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Makeup and Mochas #1

The Funnel to You

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Love doesn't always come from a meet cute. Sometimes you need to have a funnel built to get there.


Sasha is a makeup influencer and a hardware store department supervisor. She is ready to make her social media her full time job, but doesn't know how to make it happen. She hires Matt to help her make those dreams a reality. When coffee orders start showing up at work and invitations to special events keep flooding in, is the funnel finally working or is it all too good to be true?

Full blurb to come soon - title is set to release September 5, 2024

298 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 5, 2024

26 people are currently reading
132 people want to read

About the author

Nikki Grant

15 books50 followers

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5 stars
43 (26%)
4 stars
75 (46%)
3 stars
37 (22%)
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4 (2%)
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2 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 119 reviews
Profile Image for Rebekah Blake.
18 reviews
August 16, 2024
I got this book as an ARC. I would rate it 2.5 honestly. I feel like a lot of his “less than kosher” tactics to helping grow the business are just not explained in a fashion that makes me feel as though he’s being a devious about them.
The writing was casual and easy to read but I didn’t find myself enjoying it in the way I wanted to. As someone who has tried to get into makeup vlogging it felt lackluster. I found the characters to be flat and even with their silly coffee addiction quirks and social anxiety, they didn’t feel like complete people. Sasha and Ashley have the exact same characteristics. It would have been nice to see a bit of contrast between the two girls working together to build their business.
All in all I felt like there were more descriptions on things I didn’t find important and the timelines felt rushed and implausible (I know it’s a fiction book and I should suspend my disbelieve so that’s why I rounded up to 3 stars)
Profile Image for Tay_is_reading_again.
478 reviews47 followers
January 14, 2025
Rating: ⭐️⭐️✨

This book wasn’t for me. It felt extremely repetitive and the characters felt extremely flat. I also didn’t like the writing style and found tons of editing errors. I signed up for an ARC of book 2 based on the tropes, and I read this book as a precursor to the ARC. I knew once I read this book that this probably isn’t the author for me.
Profile Image for CozyBookBrews.
22 reviews2 followers
September 16, 2024
Anxious Coffee Addict with a Lipstick Addiction?? Is that a mirror??

5 Stars

“As you wish, Sunshine.” ~Matt (aka total dreamboat)

Honestly, it was incredibly easy to fall in love with Matt and Sasha. The book was very well written, and I loved the different coffee and tea flavors through each chapter. This book went from 4 to 5 stars though, with the incredible twist I did NOT see coming!! This was an ARC, but I am so ecstatic to read more of Nikki Grant’s work in the future.

I decided the perfect pairing for this book can really be any of the coffees at the beginning of the chapters, but I thought that with Sasha’s love of lavender additions and her occasional cup of tea, she would definitely be sipping a London Fog. I used the Lavender Earl Grey blend from Friday Afternoon Teas as it has that perfect element that I feel would be Sasha Loves Lipstick approved. If you would like to shop this blend for yourself, you can use the code “CozyBookBrews” at check out to get 10% off your order at checkout. Everything is linked in my bio!!

Happy sipping & reading, and stay cozy!!

The Funnel to You is available on KindleUnlimited, amazon, and Bookish Bubbly PR’s website if you are interested in getting your very own copy!! (KU as of this post 9/17/2024)

While this was an ARC, I received it in exchange for my honest opinion and review. Everything written here is entirely my honest feedback from the work I received.

This book was written for a mature audience and has some adult themes, so reader desecration is advised!! Please read the trigger warnings for each book before you dive in as always.
Profile Image for AvidReader.
1,476 reviews331 followers
September 8, 2024
A cozy, feel good romance with realistic characters.

I enjoyed this book very much. It was light hearted but with deep topics, fun and easy to read.

I loved Matt so much. He was such a sweetheart. Geeky, nerdy but so thoughtful. Likewise Sasha was so genuine and nice. I loved how gentle and patient Matt was with Sasha. I just wish Sasha also showed her love for him a little more openly. Especially in the last conflict. Ending was a bit rushed. But I loved the character growth of MC’s.

