Love Interest is Clare Gilmore’s debut - it was a great effort, but you can certainly tell she hasn’t been at it for a long time yet… I give this one a 3.5-stars for effort (rounded up to 4). It was entertaining and enjoyable enough but didn’t hold or keep my interest to sit and read for any stretch of time.

Alex and Casey were pretty flat, not overly interesting or super likeable (not unlikeable, just not developed enough to care much), and I didn’t find myself getting too invested in their relationship or their overall storyline. I read over 50 books in the same month and this one was the only one that left me wanting. I had stronger opinions about the characters and storylines of everything else, whether I liked or disliked it, and this one left me neutral. I really wanted to enjoy it but I ended without really having much of an opinion either way…

I suppose if you enjoy an office rivalry storyline that turns around quickly, then this would be a great pick for you. I might need to read it again when I don’t have 50 books in line and spend more time with it to appreciate it more. I still stand with the 3.5-star rating and don’t think that will change. Alex and Casey just didn’t have enough personality combined to win me over!

I received an advance copy from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press (St. Martin's Griffin), and this is my honest opinion.

“It all comes down to what you leave behind.”

Casey wrestles with this little piece of wisdom from her mom who died when she was just six years old. Is she doing enough in her life to make her parents proud? Is she doing what makes her happy? This prompts Casey to apply for a promotion within her company but finds out she is bested by the handsome stranger she meets in the elevator.

So starts the working relationship of Casey Maitland and Alex Harrison. Casey tries desperately to find a reason to dislike Alex but comes up short as she startlingly finds herself attracted to the man that “stole” her job.

As Casey and Alex work together on the same project, a fondness grows between them. They share the somber parts of their pasts, their dreams and their hopes for the future. And even though the like each other very much, they both want different things out of life…or do they?

Casey learns to let go of her insecurities and shed the images of who she thinks she should be. Alex learns that not all people leave…and he is deserving of love and stability. I enjoyed the journey of these two characters. They both went through a beautiful learning process that allowed each character important growth. This was a romantic, charming and heartfelt story with humor, steam and very likable characters. A fantastic debut novel.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Such a cute and fun debut romcom novel.

Read this book if you like:
-enemies to lovers
-workplace romance
- NYC Setting
-Millennial vibes
- An emotional journey
- Amazing group of friends

I loved this book! So much chemistry, plenty of spice, and the plot was intriguing. Alex and Casey were so cute and I loved reading these two different out their relationship.

*ARC courtesy of the author and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. Thank you to the valued author, the publisher, and Netgalley for providing a copy.*

It was just okay. I was hoping to love it more but it felt slow and then rushed, if that makes sense. The story wasn't bad but there were SO. MANY. REFERENCES. to brands and things and places, especially places in Nashville that it took me out of the story often.

I think this might be a debut romance. The book was well done and was a cute and a bit swoony. Definitely would recommend fans of workplace romances.

This is a great debut!!

I love a workplace romance, and this hit all the parts about it that I love. Great for anyone who loves a rom-com.

Love Interest by Clare Gilmore

I adored this book. It was so well done and swoon-worthy.

This workplace romance revolves around the characters Casey and Alex.
Casey is a Finance expert who has just applied for a project manager position at her company, LC Publications. She expects this to be an opportunity to show her boss that she is capable of more… this is until she is passed over for the job in favor of the chairman's son.
Alex is a charming and charismatic guy who wins over everyone he meets except his father, the one man he is desperate to impress. All he’s ever wanted is to gain his approval and respect, and he believes this new position is the way to do it.
The two meet, and once Casey realizes his relation to the chairman, she instantly forgets her initial attraction to him and replaces it with resentment. Alex, on the other hand, wants her to give him a chance and to trust that he is right for the job.
During a segment on one of the magazine's video channels, Bite the Hand, Alex and Casey show chemistry that has fans begging for more. As a result, they are paired for another video where they talk about work-life over food. After getting to know him a little more, Casey’s feelings toward Alex begin to change…

I found these characters to be very relatable, as most of us have some desire to please our parents or to make them proud. All Alex wants is to have that father-son connection despite only ever being neglected by him. It makes his desire to gain his father's love heartbreaking and humanizing. Casey doesn’t have the same situation, but experiences that deeply rooted need to please both her fathers and mother. She wants to be the artistic child they never had, even though they love her and are proud no matter the career choice she follows. Her fear of being a disappointment is the driving force behind her insecurities around relationships. She’s afraid that they won’t like what they see once she lets someone in.
When it comes to Casey and Alex as a couple, they are perfect. They see and understand each other in a way that is so rare but incredibly beautiful when it happens. The way Alex is so patient and kind to Casey, as well as how Casey proves time and time again how she truly sees him and loves every part, warmed me to my core. And when Alex calls her “Jagi,”… I simply melted.
I thought this book was perfect.
I wish I could give Alex and Casey a hug. They brought me so much comfort <3

I rated this book 5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Read if you gain joy from:

Reminiscing about the heyday of the Bon Appetit Test Kitchen
“The Hating Game”
Mastering the art of the color-coded Excel Pivot Table

Thank you @StMartinsPress for the #gifted ARC - out 10 October!

