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The Relationship Clause

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Keeping an eye out for corporate espionage is hard enough when you're not falling for the boss...

The gig of fake secretary is find the mole trying to sabotage my grumpy boss's tech company while simultaneously keeping his mother off his back. In the meantime, I get to collect a tidy sum which I desperately need.

Piece of cake.

Or, it would be, if he wasn't so attractive and he didn't also happen to be my best friend's brother...

But I can be professional. I'm terrible at long-term relationships anyway and besides that, I signed a contract.

Unfortunately, nowhere in that contract did it say I'd be going on an overnight trip with him.

It also didn't say we'd be pretending we were in a real relationship.

And for sure there was no warning or clause or stipulation for how to conduct myself when I accidentally see my fake boyfriend/boss in just his briefs passed out on my bed.

Worst of all?

No one said falling for him would hurt so much.

The Relationship Clause is a best friend's brother, fake dating, romcom with forced proximity set in the South. Expect closed-door sizzling chemistry and plenty of laughs.

290 pages, Paperback

Published May 30, 2024

16 people are currently reading
88 people want to read

About the author

Emily Evermore

11 books9 followers

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5 stars
42 (36%)
4 stars
50 (43%)
3 stars
17 (14%)
2 stars
4 (3%)
1 star
1 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
Profile Image for Kathy Jo.
781 reviews145 followers
December 20, 2024
Y'all. It's been months since I've been able to read something new. MONTHS! It finally took two little words to grab my attention. Corporate espionage.

Oh holy swooniness with all the feels Batman! Where do I even begin?! I absolutely adored this book! It had everything I've come to love and crave in the books I read. All the feels? ✓ Swoony? ✓ Sizzling kisses? ✓ Giggled/laughed out loud? ✓ Let out all the little dreamy sighs? ✓ Sweet moments between characters? ✓ Big gestures? ✓

From the very beginning I fell in love with all things Junie and Owen. It wasn't hard to root for them. They were easy to relate to and they just felt real to me. Both of them have issues when it comes to relationships but I loved how they pushed and helped each other to become better and more confident. Watching these two get their HEA turned me into a big ol' pile of goo. Gah! I just loved them!

I've said it before and I will continue to say it. I love amazing side characters and this one had a few of them. My two favorite? Keira and Shane. Y'all. These two are seriously the best. They were the best friends that our beloved Junie and Owen could ask for. They loved them unconditionally, imperfections and all. I'm definitely looking forward to their story.

This was my first book by Ms. Evermore and it definitely will not be my last. I'm looking forward to reading more book in this series. Even if May 2025 feels like a million years away... I'm definitely invested.

As for my casting... I wasn't going to do one. But these two just called to me so I had to add them. I'm kind of in love. What do you think?

description
Profile Image for Paula (In & Out).
880 reviews12 followers
June 12, 2024
I give up. I tried for over two weeks to finish this and I finally called it quits at 50%. Not only is this boring as heck (at least for me) but I find the characters & writing too childish and lacking in chemistry since nothing has developed between them for the first half that I read and I’m just fed up to read any more of this torture.

I’m not even going to go into the non-story because it’s not worth my time. Author pretty much lost me at Chapter 13 when Hero came across her closet at the house he was helping her tear down:

I open my mouth to tell him to stop, but he’s already there, opening the closet door, staring inside. It’s too late.

I turn back to my linoleum nightmare, ears burning. There are thirty whole seconds of silence before his disapproving voice sounds again. “Miss Cousins…” Seriously, I think his vocal chords are permanently stuck on grouchy mode sometimes. Or maybe that’s only when he’s dealing with me.
All I can do now is play dumb. Dumb and sarcastic. “Yes, Dark Ruler?”

“What is all this?”

“All what? Be specific when you’re disapproving of my life, please.”

“All this.”

I get up, girding my loins for what I know is coming next. I find him standing at my coat closet, door ajar, smoldering eyes dead set on the contents.

