What do you think?
Rate this book
Working from home: Mixing business with pleasure?
A genuinely laugh-out-loud funny romantic comedy, Working from Home is lads’ lit asking chick lit out for an adventurous date into the vibrant world of business networking. A place where it’s not who you know that really matters, but who knows you. Lurking behind the garish facades of the multinational corporations are the small businesses that are the pulsing heart of every town. These entrepreneurs are meeting strangers for breakfast, infiltrating our Facebook accounts and working in their pyjamas. When a huge multinational pharmaceutical company leaves the town of Overchurch there is an emergence of new freelancers intent on working from home. This includes Jonny and Cat who find themselves struggling to find enough work to pay for the necessities in life like beer and shoes. Jonny is being squeezed out of his home by his flatmate’s gorgeous girlfriend and Cat can only truly depend on Ferrero, her nutty dog. Can they manage to mix business with pleasure? And is it possible to keep your bank manager happy by following the bohemian cornerstones of freedom, truth, beauty and love? Full of the intriguing details that only comes when someone has lived the life they are writing about; this contemporary rom com is perfect for readers who like to explore a new lifestyle. Hardy entrepreneurs who walk into rooms of strangers on a regular basis will meet many similar situations and characters. This book is not suitable for anyone who gets embarrassed when snorting and laughing out loud while reading in public.
273 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2007
1 person is currently reading
4 people want to read
About the author
Russ King
8 books150 followersRuss King's words have been read by millions on social networks and interactive web sites, some of which were bringing people together before Facebook existed. One specialism is online quizzes and he has created content for brands like Disney and Marvel. He has been earning a living from writing in some form or other for 25 years.
He has specialised in funny Kindle novellas that have a mythology or ecofriendly vibe - often with a thought-provoking angle. He has chosen to focus on the novella because it is just the right length for busy people to escape their own lives and be entertained by something completely different.
Russ has a PhD from Cambridge University, a background in science, unofficial qualifications in people-watching, an unflappable sense of humour and he listens more than he talks.
You can find Russ on his blog at www.russkingwriter.com.
He has specialised in funny Kindle novellas that have a mythology or ecofriendly vibe - often with a thought-provoking angle. He has chosen to focus on the novella because it is just the right length for busy people to escape their own lives and be entertained by something completely different.
Russ has a PhD from Cambridge University, a background in science, unofficial qualifications in people-watching, an unflappable sense of humour and he listens more than he talks.
You can find Russ on his blog at www.russkingwriter.com.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
April 18, 2012
It really doesn't seem to be Jonny's week. Nor Cat's. Two individuals who work at Sunshine Pharmaceuticals and have never met each other. Jonny, a copy-writer and web-designer, is the "gooseberry" in his home, as his flatmate Antonio's girlfriend, Heather, seems to have all but moved in. As if that isn't enough, he almost performs GBH on his "dream woman" accidentally, leaving her with a bruised face, and him with a red one. And, seeing as things happen in threes, he is made redundant as Sunshine Pharmaceuticals are taken over by another company. Could things get worse?
Cat lives on her own with her dog, Ferrero, but she is often called to help her eccentric younger sister out in her pub. Just like Jonny, she is let go from Sunshine Pharmaceuticals, and now has to use her skills in events organisation to obtain an income. But where does one start?
This is a fun, but yet informative novel by Russ which not only contains a racy, romantic storyline but highlights the power of networking in order to set up business. We follow Jonny and Cat through their turbulent personal lives as well as the meetings they have to attend in order to obtain "contacts" - which isn't an easy thing for shy Jonny to do. Throw into the pot Sarah (the aforementioned dream woman that Jonny inadvertently injures) and Tim (the sleazeball)and the nerdy-but-likeable Julius, and you have yourself some great characters and a plot that twists and turns, making the story very easy to read and enjoy.
Although chick-lit and racy storylines are not my "thing", this was a well-written book with points that made me laugh out loud. Well done Russ.
Cat lives on her own with her dog, Ferrero, but she is often called to help her eccentric younger sister out in her pub. Just like Jonny, she is let go from Sunshine Pharmaceuticals, and now has to use her skills in events organisation to obtain an income. But where does one start?
This is a fun, but yet informative novel by Russ which not only contains a racy, romantic storyline but highlights the power of networking in order to set up business. We follow Jonny and Cat through their turbulent personal lives as well as the meetings they have to attend in order to obtain "contacts" - which isn't an easy thing for shy Jonny to do. Throw into the pot Sarah (the aforementioned dream woman that Jonny inadvertently injures) and Tim (the sleazeball)and the nerdy-but-likeable Julius, and you have yourself some great characters and a plot that twists and turns, making the story very easy to read and enjoy.
