I was initially drawn to this book when I heard it was a workplace romance, one of my favorite tropes, but this book was a miss for me. Maybe I'm too old for the recently out of college books, but I found Casey to be rather annoying and expecting things to be handed to her because she was already working at the company. I also felt like the book was jumbled at times and I found myself losing focus.

A great fluff read! I'm always on the hunt for fluffy romance books between heavy reads and this book is perfect for that. I love workplace enemies to lovers with good banter, tension and angst. It feels like watching a romcom and I ate it up.

Thank you to Netgalley, publisher St. Martin's Griffin, and author Clare Gilmore for providing an ARC in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.
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My opinion of this book swung like a pendulum: the highs were high and the lows were low. I enjoyed about 55% of the book, from about 30% to 85%. I can't in good conscious give this a higher rating than three stars, but I can't in good conscious give it less than three stars, either.

I didn't like the beginning, which felt very millennial cringey (and I am a millennial so I should be the target demographic, right?). I didn't like the end, with the third act break up. Everything in between though I adored. Alex and Casey's relationship felt like a natural progression from rivals to "hey you're not so bad" to actual friends, and then to lovers. There were many conversations and lots of honesty and vulnerability, which made the third act break up a bit of a slap in the face. I don't feel like the breakup was a natural thing that would/should have happened between Casey and Alex, since it mostly relied on external factors like a broken phone and a misunderstanding about the date.

Also, publisher, please have this go through one more round of editing, character Wilfred Honeycutt has inconsistent pronouns.

When Casey loses out on a job at the magazine publishing company she works at, she is determined to hate the newcomer Alex Harrison, who she is convinced got the job only because his father is the Board Chairman. When the two are thrown into a project together, she feels like the voice of reason to his nonchalant-ness. Though she doesn't want to like him, the more time she spends with him the more she realizes that her first impression is very far from the truth that is Alex.

I had a really fun time with this one! My complaint lately with romance novels have been how reliant on tropes they are - to the point that it feels like the story is just a bunch of tropes combined with no real underlying plot. What I loved about this is seeing a casual relationship turn serious without the gimmicks of fake dating or other tropes - this just felt like a really realistic timeline and growth of a relationship.

I didn't really understand a lot of the corporate stuff that happens but that didn't detract from the story at all for me! I liked seeing how both characters showed growth. Their banter is great and I loved the silly nicknames Alex had for Casey.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This is an absolutely charming debut romance that weaves together some beloved tropes: enemies to lovers, workplace romance, and the allure of the one-bed scenario. This engaging novel introduces you to Casey and Alex, who are great not only as a couple but also as individuals.

One of the standout features of this book is the intriguing backdrop of a fake Conde Nast-inspired office, which adds an element of glamour and paints a vivid picture of this high-stakes workplace.
Casey’s two best friends, Miriam & Sasha offer hints of their own stories and I would absolutely read books featuring their love lives.

The two characters come from vastly different family backgrounds, and it gives the reader a richer understanding of their personalities. Casey’s family is warm and tight-knit, providing support for her character. In contrast, Alex’s family dynamics are more complex. His relationship with his father is fraught with tension and expectations, which adds complexity to his character. The contrast between the two serves as a source of conflict in the story but also highlights growth and development as they navigate their feelings for each other.

As much as Love Interest charms, there was a slight caveat. The author peppers the text with quips and references that, while very “now” and millennial-friendly, might risk feeling dated as time goes on. This is a very minor gripe, but worth noting in my opinion.

Overall, Clare Gilmore’s debut is great for any romance enthusiast. I’ll be on the lookout for anything she publishes in the future!

Love Interest was fine.... As a fan of enemies to lovers and workplace romances, I thought Gilmore did a great job of playing into the tropes. Although the MFC got on my nerves at times, I liked the pairing of Alex and Casey. I really enjoyed the banter and chemistry between the two. What I didn't care for was the length of the book (it dragged) and the side characters. The side characters felt 2D to me. I also didn't like how Gilmore described her characters. It read as if Gilmore was trying to check off some "diversity checklist." With this being Gilmore's debut novel, I would give her another chance! Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC.

