Mountain Boss

Mountain Men #1

by S.J. Tilly

Courtney

I’m just so exhausted—always living on the edge of desperation, one paycheck away from ruin.
But this new job…
It could be the fresh start I need.
It could change everything.
The contract is only for three months, but if I keep my head down, work hard, and prove myself, maybe I could stay longer.
Maybe I could make Black Mountain Lodge my home.
As I pull down the gravel drive, surrounded by the forest and mountains and bright blue skies, I feel something I haven’t felt in a while.
I feel hope.

Sterling

My new employee is late.
I’m already in a bad mood about having to train him, still salty about my old guy retiring on me.
But while I’m waiting, a woman pulls up my drive.
A woman straight from my damn dreams.
Curvy and pretty, looking at me with wide eyes framed with sooty lashes.
And suddenly, I’m no longer thinking about my late employee.
But then she opens her mouth and asks for me, introducing herself as Courtney, my new hire.
Courtney. Not Court, like the application said.
And I realize there’s been a mistake.
I can’t have this woman working here. Living on my property. Distracting me. I mean, my staff.
No. She can’t work for me. End of story.
Except she won’t leave. She even threatens to sue me.
Fine. If she won’t let me fire her before she even starts, then I’ll just have to make her leave on her own.

Genres: Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Contemporary Romance, Forced Proximity, Contemporary, Workplace Romance, Audiobook

500 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 27, 2025

About the author

S.J. Tilly lives in Minnesota with her husband and their herd of boxers. She spends an unhealthy amount of time with her face buried in books, reading and writing. If she’s not nose deep in text, or harassing her dogs, she’s probably playing with her plants, pretending she knows how to garden.

You can find her stumbling around on Instagram @sjtillyauthor

https://www.amazon.com/S.J.-Tilly/e/B...

Reviews

[S.J. Tilly]

Available now!

Download today or read for FREE with #kindleunlimited
Amazon: https://bit.ly/4fRHOTa
Amazon Worldwide: https://mybook.to/MountainBoss

Audible: https://bit.ly/4iN1gTa
Narrated by Erin Mallon & Connor Crais

Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/4hb9yTO

Tropes:
Age Gap
Boss/Employee
Edging (for the reader)
Enemies-to-Lovers
Flannel & Chest Hair

[͙͘͡★ Ancuta✨🌙 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am so behind with my reviews lol, can’t say I am surprised about that tho.🤣🤣🫠 Anyway, let’s talk a bit about this one first and then I’ll publish the other ones too.

So, I saw this one a few weeks ago here on goodreads by chance. One of my friends was reading it and ofc I had to read the description and ofc I was very intrigued. I mean, a grumpy mountain man and a handyman fmc ? Count me in ! The concept was so interesting that I couldn’t help myself, I just had to try it. And boy, did I had fun with this one. 🦦

It was so cute and funny (and also so very spicy 🤭). I really enjoyed it, despite the fact that the plot was not the most impressive (and the miscommunication trope that I really don’t like). I loved the fmc. She was so amazing, so independent and smart and sweet, oh gosh (she has a cactus and she dresses said cactus ! Like, why do I find this particular thing so sweet ??🥹) I also found myself in her at some level and I appreciated that.

And the mmc, omg ! A grumpy man on the surface, but so sweet, patient and caring at the core ?? Add also the fact that he was so possessive and protective towards the fmc and I was SOLD. I was practically hoping I can get into the book and replace Courtney because how else can I find such a man ??? Their relationship development felt so natural and so beautiful to witness. They were the perfect match for one another. I just loved to see how two very lonely people found companionship, love and a home in each other. 🥺💜

Also, the fact that it had such short chapters ? I LOVE it when I find books like this one. That definitely made up for the length of this book (it was quite long for a romance novel) and made the reading so much more entertaining and dynamic. I felt like I was advancing so fast, couldn’t really tell when did I start the book and when did I finish it and I loved that. It was exactly what I needed when I picked it up.

[Jenn (The Book Refuge) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Was anyone else craving a Costco Cookie after this book? No, just me? Oh well, I literally got one today and it was delish!

Anyway, on to the review!

