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That Crooked Grin
Rule #1: Do not fall in love with the nanny.
When life starts dishing out problems, it doesn’t pull any punches.
Ollie knows this all too well. She recently became the guardian of her sister's six-year-old child, lost her long-term girlfriend, and is now struggling to pay the mortgage on her small town paramedic's salary.
Reluctantly, the snarky grump decides to ask for help, even though it stings her pride to do so. Ollie writes a help wanted ad, begging for a poorly paid nanny. The only perk she can offer is room and board. Against all odds, she hopes that someone desperate enough will respond. She certainly needs them to.
Enter Dahlia, a vibrant ray of sunshine from the big city. With her parents' money, she doesn't need a high-paying job. What she needs is companionship, purpose, and an escape from her overbearing family as she figures out who she truly is after breaking up with her boyfriend. Ollie's help wanted ad seems like a godsend to her.
When these two opposites come together under one roof, all they want is a chance at financial and personal freedom. However, what they find is much more complicated.
Ollie is drawn to Dahlia's adorable quirkiness and positive outlook, but doesn’t want to risk the stability Dahlia has brought to her niece's life. Dahlia can't help but giggle at Ollie's foul mouth and is captivated by her confidence, but can't quite decipher the fluttering feeling in her tummy whenever she catches Ollie's gaze.
As their feelings for each other grow, the duo must decide if the possibility of a relationship is worth risking the perfect business arrangement.
Will they manage to keep things professional? Or will they find the courage to venture into uncharted territory and risk turning their lives upside down one more time?
If you love sapphic romances with a generous mix of humor and heat, this book is for you. That Crooked Grin is an opposites attract, forced proximity, toaster oven romance set in a small town in the mountains of Alaska.
When life starts dishing out problems, it doesn’t pull any punches.
Ollie knows this all too well. She recently became the guardian of her sister's six-year-old child, lost her long-term girlfriend, and is now struggling to pay the mortgage on her small town paramedic's salary.
Reluctantly, the snarky grump decides to ask for help, even though it stings her pride to do so. Ollie writes a help wanted ad, begging for a poorly paid nanny. The only perk she can offer is room and board. Against all odds, she hopes that someone desperate enough will respond. She certainly needs them to.
Enter Dahlia, a vibrant ray of sunshine from the big city. With her parents' money, she doesn't need a high-paying job. What she needs is companionship, purpose, and an escape from her overbearing family as she figures out who she truly is after breaking up with her boyfriend. Ollie's help wanted ad seems like a godsend to her.
When these two opposites come together under one roof, all they want is a chance at financial and personal freedom. However, what they find is much more complicated.
Ollie is drawn to Dahlia's adorable quirkiness and positive outlook, but doesn’t want to risk the stability Dahlia has brought to her niece's life. Dahlia can't help but giggle at Ollie's foul mouth and is captivated by her confidence, but can't quite decipher the fluttering feeling in her tummy whenever she catches Ollie's gaze.
As their feelings for each other grow, the duo must decide if the possibility of a relationship is worth risking the perfect business arrangement.
Will they manage to keep things professional? Or will they find the courage to venture into uncharted territory and risk turning their lives upside down one more time?
If you love sapphic romances with a generous mix of humor and heat, this book is for you. That Crooked Grin is an opposites attract, forced proximity, toaster oven romance set in a small town in the mountains of Alaska.
188 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 7, 2024
39 people are currently reading
40 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
September 12, 2025
**'Many of times, it's what in your storyline, chapters, paragraphs that matters -- so make it interesting and unforgettable for your readers..'
3.5 stars!
An enjoyable story in the 'Opposites Attract Romance' ongoing series
Recommended book!
3.5 stars!
An enjoyable story in the 'Opposites Attract Romance' ongoing series
Recommended book!
July 27, 2024
Alaskan Adventure!
3.5 ⭐️ Interesting story! I loved the MCs and was rooting for them from the start. There interactions were fun and warm and sometimes sexy.
This is a shorter book, fairly quick read under 200 pages. I had a bit of trouble with the flow and not knowing that time had passed nor how much time had passed. I would have enjoyed a bit more of them establishing their connection.
I did love Ollie and Dahlia and I appreciated the sexy times and the sweet ending.
3.5 ⭐️ Interesting story! I loved the MCs and was rooting for them from the start. There interactions were fun and warm and sometimes sexy.
This is a shorter book, fairly quick read under 200 pages. I had a bit of trouble with the flow and not knowing that time had passed nor how much time had passed. I would have enjoyed a bit more of them establishing their connection.
I did love Ollie and Dahlia and I appreciated the sexy times and the sweet ending.
July 12, 2024
Cute
Ollie and Dahlia are both struggling to figure out life. Dahlia with finding what she wants and Ollie with knowing what she has. The two begin to understand that what they are looking for they have found in each other. This was a cute opposites attract story with the typical angst. This is a good read for anyone who likes a feel good story about the underdog getting their HEA.
Ollie and Dahlia are both struggling to figure out life. Dahlia with finding what she wants and Ollie with knowing what she has. The two begin to understand that what they are looking for they have found in each other. This was a cute opposites attract story with the typical angst. This is a good read for anyone who likes a feel good story about the underdog getting their HEA.
September 15, 2024
This just was not good. Ollie and Dahlia each have the emotional maturity of an avocado. The author couldn’t manage more than 2 very short sentences of dialogue per character. It was disjointed and very staccato. The only time the writing became more sophisticated was during the spicy scenes, but that didn’t help this story. There was no character development at all. Just none. The supposed 6 year old talked like a bratty teenager, so she fit right in with these two stunted characters quite nicely.
Just skip this one, even if it’s free. There are hundreds and hundreds of way better books than this one.
Just skip this one, even if it’s free. There are hundreds and hundreds of way better books than this one.
May 31, 2025
NoComment
Oh please, Opal, I was so desperately hoping for so much more of “That Crooked Grin”… especially when I read the last line (no spoilers folks)!
An incredibly moving book, at least it was to me, with enough banter to bring back a smile.
Loved the writing style, told from the POVs of the two leading characters, or should that be two of the three leads? Loved their growth, especially dearest Dahlia, although it’s fair to say that Ollie did her fair share too.
I’m hanging out for a sequel or maybe even a series, but in the meantime, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, and they’re deserved… not at all a bribe to help my sequel wishes come true!
Oh please, Opal, I was so desperately hoping for so much more of “That Crooked Grin”… especially when I read the last line (no spoilers folks)!
An incredibly moving book, at least it was to me, with enough banter to bring back a smile.
Loved the writing style, told from the POVs of the two leading characters, or should that be two of the three leads? Loved their growth, especially dearest Dahlia, although it’s fair to say that Ollie did her fair share too.
I’m hanging out for a sequel or maybe even a series, but in the meantime, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, and they’re deserved… not at all a bribe to help my sequel wishes come true!
August 4, 2024
3 stars. Meh. I didn't care for any of the characters. Ollie and Dahlia are both seriously immature and childish and then the six year old acted and spoke like a teenage and it was all so bizarre. The romance between Ollie and Dahlia wasn't bad though as I did think they had good chemistry. I also thought the writing was pretty good but other than that this didn't land for me unfortunately as the characters left so much to be desired.
August 1, 2024
Ugh. More Ending Please.
An enjoyable story.
Fun characters. Enjoyable side characters.
Knocked off a star for not giving a better ending.
Seriously lesbian fiction authors. Learn how to give a satisfactory story ending! It’s like every novel is the same thing. A crappy little 3 page epilogue is not a conclusion. It’s a cop out.
An enjoyable story.
Fun characters. Enjoyable side characters.
Knocked off a star for not giving a better ending.
Seriously lesbian fiction authors. Learn how to give a satisfactory story ending! It’s like every novel is the same thing. A crappy little 3 page epilogue is not a conclusion. It’s a cop out.
August 20, 2024
That Crooked Grin is a Winner!
This is a great book! I enjoyed it from the first page to the last page. Great story, awesome characters and a well written, believable story. I want a sequel, so we can get more of a glimpse of their live together as a family. I want to see Dahlia’s Mom eat crow! Hoping for many more books by ON!
This is a great book! I enjoyed it from the first page to the last page. Great story, awesome characters and a well written, believable story. I want a sequel, so we can get more of a glimpse of their live together as a family. I want to see Dahlia’s Mom eat crow! Hoping for many more books by ON!
September 13, 2024
Adorable
This was adorable. The mains were charismatic and charming and funny and even spunky. You could see the changes they brought out of one another growing throughout the story. A really sweet read full of self growth and the realization of self worth. Definitely give this a read!
This was adorable. The mains were charismatic and charming and funny and even spunky. You could see the changes they brought out of one another growing throughout the story. A really sweet read full of self growth and the realization of self worth. Definitely give this a read!
April 9, 2025
Super Sweet Love Story
This is a great book! It has the gorgeous state of Alaska, caribou, dumb boyfriends, a great barista, an adorable child and two wonderful main characters. I loved the quirkyness of the main characters and the realization by one she loved another woman. A very fun read indeed.
This is a great book! It has the gorgeous state of Alaska, caribou, dumb boyfriends, a great barista, an adorable child and two wonderful main characters. I loved the quirkyness of the main characters and the realization by one she loved another woman. A very fun read indeed.
October 24, 2025
Okay
It was fun and mostly light hearted but the ending felt incomplete. It could have been a little deeper/darker for depth but was nice in its lightness. While it mostly has a resolution it didn't feel like it had a conclusion. It didn't even have acknowledgements or other fluff books usually have. Not that it needed that but just made it feel more incomplete.
It was fun and mostly light hearted but the ending felt incomplete. It could have been a little deeper/darker for depth but was nice in its lightness. While it mostly has a resolution it didn't feel like it had a conclusion. It didn't even have acknowledgements or other fluff books usually have. Not that it needed that but just made it feel more incomplete.
July 15, 2024
cute
Super sweet read. When does anyone not fall for the nanny.
I loved Ollie as a character, she made me laugh. The final dash at the end, classic.
Super sweet read. When does anyone not fall for the nanny.
I loved Ollie as a character, she made me laugh. The final dash at the end, classic.
August 8, 2024
Sweet romance
Sweet romance. The characters are interesting and likable. A book two would be nice. Thanks in for a sweet enjoyable read.
Sweet romance. The characters are interesting and likable. A book two would be nice. Thanks in for a sweet enjoyable read.
August 20, 2024
Wholesome and hot.
Jesse is the star of this book, hands down.
Way too cute.
But the other two are also wholesome, and pretty hot together.
Recommended.
Jesse is the star of this book, hands down.
Way too cute.
But the other two are also wholesome, and pretty hot together.
Recommended.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews