The Grumpy Boss Agreement

Cape Simon Billionaires #1

by Vivian Wood

A grumpy boss and single dad with a big project on the horizon. His sexy new assistant, who has a brilliant smile, a sunny attitude, and an oversized heart. The stolen kiss that they can’t forget, no matter how much they try…

After my fiancée left me standing at the altar, I kissed a gorgeous, sultry woman. Months later, that same sunny blonde with a dazzling smile is introduced as Savannah, my new assistant. I try not to panic, but I’ve been fantasizing about her ever-so-kissable lips during my dark, lonely nights. Savannah needs money, and I happen to need a community mouthpiece who can sweet talk the locals.

It’s a match made in heaven… or in my personal hell. From the first second I look into Savannah’s pretty green eyes, I am toast. She is bright and chipper and eager to help a grumpy boss like me succeed. I can bark orders at her all day, but she just smiles and hops to it. It’s annyong how Savannah just smiles at people and somehow ends up getting her way.

Moving back home to Cape Simon is what’s best for my son Charlie. Being a single dad to him all by myself has been tough. Here he can be surrounded by my large, close-knit family. That’s assuming my pro-athlete brother Rex doesn’t drive me insane with his endless demands first.

Lovely, sweet Savannah sticks around to lend me a hand. I’m powerless to resist her sunshine-y charm. She just loves to help anyone and everyone. And what do I do? Grab her by the shoulders, pull her against my body, and kiss her lips until she’s breathless. It’s stupid, reckless, and thoughtless… but it feels so right.

Opposites attract, but nothing can happen between us. I’m not planning on staying in town long. And she’s such a good girl that she practically screams relationship material. Been there, done that, got jilted in a tux.

There’s no way I’m going to kiss her again. No matter how gorgeous she looks, how desperately I start to want her, or how many times we get stuck together spending all afternoon in a tiny swamp shack…

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Billionaires, Contemporary Romance, Workplace, Chick Lit, Amazon

330 pages, Paperback

First published January 31, 2024

About the author

Vivian likes to write about troubled, deeply flawed alpha males and the fiery, kick-ass women who bring them to their knees.

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Reviews

[Dora Koutsoukou]

The blurb was very appealing yet the storyline couldn’t hold my interest.
The mcs’ chemistry was flat and their story was dragging and boring.

I was tired of the hero’s behaviour. While he was on a yearly self-imposed sexile (exile of sex or dating), he couldn’t stop lusting after the heroine. Almost whenever he kissed her, he apologised after.
He was also a rude and disrespectful character.

Dnf @ 38%

[Sienasummerrreads]

DNF at 27% unfortunately. I’m not clashing with the writing style and I don’t feel a connection between the two characters like I would have hoped by now as it’s 500 pages long I’m around 120 pages in. I find the MMC rude at times. The storyline is okay just not gripping enough to keep going.
Also the MMC son calls his grand father Big Daddy which personally I struggle with nick names in general just Big Daddy is not it.

Genre/Type: Romance 18+
APK: Kindle ARC
Pages: 500
Rating: DNF
Series or Stand Alone: First Book In The Cape Simon Billionaires Series
Tropes or Themes: (Incomplete As DNF) Billionaire, Single Dad, Workplace, Letter and Playlist
Check Triggers ⚠️ 💫

[nicoles_book_corner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh WOW, l’m blown away. This is my first ever read from this author and with no doubt l will definitely be reading more of her work. 🥰

This book gave me all the feels and much more, and l truly enjoyed it . The characters were a worthwhile and the plot was done to perfection.

Cole and Savannah now have a soft spot in my heart for sure . We love a good grumpy sunshine romance and this book had that and much more. Plus he happens to be a single dad as well * we love that*

I absolutely fell in love with Savannah, she stole my heart. She was kind, fun and thoughtful. And Cole was this rich grump who definitely needed Savannah in his life.

This book was sexy and hot. But what l loved more was how Cole and Savannah challenged each other. Savannah was no push over and l enjoyed how she always managed to put Cole in his place. Like l said she is every bit sassy and beautiful.

The banter is for sure *chefs kiss* and so is the chemistry between these two.

I couldn’t place this book down, it is that good.

This is definitely an entertaining must read l highly recommend.

I received this book as an arc and this is my honest review 🥀🖤

[Linny ( Pages_Purchases_Peonies ) · Rating 4 out of 5]

RATING
Overall: 4/5⭐️
Spice: 3/5🌶️

This was such a sweet read! This is the first time I’ve read any of Vivian’s work & I am glad I did. The plot was exceptional & it has the slow burn spice we all love. It was a heartwarming grumpy/sunshine with a pull at the heartstrings family element. I look forward to reading Vivian’s next book.