SJ Tilly has a special place in my heart. She writes heroines that I relate with so much. Not just because they are usually plus-sized and curvy gals, but the way they think and their life circumstances often resonate with me very strongly. Courtney was no exception. My heart strings were tugged by her financial insecurity and the risk she takes to have a better life.

Sterling is a classic grump of a hero who feels more than he ever shows. He's Court's new boss and he does NOT want to be tempted by the beauty who showed up to be his new maintenance guy. He sees nothing but trouble and he's determined to get her on her way.

But too bad for him, Courtney isn't going to be deterred. She has no where else to go, so she will MAKE it happen. Sterling can't help but admire that and very quickly, he's as obsessed as any SJ Tilly man can be.

Narrated in duet by Connor Crais and Erin Mallon. They did a wonderful job and I was hooked the whole way through.

4.5 Stars
3 on the spice scale

CW: attempted SA, light stalking, financial insecurity

*Thank you to Must Love Audio and the author for an ALC.*

[Soft Nectarine ~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

her boss is a LUMBERJACK wet fantasy with a penchant for panty thieving 🏔️✨ Adorable contemporary filth that delivered!

Courtney is dead broke. She used up the last cash for packs of ramen & a tank of gas that will get her to her new job. By complete accident she landed a maintenance position at a mountain lodge resort and her boss is lumberjack wet fantasy 🪓💦 Workplace romance with the added sprinkle of sexy rugged wilderness!

🏔️ fmc handyman! she is adorably sweet and fiercely independent!

✨ not slow burn but I ’SLOW SPICE’ where the smutiness is frequent but gradually becomes spicer

🏔️ plus size rep!

✨ possessive & jealous mountain man! it was the thigh grabbing & panty raiding for me…

🏔️ he falls first and is obsessed with her braids

Tilly writes this perfect blend of adorable moments & contemporary filth. I absolutely adored both characters and thought Court’s sweetness perfectly complemented Sterling’s gruffness 🫶🏼 They were both lonely people craving connection, which made their relationship much more vulnerable. AND THE SPICE!

I LOVE STERLING! I ADORE STERLING! I WANT STERLING! Sterling was rugged mountain of a man but god was he tender & caring. All he wanted to do was to take care of his Courtney! And if he had to steal a few dirty panties so be it *screaming in sexy outrage*

Contemporary filth that didn’t bore me! This was written so incredibly well. The chapters are not only short but have fast POV transitions, which makes for a way more dynamic reading. There was not much to the plot but I was still glued to the book the entire time


age gap 30f/46m
workplace romance
possessive & protective mmc
secret relationship
independant fmc
*light* stalking
hot tub scene
found family
HEA

[Jen ♥]

May this asshole of a guy never, and I mean ever, find me, and I hope and pray not to end up becoming like Courtney. 🙄

Because guuurl, wtf is wrong you??? Were you ever written to be such a freaking pushover??? Are you a doormat??? Do you exist so people can walk all over you??? Gawd, it's pathetic. I honestly hoped your independence with your job would extend to your romantic choices, but no. This woman has no freaking brain cells when it comes to the jerk. Ugh. 🤧

Don't get me started with the asshole. He's all the wrong in this book. 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️

This book is just… I don't have the words. Just damn freaking no.

[Kursed Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Courtney finds herself at her new job with a boss that wants no part in hiring a female employee, she becomes more determined than ever to make it work. With every item crossed off the to-do list, Sterling becomes a bit more smitten.

These two were cute enough, but there was a little something missing and I'm not just referring to the steam. Either way, it was a quick read with a broody mountain man. Who chops firewood.

[Callie · Rating 2 out of 5]

The choppy writing and 2 page chapters alternating the two POVs actually pained me. 🥲 I’ve read other books by her and haven’t thought that before, but it gave me whiplash here! We don’t need to know both of their POVs in the same scenes every single time.

Sadly because of this I just couldn’t get into the story or click much with the characters.

