Take It Offline

Out of Office #1

by Dani McLean

This meet-cute could have been an email.


EMMA

I’m sick of not being taken seriously.

Secretly broke and plagued by being a woman in tech, I’ve spent five years fighting for a sliver of respect from my boss.

Last year it was destroyed by a single man.

No, not a man.

A demon in a three-piece suit.

Now, he’s trying to steal the promotion I’ve earned, but no matter how weak his dimples make me, I refuse to let him win.

Except Charlie Walker has never played by the rules, and he’s intent on getting under my skin, one wink at a time.


 


CHARLIE

Good things only come to those who take.

So, when corporate superstar and trust fund princess, Emma Conway, expects the lead role handed to her on a silver platter, I do what I do best…

Suit up and step into the ring.

Too bad there’s an inferno hidden under all her control, and it only makes me want to get burned.

I probably shouldn’t have kissed her. I definitely shouldn’t have agreed to make her ex jealous.

It’s a good thing she hates me, or I’d really be in trouble.



Take It Offline is a steamy, rivals to lovers contemporary romance. It is the first in the Out of Office series and can be read as a standalone.

Genres: Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Workplace Romance, Fake Dating, Forced Proximity, Contemporary, Rom Com

356 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 24, 2024

About the author

Dani McLean is a Bi/NB Australian author who writes shamelessly fun contemporary romance with an open-bedroom-door policy. She loves coffee, karaoke, and stories that make you kick your feet up in the air. If lost, she can be found on Ao3, or echo located through her kookaburra laugh.

Reviews

[Brittany Vero · Rating 4 out of 5]

Take It Offline follows Emma Conway and Charlie Walker, two rival colleagues at a tech startup, as they are forced to work together on a project that will determine who will receive a promotion.The close proximity of working together, the cheeky banter, and the obvious attraction between the two leads Emma and Charlie toward something more than just an office rivalry.


Emma is determined to prove she is more than just her family name in a male dominated field. She works tirelessly to appease everyone around her both in her professional and personal life. While reading, Emma’s character grew more and more on me. I loved her storyline of trying to succeed for herself and all her connections to her Nana.


Charlie, on the other hand, is full of charm and adored by everyone around him, well, everyone except Emma. Though he may appear to be mister perfect, he has a rough past that helped shape him into the man he is today, strong exterior with a soft interior. I absolutely fell for Charlie very early on in the story, he had me by the chokehold as he kept calling Emma “sweetheart”.


Do I understand all the work talk in this book? No. Did it deter me from wanting to continue to read? Also, no. If anything, it made me realize how smart Emma and Charlie must be and how compatible they are.


This isn’t even getting into all the steamy scenes in this story. Dani was right to warn her parents in the beginning because those scenes had me blushing. Charlie… wow…. That’s all I can say.


I highly recommend this book if you are a fan of workplace romance and rivals to lovers, sprinkled with a little bit of spice on top. Thank you to Dani McLean for allowing me to read this ARC via NetGalley.

[Jessica (bibliobliss.au) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️ Ahhhh this book! The spice, the chemistry, the banter, the wounds, the healing, the LOVE. I had so much damn fun with TAKE IT OFFLINE.

I’ve seen Dani McLean’s books around, and while this was my first, it definitely won’t be my last.

I can just tell that Dani is an author that takes care to bring a real depth to characters and their lives. This is a workplace romance that actually features quite a bit of the workplace and the detail of their jobs. While the characters’ backstories and their development just add to the sweet heart of their relationship. (Speaking of ‘sweet heart’… every time Charlie said “sweetheart”? Swoon!)

Charlie is a big ol’ cheeky flirt. He’s a natural charmer. Clearly the man just can’t help himself and now I’m obsessed. And Emma, a woman in tech who is so dedicated and competent she parents her parents. Adored them both!

And the chemistry? Heads up if you like your spice spicy. Chapter 27 was the hottest thing I’ve read in a long time. Dear Lord 🥵

Highly recommend this is you’re seeking a hot little enemies to lovers romance featuring the guy who’ll become your next book boyfriend.

Dual POV
Women in STEM
Enemies to lovers
Workplace romance
He falls first
Female pleasure quest + toys 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Thanks to NetGalley & the author for an e-ARC of this book.

