Engaging the Office Enemy: California Dreamin', Book 5

California Dreamin' #5

by Kristin Canary

From bestselling author Kristin Canary comes a series filled with laughs, friendship goals, and the swooniest book boyfriends imaginable …

I hate fakers—and Dax Nyhart is as fake as they come.

I also hate to lose. My nemesis has been stealing all the best clients for the last year at the marketing firm where we both work—and not because he’s better than me. Because 1) his uncle is the boss and 2) he kisses up to people.

And I’m sick of it.

So when he asks me to fake an engagement so he can land another job—far away from me—I agree. It’s only one dinner, right? Yeah, sure.

One dinner turns into an entire Caribbean cruise.

But I’ll do anything to get rid of this pain in my backside. Even pretend to like Dax. Or love him, as it were. Even hold his hand, laugh with him.

I might even … ugh … kiss him.

Except, it’s not so “ugh” after all. That’s when I start to discover that maybe there’s more to Dax Nyhart than meets the eye.

The problem? I have no idea what’s fake and what’s real anymore. I’m afraid this game we’re playing might leave me losing more than just clients to Dax.

And this loss might be the most painful of all.

Perfect for fans enemies to lovers office romances fake engagements reverse grumpy sunshine forced proximity the delicious one-bed trope flirtatious banter

Engaging the Office Enemy is Book 5 in the California Dreamin’ sweet romantic comedy series, where a group of roommates and friends find their perfect matches and support one another like crazy. Each story stands alone, but you will get more enjoyment out of them if you listen in order. This single-POV novel is filled with all the sizzling romantic tension and swoons possible without on-page intimacy.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Enemies To Lovers, Rom Com, Fake Dating, Workplace Romance, Forced Proximity

Audible Audio

Published June 4, 2024

About the author

Kristin is a thirty-something wife and boy mom who functions best on peach tea and cookie dough ice cream. She writes closed-door romantic comedies with lots of sizzle and spice but no explicit on-page content. A desert dweller, she always has her eye on the next trip to a beach somewhere--and if she can't travel there in person, then you'd better believe she's going to write about it. Kristin is never fully satisfied with a movie, TV show, or book without a hefty dose of romance in it, and she's grateful to be living a true-life love story with her own crazy little family. Connect with her at KristinCanary.com/freebook.

Reviews

[Sarah | Kerosene.Lit · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a short book but manages to pack in SO MUCH chemistry between the characters! An enemies-to-lovers, fate dating, forced proximity, workplace romance! Woo! What more could you need?

Alexis works for a small marketing firm in San Diego. She is great at her job, but she's tired of her boss giving the best accounts to Dax, her irresistibly charming yet infuriating nemesis. But when Dax proposes a fake engagement that will benefit both their careers, she begrudgingly agrees.

With her ever-changing hair colour and outspoken personality, Alexis (aka Rainbow Brite) was so fun! She reminded me a lot of Abby from Falling for Your Best Friend's Twin, if you've read that one. But underneath that confidence, there's definitely a vulnerable side, and I loved seeing that explored throughout the story.

The best part of this fake arrangement was the switch to a cruise setting where the two must schmooze the prospective client. And yes, they are forced to share a room! These close quarters brought so many laughs while also amping up the tension with unavoidable touches and looks. The kisses in this one gave me butterflies! I definitely recommend this sweet rom-com!

(heat level: kisses only)

[Lauren (thebookscript) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think Kristin Canary has a solid voice when it comes to rom coms!

This book was so fun I gobbled it up and finished it in less than 24 hours. I’ve done this with each of her books which shows how highly readable they are!

This one has a lot of great things going for it. Enemies to lovers, forced proximity ONE ROOM trope on a CRUISE ship, fake dating….and she does it all really well.

Our two main characters have to pretend to be engaged to shmooze a potential job offer for Dax….so the cruise ship setting gets an A+ from me. Lots of fun activities and fun interactions with the potential bosses to be!

