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Hate Notes: A Grumpy Boss Romantic Comedy
When my cheating ex destroyed my life, I did what any reasonable woman would do—I dove head-first into a petty revenge scheme. After all, I've always been more of a 'go down swinging' kind of girl.
Enter Manhattan's most terrifying CEO, Orion Foster. Even though the local “Hate Notes” delivery company serves the whole city, their messengers spend most mornings at his building. But Orion makes a game of bribing every messenger into silence, and it's a game he always wins.
So far, at least.
My brilliant plan? Be the one messenger he can't silence, force him to give me a real job, and collect two paychecks while my ex thinks I'm his corporate spy.
Too bad nobody warned me that my newest boss would be six-foot-three of grumpy, dimpled perfection—or that beneath his icy exterior beats the heart of a man who sends me scandalously demanding emails by night and gives glimpses of surprising tenderness behind his scorching glares.
Now I'm falling for the man I'm supposed to be sabotaging, stealing kisses between meetings and pretending I don't live for those moments when his perfect control slips. My ancient, possibly immortal cat judges me daily for this mess, but then again, he also judges me for showering.
I never meant to find purpose in this job or trust again after having my heart shattered. But somehow the grumpiest boss in the city has me believing in second chances—even if mine might expire the moment he discovers why I really took a job working under him.
Let’s just hope this doesn’t blow up in my face as badly as the time I tried to potty train my cat.
Enter Manhattan's most terrifying CEO, Orion Foster. Even though the local “Hate Notes” delivery company serves the whole city, their messengers spend most mornings at his building. But Orion makes a game of bribing every messenger into silence, and it's a game he always wins.
So far, at least.
My brilliant plan? Be the one messenger he can't silence, force him to give me a real job, and collect two paychecks while my ex thinks I'm his corporate spy.
Too bad nobody warned me that my newest boss would be six-foot-three of grumpy, dimpled perfection—or that beneath his icy exterior beats the heart of a man who sends me scandalously demanding emails by night and gives glimpses of surprising tenderness behind his scorching glares.
Now I'm falling for the man I'm supposed to be sabotaging, stealing kisses between meetings and pretending I don't live for those moments when his perfect control slips. My ancient, possibly immortal cat judges me daily for this mess, but then again, he also judges me for showering.
I never meant to find purpose in this job or trust again after having my heart shattered. But somehow the grumpiest boss in the city has me believing in second chances—even if mine might expire the moment he discovers why I really took a job working under him.
Let’s just hope this doesn’t blow up in my face as badly as the time I tried to potty train my cat.
326 pages, Paperback
Published January 10, 2025
1074 people are currently reading
453 people want to read
About the author
Penelope Bloom
69 books2,624 followersUSA Today, Wall Street Journal, and Amazon Charts Bestselling author Penelope Bloom is taking her first flight into romantasy—and yes, there are dragons. After years of contemporary romance, she's temporarily trading meet-cutes for magical academies and coffee shops for castles that reek of blood. She promises the banter is just as sharp, but now it comes with deadly consequences.
Fun fact: “Penelope Bloom” started as a tongue-in-cheek tribute to the family dog, Penelope—never meant to be anything serious. But then the books took off, and the name stuck. Behind the scenes, Penelope Bloom is actually a husband-and-wife team. He handles the writing; she edits, helps with brainstorming, and runs the reader-facing side of things (like social media and messages). So if you’ve chatted with “Penelope” online, you’ve likely been talking to her—with the author chiming in whenever needed. Together, they’ve built the voice readers know and love.
Fun fact: “Penelope Bloom” started as a tongue-in-cheek tribute to the family dog, Penelope—never meant to be anything serious. But then the books took off, and the name stuck. Behind the scenes, Penelope Bloom is actually a husband-and-wife team. He handles the writing; she edits, helps with brainstorming, and runs the reader-facing side of things (like social media and messages). So if you’ve chatted with “Penelope” online, you’ve likely been talking to her—with the author chiming in whenever needed. Together, they’ve built the voice readers know and love.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews
January 19, 2025
These two didn’t feel like a good match
Her job was really silly and I wasn’t a fan of that storyline which is the main storyline and he is so unlikable and I understand that he goes through a whole growth thing where he gets better but then all of a sudden he’s like a golden retriever at the end and it just felt fake and weird
Her job was really silly and I wasn’t a fan of that storyline which is the main storyline and he is so unlikable and I understand that he goes through a whole growth thing where he gets better but then all of a sudden he’s like a golden retriever at the end and it just felt fake and weird
January 29, 2025
I can only assume that “hate notes” was a writing prompt as this is the 3rd book that I’ve recently come across with that as a central theme. Spoiler alert 🚨 the so-called “hate notes” are not cute, clever, or funny in any way. Most fall squarely into “cringe”. I’ve heard both meaner and funnier insults from a 5 year old talking about their day at kindergarten, so why anyone would pay to have their pathetic ramblings read aloud or why anyone else would be interested in hearing them started the novel off on terrible footing.
