Casey is an extremely hard-working, intelligent finance analyst for a big magazine company. She really wants to move forward in her career so she applies for a higher position. Encouraged to do so by management. She does not get this position. It goes instead to Alex who is the son of the board chairman. So obviously she is very upset about this.

Casey is then forced to work with Alex. And like any good romance the more time they spend together. The more KC sees that. Alex might have gotten the job for more than just nepotism.

Alex, on the other hand is in fact a very smart, intelligent, Harvard graduate. And he likes Casey from the start. And he has no idea why she doesn't like him.

This book was full of so much wit and banter heart and humor. I loved every second of it. From the moment I started reading this book I could not put it down. I read it in a matter of hours because I was so hooked and kept turning the pages.

And it was really great to see in a romance book we're two people actually communicate like mature adults. Sometimes I feel like it gets a little childlike in an enemies to lover's book. But this one was just beautiful to read.

I absolutely adore The Hating Game and this book gave me so many throwbacks to that book that this very well could rival it for my favorite workplace romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an arc of this book.

As a book editor in today’s cluttered romance landscape, it’s very rare that any book truly blows me away, let alone a debut. But I’m so glad St. Martin’s sent me “Love Interest,” and so glad I said yes to it. New authors like Clare Gilmore give me hope that there is still true wit and soul and literary talent yet to be discovered. This enemies-to-friends workplace romance is so much more than those tropes. I won’t write more than that, because I can’t do it justice. I hope this book finds all the success it deserves. This is one of my favorite reads of the year. Ten stars.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for providing a free copy of this ARC for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

Casey Maitland is a rising star in the Finance department at a magazine publishing company in Manhattan and aspires to move into another role. Unfortunately, she doesn't get the job and finds out the person who does: a charismatic, beautiful Harvard grad named Alex Harrison. He seems to be friends with everyone except Casey.

Casey and Alex are slated to work on a project together and the stakes couldn't be higher for both of them. Casey further aspires to transfer to the company's London office while Alex wants his estranged father, involved in the company, to be impressed by his efforts to build a new segment of the business. Casey begins to understand why everyone likes Alex so much and is drawn to him but has many secrets concerning the company that could hurt both of them. Walls begin to crumble with a secretive Alex, and Casey wants to open herself up without hurting him in the process.

The first 15% of this book was a little tough to get through and I wasn't sure if I would like it. However, the remaining 85% of it was great. I loved seeing where Casey and Alex's relationship would or could go. The author built the tension enough to keep the reader interested throughout the entire book. I loved the side characters' involvement in the story as well.

I also loved how the author wrote about Casey's career aspirations. I rooted for Casey, and while I know this is a contemporary romance novel, I would have been perfectly fine if Casey and Alex didn't end up together. I really liked Casey's character development and newfound confidence to not only take risks but also listen to her gut.

This relatable, humorous, and frankly adorable romance is sure to be a great cozy read in these upcoming fall and winter months.

What an incredible book!!

Claire Gilmore’s debut is a treasure and she’s a truly wonderful addition to the romance community! I loved Love Interest from start to finish. It’s filled with lovable characters that you’ll find impossible not to adore them from the start!

I’m so excited to read more of Claire’s!

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Love Interest is a fun and light enemies to lovers story. Casey meets Alex in the elevator on the way to what she assumes is a job offer for a new position…spoiler, he gets the job! Alex has a complicated life and is trying/seeking approval from his father. Casey is put in a tough position between helping the CFO, her mentor with providing personal intel from Alex and being honest to the man she’s falling in love with. I enjoyed the storyline and characters. Overall, it was a good read.

This is a novel with a good cast of of characters. Casey is working to move up the ranks of her company’s corporate ladder. Alex is being brought in as a new blood as he works to prove his worth to his dad. The story is more than just about the romance that develops between Casey and Alex. There is a crime that has to be solved and a family that has to be healed. It wraps up nicely as everything gets resolved.

I really enjoyed this book! Both protagonists were so appealing and it was fun to get to know them and to see how neither of them were like they seemed to be on the surface. Casey started off totally wrong about how she perceives Alex. And Alex had a surface personality that was much deeper once Casey got to know him. He was charming, yet hiding a troubled personal background that he didn’t let others see. Casey had her own sadness in her past that she was trying to change. I was pulling for both of them throughout the book as they fought to build their business and keep the predators from destroying it.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

Love Interest by Clare Gilmore was a light, easy to read, he falls first, enemies-to-lovers romance, that kept me engaged from start to finish!

Casey Maitland and Alex Harrison are co-workers, and Alex gets the job that Casey was hoping would be a promotion for her. Alex feels the tension between he and Casey, but he genuinely doesn’t understand where it is coming from, so he decides to pursue her.

The two are forced to work together and as they learn more about one another, it becomes clearer to Casey that maybe she misjudged him. But did she?

I always appreciate it in books when the characters communicate like adults and that was definitely the case here. They strived to learn and grow, which in turn made the, both better people in the end. A really great read!