Loved all the secondary characters and can’t wait to read Ashley’s book next.

—Reverse age gap.
—Beauty influencer x nerdy hero.
—He falls first.
—Co workers.
—Standalone, KU and safe.

I received an advance review copy and I’m leaving this review voluntarily.
Profile Image for Ashley.
395 reviews25 followers
September 17, 2024
Spice: 🌶🌶

Tropes:
Mental health
Anxiety
He falls first
Slow burn
Beauty influencer
Morally grey MMC
Dual POV

The Funnel to You is a cozy, spicy romance. It centers around Sasha, a manager at Home Depot who wants to elevate her beauty blog/social media accounts to the next level- to allow her to quit having to wear an orange apron every day.

Matt, the MMC, runs a digital marketing business. Sasha contacts him for assistance with her accounts. Can they accomplish Sasha's career goals without getting romantically involved?

Sasha was relatable with her social anxiety. She was sweet, over thinking, smart, and you root for her. Matt definitely comes off as cinnamon roll, always anticipating Sasha's needs. But Matt holding secrets there? Maybe. Maybe not. I do like how he's sweet with Sasha and understanding of her mental health.

Each chapter starts with a coffee drink. Now I want to try them all! I liked that haha
Profile Image for Tea  Farmer .
133 reviews9 followers
September 5, 2024
4.5 Stars!

Makeup and romance books ?? My 2 favourite things. Immediately after picking it up … I could not put it down. Chapter after chapter this book had me intrigued and I was so so interested, just one more chapter was me in the late hours of the night … a page turner for me for sure. I read it in less than 24 hours!

I love this book! I love makeup and find myself buying a ton, following trends and beauty influencers. This book was something that definitely caught my interest and was right up my alley . I could relate to Sasha when she talked about beauty and makeup products .. which I enjoyed. I loved reading and seeing Sasha build herself up.. and grow as a creator through it all. So fun! Bonus fun was the coffee lover in Sasha. The coffee recipes and orders as the beginning of each chapter had me drooling and wanting to try it.

Sasha’s character is such a girly girl. Her insecurities, building her career and growing is something that is relatable to everyday life. I love when characters are real. Beauty influencers are normal people too who all start from somewhere. I appreciate the mental health representations with her character as well.

Matt is such a golden retriever character to me , I love how caring, thoughtful and patient he is! He loves hard and loves to take care of his family and friends. And his gift giving love language was chefs kiss for me !

Other characters worth mentioning, Ashley , Kylie and Carter . I loved the relationships between them all!

In my opinion this book had more focus on Sasha’s career than the romance that occurred , I wish there was more romance and romantic aspects involved in between all of her influencer life. But with that being said I loved what there was. The romantic moments were sweet and cute, which I love. I love a romantic book where the MMC treats the girl like a princess and will do anything for them. The spicy scenes were so hot .. something that I enjoy in romance book too. This book does mention what I would define as “soft stalking” but personally I don’t think it’s a very “dark” romance as others have mentioned in their reviews.

Overall I think this is a great read , and highly recommend it ! Nikki did an amazing job with her debut novel! I can’t wait to read book 2 with that cliffhanger and to see what is in store for Ashley !!

Tropics and Tropes:
- Coffee
- Makeup
- Beauty Influencer
- Social media
- Trends
- Close Family & Friends
- Romance
- He falls first
- Stalking
- Coworkers
- Insecurities
- Golden Retriever
- Sex

I received this book as an ARC , all my reviews are my honest and personal opinions. Thank you Nikki for reading this ARC and trusting my opinion and review!
Profile Image for Echo (BookEchommendations).
152 reviews4 followers
September 6, 2024
There were a lot of things I liked about this book. I enjoyed the character of Sasha and appreciated seeing representation of someone with social anxiety who struggles with situations where someone they are comfortable is not in attendance. The fact that the romance started developing as a friendship that also turned into more is one of my favorite things, as I feel that it’s a solid base for a good relationship.

