I have never read a RLS romance I didn’t love…until this one. I’m really so sad about this! The writing was great and I liked how the book encouraged communication between the characters. However, my biggest issue was because the spice was the entire plot, the characters skipped all the tension-filled relationship building that I love and went straight to bed and stayed there. If you like tons of spice, you’ll probably love this, but I need the relationship to be the driving force in my romcoms and not the spice.

My rating: 2.5/5

Thanks to Netgalley and PRHAudio for my gifted ARCs in exchange for my honest review.

Rachel Lynn Solomon is a wonderful author. I really enjoyed her two previous novels. They are entertaining, easy to get into and delve into relatable issues. Amidst the humor, there is also diversity and representation. For this particular book, the story follows Chandler Cohen, a ghost writer for celebrities, and Finn Walsh, an actor who starred in a cult classic werewolf show. Before knowing their identities, they end up having a one night stand, but as the story progresses you realize that Finn is Chandler's next contract.

A key part of the story is the fact that while Chandler has an initial connection with Finn, the antics in bed are just not good, in fact it is awkward and just bad! So as Chandler follows Finn around the convention circuit to work on his biography, they strike a deal where Chandler will help Finn out in the bedroom. Of course this is going to lead to more feelings, but despite this predictability it was a humorous and feel good story. It was a quick read and I enjoyed it a lot!

There was one small part of the book (literally maybe only 4 paragraphs of text in the whole book) surrounding a pretty serious topic that I felt was disconnected to the rest of the book. I could tell that the author's intention was to bring normalcy and representation on this topic but it didn't feel that it added or took away from the plot. it felt contradictory.

But other then that one blip, highly recommend!

While unique, romantic, hilarious, and representative, Business or Pleasure is also a story of self-discovery and finding out what it means to put yourself first.

Even though I was a fan of everything this book offered, there is something about reading about a man willing to learn. One of the best qualities this has is simply in Finn, the male lead. While he may be physically traditional compared to other male leads in romance, Finn lacks in the general romance department: his previous relationships haven’t lasted, he doesn’t really know how to please his partner, and he fumbles a lot as he’s about to go down. What starts off as an embarrassed individual turns into a character willing to learn from a woman to become a confident lover. His dedication to learning from Chandler was refreshing. Too often we see the same men in these stories that they become repetitive and tiring. Finn’s lack of knowledge and non-existent self-awareness of what he was doing wrong is what I wish would become more normalized in society. I can’t tell you how many times I have heard discouraging statements be said towards men who don’t exactly know how sex works or how to please a woman, ignoring either lack of experience (which is also frowned upon), or simply because they’re like Finn, where they have the impression they’re doing everything right and good because no one tells them. Rachel’s unique route for his character was refreshing. It felt like I had never read a book with a character like him. He was not always confident in dirty-talking, sex, and romantic feelings, but he still had confidence in other areas.

Chandler becomes something like a teacher for Finn, using some of their time spent together to teach him “sex basics” so he can improve and use for his future girlfriends (although we know that was never going to happen). Her character is patient and kind, but also encouraging. She never purposely makes Finn feel embarrassed or ashamed; instead she offers a hand to teach him. Finn never really second guesses just because he’s a guy and Chandler is a girl. There’s never an unbalanced power dynamic because of their genders or the fact that “Finn should know better.” I like this new approach, and I think it’s humbling, even, to show a different side between the genders, and how possible it is for a man to be unaware, inexperienced, and simply lacking while the woman is more confident, experienced, and knowledgeable.

Their relationship develops sexually but becomes emotionally involved as they get to know each other. Rachel’s strategy of having Chandler become Finn’s ghostwriter for his memoir while also being a mentor for him worked incredibly well. While their steamy moments were used for their seeks and pleasures, their time outside of that was used to get to know each other. Chandler was never just a ghostwriter for Finn, and we see it in their every day interactions. While Finn is telling Chandler about himself for the sake of his book, he also becomes closer to her in general, naturally conveying personal information that came easily for him to tell her. What starts off as a weary professional relationship turns into a friendship between colleagues. They hang on on many occasions, where they have close proximity that is both voluntary and necessary. There’s those little moments that also show how the two become getting emotionally attached and attracted towards each other on a romantic level. Even if we don’t get Finn’s point of view, we get glimpses of him through Chandler’s lens, ranging from things he does to things he says to his physical expressions.

