summary: natalie falls for her boss james, and they have to work to keep their relationship both secret and working.

footnotes: there are about 3 chapters with full on sex scenes, so please be mindful where you read this.

thoughts: natalie cam off really spoiled and bratty, at first which made her unlikeable. as the story progressed, it made more sense, but the first half just made her seem like a spoiled brat. james also acts really hot and cold. he's into natalie some moments, and not the next. his actions are very choppy and don't make sense a lot of the time. the side characters also don't get developed much, and overall the characters feel very flat. the plot was somewhat unreasonable, but i still enjoyed reading it. the main thing for me was the excessive amount of sex scenes in this book, in places that didn't even make sense for the characters emotionally. the sex scenes really took away from the emotion of the book and what the characters actually were. the writing overall was subpar. i enjoyed it, but forgot about the book the moment i finished reading it. the ending was also very iffy for me.

overall, i recommend this for someone who just broke up, and needs some spice and romance without thinking too much about it.

"How could I not? You were waving your arms around like you wanted me to see how perfect you looked."

The Grumpy One by Leslie North is a cute little contemporary romance book. I will say I'm not the biggest fan of the beginning, the fmc comes off badly and just isn't really likeable for the first bit of the book. Like how does Natalie assume someone in a perfectly fitted suit is stalking her? Then after that hitting him with the mop? It just didn't make the most sense. After that, Natalie started growing on me a bit and I enjoyed her character. James is a sexy man, but a bit frustrating at times but overall okay. Would I read it again? Maybe.

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

Well written and a great cast of characters and story line loved it I will read more from this author.

'The Grumpy One' by Leslie North is a must-read for fans of contemporary romance! This book had me hooked from the very first page, and I couldn't put it down until I finished the last page.

At the center of the story is Natalie, a hardworking and devoted daughter who is trying her best to keep her mother's life from unraveling. Natalie's dedication is inspiring, and her determination to provide a better life for her mother is heartwarming and relatable.

But things take an unexpected turn when Natalie's job at Glenhaven Billionaires brings her into close contact with the rude and inconsiderate boss, who she affectionately refers to as 'The Grumpy One'. Despite his gruff and difficult personality, Natalie can't help but be drawn to him. And when they share a heated kiss in his car, things really start to sizzle.

Leslie North has a talent for writing steamy and passionate scenes, and this book is no exception. The chemistry between Natalie and her boss is off the charts, and their interactions are both steamy and entertaining. But what I loved most about this book was the way their relationship evolved throughout the story. Both characters have their own struggles and vulnerabilities, and watching them grow closer and support each other was truly heartwarming.

This book is a perfect blend of romance, steam, and compelling characters. And while it does leave us wanting more, the ending is satisfying enough to leave readers at peace with these characters. I can't wait to read the next book in the series to see what happens next for these characters.

Overall, 'The Grumpy One' is a must-read for fans of contemporary romance. Leslie North has crafted a story that is equal parts steamy, heartwarming, and entertaining, making it a book that I highly recommend. If you're looking for a hot and captivating read, this is the book for you. Don't miss out on this amazing story!

Always love it when I find a new author. Even better if they have a lot of books for me to read! Leslie North does both. She has lots of series, and several different genres, something for everyone.

A quirky, never dull book! This has very funny moments with unnecessary karaoke and mistaken identity, but it also has older men abusing their power and making sexual overtones. Underneath it all is Nathalie and James trying to work out how to make the fashion collection iconic and perhaps find love. The book has pace and covers a lot of ground but relationship issues, sibling issues and James’s disfunctional but lovely family. A lot is packed in and, although it is hard to understand James’s decision so hard to forgive him, the plot is interesting and kept me hooked.

This was a feel good romance! I loved how James and Natalie meet. From there they banter back and forth, but he always is ready to listen to her. The company gets a shake up and that leaves Natalie in a position to shine and really show her creativity. James is more than happy with how things are going and he is ready to make his move. Will things work out between them or will an old relationship destroy it all?

I am very grateful for the arc and the opportunity to read and review THE GRUMPY ONE.

I enjoyed the chemistry between Natalie and James. I felt like the beginning of the story started off strong and the redemption at the end made up for all the bits in between.

I wished there were more interactions with James’ struggles and diving deeper into Natalie’s life. There were parts where I felt like there should have been characters other than James and Natalie talking and showing us more of the scenes so that I could get a feel for being in the story. Not only that but to get a feel for Branson Designs and what was really going on there. I didn’t necessarily feel transported into the world of the book, I was more of an outsider looking in.

I did enjoy the banter between the leads and the best friend relationship between Steph and Natalie.

#TheGrumpyOne

While I haven't read a lot of Leslie North books, I have read 1 SEAL, 1 Shiekh and 1 Billionaire Bosshole. I hated the 1st 2, but the Billionaire Bosshole concept was better. The Grumpy One became available for my read via NetGalley and thinking it was a similar concept, then determining it was, thought it was a good enough read.

This was a fun light hearted romance with a little spice. Really enjoyed this one, nothing groundbreaking but a good romance overall. Quick to read.

Workplace romance
Enemies to lovers
HEA.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

I like how this book has a Pretty Women vibe. Without the hooker aspect to it. Natalie is wonderful, she knows her self worth. James quickly learn it also. She helps to turn his business around. His business is his life. There lies the problem though throughout the book. They learn each others needs and wants and she gets close to his family. She doesn't have one so this is a bonus for her. I really enjoyed reading, The Grumpy One.