A stolen kiss can’t easily be forgotten after Cole’s fiancée left him at the altar. Fast forward months down the road as Cole embarks on a big new project, the sexy woman he spontaneously kissed is introduced as Savannah, his new assistant. She is the sun & he is the grumpy boss, now single Dad. Cole has no intention of becoming involved with any women. His plan was to temporarily move back to Cape Simon, because it is best for his son. Plus, they can be surrounded by family. But neither Savannah or Cole can seem to resist their undeniable attraction to the other. She is convinced she can help him in more ways than one. & even Cole’s negative disposition can’t deny Sav’s beauty & kindness. They say opposites attract!

Sav is all sunshine & rainbows, because of her upbringing on behalf of her mother. She’s kind, gorgeous, & values the simple things in life.

Cole is the thunderstorm consuming all that is bright. But besides that he checks all the boxes…successful, hard working, amazing father, & family man.

“It’s like we are a puzzle. & you’re the missing piece.“

🎀Slow Burn
🎀Grumpy/Sunshine
🎀Single Dad
🎀HEA
🎀Small Town Romance

Thank you Vivian! I look forward to reading your next book.

*This is Book 1 of 2 in the Cape Simon Billionaires Series

[Gabby (bookishandballgowns) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A steamy romance between Savannah and Cole.

Cole has returned to his hometown after many years and isn’t a fan of what he sees. To him, the town is rundown and in desperate need of renovation. Luckily he’s got some big projects on the mind. Including a fancy new hotel to bring new people into town. But he’s going to need a friendly face to help smooth things over with the locals.

Savannah’s in need of a job and her friends are convinced she’s the person Cole needs. Unfortunately, the two have already crossed paths and it didn’t exactly go well. Err… well… a passionate kiss was shared… But the way she was so easily dismissed afterwards, now THAT made her blood boil.

This book was filled with lots of southern goodness. It makes for an interesting town. It had one of my favorite features of a secret nosy town gossip posting about the tea of town a la gossip girl. So they had to added challenge of their every move of their relationship being documented for all to see.

Savannah is a sweet character but Cole kind of sucks. He’s moody and wishy washy and I couldn’t keep up with his hot and cold temperament. I appreciated that Savannah called that out. She deserves better than that and it was fun to see a strong female character stand up for herself. The best part of Cole was his adorable son Charlie. He was such a cutie and made his grumpy dad seem more human.

It’s definitely a good book to read if you love lots of angst and groveling. Their love wasn’t easy on this one. It’s definitely a slow burn between these two opposites. There were plenty of moments where I thought they’d finally get together and then life would get in the way.

Thank you to Wildfire Marketing Solutions for the copy of this eARC

[Christine (KizzieReads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cole gets jilted at the altar and he hates humanity. Essentially. He is done with gold diggers who leave their kids and he wants nothing to do with anything but taking his son to London for a fresh start. On the day of his wedding, he is sitting at a diner wondering what happened when he meets Sav who is too happy for him. He kisses her and leaves and they don't see each other for 6 months. He has come back to stay with his family until he can get his affairs in order, but he's never forgotten that kiss. He is once again at the diner when his sister and her friend walk in and it happens to be Sav. Sparks fly immediately, but there are a lot of things that are going on. Loved this! Can't wait to see who's story is next!

[Sissy's Romance Book Review · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Grumpy Boss Agreement by Vivian Wood is the First book in the Cape Simon Billionaires Series. This is the story of Savannah and Cole. Cole has returned to his home town looking to fix the place up and to start with a fancy hotel. Savannah has always projected a sunshine outlook to people but she has hidden her true emotions away. Cole sees through her sunshine to the real person she is. This was a great grump and sunshine romance. I am looking forward to reading more from this series and author.

[Gladys · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very enjoyable read. Savannah and Cole make a very cute couple and their romance is lots of fun. Sweetness and sparks, heart and humor, and drama and emotion are combined into a robust and delightful mixture that delivers optimum feels and swoon.

[Sammye · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Cole’s and Savannah’s story. It’s an emotional slow burn that kept me wanting more! I loved their witty banter. The plot was so entertaining and kept me flipping pages. An excellent story. *this was a complimentary copy and this is my honest review*

[Marianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5

[Marnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Hot boss with a grumpy outlook”!!!

For many years I’ve loved Author Vivian Woods’ writing and with THE GRUMPY BOSS AGREEMENT she’s nailed the grumpy-sunshine trope and the sexy single father trope for those who love that as well. Throw in a sports aspect and there are many reasons that you want to be picking up this book to read it!

This is one helluva full on romance. Everyone sentence, every chapter just breathes romance and I loved it. Ms Wood is one of my original bad boy authors and she’s written some great dark edgy romances so with THE GRUMPY BOSS AGREEMENT with the above tropes along with a Boss-Employee aspect, she’s showing her versatility as an author.

