Happy pub day to Business or Pleasure by @rlynn_solomon! I’m so grateful to @berkleypub for an e-arc and to @prhaudio for the free audiobook. But don’t let the digital book in my photo fool you. I absolutely also preordered this one because the author is one of my favorites!

Ghost writer, and normally relationship girl, Chandler is having a low career moment when she meets a cute stranger in town for business—I think he says his name is Drew—and throws caution to the wind to have a one-night stand. Which ends up being terrible. She slinks out happy she’ll never have to see him again. The next day she gets a call about a job to ghostwrite a book for actor Finn Walsh—Chandler has never seen the werewolf show that made him a household name. He and his agent would like to have lunch and low and behold Finn Walsh is…you guessed…Drew. She agrees to the job which involves following him on the road for conventions and ends up telling him she didn’t have a great night with him, which leads to him asking him for lessons. What could possibly go wrong?

This one is pretty steamy (not reverse harem steamy, but still), so if that’s not your thing, I’d steer clear. But I think it’s my favorite adult book by Solomon (her YA Today, Tonight, Tomorrow will probably always be my all time favorite). As you’d expect from a Solomon book, this one has fabulous mental health and Jewish representation. The characters have great, grown-up conversations about their fears. There are no huge miscommunications that tear them apart and even during their angsty moments they are very communicative and open with each other. Finn is also such a sweet, wonderful character. It stretched the believability for me a tad that he would be so bad in bed, or at least unaware of his flaws, when he seemed so observant and careful everywhere else in his life. But it was still a fun plot point.

The audio for this book was great. I loved the narrator, who lent a perfect husky pitch to Chandler’s voice. I’d absolutely recommend this one to romcom fans!

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

I loved this book so much! I really appreciated the humorous approach to a seemingly healthy relationship between two people who actually communicated with each other while also including a mental health aspect journey. Additionally, with the increased awareness of fandoms and "cons" across the country, it was interesting to read about a character who is experiencing those events from the other side of the table.

If you enjoy a steamy, contemporary romance with unique characters, give this one a try!

This was delightful! This is the first time that I have picked up any of Rachel Lynn Solomon’s work but I already consider myself to be a new fan. Once I started reading this book, I did not want to put it down because I was so invested in the story. I loved the humor that was worked into the story and found myself chuckling several times before the story drew to a close. I am so glad that I finally decided to try this author’s work.

Chandler and Finn were both amazing characters and the chemistry between them was off the charts. I loved that they actually communicated with each other even when it wasn’t easy and worked hard to grow as individuals. I couldn’t imagine working together after their initial meeting but I was glad to see them decided to give it a try. I just couldn’t wait to see this pair figure out a way to be each other’s happily ever after.

I listened to the audiobook and thought that the narrator did a great job with the story. I believe that this is the first time that I have listened to Hathaway Lee’s narration but I was impressed. I thought that she added just the right amount of emotion to her reading. I found her voice to be incredibly pleasant and had no problems listening for hours at a time. I do believe that her narration added to my overall enjoyment of the story.

I would highly recommend this book to others. I thought that it was an incredibly well-done romance with fantastic characters and just the right amount of humor. I cannot wait to read more of this author’s work.

I received a review copy of this book from Berkley Publishing Group and Penguin Random House Audio.

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted e-copy.

Rachel Lynn Solomon is a must read, must buy author for me. I will be purchasing a physical copy of this book ASAP.

Chandler is a celebrity ghostwriter, and is having a personal (and well deserved) pity party when she goes to a signing for the book she wrote and the celebrity has zero clue who she is. She meets "Drew" at the bar, they hit it off, have an amazing night hanging out...and the worst sex of her life.

The next day, Chandler gets a call asking her to meet Finn Walsh to potentially write his memoirs. She gets to the restaurant and holy crap, it's "Drew" of the terrible sex. Still, she agrees to write for him, and they become close. Close enough that she agrees to give him lessons to become better at sex while they aren't working on the book together.

The steam in this book was so fun. I flew through the book until I got to the end, and found it a little bit slow and predictable (hence the 4 stars). There's tons of representation here too, which I thought was awesome. Definitely can't wait for her next book!

3.5-4 'A few pointers' Stars!
ARC provided by the the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

What I can say about Rachel Lynn Solomon’s books is that they feel different from the typical romance novel. And that’s because she doesn’t give us a protective alpha and a sassy heroine (as we all know and love), she writes characters with distinctive personalities, usually MC’s who are dealing with mental health problems and other issues. Business or Pleasure is not an exception to that and that’s why you’ll definitely enjoy getting to know this new couple Rachel has created.