Engaging the Office Enemy has great banter, solid back stories and wonderful chemistry and kissing scenes! If you’re looking for a fun summer read to finish by the pool, look no further!

[Emily Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Engaging the Office Enemy
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Romance
Format: Kindle eBook
Date Published: 9/26/22
Author: Kristin Canary
Publisher: Dreaming of You Press
GR: 4.80

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from Kristin Canary and Dreaming of You Press and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: My nemesis, Dax Nyhart, has been stealing all the best clients for the last year at the marketing firm where we both work because 1) his uncle is the boss and 2) he kisses up to people. So when he asks me to fake an engagement so he can land another job—far away from me—I agree. It’s only one dinner, right? One dinner turns into an entire Caribbean cruise. But I’ll do anything to get rid of this pain in my backside. Even pretend to like Dax. Or love him, as it were. Even hold his hand, laugh with him … kiss him. Discover that maybe there’s more to Dax Nyhart than meets the eye. And this loss might be the most painful of all.

My Thoughts: This is a first read by this author for me, but will not be the last, as I have added all of Canary’s books to my KU to download and read (eventually). This is book no. 4 in the California Dreamin’ series. This can be read as a stand alone or as part of a series. One of my favorite tropes is the enemies to lovers and Canary does it in spades. This also has the trope of fake dating built in, another favorite of mine. This closed door romance was busting at the seams with chemistry and spice, it was about developing the love story, which I love. The characters were amazing, well developed, had depth, witty banter, sarcasm, chemistry, and just fit the storyline to a tee. The author’s writing style was complex, tense, endearing, humorous, and just brilliant. I love the message this book delivers, we are human and make mistakes, it is what you do after that mistake, to make things right that matters. If you like Jenny Proctor, Savannah Scott, or Emma St. Clair, you will love this book that releases in a little over a week.
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#whatimreading #booklover #bookworm #bookpic #bookstagram #fiction #booksoninstagram #reviewer #bookfriends #bookrecs #goodreads #bookishgirl #2022bookgoals #bookpost #Book-Reviews #netgalley #romance

[Laura Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my second book by Kristin Canary and let me tell you she knows how to write a rom-com!!!! Engaging with the Office Enemy is brilliant! It's funny, has amazing characters with depth and has original scenarios throughout the story. I absolutely loved it!!!

Alexis is such a unique book character. Her love of Marvel and wearing of t-shirts reminds me of my daughter. I meet her briefly in the last book and she is definitely one of the friends in her group who is harder to get to know from what I read of this series. It was great to find out more about her and grow to love her in this book. She is sarcastic and funny but has had a past that has led to insecurities that are brought to light here such as why she dyes her hair a new bright color each week. I enjoyed getting to know that piece of her.

And then there is Dax! Be still my heart because I have a new book crush! I just loved him! He starts out as being funny and flirtatious but as with Alexis there is so much depth to his character. He is sweet and charming. Genuine. Takes care of his mom. I just found him so lighthearted, playful, and kind. I loved that he teased Alexis and called her RB, Rainbow Brite. You think it is because of her hair but when the real reason is revealed it will melt your heart. The first kiss between these two was worth waiting for and it sizzled! It was so interesting to have a male character that loves rom-com movies also. I enjoyed that!

The pacing of this book is just right. I always thought I wasn’t a big enemy to lovers trope fan but this book has changed my mind! Throw in a fake relationship, proxity , and a funny one bed situation and you can’t go wrong! If you are a lover of rom-coms this is a must read!

I am jumping right into the bonus epilogue because I can’t get enough of these two and now I can’t wait for Kennedy’s story! This is book 5 in the series but it can be read as a stand alone although I will be going back to read the first couple I missed. Definitely a favorite read for me this year!

Engaging with the Office Enemy is a closed door romance so the content is clean.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Elizabeth]

DNF at 19%.

