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Love and Cherish
One reserved professional. One bubbly long-term temp. One gala to unite them.
Haylee Coleman can’t lose another job. Flat out broke, she’s desperate to turn her life around, pay her bills, and keep her job. But more than that, she’s found a place she might belong for the first time in her life. She can make a difference here. If only Cherish would like her. If only Cherish would help her figure out how to not get fired. If only Cherish wasn’t so distracting.
With a bark that rivals the boss, Cherish Barkley lives and breathes her boss. She’s loved Febe Aarts for decades. When the annual gala for the Holbrook Foundation looms, Cherish begs for Haylee’s help. It has to go off without a hitch, unlike last year, when Febe…Cherish can think about that later. Right now, she has to protect Febe.
Will they put aside their differences long enough to ensure their boss survives the gala unscathed? Or will the mounting tension between them erupt in unsuspecting ways?
Find out what happens next in this sapphic age gap, workplace romance, with an ice queen in love with her boss and a curvy new assistant that won’t give up on her dream.
Haylee Coleman can’t lose another job. Flat out broke, she’s desperate to turn her life around, pay her bills, and keep her job. But more than that, she’s found a place she might belong for the first time in her life. She can make a difference here. If only Cherish would like her. If only Cherish would help her figure out how to not get fired. If only Cherish wasn’t so distracting.
With a bark that rivals the boss, Cherish Barkley lives and breathes her boss. She’s loved Febe Aarts for decades. When the annual gala for the Holbrook Foundation looms, Cherish begs for Haylee’s help. It has to go off without a hitch, unlike last year, when Febe…Cherish can think about that later. Right now, she has to protect Febe.
Will they put aside their differences long enough to ensure their boss survives the gala unscathed? Or will the mounting tension between them erupt in unsuspecting ways?
Find out what happens next in this sapphic age gap, workplace romance, with an ice queen in love with her boss and a curvy new assistant that won’t give up on her dream.
380 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 8, 2024
69 people are currently reading
246 people want to read
About the author
Eada Friesian
5 books103 followersEada Friesian is an author of snarky sapphic women who fall in love hard. She loves all the characters and relationships she gets to play with and the best friends she makes with each new book she writes. She fell in love with the genre years ago and could never leave it. Who would? Now that she’s authoring her own books, she hopes to bring a fresh flair to the sapphic book world.
Eada lives in the mountains, camping her life away with her partner and horde of animals. She has her family right by her side as she strives to live her best life authentically as an author, a parent, a spouse, and weird person. She loves the smell of campfire, the taste of a completely charred marshmallow for a s’more, and living off the land with very little people around her. Of course, none of this last part is true, because Eada is a pen name, and the identity of the person(s) behind her remain hidden.
Eada lives in the mountains, camping her life away with her partner and horde of animals. She has her family right by her side as she strives to live her best life authentically as an author, a parent, a spouse, and weird person. She loves the smell of campfire, the taste of a completely charred marshmallow for a s’more, and living off the land with very little people around her. Of course, none of this last part is true, because Eada is a pen name, and the identity of the person(s) behind her remain hidden.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
July 9, 2024
2.5. A bit adrift in the first two chapters. I got a bit confused at points with who was speaking or thinking. I also hadn’t a clue what was going on. I’m not sure if that was deliberate by the writer so I would feel as adrift as one of the mains, or if it’s just not clear writing. I do however want it to become clear. (Reading the synopsis again brought no clarity either.)
So the first quarter is pretty much set in the office. I am probably learning about the mains but not in a way that is resonating with me. I’m finding the start hard going. 40% and it’s not much easier. The author is making me work and although some back story is a tiny bit clearer, I’m not feeling swept along by a tide. Every time I close the book and pick it back up I am struck by how the tone of the cover doesn’t match the tone of the first half at least.
When finally we find out a bit of previously hinted at mystery, there is too much other detail that just irritated me, that stopped the flow of the back story. When the mains get intimate I wasn’t with it. It felt over the top, fireworks and screaming, which wouldn’t normally be “over the top” but it just didn’t fit in with what went before. I was also irritated that one main was irritated when the other asked for a week to think, and had taken that week?
I didn’t quite understand some of the plot decisions. Certainly I found parts of the second half more compelling than the first, even if I didn’t have full buy in.
This book was not a good fit for me. Nothing wrong with me or the book.
This quote from almost half way sums up my thoughts. “like she was one step behind whatever was going through Cherish’s mind, and that she didn’t understand anything.” I felt one step behind and didn’t really understand what was going on. That means I’m not rounding up.
So the first quarter is pretty much set in the office. I am probably learning about the mains but not in a way that is resonating with me. I’m finding the start hard going. 40% and it’s not much easier. The author is making me work and although some back story is a tiny bit clearer, I’m not feeling swept along by a tide. Every time I close the book and pick it back up I am struck by how the tone of the cover doesn’t match the tone of the first half at least.
When finally we find out a bit of previously hinted at mystery, there is too much other detail that just irritated me, that stopped the flow of the back story. When the mains get intimate I wasn’t with it. It felt over the top, fireworks and screaming, which wouldn’t normally be “over the top” but it just didn’t fit in with what went before. I was also irritated that one main was irritated when the other asked for a week to think, and had taken that week?
I didn’t quite understand some of the plot decisions. Certainly I found parts of the second half more compelling than the first, even if I didn’t have full buy in.
This book was not a good fit for me. Nothing wrong with me or the book.
This quote from almost half way sums up my thoughts. “like she was one step behind whatever was going through Cherish’s mind, and that she didn’t understand anything.” I felt one step behind and didn’t really understand what was going on. That means I’m not rounding up.
July 19, 2024
Cherish has been Febe’s personal assistant since she started the company, both having grown up together, and has had Febe’s back through the darkest times. Haylee is the new second personal assistant, desperately wanting this job as she thinks it can help her build her dreams to help other people.
