The Billionaire's Assistant

Billionaire Brothers #1

by Penelope Ryan

One night. No names. No limits.

Until he walks into the boardroom—and she realizes her wildest night just became her new reality.

Olivia Reilly never expected the man who rocked her world to be her new billionaire boss. Cold, commanding Asher King acts like he doesn't remember her—but the way he watches her says otherwise.

Quitting isn’t an option. Olivia needs the job to save her childhood home, even if it means enduring Asher’s icy glares and blistering tension. To cover the purchase of her late family’s estate, she takes on a secret, scandalous side gig … one that draws the attention of a dangerous stalker.

When Asher sees the bruises, all bets are off. His possessive side ignites, and the man who’s always kept his distance suddenly wants to claim her—for good.

She was never meant to fall for her boss.

He was never supposed to break his own rules.

But their chemistry could burn down everything in its path.

A sizzling romance, and the first in the Billionaire Brothers series, this book is as hot as they come.

Tropes: billionaire boss, enemies to lovers, possessive alpha male, forced proximity, touch her and die, office romance

Buy The Billionaire's Assistant now for the perfect spicy billionaire fix!

Genres: Romance, Workplace Romance, Audiobook, Billionaire Romance, Novella, Amazon, Fiction

203 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 15, 2023

Reviews

[Kendra Renae · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️2.75 🌶️3


If you want smut w basically no plot and going in circles this is def it for you . I love novellas , but I feel like this should’ve just been an actual lengthy book bc it was so much potential like I actually wanted more plot , but it’s a cute little read . Smut was definitely smutting tho 👏🏾

[Sabrina · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick and dirty read. For that, it was good. Very fast moving and not a lot of depth in the characters, but it delivered what it promised

[Alison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read 2: ok it’s a straight up five stars lol. I love the moment when she’s working at the topless bar and she runs into him. She just can’t catch a break! lol. And he was soooo protective with the stalker/attack thing. Swoon!

4.5 rounded up to 5 stars.

I really enjoyed this book and I’m not a fan of the one night stand trope. The only thing is that I wished it were longer.

[Kristy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had the pleasure of listening to this via Netgalley. This is a good quick spicy read that starts as a one night stand and to realize the MCs will be working together as PA and boss. I do feel this starts off good but then feels rushed at the end. I also would’ve liked to have Asher’s POV.

[Katie Strauss · Rating 2 out of 5]

Actual garbage lol

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spicy quick novella read!
Poor Olivia lol The woman can not catch a break! Our FMC needs money to save her family home, has the best 🌶 of her life with a guy......who turns out to be her new boss! Then said boss ends up face to face (well, not quite 🤣) with her at her second job. As if it wasn't enough, Olivia catches the eye of a stalker along the way!
Asher is a billionaire with strict boundaries who breaks them all for Olivia. He goes full-on possessive touch her and bye after seeing bruises. He is 🔥🥵!
This Novella is short, spicy, fun, and a all round great time! Was a brilliant pallet cleanser after a disappointing read, and I really enjoyed it.
I find it a little funny people are marking it down for not enough plot and character development when it's as advertised, a spicy novella/short story (203 pages/just over 3 hours audio). If you are after a full-length book, this one won't be for you. For the length, you do get to see a decent amount of character back story and emotional vulnerability. It is spicy as that's the point, so expect the spice to be spicing lol.
The audiobook is read by Amelia Hugh, who did an incredible job. She has a brilliant range, and honestly you would have thought there was a male narrator too. I absolutely loved it and would definitely recommend the audiobook.
Thank you, netgalley and Tantor Media/Audio for the ALC! I can't wait for the rest of the series!

[Kez Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a spicy novella with some insta lust, a one night stand, and workplace drama. The MMC is a dominant and possessive billionaire CEO, and Olivia is his sweet new personal assistant.
I liked the tension, and the added suspense from her stalker and secret second job.
It's a short read so everything happened pretty quickly, I would have loved a longer book to see more from these characters and their steamy interactions.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm going to have to agree with the other folks who gave this book 2 stars - the bones of a decent story are in here, but it needed to be MUCH longer to flesh them out. Everything about this book was rushed to the point where the hero and heroine's actions didn't make sense. And you definitely don't believe the HEA at the end.

And there are are a couple of elements to this story that are EXTREMELY PROBLEMATIC and yet the moral implications are never even touched on, let alone explored in any depth.


