In this story, Lila (a single mom) and Perry (a divorced businessman/farmer/apple expert) end up working together through a virtual assistant program. Since Lila's located close to Perry's family farm, the two end up meeting, and sparks fly from there.

The concept of dating your boss wasn't necessarily what drew me to this story (generally, that just sounds like a really, really terrible idea), but honestly, that dynamic factored less into the story as Lila operated as more of a consultant with freedom to somewhat easily walk away and work for another client if she wanted. It was still a little...I don't know, strange(?) in some places, but the power dynamics weren't as skewed as I anticipated.

This story's strongest points were its explorations of family, I think. Perry's family is great, and Lila's desire to have that sort of network for herself and Jack was quite believable. Lila's reflections on grief and the messiness left behind from losing her husband regularly had me highlighting passages. I anticipated certain developments surrounding Perry's insecurities going a rather formulaic route, and when they didn't, I found myself surprised at the nuance given to things like parenthood and commitment.

I was also DELIGHTED that while Perry and Lila have chemistry, it's not like supersonic-completely-unbelievable-constantly-obsessed-to-the-point-it-gets-repetative level chemistry. They felt more like real people, that way. This story is also closed door, which was nice. <3

Were there cheesy parts? Yes. The apple puns were a little silly, but I appreciated what they meant to Lila, rather than the particular cleverness of any of the word play. There was one part I found a little uncomfy, where Perry and Lila share a significant moment within spitting distance of his ex. I rather wish they'd had that exchange elsewhere; as it is, it felt a bit like that moment in a Disney Channel movie where the two protagonists have a moment as the evil ex stamps their foot and pouts. There are probably some people who would disagree with me, but it just felt like both Perry and Lila were mature enough to not conduct PDA in that instance. It made them seem like they had something to prove, while the rest of the narrative seemed to be arguing that they DIDN"T. So, I guess the plot events surrounding Perry's reunion felt a bit awkward at that point.

But I loved them eating M&Ms on the bed and just talking and connecting. I also loved Perry running across the parking lot. They share a lot of cute moments, and Lila's son is adorable but not absolutely angelic to a degree where he feels fake.

If you like cozy, family-oriented romances, a sprinkling of body positivity, and a dash of found family, you'll probably enjoy this.
I'll definitely be keeping an eye on this author!

Thank you to Netgalley for providing an ARC of this release for honest review.

This is such a cute story! A virtual assistant finally meets her boss (which last 2 years this feels so really ya know?). Throughout the book was see such cute interactions between the grumpy/sunshine boss. I also like that the kid was a part of the story, even though he was in school a lot you could tell how important he was and his interactions were adorable. Overall a very quick, fun read!

A wonderful read - grumpy/sunshine is one of my favourite romance tropes these days and this one hit the nail on the head.

Grumpy x sunshine with a workplace romance???? apple-solutely sign me up! Such a great combination of tropes and done is such an amazing way. Lila and Perry are the cutest ever. I really enjoyed their banter especially with Lila’s ever persistent apple puns. I really felt like I got to know the characters more, especially Perry. There was a decent amount of character development on his end which was heart warming to read. I do wish they went into a bit more detail about their previous marriages; but it was done in a classy way where you were able to acknowledge the differences between the old and new relationship and how it best benefited Lila and Perry.

Additionally, one of the other things the book does really well is found family with the Hawthornes. Which i found to be extra charming considering Lila doesn’t have that big family atmosphere like Perry does. Their whole family is so welcoming to Lila and Jack (her son). Adding such a sweet touch of wholesome.

One of my only criticisms would have to be that I just didn’t like how little Jack was in it. Considering he is such a big faucet of Lila’s life and soon Perry’s, I felt like he could have been involved more. He also is 5 and at school while majority of the book is taking place, so i may be asking for too much. I just really enjoyed the scenes when it was the three of them and wished there was more of that.

Perry Hawthroen has been back helping to run his family farm for the past four years. With his younger sister off on maternity leave, the majority of everyday management now falls on his shoulders. His brother, Brody, has been sent over to convince him that he needs to hire an assistant, which might be a good idea considering he has just wrestled a pig into a ditch.

Lila Templeton moved back to her hometown a few years ago with her son, Jack. Her navy pilot husband died in a training exercise and she wanted to be close to her grandparents who raised her as a child. She holds conflicting emotions over her husband's death as everything had not been rosy at home and she was preparing to file for divorce. With Jack in Kindergarten, she works from home as a virtual assistant with two clients but is offered the opportunity to work exclusively for one client who will pay her for the same hours every day.

Although Lila is nervous about working for the Hawthorns, she attempts to liven up the short, to-the-point communications she exchanges with Perry. Throwing in apple puns but getting nothing in return until he calls her to ask for her help. Arriving to help him, Perry was not expecting the young, curvy woman who pulled up, wondering how this could possibly be his VA. Part of him falling instantly in love with her, including her adorable son Jack. Getting her to work from the farm rather than remotely doesn't quite go to plan when they disagree about the layout of the festival and he forgets to give her a lunch break.