In this, the FMC is the standard romance novel trope wherein she is described as a little person and far too unintelligent to understand basic concepts. Early on, the fmc and her roommate chit chat about whether or not corporate espionage is a crime and decide that it’s not. On the other hand, the author isn’t aware that discrimination in the workplace is also unlawful, so it tracks. Another spoiler alert 🚨: the FMC shared all of her login names, emails, and passwords for quite literally everything with the boss that she briefly dated. Who does that? Seriously. It’s supposed to be the big twist to create some drama because the author didn’t think that a plot was necessary beyond “meet cute”. The fmc never bothers to use a new password or create a new google doc for her new job. The author goes to far as to list out that the fmc changed her Netflix password, but not her professional passwords after her boss dumped her and tried to fire her before soliciting her to engage in corporate espionage.
In this, the FMC is the standard romance novel trope wherein she is described as a little person and far too unintelligent to understand basic concepts. Early on, the fmc and her roommate chit chat about whether or not corporate espionage is a crime and decide that it’s not. On the other hand, the author isn’t aware that discrimination in the workplace is also unlawful, so it tracks. Another spoiler alert 🚨: the FMC shared all of her login names, emails, and passwords for quite literally everything with the boss that she briefly dated. Who does that? Seriously. It’s supposed to be the big twist to create some drama because the author didn’t think that a plot was necessary beyond “meet cute”. The fmc never bothers to use a new password or create a new google doc for her new job. The author goes to far as to list out that the fmc changed her Netflix password, but not her professional passwords after her boss dumped her and tried to fire her before soliciting her to engage in corporate espionage.
July 13, 2025
3.5 ⭐️
February 27, 2025
Hot…. until it fails to perform. Literally.
Steamy, sexy banter…. Sexual tension, a hot interlude… and then the author failed to invite us into the moment they actually have sex. A huge breach in the contract you make to follow through with your commitments to your reader. Do better, Penelope Bloom.
Steamy, sexy banter…. Sexual tension, a hot interlude… and then the author failed to invite us into the moment they actually have sex. A huge breach in the contract you make to follow through with your commitments to your reader. Do better, Penelope Bloom.
February 23, 2025
I wanted to like this way more than I did but it just threw a lot of things in and tried to get it to stick. Forgettable.
August 3, 2025
Heartfelt, Witty, and Just Plain Funny.
Great book. I thought the Hate Note company idea was really original.
I liked Orion a lot. Ember really threw a wrench into his controlled and ordered life.
I liked Ember and I don’t usually like female leads that are too forward but somehow it just worked with her. She had some top tier banter with (or maybe I should say at) Orion.
Ember was stressing me out. Even if her intention was to get back at her ex she was still feeding him info. I could see poor Orion’s heartbreak a mile away and I was so sad after he was opening himself up! Thank goodness the author evened it out so that he was hiding something from her as well. It made me mad at both of them instead of just one.
Weirdly, there was like two places in the book where I felt like there was a missing scene but maybe that’s just me. It is 4am after all.
Just a great, gripping read with great banter.
Great book. I thought the Hate Note company idea was really original.
I liked Orion a lot. Ember really threw a wrench into his controlled and ordered life.
I liked Ember and I don’t usually like female leads that are too forward but somehow it just worked with her. She had some top tier banter with (or maybe I should say at) Orion.
Ember was stressing me out. Even if her intention was to get back at her ex she was still feeding him info. I could see poor Orion’s heartbreak a mile away and I was so sad after he was opening himself up! Thank goodness the author evened it out so that he was hiding something from her as well. It made me mad at both of them instead of just one.
Weirdly, there was like two places in the book where I felt like there was a missing scene but maybe that’s just me. It is 4am after all.
Just a great, gripping read with great banter.
May 14, 2025
This book review would have been more accurate if we had an opportunity to review with half stars. I’d generously give it 3,5 stars as it didn’t deliver much in the “hate notes” front.
There were some fun moments where I laughed out loud and the cats were the highlight of this book. But it fell a bit flat on delivering the romcom swoon for me.
There were some fun moments where I laughed out loud and the cats were the highlight of this book. But it fell a bit flat on delivering the romcom swoon for me.
June 23, 2025
Perfect for a light summer read at the pool.
August 10, 2025
I thought I would like this book more than I did. I never fully got into it and started to skim pages to finally reach the end. I think the concept and storyline would were a great idea but seemed to drag in some areas.
2.5⭐️
2.5⭐️
January 9, 2025
Hate Notes❤️❤️
OMG, I loved this story❣️ I had moments when the banter between Orion and Ember had me laughing so hysterically that I actually felt my limbs would give out if I moved. I loved the premise of this story, with the hate notes idea but ultimately the characters and storyline was sensational. I even loved Kora😁
I won’t say much more other than this is a grumpy office comedy romance that should not be missed🥰 I received an advanced copy via Booksprout and willingly leave my honest review🙌
OMG, I loved this story❣️ I had moments when the banter between Orion and Ember had me laughing so hysterically that I actually felt my limbs would give out if I moved. I loved the premise of this story, with the hate notes idea but ultimately the characters and storyline was sensational. I even loved Kora😁
I won’t say much more other than this is a grumpy office comedy romance that should not be missed🥰 I received an advanced copy via Booksprout and willingly leave my honest review🙌
January 20, 2025
This was a solid rom com; a little bit different; it was a fun quick read.
