I've enjoyed both of Rachel Lynn Solomon's adult rom-coms (THE EX-TALK and WEATHER GIRL) so I expected good things from this book. There is a lot to like, from a relatable heroine to the very sex positive romance. But unfortunately the plot just didn't come together here for me. The general premise of a journalist-turned-ghost-writer meeting an actor, having a one-night stand with said actor, and then being hired to work on that actor's memoir makes total sense to me, immediately intrigues me, and is quite unique. Where Solomon lost me is in the "sex lessons" aspect of this story. It's just...so unneccessary? The same sex positive language, scenes, and dialogue could still be used here if it were just the heroine and our actor choosing to continue their sexual relationship after the one-night stand, rather than turning it into this whole lesson plan plot device. It felt strange, and a bit cringe (sexual proclivities are so individual, obviously, so I found it particularly awkward when the love interest would be taught dirty talk that was "right" but which made me want to crawl out of my skin) and just didn't vibe with the rest of the story about two professionals finding their place in their careers and their families and the wider world. I think a lot of people will enjoy this one, but it just wasn't quite right for me.

Loved this book! It was incredibly spicy, but also had a lot of depth. The character growth was impeccable and I loved getting to know main characters and side characters. The conflict at the end also felt realistic. I loved that the plot was set around comic coms - so fun and unique! I think this is my favorite of RLS's adult romances.

Picture it: one-night stand. WORST sex of your life. Literally everything goes wrong that could go wrong. Oh well, sneak out while he's asleep and never see the guy again.

Until you have a work meeting with a prospective client and... he's the prospective client :-))))

Yup, I had no idea that was the premise of this book (like I said, I so rarely read a synopsis lmao) and I was SHOCKED hunny like when she had bad sex at the beginning of the book I was like ew!! why am i hearing about this dweeb!!!

But yeah, Chandler's a ghostwriter, and Finn's a celebrity, a smidgen washed up but still with a big fan base, he was basically on the Teen Wolf of their universe. There are folks now and forever riding for Stiles and Scott even if the general public has no clue their cultural impact lol

Chandler is like traveling the country with Finn while she gathers material for his memoir and he goes to fan conventions. She happens to let it slide that the sex was bad and he is FLUSTERED girl he had no clue. So they jokeee about the idea that Chandler will give Finn sex lessons and thennn it kinda becomes... not a joke anymore muahahaha

Yeah so they begin the most COMMUNICATIVE sexual relationship I have ever read in a book, and yes, it is hot, and there's not really a third act breakup, and we learn about Finn's OCD and Chandler's general lack of direction in life and it's just a good and layered story from Rachel Lynn Solomon just as I was expecting

Rachel Lynn Solomon wins AGAIN!

I think there's a very specific vibe for RLS stories, especially her adult romances. The first thing I love about her stories is they're so character driven. I think most romances rely on the characters more than plot obviously, but hers always manage to paint this beautiful, nuanced, complex picture of each character. On top of that, RLS always makes it a priority to include representation that's important to her: accurate mental health depiction and Jewish rep (sometimes queer rep). I think overall, literature tends to overlook healthy, joyful Jewish representation and RLS always includes it in her stories in the most effortless purposeful way.

Now onto the meat of it all: the characters, the plot. Now, I will not lie, this book won't appeal to those romance lovers that want the alpha male, dominant, sexually confident, rock-your-world male lead. Finn is nerdy and a little shy and very, very sexually inexperienced. Oh my GOD, when these two first slept together it gave me physical cringe. But that's the point. I think RLS rebels against a very patriarchal template for romance: shy, inexperienced female main character meets this smooth, suave man who opens her eyes and is subsequently the best sex she's ever had. I loved it. I love the dedication especially because RLS makes a point to demonstrate that it's okay to not have everything figured out late in life. That dedication has greater meaning in this story beyond sexual prowess.

So now on to Chandler. Chandler has no idea where her life is going and the current path she's on of ghostwriting celebrity memoir after celebrity memoir is not really what she pictured her life looking like. She has a disastrous one-night stand with Finn just to see him the next day as her client for her next memoir. They strike up a deal where she'll help him improve his bedroom skills. I LOVED her. Love her. Chandler is so real. And that's not just me relating as a fellow anxiety girlie.

