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My Billionaire Grump
When Lucy planned a summer trip to Florence, she didn’t expect to have to go single. Or for the hotel manager to cheat her out of her river-view room. And especially not for a broody, handsome stranger to offer to swap rooms with her.
Offer is a euphemism. The mysterious George Emerson sort of brutalizes her into accepting the exchange. His gesture is as kind as the tone in which he poses it is barbaric, leaving Lucy rightfully confused.
What is it about this man that makes her heart race while simultaneously making her want to punch him in the face?
Only an unforgettable vacation under the Tuscan sun will unravel Lucy’s true feelings.
An enemies to lovers, grumpy sunshine rom-com.
Offer is a euphemism. The mysterious George Emerson sort of brutalizes her into accepting the exchange. His gesture is as kind as the tone in which he poses it is barbaric, leaving Lucy rightfully confused.
What is it about this man that makes her heart race while simultaneously making her want to punch him in the face?
Only an unforgettable vacation under the Tuscan sun will unravel Lucy’s true feelings.
An enemies to lovers, grumpy sunshine rom-com.
Audible Audio
First published May 5, 2023
624 people are currently reading
3526 people want to read
About the author
Camilla Isley
55 books2,935 followers
Camilla is an engineer who left science behind to enter the whimsical realm of romantic fiction.
She writes contemporary rom-coms. Her characters have big hearts, might be a little stubborn at times, and love to banter with each other. Every story she pens has a guaranteed HEA that will make your heart beat faster. Unless you're a vampire, of course.
Camilla is a cat lover, coffee addict, and shoe hoarder. Besides writing, she loves reading—duh!—cooking, watching bad TV, and going to the movies—popcorn, please. She's a bit of a foodie, nothing too serious. A keen traveler, Camilla knows mosquitoes play a role in the ecosystem, and she doesn't want to starve all those frog princes out there, but she could really live without them.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 287 reviews
September 19, 2025
don't get me wrong, it was a cute little story, just not my style at all.
April 26, 2024
This was ok, but I just felt like there was no real romance in their relationship. It didn’t bother me that it was short, it bothered me that I felt no real connection to these characters. The story was well written and I was enjoying it until they got back together at the beach. I just felt let a little let down. Oh, well, I have the sequel so I guess I’ll read it too. The reviews do seem better.
August 8, 2023
this was the worst book ive ever read in my whole life, even thinking about it again makes me want to bury myself alive. was it written by a five year old?
May 12, 2023
My Billionaire Grump is a new stand-alone romantic comedy by Camilla Isley. It is a shorter closed-door romance that could easily be made into a Hallmark movie. At the conclusion of the book, there is a link to sign up for the author’s newsletter and receive a bonus epilogue and a sequel story featuring the heroine’s best friend.
Lucy Honey travels to Florence, Italy alone because she and her boyfriend have broken up. She is very disappointed that the fake-Italian hotel manager gave her river-view room to another guest when Lucy had paid extra for it. A handsome American hotel guest hears her complaining to her best friend via Facetime and offers to swap rooms with her.
Billionaire George Emerson sort of bullies Lucy into accepting his spacious suite with a view. His insistence confuses Lucy, and she is drawn to him in spite of his grumpiness. He continues to do kind things for Lucy and others as they explore Italy. Eventually he admits that he served in the military in Afghanistan and has PTSD.
On Lucy’s last evening in Italy, they spend the night together, and then Lucy if she will see George again when he returns to New York City. She winds up renting a weekend cottage in the Hamptons with some friends and dating someone else before encountering George again. The reader is left hanging for a while as to who Lucy will wind up with.
My Billionaire Grump is an enjoyable novella that contains a lot of descriptions of scenery in Italy. It’s not as funny as the author’s full-length stories, probably due to the compact story and the amount of Italian words. I also read the free sequel, Love or Hate, and enjoyed Anita’s romance with another New York City billionaire. Both stories can be read in a single day and feature relatable and realistic heroines.
I purchased this free book from Amazon, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Lucy Honey travels to Florence, Italy alone because she and her boyfriend have broken up. She is very disappointed that the fake-Italian hotel manager gave her river-view room to another guest when Lucy had paid extra for it. A handsome American hotel guest hears her complaining to her best friend via Facetime and offers to swap rooms with her.
