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Sensibility #1
Mind Reader
Clio Ambrosia is a behavioral analyst known as the "human lie-detector". She built her career reading emotions and micro expressions. She didn't expect to lose a major pitch to tech CEO Dillon Whelan, the infuriatingly brilliant man who challenges her at every turn.
When she's hired as a consultant on his team, sparks fly as their rivalry deepens into undeniable attraction. As tensions rise and trust is tested, Clio and Dillon must decide if love can grow in the spaces between control, ambition, and emotional risk.
‘Mind Reader’ is a clean, emotionally rich contemporary romance about falling for the one person who sees through your defenses.
Perfect for fans of Becky Wade, Courtney Walsh, Emma St Clair, and Jenny Proctor.
When she's hired as a consultant on his team, sparks fly as their rivalry deepens into undeniable attraction. As tensions rise and trust is tested, Clio and Dillon must decide if love can grow in the spaces between control, ambition, and emotional risk.
‘Mind Reader’ is a clean, emotionally rich contemporary romance about falling for the one person who sees through your defenses.
Perfect for fans of Becky Wade, Courtney Walsh, Emma St Clair, and Jenny Proctor.
320 pages, ebook
First published October 21, 2025
28 people are currently reading
1183 people want to read
About the author
Mimika Cooney
18 books75 followersMimika Cooney wrote her first story idea on a typewriter at the age of ten. It took her 40 years and 4 career changes to finally come back to her first love of writing.
She writes emotionally rich, closed-door contemporary romances Infused with witty banter, pop culture and travel. Her clean romances offer all the feels, and guaranteed happily ever afters, but won’t make Grandma blush!
Her strong characters with sass have just enough spark, ambition mixed with vulnerability, and faith that meets real-life love, to keep you flipping pages. These aren't fluffy romcoms: they're heartfelt, layered journeys with real stakes, personal growth, earned reveals, and soul-deep kisses.
She believes love and faith go hand in hand, and every good romance deserves a little heartbreak, a lot of healing, and one unforgettable happily ever after.
Mimika is an award-winning writer of 14 books with a global perspective. Born in South Africa and now based in the US, Mimika blends her background in neuroscience, entrepreneurship, photography, design, public speaking, performance coaching, and personal growth into stories that make you feel seen and heard.
She can speak 3 languages: English (well duh), Afrikaans and Greek. Her stories often infuse diverse cultural references, luxury travel destinations and vivid experiences.
A hopeless romantic, Mimika has been married to her childhood sweetheart for 30 years. Together they share 3 children; 2 independent young adults and a witty teenager.
When she is not writing, or planning her next writing research travel trip; she will be found on the ice practicing her spins as an adult figure skater. She also enjoys stabbing people for fun (without getting arrested) as an amateur fencer.
Get on the VIP list for the inside scoop, bonus content and special freebies at mimikacooney.com
She writes emotionally rich, closed-door contemporary romances Infused with witty banter, pop culture and travel. Her clean romances offer all the feels, and guaranteed happily ever afters, but won’t make Grandma blush!
Her strong characters with sass have just enough spark, ambition mixed with vulnerability, and faith that meets real-life love, to keep you flipping pages. These aren't fluffy romcoms: they're heartfelt, layered journeys with real stakes, personal growth, earned reveals, and soul-deep kisses.
She believes love and faith go hand in hand, and every good romance deserves a little heartbreak, a lot of healing, and one unforgettable happily ever after.
Mimika is an award-winning writer of 14 books with a global perspective. Born in South Africa and now based in the US, Mimika blends her background in neuroscience, entrepreneurship, photography, design, public speaking, performance coaching, and personal growth into stories that make you feel seen and heard.
She can speak 3 languages: English (well duh), Afrikaans and Greek. Her stories often infuse diverse cultural references, luxury travel destinations and vivid experiences.
A hopeless romantic, Mimika has been married to her childhood sweetheart for 30 years. Together they share 3 children; 2 independent young adults and a witty teenager.
When she is not writing, or planning her next writing research travel trip; she will be found on the ice practicing her spins as an adult figure skater. She also enjoys stabbing people for fun (without getting arrested) as an amateur fencer.
Get on the VIP list for the inside scoop, bonus content and special freebies at mimikacooney.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
October 21, 2025
4.5 stars
"𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙛 𝙛𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙙𝙤𝙚𝙨𝙣'𝙩 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙣 𝙪𝙣𝙧𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜? 𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙛 𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙖 𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙡𝙚, 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙛𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙙𝙤𝙢? 𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙛 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙙𝙤𝙚𝙨𝙣'𝙩 𝙗𝙚𝙜𝙞𝙣 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙛𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣? 𝙏𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙚𝙣. 𝙏𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙙."
I was pleasantly surprised by this book! I'm not a fan of business tech vibes and tropes, but I still really enjoyed this one. It went way deeper than I expected, and made it so raw and vulnerable.
Clio and Dillon both have a hard past from family and traumas, and it's made them both really tough on the outside and controlling. But they came together against their will and slowly broke walls down.
The faith element wasn't strong throughout it, but it was still always there and really hit me hard at times. Some of the things said were just what I needed to hear.
I really enjoyed the side characters too, so I'm really excited for the next books in the series! I would definitely recommend this one if you enjoy a sweet, slow burn romance. 🩷
✨ A big thank you to @mimikacooney for the gifted copy and this wonderful opportunity to be a part of her journey! 🩷
"𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙛 𝙛𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙙𝙤𝙚𝙨𝙣'𝙩 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙣 𝙪𝙣𝙧𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜? 𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙛 𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙖 𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙡𝙚, 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙛𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙙𝙤𝙢? 𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙛 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙙𝙤𝙚𝙨𝙣'𝙩 𝙗𝙚𝙜𝙞𝙣 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙛𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣? 𝙏𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙚𝙣. 𝙏𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙙."
I was pleasantly surprised by this book! I'm not a fan of business tech vibes and tropes, but I still really enjoyed this one. It went way deeper than I expected, and made it so raw and vulnerable.
Clio and Dillon both have a hard past from family and traumas, and it's made them both really tough on the outside and controlling. But they came together against their will and slowly broke walls down.
The faith element wasn't strong throughout it, but it was still always there and really hit me hard at times. Some of the things said were just what I needed to hear.
I really enjoyed the side characters too, so I'm really excited for the next books in the series! I would definitely recommend this one if you enjoy a sweet, slow burn romance. 🩷
✨ A big thank you to @mimikacooney for the gifted copy and this wonderful opportunity to be a part of her journey! 🩷
October 21, 2025
⭐️3.5
~ARC review~
This was cute!
I liked the story okay, Cilo and Dillon were cute and I enjoyed seeing their character growth. I’m happy they both got their happy ending🫶🏼
But writing was a little hard to get used too, and some words were used too many times…
tropes:
📎enemies to lovers
📎forced proximity
📎workplace romance
📎mutual healing
📎dual pov
📎no spice
CONTENT:
- kisses only (closed door)
- no language
~ARC review~
This was cute!
I liked the story okay, Cilo and Dillon were cute and I enjoyed seeing their character growth. I’m happy they both got their happy ending🫶🏼
But writing was a little hard to get used too, and some words were used too many times…
tropes:
📎enemies to lovers
📎forced proximity
📎workplace romance
📎mutual healing
📎dual pov
📎no spice
CONTENT:
- kisses only (closed door)
- no language
September 6, 2025
This book was such a great read! If you're into enemies to lovers with a forced proximity twist, this one totally delivers. Add in some emotional wounds and deep healing, and you've got a romance that really tugs at your heart.