There were a lot of things to like about this book. I really enjoyed the subplot with James’s brother, Christopher, and his ongoing struggle with depression and addiction. I also liked that Natalie had a history in the foster system. It made some of her more unpleasant character traits a little more believable…of course she is going to be a little untrusting and defensive considering her past.

I always love an enemies to lovers trope but, unfortunately, the reason James and Natalie were “enemies” didn’t work for me. Natalie starts off the book by acting like an immature psycho. She is way out of line and declares that James is a “stalker” for no discernible reason and just escalates the situation to crazy heights…and then acts like a victim when James is justifiably angry.

She redeems herself in the rest of the book but that part of the story sets up the rest of the plot so was a pretty big deal to the flow of the story.

I had some other issues with how the situation was handled with Natalie’s predatory professor. I wish that she had gone through proper channels to report him rather than staging that weird scene and inappropriate texting conversation with him.

This was an entertaining read and I think that there will be a lot of people drawn to this fiery female lead character and the romance.

Natalie works at Branson Designs as a cleaner at night. She is startled when she is told by a man to stop playing her music and singing. After a long exchange turns out the man is James Branson the owner. She thinks she is fired but knows he likes her designs and wants her to work in another area. There it is not going well and she goes to him to quit when he finds out the real problem. You find out the real problem for him being grumpy and trying to do all of the management jobs with no help. A lot is going on in this story but I liked it along with all of the characters as well. At times funny and then serious could lead you either way. Still a good book and worth the read.

This book is a predictable romance with a bit of humor thrown in. If you are looking for a light enjoyable romance this is the book for you. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

I could not put this book down. James is Natalies boss. They had a very interesting meeting to say the least. James is very work forward. He doesn't take time for himself and he's very misunderstood. Natalie on the other hand says what's on her mind. She doesn't back down, but she also has her very shy side. She never felt loved or welcomed throughout her life. In her mind she was easily disposable. The plot could have been better, but the romance was so good that I didn't want to stop reading. I'm also not a big fan of people on covers but besides that I really liked this book. Posted a review on my Goodreads and Rosey Readers Goodreads group!

James Branson is a billionaire and the CEO of their family company and his world is rocked when he runs into a woman whose first encounter has her hitting him with a wet mop!! After embarrassingly discovering that she just attacked the CEO of the company she works for, Natalie’s world is also changed as he offers her a promotion on the design team the following morning.

The banter between these two is absolutely perfect and I laughed out loud for some of the sass that came out of Natalie’s mouth! The slow burn of their relationship is absolutely perfect and then we see a glorious glimpse of some fake dating (a trope I ride or die for)!! Don’t get me wrong on how much I love the spice between these two, but the sweeter moments between them also had my heart aching.

I’d definitely recommend this for a quick and enjoyable romance with some spice and a HEA!

Thank you to Netgalley, Leslie North, and Relay Publishing for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review!

Annoying heroine, annoying hero make one heck of an annoyed Sofia. James was all about the Brandon business and making it through giving me the impression that if they didn't make it they would lose the company which wasn't the case. He was neglecting Natalie and mingling with his ex to save his business. And it was next explained how Heidi got herself involved in the first place. Basically, what was the most annoying thing in this book was the lack of follow-up and depth to any of the plots. This book could have been half the size and it would have worked out. As I mentioned there is the ex-plot that serves to divide the main couple. Then there is Christopher, James' brother who has a whole journey that happens in the background and deserved its own book. I would have loved to read a part of the story from his and Julia's point of view. The failing and blooming business was confusing. James loves to throw money around yet he constantly worries about everything. The two grovels were both great. Natalie undressing in an elevator instead of a restroom was just too silly. And how a touchy professor was handled was eye-roll worthy. Too many not well-thought things were going on that made the book drag. For like half the book there is a conflict between the main characters and I couldn't say that they had a good and stable romance. I wouldn't recommend the book.

Predictable but also a bit humorous. I liked the story and enjoyed the fashion piece as well. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

If you love a good book that makes you laugh-out-loud at 2% in, then this one is for you! This was a very easy read and I was absorbed immediately. In this book you will find A grumpy CEO and a Spit-fire employee, who tries to fight the attraction that they have for one another. The FMC is sassy and tends to stick her foot in her mouth a lot...

In this book, you will find a lot of fun and sometimes sexy banter and a possessive MMC who will do anything for those in his tight circle. This book is second in a series, but can be read as a standalone. If you are a mood reader, like myself, then this is a good choice for something on the lighter side with a HEA. I read this in one siting, so just be prepared to be sucked in!

*Tropes*
- Billionaire CEO
- Found Family
- Grumpy x Sunshine
-Boss x Employee

TW's
There is mention of substance abuse with pills and a stint in rehab.
Mature Content

I will be making a post soon on my instagram as well :)

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.

Ok this was my first Leslie North book and overall it was cute. I read it in one sitting. Now was it perfect? No! But was I thoroughly entertained? Yes!

I started out not really liking Natalie and almost DNF’ed the book when she went behind James’ back to contact Christopher. I mean it all worked out but it was unprofessional and pretty selfish and was hard for me to get past.

Also who leaked the dress? Did I miss where she explained that? It bugged me the whole time? Like the dress gets leaked but we’re supposed to worry more about his relationship with Heidi than and explanation for that.

Then I do wish we had more closure about MG and what happened after the article because I feel like it just wrapped it up too quickly to be closure.

Other than that I laughed out loud at the beginning with her mop, and I was hooked enough to finish it in one sitting.