I love it when a guy finds himself in over his head within minutes of meeting the right girl, and that is definitely the case here! I finally made room at the top of my TBR for this girthy office romance, and it was well worth the wait. It’s intensely sexy, banter-filled, and full of chemistry. Definitely the steamiest office romance I’ve read in a long while – and also the longest, lol. When the book released, I remember hearing so many different things about how inappropriate some of the hero’s actions are, and how these two are old enough to know better (44 and 39). Which, yeah, that’s valid. But it’s also kind of the point. Score tackles heavy topics like workplace sexual harassment/assault and power imbalances, showcasing that fine line between acceptable and inappropriate. Our hero is determined to prove that he’s nothing like his predatory father, but he can’t seem to control himself around the heroine. It’s an interesting concept, and I think Score handles it well. The book is over the top steamy and immensely entertaining, so even the intimidating page count didn’t scare me. It held my interest with ease, and further cemented my love of Score’s work.
The story follows Dom, a man who has taken over the helm of his father’s business after some problematic situations came to light. Dom doesn’t feel welcome at his new workplace, and he’s sure that his employees think that he’s just like his father. That means Dom is even more determined to act appropriately around the office… which is easier said than done when a fiery woman enters his life. Dom’s surly attitude got Ally fired from her previous job, and she now finds herself working for the grumpy man against his will. It’s not that Dom doesn’t like Ally, it’s that he doesn’t like the way he feels when he’s around her – out of control, intense, and kind of like a caveman. As the two continue to work together, the attraction that sparks between them becomes obvious. But Dom is determined not to cross any lines with an employee, and Ally really needs her job.
This is not a short book, which is probably why it has remained on my TBR for so long. It took me a solid 3 days to get through it. But it caught my interest within the first few pages, and held it the whole way through. I loved that it’s an office romance with a twist; not only are the characters older than the norm (no one is “young and naive” here), but the sexual harassment storyline and Dom’s determination to keep things professional made this stand out from the pack. It’s also so steamy that it might make you blush, lol. Dom and Ally’s connection is electric, and the push/pull between them made for some seriously great moments. I loved that Dom was trying to be a good guy, that he put up a valiant fight. And, for all of his inappropriate actions, I never felt like he was predatory or too much. A lot to handle, sure. A predator, definitely not. The overall vibe remains mostly light and sexy, with tons of tension-filled moments and a lot of heat. Dom and Ally are SO good together once they finally give in, and the dynamic felt very unique. All in all, I wish I’d moved this to the top of my TBR sooner – this was a great read.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3bronVA
Audio Note:
The audio is excellent! It’s dual narration, with Erin Mallon and Sebastian York each voicing about half of the book. I’m a fan of both of their voices, so that made for a very enjoyable listening experience. The runtime is a bit overwhelming; at 14+ hours, I listened to this over the course of 3 days. I was always eager to get back to it, which is a definite win. Despite the light and low angst vibe, I can’t recommend this as a workday listen. There is a LOT of steam and spicy moments sprinkled throughout the book, so you might not want to listen at the office. But it works well in audio in nearly every other way, and it certainly enhanced the experience for me.
Audiobook: https://amzn.to/3xVxIfY
Blurb:
Dominic was staring at me like he couldn’t decide whether to chop me into pieces or pull my hair and French kiss me.
Dominic
I got her fired. Okay, so I’d had a bad day and took it out on a bystander in a pizza shop. But there’s nothing innocent about Ally Morales. She proves that her first day of her new job… in my office… after being hired by my mother.
So maybe her colorful, annoying, inexplicably alluring personality brightens up the magazine’s offices that have felt like a prison for the past year. Maybe I like that she argues with me in front of the editorial staff. And maybe my after-hours fantasies are haunted by those brown eyes and that sharp tongue.
But that doesn’t mean that I’m going to be the next Russo man to take advantage of his position. I might be a second-generation asshole, but I am not my father.
She’s working herself to death at half a dozen dead-end jobs for some secret reason she doesn’t feel like sharing with me. And I’m going to fix it all. Don’t accuse me of caring. She’s nothing more than a puzzle to be solved. If I can get her to quit, I can finally peel away all those layers. Then I can go back to salvaging the family name and forget all about the dancing, beer-slinging brunette.
Ally
Ha. Hold my beer, Grumpy Grump Face.
Author’s Note: A steamy, swoony workplace romantic comedy with a grumpy boss hero determined to save the day and a plucky heroine who is starting to wonder if there might actually be a beating heart just beneath her boss’s sexy vests.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3bronVA
About the Author:
Lucy Score is a Wall Street Journal and #1 Amazon bestselling author. Small town contemporary rom-coms are her lady jam and she enjoys delivering the feels with a huge side of happily ever after.
Her books have been translated into several languages, making readers around the world snort laugh, swoon, and sob. Lucy lives in Pennsylvania with the devastatingly handsome Mr. Lucy and their horrible cat.
In her spare time she enjoys sleeping, drinking copious amounts of coffee, and reading all the romance novels in the universe.
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