So, Business or Pleasure is Solomon’s newest standalone release with Berkley and it’s all about Chandler Cohen and her newest client, who also happens to be a one night stand she rather forget and a C-list actor with a quite big fanbase. Enter Finn Walsh. He is looking for a ghostwriter for his memoir and he sure doesn’t expect it to be the girl from last night. However, they both have different versions of how the night went. Embarrassed to know he didn’t rock Chandler’s world, Finn asks for sex lessons while they are touring together and that turns into something neither of these two expected.

“You can’t expect that what works for one person will work for everyone.”
“I’m not asking about everyone.” His gaze clings to mine. “I’m asking about you.”

Well, this was surely different from the other books I’ve read from this author! While it took me a little bit more to connect with Chandler and Finn (the slow burn was surely slow after their first time!), when real feelings start to develop between these two, I quite enjoyed reading their story to a real relationship. I do have to say this one is not my favorite book from Rachel Lynn Solomon, as I said it took me longer to connect with these characters (not sure why) but I did enjoy the story overall. Also, the chemistry between Chandler and Finn was definitely hotter than other books from this author so I am not complaining!

“I’ve been so uncertain about everything in my life, but the way I want you is crystal clear.”

Therefore, I am rating Business or Pleasure with 3.5-4 STARS because the premise of this surely delivered in many aspects, especially the connection Chandler and Finn share in the second half of the book. I do love that Rachel puts emphasis on mental health and that she makes her characters different from the typical romance heroes and heroines. So, if you enjoy Rachel’s writing make sure to check out her newest novel!

Thank you Penguin Random House Audio and
Berkley Romance for this complimentary audiobook and gifted copy.

𝘚𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘧𝘶𝘯!

I love these kind of stories, the ones that make you smile while you reading!
Delightful, moving, sexy, sweet and so much fun. I had a great time.

𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗼𝗿 𝗣𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 by Rachel Lynn Solomon releases today July 4, 2023.

https://www.instagram.com/booksandcoffeemx/

Chandler is a ghost writer and a sex pro. No she's not a sex worker, she has a minor in human sexuality (I'm pretty sure that wasn't a minor when I went to college. IJS)

When a one night stand with Finn leaves her dissatisfied, she is ready to move on. Imagine her surprise when she meets her potential new client for a ghostwriting gig and it's the dud in bed.

Eventually the truth comes out that he left her unsatisfied and she agrees to coach him in how to please a woman.

This is a romance that is the complete opposite of the miscommunication trope. I absolutely loved the honesty and sex positivity in this romcom.

Based on the nature of the book, there are some explicit scenes, but not a ton, there is more story than sex

🌶️🌶️🌶️/5 maybe 2.5 but I have no half peppers

𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗼𝗿 𝗣𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲
𝗥𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗹 𝗟𝘆𝗻𝗻 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗺𝗼𝗻
𝟳/𝟰/𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Following a horrible one-night-stand, Chandler sneaks out of the hotel room and hopes to never see Finn again. But the next day she learns that Finn is a C-list actor and she has been asked to ghost-write his memoir. Needing the money, Chandler takes the job. After getting to know one another, Chandler confesses that Finn was awful in bed, and agrees to give him lessons when they're not working on the book. What they don't expect is how deeply they'll come to care for one another.

So you know those authors whose writing you just mesh with? That's me and Solomon. We just mesh. And as someone who is EXTREMELY picky about her spicy romance, I think that's saying a lot.

This ultra-steamy, forced proximity, friends-to-lovers romcom is EVERYTHING! I love the unique premise, and the way this book reinforces healthy communication! 👏🏻 Chandler and Finn have the best chemistry, both in and out of the sheets. For a spicy romcom this has tons of depth, and I really appreciate the way the author handled mental illness. And hooray for another PNW setting🎉

Thank you Berkley Romance for my gifted eARC.

Business or Pleasure is a romance novel that asks us about following our dreams. About figuring our way back to our dreams and to the people in our lives who will support us. It has the signature Rachel Lynn Solomon banter. You know those scenes with quick wit and come backs. Business or Pleasure is full of first meeting butterflies, some delightfully spicy scenes, and a look a the ways American sex education can fail us. It examines pleasure and intimacy in fascinating way within a romance book.

