I am shocked to see that this is a debut novel by Clare Gilmore. This book is such a good book regardless of being debut or whether it's the 100th book.

Casey is a finance nerd (love women in stem). She's trying to figure out where she belongs in the world and what brings her happiness. She applies for a job change in her company to further try to figure out herself. She finds out that despite being a great candidate, they gave the position to Alex, the chairman of the board, son. This sets up the scene for a perfect rom com setting with enemies to lovers.

This is a heavy workplace rom com where the majority of the story takes place in the workplace but the characters and the plot are *chef's kiss*.

*Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Clare Gilmore for my copy to review.*

Y'all this was GOOD!!! What a debut by Clare Gilmore!!! Big thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced copy to read and review! This one hits shelves TOMORROW!!!

Casey is a young finance staffer at a media company in Manhattan. She's lived a lot of life already - she lost her mother very young, struggled with what she wanted to do with her life, had an epic breakup, and then moved from everything she's ever known in TN to NYC. When we meet Casey she is waiting to hear about a new job - a bit outside of her wheelhouse, but she's trying to stretch herself. She is nervous and fidgeting in an elevator when a very handsome guy attempts to make her laugh. She is super intrigued by this stranger until she learns that she didn't get the job... but he did.

As she learns more about Alex Harrison, the handsome elevator guy, the less she likes him - particularly when she learns that he's the son of the Chairman of the Board. But then she actually gets to know him, and things get even more tricky.

I got into this one SO quickly!! Casey, Alex, and their coworkers and friends are fully developed and multi-dimensional. And the conflicts are authentic, earned, and nuanced. The slow burn here is A++ and the chemistry is excellent - and y'all know how seriously I take that!

Add this to your TBR list immediately!! Can't wait to see what Clare Gilmore writes next!

Will post to goodreads, retail sites and my bookstagram @scottonreads

Folx, today’s offering knocked me off my feet. We have a somewhat enemies to lovers, rivals, with a #hefallsfirst hero - it’s like catnip! I received an ARC of Love Interest by Clare Gilmore from NetGalley for an unbiased review. I can easily say this was an absolute delight.

A Little Bit of Plot
Casey Maitland loves numbers. Math just makes sense to her. Alex Harrison understands big picture projects and tends to overlook how they’re funded. While he received the big job, she has taken upon herself to make his life miserable. Alex is determined to win her over. When faced with a career changing project, both must collaborate and Casey begins to witness a different side to Alex. Is this attraction worth the heartache or is it just a passing love interest?

The Compliment Sandwich

The Top Bun
A Very Realistic Situation

I don’t want to expound too much on this point as I could fall into spoilers. The main crux of the story is based around a physical magazine moving into the digital sphere. As Egon Spengler would say “print is dead”, and has been doing so for years.Therefore, in this novel, we have the very real situation of a physical media brand having to move forward to a digital platform and at the same time dealing with old school detractors. Throw in two main players falling in love while attempting to build a trusting relationship. Honestly, this seems like a very realistic plot setup.

Additionally, we do have a 3rd act breakup and the reconciliation is not perfect, but it works for what would realistically happen. I loved it. If it had been brought about any other way and it would have felt false. I’ve used the phrase “making the right choices” before, and we see Gilmore doing this extremely well. If either Alex or Casey had made any different choice and it would have been out of character. It works so well.

The Meat (The Con)
The Pacing

I’m nitpicking if I’m talking about pacing, and I’m having a hard time trying to find something I didn’t like about this book. At times it felt as though we were breezing through time and then at others, we slow down to 24 hour periods. We are told a lot in those swept over time periods instead of shown and then draw out some days where we could have cut back some detail. It just needed a bit of tightening up. It’s still a breeze to get through and highly enjoyable.

The Bottom Bun (Final Pro)
A heroine with a unique superpower

I’m using financial acumen as a superpower, and I’m not downplaying it at all. For a large number of us, numbers aren’t our thing. Computers are my thing, but understanding the finance world definitely wasn’t. When asked why Casey likes finance, she answers with: “I think it’s because…math doesn’t lie. It always makes sense, always adds up. There’s a lot of stuff in life that makes me anxious. But this never has.” For those of us with anxiety, we need that part of our life that we just understand, it’s our constant. Again, for me, it’s dealing with databases. I get them. While they change and upgrade, the general makeup is the same and it makes me feel grounded. It’s the one thing in my life I can control. For Casey, her spreadsheets don’t let her down or speak untruths. I love that we have that in common. I wish that for others with anxiety you have something similar. I can also understand how falling in love with Alex would throw Casey off kilter. Alex is the definition of ungrounded. He never stays in one place and is constantly on the move - he’s bombastic and extroverted while Casey prefers a small insular friend sphere and consistency. Their relationship works however, and I contribute that to Gilmore’s writing.