[Karsyn K · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC Read: THANK YOU SO MUCH DANI MCLEAN AND YOUR TEAM!

I was actually very pleasantly surprised by how much I liked this book. I didn’t know much about it prior to reading other than the brief description. I’m not gonna lie, when I read the first few pages with Dani warning her parents to not read, I was a bit worried. I’m not a big fan of smut, so I was afraid that would ruin it for me.
I really enjoyed getting to know these characters and the depth that Dani was able to give both of them. I appreciated her tackling the issue that women face in the corporate world and how that affected Emma’s character. I have experienced this is some ways, but I know some women deal with this extensively. Charlie was just so sweet and attentive, what a great book boyfriend!
I will definitely be a repeat Dani McLean reader!
The Smut was not cringy like I was worried about, but I would say if you don’t like even a little bit of smut, I’m not sure this will be the one for you.

[Becky Pashouwer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you, Victory Editing and NetGalley, for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

4+ stars!

This story follows Emma and Charlie, colleagues at a tech company who are put up for the same promotion and forced to work together on a project. To be honest, all the tech talk in the beginning was hard to follow, and I glazed over some of that while reading. But Emma and Charlie's story was totally worth getting through that! They're both driven, hard workers and have an intense attraction that neither of them wants to act on, until Charlie kisses her in a way that had me knowing the spicy scenes were going to be epic (and they were)!

Being a woman in tech, Emma hasn't gotten the recognition she's deserved, and her boss is a real piece of...work. Seeing her interactions with colleagues and superiors through Charlie's eyes was really well-done and the turning point for us to see his true colors. He's a secret softie who had a really tough childhood and is completely devoted to his sister and her partner. The Charlie in the book turns out to be nothing like the guy in the book's description; he's so much better!

It was almost like the last two chapters were both epilogues, one being a few months in the future and one being several years in the future. I liked that the second epilogue (last chapter) was set further in the future. I feel like a lot of times in books like these, we fast forward a few months or years to a proposal or wedding, but this was deeper than that.

Dani McLean, please tell me the next story is going to be about Ivy and the sexy Brit! I'll be all over that one!

[Andreia · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC review

Such a cool story, I loved pretty much all aspects of this book, the only reason I didn't gave it 5 stars is because some scenes seemed to move so fast I felt like I was missing phrases to make sense of it all.

The romance added so much to a story quite focused on real issues, pertinent to the difficulties women have to deal with, especially in corporate jobs lead by men.

I really liked both main characters and the side characters, especially on Charlie's side. I wish there was more interaction with these characters along the book but I understand the need to keep the book at a certain length.

There was the famous 3rd act break up but I do think it was nicely done and for valid reasons considering the characters background, actually surprised there wasn't more issues arising from this.

Overall a very good read, perfect for a holiday, easy on the brain but still makes you fume from the issues discussed. It does have smut but doesn't fill the whole story and I thought it was perfectly placed. I recommend (if you do like some smut!).

[Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a quick, enjoyable read with a fun, light-hearted vibe. I loved the characters and the way the romance developed. Even though I didn't always understand the work-related details, it didn't take away from the story's charm. Overall, I’d highly recommend it!

*I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review*

[Joi Bass · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW:

Thank you so much NetGalley for sending me this e-book in exchange for an honest review.

This is my first time reading Dani McLean and boy I am obsessed! 😍 ⭐️

Take it Offline follows Emma and Charlie! Who both work at a tech company and are competing for a promotion. On the other hand, Emma still has feelings for her ex Logan (who’s an absolute jerk 🍅🍅). So she enlists Charlie’s help in order to help win him back!

This book has some of my favorite tropes, rivals to lovers, workplace romance and they both fall hard (they just don’t wanna admit it)

I love Emma and she strived to be more than just a pretty rich girl. She fought to make a name for herself and put down her roots despite people like Robert’s standing in her way.

And Charlie 😍😍😍 I love the way he fought for Emma and his relationship with his sister Reese and how he would go to bat for the women in his life!

Also he volunteers at the animal shelter like are you kidding me! ❤️❤️🐶

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️.75

[T Rojo · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW (thanks NETGALLEY!)