An unusual story. Very confusing at first, but gets easier as it goes on. For the first part of the story, it is Cherish, Haylee and Febe in their own insulated world, us seeing their interactions, crushes and fears. Then the story expands to include others, and gets better and much more understandable. There is a ton of miscommunication in this story, some going back over a decade. There are unrequited crushes, frustration and anger. But under all this is a steadily building love. The story is worth the difficult beginning, and the ending is amazing.
An unusual story. Very confusing at first, but gets easier as it goes on. For the first part of the story, it is Cherish, Haylee and Febe in their own insulated world, us seeing their interactions, crushes and fears. Then the story expands to include others, and gets better and much more understandable. There is a ton of miscommunication in this story, some going back over a decade. There are unrequited crushes, frustration and anger. But under all this is a steadily building love. The story is worth the difficult beginning, and the ending is amazing.
July 5, 2024
Another excellent book by Eada, she is truly a gifted writer. I thoroughly enjoyed the storyline. I appreciated the unique dynamic between the characters, as they were colleagues and assistants to the boss rather than the 'typical' boss-employee relationship trope.
I was concerned about Haylee and her insecurities. She constantly worried about losing her job because she felt inadequate or that her boss disliked her. I admire how Cherish consistently attempted to alleviate these insecurities by reassuring her that these concerns were unfounded.
It was delightful to observe that despite Cherish's strong crush for Febe - her boss and best friend, it was Haylee who ultimately captured her heart. The connection between Haylee and Cherish was endearing, and I thoroughly enjoyed the gradual development of their relationship throughout the book. It was a highly entertaining read, and I highly recommend it to others.
Star rating. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice rating. 🔥🔥🔥🔥
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
I was concerned about Haylee and her insecurities. She constantly worried about losing her job because she felt inadequate or that her boss disliked her. I admire how Cherish consistently attempted to alleviate these insecurities by reassuring her that these concerns were unfounded.
It was delightful to observe that despite Cherish's strong crush for Febe - her boss and best friend, it was Haylee who ultimately captured her heart. The connection between Haylee and Cherish was endearing, and I thoroughly enjoyed the gradual development of their relationship throughout the book. It was a highly entertaining read, and I highly recommend it to others.
Star rating. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice rating. 🔥🔥🔥🔥
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
June 6, 2025
(rounded up from 2.5)
This was a bit of an odd one. I enjoyed some of this, for example the fact that Cherish (I hate this name) is in love with her bestie, Febe Aarts (again, hate it, let's just shorten it to F. Aarts) and is slowly falling for her new coworker, Haylee (finally, a less silly name).
The good thing about this was that there was some interesting stuff set up. The age-old in love with your bestie who absolutely does not return the sentiment, torturing yourself by being her gal Friday forever, the new girl who is one paycheck away from homelessness, trauma in both MCs' pasts. It's all interesting as a premise and promising as stuff to explore as we make our way to a HEA. Unfortunately, we never really get into much of it, and honestly, there is only so much lack of communication I can take. If y'all are literally sitting on desks next to each other all day, every day and STILL can't have a single adult conversation and just have miscommunications and arguments all the time, perhaps y'all need to work on your own mental health first and then consider a relationship.
Haylee's idea is also rejected and accepted bizarrely quickly while normally you would need research, budgets, and plans of some sort, rather than just an elevator pitch and a sad story from someone's own youth to secure funding for a support project like the one Haylee wants to head. She also has zero experience with heading such a thing, which makes it all the more ludicrous that she thinks that she would be. In addition, I think this is meant to be an age gap, but it's never really clear to me how old Febe and Cherish are, except that Febe has a step-grandchild now, and she and Cherish grew up together, so they must be similarly aged.
In summation: a decent effort and a fun premise, but I wish that instead of a lack of communication, we had professionals (I would guess older professionals at that) would have conversations about their lives instead of just giving each other the silent treatment, snapping/yelling at each other and then apologizing. It doesn't feel very adult and doesn't make me invested in them getting together for a Happily Ever After.
This was a bit of an odd one. I enjoyed some of this, for example the fact that Cherish (I hate this name) is in love with her bestie, Febe Aarts (again, hate it, let's just shorten it to F. Aarts) and is slowly falling for her new coworker, Haylee (finally, a less silly name).
The good thing about this was that there was some interesting stuff set up. The age-old in love with your bestie who absolutely does not return the sentiment, torturing yourself by being her gal Friday forever, the new girl who is one paycheck away from homelessness, trauma in both MCs' pasts. It's all interesting as a premise and promising as stuff to explore as we make our way to a HEA. Unfortunately, we never really get into much of it, and honestly, there is only so much lack of communication I can take. If y'all are literally sitting on desks next to each other all day, every day and STILL can't have a single adult conversation and just have miscommunications and arguments all the time, perhaps y'all need to work on your own mental health first and then consider a relationship.
Haylee's idea is also rejected and accepted bizarrely quickly while normally you would need research, budgets, and plans of some sort, rather than just an elevator pitch and a sad story from someone's own youth to secure funding for a support project like the one Haylee wants to head. She also has zero experience with heading such a thing, which makes it all the more ludicrous that she thinks that she would be. In addition, I think this is meant to be an age gap, but it's never really clear to me how old Febe and Cherish are, except that Febe has a step-grandchild now, and she and Cherish grew up together, so they must be similarly aged.
In summation: a decent effort and a fun premise, but I wish that instead of a lack of communication, we had professionals (I would guess older professionals at that) would have conversations about their lives instead of just giving each other the silent treatment, snapping/yelling at each other and then apologizing. It doesn't feel very adult and doesn't make me invested in them getting together for a Happily Ever After.
September 11, 2024
I have mixed feelings about this book. The first two chapters were great, but then it became confusing. I'm not sure what's going on. I'm not a fan of Febe and I feel disconnected from Haylee and Cherish as well.
Overall, I'd say this was a strange reading experience. Maybe this book is just not for me.
