Time to Rise

About This Audiobook

Heléne Holmström’s *Time to Rise* is a fizzy romantic comedy where love rises like the perfect sourdough starter—messy, unpredictable, and sometimes overproofed. The story pivots on a high-stakes premise: struggling bakery owner Liv must lease her shop’s top floor to a TV producer filming a cutthroat reality show, and the producer’s arrogant, camera-ready brother just happens to be the infuriating ex she hasn’t seen since their college breakup. Their chemistry is less crackling spark and more slow-burn ember, but Holmström’s sharp dialogue and knack for small-town quirks make every clash feel deeply human. The bakery itself isn’t just a setting; it’s a character, with flour dusting every page and the scent of cinnamon lingering like a guilty pleasure.

What sets this audiobook apart is its unapologetic embrace of chaos. The plot races from late-night dough-kneading sessions to public bake-offs where egos rise faster than dough, all while Holmström balances humor with surprising emotional depth. Liv’s journey isn’t just about winning back her ex or saving her bakery—it’s about proving she’s more than the girl who ran away from her problems. The pacing is brisk but never rushed, giving listeners the satisfying gut punch of a well-timed joke followed by the quiet ache of a character’s vulnerability.