Book had too much work speak and I had no idea what they did for a living or what the project was they were working on. Charlie’s and Emma’s backgrounds were pretty ridiculous and unbelievable. Random coworkers and useless conversations, throw in a little fake dating and sexual dysfunction. I was lost a lot of the book and I feel like the plot fell off part way through.

[MissMaj · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC provided by NetGalley. Much appreciated!

The chemistry was scorching hot between the two main characters. Loved the banter between them. The progression of how their relationship blossomed was nicely done. Once they got closer, they were honest and open with their feelings.

Mostly.

Loved Ivy and Reese. They weren’t in the story much, especially Ivy, but enough to make a lasting impression.

Loved the title of every chapters. So clever and funny.

There was too many work-related jargon that my (dumb) brain didn’t understand, I pretty much just glazed over it, especially in the earlier chapters. It’s great that it was added for more authenticity, but my tiny little brain just couldn’t handle it.

Two chapters, in my opinion, felt more like fillers. One felt like it was written independently, then randomly added in between chapters. The other was unnecessary. It felt like it was added for the sake of angst.

The last chapter seems to be more of an epilogue, but it lacked closure.

But despite my whining, I couldn’t put it down. It’s a good read with minimal angst. I’m sure others will enjoy this, as long as you’re not annoyingly picky like me.

[Ruby Dalegendaryreader · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are a woman who work in a corporate world before, today, or even curious, this book is for you! As a corporate girlie, I felt so represented in this book.

Emma and Charlie were forced to work together to be promoted. They were enemies in the office because of their own assumptions of one another but as they both continue to work, they saw a whole different side.

I love both of them as a characters, and they are proof that there's more than meets the eye. Emma's resilient and so strong amidst all the misogynistic encounters in her job. How she stood tall, worked the extra mile to achieve her goals is how I wanna be when I grow up. I resonate so much towards her.

Charlie, I get him and with his background as a foster kid, he made a name for himself and he worked very hard to lift himself up. He deserves everything and more.

I love their dynamic, their banter and the flow of their story. The pacing from hostile, to reluctant coworkers to being friends and eventually lovers was great! Dare I say, I might read this author's works from now on.

My fave scene was when Emma was berated by her boss and she cannot lose control or lash out because it's gonna look poorly on her so she just packed her things. Charlie's there with her. I felt that because I once cried in the comfort room because god forbid a woman 'shows' her 'true colors' when she's pissed or not having a bad day! Yes, I'm still salty about that because it reflected on my annual evaluation!

Please, the 2% annual increase cracked me up because relate!

This book really gave me The Hating Game vibes!

[Manda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm giving this book 3 stars. I feel like some of the situations in this book were very relatable for a lot of people. The struggling during sex, the striving to be successful despite generational trauma. The sexist business world. I liked that they had good banter and the had good chemistry. There were about 3 spice scenes. maybe a 2.5 rating out of 5 for level of spice. I did feel like some words were way overused. I was tempted to count how many times he said sweetheart..ha! I also felt like the angst or miscommunication at the end felt out of character and then after that the story felt very rushed. I didn't understand why there was more redundancies and why does she want him to put in his notice. The end was supposed to be an epilogue but was also confusing as it ends saying a ring is on her finger. Nothing is explained. It was an ok read for me, but I feel like small tweaks could've elevated this for the reader.

[Natalia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another sleepless night, that's how good it was. A thousand ways heartbreaking as heart mending and lest not forget the steamy scenes, that are just perfection.
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Dani writes they characters in a way that it is impossible not to get under your skin. In my case, I fell for Emma, ​​every part of being a woman in the corporate world or having a job surrounded by chauvinistic men in higher positions, grr..yes, I felt it in every fiber of my being bringing back memories of another time in my life.
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So at first I had my doubts about Charlie, but page by page he showed that he was so much more and it make me change my mind.
Also the banter of two enemies to lovers in the same work environment, competing for a position that can change their lives drastically. And this book is a pure fireball ready for any fan of the trope.
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Emma works in a large company and is surrounded by bosses who question every step she takes, but not only does she have to fight every coma in her work for being of a different gender, she also has a last name for which she is typecast as a nepobaby.
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But the truth is deeper, and she got to her position through many hours of hard work. That's why when her boss tells her that a new position, a promotion, is opening up, she doesn't expect it to be so easy.
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But she hadn't imagined having to compete with Charlie Walker. Favorite of the bosses, another man in an elegant suit willing to take credit at every opportunity. And even worse, having to share the office with him for six months while they work as a team.
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My only questioning, and that's why it's four stars, is that the breakup or third act conflict appeared out of nowhere, or at least that's what it seemed to me in the conversation they were having. I don't know if it was necessary for him to roll into such a big ball just with words. I always thought I was going to circle around who got the promotion.
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The level of spice and the scenes were perfect as always in their books, Dani Mclean writes the chemistry and connection between they characters so well and they always leaves me intrigued with the rest of the characters and what things are going to happen with their stories, I hope one of them is Ivy…pleaseee, can it be Ivy?!!
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Thanks to Dani Mclean and their team for give me a copy of this beautiful book in exchange for my honest and voluntary opinion