Both Clio and Dillon have been through things that made them put up walls. Clio uses her talent for reading microexpressions to stay safe in relationships, while Dillon is developing tech that reads people...less risk, more control. But when they’re thrown together for work, the tension is real. They’re complete opposites, and neither wants to open up... but as secrets come out and feelings grow, things get messy (in the best way). When business drama starts to threaten their bond, they’re faced with a choice...trust their minds or follow their hearts.
I flew through this book! First, I was hooked by the witty banter, but then I stayed for the emotional depth and slow burn connection. Watching their friendship grow and walls come down was so satisfying.
There were a few moments where the story stayed in the characters' heads a little too long, repeating thoughts/sayings, but honestly, it didn’t take away from how much I enjoyed it. I think this series has a lot of potential, and I’m excited to see what’s next!
I received a complimentary copy, and this review reflects my honest thoughts.
Both Clio and Dillon have been through things that made them put up walls. Clio uses her talent for reading microexpressions to stay safe in relationships, while Dillon is developing tech that reads people...less risk, more control. But when they’re thrown together for work, the tension is real. They’re complete opposites, and neither wants to open up... but as secrets come out and feelings grow, things get messy (in the best way). When business drama starts to threaten their bond, they’re faced with a choice...trust their minds or follow their hearts.
I flew through this book! First, I was hooked by the witty banter, but then I stayed for the emotional depth and slow burn connection. Watching their friendship grow and walls come down was so satisfying.
There were a few moments where the story stayed in the characters' heads a little too long, repeating thoughts/sayings, but honestly, it didn’t take away from how much I enjoyed it. I think this series has a lot of potential, and I’m excited to see what’s next!
I received a complimentary copy, and this review reflects my honest thoughts.
October 11, 2025
4✨
Perfect rom com for those who love all the sweet couple moments, but are searching for something more in their relationships! 🫶🏼 The characters struggles and their stories will be deeply relatable to many, especially those who struggle in some way to remember how to love. 💗💗💗
I also was so glad that I could just settle in and already know it would be completely clean, but it was even better when faith related topics were brought up and openly talked about. We don’t get nearly enough of that these days! 🫶🏼 All around, it gets a bright four star review for me, and I would read more from this author! ✨☺️
Content and trigger warnings: an unmarried man and woman stay in the same house alone for several days. Nothing occurs though except *mild spoilers* a kiss or two as they fall in love. A girl gets soaked and then knocked unconscious, so a man has to remove her leggings. She has a bikini underneath, and the action is non-sexual, though it felt a little forced to me. 🤷🏼♀️🤭) Remembrance of the death of loved ones.
🌸🫶🏼 IG review: https://www.instagram.com/p/DPrJ9JWjY... 🫶🏼🌸
Perfect rom com for those who love all the sweet couple moments, but are searching for something more in their relationships! 🫶🏼 The characters struggles and their stories will be deeply relatable to many, especially those who struggle in some way to remember how to love. 💗💗💗
I also was so glad that I could just settle in and already know it would be completely clean, but it was even better when faith related topics were brought up and openly talked about. We don’t get nearly enough of that these days! 🫶🏼 All around, it gets a bright four star review for me, and I would read more from this author! ✨☺️
Content and trigger warnings: an unmarried man and woman stay in the same house alone for several days. Nothing occurs though except *mild spoilers* a kiss or two as they fall in love. A girl gets soaked and then knocked unconscious, so a man has to remove her leggings. She has a bikini underneath, and the action is non-sexual, though it felt a little forced to me. 🤷🏼♀️🤭) Remembrance of the death of loved ones.
🌸🫶🏼 IG review: https://www.instagram.com/p/DPrJ9JWjY... 🫶🏼🌸
September 4, 2025
4 stars
(Sensibility Romance series: book 1)
What a great story of emotional growth, with clean (kisses only) romance too!
I was quickly drawn to Clio in this book. Actually, her ability to read micro expressions/body language drew me to the story even before I began to read. It was really interesting to see her skills in action during her scenes.
Dillon is also an interesting character. He compliments and contrasts Clio in so many ways. Even his high-tech business seems to both compliment her personality and spark conflict at the same time. Such a unique mix of instant attraction, opposites attract, and enemies to more.
But here's what I enjoyed most: The story goes beyond surface-level skills and simple romantic connection. It's also a journey into deeper emotions - a search for personal healing.
I'd recommend this to anyone looking for a clean, adult workplace romance with deeper themes.
*Content to note*
Discussions of lost loved ones/grief/past emotional trauma. Mentions of drinks/mocktails at business events. Brief mentions of floriography (abstract meanings of flowers).
**Thank you to the author for providing me with a complimentary e-ARC. All thoughts are my own.**
(Sensibility Romance series: book 1)
What a great story of emotional growth, with clean (kisses only) romance too!
I was quickly drawn to Clio in this book. Actually, her ability to read micro expressions/body language drew me to the story even before I began to read. It was really interesting to see her skills in action during her scenes.
Dillon is also an interesting character. He compliments and contrasts Clio in so many ways. Even his high-tech business seems to both compliment her personality and spark conflict at the same time. Such a unique mix of instant attraction, opposites attract, and enemies to more.
But here's what I enjoyed most: The story goes beyond surface-level skills and simple romantic connection. It's also a journey into deeper emotions - a search for personal healing.
I'd recommend this to anyone looking for a clean, adult workplace romance with deeper themes.
*Content to note*
Discussions of lost loved ones/grief/past emotional trauma. Mentions of drinks/mocktails at business events. Brief mentions of floriography (abstract meanings of flowers).
**Thank you to the author for providing me with a complimentary e-ARC. All thoughts are my own.**
October 11, 2025
I received an advance digital copy of this novel from the author. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.
Mind Reader is a clean, closed-door romance, the first in a seven-book series following a group of friends, sisters and sisters-of-the-heart. This is perhaps the most urban romance I’ve ever read. It’s imbued with the kind of glitzy tone and snappy writing that brought to mind American Psycho. Which I know is a really odd comparison to draw with a closed-door romance, but the comparison still stands. If you’re a fan of that type of snap and edge to your prose, Cooney’s writing is going to work really well for you.
Clio, our main perspective character specializes in reading micro-expressions, which brought to mind the television series Lie to Me. She uses this skill in a business geared toward businesses, helping them to realize and address issues in their companies that they themselves cannot see. Dillon is our male protagonist and the CEO of an innovative startup. The two get off on the wrong foot, but Clio is drafted by Dillon's company to hone their proprietary product: glasses the catch micro-expressions and interpret them. In other words, lie detection you can wear. Which kind of steps on the toes of Clio's business. But tech can never mimic what Clio can do, because it can’t understand and parse emotions. Not truly.
I could see this book playing out, almost like a Hallmark movie in my mind. But I never developed an emotional connection to the characters. While I was rooting for Clio objectively, and I saw her passion on the page, I never felt anything from or for her. She comes across as self-absorbed in the beginning, partially due to the use of her inner thoughts as something of an info-dump regarding her character and formative background. This was a largely subjective issue. I mentioned the urbane nature of the narrative. I’m as rural as the come, and the particular setting of this story is one that baffles me, especially as the plot and characters were so enmeshed in that world. For me personally, a fairy princess fighting a dragon is more relatable than Clio and the life she leads. It's utterly foreign. And because it's so foreign, I found it difficult to follow the crises and the plot they propelled.
