences?
This Audiobook was narrated by Tom Taylorson and Carly Robins who do an astounding job of performing this story!! They bring it to life….especially the humor ‘written’ in the story….which if performed incorrectly, could be disastrous. Not so with these two!!! Plus, their pronunciations were spot on!!!
I am volunteering to leave a review for an Advance Reader Copy of this Audiobook.
These two are completely antagonistic towards one another from the get-go, when they are forced into a race together…and now, he’s working on the trench in her yard!! But, things change….and situations change….but, is it enough? Can they get beyond their issues and differences?
This Audiobook was narrated by Tom Taylorson and Carly Robins who do an astounding job of performing this story!! They bring it to life….especially the humor ‘written’ in the story….which if performed incorrectly, could be disastrous. Not so with these two!!! Plus, their pronunciations were spot on!!!
I am volunteering to leave a review for an Advance Reader Copy of this Audiobook.
June 2, 2022
This is the first book in the Brady Family series. This is a spin-off series from the amazing Stag Brothers series. Wow! I loved it! This is definitely a great start to this series. I love the Brady family!! Isaac/Zack and Nicole's story is so funny and steamy! Their banter are hilarious! And their chemistry is sizzling hot!! No dull moment with these two characters! They are pretty perfect together. The supporting characters are amazing and intriguing. Tom Taylorson and Carly Robins did an outstanding job with the narration. I love their voices together. This audiobook is very pleasant to listen to. I enjoyed it, and This is a great team author/narrators. I HIGHLY recommend it. Looking forward to listening to Suspension, the next book in the series.
March 10, 2021
This book was very confusing to me. I could not connect with either character and the heat between them was about zero. She is snarky and very rude. He is just sort of brilliant and lame. The writing is good but the story is not.
September 29, 2021
DNF. The heroine smokes. I stopped at that point. Story was ok up to that point.
May 31, 2022
*Audiobook Review*
Lainey Davis has a wonderful way with entertaining, thoughtful, heartwarming romcoms. Foundation is a stellar start to the Brady Family series! If you love a humorous, low-angst romance with a whole lot of heart, get Foundation now. Nicole is the curvy, vivacious, delightfully snarky lawyer frustrated with her boss’ distracted antics. Isaac is a broody, arrogant geotechnical engineer feeling at-odds and unsatisfied with his family’s engineering company. The self-proclaimed lone wolf does not believe in love and feels ill-equipped for relationships. Nicole has given up on finding a suitable romantic match who can give her what she needs. When Nicole and Isaac are coerced into competing in a marathon relay race, they are paired up to train and couldn’t be more mismatched. He is the handsome, geeky, gruff coach she never wanted and she is the running partner he didn’t know he needed. Isaac’s the grumpy, environmentally conscious, marathoner. Nicole is the brash, brilliant, anti-running, altruistic bombshell. Nicole is hyper-focused on her career, and known for her brusqueness in the office. I adore Nicole, she is bubbly, fierce, and relatable. Isaac is endearingly grumpy and cocky with a heart of gold; he’s the perfect growly, nerdy book boyfriend.
I loved Nicole & Isaac's dynamic from start to finish. Their rapport is witty, biting, and deliciously flirty. Isaac finds her alluring and gorgeous. Nicole can’t stop thinking about the fit, hunky, infuriating engineer. As their relationship develops from enemies to professional to friendship, Nicole & Isaac realize they may not be as different as they thought. Their growing attraction sizzles and the tension between them is palpable. Drama escalates quickly as the blurring of personal and professional lines gets complicated. I love the way Lainey writes the two big families in Foundation and the way they both embrace Nicole wholeheartedly. Though Nicole’s parents are repugnant, she is surrounded by warm, loving, honest friends. The Stag family has taken her in as their own, and the Brady family embraces her into their large, loud family as well. Lainey Davis writes hilarious romances with big families, bold & sassy real bodied heroines, and growly, witty, lovable heroes.