[Carla Bazet · Rating 5 out of 5]

“My life turned technicolor the second you walked into it. Everything else pales in comparison.”

Happy Pub day to one of my favorite reads of the year! 🥳

Thank you to Net Galley and Victory Editing for giving me an ARC of this book.

This book is for all the corporate girlies out there trying to survive the capitalist and misogynistic world in which we live.

This story follows Emma. She is a badass corporate woman who works at a technology company. She comes from a very rich family, but they have had problems with money for the last couple of years. And that’s why she is trying to do everything she can to fix this mess. While she is trying to climb the corporate ladder and dealing with her parents, she has one obstacle: Charlie Walker. They have been enemies for a long time and now, they are competing against each other, (while working together), for a promotion. As they become a team at work and outside of work, they start discovering things about each other that they didn’t know and feelings start changing from hate to something more. (😍)

This is a classic enemies to lovers and it was such a delight to read a book where it is so well written. The hatred and tension between both of them is exquisite. I love both of their character developments. Emma is so relatable in so many things, her experience in the corporate world, in the dating pool and just being a strong, independent woman. And Charlie is such a different MMC than what I’ve usually read before. Both of them are flawed characters. which we love to see, but they really own up to their mistakes.

The book talks about very important issues in a way that feels light and deep at the same time. The se*ual freedom that the book has is so refreshing and nice to see. This book made me feel very seen in different areas, specially with being a corporate girlie myself. I felt so many things reading this book and I’m so grateful because this was exactly what I needed at this point of my life.

This is the perfect combination between a funny, sexy, deep and romantic read.

Go buy it right now!

[Holly Schwartz · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s nothing like a book written by Dani. Just like every other book I’ve read by them I am in absolute awe. It was full of frustrations and so much unfairness and so much LOVE and fun and banter and family! It was such a good time getting to know Emma and Charlie, I love them so so much.

Emma and Charlie were honestly perfection, the best kind of messy perfection. They both had so much baggage and so much from their past haunting them, and even things between the two of them that made things difficult… but when they were finally forced together and had to spend actual time together…they were MAGIC (and not just in the bedroom, but that was especially sweet for the taking them). I loved watching them really work together and be vulnerable and open and just be GOOD together.

Charlie is a man who is DOWN BAD. And I loved every single second, there was never a doubt that he was attracted to Emma and that despite his efforts to be feeling-less that he did in fact feel SOMETHING for her. And Emma despised him! Until he showed her his softer side, and she fell just as fast. It was so seamless??! It just HAPPENED. I loved it so so much.

Thank you SO MUCH to Dani McLean for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. I am so thankful to be here!!!

[Amy Werak · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

Dual POV Follows Emma and Charlie when they are assigned to work on a project together. It’s haters to lovers (I’d say) as Emma hates Charlie when they begin to work with each other. As time moves on they finally start to get along and Emma comes to Charlie with a favor, as she has been having let’s say “sexual frustrations”. Charlie agrees to the favor and that’s when their relationship starts to progress - I’d say? By the end of the book Charlie had some things to figure out but he pulled it out of the bag and proved to Emma that he was completely different than what she thought in the beginning. As well Emma learned of things from Charlie - As she was a woman in Tech-Startup who was rudely downplayed for her work and for basically being a woman.