Casey is Nashville girl that landed in the Finance department of LC Publications - but despite her love of numbers she started to look for more. She applied for a position at a new online publication under the LC umbrella and did not get the job. Alex, son of the former CEO, somehow lands the role.

However, Casey quickly learns Alex is not the enemy and they enter into an alliance that quickly turns to a time-limited relationship when Casey is promised a job in London. As their limited time together goes by they realize their in love and don't want it to end.

All their plans are at risk because of the status of LC Publications is up in the air with a potential purchase.

All in all I was captivated by this book from start to finished, I read it in one sitting and highly recommend it.

Oh, look, here we are again, reading a rom com that is vaguely romantic but not at all comedic, filled with trauma and toxicity, but hey, lets just label it a rom com and call it a day! The annoying thing is this book had potential, it had tropes I like, co-worker adversaries to lovers, only one bed, forced proximity, etc. But man did it whiff the execution. Also, please stop using trauma laden backstories to do the work of actual character development. It’s a cop out and I’m real tired of it. This book had not one but TWO dead moms from cancer backstories and honestly, at the very least, give some heads up about it. The most romantic moment in the book was when Alex called Casey and asks what kind of detergent she uses bc of her allergies and his need to make sure that she doesn’t have any adverse reaction when she’s close to him. I’ll give the author credit - that was sweet and subtle and good character work. I just wish there had been more of it. There was a lot of corporate and finance jargon that was frankly boring. I know it’s a workplace romance so the actual workplace and jobs do play an important role but this one had endless scenes that sort of made my eyes glaze over. In short, it was not great, and I’ll forget about it before the week is out.

Content notes: toxic father/son relationship, reference to past cheating by minor character, reference to being born a bastard (although it’s the 21st century, who even uses that term anymore?!?), FMC’s mom died of lung cancer, MMC’s mom died of ovarian cancer

The description for this book is absolutely perfect! Alex and Casey start work enemies but end up having to work together on several projects. They both game a significant appreciation for each other, and it slowly morphs into a friendship. Throw in some some work and family drama and this book is the perfect rom-com! I enjoy this book so much, and didn’t want to put it down! The romance felt very real, the spice wasn’t cringy or laughable, and I’m generally found love for all the characters. The ending was perfect for Casey and Alex. This is a must read for fun and light hearted good-time. 5⭐️, 2🌶

Where do I begin.. I truly don’t know because I loved every single moment of this not exaggerating. Clare Gilmore coming out of the gate with a debut like this is a job well done. The writing is smart and funny. The characters have depth. This thing is so quotable I was highlighting every other page. There are so many tiny details and aspects I loved that I will try to expand upon in this review.

The characters- finally some mid-20s characters that aren’t ridiculously immature. It may sound weird that I’ve been looking for representation like that but I’ve always wished for more respect to the younger generation and the depth of empathy and maturity they/we are capable of. The two main love interests, Alex and Casey, go through major push and pull in more ways than one but even in their conflict (and after their somewhat of a meet disaster) they are always coming from a place of understanding or at least seeking to understand as they have pretty different backgrounds. The side characters are a lot of fun and perfectly balanced to where I never felt like I just wanted to get back to the romance plot. They all have their quirks and special details, it’s like each side character is also fleshed out with real presence.

The setting- NYC is ever present throughout this story. But in a way that is very accessible to a reader (like me) who may have visited a big city but has never lived there. Certain aspects are explained by showing not telling in a way that doesn’t feel too othering. I just loved how much meaning it held to Casey as well.

The plot- perfect balance between Casey and Alex navigating the workplace as well as so many romance hallmarks and special moments. I never felt bored with their corporate life. It’s something I can’t relate to but felt escapist and interesting to read about. The romance element was just sooo enjoyable. I just love them together and watching them figure it all out. I don’t want to spoil any of those moments just trust me. This is single first person POV but Alex is still a developed character. Yes Casey definitely is in a continual self development stage but it still feels so much like a romance to me I loved the balance.

The pacing is perfect, I swear there’s never a dull moment. I will say when I first started there’s a mini time jump that confused me for a second but I actually don’t mind it now in hindsight because every scene we do get to see in real time has a purpose. Overall, I can’t recommend this enough and I cant wait to see what Clare writes in the future.

Thank you SO MUCH to st martins press and NetGalley for this ARC, all opinions are my own and I will be preordering a physical copy because I loved it so much.

A perfect romcom!! Truly had everything I’m looking for in a romance - a sweet love story, excellent friendships, New York City in the fall, touching family relationships AND a woman who knows herself.

As a person who has more than one occasion been bood for saying that algebra is the best math, I absolutely feel Casey finding satisfaction in math. I use math every day in my work! It’s just more fun because I do it with jewelry 😉

Alex and Casey gave me everything I want in a book couple: rivals to lovers, reluctant friends, workplace romance, friends with benefits, and mutual adoration. Their easy banter and chemistry was so fun and so real. I loved them!!!

The little touches of Casey’s personality were so perfect - the sweet childhood memories, the beginning of her friendships, her love of plants - she’s a character you would want to be friends with.

Alex is similarly well thought out - I got swooney at several points because he’s just so 😍

The only thing I didn’t love is the fact that Casey left New York 😬 it makes total sense to me why she wanted a new adventure, but I am so incredibly biased, I genuinely can’t believe there are people who don’t want to live here.

I adored everything about this delightful and well-written workplace romance! From the moment Alex and Casey meet, the chemistry between them is electric. But the progression of their romance, from a situationship to love, felt realistic and relatable. I loved watching the growth of these characters throughout the story, as both individuals and a couple. The enemies-to-lovers storyline felt fresh, and Gilmore really nailed experience of trying to find yourself in your mid-20s. You definitely want to add this to your TBR!

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This didn't work for me on a couple of levels. First and foremost, I made a mistake reading about my own line of work - I am a Project Manager, and the idea that a 24 year old with no PM experience would be brought on to launch a new business line for a large company is absurd to an extreme. Since the founding conflict is built off her not getting the job, I had a hard time getting into it at all. Her irrational dislike of Alex, who was given the role, revolves around him getting a job he was qualified for, because his dad was on the board, so I really didn't like the FMC at all. I mean, nepotism is hard to stomach but the dude was well qualified for his role.

Setting that aside, I found the pacing odd, the use of cliches high, and the characterization inconsistent. Love Interest is a debut, so I would consider reading from Gilmore again as she develops, but this wasn't a winner.

I really enjoyed this book. I really enjoyed the main female character and the way she grew and learned throughout the book. I loved how she went for what she wanted and also reconnected with her past. I really empathized with Alex's character and his arch with his dad. I'm glad it ended like it did.

I spent the first day of fall inside reading Love Interest by Clare Gilmore. At first I started the novel because I needed something to read before I started my day - thanks to the need to drop my parents off at the airport early, I was awake, but it was too early to truly start my day. The next thing I knew, I had finished the book and it was already late afternoon (there was a small nap, and a short housework break), and too late to do anything. Oops.

This debut novel, is a fairly quick read. Don't be fooled by the cover into thinking that our protagonists get stuck in an elevator for hours like I did. Their first meeting does happen to be on the cover, and before either knows they are co-workers. Alex, just happens to have been hired for the position that Casey interviewed for - so there's a one-sided rivalry going on. She's resentful, and does the bare minimum to assist him. Until one day he helps her out of a situation, and the two quickly become friends.

I just love how they don't define their relationship - he's only in this position until the project is completed, once done, he'll likely look for another job elsewhere. She is all but guaranteed a transfer to the London offices in about a year's time. AND YET Alex is completely gone for Casey immediately. When he finds out she's allergic to fragrances, he calls her the next time he's at Target to find out her preferred detergent. This is early on - when all they've done is cuddle.

Yet, because their relationship status is vague, the pre-determined end date, and then some secrets that are being held (we the audience know the secret), it's just difficult to know how the two will get to their HEA. Especially when you get to their needed third act breakup. But they do get their HEA, and all is well.

Note that Alex is bi-racial - his mom was Korean, and his father is white. As a Chinese American, I'm unable to say if his portrayal is realistic, especially given how his circumstances are very different than my own. However this story is not an identity story, at least not in a racial sense. It is an identity story in the sense that it's about who you are, finding yourself, taking chances. Are you similar to your parents, or very different. How did they shape you.

Additionally, I thought these two were mature for 24 and 25 year olds, so I had to mentally age them up.

If you can't tell, I recommend you put this book on your radar. Pre-order it, and/or request it from your library today.

Content Notes: dead parents (moms, off page), illegitimate/natural child, toxic parental relationship

If you enjoy the hating game then this book is definitely for you! I loved the enemies to lovers office setting!

Format - E ARC (netgalley)

Rating- ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Spice- 🌶 🌶

Series- N/A

Troupes- Enemies to lovers, office romance, he falls first

Representation-

CW- death of parents off page

You would never know it but this is Clare Gilmore’s debut novel! I kept forgetting this amazing fact because this book is soooo Good!

I’m a huge fan of the enemies to lovers troupe and Clare does it so well in this one! Casey our heroine is my favorite kind of heroine, shes introverted goal oriented and knows herself while also still learning herself. Alex is your standard half Korean Kdrama hero of your Dreams and infuriatingly nice while he’s at it and it was clear to me from the first moment in the elevator that he was herd o er heels for Casey even told from her POV. I love it when he falls first and then falls all over himself trying to get under her skin!

The banter is *chefs Kiss* wonderful and the Spice it surprisingly detailed and steamy! Hats off to Clare for her first published sex scene!

I loved the pace, the plot, the location and all the dynamic secondary characters! I could read all of their stories and it still would not be enough of Clare’s story telling. She is defiantly a rising star in my book and I cannot wait to read what she has for us next!

I think this is by far one of the best debut novels I have read this year. It is sweet and lovely. It made me smile and cry. Every other novel, I have fallen in love with the male lead but in this one, I have fallen for Casey. I want a friend like Casey, I want to be like Casey. She is so wholesome! I think Ms. Gilmore did an excellent job of writing and breathing life to he character. Overall very very good. Can’t wait to read more from her.

4.5 stars! I absolutely adored this book. Talk about a romance with two characters that you are rooting for the whole time, both individually, and as a couple. The character development of both Casey and Alex was so well done. This book examines so much such as abandonment issues, family expectations, and more, and I appreciated that Casey and Alex both felt like whole real people with their own insecurities and issues that they needed to examine on their own, but also together. I also love that the female main character was a super smart woman in finance and that the CFO character in the book was also a strong female character. I loved how incredibly supportive Alex was of Casey and her dreams. Even though he has his own issues and insecurities that are discussed in the book, he doesn’t have any toxic male behavior. I feel like sometimes it is so hard to find a book where the male main character doesn’t have at least a little toxicity that is totally disregarded or played off even when it shouldn’t be, so that made me love this book even more. Shoutout to this author for writing a great, supportive, emotional male main character!! For me, this book had the perfect balance of romance, plot and character development. I cannot stress enough how much I enjoyed this.

Thank you to SMP and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

CW: death of parent (past), grief, parental neglect, cheating (non-MCs, past), food allergies

I would recommend if you're looking for (SPOILERS)

-m/f contemporary romance
-workplace romance
-rivals to lovers
-this is just a hookup
-wait, are we dating?
-glasses wearing sofftt hero
-single POV deliciousness

Gah I adored this one, it sucked me in from the beginning. Casey likes her job, she loves numbers and their reliability, but comes from creatives and feels like she's letting her people down. But when she doens't get a promotion, she ends up in an elevator with the hottest guy she's ever met in an epic meet cute only to find out he got her promotion and he's the bosses son.

Casey can't stand Alex for obvious reasons but is forced to work with him. Their push and pull was just delicious as he tries to figure out why the heck she hates him. These two had amazing chemistry from the beginning as they fall into just the sweetest relationship that is definitely not them falling in love. Alex was a sweetheart, just gone on Casey. The hottest thing a LI can do is be concerned about the MCs food allergies. Add in his glasses, tendency to lean in doorways, and honestly there's no way to not fall for this man.

Casey is so driven, and Alex is there with her, cheering for her, with his own baggage as he struggles to realize that someone could stay, love him. I loved we really got to see these two fall for each other, how things weren't easy, yet so swoony at the same time. And that ending had me at the edge of my seat for these two to make it work. Oooof somehow this is a debut and I could not be more excite for whatever is to come next.

Steam: 3.25