Ms Wood captured Savannah’s loss of her mother in a heartbreakingly accurate way. The feeling of inadequacy in living in the large gracious shadow of a well-known, highly accomplished and respected woman was tough. Her feeling of being so young, not reaching her adult potential hit deep, and this part about not being taught to deal with heavy negative emotions that are experienced as an adult was profound, “The things I have bottled up inside are not the kind of things you say to a celebrated woman, much less to a grassy patch of ground that is all that’s left of her. I want to say things like the fact that she taught me to control my emotions, but not how to safely express them. I can’t find a release valve because my mom didn’t help me build one into the vault of my emotions. She never got to see me as a full, healthy adult. In that regard, she let me down.” Seriously, I cried😭 This scene resonated intensely with me because while my mum got to see me as an adult into my 30’s, our children were so young when the cancer got her that she never saw me or my brother as parents, and we never got to see her as a Gran. Having the kids grow into adults themselves is an amazing experience, and one that she’s missed out on. What would she think of her Grandchildren?

How Cole managed to turn out so stoic and grumpy with a family such as his was a feat in itself, but I envisaged that he was a deep thinking boy who experienced the world through serious eyes. He felt the loss of his mother keenly and was betrayed when brothers became a blended family with a woman his father met not long after. He was that little 💩💩💩 who made things difficult for all. His almost wife was a total piece of work, but as a father, brother and son, I loved Cole’s character damaged character completely. My favourite scene of him with his father and brothers was on the boat near the end. It was poignant and funny, and was just pure reading gold. Annnnnnnd, again I cried 😭

The watershed moment of truth for Cole and Sav was absolutely full of perfect and pure romance containing so much that was special to them, flawlessly capturing their individual characters and relationship and there I was crying one more time before the end. THE GRUMPY BOSS AGREEMENT had alllllllllll the feels!

I’ll finish up by saying that secondary players really put meat on the bones of a book and as such Cole’s entire blended family build a strong hulking story around him and Savannah that I loved. Both of them had the loss of loved ones in their past, yet dealt with them differently, and in the same way that Cole’s family backed him, so did Sav’s sister and grandfather support her. What a pleasure it was to see them both have great family relationships and I’m rapt that Ms Wood has ‘Book 1’ in the title. They’re hilarious and real, and I’m looking forward to reading more. 5-full-on-romance-Stars 🖤🌞🌩

#mumsalwaysreading #bookblogger #bookreviewer #marnsreads #marnsj

[Kim Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

What started off as ok in the beginning morphs into something even better. I had a hard time rooting for Savannah and Cole in the first part because they both had personalities I didn’t like. Savannah was overly positive and too upbeat for me, whereas Cole was too negative and angry. How they end up getting together still baffled me even after I’ve finished this book. Savannah’s outlook on life was too rose colored and naive but come to find out she is way more emotional than that and grew up being told to view life that way. I get what her mom was trying to do, but sometimes it’s important to realize that not everything is awesome and it’s ok to have feelings. She has this shell over this part of her most of the book and I had a hard time cracking into it and connecting with her because of that. Even when Cole and Savannah were having issues, he even brought it up to her but it was her way of not showing vulnerability, much like Cole closed himself off and got defensive and angry about everything when he didn’t want to deal with his emotions. It’s pretty childlike when you think about it and I think this was why I hesitated in giving this a 5. Plus, their bedroom talk felt a bit awkward, I think because they were having more conversations than declarations during it and it felt strange reading it in my head. Once Cole was able to get vulnerable around her, Savannah struggled to explain how she felt about him. She had a hard time expressing, and even more so, talking about it. She did explain this later on in the book, but I think I gave that bit away in the beginning of this review. I liked their chemistry together, I just wish there wasn’t such a struggle with expressing themselves in this story. I did like how the book does focus on Savannah and Cole and not so much on his son, Charlie or the family. It showed a good balance between putting a child first and also making time for yourself too. Sometimes these books will focus less on the relationship and more on the family ties and kids if there are any which kills the whole romance vibe if that’s what you’re expecting. At the end of this book, you get a sample of the next story in the Cape Simon Billionaires series and I was surprised it was about River and not Rex. I would think he would be next, and already this one sounds like it will be better. I wish this one turned out better than I thought but it did hold my interest and I wanted to see what would happen. There was just not enough emotion in this for me and of course the slow burn doesn’t help either. You all should know how I feel about those stories. You get teases of Savannah and Cole getting intimate, but it doesn’t really happen until a little more than halfway through the book and this is why I gave it a 4.

[Claudia |✨Cushin Violeta's Bookish Realm✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

𝑴𝒓. 𝑮𝒓𝒖𝒎𝒑 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑴𝒊𝒔𝒔 𝑺𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒕 𝑺𝒖𝒏𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒆 😻

𝑻𝑹𝑶𝑷𝑬𝑺/ 𝑩𝑶𝑶𝑲 𝑯𝑰𝑮𝑯𝑳𝑰𝑮𝑯𝑻𝑺 :📑

💌 Grumpy-Sunshine
💌 Boss - PA
💌 Single Dad
💌 Small Town
💌 Ditched at the Altar

𝑴𝒀 𝑹𝑬𝑽𝑰𝑬𝑾: 📝

This book made me feel like I had been transported to the small town of Cape Simon and was getting to know all the people personally.

