The Grouchy One

Bossy Glenhaven Billionaires #3

by Leslie North

They say that diamonds are a girl’s best friend.
But the guy that sells those diamonds?
My worst enemy.

It took me precisely 0.1 seconds to start hating Cameron O’Connor.
I’m late to a job interview and it seems like kismet when a cab stops outside my apartment.
Until the grumpiest, grouchiest, and most outrageously handsome suit-hole steals it.

Of course, I get to my interview and who is behind the desk?
“You’re late. Couldn’t find a cab?”
This infuriatingly beautiful man makes my blood boil.
So I’m completely justified when I tell him all the ways his company is messing up their current PR disaster.
I wouldn’t touch this job—or the brutally chiseled bossbeast—with a ten-foot pole.

Until he offers me a number with more zeros than a box of donuts.
Now I’m working alongside the bosszilla.
Trying to keep the snark level to somewhere between brazen defiance and outright mutiny.

If only he hadn’t hired that influencer to promote the company’s engagement rings.
And if only she hadn’t announced that Cameron and I were hiding a secret romance.
Now suddenly, our relationship is all anyone can talk about.

Except there’s zero romance—we hate each other.
To sell the story, we have to go on fake dates and fake being in love.
Only at some point, I don’t have to pretend anymore.
And I start thinking Cameron isn’t faking either.

But are we falling, or just faking?

Genres: Romance, Fake Dating, Billionaire Romance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Chick Lit, Second Chance

366 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 6, 2024

About the author

New to Leslie? Readers suggest starting with 'The Bossy One' (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C6BP3BBF) —Imagine a sunny Minnesotan Mary Poppins, employed by a grumpy Irish billionaire. The story is a blend of humor, revenge, passion, heartbreak, hope, and witty banter. As one reader put it, ‘This story had me squealing at the romantic moments and silly moments.’

Leslie North is the USA Today Bestselling pseudonym for a critically-acclaimed author of romantic comedies and contemporary romance. The anonymity allows her to fully express her creativity, especially in the romantic and fun sexy scenes!

In fact, she confesses to loving her fictional persona, Leslie North, more than her everyday self! Her bestselling books are known for their strong characters, particularly women who aren’t afraid to challenge an alpha bosshole. And the humor? So infectious, you’ll be laughing out loud in public!

Leslie’s love for romance began when she picked up a worn-out romance book from her local library. She started writing soon after, and as they say, the rest was history. She now resides in a cozy cottage on the British coast, enjoying long walks with her two Dalmatians, George and Fergie.

She LOVES reader feedback, and if you have any comments, don’t hesitate to contact her!

I'm Social Too:
Website: www.leslienorthbooks.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/leslienorthbooks
TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@leslienorthcomments
Instagram:www.instagram.com/leslienorth_books

Reviews

[Jen Altman · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Grouchy One is a fast paced, lighthearted story about finding love after epically failed relationships. Both of our MC’s have their share of relationship baggage, but the chemistry between these two radiates off the page. Their witty banter is so fun!

While this story is the 3rd in the Bossy Glenhaven Billionaires series, it can easily be read as a standalone. It has its own storyline entirely and only very briefly includes the couples from the previous stories. Also, I don’t feel like you’d be spoiling anything by reading these out of order should you choose.

If you enjoy these ⬇️ , you’ll love this book!
💖 enemies-to-lovers
💖 grumpy/sunshine
💖 fake engagement
💖 billionaire romance
💖 workplace romance
💖 short, fast chapters

….. and my favorite part? A giant schnauzer named Boris! 🐶 As a proud schnauzer mom, I eeked out loud when Boris entered the story. Love it!! 💕

Available NOW! Check out this book & it’s series campaigns on Kindle Unlimited or grab a copy today from your favorite book retailer. 📚

Thank you to NetGalley & Relay Publishing for the opportunity to read this digital ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Nikisha · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read if you like: enemies to lovers, workplace romance, fake dating, billionaire romance

Felicity and Cameron have a super rough first meeting and do not get along. Due to their job, they’re forced to work together and fake date.

This was quite a fast paced book and it was easy to fly through. The plot sounded great in theory, but execution wasn’t quite there for me. I just wasn’t convinced on their romance, they argued a lot but there was no chemistry or connection? I didn’t care about them or their romance at all, it felt very forced and super awkward 😭

Felicity kept annoying me by assuming the meaning of Cameron’s words. She kept starting arguments for literally zero reason 😤😤

There’s also a lot of side plots happening I was starting to lose track of it all early on tbh
Overall I wouldn’t recommend, but if you like the tropes maybe give this book a go.

Thank you Relay Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC, I am voluntarily leaving my honest review

[Warda · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐3.5 stars⭐


It was bit of an unique approach in the plot of fake dating that i thoroughly enjoyed. I didn't even knew it would have that plot lmao but anyways, it was okay. The beginning was fine but then towards the end i felt a bit underwhelmed.