[Darlene I read WAY to many books · Rating 5 out of 5]

AHHHHHH!!! Sterling, my man, was everything you want in a book boyfriend. Yes, he made fee mistakes, nothing too bad. But a few times, I did wanna shake him for the choices he did.
Court my baby girl she been through alot in her life now she's getting a fresh start at Black Mountains lodge and it's off to a rocky start since her boss Sterling didn't know he hired a maintenance woman! And he hopes she quits. But she proved him wrong when she fixed, cleaned her job with horrible sleeping conditions that later on Sterling didn't know. But he fixed it. My man apologized to her and informed her he might be a grump, but he wasn't a dick.

The relationship between them was on the download since both didn't want anyone to know. It was hot watching them sneak around. The way he took care of her when she was sick.
We do have drama with some creepy creepy. I'm also curious who our mountain daddy is in the next book. If it's one of Sterlings brothers or one of the guys?


No ow/om drama, no cheating, slight secondary character, drama, sexy times, no virgins


Recommend-yes
Cover-⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Heat level-🌶🌶🌶.5


Slowinsta
Age gap
30h/46H
Tiny push away
No condom
Tiny stalking
Parental neglect
Found family
Praise kink
Violence
Hea
Epilogue

[❥ KAT ❥ Kitty Kats Crazy About Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

'M𝐎U𝐍T𝐀I𝐍 𝐁O𝐒S' Is the first full length workplace romance book in the (Mountain Men) series by new to me author S.J. Tilly.

* Grumpy / bossman
* Sunshine / employee
* Grumpy / bossman
* Sunshine / employee

I’d seen this doing the rounds on my newsfeed since book#2 in this series dropped so wanting to try something different, I jumped right in. Best decision..

This zombie girl reader might have found my next obsession, mountain men in plaid shirts! Yes please! I got so caught up within the storyline lunch time came and went.

* Grumpy / bossman
* Sunshine / employee
* Insta lust
* Stalkerish tendencies

This pulled me in straight away. I loved Courtney, so relatable, likeable, and sometimes gullible and quirky.

Oh my, Mr Black (Sterling) can be my broody mountain bossman any day of the week. He came across unapproachable, rough around the edges, but delve deeper and under those layers was a marshmallow of a man, he righted so many wrongs, he had me swooning effortlessly. But his communication skills were lacking, so many times I wanted to shake him, to make him voice his thoughts, so many situations would've been resolved in seconds. But that's not how this mountainman works, his mouth was closed like a vault.

[Ericka · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF

[Samantha (bookgramsaga reviews) · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25 (ARC)

''And I find what I need''

Safety warnings:
- H 46 / h 30
- No cheating
- No OW/OM drama
- Slight stalking
- Boss x employee
- Violence
- Attempted assault
- Parental neglect
- Found family
- HEA

Sterling is expected someone totally different when Courtney shows up for her new job. Things do not start off right between them, he's hesitating about keeping her around as she is an obvious distraction for him (he's already obsessed).

Courtney needs this job more than anything, she is living in her car and has nowhere to go and nothing to fall back on. Her past with her mother makes you sad and you must feel for the child she was to be in that situation.

We do not get a lot of backstories for Sterling but we get the important parts, he has never been married, no kids and he seems to be glad to just work and live his simple life but it's all disrupted when Courtney shows up and he feels a pull towards her that he cannot deny.

There is slight stalking from him. There is a lot of misunderstanding about him from her and we always get an answer for all of it.

Their tension and sexual chemistry were enjoyable, and you rooted for them to get together. They both needed each other in their lives and watching them find what they always looked for and longed for is extremely sweet.

She is used to being alone and dealing with everything by herself. She's never been able to rely on anyone so when Sterling becomes that person for her, she falls deeply for him, and he is already halfway to being in love with her too.

There is a feeling throughout the book (based on where she works and how much Sterling insinuates that she is the only woman) that there might be something happening later and thankfully it's dealt with in the best fashion but of course nothing is truly over.

We never got to meet Sterling's brothers so I don't know if the next books will include them at all or if it will be about other guys we met in this one.

[Kealyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mountain Boss by S.J. Tilly

4/5 stars

Mountain Boss is a lighthearted, quick, fun and adorable read. It's a no-nonsense book with a bit of drama here and there but overall a sweet and heartwarming story. The quick pace and the short chapters made me fly through the book and the experience was pure joy. 