When fake relationship trope is based on illegal hiring practices (you need to be a "family man" to get this job), there's already an ick.

Add to that a heroine who is unpleasant and a hero making choices for no good reason?

I didn't like this.

[Marilee · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a delightful romcom!!

Enemies to lovers is my absolute favorite trope and when you add in a

competing co-workers vibe
forced proximity (one bed! yessss!),
a cruise setting, and
fake dating/engagement,

and it makes for an extra fantastic read! The tension between the two was electric and oh, mylanta, that first kiss is absolutely worth the wait!!!

I loved that there were so many lighthearted, fun moments but that the story - and characters - had depth. Dax and Alexis had such chemistry and connection and I love how much they were able to help the other heal. The whole story was engaging and adorable and fun and I am a huge fan!

This is my new favorite of the series and I absolutely cannot wait for Kennedy's story!

I received a complimentary copy but a positive review was not required.

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was just an adorable story. Alexis hates her coworker Dax. He’s the boss’s nephew and gets all of the good accounts because of it. But when he needs her to be his fake fiancé for a job interview and promises her all of his accounts in exchange, she can’t really turn it down. And she can’t keep fighting the fact that he’s attracted to her.

This was a very predictable fake dating, forced proximity (with only one bed) story but it was predictable in the best way, like when you rewatch your favorite sitcom. This is the fifth book in the series and the further I get in the series, the more I’m enjoying the way Alexis interacts with all of her friends and with her sister. If you’re looking for a comfort read with some laughs and kissing only as well as warring Avengers and 90s romcom references, look no further!

I received an advanced copy from the author.

[Tricia Anson · Rating 5 out of 5]

From all the teasers I knew that I would enjoy Alexis and Dax with all their witty banter and enemies-to-lovers, fake dating goodness. But honestly, this book hit me in a way I didn’t expect in the least bit. So good. So relatable in so many ways to my own complicated life. It felt like Kristin took so many pieces of my life, shook them up, and they landed with each character, making them so relatable. I laughed out loud, I cried, I felt really deeply with this one and I loved it so much. ♥️

Things I Loved:
-Mentally editing motivation posters
-Avengers references
-Alexis’ relationship with Kennedy
-Rainbow Brite
-The Bennetts
-Kayla’s joke item 🙈😂
-Kiwi Kiss of Death
-Get-to-know-you games
-Lines from Miss Congeniality
-Room service dessert
-The waterpark 😘
-These friends—honestly #friendshipgoals
-Alexis’ grand gesture ♥️

To read something that real to me and hit so many hard topics, and yet still maintain the romcom feel—that is an art. It meant a lot to me and I can’t recommend it enough. ♥️


Content: Very mild innuendo with steamy kisses only.

Trigger warning: The MCs are learning to deal with things from their pasts and parents including cheating, parent loss, and someone you love battling addiction. As someone who can relate to all the aspects—this was done so well and added great depth to a hilarious, fun story.

[Ashlee (bookswithnopictures) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun romp reminding me of The Hating Game and Shipped if they had a closed door baby. I recommend for fans of Emma St. Clair, Jenny Proctor, and Brittany Larsen.
Alexis knows the office hunk is hunky but she also can't stand him. Dax is a bit too charming and exactly like any other smarmy man that has entered - and exited - her life. But with an opportunity to get rid of him for good and have better access to the bigger accounts, she grudgingly agrees to a fake relationship so Dax can get a job elsewhere.
This easy breezy read was a great way to end 2022. It was sweet and funny and that ladder kiss was perfection. I didn't need much incentive to want to escape to a cruise, but if I did, this was it.
Thank you to the author for the gifted copy. All tights in this review are my own.

