I liked it! I’m pretty sure I’ll forget the plot shortly, but I enjoyed it as I was reading and I’d definitely try out another book by this newer author as she continues to grow. It’s an office romance between two workaholics, with a touch of tension from a rocky meet cute. It’s also set in London, pairing a British interior designer with an American businessman on a temporary assignment. The vibes are light and easygoing for the most part, with a relaxed, bingeable quality. It played up familiar tropes while still feeling distinct, and I liked both characters. Their romance is a softer, subtler one once they get past the initial roadblocks, and I liked that the hero was actually a nice guy. Their slow burn romance evolved in an interesting way, and that made for a fun read. It’s only the author’s second book, however, and I felt that at times. Not only was some of the dialect for the American hero not quite right, but I think it could’ve used work in a few other (smaller) places as well. So this sits somewhere between 3 and 4 stars for me, but I’m rounding up because it was a solid read overall.
The story follows Amber, an interior designer starting up a new project. Amber has been trying to prove herself at work for the last several years, and she’s hoping that this is the project that finally gets her where she wants to be. Unfortunately, she overhears her new client speaking poorly about her profession, and that starts their relationship off on the wrong foot. Finn is immediately attracted to Amber and unsure of why she seems to hate him so much, and it’s not until they get to know each other better that things start to mellow out between them. Spending time working on the project and getting to know each other better over lunches brings the two workaholics closer, and it’s not long before the chemistry between them sparks in a different way.
I’m always up for a good office romance with enemies to lovers vibes, so this was easy to get into. It also has a somewhat unique premise and the setting made it stand out. The author is (clearly) British herself, so there was an authenticity there, but a few missteps when dealing with the American hero. But that was minor and very easy for me to overlook. I had no trouble getting into the story, and it was a quick, easy read for me. I do think the romance could’ve been developed with a few more swoons; not only would time pass quickly in the story, but some of the important scenes lacked needed tension. For example, the moments before each of the spicy scenes were heavy and emotional, and then the two would sort of announce that they should bang to forget about it. Poor transitions. So this was pretty good overall, but there were a few things that showed the author’s newness. There’s a lot of potential there, however, and I’m excited to see what’s next from her.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3JSROOO
Blurb:
When designer Amber Wyatt gets the opportunity to project manage a lucrative contract with The August Room, an exclusive and glamorous private members’ club, she can’t wait to get started. That is until she meets handsome managing director, Finn Hawthorne.
Finn has no respect for her hard work, continuously undermines her and, worst of all, has the uncanny ability to charm everyone he meets. Everyone except her.
Launching The August Room in the UK is Finn Hawthorne’s baby, and he needs it to go well. With nepotism whispers following him wherever he goes, he needs this to prove that he deserves his most recent promotion.
So can you really blame him when he keeps clashing with his designer? Not only is she charging him a small fortune, she keeps dismissing his ideas and, worst of all, she’s drop dead gorgeous and seemingly immune to his charms.
Forced to work together in close proximity to meet the tight launch day deadline, sparks begin to fly, and the fine line between business and pleasure starts to blur.
What was supposed to be a career defining project leaves them both wanting more, but will they take it, or will one last job destroy everything they’ve built?
A dual POV steamy workplace contemporary romance.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3JSROOO
About the Author:
Anise Starre is a born and bred Londoner who now travels the world with her husband. She loves writing sweet romances with a hint of steam and spice to get the heart going.
You can keep up to date with Anise by following her on Instagram: @authoranisestarre
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