Quick Take
- Narration: Nina Nikolic brings warmth and distinction to both Jessica and Remi, capturing the push-pull of their dynamic with a light comic touch that suits the tone of the series.
- Themes: Career reinvention, sapphic romance, women in male-dominated trades
- Mood: Warm and slow-burning, with humor and genuine emotional stakes
- Verdict: A charming second installment in the Tradie Lady Series that earns its sweet reputation through specific characters and believable chemistry rather than formula.
I listened to On the Right Path on a Sunday afternoon when I needed something that would hold my attention without demanding too much of it. I had not read the first book in Rian Birch’s Tradie Lady Series, and I was mildly curious whether that would matter. The answer is that you can follow this story without the first book, though reviewers note there are slight spoilers for the earlier installment. The setup draws you in quickly: Jessica Reaves is thirty, underpaid, waiting tables, and stuck with a boyfriend who is described in the reviews as a man-child. Remi Pearce is a building contractor who needs an apprentice. When Remi spots Jess serving her one night, she offers Jess a way out.
What follows is nine hours of slow-burn workplace romance set in an environment that is genuinely unusual for the genre: the construction trades. Birch has done enough research to make Jess’s learning curve feel authentic, and reviewers responded to that specificity. One noted that the book made them want to learn DIY construction because of how Jess’s learning journey was written. That is the mark of a writer who took the setting seriously rather than using it as decorative backdrop.
Our Take on On the Right Path
The appeal of this book is in the details. Jessica’s relationship with her skeptical mother, who doubts the career change. Her gradually deteriorating relationship with her boyfriend Alex. The awkwardness of developing feelings for your boss in a small crew where everyone notices everything. Birch does not rush any of these threads. One reviewer used the phrase slow-ish burn, and that modifier matters: there is tension here, and it is earned through patience rather than manufactured misunderstanding. The worksite injury in the final act brings everything closer, and the emotional resolution feels grounded rather than convenient. A turtle named Ninja also appears, and readers seem very fond of it.
Birch also handles the power differential between Remi and Jess with more care than the premise might suggest. The dynamic of a boss falling for her apprentice is romance fiction territory that can easily tip into uncomfortable imbalance, but Birch is attentive to how the characters negotiate that structure. Jess grows in professional confidence in ways that are not contingent on the romance, and Remi does not use her authority as leverage. Those choices make the eventual relationship feel more like a mutual choice than an inevitability shaped by hierarchy.
Why Listen to On the Right Path
Nina Nikolic’s narration is one of the book’s significant assets. She handles both main characters with warmth and gives the witty banter its correct comic timing. The nine-hour runtime feels appropriate for the story being told rather than padded, which is a meaningful distinction in romance audiobooks where filler chapters are common. The Tradie Lady Series as a whole is built around women in male-dominated fields finding their footing, and Birch treats that theme with more seriousness than the cozy framing might suggest. The construction setting is not just atmosphere; it structures Jess’s growth and her relationship with Remi in ways that feel earned.
What to Watch For in On the Right Path
Listeners who prefer higher dramatic stakes or faster romantic progression may find this too gentle. The emotional conflict stays within realistic boundaries: no secret identities, no fabricated misunderstandings that drag on for chapters, no villain who exists purely to cause problems. The drama is internal and relational. That restraint will read as either refreshing or underwhelming depending on what you want from a romance. Readers of the first book have reported that the interconnected world is a feature rather than a requirement, but newcomers should know they are entering mid-series.
Who Should Listen to On the Right Path
Sapphic romance readers who prefer warmth over angst, and who appreciate a professional setting that is neither an office nor a hospital, will find this well-suited to their tastes. Fans of the first book in the Tradie Lady Series will get the added pleasure of seeing familiar characters. Those who want explicit content should know this leans toward the sweeter end of the spectrum despite the description of delicious tension. The career reinvention arc gives the story something to say beyond the romance, which makes it a more satisfying listen than purely formula-driven entries in the genre.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to read the first Tradie Lady book before On the Right Path?
No. Birch describes this as an interconnected standalone, meaning it functions as a complete story on its own. However, reviewers note there are slight spoilers for the first book, so if you plan to read both, starting with book one is still worth considering.
How explicit is the romance content in On the Right Path?
The synopsis describes it as sweet and sexy, and reviewer language suggests it leans toward the warmer end of the sapphic romance spectrum rather than highly explicit. The tension is described as delicious, but the overall tone is emotional and character-focused rather than primarily physical.
Does Nina Nikolic’s narration handle both protagonists distinctly?
Reviewers responding positively to the audiobook do not flag narration as a problem, and the witty banter format suggests Nikolic differentiates the characters sufficiently. The nine-hour runtime without listener complaints about confusion indicates the dual-POV dynamics work in audio.
Is the construction setting used meaningfully or just as background detail?
It is genuinely integrated into the story. Jess’s apprenticeship arc provides the structure for her personal growth and her developing relationship with Remi. At least one reviewer said the depiction of Jess’s learning process made them want to take up DIY construction themselves, which suggests Birch did her research.