Billionaire George Emerson sort of bullies Lucy into accepting his spacious suite with a view. His insistence confuses Lucy, and she is drawn to him in spite of his grumpiness. He continues to do kind things for Lucy and others as they explore Italy. Eventually he admits that he served in the military in Afghanistan and has PTSD.
On Lucy’s last evening in Italy, they spend the night together, and then Lucy if she will see George again when he returns to New York City. She winds up renting a weekend cottage in the Hamptons with some friends and dating someone else before encountering George again. The reader is left hanging for a while as to who Lucy will wind up with.
My Billionaire Grump is an enjoyable novella that contains a lot of descriptions of scenery in Italy. It’s not as funny as the author’s full-length stories, probably due to the compact story and the amount of Italian words. I also read the free sequel, Love or Hate, and enjoyed Anita’s romance with another New York City billionaire. Both stories can be read in a single day and feature relatable and realistic heroines.
I purchased this free book from Amazon, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 24, 2023
Usually, adult contemporary romance are books that absolutely resets my reading mood, and are able to help me find equilibrium again to restart my reading habits. They are mellow and comfortable, they promise and they deliver. I think readers can find comfort in this, even tho it didn’t quite did it for me.
It is a shorter romance, and althought I am used to quick love connections, I felt like the chemestry between Emerson and Lucy just wasn’t there; and I’d like to make it clear that it had nothing to do with the fact that this books has no sex scenes whatsover — I knew about it from the start.
But as I kept reading, I had this sensation that I missed something about their relationship. Did my kindle skipped any chapters? No, that was it. I got the impression that Lucy had more interactions with her friends than with the MMC. I wouldn’t say it was choppy, but there is a spark missing here. I couldn’t connect with the characters, which is a major problem for me.
Don’t let my negative points impact your reading experience, tho. It will be a good time for you, with a sweet clean romance. I must confess that this book is my first Camilla Isley work and I did like the voice and the writing... Hopefully, I will get to read more books of her that fits my reader profile more.
Lastly, if you enjoyed The Stopover by T.L. Swan or Wyoming Heart by Diana Palmer, you’ll like this one! I recommend this book to those who love to read the genre and are looking for a unpretentious novella romance.
It is a shorter romance, and althought I am used to quick love connections, I felt like the chemestry between Emerson and Lucy just wasn’t there; and I’d like to make it clear that it had nothing to do with the fact that this books has no sex scenes whatsover — I knew about it from the start.
But as I kept reading, I had this sensation that I missed something about their relationship. Did my kindle skipped any chapters? No, that was it. I got the impression that Lucy had more interactions with her friends than with the MMC. I wouldn’t say it was choppy, but there is a spark missing here. I couldn’t connect with the characters, which is a major problem for me.
Don’t let my negative points impact your reading experience, tho. It will be a good time for you, with a sweet clean romance. I must confess that this book is my first Camilla Isley work and I did like the voice and the writing... Hopefully, I will get to read more books of her that fits my reader profile more.
Lastly, if you enjoyed The Stopover by T.L. Swan or Wyoming Heart by Diana Palmer, you’ll like this one! I recommend this book to those who love to read the genre and are looking for a unpretentious novella romance.
October 21, 2024
Dnf I couldn’t do it . This was so obviously a rip off of A room with a view by E.M. Forster , and a terrible rip off at that
June 30, 2023
I was excited for this one because I've loved all her other books, but I was disappointed.
I felt an instant disconnect from the pompous writing and pretentious characters, even in a place as gorgeous as Italy. The instalust and instalove without any reason didn't work for me. It feels artificial, as if the middle pages of the book were torn and I were jumping 50 pages ahead.
For those who do, this will be an instant DNF. It's very boring.
I felt an instant disconnect from the pompous writing and pretentious characters, even in a place as gorgeous as Italy. The instalust and instalove without any reason didn't work for me. It feels artificial, as if the middle pages of the book were torn and I were jumping 50 pages ahead.
For those who do, this will be an instant DNF. It's very boring.
March 24, 2024
1.5 ⭐️I felt like I was lowkey reading an episode story but it wasn’t too bad! Wasn’t mad I read it bc I got it for free on KU but would not reach for it again.
March 20, 2025
This was satisfying. Not a lot of surprises, but I liked the characters and the writing.
June 27, 2023
Taking the vacation you planned with your ex to get over him should never lead to you coming home more heartbroken than when you left, but not all souvenirs are all that great! This rom com has the witty banter that you need, a bit of instalove and heartbreak and following up with a dose of second chances. The big question that remains to be seen is whether or not Lucy can risk opening up again after all the heartbreak she has endured. Only one way to find out, grab the book and enjoy the trip! It is a fun escape away from real life and I recommend grabbing the book, a cold drink and cuddling in somewhere to read!
February 11, 2025
This was such a nothing book. Not a lot really happened: they met, didn’t get along for like two pages, started making out, sexed it up and then parted. I’d like it to be known that the emotion I used to describe that felt pretty much identical to any emotion it this book - it just didn’t exist. The tried to wax poetic prose at us but it just didn’t work. Good try though.
June 16, 2023
the perfect summer read (imo)
is quick, funny and entertaining, I loved it so much
also starts in Italy and finishes in a beach house, do you need more of summer in it???
is quick, funny and entertaining, I loved it so much
also starts in Italy and finishes in a beach house, do you need more of summer in it???
May 27, 2024
I just love love 🫶🏼
🌶️🌶️
🌶️🌶️
July 12, 2023
Well….. I got this book on ‘stuff your kindle day’ and I am happy about the fact that I didn’t have to spend money on this one… I didn’t have many expectations but well… I nevertheless was really disappointed.
George not once calling Lucy Lucy triggered me madly. Those two falling in love after 3 days? Hell nah.
The fact that we’re living in the 21st century and have phones and social media and what not makes the whole ‘leaving and not reaching out for over a month’ completely incomprehensible…
Of course I didn’t expect an overwhelming epic love story in those 100 something pages but I at least expected some kind of chemistry between the MMC and FMC… I got nadaaaaa.
Although it’s a really fast and short read, it’s actually not really worth it…
George not once calling Lucy Lucy triggered me madly. Those two falling in love after 3 days? Hell nah.
The fact that we’re living in the 21st century and have phones and social media and what not makes the whole ‘leaving and not reaching out for over a month’ completely incomprehensible…
Of course I didn’t expect an overwhelming epic love story in those 100 something pages but I at least expected some kind of chemistry between the MMC and FMC… I got nadaaaaa.
Although it’s a really fast and short read, it’s actually not really worth it…
July 3, 2023
this book was an average romance book. i didnt really connect with any of the characters as much as I wouldve liked to and I felt like this whole book was rushed.
May 22, 2023
Grumpy changes to Grateful
Understandably morose at the death of his sister, George is grumpy and sullen but seeing Lucy across the room changes his mood and outlook for the future. Lucy is put off by his approach but they work out their demons and differences very effectively toward a happy ending. A short and pleasant read.
Understandably morose at the death of his sister, George is grumpy and sullen but seeing Lucy across the room changes his mood and outlook for the future. Lucy is put off by his approach but they work out their demons and differences very effectively toward a happy ending. A short and pleasant read.
January 5, 2024
Easy and short book to read quickly. Storyline wasn't really exciting but a cute story. 3.5 - 4 Stars.
June 15, 2025
okay.. it wasn't bad.. guys, but it wasn't 10/10 or 5/5⭐️
but the writing wasn't bad.. I just think that some moments were a little cringe.
Obviously liking something is subjective, but it's fine if you hated this and it's fine if you loved it. But this wasn't it for me rn.
Maybe I'll go back and reread this in 16 years and absolutely love it.
(3.4/5)⭐️🇫🇷
but the writing wasn't bad.. I just think that some moments were a little cringe.
Obviously liking something is subjective, but it's fine if you hated this and it's fine if you loved it. But this wasn't it for me rn.
Maybe I'll go back and reread this in 16 years and absolutely love it.
(3.4/5)⭐️🇫🇷
May 12, 2023
Delightful Read
Camilla Isley’s short novel offers pure escapism with vivid characters and laugh-out-loud plot twists make me want to visit Italy or the Hamptons.
Camilla Isley’s short novel offers pure escapism with vivid characters and laugh-out-loud plot twists make me want to visit Italy or the Hamptons.
July 6, 2023
Sometimes free media can be amazing! This... is not one of those moments (at least for me). Overall, I did not feel connected to the story and felt it was underdeveloped.