The story starts with Courtney Kern driving to her new job. She finds a job as a maintenance employee at a lodge in Colorado with lodging included. When she arrives she is faced with an incredibly hot mountain man who instantly tickles her insides.

Meanwhile Sterling Black is expecting a guy named Court and he quickly tries to get rid of Courtney. But Courtney is insistent and he reluctantly agrees for her to get the job. Because the rest of his employees are males, he cannot put her in the main bunk house. So he puts her in the laundry room that has its own bunk bed. But Sterling's eyes keep wandering to the gorgeous voluptuous goddess that entered his premises. But he is firm in his beliefs, treats her with the bare minimum and hopes she leaves quickly. 

There are a few misunderstandings at the start of the book. Courtney's bunk doesn't have a mattress and she thinks Sterling did that on purpose. Sterling might want to get rid of her but he isn't cruel. And when he finds out he instantly takes care of his girl.

And that is what this stunning book is about. It's about two people who long and lust after each other. But who are also filling in spaces in the other ones heart that were empty before. They are sweet, kind and I love their banter and flirting. I love how they cross the line towards becoming lovers. They are just so damn cute together. I was smiling so much during this book. It's just cuteness overload. 

I also loved the bond between both Courtney and Sterling with the other employees. They are a band of brothers who have each other's back. Who are straightforward and very loyal.

And Courtney's bond with a bear and her cactus on the premises was just so fun and sweet to read. 

This book is just pure joy. It's fun, hot, addictive and has just the right amount of eroticism woven throughout it. 

4 huge stars from me for Sterling and Courtney who've brightened up my day. 

[Hey Lin]

Bruh. How is this the same author who gave us the sleet hockey books and Mr. Sin series?? How?! And that latte darling…..those were just aite to me…….BUT HOW?.??!!!!

First of all!! The chapters. There are like 1,362 of them. They’re short, choppy azz chapters that don’t say much. Second of all……these characters……Lordy lordt……..how does she stand upright cuz dis bitch got no spine. She walks into a mountain hiking cabin work place with no mattress and she has to sleep on planks for the first few nights and eat some nutritious ramen while everyone else is chowing down on free meals that the cook makes 🫣🫣🤣🤣🤣😂🥹🥹🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️ she doesn’t know the meals are free and the dude has no idea that she doesn’t know? Cuz you didn’t tell her you dumb fuck! Third of all!!! The guy is strange and cringe a f. You’re how old and you see a woman and you constantly have a boner? It’s cool that you think she’s beautiful, but your mind says I lust for her body and nothing else and your mouth just makes her feel like shit with your assholeyness. Like……ew. And you are “grumpy” to her because you’re constantly fighting that peen down from the bonerisms? And fifth of all! What numba we on?……Sixth of all! She has NO friends? The only friend she has is a cactus she named Spike and she talks to it all the time 🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️🥴🥴🥴🥴🥴🙄🫣🫣🤔🤔 how quaint…….and sad.

I got to FORTY fucking percent in this book hoping it would DO SOMETHING!!!😂😂 she basically talks about her sleeping on a pallet and thinks he did it on purpose and she goes to Costco and eats a fucking cookie. What the forking fvck is dis sheeeeeeet. Don’t believe the 5 star arc readers. Even most of the arc readers gave it a 2 🫣

Fifteenth of all, I dnfed. Something is just not working for me and this author. I think I’m done reading her new stuff from here on out. Give me a new jt geissinger 🥹🥹😂😂

[Ashling · Rating 1 out of 5]

The sentences and the chapters were way too short. Courtney also didn’t have a single friend? At all? From anywhere?

[~*~Princess Nya Vasiliev~*~ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read this as a group Leisure Buddy Read (LBR) in my group:
Midnight's Embrace


This was not the worst book to read. If you like your stories with more harlequin romance fluff and less grit, then this one is for you..

I wasn't crazy about the FMC-Courtney, though.. She had way too many simpleton and annoying rationales and actions for my taste. She also doesn't ring true to being the type of female that our 46 yr old Sterling would choose for his forever either..

I was hoping for a more grittier, hotter and intense story as well. Considering the back drop for this book, and the MMC. But that's not what we got here. It was pretty.. not all that interesting to be honest.