Other important points: pacing? outstanding. Also this couple has the healthiest relationship I've ever witnessed in a book. The 'conflict' of the story is so well resolved and their communication is so good. They have amazing physical chemistry (oh my god RLS really upped the spice in this one). I think the only gripe is the emotional connection sometimes gets lost in the physical. She relies a bit too much on this physical chemistry, though that's not to say the emotional development is absent, I just felt a little underwhelmed by the love confession. But still so cute I love.

IF RLS WRITES IT I WILL READ IT. I WILL LOVE IT.

With Chandler and Finn, Rachel Lynn Solomon created original characters and turned a common trope upside down.

Business or Pleasure is about a ghost writer and a minor celebrity collaborating on a book. Yet before they meet professionally through their agents, they hook up at book signing and connect so spectacularly…but the ensuing sex is just meh.
When Chandler realizes Finn’s book, as her next contract, will bring more money, travel possibilities, and a chance to expand her writing opportunities, she decides to take it on despite the awkwardness.
On the road together, he mentions their “mind blowing” night together, so she decides to set him straight.
The sexual tutoring trope is turned upside down as Chandler tutors Finn. At college she minored in Human Sexuality and as the owner of her own body, she knows how to communicate her needs and wants.

I loved how their relationship grew and developed over time, both the emotional and sexual relationships seemed natural and authentic.

Finn’s zeitgeist TV show, The Nocturnals, is such a wonderful concept I think it would be a great show for real.

There are good supporting characters as well. Her cousin/best friend Noemie is a standout.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It is no secret that I love Rachel Lynn Solomon’s work. I have been eagerly awaiting Business or Pleasure since it was announced, and it certainly did not disappoint.

I love the way Solomon weaves her characters’ Judaism into her stories. Finn’s mom is a rabbi, but certainly not a stereotypical one. She went to rabbinical school after starting her career in hospital billing. When Chandler has the chance to visit her synagogue, she reflects on how she would only attend services once a year for the High Holy Days but that it had been years since she’d been in synaogue. This is certainly the experience of many (maybe even most) American Jews today. I love how seamlessly Finn and Chandler’s Jewish identities are weaved into the story without it overshadowing other parts of their identities.

Solomon’s description of Chandler’s experience sitting next to Finn in synagogue really rang true for me.

"We were raised on these same songs, speoke this same language. It’s like discovering we have the same favorite book, and not only that, but that we love all the same parts – that we’ve highlighted and underlined them and folded over pages when we probably should have been using bookmarks."

I had a similar experience the first time I sat in Shabbat services with my husband. Of course, I knew he was Jewish, but there was something special about listening to him say those familiar prayers that made me feel very connected to him.

Another one of my favorite elements of Solomon’s work is her mental health representation. Finn has OCD, and he describes his experiences to Chandler. He talks about his germophobia and how he used to be unable to eat out at a restuarant. He tells her that he’s made a lot of progress through medication and treatment and that he wants to use his book to raise awareness about the condition. OCD is an incredibly misunderstood diagnosis, and Solomon handles it with finesse.

Chandler and Finn’s relationship is so easy to root for. Chandler helps Finn realize that his story is worth being told, and Finn encourages Chandler’s dream to write a book under her own name. It is obvious how deeply they care about each other personally and support each other’s professional aspirations as well. Solomon is great at crafting these characters and relationships that draw in her readers.

Business or Pleasure is Solomon’s steamiest novel, and it also portrays intimacy in a way that is realistic. Chandler and Finn’s initial one night stand is awkward and stumbling. I was glad to read about an encounter that wasn’t perfect as that is certainly not common in the romance novels I’ve read. I also appreciated Chandler’s emphasis on communication in intimate moments.

I already cannot wait to read Business or Pleasure again. I am also honored that it comes out on my birthday (July 4 – mark your calendars).

Rachel Lynn Solomon is an autobuy for me and this book was just as wonderful as her others. The premise was so good and fresh. I loved the FMC who was confident in herself and her sexuality. Their chemistry was so good. The plot and career issues the characters had were really well done.