If I had a shelf for green flag relationships, these two would be under it. There is open communication, vulnerability, consent, mutual agreement and understanding, compassion, and a willingness to fix what is wrong. Even the third act conflict was resolved maturely and professionally, with no immaturity, tantrums, selfishness, and self-depreciation. Finn never makes Chandler feel bad for being unsure of where she stands, and Chandler never makes Finn feel bad for where he is. The two share their own backstories willingly as well as for the sake of the memoir, but all these moments between the two where they share about themselves are emotionally sensual. We see a friendship be built up as they get to know each other, that their true feelings can’t NOT become involved. It’s sweet and cute, but also takes its time developing. Both characters mess up on occasions, but they also acknowledge the mistakes they make.

One of the other things Rachel adds into her books is representation, whether mental health, cultural, or both. Here we have Finn, who has OCD and is a vegetarian. I not only appreciated the unnecessary insults and rude remarks towards vegetarians/vegans (I say this because I’m vegan myself and am tired of the stereotypes and dumb comments always added in the media towards us), but also how mental health doesn’t make up the characters entire personality. We learn about his history with OCD, how it affects his eating habits, and how difficult it was for him to have it growing up. We learn how OCD is something Finn not only had to hide during his career, but also endure bad remarks and taunts from the people around him. He’s selfless, patient, and understanding, but his positive qualities also make it difficult for him to stand up for himself. He didn’t have the best support from his family, especially his dad, who was emotionally/mentally abusive. On the other hand, Chandler has anxiety and suffers from panic attacks. She’s proud and stubborn, and that affects her career and personal life. She’s willing to adhere to others requests and necessities but doesn’t put herself first. She’s not exactly miserable, but she’s also not happy with what she does. She’s unconsciously working for the sake of others and not herself, and it takes her a bit to wake up and realize that, but her character is realistically flawed. There’s also jewish representation, which I have noticed is something Rachel always adds in her books, and it’s heartwarming. I can’t speak for that on a personal level, but I also think it’s amazing how Rachel doesn’t add it in a forced or discouraging way. It’s simply something close to her and something she’s able to honor, which shows in Business or Pleasure.

This was my first adult romance by Rachel and second book by her read, but it sure won’t be my last. All in all, Business or Pleasure is a refreshing and new rom-com that I’m hoping will win the hearts of many people.

Read if you like:
💋 Hook-ups to More
🛌 Intimacy Lessons
✍🏻 Ghost Writer FMC
🎬 Actor MMC
🕎 Jewish Rep
🧠 Mental Health Rep

I love going in blind to books because the hookup with Drew at the beginning of the book was so bad that it made me laugh and I was waiting to be introduced to our MMC cause Drew definitely wasn’t it only to learn that, yes, yes he was but only he was famous Finn Walsh former TV show actor that she has been brought in to ghost write his memoir.

I loved the female empowerment within the plot of Chandler telling Finn aka Drew that she did not have as good of a time as he did during their hookup and how he took it so well and then they struck a deal while tagging along with him for a while to ghost write his book that she would give him lessons on how to be a better partner between the sheets.

I loved the dialogue and communication between them and the dreaded third act break up I didn’t even mind and would more so call it a break than a break-up and was so glad to see these two together and truly think they are an end game couple.

I also really loved the mental health rep that Rachel wrote in and felt that it was just an all around amazing romance that I highly recommend everyone to read this summer!

Thank you so much to Berkley for my ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This was such a heartwarming and hilarious romcom! I love adorkable heroes and Finn might be one of the best I've encountered! He was such an ooey gooey cinnamon roll *heart eyes* All of the pop culture/Lord of the Rings jokes had me laughing so hard and balanced the more serious topics addressed in the book so well.

