Thank you to Berkley Publishing for sending me and ARC of Business or Pleasure!

I loved reading Weather Girl by RLS last year, so I was super excited to get an ARC of her latest book! This was honestly such a fun and relaxing read, I loved every moment! Chandler is a complex main character but I love how confident and driven she is. It's refreshing to read a romance book where the main character is relatable and I actually find myself liking her. She deals with issues about her career and feeling stuck doing something she doesn't love (haven't we all been there?) Her struggles with her anxiety as well as Finn dealing with his OCD are a refreshing take on how real and complex dealing with mental health can be (something RLS is great at touching upon!) The romance is both sweet (and super spicy) and I love how real the connection between them feel. You really begin to route for them as soon as they meet! And do not worry, this book has SO MUCH SPICE it's insane how sexy this book is! Anyways I really enjoyed this and think this is a great read for anyone (even if you don't like romance like me!)

Early on in my reading of this book, I thought I'd be giving it a solid three stars. But the more I read, the more I found myself smiling. Finn is a Jared Padalecki-type character--an actor who made a name for himself on a show that frequents the fan convention circuit who is now dipping his toes into mental health advocacy. Chandler Cohen is his ghostwriter and former one-night stand.

This is the second Rachel Lynn Solomon book I've read in the last month, after Weather Girl, and her stories are a tonic for *points to everything*. I'll definitely look out for more of her work.

I flew through Business or Pleasure! Between the sparkling chemistry between Finn and Chandler and the SPICE 🔥🌶 (Rachel Lynn Solomon's steamiest book yet!!), it was a joy to read from start to finish. As always, Rachel Lynn Solomon portrays her characters' mental health in such an honest and thoughtful way. As an avid consumer of the celebrity memoir, I particularly loved the insight into the life of a ghostwriter! Out July 4!

I feel like every other Rachel Lynn Solomon novel I've started, I'm immediately sucked in to, but this one didn't really feel the same. I don't know why I didn't connect as well with these characters as others, but, hey it happens. Either way, it was still a good book (good, not GREAT), that was cute and easy. Fun comic cons, friends with benefits type trope, and fake Vampire Diaries/Riverdale type shows all equal a fun romp.

Business or Pleasure was just what I needed to get out of my Rom Com rut. It’s fiercely smart, laugh out loud funny, spicy and heartwarming at the same time and body positive.

Chandler Cohen is a ghostwriter for B-listers and beyond, who feels every bit the ghost when her latest subject doesn’t even recognize her name at a book signing event.

Finn Walsh is the lovable nerd from an early aughts teen fantasy show The Nocturnals. Unlike most of his cast mates, he hasn’t been able to springboard The Nocturnals into stardom. He travels around the country going from con to con to pay the bills.

After Chandler and Finn casually meet one night, and have the worst one night hookup of Chandler’s life, they end up having to work together on Finn’s new memoir. And in the bedroom. Hilarity, steam and tenderness ensue.

I loved how Rachel Lynn Solomon shaped the characters. You felt like you were reading about your classmates, your neighbors, or better yet, your friends. She made both so relatable that you completely understood their “unusual” tics. For fans of The Ex Talk, there might also be a little tidbit for you hiding within the pages.

I got sucked in by Business or Pleasure from the first page. 4 stars!

I received an ARC courtesy of Berkley and NetGalley. This in no way impacted my review of the book.

The opening spicy scene was so well written, it will be engrained in my brain. The cringe was so hard, I had a physical response. I really enjoyed the two MC's because they were so realistically portrayed. Super fun and with a unique premise, definitely worth the read!

Books about writers and writing are my favorite. Throw in excellent and honest communication, normalizing mental health, sex positivity and 🔥🔥🔥 scenes, this is a must-read. You will fall in love with Finn and Chandler.

Simultaneously sweet and hot, this was a very fun read from the always reliable Rachel Lynn Solomon. I wish I'd been able to read this when I was younger! The twist on a second chance romance was fun and I loved the tv revival aspect, as well as the ghostwrting plot.

This was so cute and steamy. I loved the execution of the tropes and the characters. This has to be my favorite of Rachel Lynn Solomon.

I loved this book. I actually think I would love reading Rachel Lynn Solomon's grocery list, because she can WRITE. And not only can she write, she manages to capture every single thought I've ever had and give it to the main character. In my opinion, Today Tonight Tomorrow and Weather Girl were better, but I still immensely enjoyed this one. I loved Chandler and especially appreciate how much I learned about ghostwriting while reading this book. I relate to Finn the most though, mainly because Solomon's portrayal of his OCD was so spot on. As someone with contamination OCD who has also been in therapy for a long time and loves it, I really appreciate the fact that Solomon spent time to get the details right, and made sure he wasn't magically cured just because he went to therapy. I found myself wishing there was more content of Noemie and Chandler's parents (just because Rachel managed to make these side characters so entertaining and full of life). All in all, I loved this book and will continue to read every single thing Rachel Lynn Solomon ever writes.

great mix of cute and steamy! loved the explicit consent, frank discussion of the female orgasm/how women's desires often aren't centered in sexual engagements, and the warm fondness for fan culture that came through in the writing.

Summary: When ghostwriter Chandler Cohen meets her new client, she has no idea it is the horrible and awkward one night stand from the previous evening - and that he is one of the stars of a cult classic tv series still beloved by fans.

When Finn approaches her with a second arrangement that’s a bit more unorthodox, she decides to go for it with some hilarious and spicy repercussions.

Thoughts: This was the perfect romance read, and I would give it all the stars if that was a thing. Chock-full of some of the best representation, including spot on OCD/anxiety rep, Business or Pleasure is the perfect ration of swoon to emotional depth to steaminess.

One of my favorite things about Rachel Lynn Solomon’s writing is how relatable her characters are and Chandler and Finn are no exception. Through every awkward moment, every agonizing decision, and all their day to day moments, both felt so real to me and I can see them existing completely off of the page. They are nuanced and flawed but in a very realistic and honest way, and I loved every moment I was in the proverbial room with them.

The c-lister subplot was really interesting and I enjoyed experiencing the convention life vicariously through these characters. I also thought the script pages that divided each chapter added a really fun element while also giving us more of Finn’s backstory.

As for the steamy aspect - it was, well hot! I loved how natural these scenes felt and how they actually gave us quite a bit of emotional insight into the development of our MC’s relationship.

Read if you like:
•one night stand
•workplace romance
•forced proximity
•book about books
•OCD/Anxiety Rep
•sex positivity

I loved this book so much and cannot recommend it enough. A huge thank you to Berkley Romance and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I love this new trend I am seeing where consent is actually discussed. Cute premise on this one, unique!

Sex positive, an awkward first hook-up, and a hilarious “oh my god” moment that subsequently follows, get ready to be swept away into another heart-felt rom-com by romance favorite, Rachel Lynn Solomon.

Solomon takes us into a story starring two quirky characters, a ghostwriter, Chandler Cohen, and a C-list actor Finn Walsh, who end up working together on Walsh’s memoir. And the setup for their first and second encounter is just AMAZING!

And what I absolutely love about this book is the way Solomon writes her MC with a self-awareness and confidence in how to be satisfied and give satisfaction. It’s refreshing when two characters are able to be completely vulnerable with each other. But I feel, most importantly, both characters taking a risk in figuring out in a safe and consensual way, how to find satisfaction (for both people involved) when in the bedroom.

Business or Pleasure is a romance novel not to be missed!

Happy Reading ~ Cece

4/5 ☆

this was great. fast paced + well written, RLS does a great job at creating well rounded characters — ones that actually communicate at that!

loved how sex positive this was and the open communication it created between chandler + finn. they have such a natural chemistry that translated to the bedroom easily after a few lessons. their progression to a relationship made sense and so did their hesitations and insecurities about their careers.

really enjoyed this one! bonus points for the mental health + Jewish rep.

Rachel Lynn Solomon can do no wrong. Really enjoyed this romance, the characters, and the entire story from start to finish.

Out July 4, 2023 [Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review!]

Rating: 5/5 stars

Chandler Cohen is a professional ghostwriter struggling with her personal and professional life when she has a deeply unsatisfying one night stand…who turns out to be her latest client.

I LOVE THIS BOOK SO MUCH. It’s funny, sexy, full of top notch banter and great characters and a slightly silly but super engaging premise. All of that is outstanding and absolutely enough to make BUSINESS OR PLEASURE worth reading, but it’s not what earned it five stars for me.

Rather, what made this book a five star read is the deeply relatable way the author writes about being a 30ish millennial struggling with career burnout/disillusionment. The impeccably deft handling of mental health topics. The flawed and scared and occasionally chaotic but deeply real characters. I felt so deeply and meaningfully seen by so many parts of this book, and when you find something that resonates so deeply, you hold on tight and don’t let go.

I’m absolutely imploring you to go preorder this one/get your hands on it however you can as soon as you possibly can! I hope you love it as much as I did.

Recommended to anyone, but especially if you like: sex positivity and feminism; mental health rep; relatable characters

CW: Mental health (anxiety + OCD); some mentions of antisemitism

Chandler Cohen puts the ghost in ghostwriter.  In fact, the author of the book she just wrote didn't even recognize her at her book signing.  However, the evening turns promising when she finds herself next to a handsome and charming man at the bar and they instantly connect.  This leads to an extremely awkward hook up that she soon wants to forget.

Easier said than done when her next project is ghostwriting his memoir.  Finn Walsh is a C-list actor best known for his role as a lovable nerd on a cult classic werewolf show and currently makes his living making appearances at fan conventions.
 
Chandler wants to keep their partnership as professional as possible, but when she admits to him their one night stand wasn't mind blowing they strike a deal.  When they are not working on his book, Chandler will school Finn in the art of sexual satisfaction.

As they grow closer in and out of the bedroom they have to decide what is more important.  Business or Pleasure?
 

This one started out a little awkward.  They jumped right into the sex scenes and it was very cringe.  Obviously, that was part of the story line, as she ends up educating him throughout the book.  But, to start off that way was a little...eww! 
However, I did love the sex positive role Chandler played.  Sex isn't just for men.  Women should receive pleasure, too, and should feel 100% comfortable asking for what they want.  This progressed throughout Finn's education, but was very prominent.  So, if you're not into lots of sexy scenes, this might not be your cup of tea.  I got a little The Kiss Quotient vibes.

I also loved the role Finn played, shedding light on some mental health, especially in the entertainment industry.

Their relationship together was super sweet, tho.  It felt authentic from the start, even though it began a little awkwardly.  I tend to think some rom com's get overly cheesy and this wasn't one of them.  This felt like an equal balance of a great story line and spice!

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for an early E-Copy.

Rachel Lynn Solomon is a master of writing original romances. Her ideas are always just crazy enough to work and I love the way she makes them come to life. Business or Pleasure is no exception and I absolutely loved the concept. I also love how all of her books are a love letter to Seattle. I could relate to this MC more than any other MC of hers because of her age and occupation, which I really appreciated. As always the mental health rep was well done. Another stellar romance.

What a delight of a book!! This was my first RLS and definitely won’t be my last. I adored the characters and the unique plot. This book is single POV but felt like I still really got to know Finn because the main characters were so open and honest in their dialogue. So refreshing! Loved the sex positivity as well.