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Engaging the Office Enemy is a fun romcom with forced proximity, a fake engagement, and enemies to lovers trope. I was surprised in a good way with the backstories of both Alexis and Dax and the way that added a hidden depth to the overall story. The story was lighthearted, but deep, made me laugh and still pulled on my heartstrings. I loved when the two were on the cruise the most especially when they are stuck in the same cabin (their different tastes in movies cracked me up). The kisses were very well scripted and sizzling while staying in the clean/closed door romance category. Overall, a very entertaining read and a great escape. My new favorite in this series by Kristin Canary.
I received an advance reader copy of this novel. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Courtney | Bookish Beach Babe · Rating 4 out of 5]

read if you love:
🛳enemies to more
🛳fake dating
🛳workplace romance
🛳Caribbean cruises
🛳forced proximity
🛳one bed
🛳supportive friend groups

“𝐈 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬, 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐬, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐚𝐭 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭, 𝐈 𝐬𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐦𝐞 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥. 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐧, 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐦𝐞, 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐈 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐭.”

engaging the office enemy was a cute, quick read! alexis hates dax and thinks his uncle, their boss, gives him all of the best clients. she’ll do anything to get rid of him so she can pay off the mortgage on her house and help her sister kennedy get back to college. so when dax gives her that exact opportunity, she can’t refuse.

the banter and tension between alexis and dax was pure delight. i really enjoyed their verbal sparing. and once they were fake dating, it was turned up!! the cruise ship setting was perfect for forcing these two to really get to know each other and also for creating a delicious slow burn. alexis and dax had great chemistry and their kisses were swoony! i really loved alexis’s personal journey and growth. she had a lot of hang ups to overcome in order to find happiness with dax. it was heartwarming to see the way her friends supported her even though alexis was very closed off. i appreciated the realness of the story and characters and i feel like i could be friends with them! i’m looking forward to kennedy’s story and i loved that how that set up in the epilogue. engaging the office enemy is available on kindle unlimited.

thank you to the author for an advanced copy. my thoughts are my own.

[Kathy * Bookworm Nation · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

Cute enemies to lover story. I liked the overall story, had a little trouble relating to Alexis. She has some serious walls up and tends to push people away, especially her coworker Dax. They're opposites in a lot of ways, but as they get to know each other better find they actually have more in common than they think. I liked Dax a lot, he was a fun character and brought out the best in Alexis. They have good chemistry and there are some nice moments between them. Overall, an enjoyable read.


Content Rated PG
Clean romance - mild kissing, no language or violence

[Miranda Hohn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enemies to Lovers is one of my favorite tropes, which is disappointing because this book could have been so good.

I was really hoping we would see more of their relationship, or even just their time together on the cruise. It wasn’t mostly inner dialogue of the character not thinking there would ever be a guy worth the hassle of a relationship because they all suck. It became very frustrating because the author was able to write their chemistry well, but never gave us the satisfaction of seeing it actually work out. Instead we just get a “let’s be together”, and then it end.

[Sarah Beth G. (a.neverending.tbr) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love a good enemies-to-lovers story. Add in fake dating, forced proximity, Marvel references, the romcom movies of my teens and twenties and I am hooked! This was my first read by this author and I loved it. I’m here for a romcom that also tackles some tough issues - in this case, betrayal, loss of a parent with things left unsaid and addiction. Alexis is a lovable, slightly damaged heroine and Dax is that snarky but eventually sweet, swoony hero that we love in these books. Watching them catch the love bug while faking it was a fun time. Great read and I will definitely be getting into the rest of Kristin’s backlist.

Thank you to the author for the eARC. I was not required to leave a positive review. These are my honest thoughts.

Romantic Content: Kisses and mild innuendo

[Emilee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can’t resist a good fake engagement love story! This one has a fun cruise setting. Alexis is bitter and struggles to let others in. Dax is the sunshine and lovable one. They have good chemistry. There is a good lead into the next book in the series, Kennedy’s story.
I received an advanced complimentary copy from the author. All opinions are my own and I was not required to provide a positive review.

