Very cute story! I loved the chemistry between the main characters. Perfect amount of spice! It was a nice, easy read. I definitely will recommend this to my friends!

I just...am speechless. I don't read romance with my eyes! But this one I did and it was PERFECT. Likeable characters. It was a unique premise. I started reading it when I was in Cancun and they were in Cancun and I finished reading it on MLB Opening Day. Everything I love!

This book just made me HAPPY. My jaw dropped, I smiled, I laughed. I can't even be coherent. This was amazing.

Thank you Netgalley and Avon Books for this masterpiece

As someone who works in professional baseball, I was so excited to get an e-arc of this book! Two inter-office rivals gunning for a promotion in analytics with a you got mail twist sounded right up my alley, but I’m afraid this book didn’t live up to my expectations. I have a few thoughts so I’m going to try to break things down to characters and what I liked and disliked.
Characters:
First we have Emmy who works in professional baseball to feel close to her deceased brother. She’s extremely jaded and emotionally wounded from her ex making her choose between him and her job. I love her representation of her experiences of being a woman in a man’s world. She gets talked over a lot, especially from our MMC, and feels excluded from her peers. I did feel for her in these aspects as a woman who works in baseball, but I also want to point out that she erected her own barriers between herself and everyone around her due to her ex, which I think is a bit of a dramatic stretch (but who am I to say that it is, never have experienced that myself). It was good to see her figure that out in the end and have some self awareness personal growth! It was a beautiful journey to see her open up to love, grief and moving on, and accepting that she deserves good things. But other than these things, all we know about her is that she likes spicy food and reality tv. I didn’t feel there was a lot of personal depth to her outside of her brother and her career.
Our MMC is Gabe Olsen, Emmy’s coworker and enemy who Emmy connects with via wrong phone number. An ex baseball player himself, he was nice enough until he talked over Emmy in an office meeting. He had just of much of a hand in excluding her in the office as her fellow co-workers but later confessed to her that he’s liked her the whole time. If you like her, why not treat her nicer in the office? He plays it off as tension and liking being challenged but I didn’t think that was much redeemed there. Other than him being a baseball player, the reader doesn’t get a lot of personal depth to him either. He was nice and that’s about it. He fell flat to me as a character.
The big issue that I have is do I believe these characters were actually in love? No. I think they were very sexually attracted to each other and thought that was love. Do I believe they really fell in love over texting about bird puns and band names? No to possibly? Despite screwing each other’s brains out, I felt no chemistry or true connection.
Then…there’s the third act breakup with our favorite miscommunication trope!!!
Emmy finds herself in a pickle when HR doesn’t approve and she has to choose between Gabe or her job. She overhears a snippet of conversation and thinks Gabe stole her job and lashes out at him after knowing he had a dream of switching careers and he would never pull that stunt on her, but she obviously forgets and treats him like crap when he tries to clearly communicate that wasn’t the case. YOU ARE 30 PLEASE COMMUNICATE!!!! But the grand gesture she did for him was fun.
I did like some parts where the obviousness of texting each other was right in front of their faces and how happy they both were to connect with someone. It made it fun as the reader to be in on the secret and not the characters and watch them figure it out. I did also love how Emmy’s boss was also a woman, and always be in Emmy’s corner and open up doors for her to advance in her career.
I really wanted to love this book more than I did :/
2.5/5

This might be one of my favorite books I’ve read from Netgalley ! I loved Emmy and Gabe’s story I will say some of it did remind me of the hating game but not to much 10/10 recommend !

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

I adored this sweet romance. The author wrote single POV and slow burn so perfectly in this workplace romance. The characters are lovable and endearing. It was a fluffy book without being overly cheesy. I definitely recommend for romance lovers.

3.75 stars rounded up to 4

This was a fun, quintessential beach read. This is one for the girlies with a fantasy baseball team and who are excited that spring training is here.

What you can expect:
-Baseball, but the moneyball kind
-Enemies to lovers
-He falls first
-Workplace romance
-Witty banter
-Hidden identities
-2/5 spice
-TW: addiction and death (off page)

So many tropes I absolutely love, and they’re pulled off fantastically in Last Night Was Fun.

I loved the text banter between Emmy and Axe Murderer/Gabe, and when their flirtation moved to in-person I found myself missing some of that spark. But the wittiness between two very smart, sharp, talented characters made for a great read.

This would have been a four star for me but the open door scenes left something to be desired for me. This may be personal preference above everything else but they were like…door slightly ajar scenes so they didn’t deliver in an impactful way and I found them to be a little yada-yada-yada by the end. They’re important for the character development and plot so I definitely wouldn’t consider them gratuitous but I found that they leaned heavily on cliches without delivering in a satisfying way.

Despite that. I had a lot of fun reading this book. It was a quick and easy read that touches on sexism in male dominated spaces, grief, and how we communicate with the people we love in the wake of loss.