The coffee drinks at the beginning of every chapter sounded delicious. It makes me want to start switching up my usual orders. I enjoyed the longer length of time over which this novel took place so I could see the seasonality in the drinks.

The buildup to the steamy stuff is slow, which is actually how I like my romance novels. And the payoff is worth it. The spice level is not too high (actually right where I want it) and the scenes are exactly what you’ve been waiting for when you get there.

I wish some of the friendships got explored more, particularly her relationship with Ashley. It was stated that they became close, but we didn’t really get to see it develop.

There were some things I didn’t love about this novel, however. I did it to myself. They were right there in the warnings and I either ignored them or didn’t think they were going to be that bad. So here is my suggestion for possible readers: PAY ATTENTION TO THE CONTENT WARNINGS. The author describes the MMC as lightly stalkerish even though he’s a total cinnamon roll, and she’s not kidding. Matt is totally adorable, but some of the things he does, such as calling the coffee shop to place ahead orders for her for the whole week and not telling her they’re from him, would go a very different way in a non-romance novel. You ever heard of that scale where things people do are either cute or creepy based on whether or not you like the person? Matt is definitely straddling that line.

However, he really does have her best interests at heart and is doing his best to help her influencer ratings (and also his sister’s by association) and his company. Watching their relationship bloom and seeing how Sasha was going to take it when she realized all the cute/creepy things were coming from him was part of the draw that kept me reading. I also liked how the light stalking was incorporated in a way that kept it from veering into dark romance territory. That’s really not my vibe. This is definitely still a rom-com.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for thatbeccagirl_reads.
716 reviews17 followers
June 15, 2025
This cozy, heartfelt romance follows Sasha, a relatable millennial juggling a full-time job and her passion for beauty content creation. She dreams of turning her makeup channel into a full-time career, and when she hires Matt, a social media strategist who already knows more about her than she expects, her life begins to shift in both exciting and complicated ways.

Sasha’s journey is inspiring. Her social anxiety, her drive to build something of her own, and her sweet personality made her a character I genuinely rooted for. Matt is thoughtful, supportive, and patient, and their slow-burn connection builds beautifully from friendship.

The book leans more toward Sasha’s career growth than a heavy romance plot, but the romantic moments it does include are tender, sweet, and a little spicy. I especially appreciated the mental health representation and how Matt respects Sasha’s emotional needs.

Matt does a little “soft stalking” with Sasha. While the story doesn’t present it in a sinister light, readers who are sensitive to this kind of behavior might find it a little unsettling.

The coffee-themed chapter intros were a lovely touch and added personality to the reading experience. While I would have loved more depth in the romantic development, this story still delivered a warm and uplifting vibe.

A feel-good read about ambition, love, and finding the right person when the timing is finally right.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Profile Image for Bethany.
70 reviews4 followers
September 2, 2024
All the stars for this one!

This book had me hooked from the very first sentence. As someone who struggles with anxiety, Sasha was so relatable. I also fell in love with Matt immediately. He was so sweet not only to Sasha but to his family as well.

I’m pretty sure I’m just broken, but this man’s red flags were not very red to me. The lengths he went to to help Sasha achieve her goals, and the things he said to her to make her feel supported and loved had me constantly swooning and I will never recover. I also really loved Sasha’s giant heart. She’s been through some things and came out of it with some issues, but still with a genuinely caring heart. The direction she takes her vlog and beyond is something I would absolutely love to see happen irl.

I really loved this book and really can’t wait for book 2 (especially after the teaser at the end of Funnel)
Profile Image for Gabrielle.
128 reviews4 followers
July 12, 2025
I loved the concept of this book and I can not wait to continue to read this series!

I want to start with how each chapter started. With the description of a social media post, complete with what the image would look like and the hashtags used. But most importantly, every single chapter had a NEW COFFEE DRINK. Like how did I not know there were so many options for coffee!? I hope this trend continues through the whole series because I seriously loved it so much.

There is so much detail and description that went into the scenes to make it feel like you were watching a movie while reading this book!

I loved the friends first love story and my darker side appreciated the slight stalker vibes that Matt brought to the table.

Speaking of stalker vibes, I am very excited to see where this series goes from here!
Profile Image for Candice.
73 reviews
September 25, 2024
If I had picked this book up off the shelf and read it I would give it 4 stars. I loved the writing and it was a super cute romance with MCs that are great together and wonderful dialogue! BUT I was lead to believe from all the marketing for this book that it would be a “cozy dark romance” and it did not deliver on that at all. Had to dock it a star just because it very much wasn’t what I was expecting. I would really recommend to anyone looking for a book with spice and a cute romance plot.

Having said all that- I am really excited to read the next book in the series to follow Ashley’s story! I received my copy as an ARC
Profile Image for Sophy.
617 reviews6 followers
September 20, 2024
This is such a cute story about two people who meet through working together and start getting feelings for each other along the way. There are some things about the story that you're like WTF did I just read because you were not expecting it. If you like stories that are realistic and romantic, then you will like this story!
Profile Image for Beka.
255 reviews
September 21, 2024
I had high hopes for this one when I read the descriptions and signed up for the ARC. I’m not the one do to “bad” or negative reviews, and I’m not going to start now.
I just didn’t click with this one I guess. There was a character disconnect for me. I couldn’t connect to them. But that might not be the way for everyone else!!
It was cutesy but I didn’t necessarily think it was ‘dark’. Just the MMC who went about things in a questionable way to help the FMC achieve all her dreams and goals. He wanted her to succeed and did things that raised some red flags.
Profile Image for Jamie aka TacoGoddess Michelle.
148 reviews10 followers
October 14, 2024
I absolutely loved this book & had trouble putting it down at all! But needs must you know.
I would recommend this book as Beginner friendly book for someone looking to get into dark romance, the author is right label it as a “Cozy Dark Romance”
Tropes, Small Town,He Falls First 😏👀 * you’ll see* Golden retriever MMC,
🚩 some stalking, You’ll see 👀🧐
mental health rep which I love! Coworkers to friends to lovers 🩷😭

Sasha is a makeup artist “influencer” who’s trying to make it her full time career!! And figure out who she is!
I related to Sasha’s character Quite a bit, love coffee,I have a favorite pen,Struggles with anxiety! I appreciated her character as a whole as someone who struggles with insecurity & anxiety, and figuring out who they are!

And Matt, Sasha Hires Matt to help take her influencing to the next level, Matt always makes sure Sasha has what she needs,and even more at times; don’t worry I won’t spoil it for you but let’s just say it’s what makes this story a “cozy dark romance”,twist and turns we find out through out the book,and ending!!
You’re really in for a ride of emotions, and romance the slow burn was incredible, and well written especially as a debut novel!!
I loved Sasha & Matt’s Story;
And cannot wait for book 2 w/ Matt’s sister Ashley’s Story! Especially with the foreshadowing and cliffhanger at the end of this book,and story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Rombookfanlove.
340 reviews16 followers
August 20, 2024
This is a cozy, sweet story overall. The MMC’s Matt’s secret obsession with the FMC Sasha is cute in how it manifests - super supportive to an extreme, always one step ahead in meeting all her needs, until the secrets come out.

I’ve seen “cozy dark romance” or “lightly dark” used for marketing this book - I think that is overselling the ‘dark’ by quite a bit. Yes, he’s a little obsessive and makes some questionable decisions but..not really in a way I’d consider dark. So just a heads up for those who are really into dark (I’m not super into dark but even for me this was just not dark at all).

I really appreciated the anxiety rep in Sasha’s character and identified with her on some of those aspects. That said, I had a bit of difficulty connecting with her character initially as it was mostly all about the business and work. I didn’t get a big sense of her as a person.