My other highly subjective issue had to do with the writing. Cooney’s prose is not a style I encounter often or naturally gravitate toward. It took a few beats for me to adjust to it. I found it a bit self-indulgent. Like the author had a lot of clever one-liners and was looking for a place to house them. The inner monologue and thoughts are so quippy that the substance behind them seems to disappear. They're distracting. Same goes for the dialogue. Everyone is constantly hurling one-liners without saying anything real. Or the real gets buried beneath the quips. It's also first-person present tense, which isn't my favorite. And then there's the trendy lingo, as well as the business and tech jargon. I could have done with less of a peek behind the startup curtain.
Not every book is for every reader. Unfortunately, while there were aspects I enjoyed, Mind Reader was not entirely for me. But I know that a lot of romance fans are going to love this story and the series that it introduces. If you love romances with quippy, snappy dialogue, high-powered main characters, and urbane settings, stories that play like a movie in your mind, then Mind Reader might be exactly the story for you.
Mind Reader is a clean, closed-door romance, the first in a seven-book series following a group of friends, sisters and sisters-of-the-heart. This is perhaps the most urban romance I’ve ever read. It’s imbued with the kind of glitzy tone and snappy writing that brought to mind American Psycho. Which I know is a really odd comparison to draw with a closed-door romance, but the comparison still stands. If you’re a fan of that type of snap and edge to your prose, Cooney’s writing is going to work really well for you.
Clio, our main perspective character specializes in reading micro-expressions, which brought to mind the television series Lie to Me. She uses this skill in a business geared toward businesses, helping them to realize and address issues in their companies that they themselves cannot see. Dillon is our male protagonist and the CEO of an innovative startup. The two get off on the wrong foot, but Clio is drafted by Dillon's company to hone their proprietary product: glasses the catch micro-expressions and interpret them. In other words, lie detection you can wear. Which kind of steps on the toes of Clio's business. But tech can never mimic what Clio can do, because it can’t understand and parse emotions. Not truly.
I could see this book playing out, almost like a Hallmark movie in my mind. But I never developed an emotional connection to the characters. While I was rooting for Clio objectively, and I saw her passion on the page, I never felt anything from or for her. She comes across as self-absorbed in the beginning, partially due to the use of her inner thoughts as something of an info-dump regarding her character and formative background. This was a largely subjective issue. I mentioned the urbane nature of the narrative. I’m as rural as the come, and the particular setting of this story is one that baffles me, especially as the plot and characters were so enmeshed in that world. For me personally, a fairy princess fighting a dragon is more relatable than Clio and the life she leads. It's utterly foreign. And because it's so foreign, I found it difficult to follow the crises and the plot they propelled.
My other highly subjective issue had to do with the writing. Cooney’s prose is not a style I encounter often or naturally gravitate toward. It took a few beats for me to adjust to it. I found it a bit self-indulgent. Like the author had a lot of clever one-liners and was looking for a place to house them. The inner monologue and thoughts are so quippy that the substance behind them seems to disappear. They're distracting. Same goes for the dialogue. Everyone is constantly hurling one-liners without saying anything real. Or the real gets buried beneath the quips. It's also first-person present tense, which isn't my favorite. And then there's the trendy lingo, as well as the business and tech jargon. I could have done with less of a peek behind the startup curtain.
Not every book is for every reader. Unfortunately, while there were aspects I enjoyed, Mind Reader was not entirely for me. But I know that a lot of romance fans are going to love this story and the series that it introduces. If you love romances with quippy, snappy dialogue, high-powered main characters, and urbane settings, stories that play like a movie in your mind, then Mind Reader might be exactly the story for you.
October 31, 2025
Overview:
Language 🤐: Clean
Romance ❤️🔥: Kisses only (not descriptive)
Violence ⚔️: None
⚠️⚠️
Tropes/Micro tropes
- Dual POV
- New York
- Work Place Romance
- Tends her wounds
- Locked in together
- Forced proximity
- Dealing with trauma
- Rivals to lovers
- Unexpected Love
My Thoughts:
I really enjoyed seeing Cilo's and Dillion's growth. They pushed and challenged one another out of their comfort zones. I enjoyed the way that their struggles were portrayed and felt there was some beautiful language that helped portray the struggles and how they were dealing with grief and such. I loved the focus on emotional intelligence.
The boating scene and afterwards were some of my favorites. Their tender moments with each other were also the highlights of the book.
The first chapter totally went over my head if I'm completely honest. There were lots of tech things throughout this book. I also was lost a bit at times feeling a bit like unsure if it went back in the timeline when it switched POVs. I enjoyed the overall message, but definitely had a hard time following at times. Others may not have this struggle.
3.5 ⭐️ Happily round up to 4⭐️
Thanks so much to the Author for the ARC copy, all thoughts and opinions are my own!
Language 🤐: Clean
Romance ❤️🔥: Kisses only (not descriptive)
Violence ⚔️: None
⚠️⚠️
Tropes/Micro tropes
- Dual POV
- New York
- Work Place Romance
- Tends her wounds
- Locked in together
- Forced proximity
- Dealing with trauma
- Rivals to lovers
- Unexpected Love
My Thoughts:
I really enjoyed seeing Cilo's and Dillion's growth. They pushed and challenged one another out of their comfort zones. I enjoyed the way that their struggles were portrayed and felt there was some beautiful language that helped portray the struggles and how they were dealing with grief and such. I loved the focus on emotional intelligence.
The boating scene and afterwards were some of my favorites. Their tender moments with each other were also the highlights of the book.
The first chapter totally went over my head if I'm completely honest. There were lots of tech things throughout this book. I also was lost a bit at times feeling a bit like unsure if it went back in the timeline when it switched POVs. I enjoyed the overall message, but definitely had a hard time following at times. Others may not have this struggle.
3.5 ⭐️ Happily round up to 4⭐️
Thanks so much to the Author for the ARC copy, all thoughts and opinions are my own!
October 24, 2025
This is a refreshingly intelligent, multi-layered romance that proves love stories don’t need spice to be interesting. Clio Ambrosia is basically the human lie detector. She’s sharp, confident, and makes a living reading people for New York’s most powerful players. But when she meets Dillon Whelan—a brilliant, guarded tech CEO who seems impossible to figure out—her gift suddenly stops working. Cue the banter, tension, and all that comes when two strong personalities start to fall for each other.
It took me a little while to get into the story but once I got past the "Pitchathon" (which was totally new to me!), the story started to click. Clio's reading micro-expressions reminded me of the TV show Bull, which I really liked. What I loved most is how real it felt. The back-and-forth between Clio and Dillon is flirty, but it’s also layered with vulnerability. Seeing their relationship unfold was like watching a dance, and when they lowered their defenses was so satisfying. I really liked the Sensibility Sisters group chat—it makes me want to learn more about Clio's friends.
"I once thought love was something to earn, like a pitch to perfect. Maybe love—real love—begins when the armor drops. When you stop performing. When you stand, imperfect and uncovered, and say This is me. Still messy. still worthy. And love proves itself and stays anyway."
If you like your romances clean but full of tension, banter, and genuine emotion, put this one in your TBR.
It took me a little while to get into the story but once I got past the "Pitchathon" (which was totally new to me!), the story started to click. Clio's reading micro-expressions reminded me of the TV show Bull, which I really liked. What I loved most is how real it felt. The back-and-forth between Clio and Dillon is flirty, but it’s also layered with vulnerability. Seeing their relationship unfold was like watching a dance, and when they lowered their defenses was so satisfying. I really liked the Sensibility Sisters group chat—it makes me want to learn more about Clio's friends.