Attempting to navigate working together and exploring their feelings for each other isn't easy. Fake dating in order to get Perry's ex-wife off his back, whilst Lila introduces him to the world of parenting which is anything but perfect. Lila comes as part of a package deal, is Perry ready to embrace everything that she comes with or is he better to walk away?

Wooow! I really enjoyed this. Such a cute little read. Perfect if you want a feel-good book to finish quickly. I read this book so fast and I didn't even realize time was passing.

There were deeper underlying themes throughout the book and I just wanted to give Perry and Lila a hug. But I loved the banter between both the MCs and also the brothers (and sister). And also Jack was the cutest 5-year-old ever! *stairdad*. I just want to be a part of the Hawthorne family!

This was my first book by this author, but I'm definitely checking out past and future books.

Perry Hawthorne is one of THE Hawthorne brothers, known for their chiselled jawlines and for running Stonebrook Farm. When his sister Olivia goes on maternity leave, he is persuaded to hire a virtual assistant to lighten his load. Everything seems great until her meets his assistant Lila. Soon Perry wonders if his reluctance to date again after his divorce, can be overcome. Likewise, Lila is hesitant as she has a young son, Jack, to care for, since her husband died and sue is not sure whether she is ready to risk it all, even if Jack desperately wants a dad.

This slow burn romance was very sweet with two very likeable characters. Whilst Perry is portrayed as a grumpy divorcee, he is obviously a great guy which Lila soon discovers. At times, it seemed that it was all going quite quickly in terms Their relationship progressed quickly, but I think this reflected the nature of the story. Jack is a sweet young boy, and his desire for a father figure, is quickly taken on by Perry. The secondary characters which involve the Hawthorne clan, add another fun dimension to the storyline. A great read.

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

thank you to NetGalley for the e-arc~

After reading "How to Kiss Your Best Friend," I was super excited to get to this one and I'm so glad I got the chance to read it! When I saw this one would include a grumpy male character, it just added to the excitement I had in store for it:)

Ah, this book was so refreshing and light-hearted. There are some conversations regarding certain topics (divorce, death of a spouse, emotional/mental abuse) that dig deep but overall as a plot? It was so sweet.

Lila is just amazing. A great employee, boss mother, and overall an amazing human being. The way she speaks to her son Jack, explaining things in a calm manner, never dismissing him due to his curious personality, all of it, it lets me know all I need to know about her.

There's something about falling in love with a grumpy boss that always get me. A part of me expected Perry to be more on that "grumpier" side but I feel like it didn't last very long, though I loved it either way. He's been through a lot and I liked watching him sort through it while being with Lila and Jack. And you know, Perry doesn't immediately nail the whole "step-father role" and I found that so refreshing. It's just more realistic that way.

tropes:
- grumpy boss
- boss/employee relationship
- one bed
- fake dating (for a short period)
- single mother

Reading the way their love built up from the ground was beautiful. The way that Perry and Lila interact quite literally gave me butterflies haha. And the way that Stonebrooke Farm is described, it literally makes me want to visit so badly lol. Fields, animals, endless apples, and a top-noche family involved? Sounds like paradise to me.

I cannot wait for Lennox's story and his enemies-to-lovers story:)

☽𝔹𝕆𝕆𝕂 ℝ𝔼𝕍𝕀𝔼𝕎☾

💐Coming out 1 November 2022💐

Thank you to Netgalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for sending me this ARC in return for an honest review.

Overall:
3.5/5 ✰
Clean Romance - just kissing.🌶

Perry Hawthorne is a hard worker who can handle everything on his own and has done a fantastic job caring for his farm up to this point. Nevertheless, his sister Oliva, who co-owns the farm, recently had a baby and is unable to help. She insists on Perry hiring an assistant but Perry objects, claiming that he can do it on his own.

Lila is the proud mama of a five-year-old boy, who is the apple of her eye (pun intended).
She works as a virtual assistant in order to earn money while still spending time with her little boy. Lila is astonished by discovering that her next client is a Hawthorne, especially because Perry is an incredibly gorgeous man.
To protect herself and Jack, she chooses an avatar that looks like an old lady, as she has had some unpleasant situations in the past with a few clients. Who would have thought she'd meet Perry in person? Who would inform Perry that his aide is young and attractive? And that she has a toddler asking him to be his "stairdad"?

𝕋𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕤:

First and foremost, this is a quick read. Overall, it is sweet, funny, and heartwarming.

Lila was quite endearing. She prioritises her kid and can't stop making apple puns.
Perry is a bit of a stubborn individual, claiming he doesn't need help, but there is a reason he is so opposed to the idea of having an assistant. It was heartwarming to witness how he eventually fell for Lila's antics and how he gradually opened up to her.
They were undoubtedly a great match, and there was chemistry from the moment they lay eyes on each other.

I must admit that Jack was without a doubt my favourite. This five-year-old has a winning personality. I was melting with every word he said. It's impossible not to smile when reading a scenario with Jack. A caring, amusing, cute, and sweet little guy.

Overall, I didn't find anything outstanding in the book but it was a really pleasant and enjoyable read.

I did enjoy reading How to kiss your grumpy boss. I liked how it took place in Western North Carolina because that is area I am in so I recognized a lot of places.