The non-Sunshine:
If you are expecting a sunshine/grumpy book, do not get this. The girl is not the sunshine you would normally associate with a sunshine/grump story. In fact, they both acted like grumps, with sometimes "the grump" being more sunshine. I think this is because Lucy is not set up well. We open to her complaining on Facetime in public at breakfast because she did not get a room with a view, which she paid for. Okay... but in a public place while people are trying to enjoy their breakfast?? And, you're in Italy, FFS you see the view when you leave the place. Get a refund for the extra you paid, realize it was a mistake on the hotel's end (and not some personal slight she feels like it is), and move on. When the person next to her rightfully calls her out on being loud and disruptive in a public place, she brands him as rude. And she's not wrong, he's weird with his comments on the entirety of men not caring for views and whistling the Russian anthem when she says she moved to a rent-stabilized apartment (which is never addressed).
She also tours Florence, feeling great about the experience, and then says her "first morning is ruined" when a tour group is all sold out. Look, I get being upset about this (I mean, it wouldn't happen to me because I reserve/book in advance), but these instances do not portray a "sunshine" character. I normally think of a sunshine character as someone who is positive and upbeat, or even someone who everyone just seems to like, and that is not Lucy.
The Acquaintance Bestie:
You know what character I also do not get? Jackson. She sees him at the hotel, and they previously lived in the same apartment complex. He does not recognize her at first, so she has to clarify where he knows her from and then they chat. But, you would have thought they were best friends by how they talk about each other in the book. Jackson says, "You've always been a free spirit" to her. Huh?? You didn't even recognize her!
Here are three other little things that confused me:
1. Toddlers were running, one fell because "the grump" was looking at them. The toddler says to the mom while she pulls him away, "Not even the tall man with the mean scowl?" I'm sorry, what three-year-old is using the word "scowl"?
2. When her brother is asked why she wants to learn Italian, the brother says, "heck I know, my sister is weird like that. One day is the piano, the next is Italian..." as if learning an instrument in childhood is a weird thing to do??
3. This book is dual-POV, but 15/18 chapters are Lucy's POV... why even bother making it dual-POV at that point? Many of Lucy's chapters could have been his.
Again, you can still enjoy this book with these things in mind, but I like being transported into a world, and this world did not make sense to me. It also felt underdeveloped at times, as I wanted to know these "demons" the male love interest was struggling with, but the only explanation was him being a vet. Okay, but did he see a friend die? Does he have PTSD? What are these demons that cause him to not contact her? I also felt at points that the author assumed we knew a lot of Italian terminology. You do not need to spell everything out, but I had to google some words/images to be able to visualize the scene. Additionally, the writing felt off because every once in a while a word that felt plucked from the thesaurus was thrown into a sentence. It just messed with the flow of things.
The non-Sunshine:
If you are expecting a sunshine/grumpy book, do not get this. The girl is not the sunshine you would normally associate with a sunshine/grump story. In fact, they both acted like grumps, with sometimes "the grump" being more sunshine. I think this is because Lucy is not set up well. We open to her complaining on Facetime in public at breakfast because she did not get a room with a view, which she paid for. Okay... but in a public place while people are trying to enjoy their breakfast?? And, you're in Italy, FFS you see the view when you leave the place. Get a refund for the extra you paid, realize it was a mistake on the hotel's end (and not some personal slight she feels like it is), and move on. When the person next to her rightfully calls her out on being loud and disruptive in a public place, she brands him as rude. And she's not wrong, he's weird with his comments on the entirety of men not caring for views and whistling the Russian anthem when she says she moved to a rent-stabilized apartment (which is never addressed).
She also tours Florence, feeling great about the experience, and then says her "first morning is ruined" when a tour group is all sold out. Look, I get being upset about this (I mean, it wouldn't happen to me because I reserve/book in advance), but these instances do not portray a "sunshine" character. I normally think of a sunshine character as someone who is positive and upbeat, or even someone who everyone just seems to like, and that is not Lucy.
The Acquaintance Bestie:
You know what character I also do not get? Jackson. She sees him at the hotel, and they previously lived in the same apartment complex. He does not recognize her at first, so she has to clarify where he knows her from and then they chat. But, you would have thought they were best friends by how they talk about each other in the book. Jackson says, "You've always been a free spirit" to her. Huh?? You didn't even recognize her!