Additionally, the side characters in the story are also delightful. You need to really enjoy them in order to understand the impact certain events will have on their lives. Again, Gilmore does an amazing job presenting them all as individuals with their own personalities and characteristics. Overall, this is a total recommend from me.

Ashley Winsted called this book Nora Ephron for Gen Z. And even though I didn’t agree the Nora Ephron part I agree Gem Z part. Two ambitious young people just entering work force have to deal with corporate dealings along with mutual attraction. The formula seems to be the same. This could be a fun read but for some reason couldn’t connect with the book.

Casey and Alex have an electric encounter in an elevator as Casey is on her way to discover she didn't get the job she had dreamed of. She's all about numbers and wanted to take on more responsibility, but it turns out that Alex, the son of a corporate bigwig, has landed the job. Thus begins the enemies to lovers tryst as they are thrown together to make the company successful.

Love Interest gives us a sweet, and a bit spicy, fling between Casey and Alex as they navigate corporate success, family matters, and their budding relationship. There's plenty of comedy to boot. The characters are likeable or disagreeable just as they are intended. Clare Gilmore is a genius when it comes to describing awkward encounters between the two main characters that lead to sweet, saucy moments.

You would never know this is a first novel by an author. I definitely will be looking out for more from Gilmore. Don't miss Love Interest!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.

Thanks to Netgalley for this e-book. I loved the chemistry between Casey and Alex. I also enjoyed all the friends portrayed as well. I loved the relationship between then and how it grew and how they were there for each other.

Every once in a while, I come across a debut that reads like it was written by someone who has been writing for publication for years, and that’s precisely what I experienced with Love Interest. It’s a bright, charming, and amazingly authentic enemies-to-lovers workplace rom-com that is slightly spicy and full of maturity and heart.

My favorite thing about the story is that the characters find it essential to consider their own professional needs while also determining their feelings for each other. It’s refreshingly mature and, I’m sure, something many young professionals have to deal with today. Gone are the days when a woman would drop years of hard work for a man.

Casey, the main character, tells the story with all its fun twists and turns as first she can’t stand Alex Harrison for beating her out for a position in a company she’s worked hard for since graduating from college (2 years) and then gives in to the attraction that made her not like him even a bit more at first. Their romance felt utterly authentic and contemporary.

I adored this romantic comedy for its fresh take on a modern romance between 20-somethings who must consider their career in all critical life decisions. It’s funny and heartwarming, even at times a little heartbreaking, and I adored every minute of it.

If you're looking for a cute and fun romcom to finish off your week, this is the book for you. Although I did struggle with my engagement with this book, I likes Clare Gilmore's writing and the pace of the book. I think I would have liked a bit more chemistry. The characters definitely had a spark, but I felt like to could have been explored a little more to allow for better relationship development. I loved the banter but things sort of fizzled out a bit once the MCs got together.

Either way, I still enjoyed this and look forward to reading more by Clare Gilmore.

I would like to thank the publisher for providing me with an ARC through NetGalley. As always, my opinions are entirely my own.

Love Interest is Clare Gilmore’s debut novel, a workplace enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy set in New York City. The characters in the story are very diverse, so all readers will find someone they can identify with.

24-year-old Casey Maitland is a Financial Analyst at Little Cooper Publications, a magazine conglomerate in Manhattan. She is a whiz with numbers but has a porcupine personality. She is thrilled to be considered for the Project Manager position for a new digital media platform spin-off called Bite the Hand. Then she learns that they have hired the board chairman’s son instead. HR throws her a bone by offering her a possible transfer to their London office next year if she can make the Bite the Hand launch successful. This means that she will have to work closely with the guy who got “her job”.

Alex Harrison is a handsome, suave, Harvard-educated, Korean-American who has tried to earn his way on his own merit. He likes Casey and doesn’t understand why she dislikes him. Others around them can sense their chemistry so they are assigned to appear in some videos together to promote Bite the Hand. As they work together, Casey realizes that her assumptions about Alex were wrong.