[Sara Horvat · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay, so I picked up this book thinking I was in for a fun, spicy enemies-to-lovers situation with that irresistible grumpy/sunshine vibe. But... nope. I just wasn't convinced on their romance. At all.

And don’t even get me started on Felicity. She kept twisting Cameron’s words like she was in the Olympics of Overreaction. Every conversation turned into a misunderstanding because she assumed the worst, every. single. time. Girl, do you know how to just… ask a follow-up question? It was exhausting.

Cameron, bless him, was supposed to be the broody one, but he came off more bored than broody.

Not my cup of tea.

2/5⭐️

BOOKS IN THE SERIES - Bossy Glenhaven Billionaires :
💫 The Grumpy One (Book #2) - 2/5 ⭐️
💫 The Grouchy One (Book #3) - 2/5 ⭐️

[C.J. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jewelry company owner has giant schnauzer.

[Angie Barnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Leslie North has written a 5-star book. This is the story of Felicity and Cameron. Felicity is trying to get a cab and when she flags one down a man tries to take it. She lets him know that it was not his. They have words about him trying to take her cab. They have the cab driver decide and he agrees with the man. The man doesn't have his wallet so Felicity gets the cab. Felicity is on her way to a second job interview with Veritigue. She makes it through all the interviews with the different departments except her interview with the CEO of the company. She is waiting for him when Sandrine comes up to her and tells her that he would see her. Sandrine asks her a question and they start talking. She is now late for her meeting. When she gets to the CEO's office, she is shocked to see the man who tried to take her cab. Cameron is trying to get his company back on track from the mess his father put it in and things are not going well. When Cameron offers her the job, she tells him that she doesn't want the job if it means working for him. He tells her that he will double the salary she was offered but she tells him No and walks out. Cameron's friend Tyler had been a rock star until his girlfriend broke up with him. This caused him to start drinking and doing drugs. Now Cameron has to try and see if he can get him to start thinking of a new life with the girlfriend. Felicity has gone out with her roommate Nina to hear some music. Felicity told Nina all about the interview and how she walked out. Felicity has gone to the bathroom and on her way back, she sees Cameron. She goes to Nina and tells her that she is going to go home but for her to stay. She avoids Cameron on her way out. Cameron's PR team can't come up with a way to stop the bad press caused by his father. He sees Felicity in his building and accuses her of following him. She tells him that she lives in the building with her friend. On the ride up to her floor, she finds out about the problems Cameron is having with Veritique. Cameron asks her what she would do to get Veritique back on top. She thinks for a few minutes and comes up with a plan. He calls Sandrine and has her put the plan into action. Cameron offers her the job with triple the pay and she decides to take it. On her first day, Cameron calls a meeting with the PR team and some of the other employees to introduce Felicity. He wants some ideas for a new campaign. Felicity has an idea and it includes Lucy Dubois, an Influencer who has a lot of followers. She tells Cameron the idea and he tells Sandrine to set things up with her. At the meeting with Lucy, she comes up with an idea with Felicity and Cameron faking an engagement. Things are going well until Lucy catches Cameron on his knee and thinks that he is asking Felicity to marry him. Things go downhill with this. He gets mad and when he and Felicity talk, he tells her that things with them are over and walks away. Things with Cameron and the company go downhill after this. Felicity's heart is broken because she fell for Cameron and he just threw her away like trash. She knows she can't work for him anymore so she looks for another job.
Will Cameron realize that he has fallen for Felicity?
Will Felicity give Cameron another chance?
This was a wonderful book that I would recommend to anyone.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Mimona Masarwa · Rating 3 out of 5]

RTF

[Eva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Felicity and Cameron's story takes the reader into the PR world of a jewelry company. In order to escape the current negative headlines, the #CamLicity marketing campaign was launched. A public fake relationship that combines the world of romance and jewelry. The expectations, created by social media, trigger an old trauma in Cameron and lead to a loss of control, which harshly ends the #CamLicity hype...

The story is well developed, but unfortunately I find it lacks a bit of emotional depth. There are countless emotions in this book, but "the emotional tear-jerking" isn't really activated. There really isn't much missing, but it wasn't enough for me personally, so I can only give it four stars.
What I liked was the message of this love story: It's okay to risk love, to lose control of your feelings... to get involved in something new and positive.

[Cath · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is part of the Bossy Glenhaven Billionaires series and the two main characters, Felicity Rhodes and Cameron O’Connor, meet as they clash over whose taxi it is, after he tries to get in the one she called. She is late for a job interview and he is rushing to check on his friend who left a worrying message. He thinks his need is more important, just from looking at her, which pushes her buttons completely and she calls him a few choice names! Her current freelancing as a marketing and PR strategist is only just paying the bills. When she does get to her interview for her dream job at Veritique, she has mini interviews with different people, eventually leading to a final interview with the new CEO, who unfortunately turns out to be Cameron! He accuses her of being late, after she was delayed by his VP Sandrine, so she can already tell he won’t be offering her a job. So she tells him exactly what she thinks of the disaster his own father created by his actions and his company’s poor response to the scandal. She ends up walking out and ends up commiserating with her BF Nina at a club, where she unfortunately spots him. When he turns up at her building as well, she accuses him of stalking her, only to find out he owns the building! They get stuck in the lift and soon find them discussing his latest problem with their new campaign and she offers her own solution, which might help him get his company seen in a much better light. He loves the idea and wants her to consider working for them, offering her a lot more than she would have previously been given, but she needs time to consider it all.