[Allie B • Literally Booked Solid · Rating 4 out of 5]

This fake dating, workplace enemies to lovers romance with only one bed set on a tropical cruise has some hilarious moments, including a kiwi allergic reaction. In order for Dax to get a new job, he takes his workplace enemy, Alexis, on a trip as his fake fiance. The forced proximity creates an amazing "will they, won't they" give and go dynamic that's brimming with sexual tension.

Alexis is a fun heroine, with her super nerdy side and love of all things Marvel. Not believing in true love, her ultimate goal is to get Dax out of the company so she can have his clients and move up in the company. But what she doesn't count on is falling in love with him. Dax surprises her at every turn. He's nothing like the person she's conjured up in her mind. I loved how he made it his mission to help show Alexis her worth. It's important to note that there is a heavier addiction subplot in the book, which happens off page, but it dealt with beautifully.

[Lindsay Rankin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great romcom series, with a wonderful friend group, and I was so excited to read about Alexis and Dax! I’ve been looking forward to their story ever since hints were dropped in previous books that Alexis would have an enemies to more romance.

Enemies to more is my favorite trope and it’s done so well in this book! The snarky banter, the unwanted (but undeniable) attraction, the slow realization that there is more to the other person are all present, and all of those kept me glued to the story.

This book made me laugh, swoon, tear up a bit, and think about unexpected blessings. I loved the deeper aspects to this book and it was great to learn more about Alexis and her past. Out of all of her friends, Alexis is the one who was the most closed off and guarded, and the reasons for that were respectfully and touchingly written about. I absolutely loved reading this book, and I can’t wait for more books by Kristin Canary!

5/5 stars!

I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Kaele’s Krazy Book Obsession · Rating 4 out of 5]

"You're the right kind of game, Alexis. You're high-stakes poker-hard to win, but with a potentially life-changing reward."


This is the fifth in a series of books that can be read as standalones but it follows a group of friends and they all get their own stories. So if you’re planning on reading more than one I’d totally suggest starting bc at the beginning so you get to know all of the main characters.


I loved Alexis and Dax’s story!! We’ve seen hints of them throughout the series. Alexis has been talking about how much she hates her co-worker for the last four books and we all knew how that was going to go.😂

The enemies to lovers trope is one of my favorites so this was a blast!

Tropes and things I enjoyed:

Hilarious banter!!
Competing co-workers
Forced proximity
One bed
Cruise setting
Fake engagement
Closed door
Great friend group
Kiwis 🥝😂
Sister relationship
Avengers references
The waterpark scene!!
Funny nicknames
Alexis’ grand gesture


This was a lighthearted and fun read but the characters had depth. They both had their own past issues they were working through, but they helped each other through it.
I love that Dax totally riles Alexis up to get a ride out of her in the first half. Their banter was so fun! Fake dating/engagement in a book with the enemies trope is always so fun! Them pretending to like and say nice things about each other is so funny to watch.
Alexis is the character that throughout the entire series I wanted to know more about her. She’s the sarcastic, man hating, action movie loving friend who doesn’t trust people easily. And I really wanted to be in her head to know why. This was honestly probably my favorite book in the series, (Belonging With Your Best Friend is really close though) seeing why Alexis has a hard time opening up to and trusting others made everything make sense. Her book really made me love her character. The way she loves and protects her friends and her sister. How she defends Dax. How she goes after what she wants and doesn’t give up.
And Dax! He was amazing. Their get to know each other games. The movie nights! He pushed Alexis forward when she needed it and stood by her side to support her. The room service scene! They were so good together.

This series has one of my favorite friend groups. They all support each other and are present in the others stories. And all the guys become friends and expand the group. It’s so fun.
I’m very excited for Kennedy’s book with their neighbor next!!


I received a free review copy of this book from the author. I was not required to leave a positive review. All opinions are my own.

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the opportunity to read this as an ARC - so a very special thank you to Kristin.