"I once thought love was something to earn, like a pitch to perfect. Maybe love—real love—begins when the armor drops. When you stop performing. When you stand, imperfect and uncovered, and say This is me. Still messy. still worthy. And love proves itself and stays anyway."
If you like your romances clean but full of tension, banter, and genuine emotion, put this one in your TBR.
October 19, 2025
Mind Reader by Mimika Cooney is an intriguing high-stakes corporate romance dealing with emotional intelligence in the business sector.
Clio’s spent years finely honing her instincts, down to the smallest twitch of the lip or tightening of the jaw. She works as a consultant for corporations and acts as a “human lie detector.” She’s seemingly unstoppable. However, when she interacts with tech CEO Dillon Whelan, she falters, unable to read him like she normally can. When he hires her on as a consultant for his tech company, she’s forced to continue interacting with him, challenging her instincts and opening herself up to the feelings she’s slowly developing towards him.
Mind Reader is a heartfelt romance dealing with healing and character growth. I really enjoyed the corporate backdrop and psychological nature of this story. It was a different pace and vibe than the romcoms I’ve been reading, but I was here for it! I loved watching Clio and Dillon pull back their layers and slowly let the other in. Cooney crafted both of them with depth and difficult backstories that shaped their characters. I also enjoyed Dillon’s protective nature and Clio’s strength. The romance was sweet and swoony, too, and I loved the ending!
Mind Reader releases on October 21st on Amazon, so make sure to preorder your copy today!
Intimacy: Kisses Only
Language: None
Content Considerations: Grief, Death of a loved one (past), Complicated family dynamics
Clio’s spent years finely honing her instincts, down to the smallest twitch of the lip or tightening of the jaw. She works as a consultant for corporations and acts as a “human lie detector.” She’s seemingly unstoppable. However, when she interacts with tech CEO Dillon Whelan, she falters, unable to read him like she normally can. When he hires her on as a consultant for his tech company, she’s forced to continue interacting with him, challenging her instincts and opening herself up to the feelings she’s slowly developing towards him.
Mind Reader is a heartfelt romance dealing with healing and character growth. I really enjoyed the corporate backdrop and psychological nature of this story. It was a different pace and vibe than the romcoms I’ve been reading, but I was here for it! I loved watching Clio and Dillon pull back their layers and slowly let the other in. Cooney crafted both of them with depth and difficult backstories that shaped their characters. I also enjoyed Dillon’s protective nature and Clio’s strength. The romance was sweet and swoony, too, and I loved the ending!
Mind Reader releases on October 21st on Amazon, so make sure to preorder your copy today!
Intimacy: Kisses Only
Language: None
Content Considerations: Grief, Death of a loved one (past), Complicated family dynamics
October 21, 2025
Mind Reader is an easily bingeable book! The interactions between Clio and Dillon are fun to read. It felt like a nice balance between silly and meaningful interactions. I enjoyed each second of it.
Clio confused me sometimes, but I was rooting for her the whole time. It is one of those books where you simultaneously swoon and want to pull your hair out. There was no love triangle though! Huge bonus.
One thing I’m not a huge fan of is the use of slang and text message strings. I will admit that it fits this story; it is just a personal dislike for me in general.
I recommend this book to anyone who wants more emotional depth in your contemporary romance reads.
Clio confused me sometimes, but I was rooting for her the whole time. It is one of those books where you simultaneously swoon and want to pull your hair out. There was no love triangle though! Huge bonus.
One thing I’m not a huge fan of is the use of slang and text message strings. I will admit that it fits this story; it is just a personal dislike for me in general.
I recommend this book to anyone who wants more emotional depth in your contemporary romance reads.
October 19, 2025
The Brief: Clio is a behavioral analyst who gets hired by Dillon to consult on a secret project. The sparks that ignite are hard to keep secret, even behind their carefully placed walls.
The Debrief: This is a new to me author and start of a series. It’s a work place romance with flawed characters that I wanted to see truly happy. It’s not really the light read I expected, but more character driven and emotionally charged. Both Clio and Dillon are successful professionally, but personally don’t take risks. This made for lots of tension and fun friends to help balance the heavy. Loved the ending!
The Rhyme: Can Clio detect what’s under the surface of her own heart?Will Dillon lose a chance at love before it barely starts?
Loved the author’s personal notes!
The Debrief: This is a new to me author and start of a series. It’s a work place romance with flawed characters that I wanted to see truly happy. It’s not really the light read I expected, but more character driven and emotionally charged. Both Clio and Dillon are successful professionally, but personally don’t take risks. This made for lots of tension and fun friends to help balance the heavy. Loved the ending!
The Rhyme: Can Clio detect what’s under the surface of her own heart?Will Dillon lose a chance at love before it barely starts?
Loved the author’s personal notes!
October 15, 2025
Mind Reader is from a new to me author Mimika Cooney. This is book one on what is going to be a seven book series following the group of friends (sisters and sisters of the heart) we meet in this first book. Which I thought very neat as sometimes series don't follow people so it was nice to meet these characters that we will see in future stories.
The main characters in this story Clio and Dillon, are quite unique respectively and at times can also get a bit annoying. They take themselves a bit too seriously at times and I felt like they were always analyzing each other that it took away some of the good emotions you get for characters so it was hard for me to fall in love with the idea of them. They did experience growth in the story which is great I just didn't feel super passionate about them at the end of the story. I was just okay with them.
I will also mention that it took me a while to get into this story. It felt a bit slow at times and honestly it may have nothing to do with the author but rather me, the reader. I am definitely not used to the type of writing Mimika has. There ware lots of inner monologue moments, one liners and the real meat of the story sometimes gets buried in all the cutesy quips. But that is just not my cup of tea and it will definitely be some readers out there that find this type of writing amazing.
Overall I thought the book was cute. There were some swoony moments that made you sigh and the friendships in the book were my favorite parts.
I received a copy of this book for review. All views expressed are my own.
The main characters in this story Clio and Dillon, are quite unique respectively and at times can also get a bit annoying. They take themselves a bit too seriously at times and I felt like they were always analyzing each other that it took away some of the good emotions you get for characters so it was hard for me to fall in love with the idea of them. They did experience growth in the story which is great I just didn't feel super passionate about them at the end of the story. I was just okay with them.
I will also mention that it took me a while to get into this story. It felt a bit slow at times and honestly it may have nothing to do with the author but rather me, the reader. I am definitely not used to the type of writing Mimika has. There ware lots of inner monologue moments, one liners and the real meat of the story sometimes gets buried in all the cutesy quips. But that is just not my cup of tea and it will definitely be some readers out there that find this type of writing amazing.
Overall I thought the book was cute. There were some swoony moments that made you sigh and the friendships in the book were my favorite parts.
I received a copy of this book for review. All views expressed are my own.
October 16, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5)
Release date: October 21st, 2025
Mind Reader is a heartfelt, clean romance with depth, character growth, and lasting messages. I loved Clio and Dillon together — their chemistry felt genuine, and their journey toward trust and healing was beautifully written.
I didn’t always feel fully connected to them individually, and a few moments felt a bit repetitive to me as a reader, but the overall story and emotional themes really stood out. Both characters are strong, complex, and easy to root for.
