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Synergy #1
Work with Me
She’s built a firewall around her heart. He’s determined to crack the code.
Hailstorms come with the territory in Austin, Texas. Having a hot guy to shelter with is a less frequent phenomenon. It must be the shock – or the hailstorm to the temple – that makes cautious technology consultant Alicia ask Jackson out.
Minutes later, still reeling from his kind rejection, she walks into the biggest meeting of her career. And it’s just her luck that *he’s* there - Jackson, the sexy charmer. But he’s no longer charming; he’s madder than a rattlesnake that Alicia’s there to take over his project.
But it’s Alicia’s job to turn around the project, even if Jackson thwarts her every move. Even if their late nights in the office are more about chemistry than code. Even when she teaches him to two-step and he kisses her under the stars.
If anyone finds out Alicia and Jackson are more than colleagues, it’ll threaten not only the project but both their careers.
He’s a genius.
She’s the boss.
Can they work together – without falling in love?
Fall for these two rival programmers in this steamy, slow-burn, laugh-out-loud enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy featuring a straitlaced single mom, a tech genius who hides a secret under a playboy exterior, and way too much tequila. Set in up-and-coming Austin, it’s the first book in the Synergy Workplace Romance series and can be read as a standalone.
Hailstorms come with the territory in Austin, Texas. Having a hot guy to shelter with is a less frequent phenomenon. It must be the shock – or the hailstorm to the temple – that makes cautious technology consultant Alicia ask Jackson out.
Minutes later, still reeling from his kind rejection, she walks into the biggest meeting of her career. And it’s just her luck that *he’s* there - Jackson, the sexy charmer. But he’s no longer charming; he’s madder than a rattlesnake that Alicia’s there to take over his project.
But it’s Alicia’s job to turn around the project, even if Jackson thwarts her every move. Even if their late nights in the office are more about chemistry than code. Even when she teaches him to two-step and he kisses her under the stars.
If anyone finds out Alicia and Jackson are more than colleagues, it’ll threaten not only the project but both their careers.
He’s a genius.
She’s the boss.
Can they work together – without falling in love?
Fall for these two rival programmers in this steamy, slow-burn, laugh-out-loud enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy featuring a straitlaced single mom, a tech genius who hides a secret under a playboy exterior, and way too much tequila. Set in up-and-coming Austin, it’s the first book in the Synergy Workplace Romance series and can be read as a standalone.
294 pages, ebook
First published May 3, 2021
1269 people are currently reading
1951 people want to read
About the author
Michelle McCraw
85 books154 followersMichelle McCraw loves reading kissing books and working in tech. One day, she decided to combine her two interests, and now she writes steamy, nerdy contemporary romance that just might make you laugh. Her Synergy workplace romance series features characters who unashamedly love science, engineering, and technology. Her latest series, 40 and Fabulous, features heroines who find passion in the second acts of their lives. Her novels have been finalists in the RWA Vivian Contest, the Contemporary Romance Writers' Stiletto Contest, and the Windy City Romance Writers' Four Seasons Contest.
A native Texan, Michelle has shoveled snow during nor’easters and knows the proper response when someone yells “O-H.” She now calls Georgia home, where she doesn’t miss snow AT ALL. She enjoys reading, traveling, drinking bourbon, and spoiling her extraordinarily ill-behaved but adorable dog.
For updates about her upcoming books and free reads - plus guaranteed puppy pics - subscribe to her newsletter at https://michellemccraw.com/joinme.
A native Texan, Michelle has shoveled snow during nor’easters and knows the proper response when someone yells “O-H.” She now calls Georgia home, where she doesn’t miss snow AT ALL. She enjoys reading, traveling, drinking bourbon, and spoiling her extraordinarily ill-behaved but adorable dog.
For updates about her upcoming books and free reads - plus guaranteed puppy pics - subscribe to her newsletter at https://michellemccraw.com/joinme.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 179 reviews
July 12, 2025
A strong start to a workplace romance series by a new to me indie author that features a female coder brought in to help get a project under control and the playboy coder all star who needs her help to become a better leader.
This was a fun, forbidden romance with a single mom, great Steminist rep set in Texas. There's spice, emotional depth and lots of banter between the two leads. It was also great on audio narrated by Stephanie Kay and Julio Maxwell.
Many thanks to Homecooked Books for an early ALC in exchange for my honest review! I look forward to reading more in this series and definitely recommend for fans of Susannah Nix and Ali Hazelwood.
This was a fun, forbidden romance with a single mom, great Steminist rep set in Texas. There's spice, emotional depth and lots of banter between the two leads. It was also great on audio narrated by Stephanie Kay and Julio Maxwell.
Many thanks to Homecooked Books for an early ALC in exchange for my honest review! I look forward to reading more in this series and definitely recommend for fans of Susannah Nix and Ali Hazelwood.
June 11, 2022
I grabbed this one while it was free on Amazon and it was a pretty good read. The characters didn't have a ton of depth but they were still interesting to read about.
May 20, 2024
🎧🎧AUDIOBOOK REVIEW🎧🎧
Since becoming an audiobook junkie a couple of years ago, I am all about jumping feet first into just about any promotion, especially one where it’s a new-to-me author and/or narrator. Work With Me gave me a new author and narrator to experience! :) I’ve listened to Stephanie Kay before, but Julio Maxwell was new for me. I really enjoyed them both and having them in my ears for approximately 9 hours was no hardship! #winning
Michelle McCraw was a new-to-me author with this story and although it did not blow my mind, I was entertained, but also not <<< I know, weird, but here we are LOL Not gonna lie, there’s very little depth to the story and both Alicia and Jackson were just characters to me. I didn’t feel their story. I never imagined myself in their world. However, I didn’t dislike them, nor did I dislike the world the author created. UGH, this is me being weird LOL I just enjoy stories more when I want to be inside the world I’m reading/listening to and this time I just didn’t. Let’s move on…
There’s only one other thing I want to bring up and that’s about secondary characters. Can someone please explain to me the purpose of Cooper? He’s not just a secondary character hanging out to the side, he is an influencing character and I am stupefied at just about every choice the author made for him. I am sure that I will understand him better when I get to his book, but he was toxic in this one and unfortunately, he was so toxic that it kinda took some of the entertainment away from the story for me and there were times I wanted to just DNF. Dear authors, stop doing this! LOL You want the focus of the reader on your main characters, but you add a secondary character that sucks all the air out of the story so now the main characters and the story suffer!! WHY? Don’t do that! <<< that’s me begging LOL
Big picture >>> I do not not like this author’s style so I will probably garb another story if it comes my way. I’m a solid 3 stars overall but it should be noted that it’s because I’m combining narration and story that it gets a solid 3 stars. Do with that information what you will! :)
Since becoming an audiobook junkie a couple of years ago, I am all about jumping feet first into just about any promotion, especially one where it’s a new-to-me author and/or narrator. Work With Me gave me a new author and narrator to experience! :) I’ve listened to Stephanie Kay before, but Julio Maxwell was new for me. I really enjoyed them both and having them in my ears for approximately 9 hours was no hardship! #winning
Michelle McCraw was a new-to-me author with this story and although it did not blow my mind, I was entertained, but also not <<< I know, weird, but here we are LOL Not gonna lie, there’s very little depth to the story and both Alicia and Jackson were just characters to me. I didn’t feel their story. I never imagined myself in their world. However, I didn’t dislike them, nor did I dislike the world the author created. UGH, this is me being weird LOL I just enjoy stories more when I want to be inside the world I’m reading/listening to and this time I just didn’t. Let’s move on…
There’s only one other thing I want to bring up and that’s about secondary characters. Can someone please explain to me the purpose of Cooper? He’s not just a secondary character hanging out to the side, he is an influencing character and I am stupefied at just about every choice the author made for him. I am sure that I will understand him better when I get to his book, but he was toxic in this one and unfortunately, he was so toxic that it kinda took some of the entertainment away from the story for me and there were times I wanted to just DNF. Dear authors, stop doing this! LOL You want the focus of the reader on your main characters, but you add a secondary character that sucks all the air out of the story so now the main characters and the story suffer!! WHY? Don’t do that! <<< that’s me begging LOL
Big picture >>> I do not not like this author’s style so I will probably garb another story if it comes my way. I’m a solid 3 stars overall but it should be noted that it’s because I’m combining narration and story that it gets a solid 3 stars. Do with that information what you will! :)
March 14, 2023
My rating might be a little harsh, but so much of this just didn’t work for me. To be fair, the first 40% was well done. But then I had to force myself to finish this over several days because I didn’t want to quit.
What I hated:
1) Cooper - he was a supporting character, but he was a primary reason Jackson felt he wasn’t good enough and I hated him. His threat to make sure Alicia doesn’t ever work again because of her relationship with Jackson? He’s a villain and an asshole…even though it’s clear he’s going to be the star of a sequel.
2) Jackson has ADHD and it was handled well for a while, but then his insight into helping Alicia’s nephew after one meeting seemed off. There was just so much about their interactions that felt forced in order to move the story forward.
3) Alicia needs this job to work in order for her business to succeed. So what does she do? Kiss him at a party with a coworker in the other room. Flirt at work. Leave work with him regularly to spend time together. But then she’s shocked that coworkers guessed they were together? She went from being intelligent, strong and hard working to a ditzy debbie downer.
4) What was the purpose of mentioning her ex Rick? To show how Jackson is more supportive? To say she is wanted and make Jackson insecure? He just kept popping in and it was annoying more than anything.
Overall it started strong and I was excited about it, but it just fell apart half way through. And I also hate epilogues that serve a dual purpose of setting up the next story in the series…I’d be more inclined to read the next one if I liked the writing and characters, not because of a few paragraphs of fake intrigue.
What I hated:
1) Cooper - he was a supporting character, but he was a primary reason Jackson felt he wasn’t good enough and I hated him. His threat to make sure Alicia doesn’t ever work again because of her relationship with Jackson? He’s a villain and an asshole…even though it’s clear he’s going to be the star of a sequel.
2) Jackson has ADHD and it was handled well for a while, but then his insight into helping Alicia’s nephew after one meeting seemed off. There was just so much about their interactions that felt forced in order to move the story forward.
3) Alicia needs this job to work in order for her business to succeed. So what does she do? Kiss him at a party with a coworker in the other room. Flirt at work. Leave work with him regularly to spend time together. But then she’s shocked that coworkers guessed they were together? She went from being intelligent, strong and hard working to a ditzy debbie downer.
4) What was the purpose of mentioning her ex Rick? To show how Jackson is more supportive? To say she is wanted and make Jackson insecure? He just kept popping in and it was annoying more than anything.
Overall it started strong and I was excited about it, but it just fell apart half way through. And I also hate epilogues that serve a dual purpose of setting up the next story in the series…I’d be more inclined to read the next one if I liked the writing and characters, not because of a few paragraphs of fake intrigue.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 21, 2023
DNF'd at 67 percent.
Enemies to lovers can be tricky if the turnaround is not perfectly paced, and it was not--at all--in this book. Part of the problem was the techy-ness of the plot, I think. But the turnaround basically came down to:
Alicia: "You're a really good coder, Jackson. You should believe in yourself."
Jackson: "You think I'm a good coder? Wow, I should believe in myself. And I'm falling in love with you."
Okay, it might be slightly more nuanced then that, but not much more. Plus, there was the whole workplace thing; 'We can't, because I'm your boss, but let's skirt around the edges' crap. I wasn't even willing to hold out until the steamy parts, if that doesn't tell you how disappointed I am.
Enemies to lovers can be tricky if the turnaround is not perfectly paced, and it was not--at all--in this book. Part of the problem was the techy-ness of the plot, I think. But the turnaround basically came down to:
Alicia: "You're a really good coder, Jackson. You should believe in yourself."
Jackson: "You think I'm a good coder? Wow, I should believe in myself. And I'm falling in love with you."
Okay, it might be slightly more nuanced then that, but not much more. Plus, there was the whole workplace thing; 'We can't, because I'm your boss, but let's skirt around the edges' crap. I wasn't even willing to hold out until the steamy parts, if that doesn't tell you how disappointed I am.
February 24, 2025
office romance
An enemies to lovers story that didn’t have as much toxic energy as most do. I loved the ADHD additions and especially Noah.
An enemies to lovers story that didn’t have as much toxic energy as most do. I loved the ADHD additions and especially Noah.
January 11, 2026
It started promising, but lost all appeal from around 70% on.
November 5, 2025
Quién me viera leyendo una novela romántica 🤣
Primer libro en inglés que termino. No me resultó muy llamativa la trama. Fue lo suficientemente simple como para ir bien encaminado en entender la mayoría de las frases. Quizás no es mi género literario
Primer libro en inglés que termino. No me resultó muy llamativa la trama. Fue lo suficientemente simple como para ir bien encaminado en entender la mayoría de las frases. Quizás no es mi género literario
April 12, 2023
as a woman in stem, this made me hate women in stem
May 20, 2024
✨ New Review ✨
🌶️: 3
🎤: 4.5
Feels: 🥹😂
Darkness: 🖤
Tropes:
💻 Double meet-cute
🏢 Rivals-to-lovers
💻 Workplace romance
🏢 Neurodiversity representation
💻 Smart, sexy banter
🏢 Forbidden romance
This is an absolute delight from start to finish, especially if you're familiar with the programming and Agile working environment. The author has clearly either worked in this field, or really done her research as it was incredibly engaging for someone who works in a tech space.
Julio's comedic timing and inflections are spot-on, making his narration a joy to listen to. Stefanie Kay is equally impressive as Alicia Weber, bringing a sweet yet strong and sultry vibe to her character. Together, they bring Alicia and Jackson to life in a way that feels both authentic and utterly captivating.
The double meet-cute/surprise meet-again cute is a charming touch that immediately drew me into the story. The workplace romance plot set in the business/tech world feels fresh and relatable. The rivals-to-lovers dynamic between Alicia and Jackson is perfectly executed, with fantastic banter that had me grinning ear to ear.
Both main characters are not just hot but also incredibly sweet. Julio Maxwell nails Jackson's character, making him smart, sexy, and smitten, with just the right amount of uncertainty. The beautifully intimate conversations and details between them add depth to their relationship, making it all the more satisfying when they finally give in to their feelings.
I was thrilled with the supportive neurodiversity representation in the book. Jackson's support for Alicia and Noah is heartwarming and adds a layer of authenticity and kindness to his character. The way the story handles Noah's and Jackson's neurodiversity is what I really wish I had as a child/teen.
All in all, "Work with Me" is a must-read for anyone who loves a well-crafted workplace romance with smart, sexy banter and heartfelt moments. I devoured this book and couldn't get enough of Alicia and Jackson's story. Highly recommend!
QOTD: Have you ever experienced a double meet-cute in real life? Share your stories!
🌶️: 3
🎤: 4.5
Feels: 🥹😂
Darkness: 🖤
Tropes:
💻 Double meet-cute
🏢 Rivals-to-lovers
💻 Workplace romance
🏢 Neurodiversity representation
💻 Smart, sexy banter
🏢 Forbidden romance
This is an absolute delight from start to finish, especially if you're familiar with the programming and Agile working environment. The author has clearly either worked in this field, or really done her research as it was incredibly engaging for someone who works in a tech space.
Julio's comedic timing and inflections are spot-on, making his narration a joy to listen to. Stefanie Kay is equally impressive as Alicia Weber, bringing a sweet yet strong and sultry vibe to her character. Together, they bring Alicia and Jackson to life in a way that feels both authentic and utterly captivating.
The double meet-cute/surprise meet-again cute is a charming touch that immediately drew me into the story. The workplace romance plot set in the business/tech world feels fresh and relatable. The rivals-to-lovers dynamic between Alicia and Jackson is perfectly executed, with fantastic banter that had me grinning ear to ear.
Both main characters are not just hot but also incredibly sweet. Julio Maxwell nails Jackson's character, making him smart, sexy, and smitten, with just the right amount of uncertainty. The beautifully intimate conversations and details between them add depth to their relationship, making it all the more satisfying when they finally give in to their feelings.
I was thrilled with the supportive neurodiversity representation in the book. Jackson's support for Alicia and Noah is heartwarming and adds a layer of authenticity and kindness to his character. The way the story handles Noah's and Jackson's neurodiversity is what I really wish I had as a child/teen.
All in all, "Work with Me" is a must-read for anyone who loves a well-crafted workplace romance with smart, sexy banter and heartfelt moments. I devoured this book and couldn't get enough of Alicia and Jackson's story. Highly recommend!
QOTD: Have you ever experienced a double meet-cute in real life? Share your stories!
April 22, 2025
3.5 ⭐️
Work With Me was the first book I have read by Michelle McCraw. It was an enjoyable and entertaining slow burn read. It was also a light hearted, laugh out loud romantic comedy story. I liked the main characters, Alicia and Jackson. Alicia was a strong female lead and Jackson the genius sexy charmer. But, there was more than to him than his playboy exterior.
Typically I do not favor the enemies to lovers trope, but in McCraw’s rom com she set the undeniable chemistry between Alicia and Jackson straight away. As they learned of their Synergy Workplace roles and as the story evolved, they forged through all the complexities of their work relationship turned lover relationship.
