DNF.

Unfortunately, this book wasn't it for me. I DNF'd around 36% into the book. Partially because of the writing style, but also because of the pacing of the book as well as the characters. Due to not having finished the book, I'm not adding a star rating at GoodReads.

Thank you to NetGalley for the e-arc!

This book's cover and description was what drew me in originally, and I felt rather excited to read it.. A UK setting, office romance, dual pov.. all these are usually things I enjoy about a good romance novel. However, I sadly struggled to really feel invested in the book. It definitely has a lot of potential but the plot felt a little rushed and not organic to me. Still a decent read, but unfortunately just not one I enjoyed as much as I hoped.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free advance copy of this book. This is my honest and true opinion.

Such a fun read! Highly recommend.

Many thanks to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

Thank you for the opportunity to review - this was a lot more fun than I was expecting! I enjoyed the pacing and the characters.

⭐ Rating: 1/5

I couldn’t get into This is Not an Office Romance and DNF’d at about 20%. The plot felt mediocre, the writing lacked emotional depth, and the characters were unlikable. There was too much focus on mundane details while the story moved too quickly, leaving no room for any real connection. Just not for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

I really wanted to like this book and there are definitely elements I do like about it but I feel like much of the language is repetitive and overly sappy -- like writing how a romance novel is "supposed to sound like" instead of letting the real voice of the characters come out. The whole story is all or nothing. Spending more suspense with the case (MCs are lawyers working on a case for a high stakes client), some of the things that got pushed to the background, would have made the story feel like it came full circle.

#arc
#netgalley
#thisisnotanofficeromance

This book was honestly not well written with a medicore plot. I struggled reading this and couldn’t even get halfway through before deciding not to finish. There was no emotional attachment to characters and the beginning starts off with no context. The FMC has faced this horrid tragedy and is crying and we don’t know why. There’s just these actions that are supposed to invoke emotions. The MMC is just boring. Like it’s he hates his fiancée and where she comes from but has to be with her? The story is rapidly moving with choppy, scenes yet there’s so much mundane details about the weather and outfits, etc. Do not get me started on all the internal monologue either! Some elements of the plot are meant to be enticing but the characters just aren’t likable and are constantly snapping at each other. There’s also an instant attraction that makes them “fired up” and “need” to be around each other. This felt like a whole lot of nothing instead of a story.

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC!

Thank you for the advanced copy of This is NOT an Office Romance. Unfortunately this read fell flat for me. The story seemed rushed and not well developed. The MMC was engaged to start the story and quickly "felt" like something was off after meeting the FMC. I wanted more from both of their background and to have a better understanding of them as people. The ending felt extremely rushed and didn't wrap up the relationship or work conflicts well.

This is the 100th book I’ve read this year, and I was excited to dive into it after requesting a copy from @netgalley.
The cover and description immediately caught my attention, and as a huge fan of cute workplace romances, I had high hopes for this one. The concept and themes of the book are great, with an intriguing setup and relatable dynamics. However, while I enjoyed it, I felt that it was missing something that would have truly made it stand out. The chemistry between the main characters, in particular, could have been little bit stronger to create that spark I was hoping for. The story has a lot of potential, but ultimately, it didn’t feel like my cup of tea.

While I liked the storyline of he book, I would have liked to feel more of a connection to the characters other than their inner dialogue of their past grievances and current insecurities while finding themselves again. Don’t get me wrong. The inner dialogue was a very necessary part of the book but I wanted more angst towards each other and I love hearing how they cave each other. When I read a romance I want to feel what they’re feeling and if anything is going to be repetitive, let it be the way they crave each other inwardly. Not sure if that makes a lot of sense but it’s what kept going in my mind as I was reading.

I loved the way they came together in the end, though. It made the entire book worth reading. I hope to check out more work from Eloise in the future!

Thank you to the author and publisher for opportunity to read an ARC. Unfortunately, this book was a miss for me. I loved the cover and the synopsis. Plus, the story/writing was simple to follow. I finished it in a couple of hours.

However, I didn't care for the main characters and strongly disliked the romance. If it was positioned as a thriller/spy novel with romance sprinkled in, I could have handled it. As written, I didn't see any reason for the characters to fall in love, other than the fact that they were attractive. It was too much tell, not show, no slow build to the romance.

Spoiler: He said he loved her when he met her, yet he was engaged? Then he slept with someone else? That's all a big no for me.

Eloise Fox’s This is NOT an Office Romance sets up a promising premise: two high-powered lawyers with clashing personalities are forced to work together, leading to professional tension and romantic sparks. Unfortunately, while the novel had potential, it falls short in execution, delivering a story that feels formulaic and lacking in depth.

The protagonist, Emily Taylor, is a successful lawyer from New York who has taken time off to recover from a personal tragedy. Now restarting her career at a London law firm, she’s determined to keep romance off the table. However, she’s paired with Jack, an emotionally distant British lawyer, who—surprise, surprise—starts to make her rethink her stance. While this setup could have made for an engaging slow-burn romance, the characters never fully develop beyond surface-level traits. Emily is painted as the strong-willed, outgoing American, and Jack as the uptight, closed-off Brit. Unfortunately, their interactions feel predictable, and their chemistry never quite hits the mark.

