Love everything Timothy writes!!! Highly recommend for fans of his work and anyone really who loves a queer romcom.

Being forced to work closely with your work nemesis always leads to more.
At least in books.
Greg & Julien are both great characters I loved watching them unravel the mysteries surrounding each other.
Add in some tasty sounding mixed drinks and a cute small town setting and you have a winner.
Much love to NetGalley & Harlequin - Romance for my ARC.

3.5 stars. I enjoy Janovsky's writing as it's easy to relate to the characters. This one was short and sweet. I did feel like a lot of the plot was summarized in one sentence when I would have rather had it play out on page. There were some very confusing decisions the characters made and time jumps that I wish were fleshed out more. But overall, another cute read!

You Had Me at Happy Hour by Timothy Janovsky is a delightful romantic comedy that expertly blends humor and heartfelt moments. The story follows two characters navigating the ups and downs of love and friendship in the vibrant backdrop of a bar scene. Janovsky’s witty dialogue and relatable situations make for an engaging read, while the exploration of self-discovery and personal growth adds depth to the narrative. This charming tale is perfect for fans of lighthearted romances that leave you with a smile.

I went into this thinking it was going to be way more romance than what it was. Which is fine, I am by no means mad that there was less. However, I was not prepared for all of the heavy topics that they ended up covering in this novel.

I'm super glad that we can have authors talking about not only mental health but also other problems that arise because of mental health. I was very thankful that the author covered such heavy topics in a way that is relatable because of how people actually deal with things in their life. Which leads me to the biggest downfall for me, the miscommunication. Yes for neurospicy people it can be hard to communicate, but this felt beyond that. It was to a point where I was ready to shake the characters to get them to pull their heads out of their butts.

I'm glad we got a queer romance that covered many tough topics, but wish there was less miscommunication and more depth with other characters. 3.5/5 stars.

Greg Harlow has left New York and TikTok fame in debt and in desperate need of his new job as a bartender at the restaurant Julien's aunt and uncle own. Julien has his own plans to become a sommelier and to move beyond working at his aunt and uncle's restaurant.

I felt like Julien's backstory and motivation felt a little more compelling than Greg's, and I felt like the ending didn't completely answer every question I had, but overall this was a fun read.

True rating - 3.25

I really enjoyed the first 2/3 of the book and the growing relationship between Julien and Greg, but several things from the final 3rd of the book really annoyed me and brought down my rating.
Things I liked:
- Thoughtfully and respectfully tackles topics like mental health (including OCD and chronic anxiety) and alcoholism
- cute and sex positive tale of workplace romance
- Dual POV
- Sweet and spicy MM relationship

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

this spicy queer story has so much depth it not just a hate to love story but a story that talks about boundaries and learning to deal with ones past and finding someone who doesn't overlook or push those boundaries. I love how these two learn about each other I will say the miscommunication in here is a small one compare to some other stories but it like talk to each other tell each other how you feel already people! over all I enjoy this story and will check out the author's other work in the future.

I really enjoyed You Had Me at Happy Hour. Timothy Janovsky never disappoints. Would 10/10 recommend this book.

The best part about this book was the pensylvania setting. Other than that I could have cared less about the relataionship or the characters in general.

I remain a big Timothy Janovsky fan for his charming LGBTQIA+ romcoms, that blend humor and heart with deep emotion and vulnerability. This book totally lives up to the hype! The relationship between MC's Julien and Greg is sex-positive, built on a foundation of clear consent and mutual respect. The writing is witty and heartfelt, with depictions of strong communication and trust-building, which makes the plot and characters feel both authentic and empowering. Additionally, the representation of OCD and anxiety is handled with honesty and remarkable care, showing how Julien and Greg support each other's mental health needs without judgment. I adored these characters and their journey.

Sincere thanks to NetGalley and Afterglow Books by Harlequin for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Julien Boire and Greg Harlow both work with alcoholic drinks. Julien dreams of being one of the top sommeliers in the country and is focused solely on that. Greg let social media stardom blind him into an insane amount of debt and mental illness that has him running away from New York in hopes of getting better. They work together at Julien's family restaurant and things start shakily, but an agreement to have a physical relationship with no emotions to let off some steam has them spending more time together and realizing that there's more to each other than they thought.

Julien and Greg couldn't be more different and the awkward clash of personalities when they first meet is an adorable meet cute that did not prepare me for how hot and steamy things were going to get. It's erotica wearing rom-com clothes and I'm not at all mad about it.

The plot is interesting and focuses on their character growth as individuals while also making it obvious to the reader that they're perfect for each other beyond the obvious chemistry and comfort they find between the sheets. They mature as individuals but a big part of it is the discoveries they make thanks to the relationship. It's the best of all worlds.

Delighted thanks to NetGalley and Afterglow Books by Harlequin for the hot romantic read!

I think the book is fun, but probably not his best. I liked the forays into heavier topics, as well as the everall vibe of the book but the third act of the novel wasn't particularly great for me specifically.