I was drawn to this book not only because Michelle McCraw was a new author to me, but also because I liked the books synopsis. It had a unique work plot about two rival programmers in the tech workplace. This was a storyline I hadn’t read and therefore peaked my interest in addition to the relatively high rating. Even more was the steamy romance moments that offset the frustration and witty banter between Alicia and Jackson. It made the chemistry between them even more desirable.
In short, I really liked Michelle McCraw’s writing style. It’s light and easy with likable and relatable characters. Although it was a slow burn, it was witty and entertaining. (Audio)
*Stefanie Kay and Julio Maxwell did a fabulous job narrating this book.
Work With Me was the first book I have read by Michelle McCraw. It was an enjoyable and entertaining slow burn read. It was also a light hearted, laugh out loud romantic comedy story. I liked the main characters, Alicia and Jackson. Alicia was a strong female lead and Jackson the genius sexy charmer. But, there was more than to him than his playboy exterior.
Typically I do not favor the enemies to lovers trope, but in McCraw’s rom com she set the undeniable chemistry between Alicia and Jackson straight away. As they learned of their Synergy Workplace roles and as the story evolved, they forged through all the complexities of their work relationship turned lover relationship.
I was drawn to this book not only because Michelle McCraw was a new author to me, but also because I liked the books synopsis. It had a unique work plot about two rival programmers in the tech workplace. This was a storyline I hadn’t read and therefore peaked my interest in addition to the relatively high rating. Even more was the steamy romance moments that offset the frustration and witty banter between Alicia and Jackson. It made the chemistry between them even more desirable.
In short, I really liked Michelle McCraw’s writing style. It’s light and easy with likable and relatable characters. Although it was a slow burn, it was witty and entertaining. (Audio)
*Stefanie Kay and Julio Maxwell did a fabulous job narrating this book.
May 17, 2024
4.5 Stars! So much fun!
Thanks to the author, Michelle McCraw, and the team at HomeCooked Books for providing me with an advanced audio review copy of this book. All opinions provided in this review are my own.
Work With Me starts with our MCs meeting out on the streets of Austin, Texas, during a hailstorm. After Jackson helps Alicia out when she gets injured, they seem to have an instant connection and Alicia asks him out. When he refuses her offer of coffee (which is explained later in the story), they both expect to never see each other again. This is until they see each other later on and realise they are both working for the same company, the very company that Jackson is a partial owner of. Alicia is a software coding consultant and has been hired by Jackson's business partner to get their latest project back on track. Jackson seems cold toward Alicia and they end up butting heads during their time working the project, but their chemistry continues to grow. Jackson’s business partner has a strict no-fraternisation policy after some disaster in the past. So, their budding romance has a lot of huddles to get through.
This was so fun to read, and the characters were very charming. They both had personal turmoil and office struggles to overcome. I also loved the brief, but still there, ADHD rep that was in the book. Overall, it was aa enjoyable listen!
The narration kept me hooked from page 1 all the way through. Narrated by Julio Maxwell and Stefanie Kay, they were both excellent. They portrayed the characters well, and helped bring them and the story to life. I highly recommend!
Thanks to the author, Michelle McCraw, and the team at HomeCooked Books for providing me with an advanced audio review copy of this book. All opinions provided in this review are my own.
Work With Me starts with our MCs meeting out on the streets of Austin, Texas, during a hailstorm. After Jackson helps Alicia out when she gets injured, they seem to have an instant connection and Alicia asks him out. When he refuses her offer of coffee (which is explained later in the story), they both expect to never see each other again. This is until they see each other later on and realise they are both working for the same company, the very company that Jackson is a partial owner of. Alicia is a software coding consultant and has been hired by Jackson's business partner to get their latest project back on track. Jackson seems cold toward Alicia and they end up butting heads during their time working the project, but their chemistry continues to grow. Jackson’s business partner has a strict no-fraternisation policy after some disaster in the past. So, their budding romance has a lot of huddles to get through.
This was so fun to read, and the characters were very charming. They both had personal turmoil and office struggles to overcome. I also loved the brief, but still there, ADHD rep that was in the book. Overall, it was aa enjoyable listen!
The narration kept me hooked from page 1 all the way through. Narrated by Julio Maxwell and Stefanie Kay, they were both excellent. They portrayed the characters well, and helped bring them and the story to life. I highly recommend!
December 5, 2021
Work with Me
Interesting premise for a romance novel. Jackson has a reputation for screwing up and Alicia gets hired to save his work project. At first he’s put off but he quickly realizes that she helps bring out the best in him.