Although chick-lit and racy storylines are not my "thing", this was a well-written book with points that made me laugh out loud. Well done Russ.
May 30, 2013
I found this book really entertaining and even though I had loads on I found it really easy to pick up after being forced to put it down on quite a few occasions. If it wasn't half term I'd have been finished within a day or so.
The plot is entertaining and Jonny, who initially feels quite out of his depth in the opening chapters, proves to be one lucky guy by the end! The story follows his path from employee to freelancer and there are many great tips for networking and building social platforms. In essence this book is a two-in-one affair, offering sound and inspirational advice embedded in the character's struggle for romance. The characters are all well developed and there are many points at which I laughed or cringed or routed for the main character. In a couple of places the author also manages to build tension and he does it very well.
I have never read a book like this before and I like it when that happens. What I lack in adventure in the restaurant menu department I try to make up for in the reading department and I was very glad I picked this story. In itself this book will entertain on a romance and comical level but it will be especially useful to anyone who needs to build a network and understand the way it all works and how it can promote your business.
I found this an easy and entertaining read where I learnt new things, but I didn't feel like I'd been on a course. Now all the author needs to do is write a story like this for maths and I'm sorted! Very well done Mr King.
The plot is entertaining and Jonny, who initially feels quite out of his depth in the opening chapters, proves to be one lucky guy by the end! The story follows his path from employee to freelancer and there are many great tips for networking and building social platforms. In essence this book is a two-in-one affair, offering sound and inspirational advice embedded in the character's struggle for romance. The characters are all well developed and there are many points at which I laughed or cringed or routed for the main character. In a couple of places the author also manages to build tension and he does it very well.
I have never read a book like this before and I like it when that happens. What I lack in adventure in the restaurant menu department I try to make up for in the reading department and I was very glad I picked this story. In itself this book will entertain on a romance and comical level but it will be especially useful to anyone who needs to build a network and understand the way it all works and how it can promote your business.
I found this an easy and entertaining read where I learnt new things, but I didn't feel like I'd been on a course. Now all the author needs to do is write a story like this for maths and I'm sorted! Very well done Mr King.
November 12, 2012
https://www.libboo.com/read/working-f.... I received this copy from the author at libboo!
So... this books is a curious one. It's chick lit with all the romance and wacky sidekicks, and a little guy lit (if there's such a thing) with all the boobs and kinky boots all around. One thing that's brilliant about this book is all the stuff about networking in a business setting. There's several section that take your hand and guide you through it, and I think I'll actually use some insight in my own professional life, not that it's all that significant now.. So if you're looking for a how-to of networking wrapped in a fluffy chick lit, this is for you. Unfortunately, I was looking for good, junk-food kind of fun, and that was a little ruined by the lack of editing and character development. It really felt like they were pawns in a strategy game, nothing but a physical description and pretty typical character traits: Johnny, who's shy but ambitious, falling in love with pretty women, not even knowing that what he is looking for is only one degree of separation away! And once he finds her, he even secretly learns tango for her! Aww! /cough. And Cat, who's a go-getta type who likes power, but is ready to submit to the right guy. And also she has trust issues. She has a hard exterior, but is gooey on the outside.
In a nutshell, read this for the networking tips, wacky sister/networking guru sidekicks, but not for any other substance.
So... this books is a curious one. It's chick lit with all the romance and wacky sidekicks, and a little guy lit (if there's such a thing) with all the boobs and kinky boots all around. One thing that's brilliant about this book is all the stuff about networking in a business setting. There's several section that take your hand and guide you through it, and I think I'll actually use some insight in my own professional life, not that it's all that significant now.. So if you're looking for a how-to of networking wrapped in a fluffy chick lit, this is for you. Unfortunately, I was looking for good, junk-food kind of fun, and that was a little ruined by the lack of editing and character development. It really felt like they were pawns in a strategy game, nothing but a physical description and pretty typical character traits: Johnny, who's shy but ambitious, falling in love with pretty women, not even knowing that what he is looking for is only one degree of separation away! And once he finds her, he even secretly learns tango for her! Aww! /cough. And Cat, who's a go-getta type who likes power, but is ready to submit to the right guy. And also she has trust issues. She has a hard exterior, but is gooey on the outside.
In a nutshell, read this for the networking tips, wacky sister/networking guru sidekicks, but not for any other substance.
October 8, 2013
Not the sort of book I'd usually go for but I'm glad I gave it a go. The characters are likeable, the plot whilst inevitably somewhat predictable given it's a romance novel was engaging and written in a way that whilst there wasn't much of an if, the when kept me turning pages. The networking tips were an unusual feature in a book of this sort and were written so as not to distract from the story - they're useful too! In all a fun light read that I'd recommend
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews