This was a solid, enjoyable read. While the writing style wasn't completely to my personal taste, I appreciated the way the story handles issues like OCD, GAD, and ED, and thought the romance between Greg and Julien was very sweet.

When I read the synopsis I was excited for this book. While I enjoyed the story I found the writing style to not be to my taste. Julien is an aspiring Master Sommelier with OCD and Greg is a TikTok bartender with anxiety and a lot of debt. I loved the way that their relationship came together (rivals to lovers anyone?) and the handling of mental illness. As someone who recently started taking an anxiety medication it was lovely to see it handled with such care. The miscommunication was a bit painful to get through but I loved how it ended. While the plot was good I just couldn’t get into the writing style. I found it to be a lot of telling and a bit clunky. It never quite flowed the way that I wanted which was sad since I genuinely liked the characters and the plot.

This book was the perfect 21st birthday book! It made me crave both cocktails and wine, and of course amazing food to pair with them both. The descriptions of them were nothing short of decadent. Especially the twist on the old fashioned. I need that drink in my life for real! Of course, the rest of the book was also amazing. I loved the main characters so much. I really enjoyed the alternating points of views between both the characters and getting to see inside both of their heads. Their neurodivergence was very well portrayed and I loved how accepting they were of each other’s differences and how they found solutions that worked well for both of them. They also both made each other better both at work and in their personal lives. Of course there was also good angst as both Greg and Julien had to come to terms with their feelings. But in the end they made it work, and while the ending was pretty open, I liked it a lot and thought it fit the characters with where they were in life and their relationship. I highly recommend this book!

I really enjoyed this book and have enjoyed other books by this author. The last chapter/epilogue had a surprise kink I was not at all expecting.

This is so cute!!! If you like reading romances that feel like characters are existing and working in the real world but it doesn't get too depressing with income insecurity this is the book for you. Sometimes you have to take a break from the millionaire/billionaire escapism and find some relatable stories of people who are doing their best in a world where capitalism isn't always on their side.

One of my favorite tropes in this is the friends with benefits. It's been forever since I've read this. It's not even overly angsty either, they are both having a great time and the spice is plentiful and varied. Also, if you are looking for antidepressant rep when it affects libido and get annoyed when that is in so many romances where that particular partner somehow magically cures it, this book is actually realistic! They have to openly communicate about this and their work around is fire.

Overall, I would recommend. This book also went by so fast. Thank you to Harlequin for the eARC.

I am not connecting with either character and by 35% of the way in, I should be there with one of them. The writing is dragging out basic day to day interactions and I’m really just not seeing how these two are going to end up together.

IM OBSESSED !!!! really really good and it’s always good to see some accurate representation :) definitely reading it again soon

This book was fantastic and exactly the type of book I've come to expect from Timothy Janovsky. The story itself was great, well paced, and easy to follow. The MMCs are the perfect foils to one another and I absolutely loved seeing how they interacted. The side characters were great too, perfectly bolstering the story and adding to the fun of the book. I really appreciated the way both Julian and Greg's mental health was portrayed - it wasn't highlighted or diminished, it just was part of who they were and was part of the story. I didn't even mind the miscommunication trope making an appearance because it fit really well with who the characters were and the assumptions they would have drawn. And the spice? Incredible. So well written. SO spicy. It's cute, it's queer, and it's an easy, quick read - what's not to love?

Timothy Janovsky is an auto buy author for me, I always love his books! Meet Me at Happy Hour might be my favorite of his so far.
Julien Boire is a sommelier at his aunt and uncle's restaurant. He is an introvert with OCD that demands he steer clear of all distractions that could get in the way of him becoming a master sommelier. He is intent on getting out of this town and on to bigger and better things.
Enter Greg Harlow, Tikitok mixologist. He is hot, charming and confident. All things Julien is not. But Greg struggles with his anxiety and recently left the city to get away and try to start over and get out of debt.
After a rocky start, the two are forced together to host a couple of weekly happy hours, to help improve traffic to the restaurant. They find they hit it off better then they thought and they start to trust each other. Julien's OCD means he has very specific needs in the bedroom. And Greg's anxiety meds effect his libido, and causing ED that he is self-conscious about. But both of them agree they don't want a relationship. So they agree to a no-strings attached sex pact. But of course things start to feel more than just sex really fast.
I appreciated so many things about the mental health representation. Especially showing how your sex life can be effected by your meds. You don't see couples talking about that enough. Julien is so understanding and I love how he helps Greg try new things in the bedroom to improve his confidence. Their sexual chemistry is amazing! I really liked both of the MCs separately. They both had interesting backstories and I wanted to see them happy.
I did have a couple of complaints. *SPOILERS* The miscommunication trope where they keep putting off talking about their feelings to each other was maddening. And when Greg was effected by one thing Julien said he went all the way back to NYC and was going to start his life over again. He went back to his ex and all these things that felt so out of character after all his growth. So the whole third act pseudo break up thing was kinda annoying. But once they were reunited I loved them together so much I didn't really care anymore. I couldn't put it down until I was done. I loved the epilogue.
So if you like enemies to lovers, with mental health rep and very steamy bedroom scenes then you will love this one.
A huge thank you to Harlequin Afterglow and the author for this ARC.