The starting scene itself shows us why Cole is a forever Mr. Grumpy, when the mother of his child and the woman he's been with for around eight years, leaves him right at the Altar and he's shocked to even process the humiliation.

Savannah is truly a ray of sunshine and she believes in being happy no matter what she's going through. She lives by the motto that her mother has taught her -
“𝑮𝒊𝒓𝒍𝒔 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒃𝒆 𝒃𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒂𝒔 𝒔𝒖𝒏𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏 𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒚.”

What happens when Mr. Grumpy meets the uber Miss. Sunshine ☀️? Oooh.... Sparks fly and there's no stopping them.

We also see that Cole has a lot going on, on the work front and as Savannah starts working for him, she sees the many different plates that he's juggling.

As these two start working in close proximity, it becomes more and more difficult to resist the raw chemistry that seems to be like an electric current between them.

It was oh so fun and also teasing in the way we see Cole constantly fighting the pull he feels towards Savannah.
Especially when his ex keeps on pestering him and he is reminded of being hurt.

Cole's family is really cool and caring. Also, little Charlie was simply adorable and I loved the fact that Cole might be many things but he was the best dad for Charlie as he never let his little boy feel anything else but loved.

The best part of reading small town romances is becoming part of a closely knitted community where everyone knows everyone's business but it is also endearing to see how they come together as one group when anything happens.

I loved experiencing life in Cape Simon especially the Community Center part was my favourite for how Savannah and others cared for the little ones and made life fun for them. Not only teaching but creating fun opportunities.

Savannah and Cole really have melted me with their - Will They or Won't they? question and they definitely made me work for them to come together but I greatly enjoyed spending time with them as I absolutely loved them.

Can't wait for more to come from this series as book 1 has definitely won my heart and made me feel so much. Loved loved this one.💋💋

[Shani · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐ - 4/5
🔥 - 3
🧮 - would recommend
💜 - Tropes: office romance, grumpy/sunshine, smalltown romance, single dad, slight age gap
📚 - Standalone or series: Interconnecting standalone, this is book 1 in the series.

Smalltown romances tend to hold a place in my heart. There's just something fun about a small community of people who have a bunch of quirks and watch out for others that makes me happy! This book had a good mix of my favorite tropes.

Savannah - I fell in love with her from the start. Her sunny disposition hooked me. Her ability to look at things differently made me smile. I knew though just from a few small things that she was holding on to a lot more underneath it all. Having dealt with serious loss, struggling to make sense of things while financially trying to hold it together is a lot for anyone. But she pushed through, and her determination held strong! A new grumpy boss who is determined to make things harder than they should be? Check. Be ridiculously attracted to him, then have a steamy kiss that "accidentally" happens. Check. Make an arrangement to suit both their needs. Check, Check, and Check!

Cole - I felt for him from page one. His world blew up fast and in a hurry. Not only was he left to pick up the pieces, but it all happened in his home town. Where everyone could see. His run-in with Savannah left a mark on both of them. Even with their steamy kiss, there was something more. It wasn't just his predicament that drew me to him. But it was the fact he was doing everything he could for his son, and making some heavy decisions. His circumstances made him more of a grump than ever. Especially with the way that Rex decides he needs his help. Hire a sunshine and roses type chick to be an assistant? Check. Fight an attraction to her but give in here and there? Check. Dive in head first to an arrangement that swallows you whole? Check, check, and check!

This was a slower burn than I expected! Which I loved to be honest. It felt like it was needed considering the push and pull the two had. They both had their unresolved issues that were attached to loss and moving on. I felt for them there. Their emotions felt relatable and real. I do think their story could have been tightened up just a little bit.

Their ending was a beautiful one. I loved how they embraced each other, Charlie, their family, and their challenges.

[Sharon Moritz-rosenthal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a complimentary early release e-book prior to release and am voluntarily leaving a review.

This is my first time reading this author but wow I absolutely loved the story. This book starts out when our hero, Cole has lost the woman he loved for the last 8 years and the mother of his son, Charlie, when she pulled a runaway bride on him.

He meets the heroine, Savannah on the very worst day and they share a kiss and think they will never see each other again. Until six months later when Cole's rich, baseball playing brother Rex, asks Cole to head a big project in Cape Simon and he ends up giving a job to Savannah because of her local connections as his assistant. And that's when the fun begins.

This is an age gap romance as Cole is about 31 and Savannah is 23. She is the local small-town girl, and he is the big city, sports agent guy. In fact, he is working on this project while job hunting in England, where he wants to move to.