**I voluntarily read an early copy of this title courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review**

This book… had a rough opening.

Sometimes books just have awkward or confusing openings. Whether characters are in a strange moment or there’s just a lot of background information to cover before a book can truly open up, I try to give books the best chance they have during the beginning. But with an opening where the writing style felt almost exactly like My Immortal (you know… Ebony Dark’ness Dementia Raven Way?), I was really questioning whether or not I could make it through this book.

Thankfully, it was just an awkward start.

Love Interest tells the story of Casey and Alex, two people who interviewed for the same job. Of course, only one could make it in, and Casey isn’t going to let go of the fact that the board chairman’s son got the job in what was obviously a show of nepotism.

But Casey finds it hard to truly hate Alex. Especially when the drama starts and office politics come into play.

I really enjoyed the humor in this book. It may come as no surprise to read that, especially if you’ve read my reviews in the past, but I love a book with funny moments. Love Interest in particular has this memorable moment early on where Alex decides a murder confession is the best first line to say to someone, and this really sets the tone for the rest of the novel.

I also enjoyed seeing these characters’ personal journeys throughout the book. While Casey is learning how to listen to herself and go for what she wants in life, Alex’s side of the story is about struggling to gain the attention of his father… and whether or not he is worthy of love without it.

To be honest, I read the entirety of this book in a single day without stopping. I really wasn’t expecting to, since I was in a little bit of a slump before this, but this book really grabbed me! I really enjoyed my time with Love Interest, and I can’t wait for this book to be released so I can display a finished copy on my shelves!

📖arc review - love interest by clare gilmore
⭐️rating: 4/5
⚡️genre: romance

🫧my thoughts: first off, thank you so much to @netgalley , @claregilmore, & @stmartinspress for this arc!!

this story is a workplace romance, where the majority of it really does take place at the office & the main issue revolves around the company. i honestly found this refreshing and it was so interesting to see their work and home life. the relationships in this book felt so real and natural.

casey & alex’s relationship was so sweet & i loved the banter, especially when they were still in their “enemies” phase! i loved the way they understood and were seen by each other & each had personal issues that they worked on throughout the story as well. there was a bit of spice as well which was really well done!

if you want a sweet workplace romance that will give you all the feels, be sure to pick up love interest by clare gilmore when it comes out THIS tuesday, october 10th, 2023✨

Casey Maitland has always found comfort in math and numbers, despite being the daughter of two musicians. As a finance expert working for a magazine powerhouse in Manhattan, Casey wonders if there is more to life than numbers, and decides to apply for an opening as a project manager at her company. Her dreams, however, are thwarted when the board chairman’s son Alex Harrison is selected for the role instead. Alex is handsome and charismatic, and everyone loves him—everyone except Casey, that is. The two are forced to work on the same project together and each has something to prove. Work meetings turn into lunch, which turn into after hours, and Casey and Alex are drawn to each other. But neither can avoid the messy secrets and corporate intrigue threatening to tear them apart. What they discover about their workplace might change everything—including the dreams each of them is chasing.

Thank you to @netgalley, @stmartinspress, and @momentofclarety for the ARC! This was such a fun read and I really enjoyed it. Casey’s character felt super relatable with her driven career aspirations and her yearning for more for herself. The adversaries/enemies to lovers plot line was so well developed. The banter between Alex and Casey was perfect, and I loved how their relationship unfolded. Casey’s relationship with her friends and coworkers were a nice added treat to a great character-driven narrative. I also really appreciated the diverse representation in Casey’s friend group. And I loved the FiDi setting in NYC so much, I’ve been to some of the places that Casey and Alex went to around their office and it was so fun to recognize locations. Love Interest hits shelves October 10!

Co-worker enemies-to-lovers rom com between a finance expert and the guy who is now the new project manager at her company.. Casey Maitland is good with numbers, she's been wondering if the new manager position at her company, a magazine powerhouse, would enable her to make her career better. She wants to advance in her career and when her boss tells her she's the perfect person for the job she's determined to get it... except she doesn't. Casey is passed over for the job by someone who has more experience and just happens to be the board chairman's son. Alex Harrison is handsome, Harvard-educated, and good at his job. Everybody loves him, except for Casey. They're thrown together to work on the same project but are discovering that they might be perfect for each other. This is an office rom-com, except it didn't feel funny at all. Casey is angry and made at Alex for getting the job, despite the fact that he is much more qualified than her, she thinks he's privileged and that he doesn't understand struggles, yet she doesn't know anything about him. In fact his father didn't even know he was working at the company, he had just applied for the job and got it on his own merits. Casey was my least favorite thing about this book. She comes off as immature, whiny, and just bland. I really did not care for the romance between them at all. Honestly it was a struggle to just through this book (thankfully I made it to the end) but I wanted to DNF it so many tines. While this wasn't for me, if you like office rival romances give this a go, maybe you'll have a better time than I did.