I definitely connected with Matt more earlier on, and you get much more insight into how and what he likes about Sasha. The strategy and obsessiveness over her is in that weird-but-cute zone that makes Matt endearing.

I would have just liked to get more insight and feeling from Sasha toward Matt. There wasn’t much of a in-depth spark or longing or feelings mentioned in detail from her perspective, just kind of felt general.

If you’re really into the ‘influencer’ life, I think you will really enjoy this book! It’s very detailed about the day to day running and growth of her makeup instagram influencer business.

Personally, because I’m not all that interested in the topic, I found the level of detail around her influencer business to be a bit much and found myself wanting more about their relationship, their thoughts about each other, romantic tension, etc. and I just wasn’t getting enough of that.

Overall I think this is a nice, straightforward romance read, it’s a bit of a slow burn and lower on the spice scale though there are open-door scenes. Overall a ok/good debut for the author.

Again, I do think if the makeup influencer world is interesting to you with a romance weaved into it- you’ll probably love this!

3/5 ⭐️ for me

I’ve received an advance copy of this book and have left my honest review.
Profile Image for Morgan Jacques.
168 reviews4 followers
August 29, 2024
I loved this book so much and had me screaming (in a good way).

Sasha works at Home Depot and is a makeup influencer. She’s tired of wearing that orange apron, and really wants to become a full time influencer but doesn’t know how to accomplish that dream. So her friends/roommates tell her to search for a social media expert to help her. She stumbles upon Matt’s company and he gives her a quote and opportunity she just could pass up. After working with Matt for about 6 months, she learns just what Matt has done and what he’s been doing for her. She starts to second guess everything from her being an influencer to their relationship.

The author has labeled this as a cozy dark romance and that is absolutely the perfect label for this book. This is such a cozy book with dark romance elements sprinkled in. It has twists and turns that I didn’t expect!

The characters were so lovable and relatable! You have Sasha who just wants to do anything to make her dreams come true. And then you have Matt, though his choices are not always the best, means well by every single choice he made. And the way he cares for her and literally does everything for her! Definitely book boyfriend material😍😍

Let’s talk about the spicy scenes in this book because I was screaming! There is a little bit of spice in this book and it was so beautifully written. But the thing that I absolutely loved the most is Sasha’s description when she first sees him undressed. Let me tell you, this is the first book I read where his manhood isn’t described as huge and I freaking loved that. It honestly made me love this book more because it was actually realistic.

If you love coffee, makeup, a man that will do anything not only to get the girl but to have all of her dreams come true, you will absolutely fall in love with this book like I did.

This book is available September 5th! Thank you @ and @ for giving me an opportunity to read and review this beautiful book❤️


Profile Image for Mars Rads.
484 reviews11 followers
September 5, 2024
I wasn’t sure how I would feel when I first started reading this book. The Funnel to You by Nikki Grant is labeled as a “cozy dark romance”. I read a lot of dark romance that ranges from morally gray MMCs to downright messed up. This book leans towards the less disturbing but the MMC definitely does some things that you really wouldn’t be excited about in real life. None of this makes this story bad. On the contrary, this book was really enjoyable and I loved the interactions between the two main characters.

I was worried that Sasha would not be a character that I could connect with and enjoy. But she was an entertaining and likable character. She has dreams of being a make-up influencer. As a guy that hasn’t worn make-up in 20 years, I didn’t know how I would feel about her. But I was able to really connect to her through her social anxiety. Reading how Matt interacted with Sasha and dealt with her anxieties was something that I was able to get into and relate to.

Matt’s behavior is what puts this book into the darker category. He is not a bad guy, but his obsession with Sasha is definitely not “normal”. His stalker like actions make him less than above level. But nothing Matt does makes him a bad guy. I was actually able to connect to him more than a lot of MMCs in dark romances. While I enjoy the really messed up MMCs, nothing about them makes me ever want to encounter them. Matt is a guy that I can actually appreciate even though he is obsessive and does questionable things in order to get Sasha.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It is a great read if you want something a little more than your ordinary contemporary romance but can’t handle the books that are so dark that there is no light to them. I appreciated the social anxiety representation and as someone that suffers from it, I thought it was portrayed very well. As a coffee addict, I also loved the different coffee orders at the start of each chapter.

