3.5 Bossy Stars!

Overall, this was a good read. I liked the storyline, a boss/employee, hate to love theme. They clashed at the beginnng and I loved their interactions. Jenny is no wallflower and I liked that she called Ethan on his bad behavior. There was a little resisting due to the boss/employee relationships but just the right amount to be believable. Really the only negative I have is both reacted in the extreme in certain situations that made it distracting and hard to connect with them later in the story. I'm still very interested in reading the next book in the series. ARC provided by NetGalley.

Bossed by Sloane Howell
Source: Netgalley
My Rating: 4½/5 stars
My Review:

When you’re up to your ass in problems, the universe has a way of just keeping the party going. Jenny’s life is sort of a mess with her father’s terminal illness, medical bills piling up, and a need for a job that earns her more than minimum wage. Which is precisely how she has found herself running in heels, late for an interview . . . . . and crashing into the biggest dick she has ever met, ever.

With the incident behind her, Jenny rushes right on into her interview with the biggest dick she has ever met, ever. Yeah, it’s him and if he weren’t so pretty to look at and she weren’t in desperate need of the damn job, she’d tell him where to stick his attitude. Jenny is willing to suck up her pride right up to the moment, the dick gets a baseball statistic wrong. Some things Jenny just can’t let slide and since there’s no way in hell she’s going to get the job, it is time to put the dick in his place!

Come Monday . . . . . .

The moment the ever so conservatively dressed, Jenny corrected his baseball statistics, Ethan knew he had to have her . . . . for the office, of course. Ethan’s life is his business, and he puts up with nothing less than perfection out of his employees. He will rant, yell, demean, embarrass, and any other damn thing he has to do to ensure his business is successful. On the surface, Ethan is a heartless bastard and that is exactly the way he intends to keep things. As long as his employees fear him, they’ll continue to produce quality work and Ethan will continue to be a top sports agent. Trouble is, Jenny just won’t allow for such behavior.

Yeah, Jenny’s got some backbone in her and when Ethan crosses the line with one of the other employees, Jenny stands up to him in front of everyone and damn, if that doesn’t make Ethan want her even more. Trouble is, Ethan has a strict policy against dating employees and Jenny is beyond skittish. Jenny likes Ethan, but spending any time away from her dad feels selfish and wrong. Jenny, however, finds Ethan hard to resist and if they keep things casual, everything should be just fine. Right??

Yeah, right . . . . as if that ever happens in a good book! Things between Ethan and Jenny get super-serious, quick, and both find it hard to reconcile their “real” lives with the love bubble they find themselves in. Out of the office, Ethan is far more relaxed, more forthcoming, and the dirtiest damn talker Jenny has ever encountered. He’s exciting and sexy, fun and intelligent, and serious forever material. Unfortunately, all that is ruined, the moment her dad takes a turn for the worse. Jenny’s guilt over the time she’s spent with Ethan consumes her, and without Jenny, Ethan is a shell of himself. Jenny makes everything in Ethan’s life better and no matter what he has to do, he will convince her they are good together.

The Bottom Line: Bossed took me completely by surprise!! From the first encounter between Ethan and Jenny to the very last page, I was hooked on these two. Yeah, Ethan is a grade A dick, but he has some pretty serious reasons for his behavior. Jenny softens Ethan and helps him see he can be a decent human being and an incredible sports agent. Ethan helps Jenny past her sadness and her guilt, he helps her see the light at the end of the tunnel beyond her father’s passing, to understand just how much he would have wanted her to be happy. Both Jenny and Ethan are strong people, stubborn people, and that makes them just about perfect for one another. In all, I completely enjoyed this read; the plot is solid, the fights are epic, the drama made me cry, and the dirty talking naughty bits are steamy good. Everything a girl needs in her reads 😊

Ethan and Jenny will have you smiling and laughing with their wit and banter. They hold no punches and each give it as hard as they get it.

Ethan presents himself a certain way to protect himself, he’s very guarded. As we get to know him and his past, it’s great to watch Jenny pull his walls down. Jenny is going through a very difficult time, and the old saying “never judge a book by its cover” comes into play, as stone-cold Ethan wants nothing more than to be there for her. Both characters could be frustrating, as well as the back and forth, but the story still kept me engaged.

