This book really needs to come with content warnings. I found the harassment very difficult to stomach. There's no hint of this harassment in the blurb. All round I found the blurb rather misleading in terms of the tone of the book.

Work place romance elevated! And its finally available to all.

Thank you @harlequinbooks for the advanced ecopy of this masterpiece.

This was a perfect book to get lost in. There is an amazing balance if real life people and a whole Lotta loving.

This is a dual POV. These scenes are not suitable to those with sensitive eyes..... if you know what I mean. There's a whole lot of steam!

I genuinely did not know how to start this review, to be honest. I’d heard so many things going into it, I was fully expecting to absolutely love this book and much to my dismay…I did not.

First of all, the blurb and the cover do this book no favors. Both give off a lighthearted rom-com vibe but there is a whole heck of a lot of issues addressed in this book that could trigger a lot of people. I’m going to break this review down to the necessary content warnings and deal with each of the topics separately.

Parental Death/Illness
Honestly, this was the toughest part of the book for me, for purely personal reasons and maybe also the part that worked the best. Hero Wesley is reeling from the recent death of his mother due to ovarian cancer. Having put his professional and personal life on hold for two years to become her primary caretaker, he is finally ready to reengage in his own life. His grief is addressed really well – there are signs in the book that he is dealing with depression though the book never comes out and directly states it. He has lost contact with his friends and continuously blows them and his twin sister off. Having reentered the work force by way of a delayed internship, he’s further thrown off by his new boss, the seemingly cold and aloof Corrine. Things between them get off to a very shaky start and only begin to thaw when Wes learns that Corrine’s mother has recently been diagnosed with the same type of cancer his mother had. Honestly, it’s heartbreaking and these scenes were painful and wrecked me and if you are someone who has lost a parent or is dealing with a seriously ill parent, I strongly urge you to approach this book with caution.

Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
And now the biggie. The one that really made this book fall apart for me. Corrine is an executive at a marketing firm, a workaholic, dedicated to her career, and the only woman in the executive suite of her company. She’s already gotten a reputation for being “difficult” and “bitchy” and her previous intern started a false rumor about them sleeping together. Added to that, her boss Richard overtly makes unwanted advances towards her making it clear that if she wants the promotion he’s dangling under her nose, she’s going to have to earn it on her back or on her knees. It’s written really well and realistically because corporate culture has shown us time and again how women are really treated in the workplace. Corrine and Wes, as I said before, get off to a very shaky start (she overhears him inappropriately laughing when another intern refers to her with a very derogatory term). But what really poses a bigger problem for me is that here is Corrine, a woman who is systematically harassed and bullied by her male coworkers and she decides to embark on an affair with her intern?!

I appreciate the efforts the book makes to address consent. But I’ve never been truly sold on the idea of a workplace romance trope especially between a boss and an employee because of the inherent power imbalances found within. And here, with a woman being sexually harassed by her own boss and then turning around to engage in a secret affair with her intern, the squick factor is not one I can overcome and in certain instances, it feels like it’s not one that Corrine herself can overcome either.

The two start their secret affair with a negotiation of terms which specifically states that they will keep their relationship and work life separate. So it’s mind-boggling to me that Corrine, who is so dedicated to her career, would behave with such reckless disregard not once but twice, and engage in sex with Wes in her office. The first time it happens leaves her horrified but the second time it happens has real ramifications that lead to a true and much needed reckoning for both of them.

Ultimately, I think my problem lies with the inconsistencies found in the character of Corrine. I was all set to love her based on the blurb. A cold, aloof, problematic heroine is kind of my catnip. However, actions speak louder and a lot of the things that Corrine does in this book are wholly inconsistent with how she’s described. I think this book would’ve worked better for me if there wasn’t such a power imbalance between Wes and Corrine, if they were somehow on an even playing field where their profession was concerned. I know a lot of people loved this book and thought the sex scenes were hot (they were hot and plentiful). But, it pains me to say this, it felt like a lot of times, Wes and especially Corrine, tried to use sex to avoid their real issues.

