Denise Williams is really just peak romance-writer. I truly enjoyed this novella - it was paced so well and the perfect bite-sized story to read on a crappy day.

This was a super cute novella by one of my favorite romance authors! I liked that the connection between Ollie and Bennett was established fairly well, even for a shorter story. It had charm, humor, and sweetness all throughout. Even though the story mostly took place in the same location, it didn't feel boring or repetitive. There were also some great side characters, which always makes a story better!

Denise Williams is always a treat, and everyone needs to read her! This is a sweet, light and lovely story and I'm looking forward to more!

The Love Connection is a fun, flirty airport romance between insurance risk accessor and romance novel writer Bennet and airport pet grooming business owner Olivia (Ollie). This novella is pretty fun. My only real complaint is that for the length of the story I had a really difficult time becoming invested in the characters. That being said, I think the length was perfect for a little romantic reading into my day. It took me a couple hours to read the entire novella and it kept me engaged the whole time.

The story is super cute and sweet. The meet cute and setting are unique and endearing. After catching a run away client of Olivia's, Bennett and Ollie begin an airport romance. Their dates mostly consist of time spent together while Bennett is on flight layover. There is some tension and even a little bit of a conflict that adds to the story over all. Overall, I think this was great toe dip of a romantic read in my otherwise busy day.

This was a super cute and quick read. Ollie owns a pet grooming service in the airport, and Bennett is a frequent flier passing through often for his day job as a risk assessor. Bennett is also a successful romance author on the side, and I'm a sucker for romance book references inside of romance books. Ollie and Bennett's meet cute in the airport was adorable. I loved the setting, and the terminal dates were cheesy in the best way. I wish this could have been a full length novel because I would love for more about Bennett's writing and Ollie's business expansion. I'm definitely looking forward to the rest of the novella series, because one was not enough!

I have really enjoyed Denise Williams' books so far and was excited to see that she is publishing three travel based novellas this year, this being the first. The story is about a woman who owns and runs a pet grooming business in a busy airport, and the handsome British romance novel author slash frequent flier for his day job, whom she officially meets when one of the dogs escapes the salon and he catches it for her. She has admired him from afar for a while and meeting her removes his writer's block, so they meet up again whenever he is in the terminal and eventually have some airport dates. But she has been burned by long distance before and he doesn't live there, just travels through. What to do?
i liked this one and thought that even in novella format, Williams is able to give readers a well paced and believable love story. I look forward to the next two!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free ARC, and my review is saved on my Instagram page in the story highlight called ARC Reviews.

This started off so choppy and the end felt so rushed, but as a novella, this was a good read. I wanted more of Bennett and Olivia. Their meetcute was one for the books, the chemistry was fun, and I enjoyed their love story. I did wish this was a novel rather than a novella because I didn’t feel like there was enough time with Bennett and Olivia. I feel like there was so much more to their story that didn’t get explored, but I am excited to read the next book in this series. Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for this ARC.

I really enjoyed this novella. I actually wish it was a lot longer. It's a cute story and the characters are interesting. I wish we got to know them more!

I've been a Denise Williams fan since her first book. ANd this Novella was so her and her voice... It was so cute.. Dogs and meet-cutes and the airport. I kind of wish it was a longer, full length novel. But i think this is just enough for someone new to WIlliams to really get into her voice and style... and then maybe you'll delve into her last two novels.

I thought this was super cute!

I'm normally picky with novellas and romance because I feel like you need more time to become attached to the characters, but here, Ollie and Bennett are fully realized and amazing.

I loved how the dog, Pepper, was the catalyst of it all, and the airport grooming service was super unique! Having Bennett be a popular romance novelist was also a fun little surprise. His fears of failure were relatable and realistic, and Ollie's trepidation was understandable and well done.

A definite hit for me!

Thank you Berkley and Netgalley for the earc!

