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The Project: A Contemporary Romance Novel
From New York Time’s bestselling author of the Neighbor from Hell series comes a heartwarming romantic comedy about the only thing that matters when you’re about to lose everything that you’ve ever wanted.
The one person that you can’t live without.
She should probably mention that she had no idea what she was doing, but since that would probably result in her new boss, Devyn MacGregor, CEO of Carta Hotels and the incredibly handsome man that didn’t look like he knew how to smile, firing her, Andi Dawson decided that it would be in her best interest to keep that fact to herself. After years of doing a job that had slowly destroyed her will to live, she needed a change, something different, something that gave her a clue about what she was supposed to do with her life, but more importantly, she needed to figure out how she was supposed to keep a secret that could destroy the only thing that mattered to her.
Just. One. More. Time.
Devyn was so close to having everything that he’d ever wanted when everything suddenly went to hell. He should have seen this coming, should have stayed focused, and he really should stop thinking about the small woman that he should probably fire. He had four months to fix this and he had no idea how he was going to do it, but he knew that he was about to make the biggest mistake of his life.
The one person that you can’t live without.
She should probably mention that she had no idea what she was doing, but since that would probably result in her new boss, Devyn MacGregor, CEO of Carta Hotels and the incredibly handsome man that didn’t look like he knew how to smile, firing her, Andi Dawson decided that it would be in her best interest to keep that fact to herself. After years of doing a job that had slowly destroyed her will to live, she needed a change, something different, something that gave her a clue about what she was supposed to do with her life, but more importantly, she needed to figure out how she was supposed to keep a secret that could destroy the only thing that mattered to her.
Just. One. More. Time.
Devyn was so close to having everything that he’d ever wanted when everything suddenly went to hell. He should have seen this coming, should have stayed focused, and he really should stop thinking about the small woman that he should probably fire. He had four months to fix this and he had no idea how he was going to do it, but he knew that he was about to make the biggest mistake of his life.
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First published May 20, 2022
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About the author
R.L. Mathewson
70 books15.5k followersNew York Times Bestselling author, R.L. Mathewson was born in Massachusetts. She’s known for her humor, quick wit and ability to write relatable characters. She currently has several paranormal and contemporary romance series published including the Neighbor from Hell series.
Growing up, R.L. Mathewson was a painfully shy bookworm. After high school she attended college, worked as a bellhop, fast food cook, and a museum worker until she decided to take an EMT course. Working as an EMT helped her get over her shyness as well as left her with some fond memories and some rather disturbing ones that from time to time show up in one of her books.
Today, R.L. Mathewson is the single mother of two children that keep her on her toes. She has a bit of a romance novel addiction as well as a major hot chocolate addiction and on a perfect day, she combines the two.
In 2019/2020, R.L. Mathewson will be publishing Devastated, the first Anger Management novel, Tall, Dark & Furious, the 6th installment to the Pyte/Sentinel series, Irresistible, the long anticipated novel for the Neighbor from Hell Series as well as many more books throughout the year, paranormals, contemporaries, and YAs.
Growing up, R.L. Mathewson was a painfully shy bookworm. After high school she attended college, worked as a bellhop, fast food cook, and a museum worker until she decided to take an EMT course. Working as an EMT helped her get over her shyness as well as left her with some fond memories and some rather disturbing ones that from time to time show up in one of her books.
Today, R.L. Mathewson is the single mother of two children that keep her on her toes. She has a bit of a romance novel addiction as well as a major hot chocolate addiction and on a perfect day, she combines the two.
In 2019/2020, R.L. Mathewson will be publishing Devastated, the first Anger Management novel, Tall, Dark & Furious, the 6th installment to the Pyte/Sentinel series, Irresistible, the long anticipated novel for the Neighbor from Hell Series as well as many more books throughout the year, paranormals, contemporaries, and YAs.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 303 reviews
June 19, 2022
⭐️ one star -
I’m stopping this at 27% and shelving to DNF. I just can’t take it anymore. It’s too horrible to go on; especially when there’s lots of other new releases this month (June 2022) that I could give a chance to instead of forcing my way through this torturous read.
Here’s why you should save yourself time and money and pick up something else to read:
1- like you, I was lured to download this one to my kindle due to the high number of four and five star reviews. Do not be fooled. I’m not sure who these people are that liked this enough to rate it that high, but it’s not going to be me. I would’ve given this two stars if I had lasted enough to actually read to maybe the halfway mark then skim to the finish, but I just didn’t care. I got off this train at 27% when the heroine “murmured” again for an un-stomach-able umpteenth time too many. Enough with the repetitive descriptors. To jump on what a fellow reviewer noted, this author could surely benefit by learning to utilize a thesaurus.
2- I have previously tried to read this author, and read the first two from Mathewson’s Neighbor From Hell series, which I also rated at one and two stars for books I and II, respectively. While I hadn’t loved either of those previous reads, I was willing to give this one a try - again due to the high number of positive reviews. Now I’m just convinced that reviews are influenced in some way and need to be taken objectively. This just proves to me the importance of following reviewers here on gr that are - like me, not like me, somewhat like me, in no way like me. Why? In my opinion, this makes sense because reviews are subjective and a greater sample of reviews gives you a truer picture, saving me precious book time 📚
3- I think I’m done with this author. The writing style is not what I care to read, and I’ve had the same issues with all three books I’ve read from this author now - surface character development, lack of scene setting, lack of world building, lack of emotion in storytelling. I’m not expecting Austen, just something more engaging, and given the fact that there’s other authors in this genre (grumpy boss/spunky heroine) that I like better, I’m going to pass on Mathewson in the future and pick something else up instead 💁♀️
4- Now for my rant about the story, up to my DNF at 27% anyway, - how on earth has our heroine survived in life? I’m convinced she has untreated ADHD and has never learned to manage it. How on earth has someone who’s presented as a child genius never been able to hold a job? I was completely confused as to how the heroine ended up rudderless when she was supposedly a genius. It surely didn’t help that the author didn’t flesh out the character more, as too many holes were left in the character arc to satisfy this reader, and the underdeveloped writing became too much for me stomach to carry on to find out if this improved, so I got to the point where I didn’t care.
5- stop bashing accounting! Seriously! That just put me off, but that’s my personal hang up 😂
Overall, this is a DNF and a do not recommend. One lousy star. Save yourself and choose something else.
I’m stopping this at 27% and shelving to DNF. I just can’t take it anymore. It’s too horrible to go on; especially when there’s lots of other new releases this month (June 2022) that I could give a chance to instead of forcing my way through this torturous read.
Here’s why you should save yourself time and money and pick up something else to read:
1- like you, I was lured to download this one to my kindle due to the high number of four and five star reviews. Do not be fooled. I’m not sure who these people are that liked this enough to rate it that high, but it’s not going to be me. I would’ve given this two stars if I had lasted enough to actually read to maybe the halfway mark then skim to the finish, but I just didn’t care. I got off this train at 27% when the heroine “murmured” again for an un-stomach-able umpteenth time too many. Enough with the repetitive descriptors. To jump on what a fellow reviewer noted, this author could surely benefit by learning to utilize a thesaurus.
2- I have previously tried to read this author, and read the first two from Mathewson’s Neighbor From Hell series, which I also rated at one and two stars for books I and II, respectively. While I hadn’t loved either of those previous reads, I was willing to give this one a try - again due to the high number of positive reviews. Now I’m just convinced that reviews are influenced in some way and need to be taken objectively. This just proves to me the importance of following reviewers here on gr that are - like me, not like me, somewhat like me, in no way like me. Why? In my opinion, this makes sense because reviews are subjective and a greater sample of reviews gives you a truer picture, saving me precious book time 📚
3- I think I’m done with this author. The writing style is not what I care to read, and I’ve had the same issues with all three books I’ve read from this author now - surface character development, lack of scene setting, lack of world building, lack of emotion in storytelling. I’m not expecting Austen, just something more engaging, and given the fact that there’s other authors in this genre (grumpy boss/spunky heroine) that I like better, I’m going to pass on Mathewson in the future and pick something else up instead 💁♀️
4- Now for my rant about the story, up to my DNF at 27% anyway, - how on earth has our heroine survived in life? I’m convinced she has untreated ADHD and has never learned to manage it. How on earth has someone who’s presented as a child genius never been able to hold a job? I was completely confused as to how the heroine ended up rudderless when she was supposedly a genius. It surely didn’t help that the author didn’t flesh out the character more, as too many holes were left in the character arc to satisfy this reader, and the underdeveloped writing became too much for me stomach to carry on to find out if this improved, so I got to the point where I didn’t care.
5- stop bashing accounting! Seriously! That just put me off, but that’s my personal hang up 😂
Overall, this is a DNF and a do not recommend. One lousy star. Save yourself and choose something else.
September 30, 2022
Quick(ish) Review
This is a case of me wanting to like this but realizing that this formula has worn thin about 10 books ago (for me, at least). It’s not a Bradford tale (I think?) but the FMC is food obsessed (with sweets and bacon) and the romance feels as familiar as most Bradford stories. The humor was cute, but the central mystery is nonsensical, and the resolution is definitely for drama’s sake and again there's ALOT of repetition in descriptors that make it difficult to get lost in the story (if I read "solemn nod" once, I read it a thousand times, all I know is the FMC is small and nods solemnly). The characters don't really stand out on their own since there's so much that's left out. Since the plot doesn’t quite work, the romance is left holding the bag and it was only ok for me. Oh well. Onto to the next.
This is a case of me wanting to like this but realizing that this formula has worn thin about 10 books ago (for me, at least). It’s not a Bradford tale (I think?) but the FMC is food obsessed (with sweets and bacon) and the romance feels as familiar as most Bradford stories. The humor was cute, but the central mystery is nonsensical, and the resolution is definitely for drama’s sake and again there's ALOT of repetition in descriptors that make it difficult to get lost in the story (if I read "solemn nod" once, I read it a thousand times, all I know is the FMC is small and nods solemnly). The characters don't really stand out on their own since there's so much that's left out. Since the plot doesn’t quite work, the romance is left holding the bag and it was only ok for me. Oh well. Onto to the next.
June 1, 2022
This was a fun one. If you enjoy the cadence this author follows in how the characters speak and the odd ball things they do/say, this one is for you. I liked Andi, loved how she threw Devyn for a curve ball from the moment they met. She was totally not what he was looking for, but ended up being the best thing for him, career wise and personal wise. I liked how Andi figured it all out, save the day and then the two of them made their own future.
May 19, 2022
Well this was adorable. The prologue alone left me giggling. Andi and Devyn were a hoot together and the little mystery was fun too. I just wish it wasn’t in third person!
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May 22, 2022
Once upon a time, RL Mathewson was one of my favorite authors of all times, and NFH was one of my favorite series. I suppose it might be the fact that I have read almost every one of her books, or perhaps it is the fact that in more recent times, I mostly read the Neighbors from hell series and haven't read her recent YA stuff or the last couple pyte/sentinel books, but all her characters have gotten completely repetitive by this point. They all feel like they are from the Bradford family, which in turn has made the family lose all their uniqueness.
All the heroines are the exact same level of quirky, having some specific quirk (this one was unable to make coffee) which is overplayed to an extreme degree. The writing for the heroines has become soooo repetitive, what with "nodding" in about 10 different ways (nodding solemnly, nodding decisively, nodding slowly etc. etc.) about 90 times (not an exaggeration, I actually looked up the word "nod") throughout the book. I was so excited that she was publishing something outside the Bradford universe, but nope, it is basically yet another Bradford book.
The heroes are no better, they are almost cardboard cutouts at this point. Perhaps worse than the heroines.
The only reason I rated this 3 stars is out of old loyalty. If it were any other author, I would have rated this 1 star. I was trying to view this book from the perspective of a reader who was reading RLM for the first time, and realised that it probably reads even worse in that case. Most of the quirks of her writing have evolved over the NFH books to become what they are now. For a new reader, it must seem insane. The transitions between scenes are awkward and abrupt, and the characters had zero chemistry. It felt like 3-4 NFH books were put in a blender and pulsed a few times. Ugh, I hate being such a bitch but I am just venting my frustration. I think I need a long break from her writing, maybe then her writing will feel fresh again when I come back. Whatever happened to the era when she had books like Sudden Response, Reclusive Heart etc.? All her books have become so "uniform" by now. I am very disappointed as a reader who has followed her for 10 years or so.
All the heroines are the exact same level of quirky, having some specific quirk (this one was unable to make coffee) which is overplayed to an extreme degree. The writing for the heroines has become soooo repetitive, what with "nodding" in about 10 different ways (nodding solemnly, nodding decisively, nodding slowly etc. etc.) about 90 times (not an exaggeration, I actually looked up the word "nod") throughout the book. I was so excited that she was publishing something outside the Bradford universe, but nope, it is basically yet another Bradford book.
The heroes are no better, they are almost cardboard cutouts at this point. Perhaps worse than the heroines.
The only reason I rated this 3 stars is out of old loyalty. If it were any other author, I would have rated this 1 star. I was trying to view this book from the perspective of a reader who was reading RLM for the first time, and realised that it probably reads even worse in that case. Most of the quirks of her writing have evolved over the NFH books to become what they are now. For a new reader, it must seem insane. The transitions between scenes are awkward and abrupt, and the characters had zero chemistry. It felt like 3-4 NFH books were put in a blender and pulsed a few times. Ugh, I hate being such a bitch but I am just venting my frustration. I think I need a long break from her writing, maybe then her writing will feel fresh again when I come back. Whatever happened to the era when she had books like Sudden Response, Reclusive Heart etc.? All her books have become so "uniform" by now. I am very disappointed as a reader who has followed her for 10 years or so.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 27, 2022
So much mumbling, murmuring, muttering and groaning 😑
May 16, 2022
Oh, we got a little bit of mystery with our rom com this time around! Andi and Devyn were a lot of fun and kept each other on their toes. It didn’t take long for each of them to get the others’ number, and from there it was a short step to all the smoochies. Uncovering what was behind a corporate blunder only lead them to more intrigue. This had them spending loads of time together and getting even closer. Some injuries happen along the way, as do some laughs, and of course, falling in love. As always, fast paced and fun, loved these two and their story!
October 10, 2023
The Project was my reintroduction to R.L. Mathewson's writing and it checked all of my boxes—a hilarious and witty heroine, a workaholic hero who can be bossy but also down-to-earth, the workplace romance trope, and a relationship that was seriously cute and sexy. Andi and Devyn had chemistry in spades and I absolutely loved the progression in their relationship from boss and employee to so much more. It's in those moments where they bantered, sighed, and nodded at each other that made their interactions so impactful and precious to me. I also adored the side characters, especially Andi's twin brother Drew and even Nicholas who we briefly met when he tried to steal Andi away from the company and later in the end. I'm hoping that we'll get future books for them.
While the book primarily focuses on the developing romance between Devyn and Andi, it also highlights the project as well as the mystery behind who has been stealing money from Carta Hotels and trying to sabotage Devyn's position in the company. I was surprised and invested in this plot because the perpetrator was always one step ahead. Furthermore, Devyn only had a few months to defend his position as CEO and come up with an explanation for the project's failure provided a sense of urgency to the story. The character development for Devyn and Andi was done exceptionally well as they navigated this difficult situation. Devyn had made a promise to his dying mother that he would work hard and get himself out of the streets—and he did. Andi wanted so much more out of life and was trying to figure out what she wanted to do. Meeting Devyn gave her purpose, meaning, and a love that she never expected.