Profile Image for Whitney.
493 reviews
September 5, 2024
This book was a cute mix of different tropes, it feels like a sweet romance with a sprinkling with spice and some light stalking. I think the main reason that the book gives off more of the sweet vibe is the way that Nikki Grant wrote Mark, the MMC. He is portrayed has having that golden retriever persona and that adds a more sweet/emotional focus to the plot. It also puts a very different spin on his stalking of Sasha, the FMC, it doesn't have the same undertones or intention that is found in dark romance books.
Additionally I appreciate the mental health rep, with Sasha having social anxiety. It is refreshing to see more authors having different representation in their books. It wasn't something that was briefly mentioned nor was it something that was hyper-focused on. It was simply a part of who Sasha's character is and was something that was just there.
While this romance feels more on the sweet side, there is some spice in this book. This is not a closed door romance, however the emotional elements of their relationship have greater focus than the physical descriptions. I would recommend this book to those who are looking for a romance book with stronger emotional focus but still want a little spice. This book does not fall into dark romance category - and if someone is looking for that type of spice, they would be disappointed.

I received this book from the publisher/author at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher.
48 reviews
July 8, 2025
Imagine sitting in front of the fireplace with a cup of hot chocoloate (or pumpkin spice latte or coffee, etc.), lights are dimmed inside, candles are lit that remind you of fall, and warm cozy blanket. The temperatures outside are chilly but you are all comfortable and cozy inside. That is how this book made me feel - warm, cozy, and heart-filled.

In my opinion, many people can relate to Sasha and Matt - personally and mentally. Sasha's dream is to become a makeup influencer and have that become her sole income. One obstacle that she has to overcome is her anxiety. She is fun, creative, determined and an avid coffee lover! Matt on the other hand is a complete mastermind when it comes to social media. He has had his eye on Sasha for quite sometime and is thrilled when she finally reaches out for help when she decides to grow her followers. He becomes her biggest supporter and will do anything that she needs. He is the perfect cinnamon roll boyfriend! Their relationship starts out very professional until she gets some encouragement from Matt sister, Ashley, and then they just bloomed!

This book was such a sweet romance that gave you goosebumps and almost makes you feel like you are back in high school falling in love with your crush all over again. The slow burn made their love so sweet and left you wanting to see where their relationship went after 6 months.

Overall, this book was very enjoyable. The characters were very realistic and I think that many readers will be able to relate to Sasha and Matt. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves slow-burns, romance, cinnamon roll boyfriend, and he falls first.

Thank you Nikki Grant for this ARC copy in exchange for an honest review! I enjoyed every ounce and can't wait to read the next book in this series!
Profile Image for Kaylie Helfrich.
894 reviews96 followers
September 4, 2024
3.5 stars rounded up

I got a chance to alpha/beta read this book, but this review is based on the ARC I received.

This is a really fast and easy cozy read. The pacing is great and I never felt bored while reading. This book is a sweet and fun cozy contemporary romance. There are a couple slightly dark elements to this story, but overall I think it is very sweet. This book focuses on Sasha's journey as she tries to turn her makeup influencer side hustle into a full time gig that pays the bills. Matt is an expert in social media and is hired by Sasha to help her grow her social media presence.

This is a coworker romance but I do feel like the relationship isn't the focus of the story. I do wish we could have seen just a little bit more of their budding romance as time went on, but their progression did feel very natural. This book also has some spice but I would say that is light on the spice.