This is a small town, single dad, and family-oriented romance with Cole and Savannah who are very different but also both come from very involved families. These two get to know each other as they work together and try and convince the city council to allow them to build in the small town.

It is a romance at work but it's also only the two of them in the office. There are no other employees and mostly they are in the town rather than sitting in an office. So, the work romance part is really not a prominent part of the story. It's more a small-town romance between two opposites with an age gap.

This is book 1 in the series about Cape Simon. I absolutely adored it and cannot wait for more books in this series. This was a hot, sexy and slow burn romance.

In addition, I loved all the characters that we get introduced to in this book. From Savannah's single mom, older sister, Birdie to her nephew Dex and I loved her grandpa. I also adored Cole's family and loved his stepmom Sarah and his many siblings. Rex was my total favorite as the very hot baseball playing brother. Rhett, River and Brooks and their sisters Lucy and Eden, I look forward to learning more about them in future books. Walker who is a close family friend was a guy I cannot wait to get to know and see who wins his heart.

[Maxine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did get an ARC of this book from Wildfire Marketing Solutions for an honest review.
I am giving this a 3.5. This is my first Vivian Wood book, and it was a cute one about Savannah (sunshine) and Cole (grump) in the book. They are cute in their fighting their attraction for one another especially since Savannah works for Cole as his assistant. Savannah was an interesting read as she is always the sunshine person even though at times, she is forcing herself to be that person because of how her mother influenced her at times. It was actually a little sad to read at times that she has to force herself to be that way all the time because of these expectations.

Cole was also interesting in reading as he is struggling to be a dad, fighting his attraction for savannah and trying to move on with his life. I will say at times his privilege shows and the comments he makes about her small town were annoying. But I did enjoy their relationship journey and seeing them fight their attraction and also butting heads when she had to put him in his place. I also enjoyed reading the parts with Cole's son and parents.

there were some spicy, funny and witty moments that made this an enjoyable read.

this book is about Cole who is putting his life back together after being left at the alter by his long time GF and the mother of his child. Needing a change of pace, he packs up his son to take him back to his parents' house to regroup while he plans their next move possibly in another country. However, his brother has decided that the nearby small town is the next place for his next business adventure, and he wants Cole in charge and spearheading the project. However, the thing is Cole is not the most personable guy so Savannah a friend of his sister and local is hired as his assistant to help him navigate the people of this town. However, he is not able to keep his mind on this project or on his possible move overseas, instead all he can think about is Savhannah and how she makes him feel. But he doesn't want to cross that line of boss/assistant and after what his EX put him through, he has put himself on a no relationship/$ex hiatus for a year. So instead, they keep butting heads and fighting this attraction until things come to a bang.

[Joyffree · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sunshine meet Cloudy

Thanks to his little sis Cole is now the proud boss of Savanah
A curvy, annoying, siren that he just doesn't need in his life right now. He is trying to balance his ex, fatherhood, the expansion of his company, his brother's demands and so much more.
He has enough on his plate at the moment.
And Savanah? She is just going to keep chanting that good girl mantra so she doesn't end up serving 10 to life for Coles's disappearance before she can save enough money to move out of Gramps.

Sweet as sin radiating sunshine on the outside Savanah had the echoes of her mother's southern rules drowning out her own emotions. I felt for her as she battled her way through "being the good southern girl" to find herself. The scene where she finally lets go of her past is poignant

Then we have Grumpy Gloomy Cole who has his own insecurities and past luggage clouding his happy place. I am not sure if his occasional sense of entitlement was real or if it was a shield of sorts. Either way a few times his little outbursts and comments had me wanting to step in and ...
Though he was a great dad. When he finally capitulated to his feelings he gave Savanah her dreams.

The back and forth between these two, the attraction denial, and the chemistry were off the charts. Now if they can just accept they found their good thing and give in to those desires.
Though some of the timing is humorous, like in front of the landlady who was beyond pearl-clutching

This was a slow burn, opposites attract, small town, slightly angsty, occasionally humorous romance
Easy-to-follow storyline
Lots of family, blood, and blended
A variety of personalities like
Helldi (yes I know the spelling is wrong) was not helping his grumpy disposition
Speaking of Helldi that woman needed more than a dose of reality and a rubber room
Rex, heaven's gift to humanity. Though I liked his exuberance
Big Dad, yeah he was trying to
and more. A sound secondary cast of characters that made the story that much more

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

“It’s like we are a puzzle, and you’re the missing piece.”

The Grumpy Boss Agreement was a fun and spicy story that’s full of humor, heat and heart. Savannah and Cole are complete opposites, but together, they somehow make sense. Cole’s son is absolutely adorable and watching these three interact was heartwarming.

“No one sees me, not really. But Cole…he makes me feel like a person worth listening to. That’s some heady yet scary stuff.”

Savannah has always been taught to keep her emotions under control so she projects an air of sunshine and light. She always has a smile on her face even when she’s hurt and angry. Cole sees beneath her joyful façade to the real person underneath and encourages her to embrace her true self and let others know how she truly feels.