In the end, I loved this book and the funny shenanigans that Devyn and Andi pulled while trying to uncover everything. They were simply perfect for each other, especially after witnessing their witty banter and steamy moments together. I thought their relationship progressed very naturally considering how they went from being strangers to colleagues and then lovers. Weirdly enough, I never saw them as boss and employee because Andi was overqualified for the personal assistant position and she wasn't exactly good at that either, hilariously. It felt more like they were partners instead. I was also surprised by how spicy the love scenes were when they finally decided to take the next stage in their relationship. It has been a long time since I've read a R.L. Mathewson and this has renewed my love for her writing. If you love reading the office romance trope and romantic comedy, you won't be disappointed in this book. Devyn and Andi were spectacular characters and both charming and loveable in their own right.
*This ARC was generously provided by the author and publisher for an honest review*
"For most of her life, she'd felt lost, but when she was in Devyn's arms, she felt like she was exactly where she was supposed to be and that scared her."
While the book primarily focuses on the developing romance between Devyn and Andi, it also highlights the project as well as the mystery behind who has been stealing money from Carta Hotels and trying to sabotage Devyn's position in the company. I was surprised and invested in this plot because the perpetrator was always one step ahead. Furthermore, Devyn only had a few months to defend his position as CEO and come up with an explanation for the project's failure provided a sense of urgency to the story. The character development for Devyn and Andi was done exceptionally well as they navigated this difficult situation. Devyn had made a promise to his dying mother that he would work hard and get himself out of the streets—and he did. Andi wanted so much more out of life and was trying to figure out what she wanted to do. Meeting Devyn gave her purpose, meaning, and a love that she never expected.
"He was risking everything by being with her when he was already on the verge of losing everything."
In the end, I loved this book and the funny shenanigans that Devyn and Andi pulled while trying to uncover everything. They were simply perfect for each other, especially after witnessing their witty banter and steamy moments together. I thought their relationship progressed very naturally considering how they went from being strangers to colleagues and then lovers. Weirdly enough, I never saw them as boss and employee because Andi was overqualified for the personal assistant position and she wasn't exactly good at that either, hilariously. It felt more like they were partners instead. I was also surprised by how spicy the love scenes were when they finally decided to take the next stage in their relationship. It has been a long time since I've read a R.L. Mathewson and this has renewed my love for her writing. If you love reading the office romance trope and romantic comedy, you won't be disappointed in this book. Devyn and Andi were spectacular characters and both charming and loveable in their own right.
*This ARC was generously provided by the author and publisher for an honest review*
June 18, 2022
I simply love this author
Very sweet book about Andi and Devyn falling in love while auditing an embezzlement. It was amusing and it was hot and I just love the way she writes. Andi had an Eeyore fetish and was hilarious. Devyn was smoking hot and I loved their connection. You could feel it from the beginning. Just an entertaining read and I can't wait for the next one.
Very sweet book about Andi and Devyn falling in love while auditing an embezzlement. It was amusing and it was hot and I just love the way she writes. Andi had an Eeyore fetish and was hilarious. Devyn was smoking hot and I loved their connection. You could feel it from the beginning. Just an entertaining read and I can't wait for the next one.
May 20, 2022
Story: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Trope: taboo: boss/employee; forced proximity
Angst: 😱
Smexy: 🔥🔥🔥
Absolutely loved it! Andi is super genius smart, but is sick of always getting stuck in accounting. She goes to apply for a job at Carta Hotels and somehow gets hijacked into being Devyn MacGregor's assistant - despite being completely unqualified. The grumpy alphahole boss and the super quirky assistant find their attraction distracting - almost as distracting as the mystery of whom is stealing money from the hotels. The two are in a race against time to figure out who is setting Devyn up to take a fall.
This book is just super fun! Andi is hysterical. She tells the truth to a fault, is super snarky, but endearing in her earnestness all at the same time. Devyn is a man that has something to prove and Andi is the distraction that he doesn't need, but can't seem to resist. The writing is fantastic and there are tons of laugh out loud moments. Witty banter and a dash of mystery round out what is a slightly fantastical and endearingly quirky read. Left me with a smile on my face! Can't wait to see what's next!
⛔️ My bookshelves can sometimes contain spoilers
Trope: taboo: boss/employee; forced proximity
Angst: 😱
Smexy: 🔥🔥🔥
Absolutely loved it! Andi is super genius smart, but is sick of always getting stuck in accounting. She goes to apply for a job at Carta Hotels and somehow gets hijacked into being Devyn MacGregor's assistant - despite being completely unqualified. The grumpy alphahole boss and the super quirky assistant find their attraction distracting - almost as distracting as the mystery of whom is stealing money from the hotels. The two are in a race against time to figure out who is setting Devyn up to take a fall.
This book is just super fun! Andi is hysterical. She tells the truth to a fault, is super snarky, but endearing in her earnestness all at the same time. Devyn is a man that has something to prove and Andi is the distraction that he doesn't need, but can't seem to resist. The writing is fantastic and there are tons of laugh out loud moments. Witty banter and a dash of mystery round out what is a slightly fantastical and endearingly quirky read. Left me with a smile on my face! Can't wait to see what's next!