All in all it was just barely an alright read for me, if you leave out the female character.. I liked Sterling and just a couple of other things here, but not enough to return to this series for book 2. I was able to finish this book, but that's the highest compliment that I can give it..

#MountainBoss
#NotMyCuppa

[Milica's Bookshelf · Rating 3 out of 5]

Why is it difficult for the characters to communicate with each other? Nevermind.
I liked how possessive he is.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️

UMM HELLO & GOOD MORNING TO THIS NEW SERIES BY S.J. TILLY!!!!????

In this story, we get to meet two strikingly different individuals—Courtney and Sterling. My girl Courtney is put through the freaking ringer at the beginning of this book but have no fear SHE IS ONE TOUGH COOKIE. We get stronggggg enemies to lovers vibes especially when Courtney starts her new maintenance position at a lodge but come to find out her new sexy grump of a boss’s, sterling, was expecting a man… not his exact type all wrapped up in one sexy, curvy package. Sterling has to keep his hands to himself because he is a classy individual and not some horndog who drools over his employee and constantly day dreams about all the dirty things he’d like to do to her…or is he 🤭

Things go from rough to rowdy over a slowwwww time frame, but my goodness the heat definitely picks up nice and hot like a campfire!!

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️.5
Type: audio (thank you MLA)

Tropes:
Age gap
Forced proximity
Boss x employee
Enemies to lovers

[⋆˚°✩*˖ Gohnar23 (•˕ •マ.ᐟ ˚⟡˖ ࣪ · Rating 1 out of 5]

1️⃣🌟, shut up you wench monster!

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

#️⃣7️⃣0️⃣5️⃣ Read & Reviewed in 2025 🧊🏔️
Date Read: Sunday, December 14, 2025 ☃️🌨️
35th read in "Its TIMEEEE!!!!! (to read more books)" December ❄️⛄

"Oh look at that, a certainly realistic and pretty cover for a book, I wonder what it's about"

"Oh that is a pretty interesting synopsis, wonder what the book is going to me"

"Oh let me read the first sentence: 😋"

--> My tits mash against —

HAHAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Ok anyways typical smut book, nothing happens except for sex, EXTREMELY boring I'm like SNORING while reading the book. Shut up Courtney and your very stereotypical basic existence to fill the void of the readers. To be the most one dimensional sex toy for the mmc to play with, gosh it's so repetitive I'm actually dying right now. Never thought That this is going to be a smut book ever but okay, I guess we live in that existence right now. Incredibly stubborn and stupid, every single character in here is the most common of its kind and one that is extremely idealized 🙄. I mean what do you expect in a smut book lol. The only thing I expect in these books are the most poorly written characters of all time with the most typical and common characters (also add the fact that none of these have a plot oke oke ✊✊)

Spice Level 🌶️: 5️⃣
Vibe ☘️: 🌶️
Who'd Like This ❓👥: 😐

[Aleid · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5 | Thank god this was fiction, because I would have chosen the bear, that was literally present in this book, over and over again.

And wtf was that writing??

Yes. I will read the second book in this series. I’m a joke and can’t resist a book called ‘Mountain Daddy’. There’s only so much a girl can do.

[Bumble Bee · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Please sir, can I have some more?"

Yes, I literally need more!

I want. No NEED more chapters on Sterling and Courtney! I could read about them for days and am so mad at myself for reading their book so quickly.
Just every part of their story was perfection and I just adore them both so much ❤️

I am a huge S.J Tilly fan and devourer every book she writes and Mountain Boss was no different. I hold it up there with The Alliance Series (my most favourite series from SJ Tilly) and can not wait for the next book.
I just hope and pray it contains an update from these two characters!

Mountain Boss was just incredible, from the characters, to the story line and then you have the Black Mountain Lodge.. it may be fictional, but I would sell a kidney to visit there and enjoy that mountain goodness.