Tropes: enemies to lovers · office romance · opposites attract · emotional walls · workplace tension · redemption through love
Book one in the Sensibility Series — I’m excited for what’s next!
📖 Full review on my website: https://www.bellaheartwoodauthor.com/...
I received an ARC as part of the author’s review team, and this is my honest opinion.
Mind Reader is a heartfelt, clean romance with depth, character growth, and lasting messages. I loved Clio and Dillon together — their chemistry felt genuine, and their journey toward trust and healing was beautifully written.
I didn’t always feel fully connected to them individually, and a few moments felt a bit repetitive to me as a reader, but the overall story and emotional themes really stood out. Both characters are strong, complex, and easy to root for.
Tropes: enemies to lovers · office romance · opposites attract · emotional walls · workplace tension · redemption through love
Book one in the Sensibility Series — I’m excited for what’s next!
📖 Full review on my website: https://www.bellaheartwoodauthor.com/...
I received an ARC as part of the author’s review team, and this is my honest opinion.
October 19, 2025
ARC Review
I definitely loved Clio’s ability to read micro expressions/ body language — that was something I’ve never seen done before, and it added a certain level of depth and complexity to the story. However, some of the “business talk” did feel a little daunting at times and went over my head. Unfortunately, it took me a while to get into the story because of this. But I did really appreciate Clio’s friend group, The Sensibility Sisters, which helped add some comedic relief from some of the heavier topics discussed in the story, while also introducing key characters that will be in the rest of the series!
Although this is a love story, both of these characters have past traumas that they must heal from in order to allow love in. This is one of the areas that I felt like Mind Reader excelled at the most. If you’re someone who has felt that they must maintain emotional walls/ guards up or have a harder exterior to navigate life — this one is for you. This story is ultimately one of forgiveness and surrender to the vulnerabilities of love. There were many tender moments between Clio & Dillion that started to chip away at those outer walls that had me smiling — like the baking scene with Yiayia’s cookies and some of the intimate moments in the cabin.
This story is also one of emotional depth, with characters that didn’t feel one-dimensional, and instead had layers and flaws that felt real and honest. Although I would get irritated at times at their lack of communication and hardheadedness, it made sense with the rawness of the human expression. People take one step forward and two steps back sometimes, but it’s their ability to keep moving forward that’s important. And I felt like this story certainly highlighted the struggles and fears that surface when deciding to let love in, while also presenting the joys and blessings that far outweigh any negatives. And it was sweet to see their journey together, confiding in one another, and taking those steps toward healing a wounded heart.
3.75 rounded to 4 ⭐️
Kisses only
No language
I definitely loved Clio’s ability to read micro expressions/ body language — that was something I’ve never seen done before, and it added a certain level of depth and complexity to the story. However, some of the “business talk” did feel a little daunting at times and went over my head. Unfortunately, it took me a while to get into the story because of this. But I did really appreciate Clio’s friend group, The Sensibility Sisters, which helped add some comedic relief from some of the heavier topics discussed in the story, while also introducing key characters that will be in the rest of the series!
Although this is a love story, both of these characters have past traumas that they must heal from in order to allow love in. This is one of the areas that I felt like Mind Reader excelled at the most. If you’re someone who has felt that they must maintain emotional walls/ guards up or have a harder exterior to navigate life — this one is for you. This story is ultimately one of forgiveness and surrender to the vulnerabilities of love. There were many tender moments between Clio & Dillion that started to chip away at those outer walls that had me smiling — like the baking scene with Yiayia’s cookies and some of the intimate moments in the cabin.
This story is also one of emotional depth, with characters that didn’t feel one-dimensional, and instead had layers and flaws that felt real and honest. Although I would get irritated at times at their lack of communication and hardheadedness, it made sense with the rawness of the human expression. People take one step forward and two steps back sometimes, but it’s their ability to keep moving forward that’s important. And I felt like this story certainly highlighted the struggles and fears that surface when deciding to let love in, while also presenting the joys and blessings that far outweigh any negatives. And it was sweet to see their journey together, confiding in one another, and taking those steps toward healing a wounded heart.
3.75 rounded to 4 ⭐️
Kisses only
No language
September 29, 2025
Favorite Quotes -
I exhale shakily, my heart hammering in my chest.
“You would walk away from everything?" I whisper. Dillon's lips twitch into a small, soft smile.
"For you? In a heartbeat.”
"I don't have flowers. I don't have a speech. Just a feeling I can't shake, and the woman who finally made me want to stop running. I've realized that sometimes love doesn't wait for perfect. It books the next flight, walks through customs half-dead with jet lag, and shows up anyway. Not with answers. But with presence."
This was an interesting read. Mind Reader is definitely different from other romance books I've read-both in the way the characters are written and how the relationship unfolds. The constant profiling and behavioral analysis gave it a unique, almost spy-like feel that kept me intrigued and made things feel more high-stakes than your typical love story. I really appreciated the message that emotions aren't predictable, but they're so worth it-something that resonated deeply throughout the book.
And I'll admit, some of the romance lines were so swoon-worthy-I'm a sucker for those! However, I did find myself frustrated at times. The two main characters constantly bring up their pasts as reasons why they can't be loved or open up, and after a while, it started to feel repetitive.
It was like every chapter had them denying their feelings, which made the romance feel more like a game of emotional tag than a natural progression. That back-and-forth dragged a bit for me. That said, the plot twists were a definite highlight and kept me turning the pages. All in all, it's a fresh, emotionally layered romance with some standout moments-but the pacing and emotional tug-of-war held it back from being a top favorite.
I exhale shakily, my heart hammering in my chest.
“You would walk away from everything?" I whisper. Dillon's lips twitch into a small, soft smile.
"For you? In a heartbeat.”
"I don't have flowers. I don't have a speech. Just a feeling I can't shake, and the woman who finally made me want to stop running. I've realized that sometimes love doesn't wait for perfect. It books the next flight, walks through customs half-dead with jet lag, and shows up anyway. Not with answers. But with presence."
This was an interesting read. Mind Reader is definitely different from other romance books I've read-both in the way the characters are written and how the relationship unfolds. The constant profiling and behavioral analysis gave it a unique, almost spy-like feel that kept me intrigued and made things feel more high-stakes than your typical love story. I really appreciated the message that emotions aren't predictable, but they're so worth it-something that resonated deeply throughout the book.
And I'll admit, some of the romance lines were so swoon-worthy-I'm a sucker for those! However, I did find myself frustrated at times. The two main characters constantly bring up their pasts as reasons why they can't be loved or open up, and after a while, it started to feel repetitive.
It was like every chapter had them denying their feelings, which made the romance feel more like a game of emotional tag than a natural progression. That back-and-forth dragged a bit for me. That said, the plot twists were a definite highlight and kept me turning the pages. All in all, it's a fresh, emotionally layered romance with some standout moments-but the pacing and emotional tug-of-war held it back from being a top favorite.
October 12, 2025
“I’ve spent my whole life controlling everything, every outcome, every risk. And then I met you. Suddenly, none of it mattered if I didn’t have you. I was an idiot for pushing you away, for thinking I could handle losing you. Because I can’t, Clio. I don’t want to do this life without you.”
This contemporary novel set in the business world has rivals to more, workplace romance, light faith elements, a few twists, and lots of character growth. It was interesting learning about behavioral analysis (micro expressions) and the tech world.
Clio is intelligent, intuitive, and sunny yet guarded. I enjoyed seeing how her training as a behavioral analyst made her a “human lie detector”. I enjoyed her group chats with her “sensibility sisters”. Clio faces her past and the reasons behind her walls. I loved seeing her choose love over fear. Dillon is brilliant, brooding, and emotionally closed off. I enjoyed his chats with Noah. I loved seeing Dillon soften, he was protective, tender, and caring with Clio. He battles his past and finds closure. Clio and Dillon have very different ways of viewing emotions, and that brought about some interesting discussions. I enjoyed their banter and I loved seeing their friendship grow and their walls crumble.
This book was provided by the author. I was not required to give a positive review, rating and opinions are my own.
This contemporary novel set in the business world has rivals to more, workplace romance, light faith elements, a few twists, and lots of character growth. It was interesting learning about behavioral analysis (micro expressions) and the tech world.
Clio is intelligent, intuitive, and sunny yet guarded. I enjoyed seeing how her training as a behavioral analyst made her a “human lie detector”. I enjoyed her group chats with her “sensibility sisters”. Clio faces her past and the reasons behind her walls. I loved seeing her choose love over fear. Dillon is brilliant, brooding, and emotionally closed off. I enjoyed his chats with Noah. I loved seeing Dillon soften, he was protective, tender, and caring with Clio. He battles his past and finds closure. Clio and Dillon have very different ways of viewing emotions, and that brought about some interesting discussions. I enjoyed their banter and I loved seeing their friendship grow and their walls crumble.
This book was provided by the author. I was not required to give a positive review, rating and opinions are my own.
October 21, 2025
Mind Reader by Mimika Cooney
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½
This is a workplace romance with a twist—Clio Ambrosia, known as the “human lie-detector,” can read emotions and micro-expressions, and when she’s thrust into helping tech mogul Dillon Whelan, she meets more than she bargained for. Their clash of minds, ambition and hearts is so satisfying.
What I Loved:
❤️ The slow-burn tension between Clio and Dillon is smart and well-earned. Her ability to “see” through people meets his carefully built fortress of data and control.
❤️ The setting of Manhattan’s high-stakes tech world blended with moments in historic England
❤️ The characters aren’t just fighting for love—they’re also confronting their own defenses, trust issues, ambition, and vulnerability- creating a story with a lot of emotional depth.
❤️ Clean, closed-door romance: All the feels and connection, without explicit content. So it’s perfect if you prefer a gentler, yet impactful love story. That first kiss... get ready!
Fans of clean contemporary romance with depth and emotional stake who love “enemies to lovers” with workplace tension and a strong female lead, and are up for a love story where the characters grow and heal together, this is a must for your TBR.
I received a copy from the author for consideration. All thoughts contained here are my own.
#Bookstagram #MindReader #MimikaCooney #RomanceReads #CleanRomance #WorkplaceRomance #EnemiesToLovers #BookLovers #RomanceBookReview #BookRecommendation #MustReadRomance
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½
This is a workplace romance with a twist—Clio Ambrosia, known as the “human lie-detector,” can read emotions and micro-expressions, and when she’s thrust into helping tech mogul Dillon Whelan, she meets more than she bargained for. Their clash of minds, ambition and hearts is so satisfying.
What I Loved:
❤️ The slow-burn tension between Clio and Dillon is smart and well-earned. Her ability to “see” through people meets his carefully built fortress of data and control.
❤️ The setting of Manhattan’s high-stakes tech world blended with moments in historic England
❤️ The characters aren’t just fighting for love—they’re also confronting their own defenses, trust issues, ambition, and vulnerability- creating a story with a lot of emotional depth.
❤️ Clean, closed-door romance: All the feels and connection, without explicit content. So it’s perfect if you prefer a gentler, yet impactful love story. That first kiss... get ready!
Fans of clean contemporary romance with depth and emotional stake who love “enemies to lovers” with workplace tension and a strong female lead, and are up for a love story where the characters grow and heal together, this is a must for your TBR.
I received a copy from the author for consideration. All thoughts contained here are my own.
#Bookstagram #MindReader #MimikaCooney #RomanceReads #CleanRomance #WorkplaceRomance #EnemiesToLovers #BookLovers #RomanceBookReview #BookRecommendation #MustReadRomance
October 24, 2025
Mission Briefing: Romance Edition 🕵️♀️💘
Agent, if you’re a fan of enemies-to-lovers with a forced proximity twist, consider this your next top-secret assignment. This book is a total classified success — equal parts intel, intrigue, and emotional infiltration.
Our operatives, Clio and Dillon, are pros at keeping their walls up. Clio’s skill in reading microexpressions makes her a human lie detector, while Dillon’s developing tech that does the same — no heartstrings attached. But when these two end up working undercover together, all their defenses start crumbling. The chemistry? Explosive. The emotional intel? Sensitive and highly classified.
As the mission heats up, secrets are exposed, and their hearts get compromised. Will they stick to the plan — or go rogue for love?
I surveilled this book from cover to cover in record time. The witty banter pulled me in like a laser-guided lock, but it was the emotional depth and slow-burn connection that made me stay on the mission. Watching these two agents lower their defenses was the real victory.
Sure, there were a few moments where the inner monologues went a bit long — like intel reports that could’ve been redacted — but overall, this story hits its mark. I’m officially recruited for the rest of this series and can’t wait for the next operation.
Mission accomplished.
📚💣
(I received a complimentary copy, and this debrief reflects my honest intel.)
Agent, if you’re a fan of enemies-to-lovers with a forced proximity twist, consider this your next top-secret assignment. This book is a total classified success — equal parts intel, intrigue, and emotional infiltration.
Our operatives, Clio and Dillon, are pros at keeping their walls up. Clio’s skill in reading microexpressions makes her a human lie detector, while Dillon’s developing tech that does the same — no heartstrings attached. But when these two end up working undercover together, all their defenses start crumbling. The chemistry? Explosive. The emotional intel? Sensitive and highly classified.
As the mission heats up, secrets are exposed, and their hearts get compromised. Will they stick to the plan — or go rogue for love?
I surveilled this book from cover to cover in record time. The witty banter pulled me in like a laser-guided lock, but it was the emotional depth and slow-burn connection that made me stay on the mission. Watching these two agents lower their defenses was the real victory.
Sure, there were a few moments where the inner monologues went a bit long — like intel reports that could’ve been redacted — but overall, this story hits its mark. I’m officially recruited for the rest of this series and can’t wait for the next operation.
Mission accomplished.
📚💣
(I received a complimentary copy, and this debrief reflects my honest intel.)
October 25, 2025
"...Strength doesn't mean never needing anyone. Sometimes, it means letting someone in."
Clio is a total girl boss who built her success on her ability to read body language and micro expressions. Dillon is the no-nonsense CEO of a startup company aiming to read people through tech. Clio and Dillon both struggle with similar issues of trust and control, though they contrast in their approaches to handling their struggles.
I enjoyed watching the characters' walls slowly come down as the tension, professionalism, and show of strength gradually turned into a sweet romance where they could finally feel the freedom to show their weaknesses around each other. This story is a romance, but it also explores deeper themes of connection, trust, ethics, grief, and healing.
There were a few small moments that pulled me out of the narrative a bit, but I think these can be easily overlooked while vibing with the story. This is the start of a multi-book no-spice romance series with a lot of potential. I look forward to seeing how the other girls in the friend group find their own love stories!