I would add that despite my issues with this book, I did appreciate the quality of Ruby Barrett’s writing. Perhaps this really does boil down to my inherent dislike of the boss/employee trope in which case, this is clearly a matter of “it’s not you, it’s me” and as always, your mileage may vary.

I hoped to enjoy this book, but I didn't. There are quite a few problematic parts in this story. Sexual harassment in the workplace goes both ways. The power dynamic of the female lead being very sexually inappropriate with her male intern while at work was a real problem for me. Equality in the workplace is about EVERYONE being safe and respected. Both male and female. Flipping the script here with a woman in power doesn't make it acceptable and certainty makes it hard to read in a romantic context.

Review ⭐️⭐️💫 Hot Copy by Ruby Barrett
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Office romances are not my favourite, the power imbalance between the main characters makes me uncomfortable, and this one is between an intern and a high level department manager. I am very glad that we get conversation about consent, and there's a real effort by both of them to make sure the other is comfortable. However, Wesley's status as Corinne's subaltern is often thrown in his face - during sex. One time after having sex in her office she even used the words "You're dismissed", and this was not said as a joke. I did love that both of them lost their jobs, its realistic, and frankly what they both deserved. While their office affair was going on, there was also a sexual harassment plot about her boss making unwanted advances, and I did really like that aspect of the book, how honest and raw it felt to have a women feel and live these issues. Nonetheless, when matched with an office affair, it made me feel uneasy. I believed in the lust they had for one another, but love? I believe Wesley was infatuated with his boss, the taboo and secretive aspect playing big role in it. But, I didn't believe the love, especially Corinne's. The writing style was strong and has a lot of potential, but this was just not my cup of tea.
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Steam Level | Lots of descriptive sex scenes, power play.
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I want to thank NetGalley and Harlequin for gifting me an E-ARC of this book. As always all thoughts and opinions are honest and my own.
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Despite knowing this novel featured a role reversal of sorts - she's the boss; he's the intern - I still found the set-up surprising and strangely fascinating. It takes just a bit to get yourself in the headspace of a man somewhat at the mercy of his stone cold, female boss; I think the author does a terrific job setting up the power dynamics via his and her PoV's. It's nicely done.

The story kicks off on day one of Wesley Chambers internship with Corinne Blunt at a marketing firm. He's feeling fortunate that Richard, a close friend of his somewhat estranged father (whom he dislikes (he abandoned Wesley's mother when she got sick)) was willing to offer him the plum internship at his firm despite the fact he's been out of school for two years. Wesley spent the last two years nursing his ailing mother before her death from ovarian cancer. He’s devastated by the loss of his mother and still hasn't fully recovered from it. <b>[Reader, this is also a bit of a change from your usual stoic male who won't/can't admit he's hurting/sad/miserable. Wesley doesn't hide his feelings]. </b>

Speaking of hiding your feelings...Corinne has spent the past few years working her way up the corporate ladder. Her time has been similarly arduous - working harder and longer than most of the men in her office, ignoring the casual misogyny of her fellow employees and the senior staff, and the not so subtle sexual harassment of her former mentor/boss. These two are both emotionally vulnerable/putting on brave facades/hopeful as they approach their first work day together, but things don't quite go as expected.

When Wesley steps into the elevator on the way to his first day interning for Corinne Blunt, he’s looking forward to working for a woman who’s forging a new path in digital marketing. She has a reputation for excellence and he’s thrilled to have the opportunity to work for her. But his peaceful ride is interrupted by another intern who introduces himself and then immediately begins oversharing about the office staff and Corinne in particular. By the time they arrive on their floor, Wesley is eager to escape him and he nearly does - but not before the intern reveals the office nickname for Corinne - “Blunt the Cunt.” Wesley isn’t sure how to react and only manages to choke out a pained laugh (his default reaction to things that make him uncomfortable), instead of the set down the intern deserves.

Things go from bad to worse when he arrives at the office and discovers the woman who exited the elevator car shortly before him is his new mentor/boss Corinne. And she definitely heard the nickname and his reaction. She’s unfriendly - hostile even - and immediately sets out to put him in his place as her assistant/errand runner.