*Thanks Netgalley and St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

I loved this great romance novel! Both MCs were lovely - complex, kind, and the type of people it’s fun to root for. The supporting cast was diverse and interesting. There were a LOT of side characters but they were all distinct enough to be able to keep track of them.

The conflict between the two MCs felt genuine and the storyline was not too far-fetched. The love scenes were open door and medium spicy.

I’m a fellow Writing with the Soul alum, and it is always so fun and impressive to see one of our community make their debut. Congrats to Clare!

Thank you to the publisher - I received a complimentary eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I don't always like and understand both characters but these two I loved and was rooted hard for them. Reading about Casey and Alex fall in love page after page was a delight! I liked the family of origin dynamics and how we choose to be our own selves although undeniably affected by where we come from or the lack thereof. The concept of tethering and choosing who we call home was beautifully presented. I loved this story!

This is a tough one for us to rate. Why? We think we were just not the right readers for this book. This is an MF contemporary workplace romance, written in first person present tense, with a 24 year old FMC and a 25 year old MMC. In other words, it's a Gen Z workplace romance - and it feels like it. Characters talk to each other in memes ("your starter pack would be the zodiac, hot wings, comfy PJs, and Taylor Swift!" [not actual dialogue, but something like this actually happens]), star in viral YouTube shorts that are filmed during the work day (and get paid extra to do so!), and bond through text messages. In one particularly illustrative metaphor, Casey (our sole POV) describes her attention going into portrait mode when she's around Alex - "all I focus on is him." At one point, "Hips Don't Lie" is referred to as "old school Shakira."

If pop culture references from this exact moment, digital culture permeating even the simplest interpersonal interactions, and the board of directors of a gigantic publishing conglomerate putting the future of their entire company into the hands of two young people who graduated from college 4 years ago sounds like something you'd be really into, then you should definitely pick this one up. Like we said: just not for us.

3.5 stars rounded to 4 based on the writing and the fact that it's not you (the book), it's me (us).

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

If you’re looking for a new enemies to lovers / workplace romance … then this is the book for you ! 

My first thought was to compare this to the Hating Game by Sally Thorne, but I very quickly realized this was a whole new ballgame. 



Casey, our FMC and finance extraordinaire, is just like every other 25 year old living in New York … desperate to leave a mark on this world (one bound to make her quasi famous dad and late mother proud) all while suffering from an intense case of imposter syndrome. She is great at her job and is the last one to realize it. Her getting denied for a promotion doesn’t do much to quell her feelings, but it does inspire a new nemesis in Alex, the guy who got the job she applied for and ‘just so happened’ to be the son of the chairman’s son.

Alex, ever forgotten bastard son, has come into his new role with a passion and dedication that he hopes is enough to make his father proud of him. We quickly learn there is a lot more to him than his last name. 



Casey and Alex are thrown together first, by chance, by a lengthy elevator ride, and then in a more active work partnership where Casey has to put her feelings aside for the betterment of the company they now both work for. We get to watch them grow closer and closer, and get to see Casey struggle with some secrets she’s not sure she can trust Alex with quite yet.

This was more emotional than I was expecting and I appreciate it so much more for that. The characters had their own stories and meshed together so perfectly, one afraid to branch out while the other afraid to plant roots. 


My only complaint is that I wish they were a little older, I found it hard picturing 25 year olds trusted with such privileged workplace information, nor could I picture them with such powerful roles in their company - Harvard grad or not.

3.5 stars

Thank you St. Martins Press for the chance to read this one early!

This book gets a solid 5/5 stars! It's a perfect workplace romance book following Casey, a finance analyst and Alex, a swoon-worthy son of the board chairman, and the relationship that they gain from one meeting in an elevator. This is an amazing debut novel that has me excited for more books in the future. I enjoyed that it had good development throughout the book and it never felt boring. The spice was just right and I never wanted to put the book down. It shocks me that this is a debut novel because the writing is spectacular! This is a perfect book for you if you enjoy
-Enemies to lovers
-He falls first
-workplace romance
-Rom-com vibes

Love Interest is a great example of a workplace romance (and how about that punny title!). I liked the setting, predominantly at work, with all its conflicts and relationships, and I liked the characters even more. Our main characters had an "at first sight" type of connection which evolved into a real relationship with excellent banter and even better spice. I'd recommend this to my audience.

I really enjoyed this novel. I loved the corporate setting and Casey’s finance role and sense. I also loved the foodie focus and travel like whirlwind through New York City. This story is about family, friendship and making mistakes. And working hard. And letting love in.

From their meet cute in the elevator to the midpoint of the novel and beyond, Alex and Casey are more than cute. Gilmore really gets new love right.

Thank you to Clare Gilmore, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Who doesn't love a good workplace romance? Not to mention enemies to lovers, one bed, grumpy/sunshine. This book had all of that and more. It was a little slow at times, but that doesn't take away from this book at all. I really liked Casey. Alex was smitten from the start.

This is worth the read!