Carly Robins is one of my favorite narrators. Her talents know no bounds, and her romcom narrations are always fantastic. Carly is a powerhouse as the unstoppable, kind hearted, beguiling Nicole. Carly gives an impassioned, quirky, hilarious performance. She made me snort-laugh and made my heart squeeze. Her character voices are awesome. She plays relatable, emotional, sarcastic, hysterical heroines perfectly. I really enjoy Tom Taylorson’s narration style. I am a newer listener of Tom’s, and have quickly become a huge fan of his work! Tom has a smooth, gruff, commanding timbre. He turns on the growly, seductive tone with perfect charm. I love the way his characterization of Isaac developed throughout the story as Isaac transformed from standoffish and curt to sweet and charismatic. Carly and Tom are a fantastic duo! Their performance styles, cadence, and character ranges compliment each other beautifully. I am “Tim Stag excited” for you to get this audiobook in your ears!
Lainey Davis has a wonderful way with entertaining, thoughtful, heartwarming romcoms. Foundation is a stellar start to the Brady Family series! If you love a humorous, low-angst romance with a whole lot of heart, get Foundation now. Nicole is the curvy, vivacious, delightfully snarky lawyer frustrated with her boss’ distracted antics. Isaac is a broody, arrogant geotechnical engineer feeling at-odds and unsatisfied with his family’s engineering company. The self-proclaimed lone wolf does not believe in love and feels ill-equipped for relationships. Nicole has given up on finding a suitable romantic match who can give her what she needs. When Nicole and Isaac are coerced into competing in a marathon relay race, they are paired up to train and couldn’t be more mismatched. He is the handsome, geeky, gruff coach she never wanted and she is the running partner he didn’t know he needed. Isaac’s the grumpy, environmentally conscious, marathoner. Nicole is the brash, brilliant, anti-running, altruistic bombshell. Nicole is hyper-focused on her career, and known for her brusqueness in the office. I adore Nicole, she is bubbly, fierce, and relatable. Isaac is endearingly grumpy and cocky with a heart of gold; he’s the perfect growly, nerdy book boyfriend.
I loved Nicole & Isaac's dynamic from start to finish. Their rapport is witty, biting, and deliciously flirty. Isaac finds her alluring and gorgeous. Nicole can’t stop thinking about the fit, hunky, infuriating engineer. As their relationship develops from enemies to professional to friendship, Nicole & Isaac realize they may not be as different as they thought. Their growing attraction sizzles and the tension between them is palpable. Drama escalates quickly as the blurring of personal and professional lines gets complicated. I love the way Lainey writes the two big families in Foundation and the way they both embrace Nicole wholeheartedly. Though Nicole’s parents are repugnant, she is surrounded by warm, loving, honest friends. The Stag family has taken her in as their own, and the Brady family embraces her into their large, loud family as well. Lainey Davis writes hilarious romances with big families, bold & sassy real bodied heroines, and growly, witty, lovable heroes.
Carly Robins is one of my favorite narrators. Her talents know no bounds, and her romcom narrations are always fantastic. Carly is a powerhouse as the unstoppable, kind hearted, beguiling Nicole. Carly gives an impassioned, quirky, hilarious performance. She made me snort-laugh and made my heart squeeze. Her character voices are awesome. She plays relatable, emotional, sarcastic, hysterical heroines perfectly. I really enjoy Tom Taylorson’s narration style. I am a newer listener of Tom’s, and have quickly become a huge fan of his work! Tom has a smooth, gruff, commanding timbre. He turns on the growly, seductive tone with perfect charm. I love the way his characterization of Isaac developed throughout the story as Isaac transformed from standoffish and curt to sweet and charismatic. Carly and Tom are a fantastic duo! Their performance styles, cadence, and character ranges compliment each other beautifully. I am “Tim Stag excited” for you to get this audiobook in your ears!
May 30, 2022
I've really been enjoying all of the Lainey Davis books I've read recently - even though I've been reading out of order! All of the characters that appear in the various series, in their various relationship stages, really starts making it a bit confusing, and I definitely have to go back and start from the beginning, and read everything in chronological order, to make sure it all makes more sense. Even without that - she's a fantastic writer and makes sure to put in the important information so those of us not reading from the start aren't completely lost!
This book, Foundation, book 1 in the Brady Family series, involves characters from the Stag Family, as well as her most recent release, Fireball (Bridges and Bitters series), which I just finished. I'm loving how everything is so intertwined and all of the characters are so involved in everyone's lives! The Stag family is huge runners, which I learned before, as is the Brady family. This book has the two families starting to prepare for a marathon, that one of the Stag Law employees is forced into joining, Nicole. She's paired up with Zack Brady as a training partner, and they have an instant dislike for each other.
Nicole and her neighbour end up having a massive issue in their backyard right after she starts training for the marathon - a sinkhole begins opening up, and Zack Brady is the unlucky engineer that is sent out to assess and fix the damage. As the two end up spending a lot of time together while he is on-site figuring everything for saving the yard and the houses, they end up getting past the enemies phase, and find their way to the steamy lovers phase, but still have a love-hate relationship.
Lainey Davis is an excellent writer, and this series starter is another great example of her writing. I love the way she has all of the characters being big into running, and it's in all of the books.
I definitely recommend this one - 4.5 stars rounded up to 5. Recommended for everyone who loves a great and steamy enemies to lovers, smart characters, grumpy sunshine, opposites attract, and a quick read.
I listened to an audio version of this one, narrated by a couple of narrators that I have heard a few times before and Carly Robins I recognize frequently in my books, and love very much. Tom Taylorson was new to me this year, and I really enjoyed the couple of performances I've hear from him, and very much looking forward to hearing more from him!
I received an advance listen copy from Lainey Davis, and this is my honest feedback - thanks Lainey!
This book, Foundation, book 1 in the Brady Family series, involves characters from the Stag Family, as well as her most recent release, Fireball (Bridges and Bitters series), which I just finished. I'm loving how everything is so intertwined and all of the characters are so involved in everyone's lives! The Stag family is huge runners, which I learned before, as is the Brady family. This book has the two families starting to prepare for a marathon, that one of the Stag Law employees is forced into joining, Nicole. She's paired up with Zack Brady as a training partner, and they have an instant dislike for each other.
Nicole and her neighbour end up having a massive issue in their backyard right after she starts training for the marathon - a sinkhole begins opening up, and Zack Brady is the unlucky engineer that is sent out to assess and fix the damage. As the two end up spending a lot of time together while he is on-site figuring everything for saving the yard and the houses, they end up getting past the enemies phase, and find their way to the steamy lovers phase, but still have a love-hate relationship.
Lainey Davis is an excellent writer, and this series starter is another great example of her writing. I love the way she has all of the characters being big into running, and it's in all of the books.
I definitely recommend this one - 4.5 stars rounded up to 5. Recommended for everyone who loves a great and steamy enemies to lovers, smart characters, grumpy sunshine, opposites attract, and a quick read.
I listened to an audio version of this one, narrated by a couple of narrators that I have heard a few times before and Carly Robins I recognize frequently in my books, and love very much. Tom Taylorson was new to me this year, and I really enjoyed the couple of performances I've hear from him, and very much looking forward to hearing more from him!
I received an advance listen copy from Lainey Davis, and this is my honest feedback - thanks Lainey!
