2 stars

As much as i wanted to love thjs one, I just couldn't. I dislike Teddy from the get go and also I didn't buy the "enemies to lovers" part. Why? Because you have to actually interact with people enough to hate them!
There were some ridiculous things here but I'm not even going to choose or just... the smart vase... yeah that was the worst.
Overall I expect a lot more than what I got.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book promises big with its list of tropes, but I think it fell short. Romeo and Teddy read like stereotypes without anything original to them, and I honestly found Teddy intolerable as a narrator. There's a lot of description - of everybody's clothing, of the smart vase they're designing, of rooms and furniture - and it felt like a lot of that could've been cut. Also, I found some of the details really unbelievable: for instance, on a plane, a stranger lets Romeo hold her baby while she goes to the bathroom. It was a weirdly fantastical scene, and it pulled me out of the story.

“You shine bright, Teddy Spenser. So bright I’m almost blinded.”


Contemporary romances are typically a hit-or-miss for me, so I was surprised to discover that this one fell somewhere in the middle. It was enjoyable, though not without faults.

~★~ What is this book about? ~★~

Teddy Spenser Isn’t Looking for Love is an enemies-to-lovers romance where the protagonist (Teddy) and his workplace rival Romeo are sent on a business trip together. The two are meant to pitch their product to a famous businesswoman, but the trip doesn't turn out as expected. Teddy and Romeo are forced to undergo bonding experiences which reveal their complicated feelings towards each other.

~★~

The first few chapters didn’t really capture my interest; hearing about Teddy’s life and workplace habits weren’t enough to get me truly invested in the story. As soon as Romeo was introduced, however, things changed for the better. While the whole “enemies” part of the enemies-to-lovers romance didn’t last long, it wasn’t a huge deal for me; I really enjoyed the playful dynamic between Teddy and Romeo!

Kim Fielding’s writing was pretty ordinary, though some of the humour between characters made up for what the diction lacked. This was a very trope heavy romance, which made for an entertaining though not very memorable story. A lot of the events that took place during Teddy and Romeo’s business trip felt unrealistic, but I tried to look past that for the sake of personal enjoyment. Essentially, this is a fast and fun read, but also one that I’ll forget entirely within a few weeks. There a ton of more memorable / well written romances out there!

Teddy Spenser Isn’t Looking for Love is a quick read that promised an enemies-to-lovers rom-com but didn’t deliver. I really liked the author’s voice and humour – the writing is really sprightly – and I liked the snarky, awkward and belligerently extroverted Teddy, but the romance happens so fast that it’s likely to give you whiplash, the love interest is pretty bland, and the set-up is so ridiculous that it stretched my credulity to breaking-point.

Teddy Spenser works for a small interior design company, where he spends his days (according to the book blurb) “selling design ideas to higher-ups, living or dying on each new pitch.” Well, I’m guessing he works for an interior design company because it’s not really made clear; in fact the plot revolves around the creation of a single item – a smart vase (yes, really) – and it seemed as though that was the company’s one product as nothing else was ever mentioned. Anyway, this vase is supposed to be all clean lines and simplicity – but while everything is working well, the housing for the software needed to run it is impinging on the design and ruining the look of it. The project is dangerously close to the wire as far as the budget is concerned and there’s no more money to spend, so Teddy’s boss and the owner of Reddyflora tells him that he and the software engineer, Romeo Blue, have to come up with a solution fast, as she’s due to present the product to a high-profile potential investor in three days.

Teddy and Romeo don’t really get on, so this isn’t exactly ideal for either of them. Although actually, it’s not so much a case of their not getting on as it is one of their never really interacting with each other very much and not knowing each other beyond a nodding acquaintance. Teddy – who is the single PoV character – is a snappy dresser with a good eye for line and colour, Romeo wears boring dark suits and his office is devoid of any personal touches; Teddy is confident and fairly outgoing (if a bit neurotic), Romeo is quiet and keeps himself to himself… so it’s all pretty one-sided and the dislike is entirely in Teddy’s head.

