Bitter Rivals

About This Audiobook

If you’ve ever wondered what happens when two fiercely competitive exes are forced to collaborate—while still nursing old grudges—*Bitter Rivals* delivers the answer with a perfect mix of sizzle and snark. J. Sterling skips the slow burn and drops listeners into a high-stakes, high-tension reunion where every interaction crackles with unresolved chemistry and barbed wit. This isn’t just another workplace romance; it’s a battle of egos where the real victory is the slow, delicious unraveling of two people who *hate* how much they still want each other.

The dual narration by Erin Mallon and Teddy Hamilton elevates the audiobook into something special. Mallon’s delivery is all dry humor and barely suppressed exasperation, while Hamilton’s smug, self-assured tone makes their rival’s verbal sparring feel like a contact sport. The production leans into the comedic timing, with pauses and inflections that turn even throwaway lines into punchlines. At just over four hours, it’s tight, fast-paced, and packed with moments that’ll have you rewinding to savor the burn—or the blush."

"review": "I’ll admit, I went into *Bitter Rivals* skeptical. Enemies-to-lovers is a trope that can easily feel recycled, but Sterling makes it fresh by grounding the conflict in something more than miscommunication or petty squabbles. These two have *history*—the kind that leaves scars—and their rivalry isn’t just playful bickering. It’s personal. The audiobook’s strength lies in how the narrators sell that tension: Erin Mallon’s performance as the sharp-tongued, guarded heroine makes her vulnerability land harder when it finally surfaces, while Teddy Hamilton’s cocky, smooth-talking rival had me rolling my eyes one minute and swooning the next. Their back-and-forth is electric, especially in the early chapters where the insults fly faster than the compliments.

That said, the pacing isn’t perfect. The middle act drags slightly as the plot pivots from their professional rivalry to more introspective moments, and a subplot involving a secondary character feels underdeveloped—like it was included for conflict but never fully paid off. Still, the chemistry (and the narration) carries it through. The production quality is top-notch, with clear audio and seamless transitions between perspectives, though I did wish for a touch more variation in the background ambiance during scene changes. What ultimately won me over? The ending. Without spoiling it, Sterling sticks the landing by letting the characters earn their happy ending—not through grand gestures, but through the quiet, messy work of actually *listening* to each other. For fans of rom-coms with bite, this one’s worth the credit."

"tags": [
"enemies-to-lovers audiobook with dual narration