💔. Third act break up
👩🏻🤝👨🏼. 31 (?) MMC and similar aged curvy FMC. He is a real estate business owner and she works in real estate and enacts a ridiculous plot to get “revenge” on her ex
💼. Both of the characters are bit over the top- he’s uptight to the extreme and she is all over the place - confident in one minute, v outgoing, and then feeling physically inferior in the next.
🧨. Some spice, oddly it starts off strong and then just kind of goes nowhere. They left us dangling at the end. :/
🗣️. Miscommunication. The entire plot is based on the fact that they are each keeping a secret from the other.
💍. Dual POV; HEA; engagement in epilogue
👥. Some banter; very few small moments; little actual character growth. The MMC has a huge arc where he goes from cut throat to more humane, all because of the FMC, but there’s little between the two of them.
She doesn’t really change at all.
🫣 no OW/OM drama. I don’t think his is even mentioned at all. Her ex is the head of the rival company, but there are no lingering feelings.
😜. The plot is ridiculous. But rather than feeling fairy-tale-ish is just feels a bit silly. But hey, that’s what rom coms are for. 🤷🏻♀️
The premise: Ember is asked by her terrible ex and boss - and head of a real estate group - to get inside info on a rival. She decides to first work as a message deliverer for Hate Notes, a company that delivers hate messages from employees to their owners via public readings in front of their business. Every day she shows up and reads these messages to Orion, the uptight owner. Through these little interactions he becomes intrigued by her and she decides to try and convince him to give her a job. Her main goal is to get paid by both her ex and her new employer. In this way, sticking it to her ex, without ever actually giving him any information on Orion.
This, of course, goes awry, she inadvertently gives away critical information that threatens a key deal. Meanwhile, Orion is keeping a secret about the deal from her. All the while their feelings for each other are growing. He loves that she is not intimidated by him and never backs down and she sees underneath his gruff exterior. He starts to have a heart and realize profit isn’t everything and she.. well, I’m not sure how she grows.
The ending felt a bit abrupt. It would have been nice to have one more steamy scene or something. Idk.
But anyhoo, it’s a classic romcom mess.
💔. Third act break up
👩🏻🤝👨🏼. 31 (?) MMC and similar aged curvy FMC. He is a real estate business owner and she works in real estate and enacts a ridiculous plot to get “revenge” on her ex
💼. Both of the characters are bit over the top- he’s uptight to the extreme and she is all over the place - confident in one minute, v outgoing, and then feeling physically inferior in the next.
🧨. Some spice, oddly it starts off strong and then just kind of goes nowhere. They left us dangling at the end. :/
🗣️. Miscommunication. The entire plot is based on the fact that they are each keeping a secret from the other.
💍. Dual POV; HEA; engagement in epilogue
👥. Some banter; very few small moments; little actual character growth. The MMC has a huge arc where he goes from cut throat to more humane, all because of the FMC, but there’s little between the two of them.
She doesn’t really change at all.
🫣 no OW/OM drama. I don’t think his is even mentioned at all. Her ex is the head of the rival company, but there are no lingering feelings.
😜. The plot is ridiculous. But rather than feeling fairy-tale-ish is just feels a bit silly. But hey, that’s what rom coms are for. 🤷🏻♀️
The premise: Ember is asked by her terrible ex and boss - and head of a real estate group - to get inside info on a rival. She decides to first work as a message deliverer for Hate Notes, a company that delivers hate messages from employees to their owners via public readings in front of their business. Every day she shows up and reads these messages to Orion, the uptight owner. Through these little interactions he becomes intrigued by her and she decides to try and convince him to give her a job. Her main goal is to get paid by both her ex and her new employer. In this way, sticking it to her ex, without ever actually giving him any information on Orion.
This, of course, goes awry, she inadvertently gives away critical information that threatens a key deal. Meanwhile, Orion is keeping a secret about the deal from her. All the while their feelings for each other are growing. He loves that she is not intimidated by him and never backs down and she sees underneath his gruff exterior. He starts to have a heart and realize profit isn’t everything and she.. well, I’m not sure how she grows.
The ending felt a bit abrupt. It would have been nice to have one more steamy scene or something. Idk.
But anyhoo, it’s a classic romcom mess.