Overall, I'd say this was a strange reading experience. Maybe this book is just not for me.
July 8, 2024
Love is overrated.. or can that annoyingly intriguing but reserved new colleague change your outlook on matters of the heart?
I received an advance copy and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Cherish is a small town girl at heart, but has adapted to big city life when her friend and now boss Febe Aarts, asked her to come work for her as a personal assistant and office manager. Cherish, having been secretly in unrequited love with Febe forever, has made her boss her priority for years now. Any new assistant that has been hired in the past to relieve her exorbitant workload, was gone fast. Now Haylee walks into the office. The ridiculously beautiful woman has a track record of jumping from job to job, so Cherish doesn’t have faith in her staying in this one. Boy, did she get that wrong. And why does Haylee’s looks bring her more tingles than Febe’s have ever done?
Haylee is a failure. She can’t seem to keep a job, she has debts and lost her appartement because of issues with the rent. This new job as an assistant to an ice queen boss is one she needs just as much as the air she breathes. Febe Aarts rules her online therapy business with an iron fist, assisted by her equally serious assistant manager Cherish. The woman that follows Febe’s instructions like a lovesick puppy but guards her boss like a scary Rottweiler to everyone else. When Cherish needs Haylee’s help with the yearly gala that’s coming up, Haylee starts to see some cracks in Cherish’s concrete walls. Whatever happened last year, will have to be avoided. The more Haylee sees the woman behind the business facade, she can’t help but develop her own major crush on Cherish. A crush is all it is right? Love is not for Haylee.
I got quite annoyed with Cherish. She lets herself be treated like a doormat by her boss who is supposed to be her good friend first and foremost. I got the feeling she is actually scared of Febe. I get that Febe herself has been struggling with her own very difficult issues, but the way she treats Cherish is abominable. The difference between office Cherish and non-office Cherish is huge. I love that Haylee brings out the hidden, authentic version of her more and more.
Haylee’s character is struggling with confidence and finding her place in the professional world. At first I was skeptical about her interest in Cherish, but their chemistry eventually sizzles off the page and turns up the heat quite a few degrees. Right along her feelings for Cherish her professional self esteem grows and I could completely understand why she eventually makes the choices she does after the way she is treated. Go girl!
Febe is not my cup of tea. Businesswoman or not, hurting or not, she treats people in a way that I find utterly disrespectful. She does redeem herself a little when she shows up as an actual friend for Cherish near the end. As for the brothers of both Haylee and Cherish, their sibling dynamics are so similar! Both women get support and a firm brotherly talking to when they desperately need it. The banter is both hilarious and harshly confrontational.
Love and Cherish is a pretty good workplace romance with all the trope related elements. Expect some very hot scenes interspersed with the odd office dynamics and characters that go through all kinds of personal growth.
I received an advance copy and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Cherish is a small town girl at heart, but has adapted to big city life when her friend and now boss Febe Aarts, asked her to come work for her as a personal assistant and office manager. Cherish, having been secretly in unrequited love with Febe forever, has made her boss her priority for years now. Any new assistant that has been hired in the past to relieve her exorbitant workload, was gone fast. Now Haylee walks into the office. The ridiculously beautiful woman has a track record of jumping from job to job, so Cherish doesn’t have faith in her staying in this one. Boy, did she get that wrong. And why does Haylee’s looks bring her more tingles than Febe’s have ever done?
Haylee is a failure. She can’t seem to keep a job, she has debts and lost her appartement because of issues with the rent. This new job as an assistant to an ice queen boss is one she needs just as much as the air she breathes. Febe Aarts rules her online therapy business with an iron fist, assisted by her equally serious assistant manager Cherish. The woman that follows Febe’s instructions like a lovesick puppy but guards her boss like a scary Rottweiler to everyone else. When Cherish needs Haylee’s help with the yearly gala that’s coming up, Haylee starts to see some cracks in Cherish’s concrete walls. Whatever happened last year, will have to be avoided. The more Haylee sees the woman behind the business facade, she can’t help but develop her own major crush on Cherish. A crush is all it is right? Love is not for Haylee.
I got quite annoyed with Cherish. She lets herself be treated like a doormat by her boss who is supposed to be her good friend first and foremost. I got the feeling she is actually scared of Febe. I get that Febe herself has been struggling with her own very difficult issues, but the way she treats Cherish is abominable. The difference between office Cherish and non-office Cherish is huge. I love that Haylee brings out the hidden, authentic version of her more and more.
Haylee’s character is struggling with confidence and finding her place in the professional world. At first I was skeptical about her interest in Cherish, but their chemistry eventually sizzles off the page and turns up the heat quite a few degrees. Right along her feelings for Cherish her professional self esteem grows and I could completely understand why she eventually makes the choices she does after the way she is treated. Go girl!
Febe is not my cup of tea. Businesswoman or not, hurting or not, she treats people in a way that I find utterly disrespectful. She does redeem herself a little when she shows up as an actual friend for Cherish near the end. As for the brothers of both Haylee and Cherish, their sibling dynamics are so similar! Both women get support and a firm brotherly talking to when they desperately need it. The banter is both hilarious and harshly confrontational.
Love and Cherish is a pretty good workplace romance with all the trope related elements. Expect some very hot scenes interspersed with the odd office dynamics and characters that go through all kinds of personal growth.
July 14, 2024
another book for the “omg just talk to each other” saga
August 30, 2024
I loved Taming a Rebel, so I had high hopes for Love and Cherish. So, what the hell happened? I felt like this was some type of writing experiment and I didn’t enjoy being the Guinea pig.
This supposed to be a HEA, it all just felt depressing. These are people who supposedly work in the mental health profession, supposedly with passion, yet they do NOTHING with their own mental health! C’mon ya’ll, use your own damn services to not be jackasses!!! Sorry for all the exclamation marks. That’s the only way to describe how much I didn’t relate to these characters and the style of writing.