What I liked about the book:

1. I, in complete honesty, laughed out loud during a lot of this book, but especially during their first sex scene. I’m not joking when I say that I physically spit with laughter when I read some of the lines.

2. This book was so sex positive and had such great communication between the two partners both inside and outside of intimate times. This may have been the healthiest relationship I have ever read.

3. The way Solomon was able to gracefully and respectfully layer in Chandler’s most heavily guarded secret was beautifully done. I do not share this experience with Chandler, but I had such empathy for her and respect for how she handled the situation and her thoughts about it.

Similarly, the way Solomon represented Finn’s struggles with OCD and the acceptance from Chandler was incredibly heartwarming. I loved seeing this representation as well, and in more than a passing reference way.

4. Loved the body positivity and that these were normal looking people for the most part. Even though he was an actor and thus good-looking, there was talk of the soft curve of his stomach. Similarly, there was mention of her soft rounded stomach as well as her “faint pink stretch marks” in various places on her body that he didn’t give a second thought to. I loved this representation!

5. The love for grrl rock peppered throughout this entire book was very near and dear to my heart. It’s not too often I see a good Bikini Kill reference, but when I do, I’m sold ❤

6. Loved all the relatable quotes about anxiety and life!

“I think the only thing I’ve done consistently for eighteen years is manage to function with a consistently medium level of anxiety.”

Same, babe, same.

Yeah, no: the mantra of the chronically anxious. See also: no, yeah.

🤣

I can absolutely live in the moment-as long as I have a backup plan.

SO true!

7. I loved seeing all the nerdy references throughout, especially about LOTR and the snippets we got of Doctor Who. The Dalek Chandler met at the convention who gave her directions and then proceeded to clunk away shouting “Exterminate!” made me unbelievably happy. Nerd Britt was pleased.


What could have been better:

1. Like most contemporary romance books these days, there was the third act breakup and a lot of “There is no way he likes little ole me” talk. This gets annoying in all books that do this, no exception here.


Final Thoughts:

Achingly masterful! Rachel Lynn Solomon built up the tension and teased us relentlessly just like the MCs’ lesson plans. Such a wonderful, sex-positive romance full of laughs and extraordinary chemistry!

Final Rating: 4.5 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group, and Rachel Lynn Solomon. The review expressed above is honest and my own.

Thanks @prhinternational for this ARC!

Chandler é uma escritora-fantasma que se sente perdida em sua carreira. Em meio a essa confusão, ela conhece Drew e decide passar uma noite com ele. No entanto, a experiência não é muito agradável para Chandler.

Mas logo ela descobre que Drew na verdade é Finn Walsh, um famoso ator de uma série teen, e ele está interessado em contratá-la para escrever sua biografia; no caso, ser sua escritora-fantasma. Quando Chandler revela que a noite que tiveram juntos não foi como ele imaginava, Finn pede para que ela lhe dê algumas ~aulinhas~.

Rachel desenvolve muito bem não apenas o relacionamento entre Chandler e Finn, mas também todo o processo de criação do livro. Ela explora como é a relação de escritores fantasmas, que não é bem um segredo que isso real exista no mundo das publicações, com os "autores" dos livros. Além disso, a autora também nos leva aos bastidores das famosas convenções.

Chandler é uma personagem divertida e leal, porém, carrega consigo várias inseguranças que afetam diversos aspectos de sua vida. Finn, por sua vez, é adorável, charmoso, paciente e atencioso. Mesmo sem ter voz na narração, a autora consegue mostrar aos leitores a pessoa maravilhosa que Finn é por meio dos olhos de Chandler.

Chandler e Finn possuem uma ótima química e o relacionamento deles é maduro, baseado em consentimento, conversas sinceras e vulnerabilidade. Inclusive, o que a autora não entregou de hots nos outros livros, aqui ela compensou e muito. E também é bem legal de ver a relação deles nascendo durante e além das ~lições~.

O livro também aborda a saúde mental, uma vez que Chandler lida com transtorno de ansiedade generalizada e Finn tem TOC. Rachel sempre traz protagonismo judeu e aqui também não foi diferente; no caso os dois possuem ascendência judaica. Como sempre, a escrita da Rachel é bem gostosinha e a leitura flui maravilhosamente bem. Ao final, sempre fica aquele gostinho de quero mais.

I love Rachel Lynn Solomon as a person and I love what she writes about, but unfortunately this is my least favorite book of hers I’ve read so far.