“What are these?” he demands.

I peer inside, hoping he can’t see how red my face is. Maybe if I play it off, he’ll think it’s no big deal. “Um, a family of mice rooming with my resident dust bunnies?”

“No.” He runs a hand across the clothes draped on hangers. “There are different men’s hoodies and sweatshirts in here of different shapes and sizes with no apparent theme.”

“Oh… It’s nothing, they’re from, um, you know, different boyfriends.”

“Different boyfriends?”

“Ex-boyfriends.”

“Ex-boyfriends? How many have you had? There’ve got to be at least fifteen different hoodies in here.”

“Well, that means there were probably at least fifteen different exes.” Give or take a few. He’s looking like he might grab each sweater and set fire to them one by one.

“Never mind,” he grumbles as he shuts the closet. “I’m not cold enough to use one of those.”

“Oh. Okay…” A strange new thought occurs to me. Maybe I should keep it to myself, but I can’t.

“Does it bother you that I have so many exes?”

“No.” He starts ripping into the last remaining cabinet with a vengeance. Like the thing insulted his mother or something. Well, maybe not his mother. Kiera, I guess?

“Does it bother you that I’ve kept all those sweaters?”

“No.”

“What then? Why are you suddenly so upset?”

“I’m not suddenly upset.”

“You’re more upset than usual,” I insist.

When he found the sweaters, I expected some judgy comments and curious questions, that was a given, but this? My boss, Mr. Ferguson, Mr. TDC, Mr. Grumpy Grumpypants, isn’t supposed to care about how many boyfriends I’ve had in the past.

But this reaction? From Mr. Ferguson? That implies that maybe he could…
No. I need to forget it. Nothing good can come from this line of thinking. I’m not looking for a new boyfriend. A boyfriend whom I would inevitably break up with after two to four months. I can’t do that to Mr. Ferguson, even if I weren’t trying to keep this job after the contract ends. I won’t do that to him.

“Why do you date so much?” he suddenly asks.

“What?”

“You seem to date a lot.”

I shrug, suddenly uncomfortable. “No more than the average person.” At least, I think it’s no more than average. Kiera’s had her fair share of boyfriends. Though I don’t think she dates in exactly the same way that I do, and that’s probably the point…

“How long was your longest relationship?” he says.

Great. We’re stuck on this now.

“Um, I don’t know… Maybe four months…” Four months is stretching it, but it makes me feel better.

“Do you keep in touch with any of the guys you used to date?”

“No. Do you keep in touch with any of your exes?”

He sighs. “Fair point. But did you tell all of them you were moving to Tennessee?”

“I didn’t tell Shane I was moving to Tennessee.”

“So, one out of fifteen.”

“Excuse me, am I on trial here?”

“So, what about you?”

“What about me?”

“How many girlfriends have you had? I figured you were getting all up in my business so I could get in y—”

“Two,” he says matter-of-factly.

I think for a second I didn’t hear him right or that maybe he is joking, but his face says he most certainly isn’t. “You’ve only had two girlfriends in your entire life? I mean, even through middle school and high school?”

“Yep. Although, if you include elementary, I’m pretty sure a girl named Cindy declared I was her boyfriend during recess one day, and we never officially broke up, so maybe I’m not as single as I think I am.” Our gazes meet, and I can see the teasing in his eyes. Another joke. Huh. “Seriously though, the thing with my parents kind of soured relationships for me,” he says, voice low.