There is some corporate sabotage going on, and Casey is tasked by the Chief Financial Officer to do some undercover investigative work. Casey’s loyalties are tested between her growing attraction to Alex and the CFO. Little Cooper Publications as a whole is struggling because most of their publications are still in print format.

Love Interest is an amazing debut novel. Fans of The Hating Game will enjoy it, as well as anyone who enjoys a good story. There is literally something for everyone in this tale. I really like the main characters, especially Casey! She’s a native of Nashville, Tennessee and there’s many references to her hometown. Her college roommate, Sasha, is a black professional basketball player, and her current roommate, Miriam, is a nurse. Her friend Brijesh works at Food Baby magazine, and it’s fun to read about his culinary adventures. The references to all of the different Little Cooper magazines are fun and add to the humor of the story. The author has created such a great world at Little Cooper that I hope she writes more books featuring these characters and this setting.

I received an Advance Review Copy (ARC) from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Featuring a couple you can't help but root for, unmistakable chemistry (sometimes with a plethora of millennial/gen-z pop culture references), and Alex Harrison establishing himself as one of the best book boyfriends ever, this book hits every mark. In addition, that laundry detergent moment made me experience what I'm pretty sure was a swoon-- there is nothing more attractive than being considerate of someone's allergies/sensitivities!
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the amazing opportunity to read this ARC.

Love Interest by Clare Gilmore was such a delightful and charming read.
I am so happy that I loved this book so much!
Casey is such a refreshing character and I found myself absolutely loving her.
Alex is handsome and so adorable it was so hard not to fall for his charming self!
The characters are well-written, the plot is perfectly paced. It's just another great story!
A wonderful debut, with a co-worker romance, enemies-to-lovers rom-com that proves falling in love is the risk and the reward.
I think this was a great introduction to the writer's style and I look forward to more from Clare!

I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read this ahead of its publication date in return for my honest review.

Casey is living her best life in New York working in finance at a prominent magazine company. When she doesn’t get the project manager position she is hoping for she runs into Alex by chance in the elevator. Immediately determined to dislike Alex who beat her out for the position Casey’s animosity grows after finding out he is the illegitimate son of their CEO. After being forced to work on a new project together for one of the magazines, Casey starts to realize there may be more to Alex than she realizes. They are each other’s opposites but they balance each other out and work well together. But things get complicated when Casey’s boss asks her to gather intel on Alex and his dad amid an impending buyout. Casey does not want to manipulate and keep secrets from Alex, but she wants to save her company. Can their project save the company? Or will Alex find out Casey was withholding information from him, jeopardizing their relationship?

I loved this workplace romance on so many levels. Not only were the characters tangible, but the layers to them just made the book that much stronger. Both characters dealt with the death of a parent as well as trying to live up to their expectations. I connected with Casey so much with having to push myself out of my comfort zone and take risks as well as being resistant to change. I love how Alex is the opposite of her-well traveled, social and charismatic. They just support each other and blend so well together. Casey’s small group of friends are the absolute best and I want to meet them! And to top it off the Mew York setting and food scene just make this book so darn perfect!

Rate : 3.5/5

This was such a cute read! I laughed out loud many times, a great debut novel!

It Induded some of my favorite tropes like enemies-to-lovers, workplace romance, and one bed.I liked the overall plot and writing. It included the topic of growing up and not being a copy or your parents, making your own path but still loving where and who you came from.

I do feel that the story moved a bit slow for my liking and we were fed information that wasn't necessarily needed, which took away trom the story, in my opinion.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an E-arc in exchange for an horest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of Love Interest!!

4.5 stars rounded up!

This book follows the enemies/coworkers to lovers story of Casey and Alex. After Alex is chosen for job over Casey, she immediately decides he is enemy number one despite knowing nothing about him. As they work together on a shared new media venture for their magazine publishing company, they start to see a new side to each other and sparks begin to fly. Both characters open up to each other about the loss of their mothers (TW), relationships with their fathers, career worries, and so much more. I enjoyed the pacing of the story and the workplace/personal dramas that both characters had to navigate. This story has some truly laugh out loud moments and some very sweet ones as well.

As a former resident of Nashville and New York City, this book was right up my alley as most of the story is set in NYC, but Casey (FMC) grew up in Nashville. I appreciated this story's side characters as well for their humorous scenes and care for the main characters. I was not able to put it down and can't believe it was the author's debut novel. I am already anxiously awaiting more from Clare Gilmore. Overall, highly recommend this debut to any romance fan or someone who wants to leave a book feeling happy.

Love Interest is a quick romcom read. Two enemies that end up falling for each other at work. The secondary characters were likeable and memorable as well.

This was a cute, debut novel that included some great and very popular tropes. Including: enemies-to-lovers, one bed, and workplace romance.

While I thought the plot and writing was great, it sometimes felt a bit slow and there was an overwhelming amount of information given to the reader. I think there could have been less side characters so we could really dig into the main ones. I would have liked more interaction with Alex’s dad so that we could also understand their relationship and Casey’s dislike for him.

I do think for a debut novel it was well written and I would definitely pick up another Clare Gilmore book in the future. She has amazing potential!

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

We love a good workplace romance with enemies to lover vibes! The sparks fly between Alex and Casey from the first moment they lock eyes in the elevator. It comes crashing down for Casey when she realizes Alex is the one who got the position she applied for. Also, add in the fact that Alex is the CEO's son, so in her mind there is no way he is more qualified than she is. Enter petty tension and shenanigans between the two. Despite the tension, there is no way to avoid the lingering feelings and tension between the two. I also loved the Alex and Casey's friends sprinkled throughout, and the role they played in their romance developing.

Congratulations to Clare Gilmore on her first published novel!

Love Interest

Published 10/10/23 by Claire Gilmore.
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC! I voluntarily give my honest review and all opinions expressed are my own.

This Manhattan based romantic comedy between co-workers and enemies to lovers featuring main characters Casey Maitland and Alex Harrison. Casey is 24, works at Little Cooper Publication (LCP) as a finance expert. She applied for a promotion to project manager, which goes to Alex, the board chairman's son. Casey hates him on principle for nepotism, but things are not what they seem. Alex is 25, a Harvard graduate with a double major in entrepreneurship and digital media. He lived in Seoul and moved to NY for this project.

Casey has dreams of living in London like her mother Sadie who was a concert and fashion photographer from the UK. Her father Marty Maitland is a semi famous singer/musician married to Jerry, a florist. Alex's mother Charlotte Yoon died when he was child, and he went to boarding school. He was raised by his aunt Jane and cousins. Alex's father Robert Harrison didn't know Alex left Seoul and took the job at LCP. Alex wants his father's approval even though he wasn't in his life. I think his need to be liked / loved is why Alex is so enigmatic to everyone except Casey.

As Casey and Alex work together and hang out, Casey realizes Alex deserved the job and he's a pretty decent guy. They get caught up in work politics with Alex's father, Casey's mentor Tracy Garcia, and the CEO Douglas Dawson. Robert Harrison and Dougie had a lot of personal issues from the past, and unfortunately Alex and Casey; become their pawns.


Casey's friend group is pretty eclectic. Sasha was her roommate at University of TN. Brijesh is a recipe editor @ Food Baby- he's bisexual and has a "friend's w/ benefits" relationship w/ Miriam-Casey's BFF. I could have done without the YouTube stuff and filming w/ Casey and Alex. It didn't add much to the story.

Alex and Casey wouldn't define their relationship, but they fall in love anyway. I'm glad Casey followed her dreams even though she is brokenhearted over their 3rd act breakup, but there is a HEA.

Tropes you'll find: interracial relationship, office romance, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, LBGTQ+ rep.

Beware: death of a parent, corruption in the workplace

October 8, 2023
Thank you to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for my complimentary eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The only way to describe my feelings for this book is
via my favorite quote:
“The truth is I gave my heart away a long time ago, my whole heart, and I never really got it back”

I gave my heart to this book on the first page and I was so afraid of it getting broken. I even reached out to the author but she reassured me I would survive.
I binged it in one afternoon.

Clare and Alex’s story was sweet and slow moving and so romantic. I thoroughly enjoyed their witty banter and work place outings.

It’s the little things that show someone you care; kissing you when your ex shows up, asking about laundry detergent, looking for magazine articles and crying when you read them.

Did my heartbreak while reading chapter 33?
Of course. Did I cry at the grand gesture? Also yes.
Maybe I am just an old softie but this book will stay with me forever.

Perfect if you enjoy
Slow build
Workplace romance
Witty banter

This was a perfectly fine book, but a little too far on the sweet side, not enough tension. It got a little angsty at the end, which I would have preferred throughout. It’s a fine. Not a yes, more of a maybe…