Realising that this could give her and Nina the money to finally reach their dream of opening their own bookshop, she takes the job and he soon realises how good she is, as all the others who interviewed her had told him. Her ideas to link with the refuge who his team had used the hashtag of inadvertently, works well and then they need to work on the engagement ring campaign and that throws out a few surprises! The social media influencer he hires on her recommendation, seems to think there is a secret romance going on between her and Cameron, leading to them having to fake a relationship to boost the business. She can’t stand him and seems to be the only person who isn’t afraid to speak her mind to him. It works a little too well, even after she makes him sign a handwritten note of what they will agree is acceptable. They soon go past what was agreed and start what she thinks is a real relationship, but his previous relationship has left him never wanting to trust a woman ever again, nor have a permanent relationship. She was hurt badly enough by her previous boyfriend and he even wrote a book about it, which seems to have become a best seller! Add in Nina falling for his former drug addict pop star best friend Tyler, who has a relapse and Cameron soon finds himself blowing up on camera, almost ruining everything they have been doing for his company. Closed off Cameron is impossible to deal with and the usual issues of a fake to real relationship raises its ugly head and everything could be all over! He will need to figure out what he really wants and needs to do to make amends, before any chance of a HEA ending may happen. Two well-matched characters, with painful relationships in their past that affect their current lives, and she isn’t afraid to tell him with a few choice words exactly what she thinks of him and his actions!

I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.

4 ½ stars

[Simone · Rating 5 out of 5]

❤️🫶 Spoilerfreie Rezension für eine Serie, die begeistert – Pageturner mit Suchtfaktor 🫶❤️

Gerade habe ich das Buch „Der Griesgrämige“ beendet.

Ich gebe generell keine Zusammenfassung des Buches ab, weil ich der Meinung bin, dass diese auch durch den Klappentext beim Buch schon aussagefähig ist. Insofern schildere ich hier lediglich meine Eindrücke, da dadurch sichergestellt wird, dass definitiv nicht gespoilert wird 😊

Autor:
Warum lese ich die Bücher von Leslie North? Nun, das ist ganz einfach. Nach dem
Einstieg bei der „Weihnachten auf der Ranch“ – Serie kam ich an ihren Büchern nicht mehr vorbei. Schon die erste Serie faszinierte mich und bei den folgenden Serien nahm die Faszination weiter zu. Ihre Bücher begeistern weiterhin und wecken definitiv die Lust auf mehr!

Schreibstil:
Ebenso wie bei den Serien „Weihnachten auf der Ranch“, „Milliardär-Bossholes“ und natürlich "Bossy Glenhaven Milliardäre“ ist der Schreibstil von Leslie North wieder wundervoll. Von den ersten Seiten an packen die jeweiligen Geschichten und ließen nicht mehr los. Und auch „Der Griesgrämige“ bildet keine Ausnahme. Ich flog gefühlt durch das Buch weil ich unbedingt wissen wollte, wie es weitergehen würde. Leslie North wirft einen quasi direkt in die Geschichte und man kommt sofort in das Buch. Es gibt unerwartete Wendungen und ich finde es toll, wie sie in dieses – doch eigentlich bekannte Setting – tiefgründigere Aspekte einbringt. Das Buch war ein absoluter Pageturner und die Wendungen sind unerwartet – und doch so passend… 🫶

Protagonisten:
Wie die Geschichte auch, so sind auch die Charaktere durchaus vielschichtig und definitiv unvorhersehbar! Bei Leslie’s Büchern läuft nie alles rund. Es gibt Irrungen und Wirrungen, und Herzschmerz. Dass Fehler gemacht werden trägt zur Authentizität bei. Gerade der Umstand, dass die Protas auch eine Entwicklung durchmachen sorgt für eine Tiefe, die man ansonsten gar nicht so sehr kennt. Ich hatte auf jeden Fall eine komplette Achterbahnfahrt der Gefühle beim Lesen dieses Buches. So sehen Keeper und Pageturner aus. Und dieses Buch ist definitiv beides!

Stimmung/Atmosphäre:
Meiner Meinung nach total stimmig. Definitiv passend. Authentisch.