If you like makeup, enjoy watching makeup content online, I think this would absolutely be a book for you. You can tell the author did a lot of research on social media influencing and what it can look like behind the scenes when you decide to take a hobby and put all of your resources and energy into it.
Profile Image for Velvet Piper.
75 reviews5 followers
September 7, 2024
The best type of red flag stalker that we all want to fall in love with. This is the story of Sasha and Matt, a beautiful love story where Matt fell in love with Sasha two years before she knew he existed. I loved Matt; he is gentle, thoughtful, incredibly generous, obsessive, and happy to hack and adjust the natural life path to one that fits the best in his ideal world....the best of both worlds! And his dick, the perfect size, none of this 12 inches nonsense that we wouldn't be able to fit anywhere!

I loved this story; Sasha's social anxiety while being an up-and-coming influencer is fresh and realistic. In this day and age of social media, our social interactions can become more difficult, and growing up in a strongly religious household can make 'normal' social situations more complex to process. This was such a lovely story; it flowed beautifully. The character development made me obsessed with the story, waiting to see if Sasha and Matt would fall in love naturally.

If you love a red flag book boyfriend who is soft and gentle, obsessive, and morally compressed regarding the love of his life, alongside a beautiful story of self-development, then this is the story for you!
Profile Image for Karly Shoults.
10 reviews
July 15, 2025
⭐⭐⭐/5

This was such a cute, quirky, and fun read! Centered around a makeup influencer and just a sprinkle of light stalking, it blends humor, tension, and a bit of spice in a nice little make up bag.

Sasha, our main girl, is a caffeine fueled, anxiety ridden makeup lover trying to turn her online content into a full-time career and leave her job at Home Depot. I loved how she stays true to herself, rocking a full face of make up under that iconic orange apron. She's relatable and full of heart.

Then there's Matt… oh, Matt. 🚩 He’s giving “Joe from You if he had a LinkedIn profile” vibes, 100% creepy adjacent, but maybe not….dangerous. He’s obsessed with Sasha in a way that’s just on the edge of too much, but he does know how to grow a brand like a pro.

Spice level? Think more warm fuzzies than full heat. Nothing too graphic, which makes it perfect for older teens (17+) who like a bit of tension without diving into dark romance territory. If you're curious about the genre but not ready to go full dark and twisty, The Funnel to You is a great gateway read.

📚 Fun, flirty, and just a teeny tiny bit unhinged—worth picking up if you're into influencer drama, slow-burn tension, and characters who don’t fit the mold. 💄
272 reviews8 followers
October 27, 2025
📕Title: "The Funnel to You"

✍️Author: Nikki Grant😊

📚Review: Nikki Grant’s The Funnel to You is a delightful modern romance that captures the intersection of ambition, passion, and unexpected love in the age of social media. The story follows Sasha—a spirited millennial balancing a stable but uninspiring job and her growing makeup channel—as she hires a marketing expert to help her dreams take flight. But when that expert turns out to be Matt, a secret admirer with charm and sincerity, sparks fly both online and off-screen.

Grant crafts a vibrant, relatable narrative full of wit, chemistry, and emotional depth. Readers will find themselves rooting for Sasha as she navigates love, career choices, and the fine line between professionalism and passion. The novel is equal parts flirty, heartfelt, and empowering, reminding readers that love sometimes arrives through the most unexpected funnels.

Perfect for fans of rom-coms with a digital twist, The Funnel to You is a must-read that blends modern romance with entrepreneurial spirit.

✨#books #bookstagram #book #booklover #reading
Profile Image for VicReads.
1,548 reviews47 followers
September 1, 2024
3.5⭐

Sasha is stuck in a job that she hates during the day and on her off time she does what she loves.... makeup influencer. She really wants to pursue the makeup thing full time so she finds a company that can help promote her on social media, this is where she meets Matt. Things begin between begin to go from work related to a relationship.

It was a cute read but I have some complaints. While there aren't many books that I have read about social media influencer, the ones I have read some but this was one so detailed that I felt it was way to overwhelming and it took away from the relationship between Sasha and Matt. It was just too much for me honestly.

another thing, the author decides this as cozy dark romance
cozy- for sure
dark- absolutely not, does this have a morally grey mmc, yes but for me this is no where near dark.