Just everything about this book was just amazing 🤩 from the FMC and MMC, to the spicy scenes and then you have the drama. Now at the 90% mark you think it's about to be all wrapped up, but POW here's a bit more drama to send you off. And don't forget those epilogues 😍😍😍

I truly believe that S.J Tilly can do no wrong when it comes to her writing.
Every word she writes draws me in and sets the scene. She makes me care about her characters, she makes me want to visit the locations she writes about, she makes me want to buy my husband plaid shirts and turn him into my very own lumbersnack/Mountain man 😜

Her books are just pure yummy goodness and I am always so here for it.

So, as you can imagine I highly recommend Mountain Boss. Though after you finish the book, it WILL send you into a shitty book slump hole. But that's okay, as it's definitely worth the fall ❤️

[mistress of the bookverse · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was so excited for this book. I’m a huge fan of the author and she’s a one click read for me. But I found myself struggling to get through this one.

I loved the set up and the MMC. The FMC was whiny though. She’s ok to blackmail him into not firing her (rightfully so) but she can’t point out the lack of a mattress on her bed or the broken heater? Instead there’s countless pages of her feeling sorry for herself.

Nothing really happens in the book. It’s a slow build up of them fighting their attraction etc and her working for him. A short scene regarding “the creep” and then back to them hooking up in secret until the end finale. If just felt a tad anticlimactic once it was done. Definitely not one of my faves and not one I’d bother buying or reading again

[suonnahbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to be Sterlings cookie 😩👀🤪

[Chiara^•^ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mountain Boss by S. J Tilly
4,5/5⭐
3/5🌶️

This is the first book in the author’s new series, and wow, it was such a fantastic read! The chemistry, the tension, the suspense—everything was just spot on! Plus, I loved the found family vibe. I was honestly surprised that it had over 500 pages because I just couldn’t put it down and finished it in one sitting! The story follows Courtney thrilled to land a new job at Black Mountain Lodge. However, her new boss is surprised when he realizes that the maintenance guy is a girl. But Courtney, who doesn’t have a place to stay, is determined to prove herself and tackles the challenge head-on without complaint.

Sterling finds himself drawn to Courtney from the very first moment they meet. Wanting to keep things professional, he initially tries to push her away by being rude, but once he realizes how wrong he is, his guilt leads him to take some swoon-worthy actions. He’s so thoughtful, caring, and protective of her, which is amazing! Courtney has had a tough childhood and has been looking after herself since her teenage years. I found that her struggles are real and relatable. I loved seeing her gradually open up and accept Sterling’s help; it was heartwarming! The dynamics among the lodge employees were another highlight for me.

There were so many fun and touching moments throughout the story. They genuinely cared for Courtney and looked out for her. The sparks between Sterling and Courtney were undeniable, and their spicy scenes were super steamy! Overall, this book was such an entertaining and addictive read. I was happy with the ending, and the epilogue was just the cherry on top!

[Ꮗ€♫◗☿ ❤️ ilikebooksbest.com ❤️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Worth the Drive Up the Mountain



The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: ❤️💚💙🩷💛
Chemistry: 🧪🧪🧪🧪🧪
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📙
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌍
Character development: 🤓😟🤯😎
Narration: 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration Type: Duet Narration

Character Backgrounds

Courtney is the kind of heroine easy to root for: quietly resilient, unpretentious, and refreshingly self-aware. Having grown up with her mother largely in campgrounds, she carries no illusions about comfort or status. She arrives at Black Mountain Lodge not chasing romance but chasing breathing room, a steady paycheck, and a chance to reset after years of grinding herself down in the city. She is practical, warm, and grounded, and that groundedness is what makes her so compelling to follow across hours of listening.

Sterling is the archetypal mountain boss: commanding, taciturn, and intensely private. He owns and operates the lodge, overseeing a small crew who live and work on the property together. He is a man of routines and clear expectations, which makes Courtney's arrival genuinely disruptive to him in the best possible way. His shift from controlled employer to something far more emotionally invested is gradual and believable, never feeling rushed or manufactured.

The supporting cast of lodge employees adds color and warmth without ever stealing focus. They function as a found family of sorts, giving the isolated mountain setting a lived-in texture that keeps the world feeling inhabited rather than just scenic.