Corinne heard great things about Wesley and was hoping for a productive working relationship with her new intern. But after he laughed at the offensive nickname another intern shared with him, she concludes he isn’t worth her time or attention. Instead of mentoring him, she gives him shit work and errands to run. Ahem.

Obviously Wesley and Corinne get off to a rough start. But here’s where this story starts to fall apart. Corinne is supposed to be the consummate professional, ice cold, and aloof. She isn’t. She’s petty and rude and even when Wesley attempts to do the grown up thing and apologize, she ignores him. Then she starts lusting after him. And even though she treats him like total dogshit, he starts lusting after her, too.

Meanwhile, the office is a cesspool of misogyny, toxic masculinity, and Corinne’s mentor (Richard!) is a lecherous slimeball who constantly makes Corinne uncomfortable with touches and comments that are completely inappropriate. She doesn’t report him - or Mark (the offensive and inappropriate intern), because she wants to do her job and prove she deserves to rise within the organization based on her business acumen. Good for you Corinne...but that’s total bullshit and belies what we’re supposed to believe about your character - badass in the boardroom with a take no prisoners style of getting shit done, <b>and</b> that’s before Corinne decides to embark on an ill advised, secret affair with Wesley.

Friends, I love a good enemy to lovers story. This isn’t it. From the very beginning, Corinne is in the power position in this relationship, and she doesn’t hesitate to abuse that position right away. She pulls Wesley in and then pushes him away, and when he’s hurt by her behavior she uses sex as a weapon and tool for forgiveness. He’s constantly second-guessing how and why he’s at fault or trying to have sexy-times with her in the office after she’s asked him not to, and these two never seem to work as a couple except when they’re having sex. Sex with very little intimacy and lots of orgasms. They hook up, they part on bad terms, they kiss in the office (FFS), they make up, they break up, he tries to be there for her when her personal life falls apart, she tells him to go away, he comes back, she pushes him away...ad nauseum.

The author takes an intriguing premise and then overly commits to the characters we meet in the initial elevator ride. Brittle, tough Corinne is unwilling to show any weakness, but it blinds her to the kindness and goodness Wesley constantly offers her, and permits her to rebuff him at the least sign of vulnerability. She lacks self-awareness and is selfish and even when her personal life is imploding, she pushes away the one person willing to help. Wesley is the opposite. He gives and gives to Corinne and never seems to need or want the same. Meanwhile, he's so wholly focused on her and her needs, he's a dick to his twin sister, former best friend...and well, he simply ignores his own life in favor of supporting Corinne through hers. He's like that girlfriend you had in high school that gets a boyfriend, drops you like a hot potato, and then wants everything to go back to normal if/when the relationship ends. He just seemed kind of pathetic more than anything else. Sorry. He did.

The premise is compelling; the execution is a total disappointment.

Thanks to Harlequin books & Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided my own.

Ruby Barrett’s Hot Copy is spicy w/ several H O T scenes & feels modern & innovative in some big ways; it didn’t make me swoon as much as I hoped but it leaves me wanting more from the author.

On his first day as a marketing intern Wesley Chambers hears a coworker refer to his female boss as a c**t & awkwardly laughs in response before telling the guy he shouldn’t “say that word.”

His boss, a powerhouse named Corinne Blunt, overhears his laugh & this, coupled w/ previous negative experiences w/ men in the workplace, makes her give Wes annoying, time-sucking tasks to complete instead of the digital marketing jobs he hoped for.

But after Wes helps Corinne face challenges when he doesn’t *have* to, she realizes she might have misunderstood what happened. This is both bad & good b/c Wesley is described as a hot nerd & now she can see what a big heart he has...but she’s also his boss.

Hot Copy tries to tackle some big topics & it succeeds in some ways but falls a bit short in others. The exploration of grief is touching, as is the fact that it’s a way for them to connect. Beta hero Wesley is stunningly portrayed; I love his uncertainty, sensitivity, & desire to nurture.