I enjoyed this! Interested it what is to come for the future books in the series! 🙂

Thank you Victory Editing and NetGalley for the ARC! 🙂

[m · Rating 3 out of 5]

okay but why was 60% of this book comprised of the vaguest descriptions of the vaguest business in the world??? like let’s be so real NO ONE CARES ABOUT STANDARDS AND GOVERNANCE AND ??? i did not understand any of that also what makes her a woman in stem??? like she is a business girl boss through and through. clearly this author doesn’t stray away from smut (the redeeming factor in this book was the two chapters of him wearing a cage) so idk why they wasted soooooooo many pages on such strange business details. what did helix even do? what kind of company was it??? why did any of it matter?

they were a cute couple and i liked their backstories. i just HATED the work stuff, which seems like an important aspect of a workplace romance.

[Katie · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book pmo
It was so jumpy and had no flow and honestly the last few chapters felt random and didn’t even close off the story.
Also I found a typo and it just confirmed my opinion that this book wasn’t edited. It never recovered from there
This whole book was a competition for a job that seems to be completely forgotten out.
Too many plot holes and forgotten storyline’s.

I’m too stubborn to DNF this because I brought a signed copy but damn man that felt like a waste of my time neglecting my other books for 3 weeks of struggling through this

[Courtney Ferguson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a really mixed bag. In no particular order here are my pros and cons.

Pros:

-Charlie and Emma have excellent chemistry. Funny banter and the spicy scenes were spicing.
-Emma is a competent FMC which is really refreshing and I appreciated that Charlie not only saw it but stood up for her at work.

Cons:

-SO. MUCH. SHOP. TALK. and yet I still have no idea what their jobs actually were. It was tedious and confusing to wade through all the work details.
-There were several plot points that could have been interesting but felt disconnected. Work drama, parental drama, childhood trauma, their agreement…all could have been interesting but weren’t woven together in a satisfying way.

Overall this book wasn’t my favorite but I would definitely pick up another of Dani’s books in the future!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Kims.reading.nook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emma & Charlie were a perfect work place enemies to lovers dream come to life ❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥

I love that Emma is a strong, switched on woman working in a male dominated field and that as their hate smoldered into something more, Charlie acknowledged and fought against the misogyny she'd been facing. Love a cheeky but loyal MMC!

I'm jumping straight into book 2 in the series, Take My Word, and can't wait to see how Emma's best friend Ivy finds love 💕

[Farah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emma and Charlie are pitted against each other for a promotion. Emma has been slaving away diligently at her job for years but never progressing thanks to being a woman in a male dominated industry. Charlie wants the role but recognises that Emma has what it takes to succeed. Will he play fair?

This workplace enemies to lovers romance was so fun. There is a fair bit of work talk however it is all justified in the storyline and I actually enjoyed the professional banter between our two characters. If you like your romances steamy, this is definitely the book for you!! There were quite a few detailed spicy scenes with the chemistry between our characters sizzling hot. I'm excited to see what Dani McLean writes next.

[Chanel Mullen · Rating 3 out of 5]

NetGalley review
If you loved The hating game then you will love this book.
❤️‍🔥 Enemies to lovers
❤️‍🔥Work romance
❤️‍🔥Enemies with benefits? 😜

Spicy 🌶️

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The romance was very good and spicy. The work rival energy was strong. Just don’t ask me what it is that they do at said workplace because I have no idea. There was a lot of work talk that I didn’t understand or it was just too much to consume. But the characters were strong and well developed.

[Mckeighla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ya’ll these two are so hot.
Like 10/10 chemistry.

Dani never ever fails with their writing. Ate the whole thing up and left no crumbs. I loved every second of it.

Fighting the patriarchy and prejudices with women in STEM.

Bondage, toys, a cage (? never knew that before), audio play, and so much more.

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review
I really enjoyed this book and couldn’t wait to get to the end! It’s a good enemies to lovers story. I think the little bit of a down fall is there is quite a lot of tech talk but once you get past that the story line is lovely! Also lovely the little bit of smut that was in there ☺️ thank you to NetGalley

[Alwaysreading · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Dani and NetGalley for this arc. This is a well done workplace rivals to lovers. Lots of fun banter between Emma and Charlie, they were great main characters. I loved the development of their professional and personal relationship. They both had a lot of baggage to work through, but when they come together they were brilliant!

Highly recommend!

[G W · Rating 3 out of 5]

Where to start off with this book… Btw, I’m extremely torn whether or not I want this on my trophy shelf. There are some really good parts to this book and there are not so good parts…I just have to figure out if the good outweighs the bad.

First thing you need to know is that there is a high barrier of entry. Both characters jobs can be somewhat complicated if you don’t understand project management. I have a basic understanding, but even for me, it felt like my eyes were glazing over the more technical terms that weren’t described. There is a lot of coding-esque terminology that is used, and a whole lot of no description to what Emma/Charlie do at their job. Most people aren’t going to understand the types of programs, protocols, and projects that they both do. I kept hoping that the author word give us some information. The fact that the plot revolves mainly around their jobs left me feeling unfulfilled because I didn’t understand wtf they did the way the author described it. Again, I get some parts of project management, but there were various parts of the book where I sped through paragraphs of technical terms that went completely over my head. When writing a book, I know it’s advised to not treat the audience as if they are dumb—this usually helps authors avoid over-explaining—but assuming your authors are experts on certain job occupations leads to me not really getting the gist of what it is they do. Again, it’s such a big part of the plot that it didn’t sit right with me.

Second, the 3ab? Dumb. It truly came out out nowhere. The chapter before is all positive, and then boom, Charlie fucks things up. It was just so out of left field. It happens about 85% into the book, and I remember wondering if there was going to be one. The characters finally hit that sweet spot where everything is perfect, and you know that the conflict is soon…but it was waaaay too soon. They have sex and it’s this “holy” experience, and then there’s a few (maybe 1 or 2) chapters where they are cute and cuddly and in love without saying the word, but then it suddenly stops. The reason for Charlie “ruining” everything is also kind of stupid. While it makes sense for his character, the abruptness was so intense. Don’t get me wrong, Emma fights for Charlie and says all the right things, so it’s made to seem like Charlie is self-sabotaging which we are led to believe is something he does a lot to cope with being a foster kid. I did appreciate the Emma was open about her feelings, but the sudden turn was so jarring that her comments landed weirdly. He becomes very mean, and what he says is hurtful and he takes cheap shots. If this had a better lead up, perhaps sprinkles of Charlie becoming insecure before the 3ab, maybe it would have made sense. But it just didn’t work for me.

However, it’s kind of a complicated 3ab. Despite the paragraph above, there were parts of it that were refreshing and I enjoyed. Aside from Emma making her intentions clear and *sort of* fighting for Charlie, his reasons for splitting up paired well with what’s she offers him. I cannot stress enough how much I enjoyed how MATURE Emma was about handling Charlie’s blow up. Normally, 3ab’s can be hard for my because it’s the same formula, but Emma stood her ground in a surprisingly beautiful way. She basically calls him out on his bs, and says he can find her when his head is out of hiss ass. What a queen honestly, she was real for that. When she says he better make his apology good? Yeah, that’s my girl truly.

Charlie was *kind of* honest in end he wanted and, and as I mentioned above, while it was a complete 360, it was surprisingly interesting to have almost an amicable 3ab!! It did come across as “I’m doing this because I love you and nothing ever works out for me grrr…”

I think the take on rich people and society was really interesting. Usually, rich people in billionaire books don’t typically have a fall from grace the way Emma does. Her commentary on how truly fucked up rich socialites are was really cool. It wasn’t too preachy, either. I appreciated that her parents weren’t rich assholes either. It definitely gives a Schitt’s Creek vibe.


The whole point of Logan being a problem was that she couldn’t orgasm and she felt broken…but then Charlie gives her an orgasm and she doesn’t tell anyone. Not even her best friend, Ivy, who knows about Logan, if I’m not mistaken. That threw me for a loop.