Read it for:
🩵 Girl Boss x Guy Boss
👓 Workplace Romance
🩵 Forced Proximity
👓 He Can Bake
🩵 He Takes Care of Her
👓 Overcoming Insecurities Together
Content:
💕: kisses
⚠️: difficult family history, past loss of loved ones, injury and passing out
Clio is a total girl boss who built her success on her ability to read body language and micro expressions. Dillon is the no-nonsense CEO of a startup company aiming to read people through tech. Clio and Dillon both struggle with similar issues of trust and control, though they contrast in their approaches to handling their struggles.
I enjoyed watching the characters' walls slowly come down as the tension, professionalism, and show of strength gradually turned into a sweet romance where they could finally feel the freedom to show their weaknesses around each other. This story is a romance, but it also explores deeper themes of connection, trust, ethics, grief, and healing.
There were a few small moments that pulled me out of the narrative a bit, but I think these can be easily overlooked while vibing with the story. This is the start of a multi-book no-spice romance series with a lot of potential. I look forward to seeing how the other girls in the friend group find their own love stories!
Read it for:
🩵 Girl Boss x Guy Boss
👓 Workplace Romance
🩵 Forced Proximity
👓 He Can Bake
🩵 He Takes Care of Her
👓 Overcoming Insecurities Together
Content:
💕: kisses
⚠️: difficult family history, past loss of loved ones, injury and passing out
September 30, 2025
I loved how unique this book was. It felt like a romcom but also dealt with some heavier emotions and I loved that combo. The way both characters had a healing arc was perfectly done and I loved it.
Clio was such a fun and interesting lead, she was confident but guarded, funny but could be all business as well. I loved how she trusted her gut and wasn’t afraid to stand up for herself. I also loved the way she challenged Dillion to take accountability even when that came with messy emotions.
Dillion was great hero as well, he was a complicated blend of aloof and reserved but with cinnamon roll energy tossed in there to keep Clio on her toes. I loved the way he challenged her to brave and use her emotional intelligence for opening her heart instead of building walls.
There were so many swoon worthy moments between these two and I loved it so much!
If you love:
-workplace romance
-he falls harder
-he takes care of her
-independent feisty heroine
-rivals to lovers
Than make sure you don’t miss great series starter!
Clio was such a fun and interesting lead, she was confident but guarded, funny but could be all business as well. I loved how she trusted her gut and wasn’t afraid to stand up for herself. I also loved the way she challenged Dillion to take accountability even when that came with messy emotions.
Dillion was great hero as well, he was a complicated blend of aloof and reserved but with cinnamon roll energy tossed in there to keep Clio on her toes. I loved the way he challenged her to brave and use her emotional intelligence for opening her heart instead of building walls.
There were so many swoon worthy moments between these two and I loved it so much!
If you love:
-workplace romance
-he falls harder
-he takes care of her
-independent feisty heroine
-rivals to lovers
Than make sure you don’t miss great series starter!
October 22, 2025
“But strength doesn’t mean never needing anyone. Sometimes, it means letting someone in.”
This is a beautiful story of overcoming struggles, looking past faults in others, and learning what true strength means. This book is told in first person, dual POV. I really enjoyed getting both Dillon and Clio’s perspectives and I feel it added the depth needed for this story to come to life.
I was very intrigued by the plot of the story including business and technology with forced proximity and an enemies to lovers vibe. I feel like the author did a great job with the overall pace of the story including the slow burn romance.
This is book one in the series and I am very interested to see what comes next!
Readers that love closed door romance, forced proximity, office romance, enemies to lovers with a slow burn will enjoy this story!
Thank you to the author for my advanced copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
‘I’ve realized that sometimes love doesn’t wait for perfect. It books the next flight, walks through customs half-dead with jet lag, and shows up anyway. Not with answers. But with presence.’
This is a beautiful story of overcoming struggles, looking past faults in others, and learning what true strength means. This book is told in first person, dual POV. I really enjoyed getting both Dillon and Clio’s perspectives and I feel it added the depth needed for this story to come to life.
I was very intrigued by the plot of the story including business and technology with forced proximity and an enemies to lovers vibe. I feel like the author did a great job with the overall pace of the story including the slow burn romance.
This is book one in the series and I am very interested to see what comes next!
Readers that love closed door romance, forced proximity, office romance, enemies to lovers with a slow burn will enjoy this story!
Thank you to the author for my advanced copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
‘I’ve realized that sometimes love doesn’t wait for perfect. It books the next flight, walks through customs half-dead with jet lag, and shows up anyway. Not with answers. But with presence.’
October 2, 2025
I was initially drawn to this book because of the lie detector micros expressions aspect. I've been interested in that for a while and find it fascinating. This is a contemporary romance. Clio is like a human lie detector - she's an expert at reading people's unconscious micro expressions. Dillon is working on creating glasses that will do the same thing. When he hires her to help his company, things start to get personal. Both of our characters live behind thick walls that they use to protect themselves against pain and abandonment. As the stake increase - both professionally and personally - our MCs have to dig deep and figure out if their walls are helping them in life or just keeping them isolated and alone. This was a good read with some interesting aspects. Our characters are both taken on personal journeys throughout this book and I enjoyed seeing the coworkers, friends, and family that were included in this book. I look forward to reading more about them in subsequent books. This was a good read. The romance was just kisses, intimacy level 2.
I received an ARC of this book from the author and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
I received an ARC of this book from the author and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
October 21, 2025
ARC Review – Mind Reader by Mimika Cooney
“She’s the human lie-detector. He’s the man no one can read.”
This slow-burn, clean romance surprised me with how much heart it packed. Clio Ambrosia, a behavioral consultant who can “read” anyone, meets her match in tech-CEO Dillon Whelan — brilliant, brooding, and completely unreadable.
I loved how the story explored trust, healing, and emotional vulnerability without losing the witty tension of workplace rivals-to-lovers. The writing felt cinematic — from New York boardrooms to candlelit scenes in York, England — and the banter had me smiling through every page.
A romance that proves real connection isn’t about reading minds — it’s about opening hearts.
4.5 STARS
Tropes: slow burn · workplace romance · enemies-to-lovers · healing love · faith-touched
Steam level: closed-door / emotional intensity only
Would you fall for someone who sees everything about you… or run the other way?
“She’s the human lie-detector. He’s the man no one can read.”
This slow-burn, clean romance surprised me with how much heart it packed. Clio Ambrosia, a behavioral consultant who can “read” anyone, meets her match in tech-CEO Dillon Whelan — brilliant, brooding, and completely unreadable.
I loved how the story explored trust, healing, and emotional vulnerability without losing the witty tension of workplace rivals-to-lovers. The writing felt cinematic — from New York boardrooms to candlelit scenes in York, England — and the banter had me smiling through every page.
A romance that proves real connection isn’t about reading minds — it’s about opening hearts.
4.5 STARS
Tropes: slow burn · workplace romance · enemies-to-lovers · healing love · faith-touched
Steam level: closed-door / emotional intensity only
Would you fall for someone who sees everything about you… or run the other way?
October 21, 2025
Captivating, heart-deep, and refreshingly real
Mind Reader pulled me in from the very first page. Clio and Dillon’s chemistry is both witty and tender, a perfect mix of banter, emotional depth, and genuine growth. I loved that this wasn’t just a romance about attraction, but about learning to trust again, to heal, and to open your heart even when it feels safer to hide behind walls.
The dialogue sparkles with humor, the friendships feel real and supportive, and the settings (from sleek boardrooms to soft candlelight) create such a cinematic feel. Mimika Cooney has written a clean, closed-door romance that still carries so much emotional intensity and depth proof that “clean” doesn’t mean “bland.”
If you love slow-burn, rivals-to-lovers stories with smart characters, strong themes of healing, and that can’t-stop-smiling kind of love story, this one’s a must-read.
Mind Reader pulled me in from the very first page. Clio and Dillon’s chemistry is both witty and tender, a perfect mix of banter, emotional depth, and genuine growth. I loved that this wasn’t just a romance about attraction, but about learning to trust again, to heal, and to open your heart even when it feels safer to hide behind walls.
The dialogue sparkles with humor, the friendships feel real and supportive, and the settings (from sleek boardrooms to soft candlelight) create such a cinematic feel. Mimika Cooney has written a clean, closed-door romance that still carries so much emotional intensity and depth proof that “clean” doesn’t mean “bland.”
If you love slow-burn, rivals-to-lovers stories with smart characters, strong themes of healing, and that can’t-stop-smiling kind of love story, this one’s a must-read.
October 12, 2025
The premise of Mind Reader is what initially had me picking it up. I love stories that talk about human behavior and profiling. That aspect of the story was really intriguing to me. I also really liked the found family vibes with the girls friend group. While I enjoyed the book and thought it was cute overall, there were some things missing for me. Clio and Dillon are our MCs, and they experienced growth throughout their story. However, they were so work obsessed and took themselves (maybe a little too) seriously. I had a hard time following their conversations sometimes because I’m not a big techie. Overall, I think I enjoyed myself while reading this and do plan to visit the series again when book 2 releases.
October 16, 2025
ARC Review:
This is the first book in what appears to be a series based on a group of friends. It is closed door, kisses only, and there was no swearing. The main trope is enemies to more with a workplace setting. I would label this an Urban Romance as it has a very strong tech / corporate focus.
Overall, this was a relatively enjoyable read. However, it just didn’t connect as well with me as I had hoped. The tech/urban feel was dominant and overshadowed the rest of the story for me. And the writing style just didn't flow smoothly for me.
That said I’ve seen comments from others who love this book so I think it really is a matter of personal preference and it just wasn’t the right book for me at this time.
This is the first book in what appears to be a series based on a group of friends. It is closed door, kisses only, and there was no swearing. The main trope is enemies to more with a workplace setting. I would label this an Urban Romance as it has a very strong tech / corporate focus.
Overall, this was a relatively enjoyable read. However, it just didn’t connect as well with me as I had hoped. The tech/urban feel was dominant and overshadowed the rest of the story for me. And the writing style just didn't flow smoothly for me.
That said I’ve seen comments from others who love this book so I think it really is a matter of personal preference and it just wasn’t the right book for me at this time.
October 21, 2025
This is a wonderfully unique story with so much heart.
Mind Reader is more than just a romance book. Clio, the FMC is smart, driven, does not trust easily and challenges everything. Enter Dillion the cinnamon roll MMC. He in his own way has difficulty letting people in and trusting. When forced to work together, they form a beautiful connection with the slowest burn. There are so many lovely moments they have that drive them to each other's arms. This is book is full of emotional depth that has you reflecting on the connections you make in your own life.
Corporate Setting
Fierce FMC
Cinnamon Roll MMC
Slow Burn
Clean Closed Door.
Forced Proximity
Mind Reader is more than just a romance book. Clio, the FMC is smart, driven, does not trust easily and challenges everything. Enter Dillion the cinnamon roll MMC. He in his own way has difficulty letting people in and trusting. When forced to work together, they form a beautiful connection with the slowest burn. There are so many lovely moments they have that drive them to each other's arms. This is book is full of emotional depth that has you reflecting on the connections you make in your own life.
Corporate Setting
Fierce FMC
Cinnamon Roll MMC
Slow Burn
Clean Closed Door.
Forced Proximity
Read
October 21, 2025 This was an enjoyable read! Perfect for if you love enemies to lovers, workplace romances, slow burn, and forced proximity, all with emotional depth and wit.
❤️Clio is bold, brilliant, and secretly breaking under the pressure of perfection.
💜Dillon is broody, brilliant, and totally not falling for her, except, spoiler alert: he absolutely is.
Other things I loved:
💙 sensibility sisters group chat
💙 the escape room
💙 the ball (inspo for my cross stitch!)
💙 kayak racing
💙 he takes care of her
This one is worth the read!
“My mother used to call it “heart heat.” Just hold them close, she’d say. Love is warmth, and warmth heals.”
I received a copy of this story from the author in exchange for my review. All views are my own.
❤️Clio is bold, brilliant, and secretly breaking under the pressure of perfection.
💜Dillon is broody, brilliant, and totally not falling for her, except, spoiler alert: he absolutely is.
Other things I loved:
💙 sensibility sisters group chat
💙 the escape room
💙 the ball (inspo for my cross stitch!)
💙 kayak racing
💙 he takes care of her
This one is worth the read!
“My mother used to call it “heart heat.” Just hold them close, she’d say. Love is warmth, and warmth heals.”
I received a copy of this story from the author in exchange for my review. All views are my own.
September 1, 2025
This slow burn book has a great ending!!!!
I struggled at the beginning to understand what was happening but a couple chapters in it starts to make sense. I really grew to love Clio and Dillion. Dillion is a mystery and emotionless for a long time. They both need to understand themselves and their emotional barriers before they can understand each other and love one another. It’s a beautiful story that builds on trust.
By chapter 17 I knew there would be a sequel to this but I was not expecting a whole series!!! Definitely will be watching for those release dates 😊
“Maybe love- real love- begins when the armor drops. When you stop performing. When you stand, imperfect and uncovered, and say, This is me. Still messy. Still worthy. And love proves itself and stays anyway.”
I struggled at the beginning to understand what was happening but a couple chapters in it starts to make sense. I really grew to love Clio and Dillion. Dillion is a mystery and emotionless for a long time. They both need to understand themselves and their emotional barriers before they can understand each other and love one another. It’s a beautiful story that builds on trust.
By chapter 17 I knew there would be a sequel to this but I was not expecting a whole series!!! Definitely will be watching for those release dates 😊
“Maybe love- real love- begins when the armor drops. When you stop performing. When you stand, imperfect and uncovered, and say, This is me. Still messy. Still worthy. And love proves itself and stays anyway.”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 21, 2025
Guess what releases today? Mind Reader by Minika Cooney!
📚
She reads minds for a living. He’s the one man she can’t decode.
📚
Mind Reader by Mimika Cooney is the mix of fabulous banter, business drama, and a swoony, clean romance. If you love rivals-to-lovers, you’ll love Clio & Dillon. I really enjoyed reading this book and can’t wait to see what Mimika Cooney does next!
📚
I received this book from the author, all opinions are my own.
#MindReaderBook #CleanRomance #ClosedDoorRomance #SensibilitySeries #RomanceBookstagram #ARCteam
📚
She reads minds for a living. He’s the one man she can’t decode.
📚
Mind Reader by Mimika Cooney is the mix of fabulous banter, business drama, and a swoony, clean romance. If you love rivals-to-lovers, you’ll love Clio & Dillon. I really enjoyed reading this book and can’t wait to see what Mimika Cooney does next!
📚
I received this book from the author, all opinions are my own.
#MindReaderBook #CleanRomance #ClosedDoorRomance #SensibilitySeries #RomanceBookstagram #ARCteam
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