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Grumpy Boss #1
Falling For My Grumpy Boss
He's a contrary diamond in the rough. She's sweet, with enough fire to warm his heart.
Butch, a damaged loner with a mysterious past, rescues Joelle from a rowdy gang of drunken hoodlums.
Joelle, the ‘new’ girl in town, is the daughter of the man who was once his best friend.
She aims to repay this quiet cowboy for his kindness.
Unable to resist her charm, Butch reluctantly lets her work for him on his ranch.
This mismatched pair finds it challenging to ignore the attraction blossoming between them.
And the past threatens to keep them apart.
Can their electrifying fascination with each other span the gulf between them?
Butch, a damaged loner with a mysterious past, rescues Joelle from a rowdy gang of drunken hoodlums.
Joelle, the ‘new’ girl in town, is the daughter of the man who was once his best friend.
She aims to repay this quiet cowboy for his kindness.
Unable to resist her charm, Butch reluctantly lets her work for him on his ranch.
This mismatched pair finds it challenging to ignore the attraction blossoming between them.
And the past threatens to keep them apart.
Can their electrifying fascination with each other span the gulf between them?
- GenresRomanceContemporary
112 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 8, 2023
8 people are currently reading
48 people want to read
About the author
Willa Lyons
13 books183 followersWilla Lyons is a budding Indie Author who pens sweet, wholesome, small-town Western romances. She hails from the great state of Colorado, where she loves to hike and go belly boating. Her life is blessed with lovely twin daughters, four delightful grandchildren, and two mischievous cats.
Willa discovered the joy of storytelling later in life. Her stories celebrate the warmth of community, the beauty of love, and the serenity found in the majestic Colorado Rocky Mountains. She is currently pursuing a Masters in Creative Writing to enhance her craft and infuse magic into every page.
Connect with Willa on Instagram and Facebook to stay tuned for her next heartwarming tale.
Willa discovered the joy of storytelling later in life. Her stories celebrate the warmth of community, the beauty of love, and the serenity found in the majestic Colorado Rocky Mountains. She is currently pursuing a Masters in Creative Writing to enhance her craft and infuse magic into every page.
Connect with Willa on Instagram and Facebook to stay tuned for her next heartwarming tale.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
October 11, 2024
Prequel story about how Butch Hastings and Joelle
Whitbeck met.
Joelle left Willow Creek for Denver with the intention not to return to live there again but came back to take care of her father. She meets a rough cowboy at a bar where she is the bartender and he helps her out when some rowdies won’t leave her alone. When he takes her home her father writes a letter to him thanking him and Joelle decides to deliver it to him in
person. He thanks her but she wants to help him and he finally says ok but she’ll have to quit being a bartender and work for him. She accepts and finds under his gruff exterior she enjoys his company and the ranch and the work until she gets hurt. Then he gets scared and fires her. She goes back being a bartender and he finally goes to town and sees her there and asks to take her home. As he leaves she yells for him to stop and says her dad has fallen and they take him to the hospital where they spend the night. He tells her why he reacted like he did when she got hurt and asked her to come back and she said okay as long as she still could work being a bartender and he didn’t have to pay her among other
things!
The sequel to this story follows later entitled: I Married My Grumpy Boss!
I enjoyed this story about an older man who fell in love with a younger woman, the daughter of his best friend in fact. He tried to be aloof from everyone but she was able to get through his rough exterior and find his heart of gold inside and kindle a love between the two of them!
I enjoyed this story and recommend it as a romance I think you’ll enjoy reading! Love finds a way no matter how old a person may be if a spark exists or the interest is there to cause a desire to look deeper into an individual to find out more about him or her.
Check it out and I think you’ll enjoy this book as much as I did!
Whitbeck met.
Joelle left Willow Creek for Denver with the intention not to return to live there again but came back to take care of her father. She meets a rough cowboy at a bar where she is the bartender and he helps her out when some rowdies won’t leave her alone. When he takes her home her father writes a letter to him thanking him and Joelle decides to deliver it to him in
person. He thanks her but she wants to help him and he finally says ok but she’ll have to quit being a bartender and work for him. She accepts and finds under his gruff exterior she enjoys his company and the ranch and the work until she gets hurt. Then he gets scared and fires her. She goes back being a bartender and he finally goes to town and sees her there and asks to take her home. As he leaves she yells for him to stop and says her dad has fallen and they take him to the hospital where they spend the night. He tells her why he reacted like he did when she got hurt and asked her to come back and she said okay as long as she still could work being a bartender and he didn’t have to pay her among other
things!
The sequel to this story follows later entitled: I Married My Grumpy Boss!
I enjoyed this story about an older man who fell in love with a younger woman, the daughter of his best friend in fact. He tried to be aloof from everyone but she was able to get through his rough exterior and find his heart of gold inside and kindle a love between the two of them!
I enjoyed this story and recommend it as a romance I think you’ll enjoy reading! Love finds a way no matter how old a person may be if a spark exists or the interest is there to cause a desire to look deeper into an individual to find out more about him or her.
Check it out and I think you’ll enjoy this book as much as I did!
November 28, 2024
This book makes two promises: there’ll be a grump, and there’ll be some falling. It delivers on both. In “Falling for my Grumpy Boss,” Joelle, well, starts to feel things for her boss, things that are quite mutually felt.
I really liked it. It’s short, so it doesn’t allow much room for character development, but still it clearly presents two likeable, imperfect main characters navigating the awkward dance of catching feelings. The book’s pacing is calm, and steady, with a few scares thrown in to build some tension. (I’ve been reading a lot of crimey-actiony things lately, so this was a nice change of pace! 😄) The story swirls and ends quickly, and is really sweet. Plus, no swearing! I recommend it if you're in for a fairly short, really sweet, clean romance.
I really liked it. It’s short, so it doesn’t allow much room for character development, but still it clearly presents two likeable, imperfect main characters navigating the awkward dance of catching feelings. The book’s pacing is calm, and steady, with a few scares thrown in to build some tension. (I’ve been reading a lot of crimey-actiony things lately, so this was a nice change of pace! 😄) The story swirls and ends quickly, and is really sweet. Plus, no swearing! I recommend it if you're in for a fairly short, really sweet, clean romance.
June 20, 2024
I really enjoyed the story 'Falling for My Grumpy Boss' by Willa Lyons. It was such a sweet love story about how a woman was able to slowly thaw the frozen state of heartache in a gruff and grumpy man who had lost his wife in a tragic accident years before. After his wife had died, Butch had just decided that he wasn't going to be involved with anyone again because it hurt too much to lose them. He had felt helpless when he could not do anything when his wife had died. But one night, when he was in the town's bar having himself a whiskey, he felt it was only right to come to the aid of the pretty bartender when she was being harassed by a group of unruly, drunk young men. A gruff threat from him had the young men backing down, and a warning that he would tell their parents if they didn't leave had them quickly leaving the bar. Joelle, the bartender, was grateful to Butch but he brushed her thanks aside. Later, he finds those same men harassing Joelle on the sidewalk as she was trying to walk home, and he came to her aid again. He gave her a ride home and gave her his number to call him if those men ever bothered her again. Butch knew her father from years before when Joelle had lived out of town, and he liked her father. When she mentioned him to her father, he said that Butch was a good man. Joelle went to Butch's farm the next day to offer to help him around the farm to show her appreciation. He rebuffed her offers, and after realizing how determined she was, he said he would give her a job on his farm if she would quit working at the bar. And so began their friendship. She was slowly able to get Butch to relax his attitude around her, and she was delighted when she could make him smile. It was such a beautiful and bittersweet story about a fragile heart being brought back to life again by a woman and her father.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 20, 2024
This was such a well written plot. I enjoyed reading it. The ending really disappointed me. I was hoping for something more.
December 8, 2024
I am truly beginning to enjoy sweet and clean Novellas and prequel short stories such as this one. They are such light, stress-free, yet gratifying reads that I personally am left with a lasting warm, heady feeling after reading the book.
This is a prequel story, so it's a quick read. We are introduced to the MCs, Butch and Joelle, when they first meet and how they eventually fall in love. What I adored about this book is how the relationship between the two characters started to bloom slowly but steadily. I've read so many books already where the MCs meet each other and are instantly blown away by their attraction for one another. I like that kind of trope, too, though to be honest it's not realistic.. In contrast, in this book I loved how the author showed the two characters fall in love through the process of getting to know each other, breaking through emotional walls, and earning each other's mutual trust, respect, and admiration, I especially love it when the female MC does not overly pine after the man. I always prefer the male MC do that, and in this book, grumpy Butch did that and earned his girl back. It's a beautiful introduction to their love story, such that at the end of it you couldn't wait to grab the next book in the duet so that you could continue to follow their story. And that is precisely what I did!
This is a prequel story, so it's a quick read. We are introduced to the MCs, Butch and Joelle, when they first meet and how they eventually fall in love. What I adored about this book is how the relationship between the two characters started to bloom slowly but steadily. I've read so many books already where the MCs meet each other and are instantly blown away by their attraction for one another. I like that kind of trope, too, though to be honest it's not realistic.. In contrast, in this book I loved how the author showed the two characters fall in love through the process of getting to know each other, breaking through emotional walls, and earning each other's mutual trust, respect, and admiration, I especially love it when the female MC does not overly pine after the man. I always prefer the male MC do that, and in this book, grumpy Butch did that and earned his girl back. It's a beautiful introduction to their love story, such that at the end of it you couldn't wait to grab the next book in the duet so that you could continue to follow their story. And that is precisely what I did!
July 13, 2023
A great, fast-paced fun clean romance that takes you right to the end since you just can't put it down once you begin. Joelle returns home to take care of her father and works as a bartender. When a few rowdy, drunk men start harassing Joelle, cowboy loner, Butch comes to her aid. She's very grateful and he offers her a job on his ranch, which she gladly takes. And although Butch is a loner, he can't stop watching and thinking about Joelle and it seems the feeling is mutual. That is until there is an accident and he fires Joelle. But can they stop their feelings or thinking about each other after what happened? This is a wonderful story with its ups and downs. Can they get over their problems? Will they get together and have a happy ever after will they go off on their own to where they once was? You must read this story to find out! I received and ARC of this book but the opinions expressed here are strictly my own.
October 24, 2023
He's a contrary diamond in the rough. She's sweet, with enough fire to warm his heart.
Butch, a damaged loner with a mysterious past, rescues Joelle from a rowdy gang of drunken hoodlums.
Joelle, the ‘new’ girl in town, is the daughter of the man who was once his best friend.
She aims to repay this quiet cowboy for his kindness.
Unable to resist her charm, Butch reluctantly lets her work for him on his ranch.
This mismatched pair finds it challenging to ignore the attraction blossoming between them.
And the past threatens to keep them apart.
Can their electrifying fascination with each other span the gulf between them?
A thoroughly enjoyable read! I loved reading about Butch and Joelle - seeing their relationship blossom despite the barriers that Butch has erected. This is a sweet story that you will enjoy reading. My only complaint is that I wished it was longer! Highly recommended 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Butch, a damaged loner with a mysterious past, rescues Joelle from a rowdy gang of drunken hoodlums.
Joelle, the ‘new’ girl in town, is the daughter of the man who was once his best friend.
She aims to repay this quiet cowboy for his kindness.
Unable to resist her charm, Butch reluctantly lets her work for him on his ranch.
This mismatched pair finds it challenging to ignore the attraction blossoming between them.
And the past threatens to keep them apart.
Can their electrifying fascination with each other span the gulf between them?
A thoroughly enjoyable read! I loved reading about Butch and Joelle - seeing their relationship blossom despite the barriers that Butch has erected. This is a sweet story that you will enjoy reading. My only complaint is that I wished it was longer! Highly recommended 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
September 9, 2023
This is a delightful story of two people who find themselves in between life's events. Joelle is a bartender who is somewhat overwhelmed by some delinquent men/boys who are determined to make her life a hell on earth. In steps Butch to rescue her from these jerks. As he is quite a big man in strength as well a height, they are intimidated by him and back off from their harassment. However, only while he is present, is it effective at making them back off from Joelle. To eliminate this problem for her Butch offers her a job helping him on his ranch so she can have an income while keeping her safe. Little did he expect to become enamored by her and vice versa. Butch has a history with a deceased wife which keeps him from showing his interest until a near disaster strikes Joelle. You must read this story to find out what happens. Willa weaves a very captivating tale of love.
November 22, 2023
I've loved all the books in this series in this book we meet Butch and Joelle. Returning to look after her father Joelle qorks as a bartender always having to deal with rowdy customers. But when things escalate and a few rowdy drunks end up harassing her, the quiet and unassuming Butch steps in. Offering an escape to the bar by working on his farm, Joelle jumps at the offer. The instant attraction doesn't always work and after a misunderstanding things change. Can they work it out or is this the end. This is another brilliant book set in Willow Creek all of which can be read as standalone but I must admit they're all brilliant books. I was lucky enough to receive this as an ARC copy and this is my own honest opinion and review of the book.
October 21, 2023
Acknowledging one’s true nature…
A lovely small town developing romance with interesting, strong characters. I say “developing” since we can only imagine how it ends. Like others, I kept trying to turn to the next page on my Kindle. However, we do get the sense that Joelle and Butch are finally moving in a more positive direction but there are a few loose ends that remain unexplained. Perhaps an epilogue would have tied things up for the reader. The writing is clear and concise without the use of “fillers” and held my interest. I enjoy a good story that doesn’t drag on and can have some depth at the same time… I received an arc and this is my honest and voluntary review.
A lovely small town developing romance with interesting, strong characters. I say “developing” since we can only imagine how it ends. Like others, I kept trying to turn to the next page on my Kindle. However, we do get the sense that Joelle and Butch are finally moving in a more positive direction but there are a few loose ends that remain unexplained. Perhaps an epilogue would have tied things up for the reader. The writing is clear and concise without the use of “fillers” and held my interest. I enjoy a good story that doesn’t drag on and can have some depth at the same time… I received an arc and this is my honest and voluntary review.
September 22, 2024
I enjoyed this book. It is a short book that is readable in a couple of hours.
Joelle is a small town girl. Her father is disabled with ALS and this is why she returned from Denver.
Butch is an older gentleman and is grumpy. He doesn't like to talk or be around other people to often.
Joelle begins working with Butch on the farm and they get into a comfortable routine.
Will he be able to get over his past? Will his friendship with Joelle's father help him move on? Will he be able to show Joelle how much she means to him or will he just keep pushing her away? Let's finish reading to find out!
Joelle is a small town girl. Her father is disabled with ALS and this is why she returned from Denver.
Butch is an older gentleman and is grumpy. He doesn't like to talk or be around other people to often.
Joelle begins working with Butch on the farm and they get into a comfortable routine.
Will he be able to get over his past? Will his friendship with Joelle's father help him move on? Will he be able to show Joelle how much she means to him or will he just keep pushing her away? Let's finish reading to find out!
December 13, 2024
A fast moving clean romance and the first in the series. Butch Hastings is a cowboy with rough edges. Joelle is the bartender where Butch go for a drink. Then because of a fight between Butch and some of the bar's customers, Joelle ask Butch if she can come work for him at his farm. There's a huge age gap between them but Butch felt drawn to her. Will they overcome the age difference and build a future together? Buy the book and find out. Trust me it's worth it. Thank you Willa Lyons for my free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
March 29, 2025
Joelle returned to her small town and met reclusive Butch. She takes a job on his cattle ranch, and they become attracted to one another, but neither are certain what to do about it. Their story will continue in the sequel. I enjoyed the characters, even if I didn't understand Butch. Perhaps we will learn his story in the next book. My preference would be to have their entire story in one book, but that's a personal issue. It is a good, well written story and I will read the conclusion next.
September 8, 2023
Clean, modern day, Western Romance. The storyline is good… Joelle is working as a bartender in a local bar and Butch, an ex-con and rancher steps in to defend her from the drunk and aggressive customers. The relationship between them is kinda like riding a roller coaster… The story is entertaining, and well written, but I thought it ended too abruptly and it seemed like another chapter was needed to complete the story…
November 25, 2023
This was wonderful!! great story, amazing characters, love.... The story is about Butch, a damaged cowboy with a past, and Joelle, who is the daughter of a man who used to be his best friend. Butch rescues her from a rowdy gang, and she is determined to repay him, as they grow closer, can they ignore the growing attraction??? You will definitely want to read this one!!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 6, 2024
Show kindness to those who are rough and act like they do not care is not easy, specifically when they think they don't deserve it.
That is the story of Joelle and Butch. Find out how Joelle broke Butch's defenses.
A second chance not only in love but also to live freely. A short story with a fast-paced reading, no cursing words, and a clean sweet romance.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
That is the story of Joelle and Butch. Find out how Joelle broke Butch's defenses.
A second chance not only in love but also to live freely. A short story with a fast-paced reading, no cursing words, and a clean sweet romance.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 26, 2024
This is the perfect story to read if you don’t have a lot of time. The book is shorter than a lot of the books out there; however, the story is fully developed and a pleasure to read. As usual, the author does a great job with pacing and development of characters. It is a sweet story that can be read anywhere.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 17, 2024
Ease of reading: 5/5
Characters: 4/5
Butch is a misunderstood character; he seems grumpy, but he is more complex than that. It is more that he is wearing a suit of armour guarding himself from the uncertainties of life.
Plot/Pace: 4/5
Well written short story that has depth.
Willa is adept at making you care about the characters; her stories are charming.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Characters: 4/5
Butch is a misunderstood character; he seems grumpy, but he is more complex than that. It is more that he is wearing a suit of armour guarding himself from the uncertainties of life.
Plot/Pace: 4/5
Well written short story that has depth.
Willa is adept at making you care about the characters; her stories are charming.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 12, 2024
ARC Review ✨️
☆Butch & Joelle♡
This story was short and sweet. I instantly fell in love with Butch! There's just something about a grumpy cowboy that gives me all the feels! I love how the story played out and all the bumps in the road that led them back to each other. The author did an amazing job creating this story, and I can't wait to read the sequel!