Setting:
So, wie man es von vielen anderen Büchern kennt – und dennoch komplett anders. Es ist Leslie North die den Unterschied macht! Dieses Buch hat mich alles um mich herum vergessen lassen. Es ist so kurzweilig, dass die Zeit wie im Nu vergeht. Und wenn man auf der letzten Seite angelangt ist, freut man sich über das Ende – und bedauert gleichermaßen, dass es schon wieder vorbei ist.
Tja, und nach dem Buch ist vor dem Buch. Was macht man dann? Man fiebert bereits wieder auf das nächste Buch hin ... – Logisch, oder 😉😁

Kritikpunkte:
Gibt es keine. Bei mir sprang der Funke von Beginn an über, so dass es eine wahre Freude war, diese Geschichte zu lesen.

Fazit / Bewertung:
Mir hat das Buch wieder total gut gefallen. Es war ein Buchhighlight und ein absoluter Pageturner, der innerhalb eines Tages verschlungen wurde! Dafür gibt es von mir 5- 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟von 5 Funkelsternen – und insofern eine klare, definitive Leseempfehlung! 😉🤗

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Felicity has a dream. She wants to own a bookstore but her job as a freelance marketing expert isn’t going to get her there. She has found her dream job but first she has to land it and then she has to impress the boss. One small problem though, she called the boss some bad names when they fought over a cab. Cameron has taken over as the head of his family’s jewelry empire because his dad had no idea how to fix a scandal. Now Cameron needs a marketing expert to help them navigate some difficult waters. One small problem though, the woman his staff wants to hire is the same woman he treated terribly when they fought over a cab. Will the less than stellar beginning of their relationship be how they end or will they find lasting happiness?
This is a silly story with the characters going from one mess to the next. I started to feel like maybe they should close up shop and try something different but then there wouldn’t be a story. The author creates a situation where Felicity is the only person in the room who seems to understand how the internet works. That is another element of the story I thought was silly but if you can accept that then the rest of the story can work. One thing I will say is that I appreciate the author giving Felicity the chance to work for another company so the reader can see that Felicity belongs with Cameron and the team at the jewelry company. Cameron is driven by family pride to keep his company afloat. I felt like he wasn’t a well-rounded character until he had a meltdown. I question how a man as successful as he is and the age he is would be so childish. That might sound harsh but when a character hasn’t dealt with something as simple as his issue then I question if he is a good choice for life partner. There is a side story about Cameron’s best friend straightening out his messed-up life which I thought was a nice addition to the story. This is a light, feel-good story that isn’t meant to be deep and it reads fast. I suggest not questioning the silly aspects too deeply.
This is a contemporary romance. If you are looking for a story that is easy to read and not very deep give this a try. I will read more from this author in the future.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Chloe · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Grouchy One: A Grumpy Sunshine Billionaire Boss Romance: Part of the Bossy *Glenhaven Billionaires Series* By Leslie North

Diamonds are a girl’s best friend—The guy who sells them? Not so much.

Felicity is on her way to an interview of a lifetime. This is a coveted role for the top public relations team at a prestigious jewelry company. Already late, things turn from bad to worse when a man attempts to steal her cab. This man is none other than Cameron O’Conner—the grumpy CEO she is about to have her final interview with. Naturally, his first words were a jab: *“You’re late. Couldn’t find a cab?”*

Despite their rocky start, Cameron offers her a job after she boldy critiqued the company’s current PR disaster. He recognized her potential and sweetened the deal with a salary too tempting to deny.

Soon, she starts to work for her “bosshole.” Things take a spiral when the company launches its first ever influencer campaign. The influencer decides to stage a publicity stunt that neither Felicity nor Cameron approved of. #Camlicity spread like wildfire and the audience cannot get enough of the secretly dating couple at the luxury jewelry company. Cue the fake dates, pretend affection, and real tension between two individuals who cannot stand each other.

I listened to this as a standalone audiobook after stumbling across it on YouTube. I was drawn by the familiar and fun romance tropes: grumpy/sunshine, fake dating, billionaire boss. While the plot is somewhat predictable—as most are—there is a slow burn element which keeps the tension.

Felicity was a highlight for me. She is a sharp, driven, and assertive human. However, I was not a fan of her repeated use of “bosshole” to describe Cameron. It felt juvenile and repetitive. Cameron was harder to connect with. He seemed guarded and one-dimensional. His softer side peaked when his dog was in the scene, which I resonated with as an animal lover.

There are emotional moments to the story, but it is not a deeply emotional read overall. It is a light, tropey, and fun story if you want an easy-to-read book.

If you like the classic grumpy/sunshine, fake dating, and billionaire boss drama, *The Grouchy One* may hit the spot. Just do not expect too much depth beyond the fun. This is for the banter, tension, and overall fun.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ 3 / 5

[L Powers (Bookish_Mum) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Grouchy One by Leslie North
Rating: 4/5
Release Date: 9 July 2024

Felicity harbours a dream of owning a bookstore but finds herself struggling in her freelance marketing job. When she finally uncovers her dream job opportunity, she encounters a major hurdle: a previous heated dispute with the boss over a cab.