This review has some spoilers!
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1. I love me a good gay romcom where NONE of the conflict comes from their queerness itself.
2. It had really good neurodivergent and mental health rep in it. One main character had anxiety and depression and the other had OCD. And it actively affected how they behaved and interacted with each other in a realistic way.
3. The guy who had anxiety and depression was on an SSRI that regularly caused him ED issues and made him self conscious in the bedroom. But he wasn't willing to go off the meds because he knew he needed them. But the other main character was so supportive and understanding and showed him how much fun they could have regardless of his erection or ability to get off. I feel a LOT of people would have felt seen through that entire plot line.
4. The spice was more than I expected and it was 🔥🔥🔥

My only critique was that some of the internal monologue did get a bit long and repetitive at times. It felt like I read the same thoughts over and over in certain parts. However, that also makes sense given the anxiety and OCD the main characters had. So while it did get a bit boring in those parts, I also felt it was accurate of those brain patterns.

Overall, LOVED this.

Small town, enemies to lovers, Mental health rep (anxiety, OCD), MM romance

Julien is trying to keep his head down, work as a sommelier in his aunt & uncle's small-town restaurant and save money for the next sommelier class.

Greg is new to town, staying with his cousin, and will be the new mixologist at Martin's Place. He's got issues of his own and seems to be running from something.

They are forced to team up for 2 nights a week - one wine happy hour and one mixed drink happy hour. They also come to a FWB agreement with lots of rules and boundaries.
 
The twist here is that neither of them drink - for different reasons but to be in the beverage industry and not drink is wild to me.

Great writing and chemistry! Watch out for the 3rd act though!

Timothy oh Timothy you did it again! You knocked it out of the park! The chemistry between Greg and Julien was on point, the progression of the book was great as well. The build up to their hea was perfect.

You Had Me at Happy Hour is a tantalizing tale of rivalry and unexpected connections in a quaint Pennsylvania town. As Julien and Greg navigate their complex relationship, readers are drawn into a world of passion and uncertainty. With intriguing characters and surprising twists, this novel is full of delight.

This is the third Timothy Janovsky I've read and he is very consist with mixing light heartedness with more difficult topics. This one in particular has a MC with OCD and one with depression and anxiety.

Things I liked:
Greg's character
Julian's Aunt
The mental health rep and tackling of more difficult topics

What I didn't care for:
Julian- I really struggled to like his character and I think it's because he's written very well and he's just the type of person I wouldn't get along with well (so this is actually a positive on the characterization front.)
The at times choppy pacing
The 3rd act conflict drove me bonkers-this was very heavy on the "we just aren't going to talk to each other so now there's all of these misunderstandings" plot device
Greg hooking up with his ex while in New York, that one really made me sad
The ending in general felt off, something about the pacing and it felt almost rushed

Overall this is a good romance, not a new favorite but I'm going to put it on my recommendation shelf at my library because I think this will appeal to many romance readers!

This was a fun read - I was hooked pretty quickly and fell in love with Greg right away. It took me a little longer to love Julien, but when he did I was rooting hard for them.

Things I loved:
Neurodivergent Rep
Anxiety rep
Medication for mental health
ED rep
Sex toy rep (but like.. For functional use because of the ED)
All the sex talk around the ED rep
Juliens patience and reassurance in the bedroom (he was so sweet!)
Russell & Jessica
Once they started kissing (cute cute cute!)
Julien’s aunt & uncle
the ending & the grand gesture.

What I didn’t love
How some of their relationship development/friendship growth was really fast forwarded over. It felt a little like they suddenly were besties, and ole’ friends with benefits.
The Whiplash, when Greg suddenly was wanting his NYC life back, the third act breakup (sort of?)
Maybe some cheating, or at least walking a fine line of it. All because of some miscommunications, or omissions. (my least favorite trope)

A fun overall read - kept me hooked until the last 25%, and then I was just like ugh, miscommunication breakup!? I still wanted to finis and see their HEA/HFN, and if this is your jam you’ll love it! Overall -- I say... Fun vacation read, lots of great rep that we need in books.