Plot Summary

Courtney arrives at Black Mountain Lodge on a three-month contract, hired to manage the property while Sterling focuses on operations. The lodge is not a single grand building but a cluster of rustic cabins nestled in the woods, and Courtney is set to live on the grounds as part of the arrangement. The plan was for the new maintenance hire to share the bunkhouse with the existing staff, but Sterling's intentions quietly shift the moment Courtney steps out of her car.

The story unfolds at a deliberately unhurried pace. Tilly is not interested in manufactured drama or breakneck plotting. Instead, the tension simmers through proximity, small interactions, and the push-and-pull of two people trying to maintain professional boundaries that keep narrowing. Courtney is focused on doing excellent work, saving her wages, and perhaps earning a contract extension. Sterling is focused on not letting his attention stray toward his employee. Neither succeeds especially well, and the slow collapse of those boundaries is the engine of the whole story.

Beneath the romance is a quiet theme about choosing a life that actually fits you. Courtney's backstory of childhood campgrounds and adult hustle makes her arrival in the mountains feel earned rather than escapist, and that distinction gives the story more emotional weight than the premise might initially suggest.

Highlights and Limitations

Mountain Boss has a lot going for it, starting with its heroine. Courtney is the kind of character who earns genuine affection rather than demanding it, and her practical motivations, saving money, proving herself, building something sustainable, give the story an emotional foundation that most genre romances skip entirely. Her childhood of campground living makes her arrival in the mountains feel like a homecoming rather than an escape, and that distinction adds quiet depth to what could have been a purely breezy setup. The slow-burn tension is handled with real patience and confidence, never feeling rushed or manufactured, and the lodge setting is atmospheric in a way that actually serves the story rather than just dressing it up. The found-family dynamic among the crew adds warmth and texture, and the dialogue throughout feels natural and unforced.

That said, listeners should go in with calibrated expectations. Sterling remains a fairly opaque figure for much of the runtime, and readers who want to spend meaningful time inside the hero’s head may find his perspective frustratingly thin until the story’s later stages. The pacing is deliberate to a fault for some tastes: this is a book that lingers and breathes, which is a genuine pleasure if you are in the right mood, but a test of patience if you are not. External conflict is largely absent, and the stakes stay intimate and low throughout. The supporting characters, while charming, are more sketch than portrait, and the lodge community feels like it could sustain far more world-building than it receives in this first installment.

I have to say though that there were points where this one really surprised me, it took a surprisingly dark turn at one point and Sterling shows a stunningly unanticipated side of himself that made me take a second look at him. I saw he is a man willing to do anything for his woman and I always love a book that can astonish me with unpredictability.

Narration

The dual-narrator format is a natural fit for a romance with two clearly defined points of view, and both performers bring distinct, convincing voices to their respective leads.
Erin Mallon as Courtney is warm and immediate. She reads the character's practicality and quiet humor with an ease that never feels performed. Mallon has a gift for internal monologue, and since much of Courtney's experience is filtered through observation and restraint, that skill serves the material beautifully. Her pacing mirrors the novel's own: unhurried, conversational, comfortable in silence.

Connor Crais brings a low, measured quality to Sterling that suits a man who chooses his words carefully. His performance communicates authority without slipping into caricature, and the subtle softening in his tone as Sterling's feelings evolve is one of the more impressive bits of character work in the production. Together, Mallon and Crais have strong chemistry even across the recording booth, and their transitions between chapters feel seamless rather than jarring.

The production quality is clean and consistent throughout, with no distracting audio issues to report.

Final Thoughts

Mountain Boss is a confident, cozy start to what promises to be a satisfying series. S.J. Tilly is not trying to reinvent the mountain romance; she is simply executing it with care and sincerity. The decision to center a heroine who has legitimate practical concerns, rent, savings, job security, rather than just romantic ones gives the story a grounded quality that sets it apart from fluffier entries in the genre.

Listeners who come for a slow-burn, emotionally safe, and atmospherically rich romance will find exactly what they are looking for. Those who want sharp conflict, fast pacing, or a deeply layered hero may find the experience pleasant but underwhelming. This is a book for curling up with, not racing through.