The story opens with the heroine, Olivia, going to some fancy bar. She's there with a friend, but that girl quickly abandons Olivia to go off and dance with random guys. Olivia goes to the bar to get a drink and our hero, Asher, says to put it on his tab. A few scant sentences later and Olivia has now had several whiskey sours and is firmly under the influence. That's when Asher asks if she'd like to "get out of there." She agrees and he takes her across the street to a fancy hotel.

Olivia asks if her Mystery Man (they have not exchanged names, despite spending quite a while laughing and drinking together at the bar) if he's from out of town and he tells her that "his company" keeps several rooms at this hotel available for use at all times. And Olivia doesn't even bat an eye at this suggestion. She doesn't stop to think about the hundreds of thousands of dollars that would cost "his company" every year to keep multiple rooms just standing empty waiting in case someone needed a place to fuck a one-night stand. Not even when he takes her to the fucking penthouse suite! So, right here, either our heroine is a blithering idiot or she's so drunk that she's not firing on all cylinders. Either way, she's not capable of consenting...but that doesn't stop Asher. He's got no issues whatsoever with sleeping with her in this state.

So, they bang and she immediately gets up to leave. And he lets her! He's not, like, instantly infatuated with her or anything like that. He just viewed her as some chick he picked up at the bar. He never gets her name and when she asks for his on her way out the door, he says it's hotter if they keep it a mystery. So, he had NO PLANS to ever contact her again. He didn't get her number or make arrangements to meet again or anything. This was 100% a one-night stand for him.

Next day, Olivia starts her new job with a massive hangover. And it turns out she's Asher's new personal assistant...and yet she's never met him. He's also one of the richest men in town, and she's apparently never even looked up a PICTURE of him. Yeah, I'm going to have to call bullshit on this. This is just blatant plot contrivance so that she can not know who he is when she meets him in the bar.

Anyway, Asher's "face goes white" and then he pretends like he doesn't know her and they proceed to have a week of strictly business interactions. The whole book is from Olivia's perspective so we, as the reader, know that she noticed Asher's face going white in that first scene because she's the one who told us about it, but now her inner monolog is going on about how he must not have recognized her because he's acting strictly professional. It doesn't make any sense and makes Olivia come off as kind of childish.

Elsewhere, we find that Olivia's beloved father recently passed away and she's in desperate need for money in order to keep his house from being sold to cover his medical debts. The friend who went to the bar with her, Courtney, suggests that Olivia could make some fast cash by working a the gentleman's club Courtney works at. All she has to do is waitress....topless. Olivia is completely shocked by this suggestion. Even though Courtney is her ONLY friend, we're expected to believe that she had no idea what Courtney did for a living? Sure....

Towards the end of Olivia's first week, she makes a stupid mistake by scheduling a meeting for Asher at 2 am instead of 2 pm. Asher reprimands her for it and she leaves childishly feeling like he "hates" her. So, since she now feels like her day job is in jeopardy, she decides to waitress at the topless club. She talks herself into it by saying that it's "barely sex work" because the patrons aren't allowed to touch the girls at all so it's just voyeurism. It's also extremely well paid and she makes more in 4 hours than she does in a week at her real job.

On her second night there, of course Asher turns up at the club. He again pretends he doesn't know her. Which, again, just goes to painting a picture that Olivia really isn't special to him. He's kind of lame as the hero. He picked her up in a bar because she was convenient. And being in close proximity to her at work didn't affect him at all, as far as we can tell. There haven't been any smoldering glances or anything like that. And now we're in a situation where he sees her being ogled by tons of other men and he doesn't do anything. There is no alpha "you're mine and no one else gets to see what's mine" energy from him. Lame.

Also on this night, Olivia finds a note in her locker at the club saying something like "I wish you were mine." She stupidly brushes this off as being a leftover note from the locker's previous owner. She's dreading going to work on Monday and facing Asher again, but nothing happens when she gets there. They just keep working like usual.

When they do finally touch on the subject of the club, Olivia says she works there because she likes it, rather than just telling the truth about her need for extra cash. I don't know why she would go that route when she's already supposedly worried about keeping her job with Asher. I mean, I could see him saying that he can't have his personal assistant working in a place like that because it's highly likely that some of his business associates might go in the club and see her there. That it would project the wrong image for his business. And her claiming to just be doing it for the love of the job suggests that she's a woman of low moral character who makes poor judgement calls. I would expect him to fire her if she refused to give up the topless job...but he doesn't. He just nods and accepts that what she does in her own time is none of his business. Sure, I believe that.