January 23, 2025
DNF’d at 115 pages. The hate note concept was interesting but not developed well IMO. And I felt like the whole story-even the short bit that I read- was trying too hard. The concept, the characters and their interactions and dialogue. I wasn’t buying it. And I know it’s trivial but too many small things were adding up and annoying me and therefore making it hard to continue 😂
I *know* this is fiction but I need some sense of believability and the fact that this whole book is based around these hate notes made me latch onto the concept and hate the non believability even more. For just $5 someone will hand deliver a hate note across NYC. Orion has so many people that dislike him that he gets tons per day and the girl is allowed to just follow him through his office building reading the notes to him. Then, for vague reasons, they’re not delivering the notes to him anymore but the company is still taking peoples money and just hanging onto the notes and causing customers to leave bad reviews for non delivery….not sure if this was just a lame attempt to veer away from the notes in the story line for a bit to focus on Em.
So Em was the one delivering the hate notes for a bit and the only way she’ll stop is not by accepting the monetary bribe from him like so many have before but if Orion hires her to work for him instead. Fine, she’s hired.
From day one Orion installed a camera in Em’s closet office so he could watch her like some tv show he’s binging. So despite being very busy he watches her so closely that he can answer questions as she asks them into the camera. That’s not creepy or unrealistic at all.
From day one of employment Em’s making suggestive remarks and gestures towards Orion. She got the job there with an ulterior motive so IMO she would be trying to be a good employee to secure her spot and get what she needs. Maybe if she had been working for him for a longer period of time this behavior could come out but for this point in the story line it felt forced and didn’t make sense to me.
At one point you have the ceo of the hate notes company unnecessarily texting Orion about the hate notes (why?)And later delivering the hate notes herself because the regular employees keep quitting…another trivial but non believable thing to me.
If you’ve made it this far, sorry. I know it’s long. Am I being too picky? Maybe but I’m entitled to my opinion. 😬
I *know* this is fiction but I need some sense of believability and the fact that this whole book is based around these hate notes made me latch onto the concept and hate the non believability even more. For just $5 someone will hand deliver a hate note across NYC. Orion has so many people that dislike him that he gets tons per day and the girl is allowed to just follow him through his office building reading the notes to him. Then, for vague reasons, they’re not delivering the notes to him anymore but the company is still taking peoples money and just hanging onto the notes and causing customers to leave bad reviews for non delivery….not sure if this was just a lame attempt to veer away from the notes in the story line for a bit to focus on Em.
So Em was the one delivering the hate notes for a bit and the only way she’ll stop is not by accepting the monetary bribe from him like so many have before but if Orion hires her to work for him instead. Fine, she’s hired.
From day one Orion installed a camera in Em’s closet office so he could watch her like some tv show he’s binging. So despite being very busy he watches her so closely that he can answer questions as she asks them into the camera. That’s not creepy or unrealistic at all.
From day one of employment Em’s making suggestive remarks and gestures towards Orion. She got the job there with an ulterior motive so IMO she would be trying to be a good employee to secure her spot and get what she needs. Maybe if she had been working for him for a longer period of time this behavior could come out but for this point in the story line it felt forced and didn’t make sense to me.
At one point you have the ceo of the hate notes company unnecessarily texting Orion about the hate notes (why?)And later delivering the hate notes herself because the regular employees keep quitting…another trivial but non believable thing to me.
If you’ve made it this far, sorry. I know it’s long. Am I being too picky? Maybe but I’m entitled to my opinion. 😬
January 17, 2025
Ember is not having a great time at work. She was dating her boss, but he cheated on her and now she has to see them around the office every day. Her boss wants her to spy on Orion. She decides she can take advantage of the situation and earn two incomes at the same time! Orion runs his business with grit and a bad attitude. His personality is not exactly endearing. Every single day he receives a fist full of Hate Notes. Every day he bribes the delivery people to leave. That is until Ember starts delivering his Hate Notes. It doesn’t take long for Orion to hire Ember. She’s great at her job. The only problem is that their chemistry is off the hook! They should be enemies but instead they become lovers. What could go wrong?
Ember is pitiful at the beginning. She grows from barely hanging on into a confident and capable woman that was just beaten down by a bad situation. Working with Orion challenges her but also allows her to show her talents. The author chooses to let Ember grow in a direction that isn’t obvious at the beginning. It was a nice little twist. Orion isn’t nasty he’s just closed off and cautious. He is already stellar at his job but he feels like he needs to drive people to do more and be more successful. He is so driven that he can’t see that sometimes you need to think out of the box. The author gives him a lot of growth by giving Orion the chance to hear what Ember is suggesting and to actually understand her perspective. There are lots of side characters. Most of them are just sounding boards or comedy relief from the main story. Ember’s ex is the bad guy in the story. He is an awful person. He is almost a cartoon villain. He was a nice addition to the story. When he is revealed as the bad guy it sets up a good ending in the story.
My one issue is the end of the story. Orion is a different person than he was at the start of the story. I understand he had a cat at the beginning of the story but his happy, bouncy personality at the end seemed like too big of a shift even with the cat being a major part of the end. I almost got the feeling that there might have been a scene or scenes edited out that might have explained the shift. I just needed it to be developed better during the story.