This book gave me very strong The Hating Game vibes! Emmy and Gabe were so fun to watch their relationship grow and friendship as well. I loved the banter and just general vibe of the plot!

This book was a absolutely a 5 star read for me. While the story may seem too good to be true and leave the reader thinking "this would never happen"... I ate that up! From the first chapter I was captured by the fast-paced ease of this story and was hooked by the idea of being wrong-numbered leading to this unexpected connection. I am always more likely to love a book when their is strong character development and this book hit that mark as well! I was truly rooting for the main characters, both individually and for their Happily Ever After. This book is marketed for fans of You've Got Mail and The Hating Game, which I agree with as a lover of both!
Thank you NetGalley and Avon for the early copy of this book!

Thank you Netgalley for this arc. This book was funny and very entertaining. This was a whole wrong number exchange gone wrong. Emmy doesn't realize the one she's flirting through text is the one she fighting over a promotion with, Gabe. I loved the banter in this one.

I absolutely loved this book, I am a huge fan of enemies to lovers and forced proximity.

The writing is good the characters are fun and well hashed out with solid character development and backgrounds .

I cannot recommend this book enough I highly recommend picking up a copy and giving it a read .

Thank you NetGalley Avon and Harper Voyager | Avon for the arc

This was an adorable office rivals-to-lovers rom com in the vein of You’ve Got Mail.

Although the plot was predictable and there were many well worn tropes, it kept me up all night. Mostly because the rivals didn’t become lovers until 2 AM 😂

I absolutely loved the text banter between Bird Girl and Axe Murderer and I just about died when Gabe threw out the Pretty Woman line at Emmy’s ex. I ate up the kiss in the rain and the big win him back gesture at the end. Sometimes those well worn elements just hit.

I’d definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a light hearted rom com.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon/Harper Voyager for the ARC!

This review is based on an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This review may contain spoilers

This was a 4.25 -star read for me.

I seriously LOVED this book so much! I could not put it down! Emmy and Gabe had such great banter and chemistry, and I enjoyed both sides of their relationships that were happening simultaneously.

Can we talk about all my favorite tropes...work rivals, forced proximity, one bed, he falls first?! Yes please! Gabe was absolutely amazing as a MMC and I just loved the patience and care and love that he had for Emmy. We love a hot misunderstood jock/nerd with a big heart!

I enjoyed that we got some depth with the storyline. Both Emmy and Gabe were data analysts for a pro baseball team, however, Emmy was dealing with the misogyny of being one of the few women working at a male-dominated job. It was great to see both the MMC and the FMC struggle with their insecurities and grow throughout the book. Emmy was such a smart hard working badass and I loved that she did not back down. I was entertained by the levity of the drama Emmy's sister's wedding brought to the story. But really my favorite part of the whole book was Gabe and the way he cared for Emmy while he waited for her to realize she had feelings for him, it was just so swoon-worthy!

There were some open-door romance scenes in this book, but in my opinion, they really added to the plot and were not overdone at all.

I would recommend this to anyone looking for a book with The Hating Game vibes. I was kicking my feet and giggling through this whole book, seriously please just read this! I'm excited to read everything I can by this author!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. #LastNightWasFun #NetGalley

OH, I loved this book, I was a little hesitant at the beginning because it seemed very, very similar to The Hating Game (even the spanx scene IYKYK) but it was different enough in total that I can forgive the similarities. And let’s be honest, we all freaking loved The Hating Game.

It all starts with a mistaken text, “Last night was fun” for Emmy Jameson to start to feel a spark of something with a complete stranger. The interactions between them become the bright spot in the midst of her workplace issues with her nemesis, Gabe, who she just happens to be competing with for a promotion. This has to be the coolest workplace I’ve read in a book — Gabe and Emmy are baseball analysts and literally work in a baseball stadium. When it turns out that Gabe is the secret stranger she’s become enamored with, we are left to join them as they figure out whether sparks will fly or their “relationship” will go up in flames.

The chemistry was perfect in this book. I loved both characters so much. Five stars. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was simply a good time all around. Workplace rivals to lovers always hits. While not exactly a sports romance, it’s definitely sports adjacent. Was this kinda predictable? Yes. Did I still have a great time? Yes! I devoured this book in 2 sittings, which isn’t very common for me.

Definitely worth a read!

This book is exactly what a romcom should be!!! It’s the perfect blend of “You’ve Got Mail” and “The Hating Game” which are two of the most iconic romcoms ever if you ask me. The fake dating, only one bed, and rival coworkers tropes were executed perfectly and the flirty text messages, banter, and open door romance only made things even better!!! I cannot say enough good things about this book.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Avon/Harper Voyager for the arc!!! <3

LOVED LOVED LOVED!

This is such a good book! The perfect enemies to lovers & he fall first romance!

