Thank you Joffe Books for the ARC.

While I finished the book, I found it problematic from the beginning. The characters were not relatable nor could find anyway to connect with them. The premise is workplace romance that got off on the wrong foot. She is a convent-educated airline employee who was abandoned by her parents, has few friends, and is an amazing artist. He is a wealthy business owner who makes tough, snap decisions that can cause personal problems. The relationship seemed forced, problematic, and ultimately unrealistic. There was very little sexual tension and no steamy parts either.

Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3.5 stars)

*The Takeover* by Jackie Ladbury is a pretty cool book about love, cheating, and figuring out who you are. Emerald finds out her boyfriend Rick is cheating on her 😡, and then she meets Marco, who totally changes her life 🌟. Watching Emerald become stronger and more independent is really interesting 💪.

The writing is decent, and the characters seem real, but sometimes the story drags a bit when Emerald is deep in thought 🧠. Also, some of the side characters could be more developed. Even with that, the mix of emotions and business drama makes it a fun read 📚.

If you like books about personal growth and some business drama, you might enjoy *The Takeover* 😊.

I have mixed feelings about this book. On one hand I enjoyed the ride and enjoyed the overall storyline. On the other, I didn’t feel like Marco and Emerald were convincing enough as a couple and the frequent references to being in a convent was becoming too much, I was hoping it would be used as a way to see her transform and grow in her confidence.
Marco and Emerald were too hot and cold with each other and never really communicated well with each other. One minute Marco is telling her he wants her, being gentle, soft and sweet to the next minute he becomes “boss” again and won’t acknowledge that his lack of response to “what are we?” was infuriating. Emerald was no different.
Again, mixed feelings. I liked the overall story. You had all the cliché characters a workplace contemporary romance needed. The author did a great job at adding some tension and pulling back so as a reader you got whiplash. As well as it being closed door/fade to black, I don’t normally like it only because I feel like sometimes with a slightly ajar door book you can glean a bit more information on how the characters are made to be together.
Overall it’s a 3⭐️ read.
Didn’t loooove it but also didn’t hate it, I also didn’t want to put it down.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this book.

"The Takeover" by Jackie Ladbury is my first read by this author. Overall, despite an intriguing premise that promised corporate power and romantic entanglements, the book unfortunately fails to deliver on multiple fronts. One of the most significant shortcomings of the novel is its characters. The protagonists lack depth and fail to evoke any real interest or empathy. Their personalities are flat and unremarkable, making it difficult to connect with or care about their stories. Without compelling or relatable characters, the story struggles to maintain reader engagement. The storyline, much like the characters, is disappointingly bland. The narrative plods along without any significant twists or turns, and the pacing feels sluggish. Key plot points that should have been exciting or suspenseful fall flat, leading to a monotonous reading experience. The lack of intriguing subplots or unexpected developments makes the book feel like a chore rather than an enjoyable escape. A critical element of any romance novel is the chemistry between its leads. Sadly, "The Takeover" lacks the spark necessary to create believable and captivating romantic tension. The interactions between the characters feel forced and devoid of passion, making it hard to root for their relationship. The absence of tension and chemistry results in a love story that feels unrealistic and unconvincing.

Absolutely loved it. Perfect amount of romance, steaminess and heartbreak. If you’re looking for a summer read this is the one! Was hooked from page one.

Totally loved this book! It was super sweet. Never read the original version of this book so I can't comment on the changes. I love Italian MMCs, they just do it for me, and Marco was no different.

As a warning for those who are reading this, there is a bit of the miscommunication trope. I personally don't mind this trope too much as long as it's not taken way too far, so it didn't bother me! Definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves the romance genre.

Perfect for a summer read but I feel it deserved a bit more.. Sometimes the book was a bit boring and sorry really I missed the Uau factor, it did put me into a lot of emotions but I feel it could be a lot better

This book had all the elements of a cracking romance, however, there were a few too many cringe moments that I couldn't get over, no matter how hard I tried. I struggled with the power imbalance between employer and employee and that the lead female character was a virgin and he was portrayed as a stereotypical Italian man. I enjoyed the settings and descriptions of the locations, and it definitely fed into my wish to travel more which was a strong point of this novel.

It was all right, a cute enemies-to-lovers romance set in a workplace. I had never read a flight attendant romance before, and I did like it. There were just some things that could have been better, but overall it was good.

While there are two books before this one, it is technically a complete standalone story. Unfortunately I didn't love it. The characters are not likable at all, Emerald is annoying as hell and Marco had the personality of a cardboard box. I didn't feel any tension or chemistry between them at all so the romance did nothing for me when it eventually happened. It was mostly just that Emerald thought Marco was hot and that apparently meant she was in love? They had zero communication skills so their entire relationship was just one big miscommunication trope. And the end when they finally get together after the third act break up was so anti climactic.
Unfortunately books like this really depend on their characters and these two were just not great

3.5 ⭐️

This was a first by this author for me. It was a fun, easy, quick weekend read. The writing pulled me pretty instantly. I sat down to read the first chapter and suddenly an hour had flown by and I didn’t even notice. Haha
The characters are….likable, but a little annoying at times. The side characters were funny!

The premise of this book will be familiar to those who have read enemies to lovers workplace romances. A woman gets drunk and proceeds to embarrass herself in front of a wealthy man, who unsurprisingly turns out to be her new boss. What follows is a long and arduous journey of them falling in love, only for him to betray her and break her heart. But dont worry, they get back together in the final chapter.

This was honestly a really difficult read, one that I would not have bothered finishing usually. However, I was determined to finish so that I could give my informed opinion on the whole book.