I couldn’t put this book down but I also had parts that I found cringy. It was a very spicy book but I felt myself wanting a more authentic relationship between the main characters.

I will probably like everything that Rachel Lynn Solomon writes. There's always heart, a snappy humor that I just ~vibe~ with, and topics that I don't really see a lot in books. Solomon's latest book, Business or Pleasure, is no exception. This book features:

- sex positivity
- a character with OCD
- a character with anxiety
- a celebrity/non-celebrity relationship - that develops from strangers to friends to a coworker/friends with benefits (sorta?? it's very complicated situation) to lovers

If you're a fan of Solomon's previous adult romances (or really, any of her work), Business or Pleasure is a must read as well!

Thank you to the publisher for providing me a digital review copy of this book!

Business or Pleasure gave me a few firsts in my reading journey and it's always fun when I come across something I'm new to or not expecting. For instance, I don't think I've read a romance that establishes early on that the first sexual encounter between the two main characters is terrible...which is a shame as I'm absolutely certain there are many who've had a similar experience. I realize that romance is supposed to be an escape but it's also nice when reality collides with fiction. I've also never come across a set of characters who actually confront that bad experience and then use it as a learning experience. That's exactly what happens with Chandler and Finn, which interestingly intersects with her being hired by his team to ghostwrite his book.

So after a surprising meeting-where they figure out that their one night stand is the writer/ghostwriter-they decide that they can actually make this work, they begin traveling together to get the book written. It's on these travels that Chandler reveals what a sucky lover he as and he convinces her to teach him how to be better. From city to city, they not only get to know each other's personal histories, hopes, and dreams, they learn how to pleasure each other.

As the drafting of the book comes to an end, so do their travels, which leads them both wondering what's next? Can this work when we lead different lives, live in different cities? If it's a true romance, of course it can and so we leave this novel with a happily ever after that's completely satisfactory and yet I can't help but wonder if we'll see them more in maybe a secondary character's novel? I wouldn't be mad about it.

This was a spicy romance! I liked the forced proximity of the two main characters. This one where I enjoyed only being in the POV of Chandler.

I absolutely loved Business or Pleasure - Just enough spice to heat things up, with a great storyline and character development... and a healthy relationship dynamic too!

Obsessed with the concept of this book and how exquisitely horny it turned out to be. The smut is out of this world, the emotional development between Chandler and Finn is so warm and cozy and gentle. The story overall is so powerful yet tender. Incredible book!

I just adore Rachel Lynn Solomon and would read whatever she writes. Her books get better too. Ex Talk was really good, but Weather Girl was better and this is the best yet. This is also her most overtly sexy book, and there’s a linkage btn those statements. She has such affection for her characters and write with such sensitivity. It lovely to watch Finn and Chandler fall for each other, and this book was an absolute delight. I especially liked the frank discussion about bad sex and how to fix that, and how crucial communication could be. Finns reaction to his bad performance really made the book. The only thing that I didn’t love was that the third act breakup seemed a bit contrived and rushed.

Solomon knows how to write a romance and I will always read her books. But this one fell a little short for me. It felt like it took me forever to read it and I'm not sure if that was on me or the book. I did like the communication between the characters - that was refreshing and something you don't see a lot of in rom-coms. But the plot points didn't feel like they went together very well. Overall, the story didn't feel cohesive and trying to meld the stories of a ghostwriter and a struggling actor, a road trip-esque setting, and the intimacy lessons never came together in a believable way to me. None of them got the complete focus they deserved and maybe the story would have been better if one or two plot points were dropped.

Wow! This was such a great read. I'm continually impressed with Solomon's ability to write such a steamy romance, while still managing to incorporate really important and sensitive topics.

I've read the last three books by this author, and I will say that this was certainly the most...steamy? But that was pretty clear in the description. Even with sex as the main theme (or even topic really- you've got to read this one to understand!), there were such strong threads of the importance of mental health, stretching one's comfort zone, and the importance of friends and family. I love how Solomon is able to write a laugh out loud rom-com that also takes on such important issues at the same time, and she nailed this one!