I love knowing areas where books take place. The flow was good and I liked the banter and the jokes between them. I liked how Lila even managed to get Jocelynn to like her too.

It was overall a cute read. Thank you Netgalley and publishers for the chance to read and review.

This was sweet and fun, a really quick read! The main characters first met virtually and I loved their text banter! Single mom Lila was very real and relatable diving back into dating after being a solo parent for years. Overall I really enjoyed this read! The only thing that kept me from giving this 5 stars is that it was a closed door romance.

This was such a fun, light read. The characters were great, I especially appreciated the main character's normalness (she was a curvy single mum) and relatability. The hero was swoon worthy and multilayered, and together they worked well.

A lighthearted, easy read. I finished it within the hour.

THE BLURB:
Perry Hawthorne is my boss. Only my boss. And I do NOT have a crush.

When one of THE Hawthorne brothers—known by their chiseled jawlines and their family-run farm and event center—hires me to be his virtual assistant, I do everything I can to keep him firmly in the work zone.

His grumpy demeanor helps.

His smoking hot profile picture does not.

But even if I do have a crush (a very tiny one), I can’t catch real feelings for a million different reasons.

Besides the whole business part of our relationship, I’m a single mom. I have to think about what’s best for my son, Jack. And my grumpy, divorced, humorless boss isn’t exactly giving me “ready to be a stepdad” vibes.

When Perry upgrades me from virtual to in-person assistant, I wonder if I’ve gotten him all wrong. He’s actually pretty great with Jack. And with me? Let’s just say the chemistry crackling between us might vaporize all my reasons for keeping my distance.

Trouble is, after his messy divorce, I’m not sure Perry’s ready to bet on a new relationship. But it isn’t just my heart that’s on the line. It’s Jack’s, too. And after everything we went through before my husband died, I’m not sure that’s a gamble I’m ready to take, no matter how desperate Jack is for a daddy.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book in return for my honest review.

This was really cute. I didn’t really expect to enjoy reading it so much. It’s very wholesome, fast-paced, and there’s little conflict.

It’s very surface-level, like you get exactly what you expect. Nothing deeper really. The characters aren’t really dynamic or super interesting but they’re all fairly likeable nonetheless.

I’d recommend this if you’re looking for a quick, easy, romance with no spice.

Thanks NetGalley for access to this title!

How to Kiss your Grumpy Boss is exactly like the title states, a really cute grumpy/sunshine romance. However it felt not grumpy enough, like the grump from him kind og went to her so it was like "kinda grumpy"/"sunshine but grumpy"

also like u r expecting me to believe this mans got stopped on the highway because of cabbages???????

anyways still super cute! i would def read the first one (i havent)

I really enjoyed this book. It was a sweet romcom with many laugh out loud moments. I loved Perry and Lola’s romance; they had great chemistry and their interactions were endearing.

It had some of my favourite romance tropes:
Grumpy sunshine
Force proximity
Boss/employee
Single parent

I think Jack added to the story and his appearances in the book and his interactions with the main characters were really cute. There was no major tension/conflict in the book making it a fairly light and easy read.

Overall, this was an enjoyable story and would recommend to anyone looking for a fun romcom with lots of sweet moments. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC. This review is my own.

#HowtoKissYourGrumpyBoss #NetGalley

This book is one that I couldn't put down. Lila, is a single mom, widowed and trying to make ends meet, being a virtual assistant. Jack, is her match making, five year old, who wants a stairdad. Perry Hawthorne, is a divorced hard worker, still trying to recover, from a manipulative ex-wife. There is so much to love about this book, the person Lila is becoming on her own, her strong personality and of course the hot grumpy boss, and a little boy who wraps around your heartstrings.

Honestly, this was a miss for me. I felt it was corny in a bad way, unlikeable characters and overall no real... story. Sorry.

3.5 stars. Second book in the series but definitely works as a stand alone. I loved the Hawthorne family and Perry is very lovable. The large, funny family is what I enjoyed most about this book. I liked Lila and Jack and Proctor handled the "dating a single parent" trope well. The father son breakfast section was hard to stomach, too much reality for me. This is a closed bedroom romance. I've been reading a lot of romance with plenty of smut lately so it's hard (pun intended) to shift my expectations. I look forward to reading the rest of the series. Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC.

This book is a super cute romantic comedy? Following Lila navigating single parent dating, this has honestly been one of thr most realistic accounts I've seen of the single parent trope.

Would definitely recommend as a warm feel good wholesome read.

Such a sweet story with all the feelings! This is part of a series, but can be read as a standalone. Reading the other books in the series will enhance your enjoyment of this book though.

Perry works at his family farm. They are also an event location and quite busy. His family encourages him to get an assistant. Of course, his last assistant and he parted under not so good terms, so he is reluctant to hire another.

Lila is a virtual assistant, which allows her to work from home so she can raise her son Jack. She takes on Perry as a client. Perry is a very serious man and Lila does her best to lighten his mood.

After meeting face to gace, they struggle against their attractions for each other. When they fake date for an event, they must decide if they want to make the relationship real...