It is not live at first sight for casey.
Especially it when Alex first thing is a lion king joke.
And when she finds out he got the job because his dad is CEO....or ex CEO
It's actually not that cheesy.

Until the following items are met by the SMP team, I will be withholding any promotion or review of any St. Martin's Press titles (including SMP Romance and Wednesday Book titles):

1. Address and denounce the Islamophobia/racism from your employee.
2. Offer tangible steps for how you're going to mitigate the harm this employee caused.
3. Address how moving forward, you will support and protect your Palestinian, Muslim, and Arab readers, influencers, and authors in addition to your BIPOC readers, influencers, and authors.

First off, I wish I didn’t keep putting this book off and that I just read it sooner. It was seriously so good! I am a sucker for a workplace romance book. This book is super spicy, and the chemistry was off the charts. Once I started this book, I couldn’t put it down! I cannot believe this was a debut novel, I cannot wait to read more by this author. I highly recommend checking this book out!

Review.

Love Interest
By: Clare Gilmore

Casey works in finance for a magazine publisher in NYC. She recently interviewed for a new position within the company as a project manager to challenge herself. Unfortunately, she is passed over for a guy who turns out to be a board members son. His name is Alex. What’s worse, is that Casey is still asked to work on the new project- which means she’ll be working very closely with Alex. As you can expect, the two get off to a rocky start. But as they work together, Casey starts to realize that maybe it wasn’t nepotism that got Alex the job. I really loved these characters. Their connection felt tangible. I was was grinning to myself most of the time I was reading.

I stayed up until 1am this morning finishing this book. Kinda mad at myself for not picking it up sooner. This is probably going to be one of my favorite romances of the year. ♥️

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

This was such a cute enemies to lovers and workplace romance book! I loved the romance and how engaging the book was! The banter kept me interested and I loved getting to know the characters throughout the story! I loved to see how the characters grew throughout the book and overall this was such a good debut novel! I cannot wait to see what Gilmore has in store for us in the future!

We always stan a good workplace romance ;)

While this definitely didn't feel like a debut (good thing), I really enjoyed this. Such a sweet romcom and definitely recommend it!

Thank you so much to NetGalley & Clare Gilmore (and team) for an advanced eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

An amazing workplace romance. Casey's love for her job and her work family. So when she finds out she was passed over for an amazing job opportunity for the bosses son, Alex, it becomes the perfect rom-com set up.

Thank you to #netgalley and #wednesdaybooks for an earc in exchange for an honest review.. This was such a fun and flirty story - exactly what you're looking for when you pick up a contemporary romance. Casey was a smart, strong female character I could get behind with her goals and wants in life. And Alex was the perfect swoon worthy male lead with just the right amount of drama thrown in to keep you turning pages to find out what happens next.

Casey Maitland has always preferred the reliability of numbers, despite growing up the daughter of two artistic souls. Now a twenty-four-year-old finance expert working in Manhattan, Casey wonders if the project manager opening at her company – magazine powerhouse LC Publications – is a sign from the universe to pursue a career with a little more sparkle. That is, until she’s passed over for the job in favor of the board chairman’s son.

Alex Harrison is handsome, Harvard-educated, and enigmatic. Everybody loves him – except for Casey. But when the two are thrown on the same project, they both have something to prove. For Casey, it’s getting tapped for a transfer to the London office and fulfilling her dreams of travelling. For Alex, it’s successfully launching a brand that will impress his distant father.

As work meetings turn into after hours, Casey and Alex are drawn to each other again and again, 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.

Love Interest was a fun workplace rom-com. I couldn't put it down. The characters were not only funny but super relatable. I think it you enjoy romantic comedies then you'll enjoy this book.

I really liked this one! I was rooting for Casey to get her promotion but couldn’t help loving Alex. I felt bad for her at what seemed like clear nepotism in Alex getting the promotion when his dad was on the board.

They started as enemies to coworkers/friends to more. It was absolutely impossible not to love Alex. Despite being fictional, he was so charming and magnetic. I loved their interactions. I loved that Casey stood up for herself and tried to help the company do the right thing. I liked that she didn’t immediately give up her job prospects for a man, but that they resolved their relationship difficulties anyway.