Clare Gilmore’s debut novel is a workplace romance dream, complete with BA test kitchen after hours vibes and daddy issues galore <3

Casey is a finance guru, keeping budgets and spreadsheets for her creative-minded colleagues. When the CEO’s son scores her dream job, she’s out for blood. Too bad she can’t seem to stay mad at Alex, and when they start appearing in corporate content videos together, the world seems to conspire to turn these frenemies into LOVEERRRS,

Truly a fun, frothy read. Enemies-to-lovers with an emphasis on the lovers and a lower heat volume than similar books, so a great one to recommend to people whose taste you might not be totally sure of. The required third act road bump was just the right level of conflict, and there are enough foodie references here to make anyone’s mouth water.

The only part that didn’t work for me was the way that characters were introduced. Gilmore is very VERY committed to readers attributing the correct race to her characters (which, yay, diversity in romance!) but to the point where the initial identifying trait is always race. Ex. “So and So, Black, is…” Just an aspect of character background that I think will come more naturally to her as she continues in her very promising career!

Thank you so much to Clare Gilmore, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I hadn't heard much about this book going into reading it, but I thought the cover and title were intriguing. I always love being introduced to a new author because their writing style gets to be a surprise. I did end up really enjoying this story. I think the background of Casey really drew me in because I myself work in the finance industry and could relate to the story that was being told. The industry can truly have its ups and downs, but there are opportunities among those. I would without a doubt pick up another book by Clare Gilmore.

Casey is a twenty-four year old living in Manhattan and working in the finance department of LC Publications. A new job opening at the company intrigues her enough to apply to see if she can try her hand at being a project manager. She has a great reputation within the company and a real shot at getting it until Alex Harrison comes on the scene and steals it away. Alex is a young Harvard graduate who seemingly has everything going for him. Everyone at LC Publications took to him right away, except Casey. Not only did she not get the job she'd applied for and wanted, but everything he does just rubs her the wrong way. The relationship between these two will all change when they are assigned to work on the same project. Forced to work with Alex, Casey finds that he's not actually that bad and that there might actually be something brewing beneath the surface. Putting everything they have into making this project a success is their priority. Alex would like to finally get noticed for his accomplishments by his uninvolved father, and Casey wants to fulfill her dream of having a job in London with the opportunity to travel.

As the story develops and the project progresses, Casey and Alex will find themselves spending nights and sometimes days together. Is it love and a relationship, or just something temporary? You'll just have to read to find out. But amongst the seemingly positive progress, opportunities arise, and some things are kept secret due to company policy. In the end, Casey and Alex will both have to decide what they want. The opportunity to try a life together or to please family members and colleagues.

It's a cute story! It did feel like it dragged a bit in the middle but I am glad I finished it. Casey and Alex were well thought out and were good characters (together and on their own). Overall, for a debut novel it was good and I'll read more from this author!

I thoroughly enjoyed this. Casey works in finance and applies for a job as a project manager which she knows is out of her comfort zone but she loses it to Alex. This is not exactly a hate-to-love scenario but Casey is wary of Alex. Both have complex paths but they work well together and, of course, sparks start to fly. I won't even to pretend I understood all the finance and business deals but I loved both Alex and Casey and thought it was sweet the way the relationship grew. Casey has a small group of friends, a diverse bunch, but united in their love for each other. I look forward to reading more by this author.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a digital copy.

After a slow start, this story of Alex and Casey and their workplace romance was really cute. I struggled with them at first. I wasn't quite sure why I should care about her anger about not getting his job and about his over eagerness to be successful. But Gilmore left clues and hints to both of their inner struggles woven through the story in a way that kept me reading and needing more. As they both opened up to each other, we saw the walls go down as well. I felt like I was a part of this story and by the time it all came together in the end, I was fully invested.

It's a little bit enemies to lovers, a solid friend group romance, lots of great themes and fun banter. If you are in the mood for work place romance, this is your book.

I enjoyed this one for the most part, but found the pacing got too slow for my tastes around the 60% mark. Still, a great romcom, and I loved the workplace romance vibes, and the only one bed trope. Thank you Netgalley and St-Martin's Press for an arc in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.

A sweet enemies (of sorts) to lovers romance about two young people in New York. Casey, who loves numbers, loses out on the job she wants to Alex, who she believes was given the job because of who he is. She slowly learns that's not the case, These two build a relationship on the shards of that misunderstanding, maturing as people along the way. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. It's a good read with diverse characters and a positive spirit.