Two days later, Olivia picks up another shift at the club and finds another note in her locker. She still does not tell anyone about it, and never stops to question how this person is getting INTO her locker to leave these notes. I mean, wouldn't the club have cameras everywhere? Surely, they could have figured out who was leaving the notes if she'd just spoken up? But Olivia is an idiot so she doesn't tell anyone. Then she goes outside and a man in a ski mask tries to kidnap her.

Yeah, that escalated quickly, didn't it? She manages to get away and drives back to her apartment in hysterics...but doesn't call the police. She also STILL DOESN'T TELL HER MANAGER AT THE CLUB. For fucks' sake, woman! Someone assaulted and tried to kidnap you on their property! Again, they must have cameras! Why wouldn't you take steps to nail this guy? Why wouldn't you assume he'd try again the next time you're working at the club? Because, yes, she has every intention of going back to work at the club. This just isn't believable. No one in their right mind would react the way Olivia is reacting.

Next morning, she finds a bad bruise on her cheek from the altercation. She covers it with concealer and goes to work. At the end of the day, Asher calls her into his office and we get the scene I saw on Instagram that made me pick up this book in the first place. It's really the best scene in the book...right up until it turns into one of those EXTREMELY PROBLEMATIC situations I mentioned earlier.

See, the scene starts out good, with Asher suddenly acting like the alpha hero I'd expected him to be the whole time. He notices the bruise on Olivia's cheek, and then the ones on her wrist that she somehow didn't notice herself all day. And when she explains about the attempted kidnapping, he insists she quit working at the club. She says the money is too good and he says that he'll pay her to walk around topless for him instead, if that's what she wants. He says he'll double what she's getting paid at the club. And then he starts unbuttoning her shirt.

They proceed to have sex right then and there on his desk. And he says a lot of things about her being a "good little assistant" as he's fucking her. As soon as they're finished, he tells her to email him the amount she made at the club and he'll make sure twice that amount is in her account by tomorrow. And, sure enough, next morning the money is there so Olivia quits her job at the club.

So, you see how fucked up this scenario just got, right? There is a huge imbalance of power in this situation. He's her boss, and holds her job in his hands. And, what they just engaged in was PROSTITUTION. He literally paid her for sex, and she accepted it. This is a woman who just a week ago was dithering over whether she could bring herself to waitress topless because it was borderline sex work. And now she's okay with literally prostituting herself to him? HO-LY SHIT.

AND THIS IS NEVER ADDRESSED. She never thinks about what she's just become, EVER. Not even later in the story where things get even more fucked up.

After this first encounter, Olivia goes home to her apartment one night and finds another note from her stalker. It was stuck in the doorframe of her home. So, this guy knows where she lives. So, she freaks out and calls Asher, who immediately comes to get her and takes her back to his place. They talk briefly about how he's got this massive place, but that it feels kind of empty and lonely. They also discuss, for the first time, that neither of them currently has a significant other, which is definitely something that should have been covered before they had sex twice. When Olivia asks why he's single when surely a mega-hot billionaire like himself is in high demand, he says it's because it's been hard to find people who like him for him, not for his money.

A day or two passes with them driving to work together in the morning (which, allegedly, no one notices or cares about, yeah right). And then one night Olivia just suddenly goes off the reservation and starts saying that she "knows" Asher isn't really attracted to her and that the only reason he slept with her in his office was to "convince" her to quit the club. It makes no sense at all, considering that he also picked her up in a bar.

She goes to take a shower and he follows her in there and says that he definitely is attracted to her, and has been fantasizing about screwing her every way he can think of, including in the shower. So, they do that, and he doesn't use a condom, after he asked if she was "on something" and her just nodding her head. Feels like they should have been a lot more explicit about making sure she was on birth control, and that neither of them had any communicable diseases before doing this but, whatever.

And after they've finished this little romp in the shower? Asher puts the same 2x her club salary into her account. So, he paid her for sex, again. And she is actually elated about this, because she'd recently found out she has even less time than she thought to save her father's house. And she actually thinks that a few more sex sessions with Asher and she'll have all the money she needs.

Holy Fucking Shit. This whole scenario was so completely fucked up. Here Asher is talking about how he hasn't been able to find a woman who doesn't want him for his money, while his current bang partner is a LITERAL PROSTITUTE. And, although the author doesn't have Olivia thinking this outright, it's kind of implied that a person in her position - desperate for money and getting paid every time she fucks Asher - would benefit from going on the offensive. I mean, up to this point, Asher has initiated all of their sexual encounters. But who's to say he has to be the one to get the ball rolling? If she just sidled up to him and started feeling him up, he'd probably oblige and take things all the way, right? And since she needs money so desperately, why wouldn't she just do that?

You see how incredibly fucked up this relationship dynamic is? She's literally using him for money. All the money she's living off of right now comes from him. And she's staying in his house to boot! She's dependent on him, but also using him. And he's in a position of extreme power over her, but also having to pay for her affections. This is not a good foundation for a lasting relationship, people!

All throughout the book, Asher and Olivia have been preparing for some big presentation and the day of that presentation finally arrives. Asher calls her into his office that morning and asks to practice his presentation on her. After he's done, he says he's got time to fuck her on his desk before the big meeting. So, they do that, and it's described as Olivia "screaming" out her orgasm, yet apparently no one in the outer office hears them? Also, Asher is once again calling her a "good little assistant" which I'm sure was meant to feel very dom-sub but for me just reinforced the power imbalance between them, again.

They go to this big meeting and one of the outside business men makes a very obvious production of staring at Olivia the whole time. Now, you might think that a hero would take notice of some guy ogling his woman, but our hero does not. Olivia thinks this guy looks vaguely familiar but can't place him.

Obviously, this guy turns out to be her stalker/would-be kidnapper from the club and he corners her in the break room after the meeting to very boldly try to manhandle her. It's ridiculous because she's in a public place and anyone could walk in on them, not to mention that Olivia could just scream, which she never even considers doing. Lucky for her, Asher walks in and demands to know what's going on. The business man tries to play it off like a friendly chat and walks away but Olivia collapses into tears and explains that he's her attacker. Asher rushes off to throw the guy out of his building and then returns to insist Olivia go with him to the police station to file a restraining order. Because that's a thing you can just get with virtually no proof. Asher also says he "knows a guy" who will go have a little chat with the bad guy and that will scare him well enough that he'll never bother Olivia again.

It was pretty unsatisfying, honestly, because it was all so toothless. This stalker guy went from just meeting Olivia to actively trying to kidnap her in just a few days. That's a straight psychopath. And he's also, apparently, a highly successful business man. Now, I know there's a statistic out there which says something like 25% of all CEOs are certifiable psychopaths but you only get to that level of success if you're a SMART psycho. The dumb psychos just get themselves caught the first time they do something criminal because they're DUMB. So, for our bad guy to be such a successful business man, he must be smart...and yet we're expected to believe that he'd just walk right up and harass Olivia in a building full of her coworkers and expect to get away with it? No. That's TSTL villain territory there.

And then he's just hand-waved away with vague "Asher took care of it" statements. Lame. I'm sure this was supposed to make Asher look capable and like he was protecting his woman, but it didn't come across that way. In fact, it just shone a spotlight on the fact that he hadn't taken ANY action to protect her prior to this, aside from letting her live in his house. Why hadn't he insisted she go to the police as soon as he found out about the attempted kidnapping? Why didn't he get his personal security team on the job of pulling the camera footage from her attack and figuring out who the bad guy was? Why didn't he put a bodyguard on her? Toothless.

Anyway, now that the threat is gone, Asher just drops Olivia off at her apartment after work that night. And, apparently, he leaves her at her door with nothing more than a hug. Oh be still my heart. This sure is one steamy romance we've got going here...

They continue working together for another week, during which Asher is very aloof and coolly professional with her. Olivia feels bad about this but doesn't do anything about it. Then she gets word that her father's house has been sold. This upsets her enough that she loses her filter and tells Asher how she's upset because she thought they were developing feelings for each other but his coldness this week has shown her that it was just on her side.

Asher then claims that he's in love with her, but (suddenly) became worried that she'd feel obligated to keep sleeping with him. Like it was an expected part of her job now, because they'd fucked on his desk, twice. So, he'd felt the need to step back and show her that he didn't just expect her to perform sexually any time he wanted, just because he was her boss. A bit late to worry about that, jackass!

But they both declare their love and finish out the book by having sex one last time. Oh, and Asher reveals that he bought her father’s house for her.

Holy crap, what a collection of problematic issues. A boss having sex with his subordinate during work hours? A woman accepting payment for her sexual favors? And then, even though she's been literally using him for his money the whole book, we're expected to believe that HE believes she truly loves him at the end and isn't just with him for his money? How??

The thing is, I might have believed this scenario and found it to be darkly hot, if the characters had behaved differently. Like, there are a lot of boss-subordinate romance novels out there and the imbalance of power is always a factor in them. If Asher had been the type of alpha hero who was instantly infatuated with Olivia to the point where he would stop at nothing to make her his, then this could have worked. Like, he knew he was crossing a line by sleeping with someone who worked for him, but he didn't care because his need to possess her was so strong. But Asher was not that guy. He was fine never seeing her again after their ONS. So, he wasn’t obsessed with her. She was just convenient. Which makes the whole relationship very fucked up.

And the prostitution thing, there just no excuse for that. Which is probably why the author didn't address it because, what could she say?

And I definitely don’t believe the HEA because these two clowns barely know each other and have no foundation whatsoever for a marriage. If the book had been longer, and we’d gotten to see their relationship develop, it might have worked. But this was just disappointing.

[Diana Alvarez · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was definitely not very good but I have a high capacity of enjoying a bad book, was in need of a billionaire romance and it was fun

[Shannon Bavister · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thoughts: The Billionaires Assistant is a novella centred around the “office romance” trope and follows the story of Asher and Olivia. From the very beginning there is sexual tension in the air. Ryan creates a hot and steamy atmosphere providing vivid descriptions of lustrous encounters between the pair.

Asher comes across as a bit of a 🍆 especially after the pair reunite awkwardly after their one night stand - however he also is your typical alpha male - beneath the surface there is a soft and protective interior which is reflected in his protection of Olivia.

Olivia is just so loveable from the offset and you just can’t help but want the best for her - she is stubborn, hot headed but also vulnerable. Luckily, we have Asher in place to act as her protector while not dimming her own sense of self.

As a short novella, this ticks the boxes, it could easily be a longer novel with further character development and storyline but as a novella it is punchy and addictive with lots of fun and sexy plot as well!

I was absolutely hooked after reading this and have since read more from the series (reviews pending!!)

[ReadSavi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I will say this was the quickest read ever. I finished it in 1hr. This book is very short and very rushed. It had all the components of a good story, but it seemed like it was smutt heavy, with rushed story. I would have liked more chapters and things drawn out more. It was very 0 to 100 without much of an explanation of the whats and whys. It was very fill in the blanks yourself. Like I said the outline for things was well, it just needed to be drawn out more with the tension and edited a bit better. A few grammar and spelling mistakes.

[Not A Writer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title: Boardrooms and Blue Lights: A High-Octane Roller Coaster

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐.75
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️.5

If you’re looking for a romance that plays it safe, you’ve wandered into the wrong high-rise. The Billionaire's Assistant by Penelope Ryan is a total roller coaster that ignites with a "no names, no limits" encounter, only to plunge you into a deep freeze the following Monday morning. It’s a wild ride that trades undeniable chemistry for forced office patience before hurtling back into high-octane obsession. 🎢

The Tropes
💼 Billionaire Boss / Office Romance
🔥 One-Night Stand to Coworkers
🛡️ Possessive Alpha
🏠 Desperate Measures (Saving the Family Estate)
🤫 Secret Side Gig
🕵️‍♂️ Stalker/Danger Element

The Dynamics
Olivia Reilly and Asher King have the ultimate "Monday morning" problem. After a night that rocked her world, Olivia discovers her mystery man is actually her new, icy boss. Asher acts as if he doesn't remember her, maintaining a rigid professional distance—until he walks into the gentlemen's club where Olivia is working a secret side gig to cover her family’s estate.

The moment Asher sees the bruises from a dangerous stalker, his "aloof executive" persona shatters. Watching his possessive side ignite as he steps in to claim her is the high point of this ride. It’s fast-paced, intense, and satisfyingly protective.

The Audio Experience
Narrator Amelia Hugh handles this three-hour sprint with great precision. She gives both characters distinctive, grounded voices—capturing Olivia’s resilience and Asher’s gravelly authority. Even at a 1.5x listening speed, the tension and chemistry remain front and center. 🎧🎤

TL;DR: A high-heat office romance that loops from a one-night stand to a cold shoulder and back into high-octane protection. A great, quick listen for anyone who loves a hero who breaks his own rules for his woman.

[Areli Paramo · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Steamy Billionaire Romance!

The Billionaire’s Assistant by Penelope Ryan is the first standalone in a planned series.
This book brings us the story of Olivia Reilly and Asher King.
Olivia has been trying to stay a float and has landed a great job at King industries, but a previous one night stand ends up being her new boss, and while trying to to navigate this situation, there is a different situation developing that might put her in danger.
Asher in his side is part owner of King industries and Olivia’s new boss, he seems a little cold and distant towards her, trying to separate the night they shared from his business but the need to protect her and be close wins over it.
The chemistry between them is blistering and you can see how the characters develop their relationship but only in a superficial way since is a fast paced read, but it digs just well enough to develop the story without butchering it. And even though I’ve found myself wanting a dual POV, I still savor the story in one sitting.

This is the first book I’ve read by Penelope Ryan and I’ve truly enjoyed it, I can’t wait to read the next book in the series!
So if you are looking for a steamy and quick
read you should add this book to your TBR.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Olivia Reilly is out at a club with her best friend when she meets a dark handsome stranger that takes her back to a hotel. Olivia thinks nothing of the one night stand. When Monday rolls around and it is her first day at a new job where she is a personal assistant to Asher King. Upon meeting for the first time Olivia is shocked that her new boss is also the one night stand from a few days ago. Asher says nothing to her about that night only for Olivia to think that he either didn't remember her or has forgotten all about it. In order to keep her father's house Olivia needs to make a bunch of money and fast. Her friend works at a gentleman's club where she is a waitress and ask Olivia if she wants to make great money in a short period of time. The only catch is that she will have to be topless while she waitress. Olivia makes more money in two night working there than working one week as a personal assistant. On her second week at the bar she runs into Asher who is there with some friends. Asher offers to pay her double the amount if she will quit the bar. This is a fast paced audiobook with just the right amount of steam and spice. Iwould like to thank both NetGalley and Tantor Media for letting me listen to an advance copy of this audiobook.

[Aster Violet Reads · Rating 1 out of 5]

This novel is told entirely from the point of view of the female lead character. We don’t get to see any of the male lead characters internal dialogue or motivation for doing things. All we know is from the interpretation of the female lead character. It makes it one sided and not a complete picture.

The author doesn’t describe much of the setting or the time of year. The female character mentions how great the view is from the downtown Seattle penthouse and the hotel. But at no time is any of that described for the reader to see.

They immediately fall into bed with each other and the next day she walks into his office to find out he’s her boss. She doesn’t walk into the boardroom like the description says. The male lead characters at one point tells her that he does that a lot.

The book does a descent job of balancing the erotic scenes with the book. The characters seem to develop a relationship with each other. However it’s not a deep novel. There’s a little plot. The stalker issue is short and too easily wrapped up.

There were issues with grammar, spelling and the wrong words every now and then. I’m not a fan of this authors writing style.

[Storm · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 rounded to 3

This was a super quick novella and, overall, a very average read for me. I know novellas don’t have the same space as full-length novels to build deep connections, but it can be done, and unfortunately, this one didn’t quite get there. I never really felt connected to the characters or invested in their relationship.

Olivia, in particular, was frustrating. Yes, she desperately needed money, but it genuinely baffled me that she didn’t consider the possibility of running into her billionaire boss or his colleagues while secretly working at a topless bar . That was literally my first thought, so her shock when it happened felt unrealistic.

The major conflict was also resolved almost immediately, which made it feel anticlimactic. I think some of the earlier plot could have been trimmed to allow more time and tension around that central conflict. Everything moved so fast that character motivations and emotional beats didn’t have room to land properly.

The book definitely had possibility. There was sexual tension, spice, and an interesting setup with workplace romance and secrets, but it all felt rushed.

[Shoni Renee · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Billionaire’s Assistant by Penelope Ryan

This novella is fast, bold, and built for pure entertainment.

Story overview
Olivia needs money to protect her family home. One night with a stranger changes everything. The next day, she learns he is her boss. Fate pushes harder when he later sees her at her second job. Things spiral when a stalker sets his sights on her.

Asher runs his life with strict rules. Olivia becomes the exception. When he realizes she is in danger, control disappears and instinct takes over. His reaction is intense, protective, and consuming.

Thoughts
This story keeps the pace high and the focus tight. The chemistry leads every scene. The tension feels immediate. Even with the short format, you still get emotional depth and character vulnerability. It works as a sharp, satisfying escape and a strong reset after a slow or disappointing read.

Audio experience
The audiobook narration by Amelia Hugh is a highlight. Her delivery is smooth and engaging, with clear distinction between characters. The performance pulls you in and keeps you there.

I received the audiobook through NetGalley and Tantor Media.

[brogay · Rating 3 out of 5]

ALC REVIEW! 2.75 ⭐️

The Billionaire’s Assistant is a novella based around a workplace romance where Olivia and Asher indulge in a one night stand before they know she’s his new assistant. The story is fast-paced and incredibly spicy. Olivia has her own personal worries outside of work, and Asher can’t help but try and help her out. I do think that the book could have been longer and more developed, it really did have all of the pieces to be really, really great. I don’t feel like we really knew who Asher was, despite that we did get a good insight into who Olivia is. The plot did fall a little bit flat for me, and it was also anticlimactic with how it wrapped up so quickly.

However, the narration done by Amelia Hugh was great. There is nothing worse than listening to an audiobook where the narration is subpar. Amelia’s voice was incredibly nice and soothing to listen to and she did a really great job of narrating Olivia and showing the audience her emotions and thoughts throughout. Her performance was definitely a highlight of the book, and I would definitely listen to more of her work.

[Michelle Ottey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn’t put it down ! I read it in one night and thoroughly enjoyed it. It only single POV from her perspective but I do think that adds to the story. You don’t know what he’s thinking so the twists and turns in his behaviour is just as much a mystery to the reader as they are the character. I really enjoyed the character building, you really get to understand why she is doing what she’s doing. It is kind of fast paced but not in an unrealistic way. In terms of spice, the scenes are spicy and they are common but not overpowering by any means. The only thing I’d say is that they can be a little repetitive in the sequence of events they do it in but they are still steamy and enjoyable to read. It not vanilla and there is a thrill factor of whether they’ll get caught is some places plus throw in some dirty talk and you have some pretty spicy scenes. So I’d put spice at about a 3/5 but overall I’d say it’s about a 4.5-5/5. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I do see myself wanting to read it again.

[Jeanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this spicy novella Olivia gets a new position as an executive assistance for billionaire Asher. Which is unfortunate since she hooked up with him the night before. What is he a billionaire in? Who knows. If they mentioned it, I didn't catch it. The plot was lacking due to the fact that the book was so short. It was very insta-love and I never really felt like I knew either of them individually enough or understood their connection once they "fell for each other". The sentence structure felt very pointed, and didn't flow well or maybe that was due to the narrator.

The reason this is getting a 3 star was for the spice. It comes in at like page 4 and is a constant throughout the book. I am not complaining but that is what this book is about, nothing more substantial. Some of the spicier moment made me furrow my brow because it seemed like consent wasn't being well represented in the book or that the FMC wasn't good at using her voice with the MMC. Either way it just made me a touch uncomfy.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

[Alexis Blume · Rating 4 out of 5]

💋🖤💸T H E•B I L L I O N A I R E S•A S S I S S T A N T💸🖤💋

Happy Release Day!

Penelope Ryan gave me everything I needed in this quick listen, fast paced, office romance that is action packed with a lot of spice, a little stalker, and a very very good girl.

Thank you @peneloperyanbooks and @netgalley for the ALC of The Billionaires Assistant!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️
Available on KU, Audiobook, and Paperback

I really enjoyed this audiobook! It was a quick and easy listen that was the epitome of quick and dirty! The storyline of one night stand to boss was done really well! I liked the addition of adding in the stalker vibe to see the protectiveness ofthe MMC! The narration was effortless and captured everything that this book was!

The first of 5 books in the Billionaire Brothers series by Penelope Ryan, an interconnected standalone series!

[Alex 📚 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Possessive, Dominate, Sexy billionaire. ✅ Asher checks all the boxes.

I ate this up! A quick, sweet & spicy read. I really enjoyed it. I found Olivia to be relatable in the way she thinks and things she been through. Asher had me swooning & blushing the whole time. A dual pov would have made this even better, to get inside his head as well. I only found myself wanting more a little more depth from the characters, their relationship & the stalker situation. I understand in short books that’s not always possible, though it can make things feel a bit rushed. Overall, it was written well & wrapped up nicely. Nothing really got left hanging. I would definitely recommend. Hoping to see more from Olivia and Asher in the future!

[Bound By Books And Pages - Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very quick read that had the potential to be a much longer story—one I would have happily read. It works well as a light palate cleanser for readers who enjoy a boss/assistant romance. The FMC has recently lost her last living parent to illness, leaving her overwhelmed by medical bills and determined to keep her childhood home. She takes on a new job, along with extra work on the side, in hopes of earning enough to pay off her late father’s debts. During this time, she has a one-night stand that completely rocks her world—only to discover the next day that the man is her new boss. The story is fast-paced, spicy, and includes a plotline that could have been much more developed if given more length.

[Crystal Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a short listen/read with a lot of spice and a little bit of plot, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t good. What was supposed to be just a one night stand, turns out it was with her brand new boss.

Olivia is trying to save her family home by any means necessary. Asher is her new boss and a huge jerk in the beginning. But when he finds out about her side job, everything changes.

This is very fast paced and it doesn’t slow down. I do feel like more time could have been spent having them build a connection. It was the one night stand, bam she is working there, bam they are having sex again and together. I know novellas are quick and fast paced, but for me it lacked that connection feeling. It just jumped right to it. But I did love the spice.

[Nina Helen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Billionaire's Assistant is a quick read.

Olivia is starting a new job and her friend takes her out on the town to an exclusive club the night before. She leaves with a man and they spend a few hours together.

Her one night stand turns out to be her new boss. He's cold and demanding but she needs the money. As financial pressure mounts outside of the office she gets a second job.

Asher sees her at the second job and questions why she is doing it. After an incident she stays with him, they get to know each other and he kinda saves the day! You'll have to read it to find out how!

There's a few continuity errors especially with days and times.

I did receive and ALC for this but I had to switch to the digital version.

[Justadollandherbook · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐ / 3 🌶

If you are looking for a quick little listen / read between series that has very little plot and some decent spice. This one is okay. Honestly its your typical workplace billionaire romance, Boss and assistant vibes. They hook up one night not knowing who they are to each other, she finds out the next day that he's her new boss. She takes on an waitressing job at a gentlemen's club to make more money, he basically tells her to quit and he will pay her double what she makes there . She becomes a sugar baby. The end lol. Oh and he buys her parents house. That's the story.

Thank you Netgalley, Penelope Ryan, and Tantor Media for the audio ARC.
Amelia Hugh did amazing, love her voice narrating. Please bring her on for romance audiobooks.

[Petra · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Billionaire’s Assistent, Billionaire Brothers book #1

This review is based on the audiobook, that I really enjoyed. Narrator Amelia Hugh did a great job. It was a quick listen, and although a bit predictable, I really liked it and its storyline.The office romance is still one of my favourite tropes. It’s from Olivia’s POV only.

Her one night stand turns out to be Olivia’s new boss. While they had a passonate night, Asher is a bit stand off-ish at first. But when trouble finds her in her second job, Asher is the first one to come to the rescue. The ending is cute.

I received a free copy of this audiobook from Tantor Media through NetGalley.

[Karen B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short, sizzling and super spicy, this contemporary billionaire romance is just the ticket for an escape. After a one night stand, Olivia finds that her new boss is the man that swept her away…but she’s needs the job so as to not loose her childhood home. Asher is cold, commanding, possessive, and demanding but he falls hard for Olivia and will do all he can to help her. This is the first book in the Billionaire Brother’s series and I am looking forward to the other two little novella treats.
I experienced this on audio—the sole female narrator Amelia Hugh did a great job with the characters and their emotions.
Thanks to the author and Tantor Audio for the ALC

[Mikayla Stringfellow · Rating 3 out of 5]

I will start by saying this book is a very quick and easy read, but it is also highly predictable. The storyline never caused me to have to think about what was going to happen next or keep me on the edge of my seat as to whether they were going to live “happily ever after.” I do think the storyline never caused lacked a level of depth and needed more at the end.

This book is for mature readers!

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Thank you NetGalley, RBmedia, and Penelope Ryan for sending me this book.

[Bookbingewithdebbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

thank you to Netgalley UK and Tantor Audio for the ALC of The Billionaires Assistant.

3.5 stars but rounded to 4 for goodreads

This is an easy read novella with open door spice. This had the premise of a decent story however, it just didn't hit for me. I felt the characters were too surface level which I understand is difficult to manage with a novella but with that and I just felt the MC's especially the MMC - I found him difficult to connect with. I think had the ONS been a bit more detail or build up it would have helped mixed with more tension in the workplace.