“Savannah makes me feel like a giant. Like anything is possible and that her love is a natural consequence of spending so much time with her.”

Cole is a grump. He was left at the altar and has no plans to open up his heart to anyone again, but Savannah slips past his defenses and he finds himself powerless to keep his lips off her. He has a bit of tunnel vision and only sees what he wants for himself. Savannah makes him begin to realize that he needs to consider others’ feelings more and to let himself be vulnerable.

“She was everything I never knew I wanted.”

The hot and cold relationship between these two was fun, frustrating and electric. They would take one step forward and two steps back because both needed to learn how to communicate better and to learn how to stop running from their fears. The Grumpy Boss Agreement was a great start to a new series and I loved watching these two grow through their relationship. I’m excited to spend more time with this family and this quirky small town.

[T. · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Received ARC for honest review
3.5 Stars

In The Grumpy Boss Agreement¸ you have Cole the grump, and then you have Savannah the Sunshine. The moment we have very first interaction, you can see the crazy spinning. In a good way. Haha. Savannah has always been taught to be a good person and to be positive while Cole has no problem expressing his dislike for human company. But when Savannah finds herself as Cole’s new assistant, there’s nothing to stop the chemistry between the two. While the story itself is not too bad, for me, it felt a bit repetitive without anything really happening. I loved the interactions between Savannah and Cole’s son, Charlie, but I wish there were more. I think the relationship could have been explored longer and at a slower pace. I also thought Cole had just one too many excuses for many things and that irked me quite a bit. And even if I hated Holly, I thought that situation went away too fast. Both Cole and Savannah also harbored deeper inner feelings that I felt wasn’t really explored or at least not enough. Because she was taught to always be a good person for other and to be positive, she held tight to her emotions and what she showed on the outside wasn’t always her true self. Cole also experienced a family change during his younger years and just never seemed to really grow out of it. While he came to love his stepsiblings, there was always something he held against his stepmother despite her unconditional love for all the kids. For both of these characters, I wish these feelings were addressed and discussed more instead of just a quick acknowledgement and then on they go with life. So while I enjoyed parts of the book, there were some things that were lacking for me.

[lowkeyreader · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a delightful and engaging read that offers a fresh perspective on office politics and the dynamics of the workplace. Wood's writing style is both heartfelt and humorous, making it an enjoyable experience for readers who are looking for a light-hearted take on the challenges of navigating the corporate world.

The story follows the journey of a young professional, who, after being hired by a grumpy boss, must find a way to work with him and turn their relationship around. Wood expertly captures the essence of office politics and the power dynamics that often exist between employees and their superiors. The characters are well-developed, and their interactions are both relatable and entertaining.

One of the standout aspects of this book is the way Wood tackles the theme of communication. She highlights the importance of open and honest dialogue in the workplace, and how misunderstandings can often lead to conflict. This is a valuable lesson for anyone who has ever struggled with office politics or difficult coworkers.

The pacing of the story is well-balanced, with a mix of light-hearted moments and more serious reflections on the nature of work and relationships. Wood's writing is engaging and keeps the reader invested in the story from beginning to end.

Overall, this is a must-read for anyone who has ever worked in an office or dealt with difficult bosses. It's a heartfelt and humorous exploration of the challenges and triumphs of the workplace, and it's sure to leave readers with a newfound appreciation for the power of communication and the importance of finding common ground with those around us.

[Misty (Reds Romance Reviews) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cole has no interest finding love again, the last time he thought he'd found it, it decided to up and leave him standing alone at the altar the day of his wedding. So when it comes to women and relationships he tends to avoid them at all costs... their nothing but unnecessary trouble. And with the many duties of his job and being a single father he doesn't have time for trouble... or does he?

The Grumpy Boss Agreement is a wonderfully penned slow burn love story that'll have your heart and attention within a matter of a few pages. These two weren't necessarily looking for love, but if found them when they started working together in close quarters. As we quickly learn our hero has no desire to date or find love again, as he had a bad experience with it and is still getting over the hurt the last woman he tangled with left behind... but there is just something about our cheery heroine that he can't ignore. At first one might say he found her cheery disposition annoying, but then it started to grow on him, she became a bright spot in his somewhat dim world.

I loved watching these two find their happy, their story brought many smiles and tugged the heartstrings quite a few times. Nothing is much sweeter than seeing a single parent get a second chance at finding their happily ever after and creating a stable family unit for their child. Highly recommend you take a chance on this one, it's words will warm your heart!!

I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving my honest and unbiased opinion.

[Tiffany Readz · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars-Not Sure About This Grumpy Guy…

In The Grumpy Boss Agreement, Vivan Wood introduces readers to the main characters Cole and Savannah, along with the little town of Cape Simon and a gaggle of family and friends.