Things to look forward to:
- Tropes like: one night stand, forced proximity, workplace/forbidden, cinnamon roll hero, sexual instruction, friends to lovers, road trip, caretaker
- Adorable meet cute turned disastrous one night stand. That first sexual encounter had me laughing so hard! I had second hand embarrassment while reading/listening to it.
- Finn. I loved him so much! He was open and vulnerable and such a sweetheart. He blushes! I loved how receptive he was to learning and talking about sex and pleasure with Chandler. Instead of getting angry and defensive, he listened and learned. I loved how sex positive the book was.
- The writing. Wow. Rachel Lynn Solomon nailed it with the outstanding Jewish rep as well as mental health rep. I loved how beautifully these were woven in and addressed in the story.
- Pop culture references and jokes galore and I loved every minute!

As much as I enjoyed this one, Chandler did frustrate me at times and the third act conflict wasn't my favorite. I appreciated that it wasn't some terrible miscommunication though and the epilogue was the perfect way to bring everything full circle.

I both read and listened to Business or Pleasure and the narration by Hathaway Lee was wonderful! Her comedic timing was spot on and she expressed so much emotion in her performance. There wasn't a ton of variation in her voices, but it was still easy to distinguish between characters and was a really wonderful audiobook experience.

Audiobook Review
Overall 4.5 stars
Performance 4.5 stars
Story 4.5 stars

CW: OCD, generalized anxiety disorder, abortion (past), emotionally abusive parent (past), parental abandonment (past), bullying

*I voluntarily read and listened to an advance review copy of this book*

Have you ever even considered wanting to “train” or “teach” your S.O. to be more like your book boyfriends? This book could honestly be your how-to guide 😂

I’ve been in love with Rachel’s writing for as long as I can remember, and while she holds ownership over one of my all-time favorite YA books (Today, Tonight, Tomorrow), this book is easily my favorite of her adult titles – and that’s HARD to admit to because I loved all of them so much.

This book started out fun and then just got better and better. A fling turns awkward when it’s the worst *bedroom* experience of Chandler’s life and only gets more awkward when she ends up realizing he’s her newest ghost writing client the very next day. And better yet: he thought the night was amazing. (I was laughing the entire book… and getting secondhand embarrassment for sure!)

Honestly, I loved how this was written. I loved how emotionally open Finn is and that he wants to generally learn how to improve in the bedroom. And when Chandler agrees to it? ALL BETS ARE OFFFFF!

This book was amazing. I cannot stop thinking about it and everyone needs to pick it up ASAP.

Tropes:
- Celebrity romance
- Forced proximity
- Jewish rep
- OCD/anxiety mental health rep
- Traveling/roadtrip
- Sex lessons

Content Warnings:
- Mention of abortion (in the past)
- Parental neglect/emotional abuse
- On-page panic attack

I loved this one so much. I loved the interactions between the characters, the progression of the relationship, and the discussion about life & mental health.

I liked that Chandler and Finn’s first meeting was both great and underwhelming. The scenes in his room is so funny.

I liked that Chandler told Finn that things weren’t so great and how that led to her giving him lessons in intimacy and satisfaction.

I liked how both Chandler and Finn challenged each other to push their boundaries and try new things.

I liked that the end of book drama was not a lack of communication (my least favorite plot device) but was based on Chandler needing to make a decision about her life.

And I loved the Jewish representation.

Basically this book was super entertaining and I’ll definitely be recommending it. (4.5)

A spicy romcom with a sexy nerd who’s getting sex lessons from his ghostwriter/one night stand AND they’re both Jewish?! AHHH yeah this is my personal heaven.

I love how Rachel writes her chapters and this book was no exception. Finn and Chandler were both so relatable, open with one another, funny and sweet. It was so much fun reading their relationship journey and seeing it blossom. It was such a mature, healthy relationship it was refreshing to read. I also really appreciated how the characters mental health conditions (anxiety; OCD) were portrayed/discussed. I thought they were written with great respect.

Chandler our FMC is a ghost writer who is hired to write a book for Finn Walsh, she knows him better from their one-night stand. Chandler's determined to keep their partnership as professional as possible, but when she admits to Finn their night together wasn't as mind-blowing as he thought it was, he's distraught. He intrigues her enough that they strike a deal: when they're not working on his book, Chandler will school Finn in the art of satisfaction.

The whole concept of this book was fun and sexy and Rachel delivered all of that. The spicy scenes in this book were incredible! The build up to those scenes was *chefs kiss* perfection! I loved how they communicated during those scenes so much.