I LOVE that Emma becomes a dommy mommy be suse we love a girl that can do it all. I really did enjoy the journey these characters took, despite my rating

[Bethany Bessant · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

There was a lot about this book that I really loved. Firstly, the FMC Emma was incredible. In the romances I read, it is so rare to have a woman that starts the book knowing her worth, knowing what she deserves, and fighting for herself. Emma was an absolute force of nature and I loved how she stuck up for herself and fought for herself, and how powerful she became through her relationship with Charlie. She wasn't a character that was empowered by external forces, in fact she was constantly squashed by them until the relationship with Charlie began. Before that, she empowered herself and I truly loved that about her. As for Charlie, he was such a sweet hero. He had a lot going on in his personal life, but the way he made time for Emma and put her first was something every girl wishes for. She came to him with a very vulnerable issue and he gave no judgement and had a focus on her that is just so rare for most women in the bedroom. However, when it came to the more difficult moments of their relationship, his back-and-forth was incredibly confusing. It did jump to this need to push her away really quickly after he had been talking so long about trying to be with her forever and convince her to give him a chance. I felt like I couldn't really get a proper read on him, and that may have been helped by more time thinking about himself rather than her when I was in his internal monologues. Their relationship gave me everything The Hating Game couldn't, at least at first. The Hating Game had oodles of immaturity and incredibly toxic and petty hatred between the two main characters. This book had general dislike, but they weren't actively trying to ruin each other, which was appreciated. It just goes to show that a hate-to-love story doesn't need to have the two main characters inflicting hell on each other in order to create a believable hatred between them. I think the development of their relationship did get confusing though. There were a few moments throughout the story where it felt like things jumped ahead in time. For example, the jump from hatred to "let's have sex" and the later jump from Logan making a move on Emma in the cellar, to all of a sudden the heart to heart between Charlie and Emma. I think in the latter, Logan never officially exited the scene so there was a good period of time where I thought this big confession was happening with Logan standing right there and I thought that was just incredibly awkward. The only other issue I had with this story was the really obvious hinting at a sequel. There was a whole scene where Emma's best friend meets Emma's next-door neighbour and then later is made redundant from her job. None of that had any relevance to this story, in my opinion, so it felt really obviously planted to set up a sequel and it did take me out of the story. But other than those two things, I really did love this read. I thought the writing was amazing at pulling out the tension between Emma and Charlie, and then building the sexual tension that turned into this really supportive relationship. The smut was incredibly hot to read, especially the scene where Emma achieves her first orgasm. The build-up to that was incredible, and it truly did feel like a momentous occasion because of how it was written, so massive credit to Dani McLean for not making that moment feel awkward (as I've seen happen with other authors writing a scene of that nature). This was a truly addictive read and I had such a good time reading it. It does have me intrigued to read more from Dani McLean, so I'll be adding some new books to my never-ending TBR!

[Cassandra Bivens · Rating 4 out of 5]

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💻❤️ **Take It Offline** by Dani McLean 💼❤️

*EMMA: I’m sick of not being taken seriously. Secretly broke and plagued by being a woman in tech, I’ve spent five years fighting for a sliver of respect from my boss. Last year it was destroyed by a single man. CHARLIE: Good things only come to those who take.*

🌟🔥 **Review:** 🔥🌟

*Take It Offline* by Dani McLean dives into the high-stakes, competitive world of tech with a steamy, rivals-to-lovers dynamic that sizzles from start to finish. Emma Conway, a fierce and determined woman in tech, has been fighting an uphill battle for recognition in a male-dominated industry. After years of hard work, she’s on the verge of the promotion she’s worked tirelessly for—until Charlie Walker, the man who destroyed her progress a year ago, steps into the picture to claim it for himself.

Charlie, the suave corporate superstar with charm and dimples that can’t be ignored, thrives on taking what he wants. When he sets his sights on the lead role Emma believes she’s earned, sparks fly, both professionally and personally. Their rivalry is fueled by the friction between them, but under the layers of office banter and professional competition, an undeniable attraction starts to build.

Emma is determined not to let her guard down, but Charlie, ever the rule-breaker, knows exactly how to push her buttons—both at work and in matters of the heart. When a staged kiss to make Emma’s ex jealous turns into something much more, the lines between hate and desire blur, leaving both of them questioning their motivations and feelings.

Dani McLean expertly weaves tension, humor, and romance in this workplace drama, making *Take It Offline* a captivating read. The banter between Emma and Charlie is sharp and witty, while their emotional and romantic development adds depth to their characters. Emma’s journey of finding her voice and standing her ground in a tough industry is both empowering and relatable, while Charlie’s gradual realization that he might have met his match keeps readers hooked.