I also felt absolutely no connection to Sasha, I think the only thing I connected on was the coffee addiction. This just felt a bit lackluster and didn't really connect to me.
Profile Image for momma_who_reads.
247 reviews7 followers
July 9, 2025
“When I took the job this summer, I was hoping it would end up here, but whereas I can manipulate algorithms and data, I can’t manipulate people. This had to be all her and me. And I was enough.”

One big thing I want to give Nikki Grant an A++ on is her research of what it takes to be an influencer and how much work goes into the back end of things!! You could tell it was very well researched!!

I enjoyed Sasha and Matt’s story. While it was marketed as a “cozy dark romance” I didn’t feel that it falls under the dark romance genre. Did Matt have some not normal ways of helping Sasha excel, yes, but there wasn’t anything morally grey or dark about the man. He had golden retriever energy all the way!!

Together they were adorable and I thought the plot was cute as well! Very excited for book 2, the cliffhanger has me hoping it’s darker!!

“Thank you so much for being here. We definitely have things to talk about but thank you for all you did for me to get here.” “You put in the work, I just built the funnel.” “The funnel to you.”
Profile Image for Toni Thomason.
159 reviews1 follower
August 28, 2024
4.5 stars - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ - The story is so well written.
2.5 spice - 🌶️🌶️🫑 - a bit of spice but that spice was spicy nice.

I have never related more to a book main character than I did with Sasha. OMG! She was so well written it was so refreshing to read about social anxiety and the effects it has. I felt I had such a connection to this story. I loved it so much. Even though I know nothing of make-up, I related to Sasha’s desire to make more or herself and focus on what makes her happy. I loved the connection she made with her new found friends and how her current friends accepted them without hesitation. The only issue I had, which is why it’s not 5 stars, is the main male character, Matt. He is totally a golden retriever MMC who worships Sasha but the slight stalker/mildly obsessed vibes slightly changed my opinion. While the story is so amazing, I need to see what happens with the friends now, but I think her self transformation is what stole the show.
Profile Image for Maurisa Risareads221.
727 reviews12 followers
August 29, 2024
Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice 🌶️

I think my morally grey compass is broken. I loved Matt. He really did everything to be what Sasha needs and make her fell reassured and confident in what she can do.

Sasha is a make up loving social media influencer, Matt is a “funnel expert” whom helps get social media seen. Sasha approaches Matt about getting help so she can make her hobby her dream.

I loved that anxiety was a topic of this book and it was awesome to see Sasha’s tribe band around her to ease her situation ls when she felt triggered. It also came up with other characters and I liked how it was very out in the open and talked about it.

I also enjoyed all Matt’s women being coffee obsessed, Sasha, his sister and his mom! He definitely knew about being a caffeine provider!

#romancereader #coffee
#readersofinstagram #romancebooks #booksta #romance #bookworm #reader #booklover #lovetoread #makeup
#contemporaryromance
Profile Image for Canieshia Powell.
162 reviews2 followers
January 1, 2025
This was a cute romance. Would I classify this as cozy dark romance? Not at all…

Here we follow Sasha, 28, who is a manager at Home Depot but she really wants to grow her channel as a beauty influencer. She already has a big following but took a step back due to her anxiety. Now she has a goal to influence full time and to finally quit having no to wear her orange apron everyday.

Insert our MMC Matt, 24, he is a digital marketer who Sasha has contacted to see if he would be a good fit to help her grow. But little does she know he’s been holding onto a secret. Is it fate or coincidence that she can across his ad?

I found some of the plot to be a bit repetitive but I did love how Matt was understanding with Sasha’s anxiety.

Also the coffee/tea orders at the beginning of each chapter made me want to write them down and try them lol

🖤🌶️.5

Tropes
Mental health
Anxiety
He falls first
She’s older
Multi POV
Slow burn
Influencer
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