This story is set in Manhattan. The characters work in property development. Both characters are adults. This is a lightweight enemies to lovers romance with elements of misunderstood hero. I you want a quick, simple romance, give this a try. I will read more from this author in the future.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Ember is pitiful at the beginning. She grows from barely hanging on into a confident and capable woman that was just beaten down by a bad situation. Working with Orion challenges her but also allows her to show her talents. The author chooses to let Ember grow in a direction that isn’t obvious at the beginning. It was a nice little twist. Orion isn’t nasty he’s just closed off and cautious. He is already stellar at his job but he feels like he needs to drive people to do more and be more successful. He is so driven that he can’t see that sometimes you need to think out of the box. The author gives him a lot of growth by giving Orion the chance to hear what Ember is suggesting and to actually understand her perspective. There are lots of side characters. Most of them are just sounding boards or comedy relief from the main story. Ember’s ex is the bad guy in the story. He is an awful person. He is almost a cartoon villain. He was a nice addition to the story. When he is revealed as the bad guy it sets up a good ending in the story.
My one issue is the end of the story. Orion is a different person than he was at the start of the story. I understand he had a cat at the beginning of the story but his happy, bouncy personality at the end seemed like too big of a shift even with the cat being a major part of the end. I almost got the feeling that there might have been a scene or scenes edited out that might have explained the shift. I just needed it to be developed better during the story.
This story is set in Manhattan. The characters work in property development. Both characters are adults. This is a lightweight enemies to lovers romance with elements of misunderstood hero. I you want a quick, simple romance, give this a try. I will read more from this author in the future.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 11, 2025
Hilariously funny romance with just enough passion and intrigue
Penelope Bloom can write the absolute best romantic comedies! I have read her books since she started publishing and I can truly say that I have not been disappointed. Her characters are always fresh, spunky, have attitude and evoke feelings for them from the reader. Her comedies are intelligent and thought provoking. Simply put, I am a fan!
Orion Foster is ultra regimented. He does the same things daily, hourly, minute-by-minute. The reason he is like that is so poignant and touching. I’m not going to tell more but instead let the reader find out on their own. When he is approached by Ember Hartwell with a Hate Note, his life is on the brink of big changes but he does not know that yet. Why is she working for Orion when she had a perfectly good job before? He manages his company with an iron fist and needs his employees to fear him. His real estate company means more to him than personal relationships so he cannot account for these feelings he gets when Ember pulls her snark. She does not fear him! This fact intrigues him. If you like to laugh a lot while reading romance, you will want to read this book! I volunteered to review an ARC of it through Booksprout.
Penelope Bloom can write the absolute best romantic comedies! I have read her books since she started publishing and I can truly say that I have not been disappointed. Her characters are always fresh, spunky, have attitude and evoke feelings for them from the reader. Her comedies are intelligent and thought provoking. Simply put, I am a fan!
Orion Foster is ultra regimented. He does the same things daily, hourly, minute-by-minute. The reason he is like that is so poignant and touching. I’m not going to tell more but instead let the reader find out on their own. When he is approached by Ember Hartwell with a Hate Note, his life is on the brink of big changes but he does not know that yet. Why is she working for Orion when she had a perfectly good job before? He manages his company with an iron fist and needs his employees to fear him. His real estate company means more to him than personal relationships so he cannot account for these feelings he gets when Ember pulls her snark. She does not fear him! This fact intrigues him. If you like to laugh a lot while reading romance, you will want to read this book! I volunteered to review an ARC of it through Booksprout.
February 13, 2025
I adored this book. Ember was definitely a favorite character. I thoroughly enjoyed her spunk and 'I don't give a fuck' attitude. The difference between her and many other female characters is that she wasn't over the top. She had insecurities and kept a professional demeanor when needed.
The banter and sexual tension between Ember and Orion is definitely at the top of my list. Not only did they make a fantastic team in the workforce but also a highly compatible couple. Ember was cute, fun, and goofy. While Orion was serious. She was able to break through those gates and bring out a different person in him.
The one thing I didn't like was how long Ember kept her 'secret'. She had so many opportunities to spill the truth. And the kicker is that her truth wasn't even that bad. Sure, her intentions weren't the greatest but she stated from the beginning that she had zero intentions of helping Cole. She was just stringing him along. And she definitely should have came clean to Orion when things began getting serious between the two.
Orion's secret, on the other hand, was much bigger. And understandably harder to come clean. Though he also easily could have after he decided to trash the papers.
The banter and sexual tension between Ember and Orion is definitely at the top of my list. Not only did they make a fantastic team in the workforce but also a highly compatible couple. Ember was cute, fun, and goofy. While Orion was serious. She was able to break through those gates and bring out a different person in him.
The one thing I didn't like was how long Ember kept her 'secret'. She had so many opportunities to spill the truth. And the kicker is that her truth wasn't even that bad. Sure, her intentions weren't the greatest but she stated from the beginning that she had zero intentions of helping Cole. She was just stringing him along. And she definitely should have came clean to Orion when things began getting serious between the two.