On the other hand, Cameron is unexpectedly thrust into managing his family's jewellery empire following his father's mishandling of a scandal. In urgent need of a capable marketing expert, he reluctantly considers the very candidate his staff highly recommends — none other than Felicity, the woman with whom he had clashed over a cab. Despite their rocky history, Cameron and Felicity embark on a challenging partnership that promises to test their professional skills and personal boundaries.

Amidst the whirlwind of their professional endeavours, a romance quietly blossoms between Felicity and Cameron. Their playful banter, endearing misunderstandings, and vulnerable moments that deepen their bond. Supported by a diverse cast of characters, including Cameron's steadfast best friend navigating his own challenges, the narrative unfolds as a delightful contemporary romance.

Meanwhile, Cameron is also grappling with personal growth amidst the weight of familial expectations and his own insecurities. Confronting his limitations, he learns to trust Felicity's expertise, leading to a deepening of their professional collaboration and forging a stronger personal connection between them.

The author adeptly weaves together the protagonists' career aspirations with the progression of their romantic journey, culminating in a heartwarming resolution where Felicity and Cameron discover fulfilment and joy together.

Overall, this feel-good novel provides an engaging escape for fans of contemporary romance. Readers are invited to immerse themselves in the enchanting tale of Felicity and Cameron as they navigate the twists of both love and business, ultimately finding a promising and optimistic future side by side.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Relay Publishing, and the author, Leslie North, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review.

[Nessa’s Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title: The Grouchy One by Leslie North

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Stars

Release date: June 6th 2024


From the moment Felicity met Cameron O’Connor, it was war. Already late for a job interview, she thought her luck had changed when a cab stopped right outside her apartment—until the grumpiest, grouchiest, and admittedly handsome suit-hole snatched it from her. Imagine her shock when she finally arrives at her interview, only to find him sitting behind the desk!

“You’re late. Couldn’t find a cab?” he sneers. Felicity’s blood boils, and she can’t help but tell him exactly how his company is bungling their PR disaster. No way would she work for this infuriating man—or touch him with a ten-foot pole. But then he offers her a salary with more zeros than she can count, and she finds herself stuck working alongside the bosszilla.

Keeping her sarcasm in check is a daily struggle, especially when he hires an influencer who spreads rumours about their supposed secret romance.

Suddenly, their fake relationship is all anyone can talk about. Forced to go on fake dates and pretend to be in love, Felicity soon finds that pretending becomes a lot harder. Against all odds, Cameron starts to grow on her, and she suspects he’s not faking it either.

"The Grouchy One" by Leslie North is a hilariously charming enemies-to-lovers romance! Watching Felicity and Cameron navigate their love-hate relationship is pure entertainment, with sharp banter and sizzling chemistry. This story had me smiling and laughing. The fake dating trope is executed to perfection as well as my all time favourite, the enemies to lovers trope.

If you're looking for a fun, lighthearted read with plenty of laughs and a touch of heartfelt romance, this book is a gem. Highly recommend for all the romantics out there!

Thank you to The Publisher Relay Publishing ,The Author Leslie North & NetGalley for an advanced reader copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest review.

[MN Book Lady · Rating 5 out of 5]

The cynics always seem to fall the hardest!

Felicity is looking for a job to use her marketing skills but is running late and while looking for her wallet, comes across a grumpy man trying to take her taxi. Who she later learns is Cameron O'Conner, the man she needs to impress to get the job. So when Felicity shows she can work under pressure and come up with ideas on the fly when the current marketing strategy fails, Cameron hires her on the spot - after Felicity turned the role down. Begrugenly, Cameron has to admit that Felicity has great ideas and the immediate results in sales show that.

It shows even more when Felicity convinces Cameron to bring in a lifestyle influencer who, while genuine, also sees an opportunity for people to believe in love with the average person and shows Cameron and Felicity in a moment. One that was only supposed to anger Felicity. Enter #CamLicity and the New York and the world can't get enough of their fake relationship. So what happens when real feelings get involved and Cameron regresses back to his pre-Felicity days; breaking her heart along the way?

Cameron and Felicity get their happy ending in this standalone book in a series.

I loved how quickly this book turned from a fake romance to a real romance and neither one said anything about it. Like it was fake date number two and all the rules were out the window. I do wonder if the influencer the company hired was still posting behind-the-scenes looks at them too or if it was mostly organic reach from people trying to find these two out in public. I would love to see a book, or novella, about Cameron's brother and him falling in love with the rival's daughter. Knowing they get their happy ending makes me wonder what it was like when they got together and how.

[Rebmay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love an enemies to lovers romance like this book. Cameron and Felicity’s first meeting is rather contentious, tense and hilarious for us readers. He thinks of her as a gorgeous spitfire while she thinks he is an entitled trust fund baby. When they end up at the same place, Felicity can’t believe her luck. Figuring she has already lost the job because of their taxi squabble, her fiery temper leads her to tell him just what she thinks about the business practices of his company, and it isn’t exactly complimentary. Both thought they wouldn’t see each other again, but Fate keeps putting them in the same places. One encounter proves to him that he was too hasty to dismiss her for the social media director job, and he ends up offering her the job, only for her to refuse it because they obviously don’t get along. When he ups the ante, she takes the job, but wonders what she has gotten herself into. She loves a challenge, but his attitude and rudeness may just drive her crazy.