I really loved this book and highly recommend!

As a ghostwriter, Chandler is used to not getting any credit for the books she writes, but after she finishes her latest book and the social media influencer she wrote it for doesn’t even recognize her at the book signing, she is left feeling dejected and defeated. That is until she meets a handsome stranger at a bar and goes back to his hotel room for what is quite possibly the…worst sex she’s ever had? Hoping to put both disappointments behind her, Chandler moves on to her next writing assignment—a memoir for Finn Walsh, a C-list actor known for a cult classic werewolf TV show. Shockingly, he also happens to be her one-night stand.

This was honestly so refreshing in a lot of different aspects. It was sex-positive and very realistic about sex in general. Romance novels tend to brush over any awkwardness or make it seem like everyone is a sex god when in reality, that isn’t the case. Finn is shocked to learn about Chandler’s feelings regarding their night together, but he is quick to want to learn. And, after a smidge of hesitation—they have a business relationship after all!—she agrees to show him. The communication between these two was *chefs kiss*. Also, while not super in-depth, I did appreciate the mental health rep as well (GAD, OCD).

Thank you to the author and publisher for providing a NetGalley ARC in exchange for my honest review!

After attending a disastrous book launch for a book she ghost wrote, Chandler has a one-night stand that goes great... until it doesn't. Her handsome and charming evening companion turns out to be terrible in bed, so Chandler sneaks out in the middle of the night, not eager to see the man again. But it turns out he's her next client, a C-list actor and former star of a cult classic werewolves teen show from a decade prior, who is looking to write a memoir. She's not eager to agree to spend weeks on the road with him, but the money is too difficult to pass up and she's sure she can put their less-than-memorable night behind them. But when he describes their night together as fantastic, she can't help but tell him the truth, and the two begin a big of "sex education" that may have romantic results...

Rachel Lynn Solomon is a goddess and brilliant writer. I had high expectations for this book, but it smashed them. How she has put out three such fantastic novels in such a short amount of time baffles me--the talent. But really do love everything about this book. It's such a fantastic premise centering on two interesting, unique careers--not to mention both hilarious and three-alarm hot. We love to see a man willing to learn and improve.

Thanks to Berkley for my eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

5 stars - 10/10

This was just what I needed as a romance novel pallet cleanser. It is fun, relaxing, and deeply enjoyable. Chandler and Finn have great chemistry, and the rationale for them opening up to one another works. She *needs* to learn all of his drama to ghostwrite his book. I love how forthright these characters are, neither one keeping big dark secrets for made up reasons, just two decent people trying to be kind to the other. My exact favorite flavor of cozy romance.

I am a big fan of Weather Girl so I was very excited to see Business or Pleasure, the premise also really appealed to me. It did not disappoint. From the beginning I was hooked, it was impossible to put down. The writing was very good, I could feel the intended emotions. Chandler and Finn were both incredible characters, their chemistry was brilliant. I loved that, while this book is incredibly sexy, it emphasizes the importance of communication and connection in romantic relationships. I enjoyed the journeys of both Chandler and Finn, they both grew and developed so beautifully as individuals and as a couple. This book was absolutely amazing.

I adore Rachel Lynn Solomon, so I’m so excited to have been approved for this ARC! Thank you Berkley and NetGalley.

This book was a roller coaster. It started off so bad (in a good way), I had a visceral reaction to the first few chapters. I also laughed out loud way too many times, covering my mouth because I couldn’t believe what was being said.

It’s not often that the MMC isn’t automatically perfect and amazing in every way, so it was SO refreshing to see an MMC who needed a few *pointers*. The two main characters were also the most healthy characters I’ve ever read about- their communication was amazing, their chemistry was perfect, and the banter was *chef’s kiss*.

I loved the Jewish rep, just like this authors other works, and the mental health and women’s health representation. There are a few triggers I’ll add at the end of this review that I think are important to know going in.

Overall, this book did NOT disappoint. RLS never does. The spice was also a great addition, as always. 5/5 stars!

TW: mentions of emotional and mental abuse, mentions of abortion, mentions of anti-semitism, and mentions of the stigma on mental health (esp in Hollywood).

Loved this! The chemistry was off the charts. Who doesn’t love a book about books? Highly recommend!

Chandler Cohen is a journalist turned ghost writer. On a night when she is feeling low she meets a charming man at a bar. They talk, sparks begin and in an unusual move for her she embarks on a one night stand only to be seriously disappointed by the event. Her agent calls the next day asking her to meet a C-list celebrity and his agent about writing his book. Lo and behold it is the same guy.

This is a delightful set up to a wonderful new book from Rachel Lynn Solomon. Finn Walsh is the nerdy actor who makes his living attending Cons where people pay for his autograph or to be in a photo with him. His show has been off the air for ten years but has a strong cult following. He is shocked to learn he didn’t rock Chandler’s world. He convinces her to give him lessons to be better in the bedroom while she travels with him writing his book. The lessons make this bring the heat to the story. But the pair are just as enjoyable when learning about each others lives. There are mental health issues they’ve both dealt with and he copes well with his OCD tendencies.

I love how sex positive this story is and how adorable Chandler and Finn are together. Solomon throws in a touch of Judaism as both were raised in the faith and it is a touchpoint for them. I whole heartedly recommend this story. I probably need to re-read it again at some point because I was blazing through it wanting to see how everything works out.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC via NetGalley and I am leaving a voluntary review.

Short synopsis: Chandler has the most awkward hookup of all time, then discovers her one night stand is now the star in her next ghost writing adventure.

My thoughts: This one was a lot steamier than I’m used to, which I should have expected based on the cover alone. Dispute the steam, was a lot of great substance to the book. I’m not a fun of pure steam, i have to have plot and this one had plot.

There was a lot of great chemistry between Chandler and Finn. I really liked how they encouraged each other, and the growth each character went through as the book progressed.

I really enjoyed the mental health discussion and felt like it was portrayed with accuracy and tenderness that some books lack.

Read if you love:
- Jewish Rep
- Mental health
- Finding your passions and shooting for the stars
- Celebrity romances
- “No strings attached”

I had a great time reading this book! Finn was an adorable little bean, and I never stopped rooting for him. I loved Chandler and all her insecurities - as a thirty-something millennial, I can absolutely identify with how she's feeling. The characters were so fun, the plot was *chef's kiss*, the pacing was great, and the conclusion was perfect. No miscommunication (which I hate as a plot device) here. I will definitely be suggesting my library purchase this book.

🧦BUSINESS OR PLEASURE by Rachel Lynn Solomon🧦

📆Pub date: July 4th, 2023
➡️Swipe for synopsis
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Format: Audiobook
Read if you like:
💛Friends to lovers
⭐️Celeb/normal person
🌶️Lotsss of steam

I loved this cute but deceivingly spicy rom-come! After a one night stand that did not go so well, Chandler is hired to ghost-write the memoir for the former star of a Teen Wolf-esque show. When she gets to the meeting, she realizes it’s the same man she walked out on after the disastrous one night stand.

This was filled with cute and tender moments between Chandler and Finn but also discussed serious topics like OCD and mental health. The open communication was refreshing after I’ve read many books with the miscommunication trope. Taking off one star because I felt like the secondary characters weren’t as prevalent as I would have liked and it took a little too long for me to see the chemistry between the characters, but otherwise I loved this!

Thank you so much to @berkley for the advanced copy of Business or Pleasure!

Another fun adult RomCom by Rachel Lynn Solomon with great Jewish representation. What starts as a one night stand turns into so much more as ghostwriter Chandler Cohen is hired to write Hollywood superstar Finn Walsh's memoir. Along the way they tackle issues relating to mental health, sexual health, aging parents, career derailments, and so much more! Their relationship is definitely one to root for. Highly recommended.

I am actually OBSESSED with Rachel Lynn Solomon and everything she writes - especially her adult fiction. Solomon infuses her stories with the most relatable Jewish representation without being preachy or even religious. I love the references to Jewish cuisine and some observed habits (as a traditional but not religious Jewish woman).

Chandler and Finn completely wormed their way into my heart within minutes of starting Business or Pleasure. I loved the ghostwriting component of this story as well as the hollywood / comic-con aspect.

I was so sad to finish this book and it was truly RLS at her best!

Thank you to Berkley Romance for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.