June 2, 2022
Foundation
Brady Family Book 1
by Lainey Davis
Narrated by Tom Taylorson and Carly Robins
Enemies to lovers, with a touch of sports and family feel, what is there not to love? Lainey Davis brings us Nicole and Zack, an unlikely team put together to race. Zack comes from an athletic team, and he is paired with Nicole to get her ready to run. No, she doesn't want help, she doesn't even want to race, but she has to. And Zack, really? She gives him a hard time at every turn. To make matters worse, Zack finds himself showing up at Nicole's house. A sink hole brings him there, and now these two adversaries have to spend even more time together. But what they find, is their feelings are not of dislike, but a pull-on attraction. Will these two find their way? Will it happen before Nicole's house sinks? Who will win the race? So much fun with the couple. Witty banter, arguments, building passion, and hysterical brothers give us chuckles and feels. I love Davis's writing style, her building of characters and the way I feel when I listen. Fun, easy, and a bit of humor kept me excited to hear this one!
And what can be said about this narration team? Tom Taylorson and Carly Robins bring it all! I love Taylorson, and his perception of Zack is spot on. He is a bit argumentative, and the push-pull he creates with Zack made me smile and warmed my heart. Robins comes in with Nicole, full of attitude, unforgiving and relentless. I love her spunkiness and she nails Nicole's personality. These two are perfect together!
Brady Family Book 1
by Lainey Davis
Narrated by Tom Taylorson and Carly Robins
Enemies to lovers, with a touch of sports and family feel, what is there not to love? Lainey Davis brings us Nicole and Zack, an unlikely team put together to race. Zack comes from an athletic team, and he is paired with Nicole to get her ready to run. No, she doesn't want help, she doesn't even want to race, but she has to. And Zack, really? She gives him a hard time at every turn. To make matters worse, Zack finds himself showing up at Nicole's house. A sink hole brings him there, and now these two adversaries have to spend even more time together. But what they find, is their feelings are not of dislike, but a pull-on attraction. Will these two find their way? Will it happen before Nicole's house sinks? Who will win the race? So much fun with the couple. Witty banter, arguments, building passion, and hysterical brothers give us chuckles and feels. I love Davis's writing style, her building of characters and the way I feel when I listen. Fun, easy, and a bit of humor kept me excited to hear this one!
And what can be said about this narration team? Tom Taylorson and Carly Robins bring it all! I love Taylorson, and his perception of Zack is spot on. He is a bit argumentative, and the push-pull he creates with Zack made me smile and warmed my heart. Robins comes in with Nicole, full of attitude, unforgiving and relentless. I love her spunkiness and she nails Nicole's personality. These two are perfect together!
September 6, 2025
Foundation is the first book in the Brady family series by Lainey Davis. Zack Brady doesn’t do relationships. He does cold, hard calculations. When his family engineering firm sends him to investigate a sinkhole at a client’s house, Zack meets the one who threatens to shake his entire world. Nicole Kennedy is loud, crass and has no time for nonsense. She has no time for the marathon relay she is being forced to run by her boss and she definitely does not have time for the sinkhole in her yard. From the moment they meet, Zack and Nicole clash; however, as they pour over the engineering plans something shifts. Can they put aside their differences and rebuild a foundation of love and happily ever after?
Foundation is described as a grumpy geek romance; however, a more accurate description would be a grumpy-grumpy romance. The story lacked a sense of flow. It felt choppy and more time was spent on the technicalities of the engineering plans than the characters’ romance. I couldn’t stand Nicole from the very beginning. Even though she is described as crass, Nicole was way too crass for my taste and I can tolerate a lot. Her attitude to her friend, who is happily married with children, was irritating. All she did was complain. She complained about having to run the marathon and her vibrator not working like jeez really? Zack wasn’t much better either. Overall, I did not enjoy this story and I will not be continuing the series.
Foundation is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook
Foundation is described as a grumpy geek romance; however, a more accurate description would be a grumpy-grumpy romance. The story lacked a sense of flow. It felt choppy and more time was spent on the technicalities of the engineering plans than the characters’ romance. I couldn’t stand Nicole from the very beginning. Even though she is described as crass, Nicole was way too crass for my taste and I can tolerate a lot. Her attitude to her friend, who is happily married with children, was irritating. All she did was complain. She complained about having to run the marathon and her vibrator not working like jeez really? Zack wasn’t much better either. Overall, I did not enjoy this story and I will not be continuing the series.