As luck would have it, they turn out to be able to get on and work together quite well, so the enemies-to-lovers thing goes out the window quite quickly after that, as Teddy starts to see a different side to Romeo (as well as to allow himself to recognise how hot he is.)

After they present their solution to the software vs. design issue, they then discover that they’re being sent to Seattle to meet with the possible investor, former model, creator of a lifestyle brand and fashion icon, Joyce Alexander. Teddy can barely restrain his impulse to do a Wayne’s World “we are not worthy” while Romeo (or course) has no idea who she is.

Arrived in Seattle – to find that their hotel room has Only One Bed – the story then takes a turn into the truly ridiculous. When Teddy and Romeo meet with Joyce, she decides she doesn’t have enough information to make a decision. (Which isn’t surprising considering she won’t listen to Teddy’s pitch or look at any of the presentations they’ve put together.) But her concerns aren’t to do with either the design or the technology; no, she’s worried that Teddy and Romeo’s personality clash will impact the project (a personality clash that doesn’t really exist) and proposes that they should stay in Seattle for a couple more days and undertake a little test she’s devised so she can see if they possess the three key characteristics she thinks are essential to success. (And she’s not going to tell them what those are.) This made absolutely no sense to me whatsoever and actually felt really unprofessional; if the author was attempting “kooky”, it didn’t work.

And the thing is, even going along with that as the reason for Teddy and Romeo’s enforced proximity, the romance itself happens incredibly quickly. In the space of a week (?) they: a) decide they like each other; b) decide they like each other enough to have sex; c) meet the parents; d) decide to move in together; e) decide to get married. And I haven’t even mentioned that Teddy appears to be hung-up on his ex – who is name-checked forty-one times (I counted) – and preoccupied with showing him how well he’s doing without him, or the fact that both characters come off as much younger than I think they’re supposed to be; Teddy’s relationship with his ex lasted a few years, so I’d guess they’re meant to be late-twenties, but they read much younger than that.

Teddy Spenser Isn’t Looking for Love was a big disappointment. Stereotypical characters (Teddy loves fashion, design and musical theatre; Romeo is black and grew up so poor his family didn’t have a TV), a romance that moves at the speed of light and an utterly ridiculous premise (a Smart Vase and a ‘Mysterious Quest’ – seriously?!) earn it a below average rating, and the only thing that saves it from a D grade is the author’s breezy, very readable style.

C- / 2.5 stars

Such a heartwarming and lovely romance! I enjoyed this book so much, and will definitely be recommending it!

2.5 stars

I think going in with low expectations salvaged this book for me, so a big heads up to any Kim Fielding fans: This is very different from anything else I've read of hers, and I don't think the tone/humor was completely successful. Luckily I had advance warnings from some early GR reviews and was able to adjust my mindset.

I liked the romance development overall, but it got *extremely* fast-paced/insta- at the end, which was just a fresh reminder of how ridiculous some of the plot points are throughout this whole thing.

It all feels a little surreal in a way that's constantly being amplified, and I don't really understand what the goal was there. Kim Fielding's characters always feel so real, even in fantasy settings, so to get a contemporary from her that feels more like a fever dream is just jarring.

Without those aspects, it's a solid romance -- at least in the sense that I love Romeo and want him to be happy, and it's clear that Teddy makes him happy. I really liked them together, but the sole POV is from Teddy and I had a hard time relating to him. There were strange choices made with some of his hangups, and he felt too much like an author trying to force a character to be extra snarky in a way that didn't feel natural, but once again the low expectations saved the day.

I can't say I'd recommend it, but if snark for the sake of snark is your go-to and realism is not a priority, you'll probably be fine.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

actual rating: 4.5 stars

aaaah I really loved this! for some reason I didn't have good expectations when I started this but oh boi I was wrong. I read this at the exact right time, I really needed something fluffy and cute and Teddy Spenser Isn't Looking For Love delivered. This romance novel is a light hate to lovers kind of story and executed in the best way. this book is going to make your heart melt. Teddy is an amazing character and Romeo is the cutest human being ever. I can’t recommend this enough if you're in the mood for a cute, fluffy romance with wholesome characters.

I am a huge fan of a good office place competitive romance. I really loved the two characters personalities. The book was quickly paced and a good escapism read. What held me back from loving was so much discussion of the vase. I get it I get it. It’s the characters job. It was overkill for my reading enjoyment though.

I've not read a Kim Fielding book I haven't enjoyed so I was excited to request this book when I saw it on Netgalley.

This is told from the single POV of Teddy who is the artistic type and his "nemesis" Romeo. I say "nemesis" because Romeo was analytical and "prim" which Teddy found exhausting . Fact was, Romeo (who is a POC by the way) was just misunderstood by Teddy. Lol!

I'm laughing out loud because the inner workings of Teddy's mind was like a funny roller coaster especially when all his beliefs about Romeo turns out to be non-existent. This, he discovered while trying to save his company with Romeo.

I will say however, that Teddy is one of those characters that you either immediately love, who gradually grows on you or who you completely find annoying. For me, he gradually grew on me.

I really enjoyed the story (as you can tell from my rating) but just be prepared for a somewhat slow beginning. It was only when Romeo and Teddy began the process of saving the company that things got interesting. Also, the more they got to know each other, the more I rooted for for their burgeoning relationship.

The only things I would've preferred would've been:
1. A bit more focus on Romeo being a POC but I guess since the story was told entirely from Teddy's POV that wouldn't have been realistic. I still do wish we had gotten a glimpse into Romeo's head though. Would've been fascinating.

2. A more nuanced romance and not as insta-lovey as it was. I loved them together but I would've loved a more organic approach to that.

Nonetheless, I still found myself enjoying the book by the end despite its slow beginnings. So, if you are looking for an angst-free book to start your year just right, grab this book. It will do the job perfectly.

First of all I’ve to say that this book was really cute and that Teddy and Romeo were just adorable. When I started to read this I was in dire need of something sweet and fluffy and this was exactly what I got. So on that front “Teddy Spenser Isn’t Looking for Love” delivered exactly what I was looking for. It was a fast and very enjoyable read and it had me smiling while I read the book.

Secondly I’ve to mention that I loved the reps in this book. We have Teddy who is gay, Romeo who is black and pan and we even have a functioning polyamorous side-character relationship which truth be told, is a pretty rare treat to find in a contemporary romance book. This said I’ve to note that in my opinion the romance between the two MCs doesn’t fall into the category of the "enemies to lovers trope". It’s pretty obvious that Teddy is attracted to Romeo and all their initial animosity is due to the fact that they don’t know each other and just assumed things. So it’s no wonder that once they hit it off they do it big time. ;-)

I guess that’s the main reason why their relationship didn’t feel like insta-love for me and why it also didn’t feel like it was progressing too fast. They’ve been working in the same company for quite a while and they’ve been attracted to each other for months so to be head over heels when your feelings are finally reciprocated isn’t all that unrealistic. Plus we all know how fast you can fall in love.

As for Joyce Alexander and her crazy tasks that seemingly don’t have to do anything with either the two boys or their commitment to their product: She’s an elderly eccentric fashion icon that had enough years and especially enough freedom to develop her quirks so I wasn’t the slightest bit surprised by her actions. Quite the contrary, people like her actually DO exist and it felt pretty realistic she’d do something like that. *lol*

All things considered I thoroughly enjoyed “Teddy Spenser Isn’t Looking for Love” and even though the ending was kind of fast and felt slightly unrealistic I still found enjoyment in it. From the tasks they had to tackle up to their very fair and loyal boss at Reddyflora and right to the "sleeping-in-one-bed trope" this was super cute. Yes, there could have been more depth to the characters but since this is supposed to be a short and light rom-rom I didn’t really mind it. After all there’s only so much you can pack into a 250 pages book. All told, I liked it and I hope a lot of other people will enjoy it too! =)