I’m less enthusiastic about the portrayal of Corinne. On one hand I love her complexity—she’s smart, hardworking, & keenly aware of the power imbalance between herself & Wesley in the workplace & how that affects their personal relationship.

On the other, I grew frustrated w/ her prickliness bc it’s so pervasive. Corinne’s frequently rude to even her close friend & I was frustrated by how she responds to the crisis moment w/ Wes. She consistently comes across as inflexible & I would have loved to have seen her taking more emotional initiative w/ Wes throughout the book.

I’m all here for an adorkable beta hero w/ a novelty sock collection & a kicking ass, taking names heroine who’s soft w/ people she trusts. But I did want more emotional nuance in regards to the latter in Hot Copy.

​3.5 ⭐️. Hot Copy is out today!

​CW:

​sexual harassment; cancer & death of a parent (in past)

Wesley Chambers is starting an internship at a fabulous PR firm in Boston, but he's starting two years late. After interviewing the first time around, his mom got sick with ovarian cancer, and he's only returning to this now after her death. He's reassigned from family friend and executive Richard (a truly gross, awful character) to Corinne Blunt. Riding the elevator on his first day, he's stuck with another new intern who tells him that his mentor has a reputation for being a hardass, earning her the nickname "Blunt the c**t." Wesley sputters and asks the other guy not to use that word, but Corinne, who is OF COURSE in the elevator with them, thinks he's laughing along with the joke, and proceeds to punish him with menial duties for weeks. They have a moment of connection after a company softball team practice, which lead them into a pretty intense and very steamy affair. At the same time, Wesley is still trying to process his grief, and Corinne has just learned that her own mom has been diagnosed with ovarian cancer - something they can bond over but that Corinne uses sex to try to forget. I'm usually weirded out by boss-employee relationships, but I think it's handled pretty well here. For one thing, there is a lot of discussion and frequent confirmation of consent, with Corinne frequently making sure that Wesley doesn't feel taken advantage of. This is also all happening at the same time when gross Richard, Corinne's superior and former mentor, is hitting on Corinne constantly and in increasingly inappropriate ways. The comparison of the two relationships naturally makes the boss-employee element of Corinne and Wesley a little more palatable, as does the shared connection of their mothers' illnesses. I would definitely read more from Barrett!

Uncomfortable. The power dynamics in this made me very uncomfortable. While this started off with a lot of potential - the writing is solid, the characters are interesting, and the hate to love office dynamic is one that I can't get enough of - it wasn't long before red flags started popping up. And then it just devolved into a LOT of inappropriate steam that made me feel dirty. I felt bad for this hero. He is such a sweet, cinnamon roll of a man, but this heroine... whew, she literally dismisses him after sex, makes him feel used again and again, and breaks his heart at every turn. I really don't understand how we're supposed to root for these two. Pair that with the focus on sexual harassment - while the heroine is borderline sexually harassing her intern - and... this just wasn't a fulfilling romance.

The story follows Wesley, a 25-year-old just starting out at a new internship. While he was looking forward to working with his new boss, their relationship starts off on the wrong foot when Corrine overhears him (awkwardly) laughing at an inappropriate comment about her. Corrine (30) is a workaholic who deals with small - and not-so-small - acts of sexual harassment against her on a daily basis. She has accepted it as part of her job, but doesn't want to hear it from an employee. So, Corrine does everything she can to make Wesley's job miserable. But once Corrine begins to realize what a good guy Wesley is, their relationship shifts... and it's not long before she's doing some inappropriate things in the workplace herself.

I started off enjoying this, and there were several moments throughout that pulled me back in. Wesley is a great guy, and I loved the opposites attract relationship. There was some serious potential for him to soften Corrine's edges, and there are a few scenes that started to go there. But then Corrine would do something that made me uncomfortable again. It's a very sex-focused relationship that accelerates abruptly - and at the worst times. There'd be a scene of Corrine being sexually harassed by her boss, and then suddenly she'd be demanding that Wesley (her employee) make her forget with sex. Which... yeah. Don't know what to say about that. Maybe if Wesley didn't seem so desperate for approval, it wouldn't have been so cringey. But he asks for validation of his (sexual) performance, makes pleas for more than sex, and gets disappointed or dismissed at every turn. It just didn't sit right. So every time I started to get invested in the book again, something else would make me uncomfortable. I appreciate what the author was going for here, but I can't say that it was successful. I received an early copy and am voluntarily leaving a review of this steamy office romance.

