Member Reviews
Nell is having a really bad day - her boyfriend broke up with her, she went to a restaurant to be told its couple night, and she ended up yelling at the restaurant host with her rant going viral. Good news, a stranger invites her to sit with him and they have a great night that ends in a kiss. Bad new, fast forward a week and that handsome stranger is her new boss…
If you love small town, Southern charm, this book is for you. It has all of those cute Southern vibes, sprinkled with some laugh out loud moments. This is a cute slow-burn romance and if you are looking for a quick, easy read, look no further.
Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review!
Thank you NetGalley, author Anne Harper, and Entangled Publishing, LLC (Amara) for giving me a free E-Arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
4.5 stars
This was my first book by author Anne Harper and it will not be my last. This book starts out when Antonella “Nell” Bennett is dumped by her long time boyfriend on the most romantic holiday, Valentine's Day, she finds herself at a restaurant looking for a table, but they are all reserved for couples. After ranting at the server about men and the day she is having, a kind stranger, Quinn, asked if she would share a meal with him. After a very enjoyable meal as well as a heated kiss, they both part ways thinking they will never see each other again. The next day Nell finds her ranting has caused her to go viral. And if that is not enough, she finds out she has a new boss and it is none other than the man she shared a wonderful meal and kiss with. Upon meeting Nell at the workplace, Quinn is nothing but professional and distant! What happens after hours stays after hours or does it?
This book was such a quick and lighthearted read. This book has one of my favorite troupes- Grumpy/sunshine characters. Nell was such a great character and well matched with Quinn. I loved how much she loved not only her job and community, but also her family. Nell's family were characters all on their own. There were so many strong personalities among the siblings as well as a sense of protectiveness and loyalty. She had so many crazy situations happen to her that had me laughing-out-loud. I also loved how quick witted and clever she was in order to help the people around her.
Quinn had such grumpy outer shell, but had a gooey inter shell that I could not help liking him. He became so caring and protective of Nell even though he really did not want to be involved with her due to past experiences. There were not an overly amount of romantic senses within the story, but the chemistry and longing were well developed on both sides. The ending left me highly satisfied and giddy! Overall, I highly recommend this book if you are looking for a great rom-com office romance!
Like a Boss by Anne Harper (Accidentally Viral #2)
I loved Anne Harper’s first book (Fake It Till You Make It), so I had high hopes for this one. While I still enjoyed it, it fell a little bit flat for me. This story felt like it tried to do a lot, but it did all of them half way.
Nell has just broken up with her boyfriend and lost her purse. She is filmed by two teenagers in a restaurant yelling at the host. Quinn is also at the restaurant, and invites her to share the Valentine’s day special with her since they are both alone and it is cheaper to order as a couple. At the end of the meal, they take a picture for the wall of couples, share a kiss, and then he leaves without asking for her number or anything. Nell shows up to work on Monday, and he is her new boss.
There are lots of shenanigans throughout this book which were a nice touch. I appreciated the little bit of humor it added to the story. However, this book tried to be about the video of her going viral, a single dad, an age gap, and a workplace romance. Other than the workplace romance, it felt like everything else was just thrown in to be able to say this book has that trope. The age difference is 10 years but is only mentioned twice and is not a big deal to the story. His son is sweet, but we barely hear anything about him until 40% into the book, and then only for a little bit. While I enjoyed these aspects of the story, I wanted more.
3 stars
I received this book for free in return for an honest review.
I have not read the first book in this series but I was able to read this book as a standalone.
I don't typically read work/office romance books but this was cute and fun. The romance is definitely a slow burn, not as slow as Something To Talk About, but their tension and chemistry certainly simmers for awhile. I enjoyed their dynamic and was happy when they finally got together.
I think the standout character is Nell. I was able to sympathize with her and her character arc the most out of all the characters.
The situations were a quirky fun (I expect nothing less from romcoms!) so I was happy that this delivered on that front. The opening scene draws the reader in and I just had to know what happened next.
If you're looking for an office romance, slow burn or quirky romcom this fits the bill.
Thank you Entangled Publishing and NetGalley for the arc. This in no way effected my opinions or review.
The cover grabbed me.
The story is a fun rom-com, office romance.
The characters are hilarious.
The scraps they get into are laugh out loud.
I hadn't read the first in the series but have bought it and can't wait to read it!
More please!!!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This book was adorable and funny. I loved the family dynamic as well as the romance. The small town drama added to the story without taking away. I also loved some of the conversations that were had about love and finding your “one”.
Synopsis: Antonella “Nell” Bennett is having the worst day of her life. Long-term boyfriend broke up with her? Check. Drove through the pouring rain to a small roadside restaurant, only to be told all the tables were reserved for “Couples Night”? Check. Definitely no longer one half of a couple? Check.
So maybe she got a little heated with the restaurant’s host, and maybe her voice carried a bit as she lamented—loudly—that she’s never anyone’s “plus-one.” At least an attractive stranger comes to her rescue, inviting her to be seated with him, and when it turns out to be one of the best nights she’s had in a while, even ending in an innocent kiss that becomes anything but? Check please.