Gabe & Emmy are so precious! I love how they both eventually admit how obvious it was that they were talking to each other.
I enjoyed the little node to the Never Been Kissed movie (it's one of my top Favs)!

You will not be disappointed in this book at all, A Must Read!

4.5 stars.

I enjoyed this book so much more than I expected to! I wasn’t a huge fan of The Hating Game so anytime I see something marketed as being similar I’m hesitant but this book was so much fun! I do really love books with You’ve Got Mail trope and I was giggling and kicking my feet every time Emmy and Gabe were flirting over text but arguing in person. I felt like the author really nailed the workplace rivalry vibes and especially the vibes of being a woman working in a male dominated field.
Gabe was such a secret sweetie and I loved how caring he was towards Emmy both before and during their relationship. He would definitely do anything for her, even if he couldn’t admit to himself why.
I also really liked Emmys character. She was hard working and confident but she still allowed herself to be soft and vulnerable. I loved seeing her succeed and not let anyone bring her down.
The third act breakup irked me a little bit. Emmy was so caught up in what she thought was happening that she didn’t give Gabe the benefit of the doubt or even the chance to explain himself but at the same time I could see where she was coming from.
If you’re looking for your next rivals to lovers, workplace romance definitely give this one a try!

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for the ARC!

You’ve Got Mail meets THE HATING GAME with a tropical destination wedding and the love of baseball all mixed in together. I loved it.

Emmy is one of the few women working behind the scenes at a Major League Baseball team.

She and fellow data analyst/her personal nemesis Gabe are up for the same promotion. For years she has watched this gorgeous former pitcher win the time and attention of all the other guys in their boys club of a company, but she’s determined to get this promotion no matter what.

She hasn’t let romance or family pressure get in her way of her dream career, so won’t let him, either.

This is a fun, tingly, engaging love story about letting your guard down, sharing the weight of past grief, and fighting for what you deserve. Recommend!

Read if you like:
Contemporary romance
Sports romance (MLB)
Destination wedding
Workplace enemies to lovers
Open-door spice

It was as if when the author, Holly Michelle (aka Holly James) was writing LAST NIGHT WAS FUN (release date June 10, 2025), she wrote it with me in mind as the sole (okay, general target) audience. There are just so many things I enjoyed about this novel.

First there is the cover, and how it has text bubbles, plus the title - a book with an epistolary element if there ever was one and unknown identity? SIGN ME UP. Then it turns out that Emmy and Gabe are data analysts for a baseball team? A math-y occupation is one of those super niche things I love, plus sports adjacent. Again for me. It happens to be a made up team in San Diego? Even better, because while I'm a Bay Area girl through and through, of the five California MLB stadiums, Petco Park has been my favorite to watch a game.

Bonus for me? Even though the two of them spend a lot of time in the presence of others, this is very much a forced proximity romance. The author seemed to find ways for Emmy and Gabe to be in a group setting, but also isolate them - the two share a cubicle wall, a few run-ins in the breakroom, some caretaking after a post-work event, more caretaking, an only one bed situation.

All around bonus? A huge portion of the novel takes place in San Diego, and though it's been years (okay decades) since I've lived there, it really seemed like it was an additional secondary character. Speaking of secondary characters, I love Emmy's sister, and her best friend.

I absolutely devoured this book in 24 hours - thank you to Avon and Netgalley for the advanced copy!

Emmy doesn’t date. She has her dream job as a data analyst for a local baseball team but her last boyfriend gave her an ultimatum to choose between him and her job (she chose her job). She’s now also up for a work promotion against her mortal enemy coworker, Gabe. Now more than ever, Emmy needs to focus. So one weekend when she’s at home (and not out dating), she receives a text from an unknown number “Last night was fun :)”. Clearly the wrong number but intrigued nonetheless, Emmy continues the conversation. In a delightful take on You’ve Got Mail, Emmy connects with this stranger and may even fall for him, only to find out she’s been texting her work enemy, Gabe.

This book made me absolutely GIDDY. That feeling of texting someone new? Holding your breath and smiling at your phone? Your heart skipping a beat at seeing a new text from them?? I literally COULD NOT stop smiling while reading this. This is You’ve Got Mail but with baseball data nerds in sunny San Diego. Emmy was an absolute force in this book and I think many will relate to her working in a male dominated field. And Gabe?? HE LITERALLY WROTE HER AN EQUATION 😭

This was my first Holly Michelle/Holly James book and it will not be my last! This is a perfect book for lovers of baseball, data, the movie classic, You’ve Got Mail, and also anyone who knows that the struggle of modern dating is real.

⚾️ Enemies to lovers
⚾️ Workplace romance
⚾️ Baseball lovers/data analytics nerds
⚾️ One bed
⚾️ Modern dating mishaps
🌶️🌶️ Spicy Chapters: 15, 16, 18