I didn’t know what in the world was happening in the first quarter of the book. I couldn’t even tell who was speaking half the time. The dialogue jumped around and there really wasn’t a natural flow to the actual story or the characters. I certainly didn’t relate with the relationship between Cherish and Febe. And how in the hell was I supposed to pronounce Febe? Phoebe? Feb? February? I just mentally called her Feb Arts which kept me from having any empathy or connection to her.
I get this was an homage to the Devil Wears Prada, however, there was no heart, no determination, no desire to become better people. And when Feb Arts tried to resolve some stuff, it just felt inauthentic. She should have just stayed a bitch ice queen and been that way with no apologies. Haylee had so much potential as a character, but it just went nowhere.
As for the spice, it was meh. This book just didn’t do it for me. It got 2 stars because I didn’t find typos and few grammatical errors. The other star is for the brothers as supporting characters and we didn’t get enough of them and they came in the story a little too late to save this hot mess of a book.
This supposed to be a HEA, it all just felt depressing. These are people who supposedly work in the mental health profession, supposedly with passion, yet they do NOTHING with their own mental health! C’mon ya’ll, use your own damn services to not be jackasses!!! Sorry for all the exclamation marks. That’s the only way to describe how much I didn’t relate to these characters and the style of writing.
I didn’t know what in the world was happening in the first quarter of the book. I couldn’t even tell who was speaking half the time. The dialogue jumped around and there really wasn’t a natural flow to the actual story or the characters. I certainly didn’t relate with the relationship between Cherish and Febe. And how in the hell was I supposed to pronounce Febe? Phoebe? Feb? February? I just mentally called her Feb Arts which kept me from having any empathy or connection to her.
I get this was an homage to the Devil Wears Prada, however, there was no heart, no determination, no desire to become better people. And when Feb Arts tried to resolve some stuff, it just felt inauthentic. She should have just stayed a bitch ice queen and been that way with no apologies. Haylee had so much potential as a character, but it just went nowhere.
As for the spice, it was meh. This book just didn’t do it for me. It got 2 stars because I didn’t find typos and few grammatical errors. The other star is for the brothers as supporting characters and we didn’t get enough of them and they came in the story a little too late to save this hot mess of a book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 27, 2024
Love and Cherish is billed as an age gap, but I wouldn't have realized as it's not a major factor in the storyline and isn't addressed by either of the main characters. In my opinion that's not a bad thing as age gap is one of my least favorite tropes, but if you're here for that specifically it's probably not going to scratch that itch.
Cherish and Haylee are both well written, but I did find myself getting a bit annoyed with Haylee's over the top insecurity at times early on in the book. Like girl, chill. There's quite a bit of development, though, and her self-esteem and confidence definitely improves as the book goes on, and I loved her determination. Most of the drama in the relationship is tied to miscommunication (or perhaps more accurately a lack of communication) and Cherish getting stuck in her own head, but I was fairly satisfied with how it worked out in the end.
There aren't a lot of side characters here but they've all got their own distinct personalities and I enjoyed them all. The brothers are both great, I loved Allegra, and I'm definitely looking forward to reading Febe's story when it comes out. The book also gets fairly steamy, with 3-4 nicely done intimate scenes that I quite enjoyed.
I received a free ARC from the author, but my review is unbiased and left voluntarily.
Cherish and Haylee are both well written, but I did find myself getting a bit annoyed with Haylee's over the top insecurity at times early on in the book. Like girl, chill. There's quite a bit of development, though, and her self-esteem and confidence definitely improves as the book goes on, and I loved her determination. Most of the drama in the relationship is tied to miscommunication (or perhaps more accurately a lack of communication) and Cherish getting stuck in her own head, but I was fairly satisfied with how it worked out in the end.
There aren't a lot of side characters here but they've all got their own distinct personalities and I enjoyed them all. The brothers are both great, I loved Allegra, and I'm definitely looking forward to reading Febe's story when it comes out. The book also gets fairly steamy, with 3-4 nicely done intimate scenes that I quite enjoyed.
I received a free ARC from the author, but my review is unbiased and left voluntarily.
August 23, 2024
This is the second book written by Eada Friesian that I have read. I most definitely wasn’t disappointed.
When I started reading I thought the love interest was going to be different but as the book progressed I was happy that I was wrong.
I related to all of the characters in some way or another but I especially related to Haylee. I really enjoyed seeing their journeys progress. The characters were written wonderfully and I really felt for them. The chemistry between Cherish and Haylee was a great thing to read.
To start with Febe Aarts really wasn’t my cup of tea but as the book progressed and I learnt more about her I started to really like her as well. Jackson and Stuart were also really great characters. I really liked how supportive they were.
There were a few times when I got annoyed by the characters but it wasn’t in the way that made me want to put the book down. Instead, it hooked me into not being able to stop reading.
The book itself was really well written and the spice was wonderful. The passion between Cherish and Haylee was such a good read. I loved the openness between the characters as their walls started to crumble.
It is a really good book and I recommend reading it if you get the chance. I also recommend checking out Eada Friesian’s other books.
When I started reading I thought the love interest was going to be different but as the book progressed I was happy that I was wrong.
I related to all of the characters in some way or another but I especially related to Haylee. I really enjoyed seeing their journeys progress. The characters were written wonderfully and I really felt for them. The chemistry between Cherish and Haylee was a great thing to read.
To start with Febe Aarts really wasn’t my cup of tea but as the book progressed and I learnt more about her I started to really like her as well. Jackson and Stuart were also really great characters. I really liked how supportive they were.
There were a few times when I got annoyed by the characters but it wasn’t in the way that made me want to put the book down. Instead, it hooked me into not being able to stop reading.
The book itself was really well written and the spice was wonderful. The passion between Cherish and Haylee was such a good read. I loved the openness between the characters as their walls started to crumble.
It is a really good book and I recommend reading it if you get the chance. I also recommend checking out Eada Friesian’s other books.