Fast forward a week, and Nell’s rant has gone viral. Sure, her tiny hometown of Arbor Bay is collectively buzzing over their latest Internet celebrity, but Nell’s no stranger to attention. Drama seems to follow her whether she likes it or not. But even she never expected to show up to work only to discover her brand-new boss is a very familiar face…
The characters in this book are hilarious and they've definitely nailed the "you live in a small town" vibe of hijinks and being neighborly. If you like Virgin River or Hart of Dixie this book is perfect for you. I love a grouchy guy who gets turned around with a new attitude. I really enjoyed this book despite not reading the previous in a series, so you can take the standalone at its word. I did feel like with didn't get a full assessment of who our main characters and I wish they were a bit more fleshed out in this book. This book is not closed door but maybe door ajar so it a good entry for those just getting into romance.
I love a good office romance! The main characters were so likeable and I loved the love story. I highly recommend if you are in a reading slump!
A huge thank you NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Actual rating: 3.5 ⭐️
This book starts off with Nell who on Valentine’s Day causes a scene in a restaurant over the fact that she just broken up with her long-term boyfriend and doesn’t have a date and is miraculously saved by the “arresting” Quinn. They share a date and an unexpected kiss afterwards. Still sad about parting ways, they cross paths again the next day only for Nell to find out that her new boss is none other than Quinn.
The romance in this book was super cute! I loved the friends to lovers, opposites attract, office romance between them! Given that Nell is a loud, ball of sunshine heroine and Quinn is a grumpy, serious hero who takes his work ethics very seriously. Though I was surprised to see that he was a single dad since I was an absolute sucker for those! The build up was angsty and investing but did little pay off with the minimal steam (they got interrupted once and never went back to finish the job later on 🥲). Towards the end, the conflict felt flat and the grand gesture scene was underwhelming.
I flew through this mostly because the writing was easy to get into but also not as captivating. There wasn’t anything super special about the story for me but I still quite enjoyed it! The characters were fun at a certain extent but it did feel dragging at times.
I also really love how the “going viral” concept was used in this book and series because it added that uniqueness anf fun to it!
Overall, this was a fun, swoony and entertaining! And I recommend if you’re just looking for a quick read!
This was a cute romantic comedy! I loved how Quinn was uber serious to Nell's loudness! The tiny town of Arbor Bay sounds hilarious and picturesque, and quite honestly like a show that would be on Netflix. The characters are cute and funny, I did feel like the ending was hurried and rushed, almost as if the author was just done with writing??? I really enjoyed the Mrs.McMurray lady--- she was a hoot!
Thank you so much to Entangled Amara and Netgalley for letting me read Like a Boss early! I loved the other book I read by Anne Harper, so I was really excited about reading Like a Boss and I definitely wasn't disappointed!
Like a Boss 4/5 Stars
Summary from Goodreads:
Antonella “Nell” Bennett is having the worst day of her life.
Long-term boyfriend broke up with her? Check.
Drove through the pouring rain to a small roadside restaurant, only to be told all the tables were reserved for “Couples Night”? Check.
Definitely no longer one half of a couple? Check.
So maybe she got a little heated with the restaurant’s host, and maybe her voice carried a bit as she lamented—loudly—that she’s never anyone’s “plus-one.” At least an attractive stranger comes to her rescue, inviting her to be seated with him, and when it turns out to be one of the best nights she’s had in a while, even ending in an innocent kiss that becomes anything but? Check please.
Fast forward a week, and Nell’s rant has gone viral. Sure, her tiny hometown of Arbor Bay is collectively buzzing over their latest Internet celebrity, but Nell’s no stranger to attention. Drama seems to follow her whether she likes it or not.
But even she never expected to show up to work only to discover her brand-new boss is a very familiar face…
Like a Boss was super cute. I really liked Nell and Owen as characters and the whole town of Arbor Bay was adorable. I loved how much of a sense of community there was in the town and how everyone knew everyone, although there was the small downside of everyone being in everyone else's business haha. I thought the storyline was really adorable and it was definitely a fun, quick read! Definitely grab Like a Boss when it comes out on April 19!
This was a decent rom-com book. While this is the second book in a series, I did not know that when I started and felt the story worked well as a standalone.
The tone of the book overall is light. I enjoyed the grumpy/ sunshine trope that Quinn and Nell had throughout the book, and there is also a bit of a forced proximity trope due to the small town setting and the fact that Quinn and Nell unexpectedly become boss and employee.
I thought the opening of the book was very funny! I loved Nell ranting in a restaurant on Valentine's Day about being dumped and how that evolved in to a meet-cute with Quinn. Overall, I liked both of the main characters. They both had good development throughout the story and were enjoyable to read. There were some great scenes that lead to an almost slapstick feel of the story.
