Overall 2.5 stars for this ARC. Thank you to NetGalley, Joffe Books, Choc Lit, and the author Linda Middleton for an ebook copy of this book!

Overall, a cute story and I would recommend reading this if you like a cheesy , sweet , romance!

My biggest issue with this story was that the side plots were all over the place (to me personally), but I still found the romance the center of the story. It also took me awhile to get into the story, but I would not say that it was as slow start by any means. There was just a lot of extra things going on that threw me off a few times while reading. There are also heavy topics discussed in this book like grief, loss of parent, divorced / coparent dynamic, and family drama. Other than that, this was a super easy read.

Thank you, Joffe Books, for providing this book for an honest review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

→ Single dad
→ Second chance
→ Work-based romance
→ Grumpy x Sunshine

"First Impressions" by Linda Middleton follows the story of Anna and Daniel. When Anna Wright interviews for a job as an assistant to the famous photographer Daniel Redfern, it’s not only her last chance to follow her dream of becoming a photographer but also an opportunity to escape her toxic ex-boyfriend and workplace.

It took me a little while to get into the book and the romance, but once I did, it became a cute and fun read. The book is fast-paced, which kept things moving, but at times it felt like we were missing important information. I would have appreciated a more in-depth look at how Anna and Daniel’s relationship developed in the beginning. One instance that stood out to me was when Ben, Daniel’s son, came down to Cheshire for a week. We only got to see their last night together, and I would have loved more insight into their time together to see their interactions and bond forming.

I loved the themes explored in the book, especially Anna leaving her toxic workplace to chase her dreams. It was inspiring to see her achieve her goals. However, the book does touch on some heavy topics, including grief of a family member, family drama, a toxic ex, and a significant accident.

Overall, I thought "First Impressions" was a cute and fun read, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for an easy and quick read. This book is well-suited for readers who enjoy romance with a touch of drama and inspirational themes. If you appreciate stories about following your dreams and overcoming obstacles, you might find this book enjoyable. However, be mindful of the heavier topics mentioned.

thank you NetGalley for the arc.

Book takes a little to get into but once you do it's a very cute easy read

Anna and Daniel didn't see eye to eye until they did. Anna showed up late to her interview and didn't have a great first impression. Anna was Daniel's assistant until Daniel helped Anna get her career off by being a mentor for him. Anna eventually fell in love with Daniel and his son Ben.

Side plots were all over the place

Received an ARC of this book, and this review is voluntary. Once I was able to sit down and give it my full attention, well, I couldn't put it down.

Some side plots were a little clunky, and as an avid romance reader, patterns were easy to recognize, but it didn't take away from the heart of the story. The MML started out as oblivious but quickly became one of my favorites. Highly recommend to my romance reader friends come publish day

Anna becomes the assistant for Daniel, celebrated photographer. He has a bad first impression of her but she isn't what he expects. Daniel isn't the arrogant person that anna thought either...

Love grumpy/sunshine tropes. Enjoy watching Anna and Daniel fall in love together. I enjoy the romance a lot.
Terrific characters. Fun rom-com.

Thanks to the publisher for the arc.