There are several issues I had with this book,
1. Considering their relationship was of an employee/employer, I found several of their interactions to be highly inappropriate. He tenderly touched her hand, then almost caressed her cheek. At one point, hes fallen asleep in just a shirt and his boxer pants infront of her. Considering that all occurs before anything romantic had happened, it just felt unprofessional and not believable.

2. The characters are poorly written to the point where I literally didn't even like them. Emerald is infuriating, with her behaviour bordering on childish. Marco even labelled her actions as that of a 'sulky teenager', which isn't how you want to be described by your boss is it? She's constantly changing her mind, and acted quite immature at times.
Marco, as the MMC, did not appeal to me in the slightest. I get it, hes hot. But there was no sex appeal, no intense brooding, no snarky or funny comments that made me love his character.

3. Now, it's a big moment when the male character finally admits he wants to be with the female lead. It usually takes a while to get there, but the reveal is so rewarding as you've been waiting for it to happen. Wow, did this book stuff it up. Marco professes his desire to be with Emerald, and what does Emerald do? Nothing. Zilch. Nada. Diddly squat. Not one word is even uttered from her lips. Talk about the biggest anticlimactic moment ever.

I think in books of this trope, you need to be able to feel the tension between the two lead characters. You want them to be together, and each interaction they have leaves you excited to keep reading, for when they do finally give in.

This book unfortunately did not have that. There was no intense build up. By the end of chapter 19 she was in love, and I honestly dont know how from their limited meaningful interactions. But hey, I suppose it's easy to fall in love when hes hot.

I found I was not invested in their relationship at all. The constant back and forth drove me insane. Their inability to clearly communicate was beyond frustrating. It seemed they fell in love in a matter of weeks, yet it took them months, MONTHS, to finally resolve their issues. They had chances to talk, but Marco was vague and didnt clearly explain his actions. Emerald, doing her usual thing, would then storm off and we'd be back to square one.

I wanted to like this book, but unfortunately found it to be seriously lacking.
Do I think its poorly written? No, not completely.
Overall, the main issue is how unlikable I found Emerald, and how little I cared about whether they actually got together or not. For a book like this to succeed, it's pretty important that I am actually invested in the main characters being together.

Improvements could definitely be made, but for now, I'm rating it 1/5☆

Cute back and forth romance. Very headstrong main characters leaving plenty of room for misunderstanding between the 2. A great ending is always a plus!

Enemies to lovers with a workplace romance? Hell yes! I ATE THIS BOOK UP! I freaking loved Emerald and Marco so damn much. I’m literally obsessed!

"The Takeover" by Jackie Ladbury follows flight attendant Emerald Montrose's spontaneous trip to surprise her boyfriend in Florence, which turns disastrous when she catches him with another woman. Seeking solace in the hotel bar, she inadvertently embarrasses herself in front of the handsome yet grumpy hotel owner, Marco Cavarelli. Determined to move past the incident, Emerald returns to work only to discover that Marco is now her new boss, following an airline acquisition.

Initially unimpressed by Emerald, Marco is further dismayed to realise she's integral to finalising a crucial business deal. As they're forced to collaborate, Emerald and Marco gradually uncover unexpected connections and shared interests.

This rom-com blends surprises, character growth, and romance. Emerald's journey from heartbreak to navigating her new professional relationship with Marco is filled with humour, charm, and moments of vulnerability. Marco evolves from a cliché grump to a more complex character as he falls in love, adding depth to the narrative.

Emerald emerges as a strong heroine, grappling with her past and striving for self-discovery and confidence. While the storyline occasionally falls into predictable romance tropes, the palpable chemistry between Emerald and Marco is well-developed, set against a unique backdrop of airline industry dynamics.

Overall, "The Takeover" captivates from the start with its engaging premise and delivers a satisfying blend of humour, character development, and romance. Despite some reservations about certain characterisations, the novel offers a refreshing take on the genre, making it a recommended read for fans seeking an enjoyable romantic journey.

Flight attendant Emerald wants to surprise her bf in Florence but turns into being surprised when she sees him in bed with another woman. She meets a grumpy hotel owner Marco at the bar and totally embarrasses herself. She sees him again when returning to work and finds out he's her new boss.

Love this grumpy/sunshine rom-com. Love both characters and how they come together. It's fun and romantic. I love how much Marco changes in the end once he falls in love.

Thanks to the publisher for the arc.

this book was so sweet and I would definitely recommend! it was so fun to read and I enjoyed every moment. both characters are so likeable and their connection was amazing!

To be candid: I don't usually read contemporary romance novels, so I don't feel like I'm truly entitled to judge if this is a good book or not.
What I'll say is this: I've never read a romance about a flight attendant before, and this was fairly refreshing to me. The motivations Emerald has are valid, and Marco, even though is a huge and kind-of-annoying cliché male character, redeems himself later.
Again, I'm not used to reading romance, but I guess this one is quite predictable. But it's lovely and I bought the chemistry between the protagonists.
So, I'd recommend this book to everyone who's into romance novels.

Wow, I am so glad I was able to read The Takeover This was a great romance book that had it all. It has romance, drama, laughs and was a plain old good time.

I absolutely LOVED this book! I had never read an airline romance before! I loved how the author did not leave out the little details about being an airline stewardess - It also helps that the author used to be one!

Marco was a joy to read about! I enjoyed seeing his character growth and how he learned to fall in love again!

"You. I want you. I want to be with you." swoon!!


"Emms" was also a strong heroine. She had me tearing up when she talked about her past.

The reasons this was not a 6 star read:
Emerald and Marco just needed to communicate!
The time jumps were unnecessary and happened a heart breaking number of times.
I wish Marco had been divorced the whole time.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and there were several times I highlighted certain quotes! I NEED this book in paperback, the cover is stunning!

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and netgalley for this book. All of my options are my own