Casey's got a lot going on. She works in finance, and she enjoys it. Numbers are good, they're dependable and nice. But she decides maybe it's time to reach out, so she applies for a higher position as a project manager. On her way to figure out if she's got the job or not, she meets Elevator Boy who is so charming with that care-free smile and pretty eyes.
Well, Elevator Boy just got renamed Worst Enemy Number One.
Alex Harrison has got everything. With his father's name he could get any job he wants- but he's never cared for that. He's spent his life working HARD to get to where he is. Getting that job wasn't thanks to his dad's influence- it was because he was GOOD. Good and with a plan. Help launch the product, work out everything, and then find something new. Permanent was never a word he used.
That was before Casey happened anyway. Now with both of them stuck dealing with a collapsing company and a growing attraction, it's hard to decide what they each want in life- their original plans, or each other?

This book was EVERYTHING to me. I enjoyed myself wayyy too much while reading it. I was giggling and screaming through it all. Love Interest is such an easy read and so fun it breezed by quickly. I loved the business subplot and how it didn’t take away from the main point of the book. It really let me enjoy and explore these characters and their dynamics easily. I loved Berjish and Casey’s dynamics, I loved Freddy and his family, I adored Casey’s friends both out of work, and at work. I adored the environment built in Casey’s finance job, and how everyone in a way took care of one another. I LOVE how Clare Gilmore peels back the layers of her characters to show their depth. It was a really nice touch to get to slowly see the curtains being pulled back to reveal everything in a true light. The dynamics and interactions of the whole cast (ESPECIALLY Casey and Alex <3) were SO ADORABLE. Alex is my #1 I want him in a feral way. I loove the way Casey feels so real. It was such a love letter to me the way Casey was- how she loved romanticising her life and yet was still aware of the problems she faced. I loved how she knew what her dream was and yet she still struggled with accepting so much. Her struggles and her hopes and her fears were so fleshed out I felt like someone had walked into my mind and picked out every little bit.
Clare Gilmore has a brilliant way of weaving together this story of hope and dreams and insecurities and life problems and yet still making it feel all so magically realistic. The way she writes, how she’s built these characters is just breathtaking.
Maybe I’m bias, because everyone knows how much of a sucker I am for workplace frenemies to lovers, and because I really love a smart green flag MMC, and because Alex (And Freddy. And Brejish) were all sooo swoon worthy, and Casey felt like she was made for me- but maybe I’m not bias and that’s what everyone else likes too.
I’m telling you, if you’re looking for a head-empty, chill-reading-day book that you can just pick up and get lost in, Love Interest IS the book for you.

Oh, did I mention- it’s sooo Taylor Swift/Lana Del Rey coded.

Love Interest comes out October 10 and is Clare Gilmore’s debut romcom! Thanks again for giving me the chance to read this book and I’m soo excited for everyone to meet Alex and Casey.

Finance expert Casey is assigned to work with elusive Alex, the son of a company executive. Though their after-hours meetings spark an undeniable attraction, Casey seeks a London transfer while Alex longs to impress his distant father. But unraveling their company's secrets could upend Casey's travel dreams and Alex's bid to launch a new brand. Will corporate intrigue tear their tangled lives apart?

I loved this upbeat and emotional debut novel. A rivals-to-lovers rom com, it features a strong plot and vivid, likeable characters.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Cute romance that I really enjoyed.

Casey instantly hates Alex because he is brought into the company in the job that she wanted. Hate turns to friendship and then more!!!

I loved all of the side characters also like Casey’s dad and his partner and all of Casey’s friends. Highly recommend this cute read.

Oh my stars! What a lovely read!

Claire Gilmore's debut novel was an absolute joy to read. The lightness of love, family and friendship and the gravitation a lot of us feel to connect to our roots and also be our own person.

Trope: enemies-ish -lovers, meeting in an elevator ( is that a trope or a greys anatomy thing ?)

Setting: NYC🍎

MC: Casey is 25 born and Nashville. Her mother was an artist and passed away when she was younger. Casey was raised by Marty( quirky musician) and eventually his husband, Jerry. They are loving and wonderful secondary characters.

After graduating with a degree in finance, Casey and her childhood bestie and college roommate move to NYC to pursue their dreams

Casey feels a longing to connect with her artistic legacy and roots and the dissonance of her actual STEM love for numbers
When a position involving finance and creativity open up at her company she is up for the challenge
One elevator ride with a sexy stranger and an interview later, Casey is surprised as hell when she finds out Alex, the sexy guy from her elevator ride, was given the position and enraged when she learns he's a board members son . It doesn't help that he's charming and easy on the eye and a Harvard educated.

Is there more to Alex than meets the eye and her narrative about him?

This is a novel about love, family , finding yourself and friendship.

The secondary characters are well developed and dynamic and the main characters have more dimension than others I've seen in this trope

This is a must read for rom-com
You will be laughing and possibly tearing up and feeling all the angst in between.

A little spicy too!

Thanks Netgalley and St. Martin's press!

I cannot tell you enough how much I enjoyed this book. When i requested an arc for it, it was the one I was most excited for on my list and for the right reasons! It’s co-workers enemies to lovers where he falls first! (my favorite tropes) and it did not disappoint! It’s fun, lighthearted, funny, and and easy read! You will not get bored reading this and i highly recommend it!