Resistance Training

About This Audiobook

Kayley Loring’s *Resistance Training* isn’t just another rom-com—it’s a razor-sharp, gym-fueled battle of wits between two people who *should* hate each other but can’t stop circling back. Vivian, a self-deprecating personal trainer with a talent for sabotage (both dietary and romantic), clashes with her infuriatingly charming new client, a man whose abs are only outmatched by his ability to push her buttons. The audiobook thrives on its dual narration: Emma Wilder delivers Vivian’s snark with the precision of a well-aimed dumbbell drop, while Jason Clarke lends the male lead a smug, gravelly charm that’ll make you roll your eyes *and* lean in closer.

What sets this apart is its refusal to soften edges. The banter isn’t just flirty—it’s *combative*, laced with the kind of real-world pettiness that makes reconciliation feel earned. The Portland setting isn’t just backdrop; it’s a character, with food carts and rain-soaked runs grounding the story in messy, lived-in reality. And the fitness angle? It’s not just window dressing. Loring weaves workout metaphors into the emotional beats so seamlessly you’ll swear you’re spotting Vivian’s deadlifts *and* her heart."

"review": "I’ll admit, I side-eyed the ‘gym romance’ premise at first—how many times can we watch two people ‘accidentally’ graze hands during a spot? But *Resistance Training* disarmed me within chapters. The audiobook’s secret weapon is its narration: Emma Wilder’s Vivian is a masterclass in defensive humor, her delivery so dry it should come with a chaser. When she snaps, *“I don’t *need* your protein shakes or your pity,”* you’ll hear the eye-roll *and* the flicker of hurt beneath it. Jason Clarke, meanwhile, nails the love interest’s ‘cocky but not clueless’ vibe, especially in scenes where his character’s smugness cracks to reveal actual vulnerability. Their chemistry is electric, but what sells it is the *timing*—the pauses, the overlapping interruptions, the way Clarke’s laugh cuts through Wilder’s sarcasm like a knife.

The story’s pacing is its only stumble. The middle act drags slightly with repetitive training montages (yes, we get it, Vivian’s avoiding her feelings *and* her macros), and a subplot about Vivian’s ex feels undercooked. But the payoff—a third-act confrontation in a downpour that had me *physically* leaning toward my speaker—more than makes up for it. The production is flawless: no awkward edits, no volume jumps, just two narrators volleying lines like they’re in the same room. If you love rom-coms with bite, heroines who are flawed but never *punished* for it, and audiobooks that feel like eavesdropping on a fight you can’t look away from, this is your next listen. Just maybe skip the protein shake while you do."

"tags": [
"enemies-to-lovers audiobook