Strings Attached

Return to Starlight Bay

by Stella Bella

He’s a grumpy billionaire.
She’s his klutzy, sweet assistant.
One wild kite sends sparks flying—and love soaring.


Billionaire,
Age Gap,
Office romance,
Grumpy/Sunshine
Small Town Romance

Genres: Workplace Romance

88 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 15, 2025

About the author

Stella Bella is the smutty alter ego of USA Today Bestselling Author Brooke Summers.

Reviews

[Carmela Dimattia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a sweet man of the month novella which was fun to read. What happens when you have a grumpy billionaire boss and a very clumsy assistant? You have two people who are trying their hardest to fight their attraction to one another until they simply cannot resist anymore and give in to their desires. Evander and Mireille were such lovely characters and their mutual respect for each other was the highlight. Stella Bella once again gives us a fun romance that was engaging and romantic.

[Nikki_Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!! Fab*u*lous Absolutely love this one!! I couldn't put this one down. This was a nice really quick, short read.

Evander and Mireille have been working together for a while, she's his assistant. When Mireille gets the idea that maybe something more could happen between her and her boss, she decides to dress differently. Evander notices a change in Mireille and asks her if something is different. Evander asks Mireille if she'll go to the gala with him as his date. Evander doesn't want to cross the line of him being her boss. While Evander is in his office he overhears about National kite flying day. Evander goes and asks Mireille if she'd like to be his partner. When Mireille arrives for National kite flying day she sees Evander in his suit, she brought casual clothes for him to wear. Evander has never flown a kite before so Mireille has to show him how it's done. When Evander almost loses the kite Mireille tries to help but then they stumble and she falls on top of him. Mireille kisses Evander, but he pulls away telling her they shouldn't. Mireille apologizes to Evander telling him it won't happen again. Just before Evander and Mireille are about to leave they overhear the competition is about to start. Evander and Mireille win at National Kite flying day. A few days later, Mireille is getting ready for the gala and finds out that Evander only booked them one room, but there are two beds. When Evander picks up Mireille he tells her how gorgeous she looks. Mireille overhears several people asking who Evander is with at the gala. When the music starts Evander asks Mireille is she'll dance with him. Soon Evander asks Mireille is she'd like to leave and they head back to their room. Evander tells Mireille that he wants her and they make love. Mireille asks Evander where this leaves them, they both decide to leave their personal lives outside of work. A few months later, Evander asks Mireille if she'll marry him and she tells him yes. One year later, Mireille gives birth to their son, who they name Ethan. They know this is the beginning of their happily ever after.

[Korkoi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fighting their Feelings -
Even though Evander really appreciated Mireille as she made his work life easy, her clumsiness was sometimes frustrating, but he soon started noticing her attractiveness. Mireille hadn’t seen Evander as anything other than her grumpy boss, that is until her friend pointed out the passionate looks she and her boss had been giving each other. Mireille decided to test if what her friend said was true, which led to numerous tension filled moments.

However, Evander tried everything to maintain a professional relationship even though he was intensely attracted to Mireille, which was really awkward as they worked closely together. Luckily, Mireille and Evander’s relationship changed after they spent time outside the workplace environment enjoying themselves. Mireille and Evander finally acknowledged their feelings for each other after enjoying a mind blowing experience and agreed to take a chance on having a future together.

This is an engaging and spellbinding romance story, filled with humour, twists and passion-filled moments, that ensured the reader had an entertaining reading experience. I was hooked on the story from the beginning and found myself glued to the pages until I reached the end. This is a definite must read book that deserves to be on your TBR list.

I received an advanced review copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Charlene's Bookish Archives · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The strings between them pull tighter, and this time, they're not so easy to cut."

Evander Prescott runs his world with precision, every detail in its place, every emotion kept firmly under control. Mireille is the one person who effortlessly turns his carefully ordered life upside down. She's bright, clumsy, endlessly capable, and has been quietly holding everything together behind the scenes for over a year. He's the boss; she's the assistant, that line was never meant to blur.

Then a simple outing for National Kite Flying Day changes everything. One moment of shared laughter, one accidental touch that lingers too long, and suddenly the professional distance they've both relied on feels impossible to maintain. She challenges him in a way no one else dares. He sees her, really sees her, in a way no one ever has. But crossing that line means risking everything they've built. Can they untangle their hearts from their roles without losing their way?

Delightful, warm, and deliciously tense, grumpy billionaire meets sunshine chaos in the sweetest workplace romance. It proves that sometimes the person who keeps your life running perfectly is the very one who makes it worth living.

[Tiffany aka Chai Tea And Books · Rating 2 out of 5]

🌶️

Omph. This took me five days to get through the 88 pages. The only reason I didn’t DNF is because of the short length. I just felt like it was missing too much. I honestly couldn’t tell you what the main characters look like other than their eye color. I couldn’t tell you want they did for a living other than he was the boss and she was the assistant and he had clients. There didn’t seem to be anyone else working there, which made the whole sneaking around and keeping the love life out of business angle seem silly. The writing felt stilted, almost formal.

It had one of my pet peeves in it: apparently the MMC gave the nurse a stern talking to at the ER and that caused them to see a sprained wrist immediately 🙄🙄 and also the ice instructions for a sprain made it seem like the author didn’t even bother to do a quick google search on how to treat it.

They live in a small beach town, but apparently the MMC doesn’t own any beach attire. But that’s ok! The FMC just happened to buy him some the day before they needed it!

I can’t decide if I would like it better if it was longer (because it might have more details that I wanted) or if I would have DNFed it because it was longer.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG, there's so much smexy tension between Evander and Mireille I can hardly stand it. They've both got it bad, but neither knows the other's feelings (of course). She's the perfect klutz, whether it distraction because of her feelings for him or just her natural state IDK, but she's perfectly horrible. (I felt for him about the mug.😪) To me, it seemed her sarcasm, meant to chill him out (or her?) was grating and deducted from her likeability. That and how easily influenced she was by her "friend". I digress. This taboo workplace romance had all the feels: anger, frusteration, hurt, jealousy, worry, tenderness, joy. The story itself was fast paces and an easy read. While I find contrived 3rd act breakups distasteful, the situation written here was plausible and understandable. On a whole, the solid characters fit the story well and I was able to escape into "their" world enjoyably while I read it.

This book is part of the Man of the Month multi-author series. I highly recemmend checking it out. This was a gift copy and I volunteered this review. Happy Reading Y'all 📚

[Donna Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my god once again I am in love. I am so glad I signed up to read the man of the month club novellas. This was A short and sweet little read! With tons of smexiness that left me wanting more. Right off the bat at you will totally fall in love with the FMC, she’s smart, gorgeous, and so adorably clumsy. Reminds me of my self at times. The MMC is a walking god in a suit that’s all work and very little play… however his clumsy assistant brings some lightheartedness out of him which is a plus. The tension is top notch and their banter is so entertaining. This is a slow burn but it’s totally worth it! The chemistry these two characters have cannot be denied and when they finally give in it’s glorious! It’s a great light hearted read and has a wonderful HEA! Can’t wait to read more of these books.

[Farrell Greer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stella Bella serves up a charming small-town romance with a spicy edge in this office-set tale. Our heroine and her grumpy-sunshine partner—both juggling personal responsibilities and career pressures—navigate a “no-strings-attached” arrangement that quickly turns into something much deeper. Sparks fly in the workplace banter, and the chemistry between them feels authentic and heartfelt.

What really shines here is the emotional grounding: amidst the heat, Bella weaves in moments of vulnerability—secret fears, caring friends, and that satisfying shift from playful arrangement to genuine connection. The novella’s pacing is tight, with just the right blend of angst and tenderness, though a few plot points wrap up a bit quickly. That said, the passionate finale and the warm resolution make for a gratifying read.

[Jane litherland · Rating 5 out of 5]

A billionaire boss who’s a bit of a grump and a worker who’s so clumsy but likes to be clumsy too . She’s a klutz but she’s sweet with it and it doesn’t grate as it should so he gets with it . Opposites attract? Maybe so . I was rooting for them so darn much ! Let’s go fly a kite and have us some delight tonight ! Cos the sparks oh my can reach the sky! Evander was irked at first when she first came to work with him ,but he realised she wasn’t dim and was really good at the job. Mereille is worthy of his attention and not a slob ,and after some time outdoors they might get their first snog… Entertaining read

[CookesBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a good workplace romance and Stella Bella gave us just that with Mireille and Evander in Strings Attached. She's an absolute sweetheart, albeit a little clumsy. He's the billionaire boss that gets frustrated at her clumsiness. Their mutual frustration leads to stolen glances and feelings being realized on both sides.

Mireille and Evander's mutual frustration was underlined by feelings on both sides, and when they finally spend time together outside of work, they decide to explore their feelings and they're not the only ones that are glad they did. Their chemistry was fantastic and their banter just as great. I really enjoyed their romance and journey to HEA.

[Victoria Shelton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute story about a boss/employee romance, that develops into something beautiful. Evander owns a company and Mireille has been his assistant for the last few years. She is the best one Evander has ever had the only downfall is that she is extremely clumsy. After people around both of them say they need to be honest with the other one you get to see them try to be individuals together instead of work colleagues and thats when the walls fall down for both of them. They try to push their mutual feelings aside and work like nothing happened but their hearts tell them they need each other and push each other to be together. Adorable read for the summer time.

[balayageandbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short and sweet little read!

My thoughts:
-Right off the bat at you fall in love with the FMC, she’s smart, gorgeous, and adorably clumsy
-The MMC is a walking god in a suit that’s all work and very little play… however his clumsy assistant brings some lightheartedness out of him
-The tension is top notch and their banter is so entertaining
-This is a slow burn but it’s totally worth it!
-The chemistry these two characters have cannot be denied and when they finally give in it’s glorious!
-It’s a great light hearted read and has a wonderful HEA!

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

A hilarious telling of the classic Boss/Assistant romance.

Muriel was a strong woman despite her clumsy mishaps. It was nice to see her portrayed so strongly as assistants are often shown as meak little things!

Evander was endearing and refreshingly straightforward and I enjoyed how he quickly owned up to "flaws" or mistakes made instead of hiding behind his position.

My only issue is that I'm having a heard tome remembering who I've met in Starlight Bay before and who I haven't! There are a lot of Novellas to follow but all are entertaining!

[Lou Li Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

We return to Starlight Bay for the story of grumpy boss Evander and his sunshine assistant Miri.
Both adamant to keep things professional they just need to work past that kiss and the awkwardness, no biggie at all! Except their chemistry is telling them otherwise and when their best friends are shipping them too, its hard to ignore the attraction. A super quick read for this forbidden romance with a HEA.

I voluntarily reviewed a free advance copy of this book provided by the author. The opinions expressed are my own

[Erin Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Star Review Strings Attached (Return To Starlight Bay #12) by Stella Bella

This is Evander and Mireille’s story and although not a particularly long read I was quickly invested.

I enjoyed their journey as this workplace romance progressed. He’s such a grump and it was fun to watch their relationship progress; add in that it’s set in a small town and I couldn’t wait to read.

The chemistry between them was intense but neither are prepared to make the first move.

The banter was witty although there were times that I didn’t think they would get their happily ever after.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

STRINGS ATTACHED By Stella Bella

🍫🍫🍫🍫🍫

Mireille and Evander’s story is so lovely, a fun and quick read.
They’ve been working together for a couple of years, bantering and working side by side in a very steady way.
He’s her boss, she’s his assistant, and there’s attraction that seems to rise with every passing day and flirty moment; even more so when they spend so much time together.
The temptation is there, but will they risk crossing the line for a relationship?
Go read Miri and Evander’s story to find out how it all unfolds for them, such a great summer read!

[Julianne Macneil · Rating 4 out of 5]

i read this book as part of an arc program. This is the story of Evander ad Mireille. Mireille is Evander's assistant and is clumsy and accident prone. They are paired up to compete during National Kite Flying Day and during the competition, Evander realizes that Mireille has made him laugh and brought him joy when he never expected. Evander starts to realize his feelings for Mireille and wonders if they ca break the rules and be together. This was a quick, instant love story. I liked that they balanced each other out and were good together. Another good one.

[Fran · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great short read. Miri is clumsy but the best personal assistant that Evander has ever had. There's also a spark between them but they are afraid to do anything about it. That is until an injured arm, a kite flying contest, and a best friend of Evander's that reminds him life it to short to give up on happiness. Fast paced, steamy read, lots of trips and falls and a feel good story. Can't get better than that. This is my honest review.

[Courtney Hastings · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy of this for my honest review

In this June Man of the Month novella our FMC is the clumsy assistant to our MMC. When all of a sudden they both kind of start seeing each other as maybe more - but, no, they can't. Except he invites her as his date to a charity gala for the first time, so you know, she can assist him. Then he also agrees to a couples kite contest that her friend asks them to join. Can they cross the line to more?

[Tiffany Hannick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is part of the man of the month series and takes place in the small town of Starlight Bay.
This is a fantastic short boss and assistant love story. It is filled with fun banter and lots of clumsiness that will make you laugh. Evander and Mireille have a ton of chemistry that they have spent time ignoring because of their work relationship but once they give in their love explodes from the passion. You don’t want to miss this visit to Starlight Bay.

[Didi · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5-4*
A cute forbidden office romance. Evander is a growly worked focused man. Things change when his sweet but clumsy assistant gets injured. From there we have a charming story of discovery and denial. Finally realization hits Evander and we get a tender forever. Fun visit to Starlight Bay with a side of spice. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Quinn Fforde · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mireille and Evander are very good at keeping their relationship professional, and it looks like things will stay that way. But Mireille's friend decides that a little meddling is in order. She convinces them to compete in a kite flying competition for charity, ensuring that they will have to get up close and personal. This is a will-they-or-won't-they story, but we all know that they'll get their HEA. Very cute

[Jordan Fiest · Rating 5 out of 5]

Strings Attached is part of the Return to Starlight Bay Man of the Month Series.

Miri was such a relatable character. She is a clumsy person and tends to be efficient but a bit of chaos thrown into the workplace. Evander is a great boss and acknowledges how amazing she is in the workplace. But they are thrown together for a kite flying competition and it leads them to finally accept the feelings they have for each other.

This was a fun, light read.

[Belinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mireille is the clumsy but efficient assistant to Evander. Their bantering and her clumsiness makes for a fun quick read. They are attracted to each other but they don't want to ruin their great working relationship and Evander is leery about the ethics behind it. But when they start to do events outside the office Evander has to decide if he should go for it. You will fall in love with these two characters.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mireille is the beautiful but clumsy assistant to Evander Prescott

Mireille is a walking accident just waiting to happen. She managed to sprain her wrist watering a plant and sparks start to fly when Evander takes her to the emergency room. That impulsive kiss at the kite flying contest deals the deal. Evander knows they crossed the line but once they dance at the Charity Ball things progress carefully but in secret. I loved the proposal and end scene back in the hospital.

[Amanda Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Too cute!

Oh my gosh! This story was so cute and fun.
Mireille and Evander are opposite of each other. Where's she's happy go lucky and yes clumsy, he's more moody and a work-a-holic.
No one has been able to make him enjoy life...maybe his assistant will do just that..
Read it... You won't be disappointed! Especially if your looking for a fast read that makes you happy.
5⭐
2.5🌶

[Dee Mac · Rating 4 out of 5]

Office romance
This was an easy to read, quick, lighthearted and spicy office romance. Evander and Miri are cute characters that tried to deny their attraction and stay professional. I liked the banter, the slow-burn buildup, Miri’s clumsiness and Evander’s protectiveness, and the tie in to other books in the series.

[Sarah Nielsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this as an arc from the author and I’m voluntarily leaving my honest review.

This was a cute grumpy sunshine, office romance. I really liked the beginning, the build up of the romance was so well done. I got to know the characters and I felt the chemistry but then the story got rushed and that was so unfortunate because of the great beginning, but all in all a good story.

[Michele Richardson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Evander is seemingly a workaholic and Mirielle is his clumsy assistant. They have some chemistry that they are both trying to ignore. When it comes to the surface their honesty with one another shows just how much they actually care for each other. This was a very good, fast read with a few steamy parts. It was definitely more of a slow burn that ended perfectly!

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A penchant for chaos or endearingly clumsy?

Despite Evander being abrupt and grumpy, we see sweet Mireille stumble her way around his walls and crash into his heart. She has no idea how she managed it and Evander is stunned to realise she has, but it makes for a sweet, endearing, amusing, naughty and fun visit to Starlight Bay as we join them for this journey.
A lovely read on Kindle Unlimited.