Chopped

About This Audiobook

If you’ve ever wondered what happens when a city-slicker scientist strolls into the woods expecting polite academia and instead gets a territorial lumberjack with a chip on his shoulder, *Chopped* delivers the chaos you didn’t know you needed. Colleen Charles’ debut is a fresh take on a grumpy-sunshine pairing, but with a twist: the sunshine isn’t just a cheerful barista or a florist with a heart of gold—she’s a grad student whose latest research project just got derailed by a man who claims *every tree* in his domain is his personal property. The banter crackles, the stakes feel real, and the chemistry sizzles long before the first log is split. It’s a contemporary romance that refuses to play by the usual rules, opting instead for a story where stubbornness is a superpower and a well-timed chainsaw is romance’s best wingman.

The audiobook elevates the material with narration that’s as sharp as the dialogue. Tyler Darby’s gruff, no-nonsense portrayal of the grumpy scientist is a standout—his voice drips with barely contained frustration that somehow still sounds like he’s one joke away from laughing. Stephanie Nemeth-Parker, as the relentlessly optimistic grad student, grounds the book with a warmth that keeps the story from veering into mean-spirited territory. Their back-and-forth feels like eavesdropping on two people who genuinely annoy each other but can’t help being fascinated. The production is crisp, with a sound design that subtly immerses you in the forest’s quiet menace, making every creaking branch feel like a metaphor waiting to happen.