Orion's secret, on the other hand, was much bigger. And understandably harder to come clean. Though he also easily could have after he decided to trash the papers.
January 10, 2025
At first the storyline seemed to drag a bit. I was caught off guard cause Penelope’s books are normally the huge caught off guard first chapter funny scenes, so it took me a bit to really get involved with Ember and Orion. He’s the grumpy (Beast) boss that all his employees seem to hate, so much so they spend five bucks for someone to read him an anonymous hate notes each day. Whereas Ember just really hates her boss/ex and is willing to lower her standards to get possibly her foot in the door with a new job and milk her ex for a regular paycheck. Weird? Yes a bit, but Embers personality (Beauty) shines through even softening up Orions OCD habits.
So many funny encounters, and who puts a camera over an employees desk to supervise their work, that’s just creepy, and the start of so many uniquely odd, quirky, unusual encounters throughout this book. I purchased just so my daughter could read as she caught me giggling so much. And through all the mess a HEA to give your heart a sigh.
The Beauty changed the Beast.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
So many funny encounters, and who puts a camera over an employees desk to supervise their work, that’s just creepy, and the start of so many uniquely odd, quirky, unusual encounters throughout this book. I purchased just so my daughter could read as she caught me giggling so much. And through all the mess a HEA to give your heart a sigh.
The Beauty changed the Beast.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 10, 2025
Great characters that have many layers to peal back to see their insecurities, vulnerabilities, hopes and desires. The concept of the hate notes is a fun way the author starts Orion and Ember's story and how they meet. You will love how Orion handles being called out on his too serious, strict and never smiles demeanor. And, how Ember can deliver the messages with dramatic ease and determination.
Orion's brooding persona is challenged by Ember's positive, can't hold back her tongue personality. They are entertaining as they push each other's buttons while keeping secrets they know are hurtful if revealed.
The supporting cast of characters are a fabulous mix of personal and professional people who are entertaining in their own right and give support and comic relief when needed.
The office drama tests their trust in each other and questions what is the right thing to do. It is an engaging story that keeps you on your toes waiting for something to burst the bubble of Orion and Ember's relationship and their careers.
I highly recommend this romance - it is a good time!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Orion's brooding persona is challenged by Ember's positive, can't hold back her tongue personality. They are entertaining as they push each other's buttons while keeping secrets they know are hurtful if revealed.
The supporting cast of characters are a fabulous mix of personal and professional people who are entertaining in their own right and give support and comic relief when needed.
The office drama tests their trust in each other and questions what is the right thing to do. It is an engaging story that keeps you on your toes waiting for something to burst the bubble of Orion and Ember's relationship and their careers.
I highly recommend this romance - it is a good time!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 9, 2025
Penelope Bloom is an author I am familiar with and I usually always enjoy her books. Hate Notes was no different, I truly was pleased by this book, it made me laugh out loud so many times. The fact that Orion had such a bad reputation that people sent him hate notes on the daily was just too funny. When Ember started delivering them to him and add her own as a bonus was just so entertaining. The tension between Orion and Ember was palpable and all the while each had a secret that they knew would hurt the other, which was why they both attempted to squash their growing attraction for each other. Seeing them both start to embrace the changes the other has fostered within themselves was so heartwarming to read, but as we all know secrets always are sensed and eventually come out. To wrap it up, I was highly entertained with Hate Notes, you can never go wrong with Penelope Bloom, her Objects of Attraction series had me hooked on her as an author. Highly recommend checking out her books! I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 9, 2025
This is one of a kind office comedy with a grumpy sexy man who finds romance in the most unexpected way. Ember finds herself working for her ex boyfriend, Cole who gives her an ultimatum spy on his competition or lose her job. Each day Ember goes to work and has to deal with the new girlfriend who’s been promoted without being qualified. Orion in a successful man with a rigid personality and schedule so when the owner of Hate Notes hires Ember to read the dreadful hate notes each morning Orion is unable to pay her off like all the others before her and finds himself thinking about her. These two are hilarious together and Ember soon finds herself employed by Orion and integrates herself into his life and family. They are two opposites that find challenges and what they end up doing for one another gives them the promise of more! I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 10, 2025
Hurt and against a wall, Ember accepts an assignment that went against her better judgment. I laughed a lot imagining the scenes about the work in Hate Notes. I liked Ember's personality, a woman who knew how to face the challenges that were presented to her and who, despite sometimes, and I mean sometimes, feeling physically lacking, showed strength to handle her emotions. The worldview of the perfectionist Orion Foster and the process he was going through was interesting. He made me laugh with his lifestyle and reflect on the things that motivate and drive us to create. Many positive things were present in the plot of the story. The chemistry between Ember and Orion was present from the beginning and the dialogues and narrations contributed to my interest in knowing more about the relationship that was developing and the secrets that the protagonists kept. I liked how the secondary characters and the pets added to the humorous part of the story.
January 10, 2025
When Ember's cheating ex, who's also her boss, threatens to fire her if she doesn't spy on his biggest competitor, Embrr is up for a little revenge. Taking a job with Hate Notes, who spend most of their time on CEO Orion Foster, guarantees that she'll get his attention so she can possibly get a job in his company. Then she can claim two paychecks while not actually passing any info to her ex. But she starts to enjoy the time spent with the misunderstood Orion and going he never find out her true reason for taking his job.
This story is funny and sweet and spicy. The idea of a Hate Notes company is bordering on ridiculous but causes many hilarious situations between the two. I loved seeing Orion loosen up from a tightly controlled corporate robot to the sweet man he becomes with Ember. The writing was fun although a bit predictable but their HEA was well worth it.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This story is funny and sweet and spicy. The idea of a Hate Notes company is bordering on ridiculous but causes many hilarious situations between the two. I loved seeing Orion loosen up from a tightly controlled corporate robot to the sweet man he becomes with Ember. The writing was fun although a bit predictable but their HEA was well worth it.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
January 21, 2025
Picked up Hate Notes for a quick and quirky office romance and wasn't disappointed once.
The banter was golden, the sass was top tier and the emails had me blushing while chuckling.
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Quotes That Got a Chuckle Out of Me:
I looked like a woman in love. "Well, shit," I told my reflection. "That wasn't supposed to happen."
“You’re both so right for each other because you have equal talents for making simple things super complicated.”
“You know what I meant.” “That you’re planning to distract me with nightly booty calls instead of simple, civilized requests to masturbate?”
“God,” I said, lifting a hand to cover my half-full mouth. “This steak is the most delicious thing I’ve ever had in my mouth.” “So far,” Orion said, voice low and raspy. Holy shit. I nearly choked on my steak.
You love them. Remember how happy you were when we got you the cat?" "I was not happy you got me a cat. He and I are still enemies,"
The banter was golden, the sass was top tier and the emails had me blushing while chuckling.
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Quotes That Got a Chuckle Out of Me:
I looked like a woman in love. "Well, shit," I told my reflection. "That wasn't supposed to happen."
“You’re both so right for each other because you have equal talents for making simple things super complicated.”
“You know what I meant.” “That you’re planning to distract me with nightly booty calls instead of simple, civilized requests to masturbate?”
“God,” I said, lifting a hand to cover my half-full mouth. “This steak is the most delicious thing I’ve ever had in my mouth.” “So far,” Orion said, voice low and raspy. Holy shit. I nearly choked on my steak.
You love them. Remember how happy you were when we got you the cat?" "I was not happy you got me a cat. He and I are still enemies,"
January 6, 2026
I’ve read a few books by Penelope Bloom before and when I came across Hate Notes, I was excited to see how it would unfold. I enjoyed getting to know both Ember and Orion, they were both driven characters and I could see they were perfect for one another.
Orion was quite a particular character, liking his routines at home and at work. He was feared by his employees, but there was something about Ember that managed to bring out his softer side, and some of his rules slipped. Ember was a feisty character and had her own plans but didn’t mean to fall for Orion. She had to decide on following her heart or her plan.
This read wasn’t a favourite of mine, I felt a lot of elements were in the book but didn’t really combine well together. Some things that the characters did were odd and I was left wondering what the hell happened. It had amusing moments but wasn’t quite the comedy that I hoped.
Orion was quite a particular character, liking his routines at home and at work. He was feared by his employees, but there was something about Ember that managed to bring out his softer side, and some of his rules slipped. Ember was a feisty character and had her own plans but didn’t mean to fall for Orion. She had to decide on following her heart or her plan.
This read wasn’t a favourite of mine, I felt a lot of elements were in the book but didn’t really combine well together. Some things that the characters did were odd and I was left wondering what the hell happened. It had amusing moments but wasn’t quite the comedy that I hoped.
January 10, 2025
Such a fun story! There’s something about the moment in a grumpy/sunshine story when grumpy finally smiles and softens that gets me every time.
Ironically the one part of this book that I wasn’t the biggest fan of was the Hate Notes! An actual business around insults and anonymous bullying gave me the ick… but as it was only front row in the beginning of the story it was such an easy thing for my personal taste to look past! And led to some pretty cute moments at the end.
The plot outside of the romance was so intriguing and kept me hooked the whole way through. I love a billionaire/business story and getting into the nitty gritty of big business drama sometimes.
The romance between Ember & Orion built and climaxed (I had to) so beautifully. Embers personality was on point for me.
I didn’t think I was going to get sucked into this story as much as I did, but I really loved it!
Ironically the one part of this book that I wasn’t the biggest fan of was the Hate Notes! An actual business around insults and anonymous bullying gave me the ick… but as it was only front row in the beginning of the story it was such an easy thing for my personal taste to look past! And led to some pretty cute moments at the end.
The plot outside of the romance was so intriguing and kept me hooked the whole way through. I love a billionaire/business story and getting into the nitty gritty of big business drama sometimes.