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🌟 **Highlights:** 🌟
- **Rivals-to-Lovers Tension**: The competitive dynamic between Emma and Charlie fuels their fiery chemistry.
- **Workplace Drama**: The tech setting provides a fresh and engaging backdrop for their romantic and professional battles.
- **Strong Female Lead**: Emma’s strength, resilience, and vulnerability make her a standout character in the story.

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💌 **Favorite Quote:**
*"Too bad there’s an inferno hidden under all her control, and it only makes me want to get burned."* - Charlie’s take on Emma’s fiery spirit perfectly encapsulates their explosive chemistry.

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🌟 **Rating:** 🌟
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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This book is perfect for fans of steamy workplace romances with strong-willed characters, sharp banter, and a whole lot of tension. *Take It Offline* is the ultimate blend of ambition, passion, and rivalry in the fast-paced world of tech.

See more reviews at:
Casla Reads

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[Vonn Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

‼️My review might contain some spoilers‼️

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ (the second and the last spicy scene 🥵)

Emma Conway comes from old money. But nobody knows that her parents made several bad investments within the last few years and she had to help sell paintings and summer houses to pay off their debts. And she’s working and living paycheck to paycheck, while living in a run down apartment complex. She works hard and even has a hand in the changes around the office, but sadly her nemesis gets the accolades and again she’s overlooked.

Charlie Walker, a foster home kid that didn’t go to college, now has a good job, great apartment and designer suits that he likes to wear to work every day. He works hard and has been for 8 years. So when he gets the change to climb the corporate ladder, he doesn’t say no. If only he don’t have to work with her…

Sparks of hatred fly between Emma and Charlie, as their boss puts them on a project together to see who will come out as the winner and get promoted, while still working normally in their own departments.

At the beginning we learn a lot about the company Emma and Charlie work at. It’s a lot of stuff I didn’t really understand as to what exactly they were working on. This goes on throughout the book and at the end it kind of fizzles out to where we are told about redundancies and that he should put his notice in…I didn’t understand who works there anymore.

Noticing the way Emma gets treated by their boss and other men in charge, Charlie gets the feeling that it’s already a done deal that he’ll get the promotion. So he offers a truce and that they work together and be friendly. But Emma has a more pressing (very personal) problem that she thinks Charlie might be able to help her with….to get her ex Logan back.

The way he falls first but is also the scared one is heartbreaking. I loved Charlie in his suits 😍
Emma and her “issue” is a very common one and I want to thank the author for shining a light on this and that it’s ok, but also not and that the typical Logan reaction to it, is really sad.

Thanks to NetGalley, I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Elaine Irwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley for the chance to rate and review this book.

Rating: 4 stars
Spice: Low to medium depending on your preferred smut level
Tropes: close proximity, enemies to lovers, office romance.

Emma (FMC) is a used to be rich girl, working in a corperate tech company that undermines her consistently and dismisses her constantly.

Charlie (MMC) is one of those office boys with a good suit who can play the game and seems to be the golden boy of the office.

Both are only seeing the surface and neither shows any inclination to dig deeper until their boss makes a competion for a promotion they both want. But instead of competeing separately they are being forced to work together.

Emma believes she will do all the work and Charlie will take all the glory. Charlie believes working with Emma may kill him, because he doesn't hate him, in fact she drives him to distraction.

So I liked the book don't get me wrong. The characters were engaging and it hooked me from almost the first page. The story flowed well but in the last few chapters it lost its flow. It felt very rushed to finish the story.

The conversation between Emma and Charlie and her confessing her feelings, went south very quickly and seemingly out of nowhere. The make up scene, where the hell did Logan go. He was there, he never left and seemed to be forgotten about, granted he was an ass but still. Then the last two chapters that were like 2 epilogues jumped wildly and to be honest, did either one of them get the promotion? I know there were redundancies but ????

It left me with a few questions and I went back to where I had gotten confused a couple of times, wondering if my eyes skipped over anything, but no, I am still a little bewildered. Maybe it was just me I just felt things weren't really tied up in the end.

As I said though the story moved well and I very much liked the characters and I hope McLean writes a second because I really, really want to find out more about Ivy and I really hope she gets a book.