Unlike many of the books in this genre, this storyline was entirely unique. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to seeing what this author does next! Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for my gifted review copy.

rachel lynn solonomn continues to deliver on rom-com perfection! full of swoony, steamy scenes and kinda the dorkiest characters in the world?? i absolutely loved them and the way they fell in love with each other!!

I am a fan of Rachel Lynn Solomon's writing, especially the way she writes her characters. They always feel like real people and it is impossible not to fall in love with them. Chandler and Finn, the protagonists in this book, were no exception. However, this book was just not for me. The plot did not hold my interest and I found myself counting the pages until the chapter was over so I could put it down. If you are looking to read something from Solomon, I would recommend Weather Girl over this one.

Huge fan of Rachel Lynn Solomon's books and how they incorporate Jewish culture, both with discussions of antisemitism as well as joy and celebration. I also really liked her take on a celeb romance for a celeb who's not an A-Lister - I loved seeing the convention culture and everything surrounding the fandom, including the little snippets of scripts and whatnot. Rachel is genuinely funny, especially compared to a lot of books marked romcom right now.

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

I’m still chasing that high from The Ex-Talk, but I will say, this one really came around for me. While the beginning felt a bit…familiar in a way - a sweeping one night stand with a stranger who you somehow have an immediate spark with - this quickly takes a refreshing turn. That spark? Yep, still there and very legit, but that hot one night stand? Decidedly NOT hot.

<b>“DIED IN PURSUIT OF AN IMPOSSIBLE ORGASM, they’ll write on my tombstone. May her memory be a blessing.”</b>

I wasn’t ready for that & I found it hilarious and also kind of relatable. We’ve all had bad sex but no one talks about it. Even typical ‘let me teach you about hooking up’ plots often don’t include BAD sex as what kicks off the need for lessons, more like general anxiety about it or inexperience. By introducing a new way of using the ‘sex education’ trope, I found I couldn’t help but fall for this. It was funny, it was quirky, it was also awkward but empowering and let me tell you…we have all been done a disservice by not getting the sexuality education that Chandler got.

Everything from toy usage to dirty talk and general intimacy, not just penetration is discussed WITH AN OUTLINE which is just so amazing for so many reasons. It speaks to my Type A outline loving nerdy self, but I also love that it helps demystify or de-taboo (idk if that’s a real word) sex talk, especially between partners! The sex positivity here is amazing — I couldn’t get enough.

<i>“Yeah, no: the mantra of the chronically anxious. See also: no, yeah.”</i>

Not only that, but there’s so much great, deep, and honest conversation about mental health from OCD to generalized anxiety disorder, with tools and resources including therapy, that really added so much substance and depth to the characters and story. So much about the mental health discussed here can be relatable for many, and it certainly was for me. And what’s nice is that some of it is treated with humor, though gently and in a respectful manner — because us anxious bunch need to poke and prod at ourselves jokingly sometimes to get by.

Add to that interesting leads like Finn & Chandler, and this really comes together so well. The steam was excellent, striking a seemingly impossible balance of emotional connection, straight up sizzling chemistry & sexual acts, and funny dialogue that doesn’t kill the moment. This must be some kind of sorcery.

<i>“I just wonder if sometimes you hold yourself back from things you know you want.”</i>

Chandler’s overall feeling of being ‘stuck’, of feeling like you don’t know how to ‘adult’, of judging yourself against others feeling like you’re not as far as you should be — it all hit home, it all reflected thoughts I’ve had again and again about myself, given my similar age to Chandler, so I felt really invested in her HEA. Add to that the great Jewish rep, for both leads but also for Chandler especially as she discusses her experience with an outwardly coded Jewish last name, and truly, she’s the kind of person you want to befriend and cheer for.

As a potential TW, I want to add that there is mention of an abortion, not shown on the page, but referenced as a past event, and I greatly appreciated including that detail and how it’s treated without stigma or shame.

I’m not sure the media and werewolf show vignettes were all that successful or needed, but I didn’t mind them. And though there were some pockets with pacing issues, overall this was a joy to read and felt really new. The ‘third act breakup’ or drama so to speak it also done a bit differently that felt more mature and honest, than trying to fit the typical formula, so additional points for that.

While this isn’t my favorite Solomon book, it’s certainly a close runner up!