Teddy Spenser might be on the lookout for vintage clothing on a budget, but he is definitely not looking for any romantic complications. His Instagram-hungry ex has cured Teddy of any desire for a happy ever after for the foreseeable future. At least he has a job he likes and that allows him to stretch his creative gene. The latest project, an interactive vase that changes with a person’s mood, is almost finished. At least, that’s what Teddy thought until the snobby tech guy, Romeo Blue, brought him schematics with an electronics package that practically swallowed the vase whole. Romeo Blue—as if that could possibly be his real name. Teddy doesn’t exactly dislike Romeo, he just limits any time spent with the man to…next to nothing. So when their boss tells them they both have to go pitch the idea to a very wealthy woman in Seattle, one of Teddy’s idols, Teddy bites his tongue and off the two of them go.

Neither Teddy nor Romeo expect to be put through a series of tests—from hiking to cooking a meal for the woman, but they stoically give it their best shot. Anything to land this backer and her money and keep the company from caving—a very real possibility. But that’s not the only thing to surprise the duo. No, the fact that they end up developing an incredibly strong attraction to each other along the way is the thing that puts both Teddy and Romeo in a tailspin with some very sexy results.

Author Kim Fielding’s new story, Teddy Spenser isn’t Looking for Love, is utterly magical. Dare I utter the words, “instalove?” Well, yes…and no. Oh sure, the “I love yous” come quickly in this story, but oh the journey until they are uttered is just marvelously complete. I never once disbelieved the feelings that develop between Teddy and Romeo. This is an absolute romance complete with opposites who find common ground without even looking for it and tenderness that is so genuine it makes you feel all soft and squishy inside.

Being thrown together for several days and expected to complete tasks that Teddy is quick to fail means close proximity and getting to know each other in a very real way. It helps they share a hotel room and a bed due to poor timing and overbooking, and it also helps that everything they each initially thought about the other is based on false first impressions. Thankfully, both men are willing to admit that and from there things move along quite nicely.

There is so much to love about this novel. From the quiet moments when Teddy struggles with his fears that any serious relationship is doomed to fail, to Romeo’s incredibly humble and sweet demeanor, one cannot help but root for these two to get together. I so enjoy reading romances where the characters feel genuine and the setting somehow so realistic, despite the convenient happy ever after at the end.

Teddy Spenser isn’t Looking for Love is the perfect story to cozy up with any time of the year, but especially during the holiday season. Once again, this author delivers a hopeful and romantic novel that is sure to please the dreamer in us all.

This was the story I didn't know I needed to read. Classic right book at the right time. I can't wait for everyone to read it.

4.5 stars.

Teddy Spenser and Romeo Blue both work for the same bare-bones tech start-up company trying to sell "smart vases". Teddy is the designer and marketing director for Reddyflora while Romeo is the programmer for the tech-side. Romeo has his own office, one of only two in the shoddy Chicago digs. Their boss and the company president has the other. Teddy thinks that Romeo is a stuck up dude, even if he does fill out his stylish suits quite well. But, Teddy isn't looking for love. Not since his last beau broke his heart. Teddy still can't let go of all that hurt--and since he has little to occupy his time beyond design and thrift shopping, well, it's hard to get over it.

Teddy imagines that Romeo is a nemesis, but really, he's practically a stranger. He's quite reasonable, actually, as Teddy recognizes once they get working on a redesign of the vase together. See, turns out the tech can't exactly be hidden in Teddy's austere design scheme, so they come up with a better plan to camouflage the bits that can't be hidden and Teddy thinks' the job is done. But, instead, he and Romeo are sent to Seattle to pitch their smart vase to vaunted designer and known technophobe, Joyce Alexander. Without her backing, Reddyflora's capital stream is about to dry up and the company will collapse.

