Searching for Finley by Susan Stoker

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

They’ve finally found someone who accepts them as they are, but it could all go up in flames in an instant.

Finley Norris is a woman with curves to spare, a fact she made peace with long ago…but she can’t say the same for everyone else. Ridiculed for her size her whole life, it’s easy for her to assume her huge crush on a certain sexy mechanic will remain unrequited. But her friends have other plans, and when one of them pushes the pair together, no one is more surprised than Finley when attraction blooms—fast.

Brock Mabrey’s as blue collar as they come, and he’s got the grease-stained fingers to prove it. He’s been judged for his rough edges for years…especially by women. That doesn’t stop him from crushing on a certain delectable baker, and when the opportunity to know Finley better presents itself, he doesn’t waste a second. She and Brock go from zero to a hundred in the blink of an eye, their chemistry off the charts. There’s nothing casual about the lust, love, and protection Finley inspires.

And she’ll need plenty of the latter, because Finley’s seen something she shouldn’t. Someone is desperate to discover what she knows…and determined to silence her permanently

Sweet Chemistry, Repetitive Insecurities

The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💙💜💚❤️🤎
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥
Chemistry: 🧪🧪🧪🧪
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌏🌍
Character development: 😋😀😛😘🥰
Narration: 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration Type: Dual Narration

🎧 Audiobook Review: Searching for Finley (Eagle Point Search and Rescue, #5)

Author: Susan Stoker
Genre: Military romance / romantic suspense
Narrators: Savannah Peachwood and Jason Clarke

Finley Norris is the shy, small‑town baker behind Fallport, Virginia’s only bakery—a woman who genuinely enjoys her curves but still carries the scars of past teasing. Her long‑standing crush, Brock Mabrey, feels completely out of reach: he’s tall, muscled, confident, and the kind of man she assumes could have any woman he wants. Every time they cross paths, Finley turns into a tongue‑tied mess, convinced he’d never look twice at someone like her.

Everything shifts when Finley injures her wrist and can’t manage the morning baking rush. She calls her friend Caryn for help, expecting a temporary assistant—what she gets instead is Brock at her doorstep fifteen minutes later. What follows is a surprisingly sweet morning of shared baking, easy conversation, and the kind of chemistry Finley never imagined was mutual. Brock not only asks her out but openly admits he’s always been drawn to curvy women and finds her especially adorable.

While the setup is charming, the story’s handling of Finley’s body image was the one element that didn’t work for me. Although Finley claims to be comfortable with her size, her inner monologue repeatedly circles back to her weight—how she’s been teased, how she once lost weight but felt miserable, how she worries Brock will judge her body, and how she chooses clothes specifically to hide her stomach. The constant focus on her size made it clear she struggles with low self‑esteem, which contradicts the idea that she’s “fine” with her body.

On top of that, other characters—including the villains—frequently refer to her as “fat,” and the narrative keeps returning to the topic. For me, this became distracting. I tend to prefer heroines whose weight simply isn’t a plot point, because when it’s treated as a non‑issue, it feels like a non‑issue.

What did shine was Brock. He’s the quintessential protective, gentle giant—patient with Finley’s shyness, deeply attracted to her exactly as she is, and willing to move at her pace. His steady affection and quiet devotion were some of the strongest parts of the story.

The audiobook narration elevated the experience. Jason Clarke and Savannah Peachwood—two of my favorites—were perfectly cast. Jason’s deep, gravelly voice fit Brock’s rugged, grounded presence beautifully, while Savannah’s soft, expressive delivery brought Finley’s vulnerability and sweetness to life. Both narrators added warmth and emotional depth that made the story more engaging.

Overall, this audiobook delivers a sweet, protective‑hero romance with excellent narration, but the heavy emphasis on the heroine’s weight overshadowed the love story for me. Readers who enjoy curvy‑girl narratives may appreciate the representation, but if you prefer romances where body size isn’t repeatedly highlighted, this one may feel more distracting than empowering. Brock and the narrators were definite highlights, but the constant focus on Finley’s insecurities kept the story from fully landing for me.

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