Interesting premise for a romance novel. Jackson has a reputation for screwing up and Alicia gets hired to save his work project. At first he’s put off but he quickly realizes that she helps bring out the best in him.
Want to Read
February 3, 2026🎁 FREE on Amazon today (10/26/2021)! 🎁
May 19, 2024
Thanks to Home Cooked Books for the ALC of this fun romcom.
Work With Me
By Michelle McCraw
Narrated by Stefanie Kay and Julio Maxwell
Story Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (0-5)
Narration: 🎧🎧🎧🎧 (0-5)
Overall: 4/5
Steam: 🔥🔥🔥 (0-5)
What I’m Starry-Eyed Overs:
🤩 I love a double meet-cute/surprise meet-again cute!!
🤩 Captivating from the start--workplace romance plot in the business/tech world.
🤩 The rivals-to-lovers feels and banter are fantastic.
🤩 These two MCs are so hot but also sweet.
🤩 I’m so satisfied with the narration (and I have all the s-alliteration reasons to prove it). Stefanie Kay makes a great Alicia Weber—sweet but strong and sultry too. Julio Maxwell is the perfect Jackson—smart, sexy, and smitten, with a hint of unsure in all of it.
🤩 Beautifully intimate conversations and details. ❤️🔥
🤩 Hand massages. Neck massages. The touching!
🤩 When I got my wish for some sneaking around!!
🤩 Supportive neurodiversity representation. The way it gives us a look into how supportive Jackson is to Alicia and Noah.
What I’m Wishing/Dizzy About:
💫 Cooper, I just don’t like him. Does he get a story? I’ll really need it to be like a redemption trope with lots of character development/improvement because I’m not a fan of him.
💫 I feel like it’s Cooper’s fault that I don’t like Jackson as much as I’d like.
Work With Me
By Michelle McCraw
Narrated by Stefanie Kay and Julio Maxwell
Story Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (0-5)
Narration: 🎧🎧🎧🎧 (0-5)
Overall: 4/5
Steam: 🔥🔥🔥 (0-5)
What I’m Starry-Eyed Overs:
🤩 I love a double meet-cute/surprise meet-again cute!!
🤩 Captivating from the start--workplace romance plot in the business/tech world.
🤩 The rivals-to-lovers feels and banter are fantastic.
🤩 These two MCs are so hot but also sweet.
🤩 I’m so satisfied with the narration (and I have all the s-alliteration reasons to prove it). Stefanie Kay makes a great Alicia Weber—sweet but strong and sultry too. Julio Maxwell is the perfect Jackson—smart, sexy, and smitten, with a hint of unsure in all of it.
🤩 Beautifully intimate conversations and details. ❤️🔥
🤩 Hand massages. Neck massages. The touching!
🤩 When I got my wish for some sneaking around!!
🤩 Supportive neurodiversity representation. The way it gives us a look into how supportive Jackson is to Alicia and Noah.
What I’m Wishing/Dizzy About:
💫 Cooper, I just don’t like him. Does he get a story? I’ll really need it to be like a redemption trope with lots of character development/improvement because I’m not a fan of him.
💫 I feel like it’s Cooper’s fault that I don’t like Jackson as much as I’d like.
April 12, 2024
Work With Me was a definite case of “it’s not you, it’s me.” In theory I should’ve loved this book, but we just didn’t click.
Alicia is a newly hired consultant at a tech firm, but instead of welcoming her with open arms, team leader Jackson would rather not have her there at all. The two seem to be unable to work together without getting super annoyed by each other.. all that annoyance is bound to tip into something else, but Jackson is only in town for a short period of time and Alicia has a million other things on her mind than fall for her handsome boss.
I love myself a good workplace forbidden romance, and throw in enemy- to- lover and you have my whole attention. I wish I would’ve loved this story, but the characters just seemed so boring to me. There was no depth, no chemistry.. not really anything I liked. I didn’t like the tech and coding talk, which is my own fault since that’s the workplace of the story.
Jackson’s business partner and best friend (??) Cooper was the worst person ever. It was surprising that he didn’t turn out to be the villain of this story, because how rude he comes across. Why would Jackson let him talk like this?! If they’re partners, why is Jackson not acting like this is also his company?! I was so appalled by Cooper, I will definitely not be reading his story.
Alicia is a newly hired consultant at a tech firm, but instead of welcoming her with open arms, team leader Jackson would rather not have her there at all. The two seem to be unable to work together without getting super annoyed by each other.. all that annoyance is bound to tip into something else, but Jackson is only in town for a short period of time and Alicia has a million other things on her mind than fall for her handsome boss.
I love myself a good workplace forbidden romance, and throw in enemy- to- lover and you have my whole attention. I wish I would’ve loved this story, but the characters just seemed so boring to me. There was no depth, no chemistry.. not really anything I liked. I didn’t like the tech and coding talk, which is my own fault since that’s the workplace of the story.
Jackson’s business partner and best friend (??) Cooper was the worst person ever. It was surprising that he didn’t turn out to be the villain of this story, because how rude he comes across. Why would Jackson let him talk like this?! If they’re partners, why is Jackson not acting like this is also his company?! I was so appalled by Cooper, I will definitely not be reading his story.
April 11, 2022
I really enjoyed Jackson and Alicia's story , though I'm not familiar with coding the story line was smooth and more about them , so I was able to enjoy the slow romance brewing within the friendship they made ,I liked both of their personality's and liked that the topic of a Adult with ADHD was brought up , you don't see that mentioned much in books and it is a relatable topic to many.
May 22, 2024
I almost wasn’t going to log this book because I wasn’t sure I could get into it. The first few chapters were too tech savvy for me, but I’m glad I stuck it out. I liked the build up from sort of enemies, to cooperative coworkers, to friends, to romantic interest. And when things got complicated, the guy groveled for weeks, and wasn’t forgiven right away.
October 13, 2025
2.5 ⭐️
January 14, 2026
DNF @40%. I was so bored and found myself skipping page after page after page..couldn't do it anymore.
May 7, 2021
I couldn't put this down! I was rooting for Jackson and Alicia from the beginning, and the roadblocks they encounter kept me guessing until the end. Jackson is the cinnamon roll hero I go weak over, and it was incredibly refreshing to read a strong, stoic heroine like Alicia and watch them both melt for each other. Workplace romance is not always my favorite genre, but this book has completely changed my mind!! Can't wait to see what's next from Michelle McCraw.
October 18, 2025
I can see why this was a free book on kobo. I liked the story but the writing was not my favorite
April 14, 2023
3,5 csillag, mert nagyon nyögve nyelős volt az eleje. Lehet, hogy aki otthon van az informatikában, az többet értett volna, de laikusként nekem kicsit fárasztó volt a sok szakzsargon.
January 12, 2022
I got this book as a Christmas present. I was hooked from the very first chapter. I loved the characters especially Alicia. My hubby works in the industry that the novel is based on. He never told me how exciting it can be. I can't wait to read the next book in this Synergy series. Just have to order it from the US.
January 10, 2022
Great book! The writing was excellent. It was sexy and fun and great to read. It was very enjoyable, and the characters were great. A great author. Highly recommended to all fanas of contemporary romance.
December 31, 2021
Quite good. Hero has quite an inferiority complex but hides it behind a devil may care attitude. I really liked that he's highly intelligent (a brilliant developer and coder extraordinaire) as is the heroine.
Read
May 3, 2023It's getting real, y'all! It went to the proofreader yesterday. Look for release in early May.
June 8, 2021
This is such a fun read! Witty, sexy, a great novel. Highly recommended.
April 4, 2026
2.25 stars ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆
☆⋆｡𖦹°‧★ Work with Me☆⋆｡𖦹°‧★
⁺₊★·.´🎧✩°｡ 0:56 ──♡───── 3:32 ⁺₊🎧★·.·´
🎶 I had to learn how to fight for myself. And we both know all the truth I could tell 🎶
When a hailstorm throws Alicia (h) into an unexpected encounter with a charming stranger, she impulsively asks him out, only to be gently turned down. Minutes later, she walks into a meeting and discovers that same man, Jackson, is now her biggest professional obstacle. Tasked with taking over his failing project, Alicia clashes with Jackson (H) at every turn, even as undeniable "connection" builds between them.
🤍•.¸✿¸.•💌•.❀•THOUGHTS •❀.•💌•.¸✿¸.•🤍
Jackson annoyed me almost immediately. He had no problem being kind when he thought Alice was just some random woman he was helping, but the second she had authority over him, his entire attitude flipped. It felt like pure ego. Instead of treating her like a teammate, he saw her as a threat he needed to push out. He questioned her, undermined her, and never really took accountability, while Alice had to carry the consequences as the team lead. That dynamic never sat right with me.