The "enemies-to-lovers" dynamic between Emily and Jack, which should have been a driving force of the novel, is underwhelming. Their witty banter feels forced, and rather than building genuine romantic tension, the back-and-forth between them often seems contrived. The business trip to Bermuda—a perfect opportunity for the relationship to deepen—comes across as cliché, with little emotional payoff. The slow burn that the novel aims for instead drags out the romance, with little to no stakes that make you root for their connection.

On top of this, the subplot involving Jack’s engagement to his fiancée is predictable from the start. The fiancée is more of a plot device than a fully realized character, and the resolution of this love triangle feels inevitable rather than compelling. The fact that Jack doesn’t address his dissatisfaction with his relationship until Emily enters the picture feels rushed and doesn’t provide enough depth to justify his romantic pivot.

The legal setting also feels flat. While Fox attempts to incorporate office politics and high-stakes professional challenges, these elements are either underdeveloped or bogged down by unnecessary details. Instead of adding tension or complexity, the workplace dynamics feel repetitive, and the legal jargon occasionally detracts from the emotional core of the story. The stakes, both professionally and personally, never feel quite high enough to keep the reader truly invested.

If you’re looking for a fun, breezy office romance, This is NOT an Office Romance might scratch that itch, but it’s ultimately lacking the depth, character development, and emotional weight that could have made it memorable. With predictable plot points and a romance that never quite sizzles, this novel feels more like a missed opportunity than a standout in the genre.

Final Thoughts:
While This is NOT an Office Romance has all the ingredients of a classic rom-com setup, the underdeveloped characters and predictable plot make it fall flat. The slow-burn romance feels forced, and the legal backdrop lacks the tension to make the story truly engaging. For readers seeking a more emotionally resonant or innovative take on the office romance trope, this one may leave you wanting more.

This story had the makings of being one of my top books. A UK setting, office romance, dual pov. However, I struggled to get into it. It was a book that I felt tried to do too much but also not enough at the same time. Still a good read, but unfortunately just not for me.

I felt very distanced from the story, like I was being told everything that was happening but not actually experiencing it. Because of this, I found it so hard to actually care about any of the characters. Largely, this is due to it being in third person, but also because the writing was so simple and almost stilted/ forced. The dialogue didn’t feel natural and there was too much “said” as a dialogue tag. One example that sticks out is “he said, and smiled” (or something like that), “he smiled” would make a lot more sense and pull me into the story more - but that could just be a personal opinion.

Really disappointed as the plot and the cover really intrigued me and this type of romance is something I’d normally love.

This is NOT an office romance
By: Eloise Fox
Release date October 10th 2024
3 star rating

This book is a story of unexpected romance. Emily is restarting her life and career after a horrible accident and Jack is figuring what he really wants with his life.
I was invested for the first two thirds of the book. Emily starting at a new firm after her accident, meeting Jack, finding out he was engaged. Jumping back into a high profile case and having to go out of town with Jack with them both having feelings but not saying anything. It kept you engaged and interested. The last third of the book literally felt like going in circles. It felt like it was repeating the same thing over and over again. The same thoughts just different setting.
While I love the ending to this book I just feel like some of it was unnecessary.

I loved the cover of this book, it was initially what attracted me to the book. I went in thinking I was getting an enemies-to-lovers workplace romance, think along the lines of "The Hating Game,"
I enjoyed the FMC and her strong personality, but felt her character fell a little flat the deeper into the story we got.
There were too many sub-plots that left me confused. I went in with high expectations and sad;y they weren't fully met.
This book had so much potential that sadly didn't hit the mark for me.

Thank you NetGalley for the digital ARC.

The cover and synopsis really caught my attention, but unfortunately I struggled with the writing style and the plot. There seemed to be a lot of subplots that didn’t support the romance aspect of “office romance”. I felt like I was being ‘told’ rather than ‘shown’ and it was very surface-level.

Emily, the FMC, is a high powered attorney and feminist, but it seems in any interactions with men in her personal life, she is passive and timid. I just felt like the way she was described and the way she acted were contradictory.

I really wanted to like this one, but unfortunately it fell flat for me.

Review: 3.5⭐️
Okay first of all i love the cover and the idea of this book. The setting was cute and it had a lot of potential! All in all it was a bit confusing and the storyline wasn't as clear as it could have been. Also the thought of officers rivals to lovers was cute but the rivals part lasted maybe what once chapter? Also im so so so sorry but the ending felt way too rushed to me and due to that it just felt weird. I did like the writing style though! And it was a fun read, however I don't feel like it reached the potential it could have.

Thank you netgalley for the arc copy in exchange of an honest review.

This is an interesting story. Everything about it, from the cover to the description and marketing, suggests it will be a fast and fun “office rivals” romance. And while it has elements of that, reading it is a different experience. We have the tension of workplace dynamics & the budding romance, but the real focus throughout is the emotional wellness of each MC – trusting in themselves as well as others, overcoming their fears, balancing their ambitions and figuring out what they want/what fulfills them.

This novel actually reads more like a screenplay for a tv drama than a standalone novel. [And honestly, I would love watching this show. That format would allow further development of characters and plot points that were abruptly abandoned. And more time for the romance, so it feels more real]. This impression is furthered by the writing style – the book has a tell-not-show approach that keeps you on the outside watching rather than pulling you directly into the story. And, the narration has a slow and steady pace that is easy-reading but less engaging than I anticipated based on the cover/description/marketing. So maybe the audiobook is the best way to consume this story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Burning Chair for this ARC to review. Pub date for this book is Oct 10, 2024.