I should also mention that when heroine came to work for him, Hero had a front row seat to two of her past exes. First one was his Lawyer and the second was his business partner/BFF. So she got around it seems and we are keeping it all in the family somewhat…
Profile Image for Abby Huffer.
788 reviews12 followers
June 12, 2024
I absolutely loved this one! Such a great read! Super fun connections and such a great forbidden/best friend’s brother/workplace relationship🤎 Add this one to your TBRs! I loved Owen & Junie together. He was the best-willing to be brave and take the risk🫠.
Profile Image for Maven_Reads.
1,752 reviews52 followers
January 13, 2026
The Relationship Clause by Emily Evermore Review

The Relationship Clause by Emily Evermore is a witty, clean contemporary romantic comedy that blends workplace romance, fake‑dating hijinks, and a sprinkle of light suspense into a delightful summer‑book vibe. The story follows Juniper “Junie”, a spirited barista who needs cash and accidentally ends up hired as a fake secretary for Owen, the grumpy CEO of a tech company, when she stumbles into exactly the job he is trying to fill while also trying to root out a corporate mole sabotaging his business.

As part of her contract she must keep Owen’s overbearing mother happy, and before long the false professional relationship turns into a fake romance they have to uphold when his family keeps prodding for details about his love life, leading to forced proximity, misunderstandings, and all‑the‑feels moments neither expected. Along the way, their chemistry simmers under closed‑door heat‑level (kisses only) and the shared mission to catch the saboteur makes the stakes feel fun and urgent.

Reading this made me laugh and sigh in equal measure, because Junie’s sardonic wit and Owen’s charmingly grumpy shell created such a warm slow‑burn that I genuinely rooted for them even when they were denying their own feelings. Junie’s commitment fears and Owen’s emotional walls softened in ways that felt earnest and deeply human, especially as they bonded over shared goals, awkward trench‑coat moments, and protecting what matters most in their lives.

The secondary cast; Junie’s friends and Owen’s family, added layers of humor and heart that kept every scene lively and engaging without ever tipping into melodrama. While a few readers mention that the pacing feels light and that the big emotional turning points could have had even greater depth, I loved how the story balanced genuine emotional growth with plenty of playful banter, making it a cozy, feel‑good romance that left me grinning by the last page. If you’re in the mood for lovable characters, sweet chemistry, and a workplace/fake‑relationship trope with personality and warmth, this delivered in spades.

Rating: 4 out of 5
Because the charming leads, clever setup, and heartfelt gradual connection made this a genuinely delightful, feel‑good read.
Profile Image for Soul's Library.
83 reviews
June 12, 2024
The Relationship Clause- Owen X Juniper
It was a quick and simple read.

The story is mainly based on the CEO of a tech company falling for a barista in his local coffee shop who from a series of mishaps has to be his fake secretary and fake girlfriend for his mom and dad respectively.

Juniper has major commitment issues according to the multiple times it was mentioned in the book and Owen has distanced himself from love. They mutually pine for each other but are in denial that the other likes them.

They bond over forced proximity, daddy AND mommy issues, a mission to catch a mole and keep his parents on bay. The book itself is fine, there's a story, a back-story, plot, the fictional man appeal but, it just didn't hit the spot.

I wish we saw them bond over more than their issues. I wanted all the details, the law stuff and how the mole and other ppl involved were punished. The climax of the book is just muted. Also how does someone with commitment issues just give it up like that? There was no turning point or incident that was like -BAM! questions my perception and wants to change it.

It was okay just not really enough for me. I am looking forward to the second book in the series though, hopefully it has more depth, but the trope is intriguing enough for now.
Profile Image for Charity.
615 reviews86 followers
June 15, 2024
Question:
What do you get when you have a woman who's afraid of ANY kind of commitment, be it friends, jobs, homes, or boyfriends because of the way her mom left, and combine that with a man who doesn't want a relationship because of his narcissistic parents who try to control every aspect of his-and each other's-lives?

Answer:
Junie and Owen.

While I don't understand why Owen allows his mom to think she can control his business, I do love the fact that Junie gets hired on because of his mom's aggression. Add in the spy element, and I'm intrigued.

This is a fun, low angst, light hearted beach read that's great for summer. And though it did allude to sex a few times, nothing was remotely hinted at even a glimpse of them being intimate on page.

I'm looking forward to the next book, and I just have one question for the author, that has been bothering me since chapter 5: what happened to the gum? I just really have to know.

~I was given a complimentary copy of this book. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.~
Profile Image for Larissa (That Baker That Reads).
193 reviews15 followers
September 14, 2024
4.5⭐ Round Up

Synopsis:
Owen needs a new secretary, while also needs to find out a ‘mole’ in his company. Unexpectably, Juniper, a cute barista, ends up in the right place and the right time.

Includes:
✨Grumpy/Sunshine
✨Boss/Employee
✨Fake Dating
✨Fake Secretary
✨Best Friend's Brother
✨Off-Limits
✨Forced Proximity
✨Mutual Healing

🌶️Heat Level:
Kissing Only
Make Out Sessions
Innuendo
Attraction/Tension:🔥🔥🔥

My Opinion:
This was very Sweet and cute. The story is fast-paced, the chemistry is great and even with tough subjects, like commitment issues and bad parental relationships, the story isn’t heavy. Owen is such a cutie and it was fun to learn Junie persona along the story, and whenever they are together, the tension is on point. I like that the second plot was well round it, fun to follow, and even the secondary characters were interesting and a great addition to the narrative. Besides that trauma healing part, the book is very light-hearted and a fun read.

TW:

*I received a free review copy of this book from the author. I was not required to leave a positive review. All opinions are my own.*
Profile Image for Christina.
804 reviews34 followers
September 5, 2024
loved this one!!

Honestly, I have have been in the biggest book rut ever and it’s been so hard to get into a story like I used to, but after a recommendation from a friend, this book definitely pulled me out of my rut (and then some!). I adored the storyline, the characters, the mystery, and definitely the toe-curling romance! Each character was so well done, and I loved how they learned to deal with difficulties from their pasts and to move forward without letting it define them. There was an added depth that really made the story come alive, and I was here for it all. Now I’m just sad it’s over and that I have to wait until next spring for the second book in the series!
Profile Image for Elizabeth Wilson.
59 reviews1 follower
July 14, 2024
I wanted a sweet romance that wasn’t spicy, closed door. This is it. Only thing that’s talked about in this book is kissing. But you have to wait until you’ve read 48% of the book (exact percent because that’s what my Kindle progress bar said) before that even happens. I like that the author fleshed out the characters and their feelings before throwing them together, but I think they should’ve gotten together a bit earlier in the book.
519 reviews
September 8, 2025
It took me a while to get into this book. But once I did, I really liked it. It was Clene only kissing. There’s one mention of him in boxers. There are quite a few villains. Fun book about dating your best friend’s brother, but you didn’t know he was the brother.(how has she not seen a picture of him?) junie moves around a lot and his little bit clumsy.
At first, I wasn’t sure I could read the book because that’s the name of my daughter but in the end it was fun
Profile Image for Barbara Hackel.
2,859 reviews46 followers
November 25, 2025
An interesting story about parents, friends, and self worth. Both main characters have terrible parents, and they both are trying to break the molds that would lead them to unintentionally follow their parents paths. Add in other challenges, working together, and falling in love. The result is not quick nor easy, but it will be wonderful. This is a story about love, friendship, and getting a happily ever after.
1,597 reviews
June 9, 2024
Fun book!

I really enjoyed reading this book! The characters are layered and well written, and I loved the depth they had to them. I also laughed and swooned while reading! This book was a great blend of funny, sweet, and deep. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series!
Profile Image for Jemimah “Stories and Scribes”.
76 reviews16 followers
March 31, 2025
I loved it

Aww I loved every part of this book.

Two hearts facing their fears. The trauma of parental issues that shapes the decisions of children. Junie and Owen stroy of really beautiful
Profile Image for Emily Alcock.
21 reviews1 follower
August 7, 2024
Fake relationship
boss and employee
best friends brother
trip
Closed door
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews

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