Timothy Janovsky is still one of my favorite queer authors, but this was not my favorite of his titles thus far (can't all be favorite, though, can we?). Some of his usual sweetness, his tenderness in writing characters, felt like it was missing in this one? The plot was very light and "fine" and steamy. Brain candy, really. I just miss the usual quality of development that I know Janovsky is capable of--overall a "fine" read; nothing particularly wrong and nothing super memorable compared to the warmth I usually feel for his books. I did appreciate his inclusion of neurospicy characters for main characters in this title and will still be pulling his next title as soon as it comes out, as usual. :)

My thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Romance/Afterglow Books for the opportunity to read this title in exchange for my honest opinion!

I really wanted to like this one, but unfortunately it just didn't work for me.

I liked the representation of different mental illnesses and life with them, I liked the setting and thought that the banter between the two was cute. However, I just didn't have enough differentiation between the characters to truly feel like I knew them. I found the voice of both to be very similar and I had a hard time remembering which character had what going on becuase they felt the same.

I wish there had been more tension between the two before they got together and maybe more on page experimentation with different types of sex that include the issues that the author spent time building up in the narrative.

I cannot pin point exactly what did not work for me, but unfortunately something didn't work. But there was absolutely nothing wrong with this book that I feel the need to point out.

3.5*

You Had Me at Happy Hour is much more of a melancholy read, definitely not the romcom I was expecting. Not that I have an issue with that, not at all. It just kind of took me by surprise. But I actually really liked the feel of this book and the topics it dealt with. I think those were handled very well by TJ. Even with all the heaviness there were some sweet, lighthearted moments between Julian and Greg.

Neither Julian nor Greg expect anything to come of the no strings attached relationship they find themselves in, they both have too much going on to really give it their all. Isn't that how it always is, though, when it comes to a good fwb? I enjoyed both Julian and Greg's journeys through the course of the book. Although I could have done without that third act frustrationess from Greg. I mean, come on dude!
But overall I did like this story, even with it's challenges.

This was so much NOT of what I was expecting. I usually LOVE Janovsky’s words, but for whatever reason this just didn’t hit the same as the others. My guess was it was so basic.

This was the most formulaic contemp romance I ever read. I DID love that they didn’t have to come out to anyone, they were just together tho. But this just isn’t the usual for Janovsky. Usually he can make me cry or laugh out loud so much, but I got none of that from this one. I didn’t feel really anything from this one. (Maybe I feel this way after the last one? This one just felt so tame. Like he was trying not to go over any veggie lines in this one too. [IYKYK])

I’m thinking its because I didn’t care for the main characters. I wanted so much to learn about being a sommelier, but I didn’t feel like there was enough info in the book besides how difficult it is and how much it costs. Or why he had to go back to NYC so bad besides money. I just always assume there’s a deeper meaning (yes I know money security is a thing, but like he had a job?) Especially since the person he went back to was terrible.

I DID like the OCD rep and the way he handled the one character’s parents’ problem. He became what he did in spite of them and I thought it was incredible. And we all know I cannot resist the social media type books, so this was a fun addition to the book too. (Although we hardly get to see it.) I also liked the toy play in this one. I don’t read a lot of spicy books, so this was interesting.

This was pretty tame compared to his other one from Afterglow and I can’t help but wonder if he was playing on the safe side with this one. I hope that’s not the case. I hope in his next book he finds a happy medium for us all.

Julien grew up in a small town in Pennsylvania. He is still there, working at the struggling restaurant run by his aunt and uncle who raised him. He’s eager to leave and pursue his dreams of being a sommelier. Then, his aunt and uncle hire Greg Harlow, who became well known on social media for his cocktails. They hope that Greg can bring some much needed attention to the restaurant.

At first, Julien and Greg get along like oil and water (or a red wine paired with a fish dish). But soon they are teaming up for a series of happy hours that will hopefully bring new customers to the restaurant. And from there, their relationship grows. They both agree that their relationship is nothing serious. But the more time they spend together, each finds themselves wondering if they want more—but unsure if the other feels the same.

This is a fun and engaging story. It offers a thoughtful exploration of mental health, the role of social media, and the wide range of families.

Highly recommended!

Thank you to Afterglow Books by Harlequin for the eARC.

3.5 stars.

Greg had some severe himbo energy. It was the perfect foil to grumpy, non-divergent Julien.

Greg (cocktails) and Julien (wine sommelier) are kind of work rivals, but are forced to work together to plan happy hour events (also if you don’t know me in real life, you need to know that I am the Happy Hour Queen at work so I needed to read this book). And surprise, they are attracted to each other, and surprise, they become friends with benefits.

The spicy scenes were the best part of YHMAHH. I loved the realness. Greg has a medical issue due to some medication, and Julien has OCD so has specific rules for sexy time…but they made it work and didn’t make it a big deal. There was no judgment from either side, just understanding and good, clean (literally) sex.

But that third act break-up. It was like when you’re speeding but then you brake when that traffic light turns, such an abrupt stop. It came out of nowhere and didn’t fit. Both characters made TERRIBLE decisions for people who were about to say the L word. It made their make-up less meaningful as I was two-thirds out the door by then.

Overall an entertaining read, but I won’t be forgetting that break-up anytime soon.

I love Timothy’s books so much. It’s not often you get. Queer man writing MLM and it’s much needed. His light hearted romcoms keep me coming back to his writing.