That being said, I did not rate this book higher because I felt like the pace was really off. There were certain things that were brought up , like how important Nell felt her first meeting to Owen was, that were then completely glossed over. There were also some parts that felt really drawn out, while the ending seemed completely rushed to me. I wanted to hear more about Nell and Quinn once he was finally settled and they were really together! I did not get much of a taste of their HEA, and found that disappointing. Also, the fact that the one truly steamy scene was basically cut off right at the (for lack of a better word) climax, and then never picked up again? Disappointing.
So, this was a quick read, had some funny parts and decent characters, but did not pace itself well and felt like a bit of a tease.
Nell Bennett finds herself a viral internet sensation after a post breakup speech she gives in a.restaurant on Valentine's Day is recorded without her knowing. Suddenly everyone in her small town is either talking about her or trying to date her. After her speech, she shares dinner with Quinn, a stranger she meets in the restaurant. They also share a kiss. Normally this would be the start of an easy open and shut HEA. Only problem is Quinn is her new boss.
All of this is the perfect set up for a cute and cozy workplace romance. Only problem is I could not to save my life get into this story! I tried. I put it down awhile and tried again. Maybe its me, I'm not sure. I hate leaving anything but good reviews but in this instance I just couldn't get into it. The drama that unfolds is so over the top sometimes that I just couldn't understand why it was happening. Family members of Nell seemed very one dimensional and also acted in ways that most normal people just wouldn't. I almost got the feeling that the author was trying so hard to make this a romantic comedy of sorts and the scenes were created with humor in mind. However, they are so over the top it falls flat. Again, please understand this could just be a one off for me. I'm a devoted women's fiction and romance reader so this is normally right up my alley. I just couldn't connect with this one.
Two stars because some parts were sweet and honestly the author seems like a great writer, I just couldn't connect with Quinn and Nell. I would try some of her other works however because I definitely see potential.
Thank you to NetGalley, Anne Harper, and Entangled Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Learning to love with everybody watching!
Antonella “Nell” Bennett knew that she should have saved her rant for later after getting dumped by her long-term boyfriend but her rant about everything being for couples at the restaurant went viral on social media. But Nell admitted that everything was better when a guy offered to share his table resulting in a not-so-innocent kiss with a cute stranger.
Nell found out the cute stranger was her new boss Quinn Hannigan who had come from the city and he didn’t socialize with his coworkers but then she had to teach him all about living in the small town of Arbor Bay.
I loved Nell and her very loud and energetic family, Quinn learning that everybody in town knew your business and standing up for what is right!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Really liked this series. Anne Harper is a new author to me. I’ve read the first book. Really enjoyed this book.
This book is not the type of book I would normally pick up based on the cover, but I am glad I had the opportunity to read it, because the saying, "Don't judge a book by its cover" really rang true here. Enemies-to-Lovers tropes (sort of), strong women, strong family ties, and small town drama all come together for a cute read that you can get through without feeling like it is dragging.
Nell is a character you want to root for, Quinn is someone where you shake your head & yell at to figure out his feelings, and you can laugh at all of the small town quirks - especially if you have ever grown up in that environment. The differences in understanding technology, the idea of "going viral" that is so common now these days, and the rant Nell gives can really speak to anyone who has grown up in the technology era & embraced it (unlike Quinn!). There was never a moment in this book where I was concerned about the outcome, so depending on how much anxiety/high stress you like your books to be, this may be perfect for you.
Apparently there is another book in this world but there is no need to read that one in order to read this - as far as I can tell they are not interconnected enough that it is detrimental to your understanding of the book/characters. Overall I give this book a 3.5/5 - It is a very cute romance with a fulfilling ending, which is all you can ask for in a nice book like this.
Fun, quirky, witty, and charming. This was a solid rom com read for me. A slow burn romance that had good pacing and a satisfying conclusion.
3.5 stars
This was a fun and bubbly office romance/ slow burn romance in one. Antonella was cute and funny and made me smile and cheer for her. Nell was an adorable grump, and he was the perfect match for Nell.
If you like rom-coms this is the perfect book for you.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Antonella “Nell” is not having a good day and this leads to her venting all her anger at the host in a bar/restaurant. Unluckily her rant is recorded and later goes viral, but she also meets Quinn at the restaurant with whom she spends a memorable evening thinking they will never see each other again. And as luck would have it, they do meet, he is her new boss.
I found Like a boss to be a cute and funny read. I really liked Nell as a cute, quirky, bubbly character, a complete opposite of Quinn. I also enjoyed the push and pull between them.
Like a boss is a cute, funny book that left me with a smile.
2 1/2, elevated to 3.
I didn't read book 1 in the series and it didn't affect the reading of this one.
The story centers around Nell, who goes viral when someone records her ranting on Valentine's Day at her restaurant and posts it online. On that day, in the restaurant, she meets Quinn and they share a kiss, but they don't even exchange information.
A couple of weeks later, they find out Quinn is Nell's new boss. Although they fight their attraction, the more time they spend together, the closer they get.
I liked how Quinn is such a good father.
Small town life and nosy neighbors interfere at every point, as do Quinn and Nell's past, professional lives, and family situation, but, in the end, they find a way to be together.
I received a copy from NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.