Foundation is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook
October 16, 2023
I listened to this as an audiobook, but I also followed along with the Kindle version. Normally if I’m going to rate a book this low, I end up DNF’ing it. This book was worthy of at least a 3-star rating until I got to the part that every cliche romance book has where there’s a conflict that they have to resolve that either keeps them together or tears them apart.
This book had poorly written smut, a relationship with minimal chemistry, and honestly the words used are crass and don’t flow in the smutty scenes.
This is not a grumpy geeky book. This is an attempt at a grumpy woman/traumatized and slightly grumpy man. But what it ends up being overall, is two people who refuse to hold themselves accountable for their past and treat each other like pure garbage when conflict comes up. To the point the FMC gets so angry she verbalizes to herself wanting to harm him. And not in a dark romance kind of way that is morally grey or dark, but uncontrolled, toxic, and not okay.
This book was hard to listen to at points due to lack of flow. The narrators were great, but it is poorly written. The ONLY reason I finished it is because I needed something to fill my ears while I worked on projects and I was hoping there would be redemption some where. There wasn’t. I have another book from the series too and it’s safe to say, I won’t be reading it.
This book had poorly written smut, a relationship with minimal chemistry, and honestly the words used are crass and don’t flow in the smutty scenes.
This is not a grumpy geeky book. This is an attempt at a grumpy woman/traumatized and slightly grumpy man. But what it ends up being overall, is two people who refuse to hold themselves accountable for their past and treat each other like pure garbage when conflict comes up. To the point the FMC gets so angry she verbalizes to herself wanting to harm him. And not in a dark romance kind of way that is morally grey or dark, but uncontrolled, toxic, and not okay.
This book was hard to listen to at points due to lack of flow. The narrators were great, but it is poorly written. The ONLY reason I finished it is because I needed something to fill my ears while I worked on projects and I was hoping there would be redemption some where. There wasn’t. I have another book from the series too and it’s safe to say, I won’t be reading it.
June 19, 2023
Isaac and Nicole fighting their attraction because they have never been able to commit
I truly love Isaac and Nicole's. Both are focused and self driven in their business lives but make no attachments in their personal lives. Nicole dose not fit the mold her country club mother wants therefore she is constantly telling her that she needs to loose weight, doesn't dress correctly she has not chosen the correct profession etc. Her perfect sister echoes their mother making the rejection she feels even more. If the people who are supposed to love and support you don't you don't risk more rejection by letting someone in. Isaac's mother left after she divorced his father when Isaac was just a baby and never looked back. He fears rejection as much as Nicole. When he comes out to survey a landslide on her property it doesn't take long for sparks to fly between then.
I love the way Nicole has been accepted into her boss's family and his wife is her best friend although they are totally different. Isaac has his half brothers, Uncle and cousin to support an care for him. They just have to figure out how a relationship between them will work. Loved the dynamic and family banter.
I truly love Isaac and Nicole's. Both are focused and self driven in their business lives but make no attachments in their personal lives. Nicole dose not fit the mold her country club mother wants therefore she is constantly telling her that she needs to loose weight, doesn't dress correctly she has not chosen the correct profession etc. Her perfect sister echoes their mother making the rejection she feels even more. If the people who are supposed to love and support you don't you don't risk more rejection by letting someone in. Isaac's mother left after she divorced his father when Isaac was just a baby and never looked back. He fears rejection as much as Nicole. When he comes out to survey a landslide on her property it doesn't take long for sparks to fly between then.
I love the way Nicole has been accepted into her boss's family and his wife is her best friend although they are totally different. Isaac has his half brothers, Uncle and cousin to support an care for him. They just have to figure out how a relationship between them will work. Loved the dynamic and family banter.
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