𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗦: 𝚂𝙰𝙿𝙿𝙷𝙸𝙲. 𝙲𝙾𝙽𝚃𝙴𝙼𝙿𝙾𝚁𝙰𝚁𝚈. 𝚁𝙾𝙼𝙰𝙽𝙲𝙴. 𝙵𝙾𝙾𝙳. ⁠
📖ᴀʀᴄ 🏳️‍🌈⁠
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𝗦𝗨𝗠𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗬:⁠
It is interesting how ice queens are portrayed differently in every book. In this case, Claire was well-written. Her family story with her mom was really sad. Life circumstances will definitely make someone make choices that affect their life and decisions. ⁠
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𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗦:⁠ ⁠
There is a small cast which made it easier to follow the story. A dual POV, yes, but it was good. Abby was very easy to love. Her character traits were really sweet. Her relationship with her daughter and her daughter's girlfriend was very inspiring. The relations that Claire created after her struggle with life were also well-written. The emotional connection and chemistry between Claire and Abby was tender, the little miscommunication was annoying though, understandable, but still annoying because talking about things makes for better and deeper connection. ⁠
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𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘼𝙍𝘾 𝙘𝙤𝙥𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙫𝙞𝙖 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙜𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝙨𝙤 𝙄 𝙖𝙢 𝙫𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙡𝙮 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙮 𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬.

Eleanor Clairice (“Claire”) Beauchamp is the CEO of Lotus Enterprises who has risen to a successful businesswoman from the poverty of Oakland, California. She is working on an IT Consolidation project where all properties have been secured except for one. The holdout is A. Pita who became the owner of Sunshine and Sweets Café after she worked there as a waitress for years prior to the retirement of the previous owner. Claire who is forty-three finds out that A. Pita is Abby Pita, the gorgeous and single fifty year old owner of the cafe when Claire goes undercover with a visit to the cafe. There is immediate chemistry between the two women. The story goes on to tell the rules that Claire has for business and how they interfere with a potential relationship with Abby.

This is my first Julia Underwood read and I was impressed with the writing, the character development, and the impasse that was created in this story. I wasn’t sure how that was going to be resolved, but the outcome was fair and logical to both parties. 4 stars

I received an ARC from Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Julia Underwood managed to successfully merge the CEO/ice queen trope with an undercover boss romance. Nicely paced and full of poignant moments. A great one sitting read that highlighted Underwood's writerly strengths. Thoroughly enjoyed.

Thank you to Bold Strokes Books, Inc. and NetGalley for providing an eARC for a honest review.