Turns out that working at his company resembles a minefield and then suddenly they are forced to act like couple for the new campaign. Yes, they are attracted to each other, though both are determined to bury that. There are certainly lots of sparks when they are around each other, but that could be flaring tempers, right? Let’s just say that this book is funny, entertaining and absolutely enthralling. Turns out these two belong together.

This wonderful book is one I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend. Enjoy!

[Liz M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ooh! This was so yummy!!
Cameron is the CEO of a huge jewelry company. A company that has had some pretty bad publicity lately. Fortunately, Felicity happens to know a thing or two about PR. Unfortunately, she doesn't make the best first impression on Cameron. He refuses to hire her. Which is fine, because she refuses to work for him. Until she proves to him exactly why she's the best person for the job. So, against his better judgment, he offers her a huge amount of money to come work for him. Which she accepts.
Felicity convinces Cameron to partner with a social media influencer, who promptly imagines a relationship between the two that is just not there. But once it's out on social media, they can't take it back. So they fake a relationship and become #CamLicity.
The two do have great chemistry, and the banter between them is just hilarious. But they've both been hurt by relationships before, and neither of them really wants one now. At a certain point, the farce just becomes too much, and it all implodes - in spectacular fashion.
They both knew it would eventually come to an end, but did they just walk away from the best thing that ever happened to them?
They both have strong personalities, and together they're combustible! Watching them verbally spar with each other was SO good! When Felicity stood up to Cameron and spoke her mind, which was often - it was just awesome. She was the spitfire he never knew he needed.
This was just great! Totally recommend!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Dorothy Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the story of Felicity and Cameron. Felicity is trying to get a cab and when she flags one down a man tries to take it. She lets him know that it was not his. They have words about him trying to take her cab. They have the cab driver decide and he agrees with the man. The man doesn't have his wallet so Felicity gets the cab. Felicity is on her way to a second job interview with Veritigue. She makes it through all the interviews with the different departments except her interview with the CEO of the company. This is a feisty fight at first sight, yet can’t fight the attraction, fake relationship between two who have been wounded in love before, yet their chemistry can’t be denied steamy romance. Also includes the backstories of Cameron’s best friend, a down and out struggling rock star, Felicity’s best friend, her roommate and emotional support since childhood, and tension between Cameron and his brother Aiden. Yes, Cameron is the typical grouchy billionaire most of the time, stressed beyond the limits, a tough in your face friend, big brother knows best but when he romances he knows how to do it right. Oh, and of course I can’t forget the most lovable and very important giant Schnauzer, Boris, Cameron’s best buddy and love of his life since he’s sworn off any other kind. The book takes awhile in getting the backstories and the main storyline set up but there is never a dull moment especially when Felicity and Cameron are together.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cameron and Felicity. Shes running late for an interview and when a cab pulls up next to her apartment he trys to take it but she gets it because he cant pay. After she goes to the interview and all through the different departments they make you go through she utimatlly ends up in the CEOS office for the final step. OMG its the grumpy man who tried to steal her cab. Hes so grumpy and arragant taht when he offers her the job she turns it down if sahe has to work with him and walks out. In the meantime the press is so bad caused by his father that he could lose his business. When Felicity goes home and sees Cameron he says shes following him but she lives in the same building. In the elevator they disacuss the problem at his company and she tells him a plan to get it back on top so he calls his company to put the plan into action and offers the job again at triple the pay and she takes it. One of the plans is with an blogger and she suggests a fake relationship between the two of them. All is ok until someone sees him on his knee and the next thing you know the bollger has told everyone they are engaged. Hes furious and breaks up with Cameron who has fallen for him and now shes heartbroken and is looking for another job. Loved how this tough guy was brought to his knees. Loved their story. Leslie North never disappoints love all her books.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Ellie (On a break, mostly rereading) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Grouchy One is a standalone book from the Bossy Glenhaven Billionaires series by Leslie North. This is your kind of typical grumpy meets sunshine, where the grump is obscenely wealthy and the sunshine is a bubbly down on her luck go getter. I love Leslie North's brand of bosshole, lots of fun, chemistry and plenty of hijinks.

When billionaire CEO Cameron meets marketing guru Felicity meet, they get off on the wrong foot. But while no one dares question their boss, Felicity has the guts to stand up and show Cameron what she's made of and what she can do to help his company. And somehow, with all this going, including mixing in social media influencers into their campaign, Cameron and Felicity become the face of the company and go headlong into a fake relationship. Disaster could strike at any time, maintaining a facade with a grump like Cameron who is more than a tad clueless outside of business especially with relationships. And feelings sometimes have a way of catching on.