As the blurb states, poor Cole is fresh off being left at the altar and has headed back home to his family until he gets his life sorted back out a bit. He’s a sports agent, with his biggest client being his brother, who has dropped a mammoth, yet good for the community idea into his lap. Cole needs help with the project, so his sister suggests her friend Savannah. Unlike the grumpy Cole, Savannah is a ray of sunshine in his dark life. Funny thing is, Savannah hides a little sadness behind her megawatt smile.

I liked the characters, however not together. They had zero chemistry and honestly, I wasn’t sure if it was them, or the writing they were surrounded by. It felt immature for their ages, as he’s pushing thirty, or maybe an author having a different idea than I do of what is angsty. Either way, I wasn’t a fan of this coupling.

The book is insta-lust followed by a suuuuuuper slow burn, which gives readers a chance to meet all the family and friends involved in the series. While I wasn’t a huge fan of this pairing, it looks like Cole’s brother River is up next and he seemed like a pretty interesting guy, so I’ll probably be back to Cape Simon in the future.

Reviewed for Renee Entress’s Blog

[Patty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow that Cole is one grumpy boss. He is a grump from the beginning to the end of this book. Even though he was grumpy, he had this personality that just gets to you. He grows on you with his protectiveness and alpha behavior. That opening scene with him and Savannah.....hot, hot, hot!!!

Savannah is a sweetheart. She is kind, loving and all around girl next door. She has a hard time revealing her true feelings when it counts. She has been through a lot, but in all in all she compliments Cole. Together they are the yin and yang. Sweet and Grump.

Overall this book was a wonderful read with a great story board with wonderful characters. I enjoyed getting to know Cole and his wonderful family. I can't wait to read more about Rex and River. Those two brothers are a mess and are very interesting. Their sister Lucy is a mess as well. This series is looking to be a great one with a wonderful line up of characters.

This book was a very entertaining and enjoyable read. Cole and Savannah have electric chemistry and it really shines throughout, burning up the pages. And let's talk about how cute little Charlie is. He really does make things interesting with his cuteness.

Read this book if you want to feel butterflies in your tummy and want to fall in love. It is full of sunshine and honey.

[Janine - The World Was Hers for the Reading · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Grumpy Boss is Vivian Wood’s newest grumpy/sunshine romance.

Cole is a billionaire, work obsessed, single father who was just left at the altar. Savannah is a sweet and optimistic woman looking to make her world and community a better place who is hired to be Cole’s personal assistant on a new project he really wants nothing to do with.

It quickly becomes a battle of not only wills, but of sunshine and gloom as Cole and Savannah’s chemistry burns hot enough to pull them apart, but their opposites attract personalities work to keep them from becoming something more. But, which will win in the end . . .the grump doing everything he can to listen to his head rather than his heart, or the sunshine that is bright enough to burn all the gloom away?

Vivian Wood is typically a pretty good read for me, but this book was a miss for my personal tastes. I found the characters to be really wishy washy. The couple felt so angsty with their back and forth and unclear lines and frankly, I believe Savannah deserved better. I really didn’t like Cole for 75% of the story, and although the ending was lovely, it didn’t make up for his behaviors throughout most of the book.

I do want to stress that the story was complete and it had a satisfying ending. I just couldn’t like the main male character even though I loved Savannah which made this book a miss for me. 3 stars.

[Donna reads Romance · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy sweet iced tea!! This book is positively delightful and sensually delicious.
From beginning to end getting lost in Cole and Savannah’s FASCINATING and TANTALIZING story was AMAZING🩷
The burning desire, the angst and the need to be wanted is so intense and strong in their story.
Grumpy Cole finds the perfect soulmate in Sunshiny Savannah. The connection between them is passionate, touching and beautiful.
Beyond the romantic aspects of this story, I really enjoyed Savannah’s relationship with her grandfather, her sister and nephew. Although she loved her mother dearly Savannah realizes that it isn’t always easy to put a smile on your face and act like all is well.
As for Cole, he feels like he has failed and it takes the love of his family for him to realize that that he only failed at grabbing onto happiness.
Escaping into Cole and Savannah’s REMARKABLE love story was riveting, intriguing and alluring. This small town romance will warm your heart with an array of endearing characters and family love. Charlie’s character made everything just even more heart-gripping.
I definitely recommend this book if you’re into opposites attract, protective and dirty talking men and flirty and spicy women.
Congratulations Vivian🙌🏻These characters are CAPTIVATING and INTERESTING, their story is ENTERTAINING and ENGAGING!!