The audiobook format suits the material especially well. Mallon and Crais elevate an already enjoyable story into something genuinely immersive, and the natural rhythms of their performances make the hours pass easily. Whether you are new to the mountain romance genre or a committed fan, this is a worthy addition to your listening queue

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[Christi (christireadsalot) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mountain Boss is an enemies to lovers, boss x employee, curvy heroine, age gap romance! The audiobook is duet narration by Connor Crais and Erin Mallon and was such a fun way to read this one as I love both of these narrators.

Courtney is excited for her new job and looking for a fresh start. She got the job as a new maintenance worker at a mountain lodge and shows up to meet her new boss, Sterling. She throws him for a loop since it is clear he was expecting a man to show up for the job (because of a name mishap on the application). But she’s determined to keep the job and needs this new start for herself, no matter how he hard he tries to make it for her.

This was a fun one that delivers on what it promises. They don’t get off to a great start, but quickly realize the error of their ways and form a friendship along the way. The heroine at times was a little frustrating in her obliviousness to his feelings towards her or to her situations in general (for example, when her heater is out in her room and she doesn’t want to be a “burden” by telling him it’s broken because it’ll “cost a lot”). BUT, the chemistry is great, the flannel mountain man delivers, and the lodge is very steamy!

I received an audio ALC, all thoughts in this review are my own.

[ᯓ☆ Cherryyy ᯓ☆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,8 💫 | Gracias, Tilly. Nunca dejes de escribir 😘.

¿Objetivamente es su mejor libro? Nop.
¿Me importa? Ni un poco.
¿Lo amé? Muchísimo 💖.

Sterling y Courtney son tan cutes y hots, la combinación perfecta y que me encanta leer.

Los pensamientos de Court me daban mucha cosita y me sentí muy identificada en algunas partes. Ella solo queria encontrar un lugar al cuál llamar hogar. Y, con Sterling, al fin lo encontró ❤️‍🩹.

Sterling al principio se portó un poco imbécil, pero luego recapacito 🙏. Él desde el segundo uno se sintió atraído por ella, y esa fue la razón por la cuál no la quería trabajando para él, porque sería una distracción. Obviamente eso no le duró mucho ajkaja y luego se enteró de algunas cosas que él "hizo" y que "dañaron" a Courtney sin saberlo. Así que lo compensa apenas se entera de su error.
Desde ahí la relación va creciendo.

Siento que en este libro las escenas spicy fueron aún mejor (aunque tal vez es que está a punto de bajarme, idk), but I lovet.

Hay algo de found family ya que todo sucede en un lugar (se me olvido como se llama) donde alquilan cabañas y hacen caminatas para acampar. Entonces hay muchos trabajadores que, obviamente, se van encariñando con Courtney y ella con ellos 💖.

Algo que tengo que mencionar si o sí: Sterling me recuerda MUCHÍSIMO a Hans (otro libro de la autora)✨✨✨ así que eso le sumo puntos para mí. Es un Hans 2.0, pero un poquito menos turbio jskajjajs. Amé.

Si quieren algo rápido, divertido y spicy, leanlo 🫵.

Ya quiero los siguientes 😩🙏 y todo lo que Tilly escriba, por favor.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 but gonna round up to four

This was mostly cute, but I’m really irritated that she never actually got mad at him. Every time he would do something that hurt her feelings, she would just let it go or tell him it’s ok. I wanted her to be mad at him and make him apologize🙄

[Sandra · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 35%

I hate to do this because I’ve enjoyed Tilly’s other books. Each chapter is only a couple pages at most and it flips back and forth between the characters too quickly that you don’t really see any development or depth. The main characters don’t even talk to each really yet either. I thought it had good potential in the beginning but nothing has changed or moved forward in the story yet. So I’m out. It’s not for me.

[Lilyya ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

[Intel Chicky Reads Romance (Kara Merideth) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet and sexy!

Story: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Trope: employee/boss
Angst: 😱😱😱
Smexy: 🔥🔥🔥🔥

This was such a cute story - despite the stalking, lol. The storyline was fantastic and really pulled on your heartstrings. Both MCs really deserved their happily ever after and it was wonderful to see each of their journeys to realizing they were worthy of happiness. The story paced really well and even had a bit of action. The formatting was a little different, but worked well for the story, making the pages fly by. I can't wait to see who the next book is about!