Denise Williams can do no wrong in my mind. Romance writing perfection once again and this time it’s a quickie! 😉

A series of novellas based around airport romances? Sign me up! This is the first of three and I cannot wait to read the next two.

Bennett - absolute book boyfriend. He’s A ROMANCE AUTHOR. I mean…come on. He’s charming, witty and loveable.

Ollie - the sweaters character that deserves all the happiness. I loved her job, her big heart, her love of books and her realness.

Their banter had me laughing out loud, their inside jokes were SO cute and I just truly loved these two and their love story. The only downside to novellas is that I always want more because I could truly spend WAY more time with these two and be so darn happy about it.

3.5⭐️
Thank you so much to Berkley, PRHAudio, and Netgalley for providing an advanced copy of this! All thoughts and opinions are still my own.

Denise Williams is one of those romance authors that I know I can trust. Her books are always sweet, steamy, unique twists on romance tropes we all love.

This one had such a fun setting! I loved that this not only took place in an airport, but our heroine runs a pet grooming business there. It was such a unique setting and one that will stick with me.

I also loved how the author managed to make a 3 hour audiobook feel slow burn. It's always impressive when an author can make a book this short, not feel rushed in any way. And Denise Williams definitely accomplished that!

My only complaint, is that I didn't feel the chemistry or spark between these characters. I liked their dialogue and they had cute moments but I just never felt the connection. And that's always something I really look for in my romances. I want to feel the butterflies, and this just didn't give me that.

However, I loved all the side characters and I'm really excited to get all of their stories! Also January LaVoy is one of the narrators for this audiobook and she is, as always, absolutely fantastic.

This was so cute! Nobody does it like Denise Williams. I love how even though the majority of this story takes place in an airport with Bennet flying in to meet Ollie every time they meet, the story never felt boring or repetitive. For a novella, there was still a well-rounded plot and character development from both ends, which is not surprising considering how great of a storyteller Denise Williams is. Gia definitely caught my eye as a side-character, though, and just from the first chapter of The Missed Connection that was included at the end of the ARC, I'm excited to read Gia and Felix's story next! 4.25 stars rounded up.

Ollie is an airport dog groomer with a crush on frequent flier Bennett. A chance encounter involving a wet escaped dog brings them together and before long they are going on airport date after airport date.

This was cute! I will read anything and everything written by Denise Williams so I was so excited to have the opportunity to read this novella. Ollie and Bennett’s relationship was so cute. This was a super quick and lighthearted read.

My only complaint is that I wanted more! I did feel like the characters were well developed for how short the story was though.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the advanced reading copy!

Read/Listen If You Like:
❤️ Novellas
❤️ Secret Crush on a Stranger
❤️ Dogs/Pets
❤️ Male Romance Writer MC
❤️ Dual POV
❤️ Reading Diversely

Book Review:
This was my first book/novella by Denise Williams and it was so cute! As a reader I haven’t loved novellas in the past because they didn’t allow for the development of the character or the relationships but Denise managed to do it so well with this one the way it was set up.

Olivia had been watching Bennett for a while as he had a predictable travel schedule for work and always came I to town at the terminal by her airport grooming business location so she was able to watch and drool over him until they met. They began hanging out as a way to help Bennett cure his writers block, but that turned into more rapidly as Olivia had been interested in him for a while and he was infatuated with her from the time they finally met.

If you are looking for a cute short romance to break up your reading and give you the quick satisfaction of moving from start to finish I highly recommend!

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Pub for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts!

This was adorable! I hate novellas mostly because they are so short and leave me wanting more, but I loved Ollie and Bennett so much that I’m okay with wanting more. They had top notch chemistry and banter and knew how to flirt like it was their job. Simply put, they were the best!

The last year or so I’ve started reading something completely new to me - the novella. I have to say they are so gun and this newest one by Denise Williams was a delightful, fast and fun read!

The story premise was really cute and I really enjoyed both mains, Olivia and Bennett, as well as their side character friends. This was lighthearted and a perfect afternoon RomCom read, very excited to see its part of a series of novellas since it left me wanting more. Can’t wait for Gia’s novella next!

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the chance to read an early copy!

Such a sweet and lighthearted, enjoyable novella from one of my favorite romance authors.

I wish this book could be regular length book instead of novella so I could spend more time with these lovely characters.

Ollie: A sweet heroine with enthusiastic, cute laugh, focusing on her pet grooming salon she’s opened with her bestie at airport and a runaway dog acts like her own Cupid sealing her fate with her a charming stranger she’s lusting from distance. She runs behind the dog and meet the cute moment finally occurs as the fictional fireworks start to explode!

Bennett is the charming analyst with secret identity. At the nighttime he turns into romance author but unfortunately he’s suffering from writer’s block. As soon as he meets her cute, they start to see each other during his layovers at the airport. Those romantic meetings and nighttime texting turn into something more intimate!

Overall: it’s a lovely, fast reading with adorable characters that I highly recommend to novella lovers!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.

Thank you so much for an advanced copy of The Love Connection! This was such a fun novella.

Star Rating: 4 stars
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Pub Date: May 17, 2022

I love Denise Williams' previous two books (How to Fail at Flirting and The Fastest Way to Fall), and The Love Connection follows in the same vein of snappy writing, endearing characters, and steamy love scenes. I am down for all of the above!

I really liked the characters in this book, and I thought they were pretty unique. A female MC who owns a dog grooming business after passing on corporate America + a British risk analyst with a penchant for his own romance writing? IS there a better match out there? I think not! The characters were relatable and engaging, and I thought their honesty was refreshing. Both were genuine about their expectations and shortcomings, and with the exception of a big miscommunication from Bennet, the communication was open and honest.

I also thought the storyline of an airport meet cute was just adorable. As a single woman, of course I dream of my own meet-cute, and Denise Williams put a good on paper in this story. It was cute, quirky, and just believable enough to keep me reading. I was invested in the two MCs, and their chemistry was really well-written.

My only complaint is I felt like it was a big jump from the miscommunication between them to Bennet moving/leaving his job. I know it's a novella so the plot won't be as hashed out as a regular length novel, but it seemed like something important might have been edited out there. I think a few more details could have been added in the "in between time" without extending the page length too much.

Other than that, I loved this novella. I will happily read anything that Denise Williams writes.

The only risks Ollie is willing to take are when it comes to her business endeavors. Set up a pet grooming salon in an airport with her best friend? Sure! But talk to the handsome frequent flyer she constantly lusts after from across the terminal? Never. Ollie has never been able to work up the courage to approach the stranger she always sees flying in, but when a runaway dog lands in the arms of said stranger, it seems fate has finally decided to intervene on her behalf. Bennett is a risk assessor by day and romance novelist by night who has hit a major writer's block. His meticulous life is shaken up after an encounter with a soapy little pup and a gorgeous dog groomer whose infectious laugh inspires him to finally put some words to paper. Soon, Ollie and Bennett find themselves going on airport dates whenever Bennett has a layover, which leads to late-night texting and, eventually, real feelings for one another. But can their romance exist past the baggage claim?

Novellas can be tricky for me. I'm either obsessed and crave more, or feel like they slightly missed the mark. This one fell in the middle for me. The concept was cute, but the execution felt lacking. I liked Ollie and Bennett but would've loved to have seen a bit more character depth and development for them. I thought their flirtation was cute, but once it evolved into a relationship felt stagnant. The chemistry wasn't there, which was surprising since I've loved the relationships in Williams' other books. My other issue was the plot itself. There were a few mentions of Ollie's aunt's wedding and how she didn't want to go alone, and her ex-boyfriend, who we see for about two paragraphs, will also be attending, so I thought we'd eventually see this wedding, and we didn't. It just felt like unnecessary details to throw in. Despite that, it was still a quick read, but I was hoping for a little more.