3.5 Stars
3.5 peppers for spice

Thank you to Net Galley and Harlequin for the ARC copy of this book

A Light-Hearted Spicy Rom-Com with Charming Characters:

"You Had Me at Happy Hour" by Timothy Janovsky is an endearing rom-com that follows the journey of two protagonists, Julien and Greg, as they navigate love, friendship, and personal growth. Julien, a sommelier-in-training, grapples with extreme OCD while dealing with neglectful parents. He finds solace in the supportive home of his aunt and uncle. Greg, a mixologist and TikTok influencer, faces challenges with anxiety and prescriptions that affects his libido. Together, their contrasting yet complementary personalities create a delightful romantic comedy, with some spicy bits.

While the story presents opportunities for emotional depth and character exploration, it occasionally falls short in its execution. Julien's sommelier course is depicted as a pivotal moment in his life, causing him to hesitate about a long-term relationship with Greg. However, since the course only requires him to be away for four days, the buildup surrounding it seems overemphasized and anticlimactic. This lessens the impact of the conflict between Julien and Greg and leaves the reader wanting more depth in the narrative.

Janovsky's writing style captures the essence of a light-hearted, enjoyable rom-com. However, the initial meeting between Julien and Greg could benefit from a smoother approach. The first few chapters, where the characters meet, include frequent backtracking to capture each character’s thoughts during their interaction. This technique can disrupt the narrative’s pace and make the conversation feel choppy.

Despite these minor narrative challenges, the novel offers an engaging experience with a heartwarming happily ever after. For readers seeking a sweet, easy-going romantic comedy that brings smiles, "You Had Me at Happy Hour" is an enjoyable choice. Its quirks and charming moments make it a worthwhile read for those looking for an escape into a world of love, passion, and humor.

Thank you Afterglow Books by Harlequin, NetGalley, and Timothy Janovsky for this eARC

I devoured this book!! This is an auto read author for me now. I loved the very different personalities and getting to really see what was going on. I can't wait to get my hands on a physical copy!

This really should have been an easy receive for success. Close proximity, sort of rivals to lovers, and mental health rep? Exactly what I look for in a book but unfortunately, it all felt too rushed for my liking. The transition from sort of work nemesis to friends, didn’t make sense to me. It felt like they both just forgot why they avoided each other and didn’t actually unpack anything. It was even more abrupt when it went from friends to lovers. I was taken aback almost by it and I didn’t feel the chemistry between the two, outside of the sexual context.

And as someone with a rather heavy mental illness, I did like certain aspects of the representation here (the OCD, the intrusive thoughts, the impulsive actions) but when it was hindering the plot, it was glossed over. Love doesn’t stop those compulsions from happening. It doesn’t make those things go away forever and that’s almost how it came across.

I will say that in general, it was a sweet and spicy romance. The banter had its moments and Julian and Greg weren’t terrible characters. Unrealistic, maybe but if you can look past certain parts, it was pretty formulaic and there’s nothing intrinsically wrong with that. I hope whatever comes next from this author is a little more creative.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I've said it before and I will say it again, Janovsky does. not. miss. It really scratched a specific I've been watching a lot of bistro huddy and want a romance that feels like that itch I've been having. I was left just wanted a little more angst at the end, like I just wish it had been pushed to some big dramatic rather than a reasonable talk resolution. It was super sweet, and I was glad they got past the he doesn't want me he's going to New York but God I really was hoping for a hallmark ass fight where they didn't realize they were saying i love you till they had said it. But I was still kicking my feet all the way through this book and I will continue to happily read whatever Jaovsky writes next because there is always just some secret sauce in these books.

I was so excited to get an ARC of this book! I already loved Timothy Janovsky's writing/storytelling from You're A Mean One, Matthew Prince (a great holiday tale, if you're looking for one), so I feel very fortunate to have gotten an early read of this new one!

This story follows Julien, a sommelier working at his uncle and aunt's restaurant in Pennsylvania, who's saving up money to continue his studies and become a master at his craft. He soon meets Greg, a TikTok-famous mixologist who's left the big city for the small town for a bit of a fresh start. Julien's uncle and aunt are hoping Greg will be just the exciting bartender their struggling restaurant needs to take off. When they're tasked to work together, the two don't hit it off right away. I would call this a full enemies-to-lovers story, but there is some initial dislike... and honestly it's all because they're both judging each other on first impressions!

But seriously -- Greg and Julien are both so so sweet. They each genuinely want to get to know the other and are constantly taking each other's feelings into account. The mental health rep in this book is fantastic. Greg struggles with anxiety and Julien has OCD, and while these things could make it harder for the men to let each other in, it's fantastic to see how they open up to each other and become so comfortable both in and out of the bedroom.

This isn't a *holiday book, per se, but some of it does take place during the Christmas/New Year's season and there are some cozy holiday vibes! I would definitely recommend this one!