August 11, 2024
Did not enjoy all that. I didn't like how the story developed at all.
im going to point out some of the main parts i didn't like from the book.
Febe and Cherish's weird relationship from the start. Cherish was literally doing everything for her like a servant, i don't think they had a healthy relationship.
The romance development between Cherish and Haylee was inadequate. How am i supposed to believe that Cherish would suddenly start liking her when she has been liking Febe for years?
Anyways, i hated how bad Haylee was also treated throughout the book. Both Cherish and Febe have been mean to her multiple times because of their "bad" mood 🙄
Overall, i didn't like the pacing or the characters.
im going to point out some of the main parts i didn't like from the book.
Febe and Cherish's weird relationship from the start. Cherish was literally doing everything for her like a servant, i don't think they had a healthy relationship.
The romance development between Cherish and Haylee was inadequate. How am i supposed to believe that Cherish would suddenly start liking her when she has been liking Febe for years?
Anyways, i hated how bad Haylee was also treated throughout the book. Both Cherish and Febe have been mean to her multiple times because of their "bad" mood 🙄
Overall, i didn't like the pacing or the characters.
July 9, 2024
Whew what a book! The first half omg. I went between wanting to snuggle up and hug Haylee to wanting to wring Cherish and Febe’s necks! lol.
As more content came, things began to be resolved and communicated. The MCs showed tremendous character growth within themselves and in their relationship.
The spice was nice and hot. I loved the discussion and openness to get to know each other’s bodies and desires. Made for a more authentic experience and flow in the story.
Another great read from this author! Recommend!!
As more content came, things began to be resolved and communicated. The MCs showed tremendous character growth within themselves and in their relationship.
The spice was nice and hot. I loved the discussion and openness to get to know each other’s bodies and desires. Made for a more authentic experience and flow in the story.
Another great read from this author! Recommend!!
November 4, 2024
An enjoyable read which also warmed my heart. The main characters are flawed and therefore real & very relatable who grow together to form a beautiful bond of love, friendship, and romantic chemistry that’s off the charts. The story has been as catchy as Eada Friesian's previous work and even more innovative
#bookstagram #elsobredbookismarkersliteralea
#bookstagram #elsobredbookismarkersliteralea
July 8, 2024
Tropes: Ice Queen, Slow Burn, Secret Crush (Triangle)
I will start out by saying I did not enjoy this book as much as Eada Friesian’s other novels. The novel is written in third person and I struggled a little at first with who the main love interests were supposed to be. I do prefer first person but I didn’t have this struggle with her other novels.
The novel features Haylee, who we met in the book Taming of a Rebel, but none of the other characters from Rebel make an appearance. Haylee is an office assistant at a company that focuses on therapy services. Her passion is to convince the boss to start a specialized therapy category for friends and non-immediate family of veterans. Haylee lives with or couch surfs with friends but we don’t see her interacting with them much. She has a brother she is close to and calls often but otherwise she seems very alone. She has a crush on her co-office assistant Cherish.
Cherish also seems very alone. She is a country girl who moved to the city for her best friend and boss Febe. She has an unrequited crush on Febe. They grew up together and I’m guessing they are around the same age. The book mentioned an age gap between Cherish and Haylee but I don’t think we were ever told Cherish’s age so I don’t know the extent of the gap. Haylee is 34. Febe is old enough to be a grandma. But how old is Cherish?
There is steamy office tension between between Cherish, Febe, and Haylee. I can relate to the characters experiencing intrusive thoughts. We do realize the main love interests in the book are Haylee and Cherish. There was an odd scene at one point with Febe and Allegra (she runs a foundation that Febe is passionate about) where one of them seemed to play footsie with Cherish. It confused me.
While this was a slow burn there were some nice spicy scenes. I didn’t really feel like I was rooting for the characters to get together as I wasn’t that invested in them. Overall I did enjoy the book but would probably not reread it.
I will start out by saying I did not enjoy this book as much as Eada Friesian’s other novels. The novel is written in third person and I struggled a little at first with who the main love interests were supposed to be. I do prefer first person but I didn’t have this struggle with her other novels.
The novel features Haylee, who we met in the book Taming of a Rebel, but none of the other characters from Rebel make an appearance. Haylee is an office assistant at a company that focuses on therapy services. Her passion is to convince the boss to start a specialized therapy category for friends and non-immediate family of veterans. Haylee lives with or couch surfs with friends but we don’t see her interacting with them much. She has a brother she is close to and calls often but otherwise she seems very alone. She has a crush on her co-office assistant Cherish.
Cherish also seems very alone. She is a country girl who moved to the city for her best friend and boss Febe. She has an unrequited crush on Febe. They grew up together and I’m guessing they are around the same age. The book mentioned an age gap between Cherish and Haylee but I don’t think we were ever told Cherish’s age so I don’t know the extent of the gap. Haylee is 34. Febe is old enough to be a grandma. But how old is Cherish?
There is steamy office tension between between Cherish, Febe, and Haylee. I can relate to the characters experiencing intrusive thoughts. We do realize the main love interests in the book are Haylee and Cherish. There was an odd scene at one point with Febe and Allegra (she runs a foundation that Febe is passionate about) where one of them seemed to play footsie with Cherish. It confused me.
While this was a slow burn there were some nice spicy scenes. I didn’t really feel like I was rooting for the characters to get together as I wasn’t that invested in them. Overall I did enjoy the book but would probably not reread it.
January 20, 2025
3.5 Stars. Mostly, the characters and their motivations were well-written, but I had a hard time suspending disbelief for this one in certain aspects. So much of the story is based on a lack of communication, which I can understand to a degree, but when it is the main thing driving the story forward, I tend to feel more frustration than connection with the characters. And for a character-driven story, you really need that connection to remain invested. I felt frustrated with the breadcrumbing of background as well. I could understand it between the characters, but with so many internal reinforcements of things withheld without them being at least revealed to the reader, it moved from generating curiosity to frustration about halfway through. Overall, I enjoyed the book despite my frustration. Most of the characters' motivations were well developed and explained. I wish the ending had felt less rushed, but the majority of the story was slow, so I understand how that came about. Probably not one I will read again, but I am looking forward to the next book in the series.