⛔️ My bookshelves can sometimes contain spoilers
May 18, 2022
How have I not read an R.L. Mathewson book before? I have several on my TBR and I actually own them LOL I was missing out. This was cute. There were some really sweet moments between Devyn and Andi. I also liked the mystery element that they worked on figuring out together. A good read :)
March 18, 2023
3.5 Stars
May 20, 2022
The Project is standalone, romantic comedy by author R.L. Mathewson. Dual POV with a happy ending.
By the numbers quick review:
★ Character dev.: 👤👤👤👤
★ Plot: 📚📚📚📚
★ World building: 🌎🌎🌎
★ Romance: 💕💕💕💕
★ Sexiness: 🔥🔥🔥
★ Overall Rating: 3.6
★ I was given an ARC of this title by the author via Wildfire Marketing. I am voluntarily reading and reviewing it.
★ Check out all my book edits over at my Bookstagram
By the numbers quick review:
★ Character dev.: 👤👤👤👤
★ Plot: 📚📚📚📚
★ World building: 🌎🌎🌎
★ Romance: 💕💕💕💕
★ Sexiness: 🔥🔥🔥
★ Overall Rating: 3.6
★ I was given an ARC of this title by the author via Wildfire Marketing. I am voluntarily reading and reviewing it.
★ Check out all my book edits over at my Bookstagram
May 24, 2022
cute and sweet.
January 21, 2023
The Project by R.L. Mathewson was a witty, adorable and entertaining rom com. This workplace romance was so much fun with a side of twists and turns. Andi is unique and quirky and you will fall for her colourful personality. Devyn is brooding and alpha and all kinds of gorgeous. Their banter is the life of this story.
Andi has always been special with her special intellectual abilities. When she appeared for the interview at Carta Hotels office, she had just one goal. To not be sent to accounts section. Devyn McGregor, the CEO of Carta Hotels gives her the job of his personal assistant. Then Andi saves him from signing a bad deal that would have ended his career. And he immediately asks her to find out about everything that's wrong with Carta Hotels. They start falling for each other while the conspiracies are surrounding them.
It took me a bit of time to get into the story as it's told in third person pov. I always love a smart and sharp heroine. Andi is exactly that. She has a different personality. Her single minded focus and dedication to anything she is working on can make her isolated but her genius brain is really envious. And she has an amazing sense of humor. On the other hand, Devyn is always serious and under a lot of pressure. None of them a conventional happy childhood but Devyn had it tougher. And he always keep on trying to keep his past behind. He is brooding and alpha and this story is rocking the grumpy- sunshine trope. He is reluctant to let anyone in but Andi slowly penetrated his heart with her persistent smarta## personality. It was a bit like a mystery rom com as Devyn and Andi had quite an adventure finding clues and figuring out the true enemy of Carta Hotels. They have such a sweet and sassy friendship that made me laugh and swoon. And then they ventured into the emotional relationship part. The chemistry is fierce. The Project by R.L. Mathewson was a real entertainer with flirty steamy heartfelt emotions.
I reviewed an early copy voluntarily
Andi has always been special with her special intellectual abilities. When she appeared for the interview at Carta Hotels office, she had just one goal. To not be sent to accounts section. Devyn McGregor, the CEO of Carta Hotels gives her the job of his personal assistant. Then Andi saves him from signing a bad deal that would have ended his career. And he immediately asks her to find out about everything that's wrong with Carta Hotels. They start falling for each other while the conspiracies are surrounding them.
It took me a bit of time to get into the story as it's told in third person pov. I always love a smart and sharp heroine. Andi is exactly that. She has a different personality. Her single minded focus and dedication to anything she is working on can make her isolated but her genius brain is really envious. And she has an amazing sense of humor. On the other hand, Devyn is always serious and under a lot of pressure. None of them a conventional happy childhood but Devyn had it tougher. And he always keep on trying to keep his past behind. He is brooding and alpha and this story is rocking the grumpy- sunshine trope. He is reluctant to let anyone in but Andi slowly penetrated his heart with her persistent smarta## personality. It was a bit like a mystery rom com as Devyn and Andi had quite an adventure finding clues and figuring out the true enemy of Carta Hotels. They have such a sweet and sassy friendship that made me laugh and swoon. And then they ventured into the emotional relationship part. The chemistry is fierce. The Project by R.L. Mathewson was a real entertainer with flirty steamy heartfelt emotions.
I reviewed an early copy voluntarily
May 24, 2022
Only a few chapters in and it’s falling flat for me.
Update....it didn’t get better the more I read. Reading this book is like drinking flat soda. The characters didn’t have chemistry/ connection and the writing had ZERO emotions. Not one time did I feel anything other than annoyance at how bland the book was.
Update....it didn’t get better the more I read. Reading this book is like drinking flat soda. The characters didn’t have chemistry/ connection and the writing had ZERO emotions. Not one time did I feel anything other than annoyance at how bland the book was.
May 21, 2022
RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
STEAM: 🔥🔥🔥.5
I have absolutely forgotten how much I loved the Neighbor from Hell series and this book is a great reminder of that.
Devyn has a problem. Make that a few, actually. Not only can he not retain a decent assistant, but he also has a big business merger coming up. This is a make-or-break move for the Carta Hotel CEO, whose contract ends in a few months.
Enter Andi Dawson. She is quirky, focused, and determined. Was quirky already mentioned? She has a natural talent for numbers, but the day-to-day monotony of accounting just does not appeal to her. She thought that perhaps being an executive assistant might be a nice change of pace. Until her penchant for math leads her to believe that the upcoming merger could be disastrous for Carta. She's not just sure how to tell her boss...
This book has made me fall in love with R.L. Mathewson's writing all over again. I absolutely love the trope in which a MC has a character quirk that only her family -- chosen or natural-born -- could love but somehow finds someone who thinks it is absolutely adorable.
Devyn had zero chance of escaping Andi's charms, and the arc in which the two underwent to get to their happily ever after was definitely one of the enjoyable literary journeys I've had this year. I love the additional layer of mystery in trying to find out who is behind the corporate sabotage, and I definitely cheered that Andi and her brilliant mind are in the thick of capturing the perpetrator.
If you have not cracked open an R.L. Mathewson book and you love quirky romantic comedies, I highly recommend picking one up now.
** I am voluntarily reviewing an advance copy of this book. Thank you to R.L. Mathewson and Wildfire Marketing for providing an ARC. **
STEAM: 🔥🔥🔥.5
I have absolutely forgotten how much I loved the Neighbor from Hell series and this book is a great reminder of that.
Devyn has a problem. Make that a few, actually. Not only can he not retain a decent assistant, but he also has a big business merger coming up. This is a make-or-break move for the Carta Hotel CEO, whose contract ends in a few months.
Enter Andi Dawson. She is quirky, focused, and determined. Was quirky already mentioned? She has a natural talent for numbers, but the day-to-day monotony of accounting just does not appeal to her. She thought that perhaps being an executive assistant might be a nice change of pace. Until her penchant for math leads her to believe that the upcoming merger could be disastrous for Carta. She's not just sure how to tell her boss...
This book has made me fall in love with R.L. Mathewson's writing all over again. I absolutely love the trope in which a MC has a character quirk that only her family -- chosen or natural-born -- could love but somehow finds someone who thinks it is absolutely adorable.
Devyn had zero chance of escaping Andi's charms, and the arc in which the two underwent to get to their happily ever after was definitely one of the enjoyable literary journeys I've had this year. I love the additional layer of mystery in trying to find out who is behind the corporate sabotage, and I definitely cheered that Andi and her brilliant mind are in the thick of capturing the perpetrator.
If you have not cracked open an R.L. Mathewson book and you love quirky romantic comedies, I highly recommend picking one up now.
** I am voluntarily reviewing an advance copy of this book. Thank you to R.L. Mathewson and Wildfire Marketing for providing an ARC. **
May 23, 2022
It had lots of potential as an office romance and given the wit & humour that Mathewson is famous for, it could've been a spectacular comic thriller.
It started very promisingly. The backdrop is Corporate theft and finance fraud. Andi Dawson is a numbers whiz, yet she hates accounting. So she shifts profession to being the BEST-WORST Assistant ever to Carta Hotels youngest CEO, Devyn MacGregor. He is under a lot of pressure to close the takeover deal with Hillshire Hotels or the board will look for a replacement.
Somebody is undercutting him, skimming money and threatening his position in the company.
It's all very cut and dry. Andi helps him with her smart as whip brains that subconsciously starts to figure out the entangled mess cause she's wired that way.
The phrase "Murmured", at times in conjunction with "absently", was written a whopping 146 times!! (I checked).
It was like at every page. That irked me a bit.
Also "shrugged" was the oft repeated action by all the characters.
A thesaurus or a better editor would've solved the problem.
And the heroine was supposed to be quirky, but bordered more on weird. The romance between Devyn & Andi went from flirtation to bend-over-the-desk sex in 0.4 seconds flat.
No prep, no lead up..
Maybe it's just me. But please go read this book if you like office romances
3 stars
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It started very promisingly. The backdrop is Corporate theft and finance fraud. Andi Dawson is a numbers whiz, yet she hates accounting. So she shifts profession to being the BEST-WORST Assistant ever to Carta Hotels youngest CEO, Devyn MacGregor. He is under a lot of pressure to close the takeover deal with Hillshire Hotels or the board will look for a replacement.
Somebody is undercutting him, skimming money and threatening his position in the company.
It's all very cut and dry. Andi helps him with her smart as whip brains that subconsciously starts to figure out the entangled mess cause she's wired that way.
The phrase "Murmured", at times in conjunction with "absently", was written a whopping 146 times!! (I checked).
It was like at every page. That irked me a bit.
Also "shrugged" was the oft repeated action by all the characters.
A thesaurus or a better editor would've solved the problem.
And the heroine was supposed to be quirky, but bordered more on weird. The romance between Devyn & Andi went from flirtation to bend-over-the-desk sex in 0.4 seconds flat.
No prep, no lead up..
Maybe it's just me. But please go read this book if you like office romances
3 stars
Follow me on:
Email🌻 Bookbub 🌻 Twitter🌻 Instagram🌻 Blog🌻 Facebook🌻 Amazon 🌻
June 8, 2022
2,5 stars!!!
May 20, 2022
I really think the humor missed the mark for me on this one for it to be a romantic comedy. Not enough for me. Andi is a super smart woman at numbers, saved Devyn from a purchase disaster. I just think things moved too fast and I wasn't a fan of the couple and wanted more tension between the two. This wasn't a typical Boss/employee romance. I think some of the plot w/the numbers specially was interesting. I just wanted more in this story.
I received this book at my request and have voluntarily left this unbiased review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I received this book at my request and have voluntarily left this unbiased review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
June 5, 2022
Surface-level Characters
The writing style really wasn't appealing to me as well, there were a lot of run on sentences in the first half. In the second half, sentences were cut off with em-dashes or ellipses much of the time. Andi, the FMC, is a genius but everything she says is described as muttering, mumbling, grumbling or said with a sigh. There's a lot of sighing in this book. Both MCs characterizations are incredibly Surface-level. How can a reader enjoy characters if they are not known? I paid for this book and I deeply regret it.
The writing style really wasn't appealing to me as well, there were a lot of run on sentences in the first half. In the second half, sentences were cut off with em-dashes or ellipses much of the time. Andi, the FMC, is a genius but everything she says is described as muttering, mumbling, grumbling or said with a sigh. There's a lot of sighing in this book. Both MCs characterizations are incredibly Surface-level. How can a reader enjoy characters if they are not known? I paid for this book and I deeply regret it.
June 8, 2022
A romance with a mystery on the side? Normally I'd be up for it, however this one left me slightly irritated. Halfway through, the book loses its charm, all the character development goes through the window and we're left with a laughable mystery. Also, there's so much mumbling, muttering and groaning (the last one both from the MCs and me, a reader against all odds), there's a bit of wonder the MCs were still able to hear each other.
June 24, 2022
3.7 Stars
This was a fun and okay read. An office romance with interesting and funny characters and a little bit of suspense. It was good but from halfway through, the book loses its charm and I think we deserved a better epilogue.
This was a fun and okay read. An office romance with interesting and funny characters and a little bit of suspense. It was good but from halfway through, the book loses its charm and I think we deserved a better epilogue.
August 22, 2022
I really wanted to love this book more but it was just okay. I missed the usual comic relief that I've come to know RL Mathewson by. By no means was this a bad story. It was just unexpected and a little dry.
Andi is a bit of an odd, quirky gal bordering on weird. She a math genius who hates accounting LOL.
Devyn has gone through too many assistants to count, so when Andi applies for a job (not specifically the assistant job) he hires her on the spot because he needs someone quick. These two were polar opposites of each other but they worked well together.
Throw in a little who done it - as Andi helps Devyn figure out who is stealing from their company. And you've got a good read. If you love office romance with quirky characters then this might be the book for you!
Andi is a bit of an odd, quirky gal bordering on weird. She a math genius who hates accounting LOL.
Devyn has gone through too many assistants to count, so when Andi applies for a job (not specifically the assistant job) he hires her on the spot because he needs someone quick. These two were polar opposites of each other but they worked well together.
Throw in a little who done it - as Andi helps Devyn figure out who is stealing from their company. And you've got a good read. If you love office romance with quirky characters then this might be the book for you!
May 21, 2022
I have to say The Project was filled with a ton of goodness to keep me fully invested from the first to last page so I devoured it in one sitting. Devyn is a workaholic man who only has a little bit of time to defend his CEO position so he's a bit frustrated quite a bit of the time. Andi works for Devyn, and while the sparks are flying, she frustrates him to no end which had me laughing a great deal throughout. I mean it was instantly apparent to me that they were perfect for each other, but an office romance definitely has its challenges. I loved their progression into romance but here's where it got really good for me, the surprising intrigue that had me on the edge of my seat. See, someone is doing their level best to sabotage Devyn, and no matter how hard he tried, that person was always one step ahead. So yeah, there's heat, humor, office intrigue, AND a supporting cast who only made the story better than perfect! You don't want to let this one pass you by as I HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
November 16, 2022
I'm such a huge fan of Mathewson that anything she writes, I will read it. I'm glad that I am part of her mailing list so that I can get updates much faster! This book is so adorable and I love how the writing process goes. I laughed my head off while reading lol.
May 19, 2022
The Project by R.L. Mathewson
The Project is about Andi Dawson who applied for an assistant position to Devyn MacGregor, CEO of Carta Hotels. She’s a woman who is easily distracted and can’t multitask, but she was very gifted and good with numbers hence, she discovered that funds have been embezzled by an unknown account. Devyn as much as he was willing to fire the “pain in the ass’ woman can’t deny that he needed her, so he hired her for a different Project for them to know who the person behind the embezzlement is. Devyn can’t deny that the Andi has taken over his life, the woman was too cute, and their attraction sealed the deal that they are a team. This book is fast paced, and the author made work her charm to keep me in my toes. I found myself laughing at Andi’s quirkiness and swooning for Devyn. There is really something about R.L Mathewson’s writing that I always love!