[Kay's Pallet · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did not enjoy this. I didn't like the paper deep characters who had zero chemistry with some of the most cliche phrases and word choices. The sexy scenes were written with unsexy words. And the inconsistencies!! Omg the inconsistencies. 1. Sav's mother's cringy phrase was written at least 2 different ways. At first I thought it was on purpose, as a way for the phrase to fit the moment, but nope! 2. The type of cancer Sav's mom had switched from pancreatic to brain cancer. I'm no doctor, but those are not the same body part (also no it is not specified if she had both). 3. The time frame. Cole is adamant that he was only going to be there for a month and then move to London. Then 4 months later, he gets the business opportunity he was waiting for and was "surprised it came so soon"???? No mention of how 1 month stretched into 4. 4. Where Cole lives. He lived in his family home in the beginning. Cole and Sarah talked about "Cole's wing" in the house where he had at least 3 rooms. Then halfway through the book, he was living in a house he supposedly rented for a few months that he was offering to let Sav live in? Literally what is going on. Also didn't love how seemingly randomly things happened that had no connection to the plot. They were just there. I didn't have a fun time with this one and I wouldn't recommend to a friend.

[Heather Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Savannah - Sav - she is like a ray of sunshine coming to brighten everyone's day! She is always bright and positive. Sav is good friends with Lucy, who is Cole & Rex's sister - there are a few siblings with their parents combining families.

Cole aka Mr. Gloom and Doom - has just been left at the altar by his girlfriend of the past 7 years, who does that? Cole & his ex have a little boy that Cole loves with his whole heart. Cole is a sports agent, who works with his brother, Rex who is a professional baseball player. Rex wants to add a sports complex / baseball training facility to the small town and wants Cole to be in charge of the project. Rex suggests that Cole ask Savannah to be his assistant since she knows the town / area / locals better than most. At first Cole is very hesitant, but the more he's around her the more he wants her.

Sav & Cole have some head butting moments, but it's the kisses that doom them from the start. Cole isn't sure why, but his lips can't keep off of Sav's. Sav can't keep her off of Coles. Will these two be able to put aside their differences and be a couple?

I did receive a free ARC copy of this book. I am freely leaving an honest review.

[Flavs is Mrs David Gandy♥~♥’ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cole has returned to his childhood home after his fiance left him and their son. Now his home busy with a project and what does his sister do, she hires him a personal assistant. One who is beautiful and no matter what how bossy and grumpy he is, she remains the sunshine.

Savannahs month has died a few months ago. And she is saving money to move out of her grandfather's house. So when her friend suggest she works for her brother to earn extra money, she thought what's the harm. As long as she lives by her mother's motto;
“𝑮𝒊𝒓𝒍𝒔 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒃𝒆 𝒃𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒂𝒔 𝒔𝒖𝒏𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏 𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒚.”

Even though he is a difficult person to work for, the more time she spends with Cole the more she sees he is so much more than a grumoy boss. And denying the chemistry between is getting harder and harder😬

Enjoyed this story. I totally enjoyed watching Cole fight his attraction to Savannah. But loved seeing how amazing he was with his son and family 😊 Savannah was just what he needed in his life and his sons. His fiance was a real piece of work though. Cole and Savannahs story was a good story to start this new series off and sets the tone for what's to come 💖😊 Looking foward to it 😁

Read on behalf of
Fay's Corner

[Jackie Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read by Vivian Wood’s but it certainly won’t be the last because I loved everything about The Grumpy Boss Agreement which is book one in the new Cape Simon Billionaires Series. If you love small town, grumpy/sunshine reads look no further than single dad Cole and Savi’s entertaining read.
Cole is a grump and it’s honestly not surprising after he was left at the alter by the mother of his son. Deciding it’s time for him to concentrate on his son he puts himself on a 12 month sexile which isn’t helping his grumpiness. He is a successful sports agent and his brother Rex who is a high profile baseball player is one of his clients. Rex wants to build a new Training Center and a Hotel in the small town they grew up in
and he wants Cole involved and that means hiring an assistant. That’s where the stunning Savi comes in…..what follows is an entertaining, witty and passionate read as these two fight their feelings.
Will the grumpy boss resist the sunshine and light Savi brings into his life. One click this gem of a read to find out. Looking forward to the next book in the Cape Simon Billionaires.

[A.H. Monroe · Rating 4 out of 5]

✍️ Cole gets stood up at his own wedding and he needs something to take his mind off of things. And Savannah is the perfect distraction. Cole is one of the grumpiest mmc’s out there. The way that this man sees things, is something else. He only sees things how he wants them and it does take quite a bit to convince him to change his mind. Sometimes I was so frustrated when he kept saying to Savannah that he shouldn’t kiss her. Luckily he got some sense knocked into him and he grew. Savannah also grew as a person and she is amazing. I loved her sense for community determination to make things work. She was always taught to be all sunshine and not to get angry. And Cole saw right through that. In a way they helped each other. Sam was taught to stand up for herself and that it’s okay to get angry sometimes and Cole was taught to be a bit more positive. Communication is KEY. That was heavy in this story. As was the funny banter between the two and the spice was really good!

* 📕 * I received an ARC from the author and Candi Kane in exchange for an honest review. All my opinions are my own.