This book was a bit of an emotional roller coaster, and I think that's because Felicity was so easily to relate to.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Renee Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Only Have Eyes for You

A true enemies to lovers romantic love story. Cameron, CEO of Veritique, has a PR disaster on his hands. Having to hire someone to clean up their current PR disaster, he comes face-to-face with Felicity, the same woman he was sparring with over a taxi cab a week prior. Rather than working for an a$$hole, she decides to leave the interview. Stranger things happen & she agrees to rise up to this PR challenge & help his company. Hiring an influencer, she suggests Cameron & Felicity pretend to be a couple. The on-line followers get swept up with their romantic love story & notice the jewelry pieces Felicity wears while they are out in public. Veritique’s sales are increasing so they continue with the fake romance in public, however, they have broken their own written contract they agreed on at the beginning & this platonic façade is now very real. Will they be able to continue towards a HEA ending or return to their initial state of becoming enemies?

Great story to pick up & read. Be ready to be swept up with the sparring moments, the hot nights they share & feel their success as a powerhouse couple.

I received an ARC of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Erin Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute, quick, 🔥 read- perfect for those that love fake dating, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, coworkers, billionaire boss tropes.

Felicity and Cameron have a rocky start, he tried to steal her cab, the one she was taking to her interview for her dream job, marketing for the diamond company Veritigue. She finds out Cameron is the new CEO for Veritigue when she’s across the desk from him during her final interview. Veritigue is currently struggling due to some marketing guffaws from the prior CEO, Cameron’s father.

To help save the company from the marketing nightmare, they inlist Lucy, an influencer with millions of followers and develop a campaign centered around romance and jewelry ultimately ending with a Veritigue engagement ring. Lucy outs Cameron and Felicity as being in a secrete relationship, which in reality is her spitfire personality and their love-hate bantering. Now they have to fake date and fake being in love. Except, is it all fake?

I mostly read this over one evening and enjoyed the story, even if it was predictable. Good tension and chemistry! Would love a second book of Nina and Tyler’s story! 3.75/5

Thank you NetGalley, Relay Publishing, and author Leslie North for this ARC, it made my day!
Pub date: June 6, 2024

[Raecharmed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Felicity and Cameron meet when they are both going for the same taxi. However, she gets it because he doesn't have his wallet. It doesn't end there; Felicity is heading to an interview and is shocked when Cameron is the boss and the last person to interview her. Felicity decides against taking the job after there is heat bickering between her and Cameron. Later she goes out with her friend to a bar and sees Cameron walking in and she decides to leave. Now to long later Cameron and her run into each other in the building they live in. During the time in the elevator, she learns about the issue his pr team is having problems with and she offers some free help which works. So, its a no brainer but to convince her to take the job. Once they are working together its not long before things get complicated as they become the faces of the company's latest campaign. Things get very real between them. Can this be something more between them? or will Cameron make it all about work?

This is an amazing story that once I started it I couldn't put it down. This is a well written and very entertaining story. Its a book that any book lover would enjoy.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Anushree · Rating 2 out of 5]

It feels very rushed. Everything feels rushed. And the beginning Interview interaction? It comes across as downright childish. Who behaves this way in an interview? A CEO or a potential employee? Very unbearable. I was tempted twice to give up on this book.....the only two reasons which kept me going were Cameron's care for his friend, Tyler and Felecity actually being great at her job! We do not know the colour of her eyes till the end of the book?! And there is only one paragraph at the absolute end of them not being close with their parents....at least we know the FL's reason for keeping them at a distance. The ML's reason is unspecified. He doesn't like the way his father ran the business....how was he as a father? And his mother? No mention. Zilch. Aiden (the ML's brother) is suddenly introduced and randomly mentioned again....it took me awhile to even place him...and that's after I finished the book in two days.
Had I paused the book and continued in spurts, I would have forgotten even the names of the leads!
Sometimes, the FL makes so much sense! Like not wanting anything to do with Cameron and his money.... especially for her future dream and then she's stupid. She forgives him instantly! I thought they'd go from "I like you a lot. Let's date"....from being literal "colleagues with benefits". But they went straight into "I love you's" and that was also not very convincing. The billionaire also frequently mentions his assistant Daniel who does all the work without making a single appearance? It would have been nice to put a face to the name.
I actually got excited thinking that the FL's disgusting ex would make her face public ruining their ongoing Social media campaign. After the way the ML ushered him out of a meeting without any real explanation....I thought the ex would take revenge! That would have made a kickass PLOTLINE...maybe only I imagined it.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cameron O’Connor is trying to turn around Veritique as the new CEO. They need a strong PR person to do it. Felicity sees the issues that Veritique has but the new CEO is a jerk. He tried to steal her taxi and then insulted her when she came for her interview. These two seemed like an unlikely pair. They were always at each other but they do say, there could be more to it. And there was. Cam had a lot of damage control to do for Veritique. Felicity was smart and always knew what would be best for the brand and how to make things better. He just needed to learn to open up. He was having a hard time with that due to his past. But so was Felicity. But these two finally realize that there were unstoppable when together. You have to love their banter. We also have their friends that are hot and cold. Pretty much there was a lot of work to be done all around. Everyone had a lot to work through but with love they all got there. You don’t need to read the others in the series but I know I am going to have to go back and read the other two.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Andra Shaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Grouchy One takes happily ever after to another level. I knew this was going to be one of those bosshole to lover stories. I did not expect it to draw me in so intensely. The characters, Cameron and Felicity, Nina, Lucy, Tyler, Megan, and even the dog, Boris, are all so believable that they could be folks in your neighborhood. Well, exceptionally rich folks in the neighborhood. They are lovable, adorable, and engaging.