Thanks so much to the author and booksprout for the ARC!
☆Butch & Joelle♡
This story was short and sweet. I instantly fell in love with Butch! There's just something about a grumpy cowboy that gives me all the feels! I love how the story played out and all the bumps in the road that led them back to each other. The author did an amazing job creating this story, and I can't wait to read the sequel!
Thanks so much to the author and booksprout for the ARC!
October 13, 2024
This is a sweet, clean, small town country romance. The characters are realistic and well-developed. It is a short, quick read. There are several tropes:father's best friend, grumpy-sunshine and age gap romance. It was interesting watching Joelle and Butch find their way to each other: he chases away a bunch of young jerks and gives her a ride home, then hires her to help around his property. There was good chemistry as well as a lot of emotions.
October 15, 2024
This is a clean short, sweet read. Takes about 2 hours to read. I gave it 4 stars because it leaves you hanging. You don't know what happens between Butch and Joelle. There is another story coming out, so we do get to find out what path they choose. The characters are true to live.
Butch does seem a bit tough and sometimes rude or rough. Joelle and her dad are good people and sweet. I was surprised that Butch offered her a job. Then he fired her because of nothing of her own fault.
Butch does seem a bit tough and sometimes rude or rough. Joelle and her dad are good people and sweet. I was surprised that Butch offered her a job. Then he fired her because of nothing of her own fault.
October 17, 2024
Fighting His Feelings -
All I can say at this point is Wow! Willa Lyon’s definitely did a great job setting the stage for the sequel ‘I Married My Grumpy Boss’. This prequel was a truly amazing read, that had me glued to the pages. The characters were engaging and the storyline gave me a little glimpse into what to expect in the next book and left me eager to read it.
I received a copy of this book free and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
All I can say at this point is Wow! Willa Lyon’s definitely did a great job setting the stage for the sequel ‘I Married My Grumpy Boss’. This prequel was a truly amazing read, that had me glued to the pages. The characters were engaging and the storyline gave me a little glimpse into what to expect in the next book and left me eager to read it.
I received a copy of this book free and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 23, 2024
What a delightful beginning to a great romance. Joelle is fiercely independent and knows what she wants. Butch is a grumpy grump. I really enjoyed reading how things developed and progressed with these two in this standalone with no cliffhanger. This is a prequel, so I am extremely excited to read the next phases of their relationship.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 15, 2023
This book was well-written with no technical issue I could find. It's probably not one I'll read over and over, but it had a certain charm. I liked the characters, and the ending was satisfying. The book is clean, too. So, if you're looking for a short, clean, contemporary romance, then you might enjoy this one.
August 31, 2023
This is a short, clean, small town romance book with strong characters. Joelle is a strong female character who comes home to help take care of her father who has ALS. When she gets bothered on the way home from work one night by a group of rowdy cowboys, she is picked up by her fathers grumpy friend, Butch. Butch is a grump with a heart that everyone will love.
September 28, 2023
I found this book a breath of fresh air! The story of Joelle going back home and finding that she is glad she came back. Joelle and Butch have a crazy relationship at first and then realize they are what each other needs! An added bonus is Joelle's dad and Butch knew each other years ago and now become friends.
November 24, 2023
I really liked this book. Joelle is a perfect character as is her "Grumpy Boss".
Its refreshing to read a book with real characters that could be anyone we know.
Joelle's work as a bartender is so true to that job. I loved the bond between her
and her dad.
Grumpy Boss? Well I think you should read the book to learn about hime
Its refreshing to read a book with real characters that could be anyone we know.
Joelle's work as a bartender is so true to that job. I loved the bond between her
and her dad.
Grumpy Boss? Well I think you should read the book to learn about hime
June 24, 2024
Set aside two hours for this contemporary sweet and wholesome father's-best-friend small-town romance set in Willow Creek, where Joelle Whitbeck has moved back from Denver to care for her father, Frank, who has ALS.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 9, 2024
Butch is a lone man because of his past, but that starts changing when he meets Joelle.
Joelle sees through Butch’s walls into his heart
This is a book about kindness and love. The story was sweet and I enjoyed reading it. However, I would have liked to know more about Butch’s past.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Joelle sees through Butch’s walls into his heart
This is a book about kindness and love. The story was sweet and I enjoyed reading it. However, I would have liked to know more about Butch’s past.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 15, 2024
Cute short story that held my interest. Butch has had a hard past and keeps away from people. Both Joelle and her father see through his grumpy demeanor to the “diamond in the rough “. Great characters and storyline.
I received a complimentary copy of this book and this is my voluntary, honest review.
I received a complimentary copy of this book and this is my voluntary, honest review.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews