A Little Buzzed

by Alys Murray

If she builds it, they will come.

A sex toy engineer with one big secret finally meets her match, and together they’ll put their own products to the test in this steamy romantic comedy.

Scout Porter is screwed. Not literally, of course. Literally, she’s a twenty-six-year-old virgin, thanks to a relationship so disastrous she swore off love and sex for good. Metaphorically, she’s screwed because the entire office of BuzzCorp, the sex toy start-up where she’s head engineer, just found out. Scout needs her team to stay focused on their upcoming launch, not her lack of a sex life, so she finds the simplest lose her V-card—and fast—then get back to business as usual.

Enter Hudson Bailey, the nerdy and charming software developer hired to build the app for Scout’s latest creation. The only problem is, he’s as inexperienced with sex toys as she is with sex. Fortunately, he’s all too eager to learn, and they agree that one very educational, totally professional hook-up will solve both of their problems. All for research, obviously.

But their little experiment yields unexpected results—chemistry so off the charts Scout starts to think she might actually want more than just a one-time fling. When their budding relationship is threatened by the return of Scout’s notorious ex, both Scout and Hudson will have to decide if they’ve reached their climax as a couple, or if they’re willing to risk everything for a chance at true love.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Fiction, Adult, Workplace Romance, Adult Fiction

363 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication February 17, 2026

About the author

Alys Murray is an author who writes for the romantic in all of us. Though she graduated with a degree in Drama from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and a Master’s in Film Studies from King’s College London, her irrepressible love of romance led her to a career as an author, and she couldn’t be happier to write these stories!

Her work as an author led to a flourishing career in screenwriting, where she has penned films and shows for Hallmark, ViacomCBS, Lifetime, and British television. An alum of RespectAbility, The Inevitable Foundation, and The Orchard Project, she is a tireless disability advocate.

Alys loves connecting with readers, so if you want to get in touch, you can find her at http://www.alysmurray.com or on twitter and instagram at @writeralys.

Reviews

[Candice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have I read this? No. Will I update my review afterwards? Yes. Did I save it to my TBR specifically because Navessa Allen TOLD ME TO? Yes. Yes I did. I’m goo at following directions.

[abby :)]

put the golf club down…

going into this book, i was just excited to read a new release romance with an inventive idea. i did not know what i was getting into and thats kinda on me but holy shit. maybe it’s because berkley is publishing this book, or maybe it’s because i haven’t read an insane kindle unlimited book lately, but i feel truly scandalized after reading this book.

we’re following scout and hudson, scout is an engineer at a sex toy company and hudson does IT? marketing? something else? he does some type of freelance work for this company and the two strike up a relationship because he doesn’t have any experience with sex toys and she wants to have sex. yeah, i’m not sure why i was convinced their would be some really sweet underlying romantic moments in this but i was wrong. there is nothing wrong with any of the sex in this book or any of the moments between characters, i just wasn’t really convinced they had a lasting connection. hudson helped scout when it came to self confidence and i enjoyed seeing that aspect of her character grow but i was left feeling unsatisfied with the relationship development.

overall this book was just a shock to my system. maybe this is good, maybe i’ll get out of my slump right now, i literally don’t want to read so i’ve just been reading arcs that i need to read. in the end this wasn’t bad and if the synopsis speaks to you i’d definitely pick this up. it’s honestly a fun little valentine’s day book, it has nothing to do with said holiday but it’s a sex filled romance book that comes out in february… what more could you want on valentine’s day????

*thank you berkley and netgalley for the copy!*

[Avrial || Bookish.and.blissful · Rating 5 out of 5]

☑️ at least one rocket exploding (literally)
☑️ at least one rocket exploding (figuratively)

𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐥𝐥 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨:
✻ Workplace romance that is VERY MUCH NOT SAFE FOR WORK
✻ Fast burn spice with slower emotional burn
✻ Sex positivity and educational content that somehow also makes you blush

𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑙𝑙 ★★★★★ | 𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ𝑡𝑠: came for the spice, stayed for the plot

𝒔𝒐, 𝒍𝒆𝒕'𝒔 𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒊𝒕... 💫
I had no idea what I was getting into with this book and honestly? I'm glad, because it was one fun ride. This is the kind of book where you think you're picking it up for the smut, but you end up completely invested in watching someone learn to be vulnerable and believe in themselves.