This was such a sweet love story. For my spice lovers, if you can get away with no spice, you’ll adore this one like I did. The tropes we see are: enemies to lovers, one bed, and fake engagement. Like truly? Does it get any better with these tropes??? This one is written in first person through Alexis’ point of view.


The story? Alexis and Dax are both graphic designers at the same company - a company that Dax’s uncle owns, and he just so happens to always get the best and biggest clients. She’s a huge Marvel fan and the Marvel references had me laughing so hard. Like even the first sentence of the book had me laughing. It was written very well and I just found myself wanting to hug everyone.

Alexis’ roommates are moving out the next year because they’re all moving to the next step of their lives, whether it’s getting married or having babies. She has some deeply rooted daddy issues and extreme trust issues when it comes to the male population. Then there’s Dax, the guy who had to step up and be the “man of the house” at a very young age.

Dax has a job interview with a very family-focused company. He’s no longer engaged but in his initial interview he had been. Now the company wants to take him and his fiancé to a dinner to discuss. Next thing you know? They end up on a week long cruise so that they can make their final choice. Alexis agrees to go with because a.) she gets rid of Dax and b.) he’ll give her all of his clients to help her financially get ahead.

PS. These can be read as a standalone. This is technically number 5 in her series, but you’ll be okay to read it if you haven’t read the others. Each story revolves around a different couple. So if you end up liking this one, you can go back and read the others to understand her friends’ romance journeys.

[Manee Contreras · Rating 5 out of 5]

Romance level: kissing 🔥.

I loved this book! To me, Kristin is one of the amazing authors that can do wonderful with a single pov.

Dax was charming & flirty. Alexis was smart & honest. Their interactions were so good! You could see the initial apprehension, but then, they start to enjoy each other's company.

⚠️TW: family member dealing/recovering from addiction. Healing from family trauma. Family member cheating.

I laughed so hard with the kiss of 💀😂 . I loved how she took care of him. When the role was reversed, my heart was a goner. Dax is just the sweetest ever.

Loved the "my favorite things" game! His answers were so cute😭. He is a cinnamon roll who loves to irk Alexis.

The chemistry was everything🔥. WATER KISSES ARE ANOTHER LEVEL! His explanation of why he calls her Rainbow Brite's precious 🥺💙.

Alexis hadn't dealt with everything that happened & that led her to act out of fear. Due to this, when the plot hits, her response is pure survival instinct.

Poor Dax though, he was hurting too. But I was so happy when they talked. I love her grand gesture! I love her words, how she fought and all the effort to win him.
One thing I loved was their honesty. It gave space to build the relationship at its own pace.

The epilogue was everything! I'm so excited for Kennedy's story! Please do yourself a favor & download the extra epilogue! What a treat! I loved it.

Favorite scenes:
🚢 The cruise
💃Club (dancefloor)🔥
🏄‍♀️ Water park 🔥
🎯 Truth/dare
😂Nicknames
🕴️Dax's stipulations 😍

🍁
* I was kindly gifted an ARC from the author. This doesn't influence in any form my review/opinion of the book*

[Leslie Books and Socks Rock · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a fun RomCom book with all the feels! This is my first book by Kristin Canary and it won’t be my last! I stayed up late last night to finish it - when you have enemies to lovers, fake dating and a one bed trope all going on at the same time - you know there will be a fun ride ahead of awareness and chemistry 😍
🌈
Alexis is a strong independent woman because her life has taught her that, she changes the color of her hair as much as she pleases. Because she answers to no one. All of her BFFs are moving on in their lives and she’s about to live in an empty house but it’s easier that way than to let others in. I love how much Alexis loved Marvel movies, that was fun to read multiple references. And one I didn’t even know! (I had to ask my nerdy husband about it 😂).
🌈
Enter Dax. The annoyingly good looking coworker who gets all the best clients. Hello nepotism! But at the heeding of her boss, she’d rather act like they’re working together than get fired.
🌈
This is a clean, swoony slow burn romance and while I doubt the reality of the cruise and taking prospective employees on one (I’m not not living posh enough) it didn’t take away any of its charm or fun!
🌈
This book released last month and thank you to the author for the e-arc copy. These are my own thoughts and opinions.