Starting with the positives, I loved how this book puts a high emphasis on communication. Chandler and Finn are so good at talking to each other and making space for each other. I also love Rachel’s continued commitment to mental health rep and Jewish rep.

Onto the not so positives.

To meeeeeeeeeeee, I found a lot of elements of this book to be…cringy. The sense of humor isn’t really for me and I didn’t pick up on the chemistry between Chandler and Finn. While they did communicate a lot, I didn’t necessarily find it to be charming.

This book also has one of my least fav tropes (one night stand) and it made me discover another trope I don’t like which is sex lessons lol. I found the sex lessons, while definitely realistic, to be awkward. Which again is realistic but that’s not the kind of realism I want in my romance. I personally don’t want to read about a 34 year old man who doesn’t know what the clit is and had to call his previous partners to get confirmation he sucks in bed.

Pls note I’m the only person I know who didn’t love this one, so take my review with a grain of salt!! If you were thinking of picking this up, you definitely should and support our girl Rachel Lynn Solomon!!!

book review: business or pleasure by rachel lynn solomon
rating: 4.5 ⭐️

happy pub day to one of my favorite romances of the year!!! 🎉

obsessed with all of rachel’s books? me? yes, yes I am.

chandler puts the “ghost” in ghostwriter. on one low evening, she decides to have some fun and go home with the charming man at the bar. she deserves a good night!!! unfortunately what happens is the worst one-night stand of her life. we’re talking CRINGE. good thing she never has to see him again, right? HA! the next morning chandler is face-to-face with the worst lay of her life, OH! and he’s her new client — Finn Walsh, a C-list actor best known for his role in teen werewolf show. Chandler sees no reason to bring up the terrible night, but when she’s forced to confess that he did not rock her world, the two strike a deal: when they aren’t doing business, she’ll school Finn in the art of pleasure…

this book is a rom-com DREAM! it’s fun! it’s feel-good! there’s a cinnamon roll MMC who will do anything for his girl and doesn’t take himself too seriously! there are teen wolf vibes! there’s sexual tension you can cut with a knife!

once I started I could.not.stop. it’s the kind of read you just gobble up in one go because it’s that delicious. Chandler & Finn play so well with each other. They fit one another’s unique needs like little puzzle pieces. The way that Chandler notices Finn’s OCD before he tells her and tries to make situations easier for him 🥹 and how Finn supports and cheers Chandler on in her dreams of becoming an author 🫶🏻 ADORABLE… i like it when the characters feel like I could pick them out of the page and drop them into the real world and thats how Finn & Chandler feel. It was genius to have Chandler writing Finn’s memoir, because we really get a look into Finn’s inner-mind, too, even though we aren’t *in his head*

you’re going to fall so in love with this book and finish it with the biggest smile on your face!

Chandler is passionate about writing and let go of her dream to be an author to become a journalist, only to become a ghostwriter after getting laid off. She’s feeling a bit stuck when she gets her latest job: ghostwriting a memoir for Finn, an actor from a hugely popular teen werewolf drama from the early 2000s. The twist? Finn is the same guy she had a TERRIBLE one night stand with the night before.

Chandler begins traveling with Finn as he travels to various cons to meet fans, and in the process really begins to get to know him. One night the topic of their one night stand comes up, and Chandler admits it was not the best experience for her. She agrees to give Finn some lessons. But as they continue to spend so much time together, hook up, and share their deepest secrets, it gets harder to keep their relationship strictly professional.
This book was so unique and fun! It was steamy, it was funny, it was real. I appreciated the realness of Chandler feeling lost in her life, the mental health rep (anxiety and OCD), and the other tough topics that were handled with such care and created very real characters (past abortion, previous emotional abuse by a parent). While there was a lot that could have made this book heavy, it wasn’t and it remained so positive. I truly did not want to put it down. Then there was Finn and Chandler - the way they slowly fell for each other was beautiful as was the way they truly supported each other. Finn was the perfect slightly nerdy cinnamon roll of a book boyfriend. This book was just such a gem.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing for the gifted copy. Business or Pleasure is out today!