Alice’s experience, though, felt very real. She represented that constant pressure women deal with, having to work twice as hard just to be taken seriously. The story clearly understood that, but then still had her taking the fall for Jackson’s mistakes, which made it even more frustrating. It’s like the book recognized the issue but didn’t fully commit to handling it in a meaningful way. Cooper made everything worse. The way he gave Jackson endless grace while holding Alice to a completely different standard was hard to ignore. Jackson kept messing up, and somehow she was the one dealing with the fallout. That imbalance made Cooper look like a terrible leader and honestly not a great friend either. For someone who had known Jackson for years, he didn’t seem to trust or respect him much at all. Sending him away “for his own good” felt more like control than support. And Jackson crossing into Alice’s personal life was just unnecessary. Why did he care where she was going every week. It was none of his business. Then he shows up, learns about her nephew, and his first instinct is to question where Noah came from. That moment said a lot about him, and not in a good way. Even when the book tried to have a deeper conversation about how women with families are perceived, his response felt off.
🤍•.¸✿¸.•💌•.❀•OVERALL •❀.•💌•.¸✿¸.•🤍
The romance didn’t work for me either. I didn’t feel the love at all. It felt more like tension and proximity than anything genuine. Him leaving when Cooper called and then coming back with small gestures like breakfast didn’t read as growth. It felt surface level. I understand what the book was trying to say about women in male dominated spaces, and there were moments where that felt real, but overall the characters and the relationship just didn’t support it. I was more frustrated than invested the entire time.
☆⋆｡𖦹°‧★ Work with Me☆⋆｡𖦹°‧★
⁺₊★·.´🎧✩°｡ 0:56 ──♡───── 3:32 ⁺₊🎧★·.·´
🎶 I had to learn how to fight for myself. And we both know all the truth I could tell 🎶
When a hailstorm throws Alicia (h) into an unexpected encounter with a charming stranger, she impulsively asks him out, only to be gently turned down. Minutes later, she walks into a meeting and discovers that same man, Jackson, is now her biggest professional obstacle. Tasked with taking over his failing project, Alicia clashes with Jackson (H) at every turn, even as undeniable "connection" builds between them.
🤍•.¸✿¸.•💌•.❀•THOUGHTS •❀.•💌•.¸✿¸.•🤍
“Did you know women with children earn fifteen percent less than women without? And don’t even get me started on the pay gap between women and men. Or people of color and white men.”
Jackson annoyed me almost immediately. He had no problem being kind when he thought Alice was just some random woman he was helping, but the second she had authority over him, his entire attitude flipped. It felt like pure ego. Instead of treating her like a teammate, he saw her as a threat he needed to push out. He questioned her, undermined her, and never really took accountability, while Alice had to carry the consequences as the team lead. That dynamic never sat right with me.
“Honey.” She gripped my hand. “Nothing’s easy for women in a man’s world. You’ll be fighting the good fight against the patriarchy every damn day. I know you’ll do your best. And you’ll make Jamila proud.”
Alice’s experience, though, felt very real. She represented that constant pressure women deal with, having to work twice as hard just to be taken seriously. The story clearly understood that, but then still had her taking the fall for Jackson’s mistakes, which made it even more frustrating. It’s like the book recognized the issue but didn’t fully commit to handling it in a meaningful way. Cooper made everything worse. The way he gave Jackson endless grace while holding Alice to a completely different standard was hard to ignore. Jackson kept messing up, and somehow she was the one dealing with the fallout. That imbalance made Cooper look like a terrible leader and honestly not a great friend either. For someone who had known Jackson for years, he didn’t seem to trust or respect him much at all. Sending him away “for his own good” felt more like control than support. And Jackson crossing into Alice’s personal life was just unnecessary. Why did he care where she was going every week. It was none of his business. Then he shows up, learns about her nephew, and his first instinct is to question where Noah came from. That moment said a lot about him, and not in a good way. Even when the book tried to have a deeper conversation about how women with families are perceived, his response felt off.
🤍•.¸✿¸.•💌•.❀•OVERALL •❀.•💌•.¸✿¸.•🤍
The romance didn’t work for me either. I didn’t feel the love at all. It felt more like tension and proximity than anything genuine. Him leaving when Cooper called and then coming back with small gestures like breakfast didn’t read as growth. It felt surface level. I understand what the book was trying to say about women in male dominated spaces, and there were moments where that felt real, but overall the characters and the relationship just didn’t support it. I was more frustrated than invested the entire time.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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