The story is even more relatable and current with the introduction of a top line social media influencer, Lucy. She is phenomenal at what she does and the author was sure to make her a good person. She takes her job as an influencer seriously and not as some way to make money off of others.

All in all, The Grouchy One is a wonderful romance story with humor, drama, intense drama, a very cute dog, subtle steaminess, and a fantastic happily ever after. Though I did not read it in one sitting, it felt like a page turner. I had to find out how Cameron and Felicity go to their happily ever after. It was magical!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kelly DeMarco · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phew! This is one major hate-hate start with a super sweet ending
The Grouchy One: A Bosshole Grump-Sunshine Billionaire Romance by Leslie North features super grumpy billionaire bosshole who is falling into old, learned habits that isn't really working for him. Cameron and Felicity have a massive hate meet moment that grows and explodes. Cameron's snap decision hurts his company and Felicity's temper only feeds Cameron's assumptions.
As things change, tolerance is the name of the game. A fake relationship turns tolerance into actual like! Feelings evolve and bam! Insecurities and old beliefs derail everything and undoes just about everything good for this couple and the company.
Overall, I absolutely loved the jewelry/diamond company element of this story! This was new for me and found it crazy interesting. I just imagine the fun this author had researching diamond jewelry! And as for wrapping things up, Cameron reflects and gets a dose of reality, does a retraction, loses most of his grumpy attitude and wins the heart of this sunshine woman who stole his.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving my review.

[Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the moment I started reading, I knew ‘The Grouchy One’ was going to be a book I was going to enjoy. The two main characters Cameron and Felicity meet unexpectedly and they hate each other on side. Both have a lot of prejudices about each other. And they are glad they don’t need to spend more time together. But then they meet again shortly after, and learn that they need to work together. You can imagine how that goes! Add the fact that they are clearly attracted to each other, but both really don’t want to.. and this made for some very funny moments.

Cameron and Felicity had some amazing chemistry. And I loved reading how they had to put all their differences aside to work together. Soon they are even forced to fake-date each other. Which hade some moments that felt a bit ‘unbelievable’ to me, but the banter between these characters really made up for it.

‘The Grouchy One’ was a lovely and very fun romance. I loved Cameron and Felicity together. There where a few moments in the book that went a bit to abruptly for my taste. But overall I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait to read more books by this author.

[Wanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cameron is the CEO of his families business, Verirtique. He’s trying to pull the company out of the slump they are in from his father’s time as CEO where he ignored the public outcry for the mining conditions and unfair treatment of those workers. On top of all of that stress, his best friend, Tyler, is spinning out of control after his 2nd album flopped and his girlfriend left him. Felicity is looking for work in marketing and has an interview for her dream job . While she’s trying to get a cab a very 5exy, snobbish, entitled jerk tries to steal her taxi. Felicity learned not to give in after her disastrous last relationship that ended with her ex being a best selling author spinning a bunch of lies about their relationship and the way Felicity handled it. Both Cameron and Felicity have baggage from past relationships that will cause problems especially when they both realize the people from the cab stealing incident are each other. Since this is book 3in the series you will see others from previous books pop in which is always fun.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Curvy Girl Book Nerd (Jen S) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Grouchy One is Book 3 of the Bossy Glenhaven Billionaires series. It's a steamy, OTT, enemies-to-lovers, grumpy-sunshine, fake relationship, girl eventually gets her billionaire boss romance. I love Leslie's books, and this did not disappoint. Cameron has taken over the family's jewelery company after a family scandal. Felicity is a social media manager looking for a job and happens to have an interview at his company, but their initial meeting is anything but cute when he steals her cab. She ends up late for her interview with him lol and he brings up the cab. Felicity is a sassy spitfire. Cameron wants her for the job and offers her insane money, but she refuses with choice words. But these two keep crossing paths. They end up working together and in a fake relationship where real feelings become involved. But Cameron acts like a tool, and she walks away shattered. Will he get her back? Their chemistry was pure fire and the snarky banter hysterical. It's a bit of an emotional roller-coaster before we get our happy ending, but they are perfect for each other. I loved it!!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.