PAH!

I’ll admit, I side-eyed the premise at first—*another* romance about a couple post-HEA? But *PAH!* disarmed me within chapters. Cora Rose writes relationships like a documentary filmmaker: the camera lingers on the unsexy parts (Dex’s passive-aggressive texting, Rome’s stubborn refusal to ask for help) as much as the grand gestures. The plot hinges on a conflict that’s refreshingly *petty*—not life-or-death, but the kind of fight that simmers for weeks because neither will apologize first. It’s relatable to the point of discomfort, and Zaba’s narration sells every awkward beat. His Dex is all clipped vowels and repressed emotion, while Rome’s deeper timbre carries the weight of a man who’s *tired* of being the reasonable one. The production is clean, though I docked half a star for a few odd pauses in chapter transitions that broke the flow. Where the book stumbles slightly is in its middle act, where the central misunderstanding drags a touch too long—Rome and Dex’s stubbornness starts to feel less charming and more exhausting. And while Zaba nails the emotional beats, his female side characters occasionally tip into caricature (a nasally best friend voice that grated after the third appearance). But these are quibbles. The final act delivers a gut-punch of vulnerability, and the epilogue? *Chef’s kiss.* This isn’t a romance that ends with a kiss—it ends with a shared laugh over burnt toast, and somehow, that’s hotter. If you’re craving a love story that feels like eavesdropping on a real, flawed, *funny* relationship, this is your audiobook. Just maybe don’t listen in public—you *will* snort-laugh.