The trip to Seattle is revealing in many ways. Teddy sees Romeo as a compassionate man, assisting in the care for his nieces, as well as a stranger's crying infant on the plane. They both struggle with the tiny hotel room, and one bed, but it's only because they know so little about one another. The close quarters imposes a boundary across which they build emotional intimacy, and completing Ms. Alexander's eccentric "tasks" also fosters a dynamic that unite Teddy and Romeo in their professional mission and in their personal lives.

It's a really sweet slide into coupledom, with Teddy styling Romeo once he learns that Romeo truly appreciates his aesthetic, and is willing to soften his look with gender-bending choices. Teddy loves the way green and blue silks accentuate Romeo's brown skin tones. Romeo's encyclopedic knowledge of nature, cooking and...everything is really attractive to Teddy--who can't believe that such a buff and suave-looking man is so crippled by attention and is attracted to himself. Their mutual esteem is only balanced by their personal, self-esteem struggles. I loved how they bonded with each other and how loving Romeo's family was when he brought Teddy home for Sunday supper. The end has one of those rom-com twists where they are forced to make decisions that could break them up, but they are really only more cemented together.

Sexytimes are more tender than passionate, but are fully enjoyable. I really adored this one, and with the little mini-Valentine's theme it's great book to pick up in January.

This was... fine? It follows many tried and true formulas of romcoms with several fun tropes that I always enjoy. But as a whole, it misses the mark. The biggest reason for this, I'd say, is just that Teddy -the MC - is not all that likeable. He's whiny, judgy, and causes about 90% of the conflict in the book simply by not listening to people and living in his own little world. The LI Romeo is lovely and sweet, but I couldn't even root for them to get together because Teddy was just.... so unlikeable.

There's a lot of suspending your disbelief that has to go on to believe the eccentric rich lady sends these two on adventures for the fun of it and they fall absolutely in eternal love within three days, which.... okay? I'm happy to suspend my disbelief for the sake of cute or fun plots normally, but I just can't really do that. I'm giving it three stars because the individual scenes I liked were really enjoyable and I think that this had a lot of great potential to be a very fun, goofy premise. It just needed better characters to be executed properly.

The premise of this book - not according to the blurb, which was rather misleading - is that the main character is a judgemental asshole who assumes everyone else is This or That, based on absurd info he collects by... not talking to the people he judges, but just making observations. I'm too old and too tired to be reading about someone like that. If I wanted that, I could have talked with some kindergarteners, though they would probably be kinder to one another.

This was such a fun read!

From the synopsis I thought this book sounded cute and entertaining and I'm so glad it lived up to my expectations! Teddy and Romeo are adorable characters and seeing them get together was sweet. This also featured one of my favorite plot devices, characters having to share a bed. It's just a fun thing and really helped Teddy and Romeo get closer.

Teddy and Romeo are pretty opposite, Teddy is all about fashion and a great people person while Romeo is smart and shy. I thought they meshed together well once they got to know each other and they made a good team. The tests they went through to win over a potential client were hilarious and even if they didn't necessarily complete the tests, it was entertaining to see them try.

The story doesn't have much drama and I thought it could have used a bit more to spice up the plot. I did like that there weren't misunderstandings or breakups though and had a good time reading this!

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Teddy Spencer Isn't Looking for Love is the newest book in the Carina Adores division from Carina/Harlequin - contemporary LGBTQ+ books with romance and a HEA.

I've read both previous books from this author and also other books within the line, and I have to say that this was a bit of a let down? I love Kim Fielding, but it's been a while since I read her stories. But the entire concept of a smart-vase, followed by the "quests" given by the eccentric millionaire backer, just seemed so...random? And had I been in Teddy's position, I would have been calling HR on day one LOL

I wish we had gotten something from Romeo's POV. Teddy came across as too-quick-to-judge and I would have loved to have known what Romeo was going through and thinking leading up to this. I loved him, much more than Teddy, to be honest.

There is also an element of insta-love in this, which....look, I can buy into insta-love when there are paranormal or sci-fi elements, but not when it's a regular world contemporary romance. It just doesn't work for me. It's a quick read, but with a kinda weird premise, a lot of HR nightmares lol, and a quick, very tame romance, this one kinda left me wanting.

2.5 stars rounded up.

As a lifelong (rabid) avid reader, I know pretty quickly when a book is going to do it for me. It's mostly that indefinable quality of "can't-put-it-downness" (good or bad) or at the very least the book stays on my mind and it's an inevitable conclusion that I Will Finish This Book, as God is My Witness.

Others are ... more difficult. If I set a book down, and don't pick it up again with a day or so, and it doesn't call to me to finish it, it's work to finish it rather than a pleasure and a joy.

"Teddy Spencer Isn't Looking for Love" was work. The plot was marginally interesting to me, but the company and the product (Smart Vase?) seemed rather pointless, as well as the convoluted reasoning behind the potential investor wanting to see if these two men had the right "chemistry" to work together. Although I generally like the "enemies to lovers" trope, the plot works too hard to bring the two MCs together ... and it doesn't really seem that they hated each other.

In my opinion, two of Kim Fielding's finest books are "The Tin Box" - which still haunts me - and "Rattlesnake." This book just did not grab my interest and it felt very disjointed. 2.5 stars, but as always, your results may vary.

An enemy to lovers book. Teddy is looking for love, but he's attracted to his coworker Romeo. Romeo is very laid back and quiet and he's attracted to Teddy also. The two are sent on a business trip to convince a client to accept their company. The two are forced to share a room and bed and they are dancing around one another. They put them through a series of test and they get to know each other.
They decided to pursue a relationship, but the client throws an ultimatum about their business relationship and they eventually get their happily ever after. Romeo is so sweet and very patient and the love he has for his family is what him so special. Teddy is outspoken and he brings Romeo out of his shell. Their book is sweet, funny, and romantic.

Teddy Spencer does indeed find love—or I should say love finds him. This story is based on one of my favorite tropes—enemies to lovers forced to share a hotel room with one bed. Teddy is an interesting character, haunted by his past relationship in which his lover was more concerned with how they looked in various settings for his social media postings than in knowing the real Teddy Spencer.

Teddy is a marketing expert for an inventive company that is designing a “smart” flower vase. He’s also a fabulous fashion guru who gets most of his finds at thrift shops, putting together a unique look. He’s friendly with all his coworkers, except Romeo Blue, who has his own actual office (four walls!) and is somewhat standoffish and antisocial. And Teddy is not-so-pleasantly surprised when he’s mandated to work with Romeo to bring their new smartvase to the marketing stage. Then the two are sent west to meet with a famous older fashion guru who finds the vase concept possibly worth financial backing.

The development of more than a nemesis relationship with Romeo starts on the plane as Teddy sees a side of Romeo he never expected: the man who is a nervous flyer and the sweet man who charms the cranky kids in the seat across from theirs. From there, he learns more about Romeo, who isn’t standoffish at all. He’s simply shy and tongue-tied. Later, in close quarters in a series of “contests” devised by the financial backer and in sharing a hotel room, Teddy slowly but surely he loses his heart. He may be losing his job as well if the trip isn’t successful, but by the end of the story, Romeo is all that matters to him and vice versa.

Kim Fielding sketches wonderful characters who become very real to me. These men are well-developed, charming, endearing, and in Romeo’s case, accompanied by strong family support. I enjoyed the pacing of the story, the slow revelation of each man’s past and the people who strongly influenced them. I loved Teddy’s style and artistic view of the world around him. Romeo was a sweetheart and was smart, handsome, and supportive. I wouldn’t mind meeting him in real life, for sure.

I wasn’t sold on the invention however, and the financial backer was a bit OTT, especially near the end of their trip when she had them running in circles and caused worry about their future. If I had one impossible wish it would be to move Teddy and Romeo to a different employment situation because I loved them and enjoyed their dynamic on the trip, but I didn’t enjoy their financier or her contest antics.

Thankfully, the story ending is sweet. Teddy Spencer may not have been looking for love—but he found it with a smart, loveable guy.