Rachel Lynn Solomon can do no wrong in my eyes. This book was a spicy change of pace for her, and I really enjoyed it! I loved both of the main characters so much, but I think anyone reading will *really* fall in love with Finn Walsh, the male lead/love interest. I was so charmed by every page! (And yes, it's a spicy one)

BUSINESS OR PLEASURE - RACHEL LYNN SOLOMON

4.5⭐
PLOT
Chandler Cohen is a ghost writer who wants to be known for her own work someday. She is asked to ghostwrite a memoir for Dinner Walsh a hit teen werewolf TV show star with whom she had a one night stand with a very disappointing end.
Agreeing to work together their professional relationship is fine but Finn wants to know what went wrong that night and Chandler has to tell him the truth...not being satisfied by him so they strike a deal when not working together she will teach him the art of satisfaction and as they grow together they must figure out what is important business or pleasure or even both.
MY THOUGHTS
This was such a delightful read. A perfect balance of rom com with underlying potent issues esp sex education, OCD and anxiety.
I loved how the author has incorporated a very important topic - sexual gratification in this case female pleasures - ones desires and needs which can be achieved via an honest communication with your partner...key to most problems arising due to it...a very common problem all over.
The character development of both MCs was amazing.
And i absolutely love the title!!! Its so apt and so cool.
Thank you @netgalley and @berkley for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

Rachel Lynn Solomon is back again with another truly charming and heartwarming rom-com that will make you smile, chuckle and fall in love with this adorable story.

After a difficult couple of months, Chandler hits close to rock bottom when one of the authors who she ghostwrites for doesn’t recognize her and later finds herself in a bar locking eyes with a handsome stranger. After an awkward night together, she brushes off the encounter and moves forward, taking on a new job ghostwriting for an actor from a popular werewolf series—only to find out that actor is her unfortunate one-night stand.

Overall, this story was like a warm hug! I loved the nods to the supernatural Teen Wolf/The Vampire Diaries-like tv show and the atmosphere around it. I thought Finn (how ADORABLE is that name?!) was just the sweetest little cinnamon roll ever. He was such a great friend to Chandler when she needed him, and in return, she saw him for who he was, and I loved seeing their relationship bloom.

If you’re in the mood for a super fun, heartfelt story, keep this new read in mind!

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.*

Included in this post: https://www.instagram.com/p/CuK1YXsg6mw/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Business or Pleasure by Rachel Lynn Solomon is a fascinating & spicy romance sure to have one forgetting any business they may have as it provided a perfect escape with this pleasurable read. I loved that this was something that I haven’t read before. There were the tropes of celebrity & normal person, forced proximity & a hookup to working relationship to situationship to maybe even more. It also has fantastic representation with its’ Jewish main character, Finn & wonderful mental health representation.

Finn was an interesting hero with having his history as a young actor from a massively popular tv show & how that parlayed into his work years later after the show. It showcased the business of the entertainment world especially through the cult TV show success, the loyal fandom & even the cons that come with it. I also found it intriguing with having an imperfect hero & the rocky start to their relationship it created. Moreover, it was refreshing to have a male lead that took criticism & learned spectacularly from it. The communication in this book with these two leads gave me the warm & fuzzies. They were mature & respectful while still being fun & sexy, which created a healthy & hot romance that I applaud.

I also haven’t read a book with a ghostwriter before & I found those parts to be quite engaging. I honestly could go on & on but I have to leave some parts for any future readers to discover on their own as they hopefully dive into this story.

Business or Pleasure had me charmed, swooned & delighted for all while making me laugh & blush on the way. This was a treat & one I would highly recommend.

Massive thanks to NetGalley & Berkley Publishing for the free arc, which I voluntarily read & reviewed.

Thank you PRH Audio for the complimentary audiobook. Thank you Berkley Publishing for the advanced readers copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

My first book by this author. I really enjoyed the beginning. I laughed out loud at more than one part in the opening chapters. The narrator was really good-- Hathaway Lee is a new narrator for me.

Chandler Cohen is a ghostwriter requested to write the book of her latest one-night stand--and a terrible one at that. Though, absolutely hilarious.

"So hot. So ready. I love how hot and ready you are." What pizza place comes to mind when you hear this? Well, it's the same thing Chandler thought when she heard this, and I cracked up!

Chandler's one-night stand is Finnegan Walsh, former start of the hit television show "The Nocturnals." He travels the convention circuit for his fans, and she is to travel with him. That's where this started to not work for me. I didn't really feel that Chandler and Finnegan had much physical chemistry. It was more of a friend vibe, so the steamy scenes were a little awkward. Plus, the traveling scenes just dragged on and on to me.

Overall, I did like this and would read the author again.