I love a good office romance and Ruby Barrett's teasers from this book had me hyped to read Hot Copy. It ended up being a really great debut and possibly one of the most realistic office romances I've read. I found it to be emotional, tense, and achingly romantic.

Hot Copy tells the story of Wes and Corrine, two characters dealing with a lot of grief in their own ways. I've said this before but I have a soft spot for characters who have an icy exterior, particularly when they are the protagonists. Corrine here certainly has a hard shell and is, at times, a tough nut to crack. She has this reputation at her office of being unapproachable and has even been given a crude and really gross nickname behind her back just because she is assertive. So obviously, I found Corrine to be endearing. One of my favorite parts about Hot Copy was watching her open up about her feelings and her vulnerabilities. And she grows a lot! She maintains her values and doesn't abide by anybody else's nonsense, but she learns to open up about herself to the right person. That right person happens to be her new intern, Wesley. Oh, how I adored this soft, cinnamon roll boy. Wes has this gentle energy to him that instantly made him likable. He is still reeling from the passing of his mother and is still dealing with that grief. You kind of just want to give the man a hug and tell him that everything will be alright. The way he treats Corrine with nothing but respect despite knowing her reputation makes him ridiculously attractive.

While I think most readers will have no issue with Corrine and Wes as characters, I do think that their romance might not be for everyone given the power dynamic of a boss and her intern. I personally thought that the author challenges that power dynamic in the text well, but I can see that others' opinions might differ. The romance worked for me because both Corrine and Wes acknowledge that what they are doing is questionable and won't be viewed kindly by others. Yet they can't entirely resist the connection that they obviously share with each other. It definitely starts off sexual in nature but evolves into something much deeper. It's really a story of two people finding peace and comfort with each other in the midst of grappling with their grief. It's a sweet, very steamy, and sometimes angsty romance that clicked with me. I believed in them as a couple and though they had a lot to overcome, I knew they would eventually get there.

If you like your romance books with a bit of a sad tone to them (don't worry there's a HEA), you'll like Hot Copy a lot. It reminded me a lot of the 2012s-2015s contemporary romance novels with its style and I've been really missing that so Hot Copy ended up hitting all the right notes for me. Ruby Barrett is a fantastic writer and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.


CWs: death of a parent, cancer diagnosis, workplace sexual harassment

This book was a fun, steamy, workplace romance! It's a quick, feel-good read and was the perfect book to wrap up my March reading last month.

It's mostly a flirty, light read, but the book also touches on some heavier issues, such as sexism and harassment in the workplace, the death of a loved one, and a life-changing diagnosis.

Barrett does an excellent job blending the romance with the harder topics. I enjoyed the fact that main characters Corinne and Wesley had to work at their relationship. They were both a little unsure and vulnerable and had to see if their secret romance could stand the test of real life.

This one also got me in the feels because my husband and I met at work 11 years ago! It brought back so many fun memories.

I'll be recommending this one to all my friends who like their romances mixed with honest, tough questions about life and how to make a relationship work against the odds.

I really loved this book. The characters felt so real, their flaws and their hearts and their love. I loved how complex both characters were and how realistic the relationship was portrayed.

Hot Copy is a very steamy workplace romance between executive Corrine Blunt and her intern Wesley Chambers. What begins as an antagonistic relationship, turns into a secret love affair. But will Wes and Corrine be able to overcome all of the secrets and hurt and make things work?

I am glad that there’s a content warning that goes along with this book, as there is some workplace sexual harassment that was very intense, and the book also deals with some very heavy themes.

It’s official! I have a new favorite romance trope and it’s hot office romance. Bring on the steamy desk scenes and buttons popping!