The romance between Ember & Orion built and climaxed (I had to) so beautifully. Embers personality was on point for me.
I didn’t think I was going to get sucked into this story as much as I did, but I really loved it!
February 18, 2025
This was a delightful grumpy/sunshine, off limits romance. His 'Mr. No Smile' to her 'Miss Chaos' were a recipe for disaster. She went into the situation with ulterior motives, but once she actually got to know the guy, she realized that the man everyone at the office sees is not who his is in his heart. And his intentions may not be exactly for the reasons people may think. There is some wonderful banter between them. (And usually she gets the upper hand.) There are secrets they are both keeping that can ruin them before they ever become something, thus a lot of "This can't happen" conversations. There is some sexual content, but only a couple of scenes (more behind closed doors.) The side characters are interesting as well. It's easy to read and hard to put down. For the most part it is a fun light hearted, but there is some tension throughout. It alternates POVs.
May 13, 2025
You had me at Goblin and Catman….
If you aren’t down for cats possibly living an eternal life or one that perhaps could have used a sweater then you won’t find this funny. I really enjoyed the banter between the FMC and the MMC. Seriously though, why doesn’t a business like Hate Notes exist? Man that would have to be a profit turner! True grumpy boss, kind of your enemy is my enemy until she realizes the only d*ck here is the original enemy. What a scummy scummy ex. He gave me the icks secondhand! There was a time or two where I questioned something in the story thinking, how did we get here? Felt like something was missed or the character knew the info and seemed fun with it and then suddenly wasn’t. Kind of like emotional whiplash. Overall a solid 4 stars from me. Love the multiple POVs and the side characters.
If you aren’t down for cats possibly living an eternal life or one that perhaps could have used a sweater then you won’t find this funny. I really enjoyed the banter between the FMC and the MMC. Seriously though, why doesn’t a business like Hate Notes exist? Man that would have to be a profit turner! True grumpy boss, kind of your enemy is my enemy until she realizes the only d*ck here is the original enemy. What a scummy scummy ex. He gave me the icks secondhand! There was a time or two where I questioned something in the story thinking, how did we get here? Felt like something was missed or the character knew the info and seemed fun with it and then suddenly wasn’t. Kind of like emotional whiplash. Overall a solid 4 stars from me. Love the multiple POVs and the side characters.
January 13, 2025
I absolutely loved this one and my favourite romcom of the 2025!!!!
This wonderfully penned slow burn workplace romance checked all the boxes for me, it had sweeter moments to make me swoon, heartfelt ones to stir up the feels, the laugh out loud moments that had my family looking at me lol and of course steamier ones to make me blush. I absolutely loved this one and my favourite romcom of the 2025!! Love this author and loved this book. Definitely be on look out for more books this year hopefully. Fingers crossed 🤞 definitely pick up your copy today. Happy reading
This wonderfully penned slow burn workplace romance checked all the boxes for me, it had sweeter moments to make me swoon, heartfelt ones to stir up the feels, the laugh out loud moments that had my family looking at me lol and of course steamier ones to make me blush. I absolutely loved this one and my favourite romcom of the 2025!! Love this author and loved this book. Definitely be on look out for more books this year hopefully. Fingers crossed 🤞 definitely pick up your copy today. Happy reading
January 20, 2025
Quick, fun read
Do you love a good enemies to lovers trope? Do you enjoy tension you can cut with a knife? Do you replay quick witted banter and wish you could do that in real life? Penelope Bloom crafts an easy-to-read romantic comedy that mimics The Hating Game with an office romance that heats up with each turn of the page.
If you are in the mood for a feel good book that has you wanting to leave your own love note — look no further.
Do you love a good enemies to lovers trope? Do you enjoy tension you can cut with a knife? Do you replay quick witted banter and wish you could do that in real life? Penelope Bloom crafts an easy-to-read romantic comedy that mimics The Hating Game with an office romance that heats up with each turn of the page.
If you are in the mood for a feel good book that has you wanting to leave your own love note — look no further.
February 10, 2025
This was such an uplifting comical romance story, especially after a few dark ones I recently read. Truly perfect read that simply brought a smile to my face with so many of the scenarios throughout the book. A creative plot with characters that really hook you in, simply wanting to see how things will pan out. Ember (mf) really is so great and likeable even though she writes these hate notes.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 15, 2025
3.5 stars
this was a sweet book. the main couple was cute. and the growth from the mmc was nice to read. the fact that both characters had secrets and were being so childish abt telling the other abt it was so annoying tho. it worked out in the end and was resolved in like a chapter, which, again, was annoying, considering the author dragged out that fact that they had secrets they were refusing to share for like half the book😐
this was a sweet book. the main couple was cute. and the growth from the mmc was nice to read. the fact that both characters had secrets and were being so childish abt telling the other abt it was so annoying tho. it worked out in the end and was resolved in like a chapter, which, again, was annoying, considering the author dragged out that fact that they had secrets they were refusing to share for like half the book😐
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