July 7, 2024
‘Love and Cherish’ is the latest sapphic romance by Eada Friesian and describes the developing relationship between Haylee (angsty and self doubting but determined to try and keep what could be her dream job) and Cherish (so tightly wound and stressed as she battles to protect and care for the boss she still carries a flame for).
Haylee appeared in the previous book, ‘Taming of a Rebel’ (which is also brilliant!) but ‘Love and Cherish’ is it's own story which the author, once again, does an excellent job of creating; bringing to life the main characters and their slowly burgeoning relationships with all its twists; pulling you into their lives, into all the ups and downs, on their way to a hoped for HEA.
Both the main characters have their own emotional backgrounds which the author brings to life brilliantly - their wonderful use of language drawing you instantly into the self-doubt of Haylee and the tightly wound stress of Cherish and the impact those emotions have on their relationship. The writing really does a brilliant job of immersing you in the hopes, stresses and fears of these two!
‘Love and Cherish' is described as an age-gap, office relationship, sapphic romance and it meets these descriptions wonderfully; it is also a great book which uses language brilliantly to bring it's characters to life and draw you into their lives and carry you along all the ups and downs.
The book is wonderful, if you have read any of Eada Friesian’s previous works, you are in for another treat! And, if you haven't, you should find out what you have been missing!
Haylee appeared in the previous book, ‘Taming of a Rebel’ (which is also brilliant!) but ‘Love and Cherish’ is it's own story which the author, once again, does an excellent job of creating; bringing to life the main characters and their slowly burgeoning relationships with all its twists; pulling you into their lives, into all the ups and downs, on their way to a hoped for HEA.
Both the main characters have their own emotional backgrounds which the author brings to life brilliantly - their wonderful use of language drawing you instantly into the self-doubt of Haylee and the tightly wound stress of Cherish and the impact those emotions have on their relationship. The writing really does a brilliant job of immersing you in the hopes, stresses and fears of these two!
‘Love and Cherish' is described as an age-gap, office relationship, sapphic romance and it meets these descriptions wonderfully; it is also a great book which uses language brilliantly to bring it's characters to life and draw you into their lives and carry you along all the ups and downs.
The book is wonderful, if you have read any of Eada Friesian’s previous works, you are in for another treat! And, if you haven't, you should find out what you have been missing!
July 23, 2024
Haylee Coleman is desperate to keep her job and finally find a place she belongs. She could make a real difference—if only Cherish Barkley wasn't so distracting. Cherish, fiercely loyal to her boss Febe Aarts, needs Haylee's help for the upcoming Holbrook Foundation gala. As they work together, both must navigate their growing attraction while ensuring the event goes off without a hitch.
I had been waiting for the release of this book. I've been a fan of Eada's writing since reading "Taming of a Rebel". I must admit though that I was not very much invested in the plot of this book. Hailey's insecurities and Cherish's rudeness made me uncomfortable. Also, Cherish came off as obsessed with Febe, and Febe knowing and not acknowledging it didn't feel right.
On a side note, I had just gotten laid off from my job a day before I started reading this book, so the office dynamic around the three main characters and Hailey thinking she was going to get fired all the time, made me feel anxious lol. Haley never gave me that anxious vibe in "Taming of a Rebel". Also, her saying that she would make a bad parent made me wonder what Siena could have seen in her being that she had Harley.
The book has some pretty decent steamy and smutty scenes though, I was surprised by Cherish's kinks.
Overall, I think this could be a good book to read for someone interested in a workplace love plot, but not for me. I AM excited to read Febe's life story which should come out next year though, she and Allegra will be an interesting read.
I had been waiting for the release of this book. I've been a fan of Eada's writing since reading "Taming of a Rebel". I must admit though that I was not very much invested in the plot of this book. Hailey's insecurities and Cherish's rudeness made me uncomfortable. Also, Cherish came off as obsessed with Febe, and Febe knowing and not acknowledging it didn't feel right.
On a side note, I had just gotten laid off from my job a day before I started reading this book, so the office dynamic around the three main characters and Hailey thinking she was going to get fired all the time, made me feel anxious lol. Haley never gave me that anxious vibe in "Taming of a Rebel". Also, her saying that she would make a bad parent made me wonder what Siena could have seen in her being that she had Harley.
The book has some pretty decent steamy and smutty scenes though, I was surprised by Cherish's kinks.
Overall, I think this could be a good book to read for someone interested in a workplace love plot, but not for me. I AM excited to read Febe's life story which should come out next year though, she and Allegra will be an interesting read.
July 12, 2024
Eada Friesian’s second novel is a workplace, ice queen contemporary romance set in Portland, Oregon. Cherish has spent her life catering to and protecting her best friend and boss Febe. Her co-administrative assistant, Haylee feels like a failure and will do anything to keep her job. She agrees to help Cherish keep Febe in check for the upcoming gala while coming to grips with the ever-increasing feelings that stir inside her each time she sees Cherish.
Haylee is a sweetheart who will do anything for anyone. She struggles with feelings of failure, grief, and imposter syndrome. Her boss Febe is a prickly, intimidating, and aloof woman Haylee wants to please. She develops feelings for Cherish who she quickly realizes has feelings for Febe. The tangled connection, Cherish’s negative attitude, and her obsession with protecting Febe throw a wrench into the developing relationship between Haylee and Cherish.
Out of the three women, Haylee is the most relatable and authentic and at times, I struggled to understand why Haylee continued to pursue Cherish when Cherish continuously pushed her away, was rude, and cold. But, I guess the heart wants what it wants.
Friesian has a knack for writing witty dialogue and incorporating vivid descriptive details. Even though I had a hard time connecting with some of the characters, this is a well-written romance.
⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Haylee is a sweetheart who will do anything for anyone. She struggles with feelings of failure, grief, and imposter syndrome. Her boss Febe is a prickly, intimidating, and aloof woman Haylee wants to please. She develops feelings for Cherish who she quickly realizes has feelings for Febe. The tangled connection, Cherish’s negative attitude, and her obsession with protecting Febe throw a wrench into the developing relationship between Haylee and Cherish.
Out of the three women, Haylee is the most relatable and authentic and at times, I struggled to understand why Haylee continued to pursue Cherish when Cherish continuously pushed her away, was rude, and cold. But, I guess the heart wants what it wants.
Friesian has a knack for writing witty dialogue and incorporating vivid descriptive details. Even though I had a hard time connecting with some of the characters, this is a well-written romance.
⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 28, 2025
possibly the worst workplace culture I've seen depicted in text
okay, so we have the boss, Febe. she's volatile, unapproachable, and demanding. then we have the chief minion, Cherish. she's volatile, unapproachable, and demanding. then we have the deputy minion, Haylee. intense imposter syndrome, deeply avoidant, convinces herself it's all wrong and she has to cut and run the moment she gets any negative feedback. and Febe and Cherish give her nothing but negative feedback. none of these personalities go together and the book careens between interpersonal crises until at some point the book is over
the book did the same thing Taming of a Rebel did but worse here, where the relationship is never good. there's no point when Cherish and Haylee are together and you see why they work as a couple, it's always Cherish spinning out because Haylee is running away and not communicating, or Haylee spinning out because she breathed wrong and Cherish clawed her face off. and that's not even beginning to get into the Febe factor
Febe goes between cool mentor and grieving psycho who wants to fire Haylee because she didn't screen her mail and it's very disorienting. add onto that we have Cherish running after Febe convinced that if she's attentive enough Febe won't crash and burn again, but also being deathly afraid of Febe no longer needing her
tl dr it's the wrong kind of toxic
okay, so we have the boss, Febe. she's volatile, unapproachable, and demanding. then we have the chief minion, Cherish. she's volatile, unapproachable, and demanding. then we have the deputy minion, Haylee. intense imposter syndrome, deeply avoidant, convinces herself it's all wrong and she has to cut and run the moment she gets any negative feedback. and Febe and Cherish give her nothing but negative feedback. none of these personalities go together and the book careens between interpersonal crises until at some point the book is over
the book did the same thing Taming of a Rebel did but worse here, where the relationship is never good. there's no point when Cherish and Haylee are together and you see why they work as a couple, it's always Cherish spinning out because Haylee is running away and not communicating, or Haylee spinning out because she breathed wrong and Cherish clawed her face off. and that's not even beginning to get into the Febe factor
Febe goes between cool mentor and grieving psycho who wants to fire Haylee because she didn't screen her mail and it's very disorienting. add onto that we have Cherish running after Febe convinced that if she's attentive enough Febe won't crash and burn again, but also being deathly afraid of Febe no longer needing her
tl dr it's the wrong kind of toxic
May 25, 2025
A slow boil with some rather anachronistic elements that might have worked better if it had been set in the 1940s rather than the present day and some missed opportunities for character development and local color. We're never given a very convincing motive for why Haylee, the new hire desperately trying to stay on the good side of the exacting and volatile woman she reports to-and their even more volatile boss, is so dedicated to the cause she's trying to sell the boss on-and risk her job for. We could have used more description in regard to the appearances and endearing habits of the MCs to show why they're attracted to one another-aside from proximity. Though it's probably only me, I never really did get used to the name, "Cherish"-and her relationship history that is alluded to later in the book almost seems at odds with her obsessive loyalty to "Febe Aarts", the boss that she's secretly loved from afar for half her life. There's a lot going on in this book in terms of "conflicts and resolutions", and it might have better if it were more focused on fewer of them.
July 8, 2024
A workaholic personal assistant harboring a secret crush on her boss. A perennial job hopper who can’t seem to find her niche. Polar opposites. You know what they say about opposites, right?
The chemistry is apparent from the start, but Cherish is not about to start an office romance. Especially with someone as flighty as Haylee. Haylee can’t seem to keep a job longer than a few months. Desperate to prove herself she agrees to help Cherish organize a charity gala for their boss in exchange for help with a pitch to the same boss.
It’s make or break for Haylee, but while the gala is the easy part, the hard part isn’t even the pitch, it’s the attraction she feels for Cherish. Will these two coworkers ever stop trying to outmaneuver each other and just accept the inevitable? Opposites attract.
Another winning book by Eada Friesian. I’m looking forward to Febe’s story in the near future, please don’t tease us.
In the meantime, settle down with Love and Cherish.
The chemistry is apparent from the start, but Cherish is not about to start an office romance. Especially with someone as flighty as Haylee. Haylee can’t seem to keep a job longer than a few months. Desperate to prove herself she agrees to help Cherish organize a charity gala for their boss in exchange for help with a pitch to the same boss.
It’s make or break for Haylee, but while the gala is the easy part, the hard part isn’t even the pitch, it’s the attraction she feels for Cherish. Will these two coworkers ever stop trying to outmaneuver each other and just accept the inevitable? Opposites attract.
Another winning book by Eada Friesian. I’m looking forward to Febe’s story in the near future, please don’t tease us.
In the meantime, settle down with Love and Cherish.
July 9, 2024
This book was a fun, stress-free read.
Haylee and Cherish have an entertaining dynamic that makes for some strong banter and the frustrating miscommunication that can go along with it. Neither one of them is fully comfortable being themselves, and it was fun to explore that with them and actually get to know them slowly throughout the book.
There was some fun workplace drama and strong mental health and chronic illness rep, in addition to military appreciation and body positivity, which is something I really appreciated as the reader. The cast might not have been diverse in background, but their lived experiences were diverse in a way that lent itself to strong bonds. Every piece of each character was intentional.
The writing style wasn't always a good fit for me personally, but it didn't take away from the story at all, and I very much enjoyed the read.
Thank you to the author for the advanced copy!
Haylee and Cherish have an entertaining dynamic that makes for some strong banter and the frustrating miscommunication that can go along with it. Neither one of them is fully comfortable being themselves, and it was fun to explore that with them and actually get to know them slowly throughout the book.
There was some fun workplace drama and strong mental health and chronic illness rep, in addition to military appreciation and body positivity, which is something I really appreciated as the reader. The cast might not have been diverse in background, but their lived experiences were diverse in a way that lent itself to strong bonds. Every piece of each character was intentional.
The writing style wasn't always a good fit for me personally, but it didn't take away from the story at all, and I very much enjoyed the read.
Thank you to the author for the advanced copy!
July 6, 2024
3 stars. I liked the writing in this and would definitely pick up another book by this author. I didn’t really get into this one like I wanted to until the end because I found that I had trouble rooting for any of these characters and their romance.
I thought Cherish was so flip floppy and Haylee and her insecurities wore my nerves thin. This book also took a bit too long to find its footing. I don’t think it picked up to almost 30% it was just such a slog in the beginning. I thought things came together pretty good at the end but everything else before that left me feeling disconnected from it all unfortunately. Wasn’t a bad read in the slightest but it just wasn't the most interesting thing for me. I found myself bored a lot of the time. Three stars for the writing and the ending.
*Arc provided in exchange for an honest review from the author.
I thought Cherish was so flip floppy and Haylee and her insecurities wore my nerves thin. This book also took a bit too long to find its footing. I don’t think it picked up to almost 30% it was just such a slog in the beginning. I thought things came together pretty good at the end but everything else before that left me feeling disconnected from it all unfortunately. Wasn’t a bad read in the slightest but it just wasn't the most interesting thing for me. I found myself bored a lot of the time. Three stars for the writing and the ending.
*Arc provided in exchange for an honest review from the author.
July 8, 2024
Eada is quickly becoming a favorite of mine in this lovely genre of wlw romance/my favorite genre! This is book was different than most others I’ve read as the main character was seemingly in love with (definitely huge crush at the very least) with her boss…BUT that’s not the main love story of the book! Usually it’s more like A + B = Love where A & B are the two mains. This threw me at first and I found myself literally yelling at Cherish to really see Haley & what could be. But I needn’t have worried because Eada does a wonderful job of delivering exactly what I was hoping for. We see two flawed and therefore real & very relatable people who grow together to form a beautiful bond of love, friendship, and romantic chemistry that’s off the charts! Captivating and entertaining read! Thank you for my ARC & I truly cannot wait for Eada’s next story!!
June 30, 2024
3.5* I enjoyed this well written and nicely paced sapphic workplace romance, I recommend if you’re looking for a modern, light read.
If you love pining, ice queens, unrequited love and age gaps— this will absolutely be your cup of tea. As usual, you can count on Eada Friesian for a good wlw contemporary romance.
I found that it was a very complicated and weird introduction, and for me it took a good 10% to get into it and understand what was going on. It was infuriating trying to figure out the backgrounds and details of the characters, but that made it realistic and kept my attention.
I ended up loving the story and characters, and how much they grew and changed along the way.
A lovely story of love after loss, and an array of much more normal and relatably flawed characters.
If you love pining, ice queens, unrequited love and age gaps— this will absolutely be your cup of tea. As usual, you can count on Eada Friesian for a good wlw contemporary romance.
I found that it was a very complicated and weird introduction, and for me it took a good 10% to get into it and understand what was going on. It was infuriating trying to figure out the backgrounds and details of the characters, but that made it realistic and kept my attention.
I ended up loving the story and characters, and how much they grew and changed along the way.
A lovely story of love after loss, and an array of much more normal and relatably flawed characters.
July 14, 2024
Open your heart
This book and it's characters are a little more complicated than in the previous books. They have several layers protecting their hearts and have a hard time opening up. Haylee is just trying to keep her head above water and is crushing on Cherish who is at the beck and call of Febe. As I read the story and their lives unfolded I became more and more invested in how the relationships would turn out. There is plenty of heat between Cherish and Haylee too. I am very excited that Febe will have her own story in the future.
This book and it's characters are a little more complicated than in the previous books. They have several layers protecting their hearts and have a hard time opening up. Haylee is just trying to keep her head above water and is crushing on Cherish who is at the beck and call of Febe. As I read the story and their lives unfolded I became more and more invested in how the relationships would turn out. There is plenty of heat between Cherish and Haylee too. I am very excited that Febe will have her own story in the future.
November 19, 2025
I really enjoyed this story. The chemistry between the main characters was brilliant. Cherish is a complex character with layered emotions that help to weave a believably tense story between the characters. My heart was in my throat a few times during this story. Angst and yearning a plenty. The story is set predominantly at our main characters work desks, and it’s a credit to the author for making the dialogue between the characters work so well to create a rich story while remaining in the one setting so long. Can’t wait to read lore by this author.
August 29, 2024
I honestly don’t know what to write. I didn’t understand either of the MCs as in Haylee and Cherish and I spent most of the time sooo annoyed and frustrated with them BUT I couldn’t stop reading! Febe too - I don’t think she was given a fair shot - I felt we didn’t really get a chance to know her apart from a two dimensional portrait. In short - deserved 5 stars for keeping me reading to the end but actually gave fewer because the characters were SO frustrating!!
October 31, 2025
Wow I ended up hating this book LOL. Zero chemistry between the MC's and the way Haylee is treated for most of this book would have made me leave that workplace within the month. I think the miscommunication and downright lack of communication in this was to its detriment. I enjoyed every other Eada book I have read but this one is enough for me to never touch another one of her books. I no longer have any interest in this world she has built all because of how she went about this book.
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