This book was a great enemies to lovers office romance. I loved that Casey was in finance and it was so interesting to dive into that career field a little bit. I thought the friendships were so cute and I adored Miriam and Casey's long term friendship. The country music sub plot with Casey's parents was so fun and I liked that part of the book took place in Tennessee. The NYC setting was done well and I definitely got Conde Nast vibes from Little Cooper. There were so many great pop culture references and I especially loved the murder mystery party and the Legally Blonde references. I thought Alex and Casey's relationship developed nicely and while they didn't label themselves until later on, I really liked watching them fall for each other. This was full of drama, shenanigans, and cute subplots/smaller storylines. Definitely a quick read as well and I enjoyed this romance. Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for an e-ARC to read and review!

This was a fantastic debut!!

I normally do not love workplace romances, so I was hesitant. I am so glad I read Love Interest. It was cute, fun, and explored the main characters as individuals with depth. The romance was ADORABLE and I loved seeing how the storyline evolved from (kind of) rivals at work to friends to more.

I will definitely be recommending this book to my followers, especially for those who like Christina Lauren, Emily Henry, and contemporary romance!

Overview: Casey is excited about the prospect of being promoted to a new job within her company, but is upset to find out that Alex, the son of the company’s chairman, was hired for the position instead..

Thoughts: This debut novel by Gilmore was a fun read! I have a soft spot for elevator meet-cutes, and this one definitely hit the spot, despite it going in a completely different direction than I had anticipated. I especially liked the author’s voice and the overall dialogue throughout the book, and was happy to find that Alex’s character had a lot more depth than the average romance novel hero.

Take home message: This is a shining debut novel from Clare Gilmore. Recommended for those who are fans of workplace romances with a diverse cast of characters.

Thanks to NetGalley and St Martins for this digital ARC!

This was cute but fell a little flat for me. I did really enjoy the characters and look forward to whatever Claire Gilmore puts out next.

Fans of Emily Henry, Abby Jimenez, and Katherine Center- we have a new author in town! I am honestly always a little weary of reading a new romance author because there is very little I hate more that a terrible romance book. BUT wow did Clare Gilmore surprise me with this amazing debut! I will be reading anything she puts out after this adorable first novel.

I always love an enemy to lovers trope and this one was done well. I really enjoyed both the main characters- Alex and Casey. They felt real and had depth and I really liked that they never had any miscommunication (my least favorite romance conflict). I definitely felt invested in their story! I really liked the workplace setting for this book and that it was in NYC (this just always seems to kick a book up a notch for me).

Overall- grab this one friends! It releases in October and you are going to want to snag it.

Thanks Netgalley for the arc!

Thank you net galley for this rom com book! Classic trope of enemies as co-workers to lovers. I actually stopped reading this before the half point because of language and content. Not for me. The premise is always one of my favorites.

Love Interest is a co-workers adversaries friend to lovers rom com. I really liked the main characters as individuals and as a couple. Fans of the Hating Game will enjoy this one.

3.5 stars, rounded up

For a debut, this was pretty solid. It's nothing new or groundbreaking, but it's cute and engaging. The two main characters are relatable, likable, and you just can't help but root for them. The supporting characters are fun and actually have lives and personalities that don't just revolve around the main characters' relationship. The romance is sweet and believable, and the dialogue feels natural.

All in all, I think Clare Gilmore is off to a great start, and I will definitely be back for her next book.

I am so glad I requested this book and got approved. This is my first Clare Gilmore's book and it certainly won't be the last, I would read their Next book in a heartbeat.

Love Interest follows Casey and Alex, a workplace romance where they start with the wrong foot because Casey thinks Alex got the job she applied for just because he's a nepo baby, but as they get to work together, she discovers that everything is not as it seems (when you can get all you wanted in your wildest dreams *sorry had to do it iykyk).

I love how Alex supports Casey, he takes time with her, he makes her laugh and most importantly he takes time to know her and excuses his first impression of her.

The author did such a good job portraying both characters, their flaws and their insecurities. The difference between both upbringings and how it affects them both separately and together. I liked the way these two had an open discussion and were willing to communicate.

I loved this book and will 100 % recommend. It gives The hating game but better and healthier.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for the ARC in exchange of an honest review.

What. A. CUTIE. I am obsessed with this book and suddenly need to own a million copies. I remember seeing this book suggested on my Insta feed and thinking how adorable the cover was and being drawn in by the description (hello fellow magazine industry babes). When I saw it up on Netgalley and got approved for it, I swear I squealed!

Casey works in finance at a magazine publishing company and is hoping to branch out into a new position as a project manager. Imagine her disappointment (and anger) when the board chairman’s son, Alex, is offered the job over her. Determined to hate him despite being paired up on the project, Casey and Alex will discover there’s a lot more than hatred brimming at the surface of their workplace proximity.

The banter between them is hilarious and engaging, and the chemistry is obvious to everyone except them at first. They’re goofy and sweet and electric, everything you’d want to read about in a romcom. Their emotional battles will tug at your heartstrings and cheer for them to make it through. I already know these two will have a space in my heart.

Other notable features I’m not over yet: the incredible side characters (please tell me we get an interconnected book featuring Miriam and Brijesh), the touches of southern roots, Casey’s adorable dads, NYC vibes and a meet cute so swoony and funny I want to keep re-reading it.

If I’ve convinced you to grab a copy, don’t miss it on October 10! If I haven’t, re-read this until you’re with me.

"Okay Google, play "I Can See You" by Taylor Swift."
That is the song I heard in my head the whole time while reading Clare Gilmore's fabulous debut novel Love Interest. Set in New York City, this novel follows Casey as she navigates her corporate job, crunching numbers and finding delight in all things technical and tangible, until she runs into Alex, who immediately catches her eye and is bound to complicate her life by being awarded the role she had interviewed for.

The banter in this book is top-notch, the storyline is, for the most part, plausible and easy to follow. Towards the end I thought things were a bit nonsensical and rushed, which is the only reason this book is not getting 5 Stars from me. I had such a good time reading this book and was rooting for Alex and Casey. I have a soft spot for NYC and love it when books are set in the city, especially when mentioning all the fantastic sights.

If you are looking for a great workplace romance with big city feel, Love Interest by Clare Gilmore is just the book for you. It will be published on October 10, 2023..

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

📣 contemporary romance that I loved—it’s so good!

📖 what was your last 5 star? This one was mine!

Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.

Clare Gilmore’s Love Interest dazzled me. I adore this contemporary—it has everything I want. Like:

💜 a rivals to lovers workplace sitch where he doesn’t realize that he got the job she applied for. Her dislike of him is further fueled by the fact that he’s the board chairman’s son & she smells nepotism.

💜 a spectacles-wearing hero. Need I say more?!

💜 a financial analyst heroine who worries about her legacy as the daughter of creative-minded parents & who wants to be scared/excited again when it comes to putting herself out there

💜 humor. There’s an only one bed line that really cracked me up.

💜 so much heart & realness. References to previous “gastrointestinal turbulence” & needing deodorant (for those who appreciate things like that) & also the sweetest moments where she has to continually extricate herself from his warm snuggles & pee in the middle of the night & he teases her & she’s like “I have a small bladder.”

These characters are so well-developed & not only the central relationship between Casey & Alex shines, so do the secondary ones. I love the portrayal of friendship & the queer rep, & basically everything about this authentic-feeling, fresh, intimate, & joyous story.

5 ⭐️. Out 10/10.

CWs: Sexual harassment. Grief. Emotionally negligent parent. Reference to past chlamydia.

[ID: Jess, a white woman wearing a white, purple, blue, & green dress, holds the ebook while standing in front of a tree.]

I loved this workplace romance! Both characters were well developed, the conflict and angst were believable, and the tension simmered off the page.
A riveting, fabulous debut novel!
Full review to come on release week.

This was …fine. The work culture/characters were far more interesting than the love story in this for me. I didn’t really feel the chemistry. The title of this also feels mediocre and I feel something could’ve been more clever there. The whole book could’ve been cleverer.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this debut novel!

Casey loses out on a job she really wants to to Alex - the swoon-worthy guy she just connected with in the elevator. While she tries to hate him, she quickly realizes she can't ignore the obvious spark between them.

This is a fun workplace comedy (mostly at work/about work) with some serious tones. There was a big misunderstanding that led to some heartbreak that could have been resolved with words, but these characters were actually in their young/mid twenties, so it made sense they acted the way they did.

I look forward to more from Claire Gilmore!

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC!

Thank you so much @StMartinsPress for giving me this ARC in exchange for my honest and unbiased review (Release Date | 10 October 2023)

SYNOPSIS | Casey works in finance for a large newspaper publication, but she is considering taking a new opportunity as a project manager, until she is passed over for the job in favor of the board chairman's son (Alex).

WHAT I LIKED:
- the whole awkward line in an elevator initial interaction

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
- didn't really see their connection (it truly felt kind of random?) so I found it difficult to root for their romance
- the writing pushed past cheesy & toppled into cringey on a few occasions
- too many side characters that didn't really add any value other than flushing out the work team
- the backstory was plopped in randomly throughout the chapters & just didn't feel very smooth
- time jumps were used way too often to push the story forward

In this smart, sweet workplace-rivals-to-lovers story, financial analyst Casey and biz expert Alex clash over their different approaches to managing a project. But when they get to know each other, they realize that beneath their superficially different backgrounds, they share the pain of losing their mothers as children, and the struggle to build adult relationships with their fathers that reflect both their different personalities and their desire for connection.

I loved everything about this story. Alex and Casey had both physical and emotional chemistry in addition to being compatible in a way that romance novels often don't concern themselves with - if they were a real couple, they might actually last. Casey's friends and family were interesting and diverse, and their stories were entertaining without being distracting.

Best of all, the issues that threatened Alex and Casey's relationship were, in addition to corporate machinations, the same big life questions that drew them together: Casey's desire to simultaneously explore and be safe, Alex's longing for love from an unyielding source, and the difficulty of balancing freedom and connection, love and space, in any relationship.

Clare Gilmore blew me away with her debut novel! This book is perfect for the mid 20's corporate gal, who loves to explore new cities, but also loves where she grew up. This book is perfect for people like me!!! Going through Casey's journey to love but also corporate journey was beautiful. She truly became stronger in every part of the story. I cannot wait for Clare's next!

Thank you NetGalley for letting me read this arc in exchange for an honest review. This was such a cute story! Casey and Alex were both so likable, and I liked both of their individual journeys as well as their journey together. I'm a big fan of workplace romances in books and this one didnt a miss a beat!

Congratulations to the author on a fabulous debut novel! Love Interest is a romance novel that features complex, multi-layered characters. This story is more than a meet cute and an evolving love story (although it IS that!). It is also about finding home, finding the person who will keep your heart safe. This sparkling novel is witty and heartfelt, sad at times, but oh so wonderful.