This is a short story, but it’s filled with laughs, ups and downs, and hard times. It’s steamy, emotional, and enjoyable. I loved how Sloane Howell ended the story; it brought tears to my eyes it was so touching.

Sloane writing style shines through, and I'm truly addicted to his easy going nature as it flows through the pages.

A Employee/Employer office based romance with a fun first meeting leading to a great story arc.

Ethan was your typical no nonsense hard ass boss, but you dig a little further and you see this really sweet vulnerable guy, what's refreshing about this is that it's usually the female lead that this occurs too and it's great to see it in reverse !

Jenny was brilliant, the emotion poured out of her as she was dealing with her on stuff, what I like was her strength and with this you got her sass and her attitude which in turn helped her handle Ethan.

The two together where like dynamite and the Witt and banter awesome, I had laughter and tears as only one can whilst reading.

If you have reservations don't pick up this book it's a Standalone, you won't be disappointed

4 Stars

Donna

4TLOReading

Sweet Jesus. This book is hot. I loved my time with Ethan and Jenny.

I thought Bossed was a quick read but it's filled with passion and hilarity.  The book's blurb does an excellent job outlining what the storyline is offering readers. However, it in no way prefers you for the fun adventure you take with Ethan and Jenny.

Right from the start, Ethan and Jenny share this electric chemistry. Their conversations are filled sassy wit and enticing banter that is basically just verbal foreplay.  They will leave you panting for the moment they will surrender to their lust.  It's awesome.

They have a couple of hurdles to overcome but you enjoy every moment of the ride. Bossed is an excellent story and definitely worth checking out. Grab your copy and be prepared to smile!

Bossed is a fast paced, witty story with some heartbreak thrown in for good measure. I loved it! The first chapter alone had me hook, line and sinker. I truly enjoyed Ethan and Jenny!!
Jenny is an intelligent, sassy baseball fan who needs a good job to help support her ailing father. She loves her family and sports and this job opportunity can help her family in so many ways. Jenny will just have to put up with the one man who pushes her buttons, in more ways than one, to provide for her family.
Jenny runs into Ethan prior to her interview and it literally took seconds for Ethan and Jenny to be at each other’s throats and stay that way throughout the book. Their verbal sparring leads way to an attraction that they are both reluctant to explore…at first.
Ethan is the owner of a successful sports agency who uses his past to define his future. He’s cold with a lack of empathy for anyone, until Jenny turns that all upside down. Ethan likes to think he’s going to break Jenny, the sassy one who has no fear of him, but what his brain wants to say and what actually comes out of his mouth are totally different. He knows having Jenny work for him is a bad idea and that he’ll never be able to keep his hands off her but it was fun to watch him try!
“Smart, intelligent, dignified women like her didn’t ask for favors, they didn’t back down – they didn’t break.”
I enjoyed watching the relationship of Ethan and Jenny evolve from nothing but snarky attitudes into something great. Both of them are broken in their own ways and you learn why through their relationships; Jenny with her dad and Kelsey, and Ethan with his best friend Matt. I love that their family/friends each played an important role in this story and weren’t just there as fillers.
The connection between Ethan and Jenny wasn’t as easy as you would think, but I truly feel the author did an excellent job of outlining why. Sometimes I feel that Ethan and Jenny were a tad bit overdramatic, but I have to say that the sex definitely made up for it 😊
I look forward to the story of Kelsey and Matt, the secondary characters, who have their own book this coming May. I will definitely be reading their story!

This book started off in a fiery way. I loved the way Jenny and Ethan clashed - their banter was sharp and smart and sexy as hell.

Unfortunately - it completely derailed for me around the halfway point. While I understood that Jenny was going through some emotional trauma, I felt like she was reduced to a shrieking, unreasonable harpy. She was kind of mean and then she didn't immediately own that bad behavior and apologize. It was nearly impossible for me to connect with her at that point.