[Vibliophile · Rating 5 out of 5]

(4.5 stars) - her own best enemy

It's not completely unjustified, but Alexis has a major chip on her shoulder toward the world in general & men in particular.

She hates Dax because he's a schmoozer. Rather than acknowledging her own abrasiveness, she attributes his success to what she sees as his fakeness - along with being the boss's nephew.

When Dax presents her with an opportunity to help him find a job elsewhere, it's enough to tempt her to pretend to be his fiancee.

The story is entertaining & resists most of the trite turns you're likely to expect from this trope. The one conflict at the end that is stereotypical is well supported by the plot & therefore believable.

Definitely one of my favorites in this series - and even managed to get me interested in Kennedy's upcoming story

*Romance level: passionate kisses, nothing graphic

[Krystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I nearly gag on the words coming from my mouth, because saying nice things about Dax is at the top of the list of things I never plan to do- right there alongside going to prison and forgiving Corbin for cheating on me."
From the moment I started this book, I was hooked. I savored every time I got to read it, and enjoyed every minute of it. I am such a fan of the enemies to loves story, and this author nailed it with this one! I loved Alexis- her loyalty, strength, fear, and her sassiness! I thought the way her character grew and the depth we got to see into her story, was so well done. The banter between Alexis and Dax was delightful! Dax was such a good hero to Alexis' story- I loved his honesty, and the way he was looking to create his own space while also being the one everyone could count on. This was such a great story, and I loved it so much!
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

[Chloe · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25⭐️

This was what it needed to be! I was looking forward to this and it didn’t disappoint! Alexis’ holding power is stronger than mine because I would have given in to Dax from the get go.

I appreciate the way Alexis’ past tied into the person she became but also overcoming that block as well and how similar both her and Dax actually are. Dax, my man, what an absolute charmer. A flirt from the beginning, I was WAITING for the two of them to get together. It’s definitely a slow burn but oh is it worth the wait.

Forced proximity, enemies to lovers with the MMC as the biggest tease? Say LESS!

Content: kissing only

[Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enemies to lovers is one of my favorite tropes, and this book did not disappoint! The banter, tension, and chemistry were on point. Their nicknames for eachother had me laughing out loud! On a more serious note, both Alexis and Dax have emotional backstories pertaining to certain family members. We see how it affects them as adults and how they use those experiences to help eachother. I may or may not have cried!

While this is book #5 in the California Dreamin' series, it can be read as a standalone. I highly recommend adding all of these to your tbr!!

[Katie M · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book reminded me a lot of The Hating Game, so I loved it! An enemies to lovers trope with an office setting! I really enjoyed this one and thought it was so cute. I loved the cruise ship chapters, they were so fun! This series is the perfect happily ever after and I love them. Can’t wait for the next book!

[Jaycee Weaver · Rating 4 out of 5]

well worth the wait

I’m such an enemies to more fan! Dex and Alexis were totally worth the long, arduous wait (kidding! It only felt that way because the series is so great!). Funny, touching, great chemistry, alllll the feels alongside our girl as she worked through her business… loved it!

[eleanor · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was very much a MID romance, the characters were okay, the plot was okay, the settings were okay… there were parts that had me🥺 and i loved alexis’ colourful hair, it gave her character some roundness. it felt very much like a combination of ‘the hating game’ and ‘shipped’ which was enjoyable but just very predictable

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've enjoyed this entire series, and I really liked this book. Alexis felt very relatable, and the end of the book was written really well. The emotions were communicated well. I'm always a fan of enemies to lovers and forced proximity books, and this one fits the book so well.

[kt · Rating 5 out of 5]

binge read in like 5 hrs 😋 IT WAS THAT GOOD