Here are three other little things that confused me:
1. Toddlers were running, one fell because "the grump" was looking at them. The toddler says to the mom while she pulls him away, "Not even the tall man with the mean scowl?" I'm sorry, what three-year-old is using the word "scowl"?
2. When her brother is asked why she wants to learn Italian, the brother says, "heck I know, my sister is weird like that. One day is the piano, the next is Italian..." as if learning an instrument in childhood is a weird thing to do??
3. This book is dual-POV, but 15/18 chapters are Lucy's POV... why even bother making it dual-POV at that point? Many of Lucy's chapters could have been his.
Again, you can still enjoy this book with these things in mind, but I like being transported into a world, and this world did not make sense to me. It also felt underdeveloped at times, as I wanted to know these "demons" the male love interest was struggling with, but the only explanation was him being a vet. Okay, but did he see a friend die? Does he have PTSD? What are these demons that cause him to not contact her? I also felt at points that the author assumed we knew a lot of Italian terminology. You do not need to spell everything out, but I had to google some words/images to be able to visualize the scene. Additionally, the writing felt off because every once in a while a word that felt plucked from the thesaurus was thrown into a sentence. It just messed with the flow of things.
July 4, 2023
This had a lot of potential with its setting in Florence and the grumpy-sunshine dynamic. I did like the holiday feeling, but the writing style was just not for me. The dialogue felt stilted and weird, especially coming from the hero. I liked the characterization of the FMC, but I never got a good grasp on the MMC: He was grumpy and acted remote, but then he would start spouting ridiculously poetic lines at her from out of nowhere. I also wasn't the biggest fan that he just up and disappeared after their night together to essentially "find himself" and when he came back it was very unclear to me what exactly he did to feel better with his past and himself. There was no mention of therapy or anything, just that he was suddenly laughing and that the FMC was his salvation. That's a huge nope from me, thanks.
June 12, 2024
Ok so I don’t really expect these cute romance books to be realistic but this was just ridiculous. At least it was short I guess.
November 21, 2024
confused
This may contain spoilers so read at your risk.
Im not proud to admit I skimmed over some paragraphs here and there because it felt like the plot just wasn’t moving onnn
Like i get the love at first sight which was kinda the main thing here but the main couple here has *nothing* else besides that.
“Emerson is a grump and he has his demons to fight” proceeds to not give ANY information about any of these things 😐
Oh well one less book off my Kindle tbr
This may contain spoilers so read at your risk.
Im not proud to admit I skimmed over some paragraphs here and there because it felt like the plot just wasn’t moving onnn
Like i get the love at first sight which was kinda the main thing here but the main couple here has *nothing* else besides that.
“Emerson is a grump and he has his demons to fight” proceeds to not give ANY information about any of these things 😐
Oh well one less book off my Kindle tbr
November 4, 2024
To be honest, it was nothing earth-shattering about it, but it was a terrific read. The author does an amazing job of pulling you into the character's feelings. Providing more information on what caused George's issues would have added more depth to it. The romance was nice & not overdone. The snippets of humor were a nice touch. I would read more of this authors books .
April 28, 2024
Nada tiene sentido, ni la trama, ni los diálogos, ni el final. Es literal una fantasía donde un millonario se enamora de vos, tu ex jamás te olvida, todos los hombres quieren estar con vos (salvo tu hermano y tu mejor amigo gay) y vos simplemente estas ahí.
Al menos es corto.
Al menos es corto.
May 24, 2023
I absolutely adored this enemies to lovers, grumpy sunshine, billionaire romance. It is a novella that provides a perfect summer escape if you need to relax for a few hours and get lost among the streets of beautiful Italy or on the sands of the Hamptons.
George is the perfect mysteriously brooding hero. And Lucy a great heroine, I liked her arc.
George is the perfect mysteriously brooding hero. And Lucy a great heroine, I liked her arc.
July 23, 2023
Short quick read, good enemies to lovers story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 27, 2024
Slow start and a fast finish kind of left me feeling unsatisfied. The story overall was cute but the end was so rushed it didn't feel believable or even really all that touching.
June 29, 2024
There was no chemistry between the two characters it was pretty obvious they were just shoved together
Displaying 1 - 30 of 287 reviews