And Ethan? This man started off as this zinger flinging untouchable alpha and was reduced to a pitiful specimen who was afraid to see the woman who had lost her marbles on him (after only one semi-romantic encounter and a boat load of crazy). He apparently forgot that he was the powerful owner of a company and -- man, that was tough to read. By that point I'd lost my connection with both characters and my desire to see where this went.

In the end, it started out really strong and engaging but completely lost me halfway through and I wound up putting it down at 60%.

I was excited to read Bossed as this was my first Sloane Howell book and I was eager to jump on board this office romance. Ethan and Jenny were snarky, sexy and their banter was out of control sexy. 

Unfortunately, halfway through it seemed like both protagonists had personality transplants. Jenny turned into a combative and shrill person lashing out and honestly (I.M.O.) overreacting childishly over a ruse Ethan played to get closer to her. It was so over the top I was cringing. Likewise, Ethan stopped beig a cocky, overconfident SOB/alpha boss and turned into a meek, insecure person, afraid to face the heroine, hiding out in his apartment binging on takeout. It just went downhill so fast my head spun.

All in all, I give this novel 3 stars because it started out fantastic but then kind of imploded. I would like to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Loveswept for an advanced copy of this novel.

Cute banter between Ethan and Jenny.. Love that she dishes it all back to him and doesn't let him take advantage of her or the other employees

This was my first Sloane read and it dragged a bit for me. Wasn't sure what the point to alot of the story was for. Boss and employee storyline wasn't my cup of tea.

These are my Happily Ever After Novel Thoughts...

This is the first book of Sloane Howell's that I've read. I've been wanting to read his books, but hadn't had time. I really enjoyed this story and the dual POVs were wonderful.

Jenny and Ethan have an instant chemistry that brings out both of their snarkiness. They bump into each other when Jenny is on her way to an interview. Neither knows who the other is. That's all about to change.

Ethan and Jenny and combustible at best. Things are hot and cold quite a bit as Jenny is quite emotional because of dealing with her home life. Ethan keeps second guessing himself because he doesn't know if he can balance an actual relationship and his company without one suffering.

I loved the easy bantering and chemistry between the characters. They all felt so real and I could actually picture everything in this book happening. Jenny has a thought somewhere in the book that really made me laugh...

He was hotter in the wild than he was at the prison he called an office.

That line was a great summation of Ethan personally and professionally.

The two are perfect for each other but they need to stop thinking about it so hard or they'll never get to their Happily Ever After. Grab a copy and find out what happens! I can't wait to read the next!

4 Totally Bossed Stars!!

Bossed was the first book that I've read by Sloane Howell but it will NOT be the last, especially if he writes all of his female characters with the back bone that Jenny had in Bossed.

Bossed was absolutely amazing. Jenny Jackson is applying for a job with Mason and Associates accounting firm to make more money to help with her father's medical bills. She has no problem calling people when on their shit when they are wrong. Ethan Mason is the owner of Mason and Associates who has no problem with people/employees in their places. However he may have met his match in Jenny when she corrects him on a baseball fact during her interview and has no problem with putting him in his place.

This book will draw you in right from the first chapter and you won't want to put it down until the very last page. Bossed will have you laughing, wanting to throat chop Ethan, high five Jenny, hug Ethan and sweating from the hotness and the character chemistry.

So if you are looking for a hot read with a female character who can hold her own and can put a hot alpha male in his place then you need to read Bossed. I promise you won't be let down at all.

A really great book and a lovely super sweet read.

I love an office romance, and this one was brilliant, with the sports aspect too, it is my favourite type of story. Adding in the romance, the sexiness, the heat and of course the brilliant humour, it made for an incredibly enjoyable read.

In this story we meet Jenny Jackson and Ethan Mason. Right for the get go, and on their very first encounter, the banter and chemistry between these two was off the charts. The way Jenny had the ability to give as good as she got was pure perfection. Ethan is a grumpy, ruthless businessman, but Jenny brings out different side to him and reveals his true self behind all of the walls he has put up.

Jenny's character was great and although I felt she kept running when she shouldn't, creating a bit of unnecessary back and forth, at times she had good reason! But other times she seemed a little irrational!

I loved the secondary characters in this story, and loved the parts that Matt and Kelsey played as well. A great mix of everything in this book, plenty of laugh out loud moments, with just the right amount of angst and emotion, I devoured this story in just a few hours! Will definitely recommend.

Have you made an appointment to meet Ethan Mason on 28th March 2017?

If you haven't you should!

Jenny Jackson needs a job. Ethan Mason is the jerk interviewing her.

Boy do the sparks fly between them. From their first meeting to the last, I couldn't get enough of this pair. The bite. The snark. The sexual tension between them is off the charts.

I loved the way they bounced of each other, how they brought the worst out in each other (yes, worst, not best lol). And how they can't ignore the attraction to each other.

Both Jenny and Ethan are likeable (though Jenny irked me a couple of times when things happened, but I got over that pretty quickly). The story is well written, well paced and kept me reading in one sitting.

There are great secondary characters, some who we will meet more of in the next book. And I can't wait.

Bossed has become the favourite of the Sloane Howell books I have read, and I can't wait for more.

I struggled with this book. I loved the idea of it but I couldn't get into it. The hot and cold got old at tad beginning if the book and I just didn't connect with Jenny at all.

So this was my first Sloane Howell book, but definitely not my last! I really enjoyed it! I was immediately drawn into Ethan and Jenny's story. They had a rather unique first encounter and I loved their banter. I also enjoyed how the chapters flipped back and forth from their perspectives. The story line moved quickly and even brought me to tears at one point! It was an emotional read at various points and I loved the feels this book brought. I loved how strong of a character Jenny was and the qualities she got from being raised by a single dad. I liked her busting Ethan's balls when necessary! She wasn't the type he would have usually gone for, but he was drawn to Jenny. He liked the fact that she could stand up to him. Ethan found himself confused but thankfully he had his best friend, Matt, to help knock some sense in to him at times! The witter banter in this book was fun and the emotions these characters went through felt realistic. This was a story that was easy to get lost in and I look forward to reading more from Mr. Howell! Personally, I love reading romances from male authors because they put such a different spin on things and this author is definitely one to follow!

Sometimes I know what to expect when I pick up a Sloane Howell story (I'm talking about you Larry Balls!) but other times, I'm surprised in the best way when something different and deeper comes from him. Bossed is definitely the latter as it had more depth and emotion that I was expecting. Don't get me wrong, there were shenanigans and laughs aplenty but there were also emotional scenes that <i><b>almost</i></b> had me shedding a tear. I stress *almost* because Howell tread the line with those moments, giving readers a hint of the sadness while not allowing it to overshadow the bigger story. The main characters were fun (really loved Jenny and her balls of brass!!) and the chemistry between Jenny and Ethan was palpable throughout. The secondary characters were also hilarious and I really hope that we see more of them in the future! Howell always writes sex scenes that are super hot and that trend continues in Bossed. There was lots to like about this book and I'm really looking forward to reading Scored (fingers crossed it's about Matt and Kelsey!).

Jenny and Ethan have an interesting first meeting. Unbeknownst to either of them, they bump into each other and have a confrontation in front of a coffee vendor. Jenny then goes off to her interview and discovers, you guessed it, Ethan is her boss. Ethan at first wasn't going to hire her and then she changed his mind when she was able to get a batting statistic for a player correct. Jenny then accepts the job even though they were both rude because she needs to pay her father's medical bills. I had an issue with Jenny for most of this book. She was rude, whiny and downright bitchy at points. She claimed to want Ethan to act professional, etc. but then acted like a toddler. The whole foot tapping - just no. Ethan was a self-made businessman and was known for his no nonsense handling of his business fell pretty much apart after meeting Jenny. I was confused as to the amount of time Jenny actually worked because, for most of the book, she was able to take off of work. Her immaturity at points got on my last nerve especially when the unexpected happened and she took it out on Ethan. I would have kicked her to the curb many times. It had an interesting premise but the heroine and, at times, the hero had immaturity issues. I received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

Good to see the stereotypical alpha male get taken down a notch, There is no damsel in distress in this story!

I enjoyed this book. Both main characters had things they needed to face to grow into a better person. Through the process of growing they were challenging each others boundaries. Both like to push buttons, both are strong willed, that can lead to a very high chemistry.