The Project is about Andi Dawson who applied for an assistant position to Devyn MacGregor, CEO of Carta Hotels. She’s a woman who is easily distracted and can’t multitask, but she was very gifted and good with numbers hence, she discovered that funds have been embezzled by an unknown account. Devyn as much as he was willing to fire the “pain in the ass’ woman can’t deny that he needed her, so he hired her for a different Project for them to know who the person behind the embezzlement is. Devyn can’t deny that the Andi has taken over his life, the woman was too cute, and their attraction sealed the deal that they are a team. This book is fast paced, and the author made work her charm to keep me in my toes. I found myself laughing at Andi’s quirkiness and swooning for Devyn. There is really something about R.L Mathewson’s writing that I always love!
September 20, 2022
I don’t DNF books a lot but this one hit a lot of triggers of mine very quickly. I don’t like when we’re told that a H/h is a genius by having them skip grades, do complex math in their head (it’s always math! Why?!), or speed read, and that’s exactly how this one starts. But then I hate when you are told the heroine is a genus yet all her actions and words make her TSTL. I think one review said she might have ADHD and that was most accurate — she kept being described as in her own world, unable to break out of her thoughts, or getting too distracted by other things. Then if that wasn’t bad enough you had to make her an executive assistant which just hits one of my pet peeves. As an EA myself it’s rarely ever done the occupation justice — especially not in romance novels where it features way too much — and this one definitely wasn’t any better. She kept bashing how she’s a genius at math but doesn’t want to go into accounting and it wasn’t mentioned once, it was said upwards of 10x and that was her only career aspirations: to not be in accounting. There’s much more to finance than only being “good at math” and many other depts in finance than accounting she could have thought about! The entire company aspect didn’t make any sense at all and was hard to get behind since that was pretty much the storyline: figuring out why this deal was fraudulent (how they didn’t get audited financials to look at, I have NO idea) and then figuring out who in the company was embezzling.
Then you get a nonsensical plot where she accepts a job as an EA in the elevator where she doesn’t know who she’s talking to (of course she does, and of course the job is offered that easily). He’s supposed to be this hard nose boss that makes all his past EAs cry — that definitely doesn’t come through as he spends the entire time taking care of her. The insta love/attraction part of the story also got old and the fact that she lets herself into his place to take care of him at the start made absolutely no sense. She literally gets hired then spends 24/7 with him — sitting in his lap, helping him bathe, etc. wayy overstepping any kind of work boundaries that should exist with your boss. She mostly just was supposed to be this genius but acted like a big kid the entire time that wasn’t endearing despite how many times the H of the story called her “f*cking adorable” (way too many times).
I got about 50% and I’m putting this one down because it just made me roll my eyes. I did get this story for free for an honest review and so because of that I’ll try to push through and finish it — but so far I’m not holding my breath for it to be a good one. Sad because I really enjoyed the other book from this author I read (Playing for Keeps).
Then you get a nonsensical plot where she accepts a job as an EA in the elevator where she doesn’t know who she’s talking to (of course she does, and of course the job is offered that easily). He’s supposed to be this hard nose boss that makes all his past EAs cry — that definitely doesn’t come through as he spends the entire time taking care of her. The insta love/attraction part of the story also got old and the fact that she lets herself into his place to take care of him at the start made absolutely no sense. She literally gets hired then spends 24/7 with him — sitting in his lap, helping him bathe, etc. wayy overstepping any kind of work boundaries that should exist with your boss. She mostly just was supposed to be this genius but acted like a big kid the entire time that wasn’t endearing despite how many times the H of the story called her “f*cking adorable” (way too many times).
I got about 50% and I’m putting this one down because it just made me roll my eyes. I did get this story for free for an honest review and so because of that I’ll try to push through and finish it — but so far I’m not holding my breath for it to be a good one. Sad because I really enjoyed the other book from this author I read (Playing for Keeps).
February 19, 2025
This had a potentially good plot, but was buried under the use of the same 10 phrases that cropped up on every page and sometimes multiple times in paragraphs.
P.S. While the heroine is obviously super intelligent--which drives the entire plot--it is hard for an adult reader to take her seriously when she spends almost the entire novel in bed, mumbling, muttering, murmuring, sighing, sniffling, biting her lip, whispering, whimpering, on and on into infinitum. I just can't. It was humorout the first time I read it, but by the umpteenth, the reading experience was more the "I want to throw this book against the wall, then stomp on it" level of pleasurable.
Recommended if you enjoy repetitive tics and phrases smothering what could have been a good book. And if you enjoy this author's sense of humor. (I do, but about 75% of it needs to be edited out as the repetition drowns the story.)
I read a lot but I don't know that I've ever read a book that so badly needed a professional editor to cut out the repetitive phrases.
P.S. While the heroine is obviously super intelligent--which drives the entire plot--it is hard for an adult reader to take her seriously when she spends almost the entire novel in bed, mumbling, muttering, murmuring, sighing, sniffling, biting her lip, whispering, whimpering, on and on into infinitum. I just can't. It was humorout the first time I read it, but by the umpteenth, the reading experience was more the "I want to throw this book against the wall, then stomp on it" level of pleasurable.
Recommended if you enjoy repetitive tics and phrases smothering what could have been a good book. And if you enjoy this author's sense of humor. (I do, but about 75% of it needs to be edited out as the repetition drowns the story.)
I read a lot but I don't know that I've ever read a book that so badly needed a professional editor to cut out the repetitive phrases.
June 21, 2022
Bad. Not much more to add. Perhaps this just isn’t for me anymore but it really was just bad.
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