I hope we get more books from Clare Gilmore!

4.5 ⭐️. I was shocked to find out this was a debut author because it didn’t feel like it at all! Such a good workplace romance and I just wanted to continue reading it to watch the relationship unfold between Casey and Alex. I would have given it 5 stars except in one area of the book it focused too much about work aspect. Thank you Net Galley for the e-book in exchange for my honest review.

Loved this book! Can not wait to read more by this author. Such a fun read and fell in love with the characters

Clare Gilmore's "Love Interest" is a compelling exploration of love in all its forms – romantic, familial, and platonic. Through richly drawn characters and intricate storytelling, Gilmore crafts a narrative that is both thought-provoking and deeply resonant.

The story follows the lives of three individuals – Alice, David, and Jake – whose paths intertwine in unexpected ways, leading to a journey of self-discovery, heartache, and ultimately, profound connection. As they navigate the complexities of relationships, each character grapples with their own insecurities, desires, and fears, making for a compelling and relatable read.

What sets "Love Interest" apart is its honest and nuanced portrayal of love. Gilmore does not shy away from depicting the messiness and imperfections that often accompany matters of the heart. Instead, she embraces them, painting a realistic picture of the highs and lows of love and the ways in which it shapes our lives.

The characters in "Love Interest" are beautifully drawn, each with their own distinct voice and personality. From Alice's vulnerability to David's charm and Jake's quiet strength, readers will find themselves deeply invested in their journeys, rooting for them every step of the way.

At its core, "Love Interest" is a story about connection – the connections we form with others, the connections we form with ourselves, and the ways in which those connections shape who we are. Gilmore handles this theme with grace and sensitivity, crafting a narrative that is both emotionally resonant and deeply satisfying.

With its compelling characters, richly textured prose, and thought-provoking themes, "Love Interest" is a must-read for anyone who has ever experienced the joy and pain of love. Clare Gilmore has crafted a gem of a novel that will stay with readers long after they've turned the final page. Highly recommended for fans of literary fiction and stories that explore the complexities of the human heart.

Wonderful romance book! I loved the characters and the way Clare Gilmore brought alive on to the pages. Excellent writing and I loved this storyline.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Love Interest was such a great read! Casey and Alex were the perfect adversaries-to-lovers and this workplace romance was giving me everything I want. It even has my favorite romance trope: only one bed! The way that Casey and Alex became friends, and then more, was so sweet. This book was emotional in the best way and became a quick favorite of mine. Both of these characters were fabulously developed and this was such a great debut from Gilmore! I can't wait to see what she comes out with next!

Cute office romance with a great ensemble cast! The two main characters were great together and compelling to care about. Their friends and coworkers really helped to round out the story and make it feel real.

thank you netgalley for the arc!!!

i love this book i love when i emotionally relate to both characters and make myself a little crazy with my own dreams and lives and futures.

Alex is a darling darling book boyfriend and he has never done anything wrong.
The friends and family are all so well written they don’t feel like they’re just there for the plot!
This felt almost disney in the two dead moms plot but overall i greatly enjoyed the plot, the miscommunications, and the corporate espionage!

I love a good enemies to lovers, and while the enemy portion of the story wasn't that long, or the all encompassing hatred I've seen in other books in the genre, this workplace rival romance is a quick and easy one to get into.

Love Interest contains some of my favorite tropes - forced proximity, he falls first, workplace rivals, and the storyline is just so endearing as we get to know the MC's and their backstories.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the digital copy for my review.

4/5 stars for this charming read

Enemies to lovers + Workplace romance + NYC setting = catnip for me!!

Unfortunately, I just did not feel super invested in this one! I wish the enemies would have stayed hating for a little longer before becoming friends!! And the workplace details got a little too intense - I want romance details!! For now, I put this aside at about 40%, but I think I’ll give it another try soon.

DNF a long time ago forgot to give feedback
lost interest 65%
felt no connection between the characters
felt there was no romance in it