Wesley was such a hot and loveable character, and at first I wasn’t sure that he would be able to pull it off against his new boss, the ice cold-hearted Corinne Blunt, but the combo of personalities totally worked.

As the layers peel back for each character, so much more to them is discovered as they lay their emotions out on display and reveal that they have family illness in common, leaning on one another for support.

I can’t wait to read more by author Barrett!

*many thanks to Carina Press/HQN for the gifted copy

A sexy, engaging, unexpectedly emotional romance! There are a lot of pieces to this story and it speaks to Barrett’s skills as an author that she can wield them all so deftly. Hot Copy is a book that’s ultimately about relationships - romantic, familial, workplace - and also how showing real vulnerability isn’t a weakness. Corinne is a seemingly tough-as-nails MC whose icy exterior is guarding softer insides, and Wes proved to be the calm, patient foil that slowly weathered down her defenses. I appreciated that their romance wasn’t just about some illicit office affair and that the conflict partly came from how women are so often punished for professional misperceptions. The stakes felt real and genuine, and I’m always weak for a book when the love interest just comes over and takes care of chores around the house because they know their person needs that right now.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Does anybody have a glass of water? I need to pour it over my head after reading this book.

I guess I should have known when I picked up a romance novel with the word "hot" in the title, but this book is STEAMY. But it's also incredibly well-written...such a great debut from Ruby Barrett. I can't wait for more!

I loved the undeniable chemistry between Wes and Corinne, the complicated exploration of grief and love and letting go, the workplace harassment issues raised...but I will always be a little uncomfortable with this particular power dynamic, even when it's gender-swapped.

Included as a top pick in bimonthly April New Releases post, which highlights and promotes upcoming releases of the month (link attached)

Hot Copy is a steamy hot workplace romance. Corinne and Wes have off the charts chemistry but struggle with if they should act on it or not since Corinne is Wes's boss. The tension between these two felt so realistic and I loved seeing them work out their feelings for each other.

Wesley is also dealing with the grief of losing his mom. He is trying to restart his life after taking time off to care for her. Corinne is just beginning to face her mom's health crisis. Corinne and Wesley are able to connect on a deeper emotional level once they let their guards down and find strength in each other.

This book also deals with workplace harassment and attempted sexual assault. Corinne's boss has been making inappropriate advances and has been ramping up his harassment. Wesley always supports Corinne and makes it clear that this is unacceptable behavior.

Perfect for fans of Christina Lauren

Oh, how I wanted to love Corinne and Wesley's story, but in the end I only just liked it.

I am a fan of a strong, independant woman forging her way in her career, and taking down the mysoginists on the way, but there was something about Corinne that just irked me.

It was not the imbalance, though that is an issue whether it is the man or woman in the position of power. It was not her keeping things a dirty little secret. I just can't put my finger on what is was.

I was a bit confused by the inappropriate things that they did in the office, but then there was the complaining about inappropriate things in the office. Don't get me wrong, I abhor sexual harrassment in the workplace, or in any place, but don't go do things you did which are just as inappropriate - OK, rant over.

These might just be things that bothered me though, and others might not have that problem.

Hot Copy did have its cute and heartwarming moments, but overall the other stuff just took away from my being completely involved in the story

I really, really enjoyed this book. Corinne is a sad girl pretending to be a tough girl. She is a VP of marketing and is assigned a new intern, Wes. He is reentering the workforce after taking some time off due to caring for his dying mother.

They have a bad meet-cute and Corinne is mad and attempts to make Wes's work life hellish. It works for a bit and then they realize they like each other.

This is a grief story. They are both sad for lots of different reasons. And I loved it.

Wes is a complete softy who can get it in. Aka there is face-sitting in this book- you're welcome.

Wes is also working on repairing a broken friendship. Wes let his best friendship fade out while he was carrying for his dying mom. As he is slowly coming out of the fog of new grief, he decides maybe he can repair that relationship. I loved it.

Show me all the work that goes in to maintaining platonic and romantic relationship.

This book is high heat with several explicit sex scenes, I forgot how sexy carina allows their books to be.

CW: work place harassment, cancer, grief