🔬 Scout Porter is a sex toy engineer who has never had sex. The woman who designs products for everyone else's pleasure is a twenty-six-year-old virgin, thanks to a past relationship that made her swear off love entirely. When her entire office at BuzzCorp finds out her secret, Scout decides the solution is simple: experience it and get back to work. Enter Hudson Bailey, the nerdy, charming software developer hired to build the app for Scout's latest creation. But... He's as inexperienced with sex toys as she is with sex. Lucky for both of them, they're very eager to learn.

🚀 This book is H.A.W.T. Like, The Golf Club Scene will ruin mini golf for you forever hot. The spice level is high, the experimentation is plentiful, and the chemistry between Scout and Hudson is 📈. But here's what surprised me: it's not just spicy for the sake of being spicy. The physical vulnerability these two share actually allows them to build emotional intimacy in a way that feels organic.

🛠️ Scout's character growth is the real star here. When we first meet her, she's rigid, socially awkward, and completely walled off emotionally. Her inner monologue is funny and refreshing, and watching her realize she can hope for more, that she doesn't have to stay in the safe space she's built, was incredibly satisfying. She works hard to overcome her mental barriers, to be more approachable and actually enjoy her life.

📚 This book is extremely sex positive and genuinely educational. Murray doesn't shy away from the realities of sexual exploration, and there's something refreshing about a romance that treats sex as something to learn about, experiment with, and enjoy without shame. The STEM vibes are strong (ALERT ALI HAZELWOOD FANS), and the workplace setting at a sex toy startup adds layers of humor and authenticity.

🎯 The pacing is perfect. I wanted to devour this in a day but had to pace myself The romance moves quickly in terms of physical intimacy, but the emotional payoff is earned.


Thank you to NetGalley, Forever Publisher, and Alys Murray for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.




☑️ at least one rocket exploding (literally)
☑️ at least one rocket exploding (figuratively)
☑️a woman who doesn’t know how to experience her feelings working in the sex toy industry
☑️ a man who has never used a sex toy asks for lessons from said woman

[Mel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I spent most of today trying to parse out my thoughts on this book. Initially, I’d given it 3 stars but upon further reflection, decided that maybe 2 stars was more accurate.

This book centers on a workplace romance and the workplace in question happens to be a sex toy company. So, one would think that a book about two employees of a sex toy company would be sex positive and less, I don’t know, judgmental. The FMC in this book is an engineer and also happens to be a virgin. Setting aside the fact that virginity is a social construct dreamed up by the patriarchy, there’s a lot of commentary in this book regarding how Scout’s virginity prevents her from truly excelling at her job as a sex toy designer, this despite the fact that she’s well versed in sex toys and how to use them and how to get herself off while using them. I’m not sure why the fact that a real human penis has never entered her vagina would keep her from being able to do her job and do it well…?

Secondly, while I applaud a trad pubbed contemporary published in 2026 for having multiple sex scenes AND a pegging scene (yes indeed!), the scenes read as very cold and almost clinical. Part of that is Scout harping on the fact that her deal with Hudson is temporary and will be over as soon as his job with the company ends. The pegging scene is actually the best of the sex scenes bc it feels like the only one (aside from the epilogue) with some emotional attachment between the 2 people.

I will say I think Scout’s backstory is super intriguing and kudos to this author for going someplace truly original as far as the baggage Scout carries. But I did spend a good bit of the book incredibly frustrated by Scout’s inability to stand up for herself bc as Hudson puts it, she hates herself and doesn’t think she deserves love. But WHY does she hate herself? That is really never explained to me all that clearly.

Hudson is ok but not very fleshed out and spends the bulk of the book just wanting to make Scout happy, even at his own expense. And when his own past is revealed (much too late in the book, by a minor third party), it’s not delved into deeply enough to really connect the dots on why Hudson is the way he is.

Ultimately, Scout’s inexplicable self-hatred and Hudson’s incessant people pleasing nature doesn’t make for a healthy combination and even if the two acknowledge their issues at the end of the book (which, Hudson really doesn’t), it doesn’t make me buy into the success of their HEA even with a 2 year time jump in the epilogue. It feels like there are way too many unanswered questions to make me fully believe in their relationship being a success.

This book didn’t work for me but I think there are people who will enjoy it.

ARC from publisher, review is all mine.

Content notes: toxic parental relationship with emotional and verbal abuse, toxic work environment in the past with toxic boss turned former romantic interest, unfair firing, inappropriate workplace behavior

[Sabrina]

DNF at 60%

While this is extremely readable, I can’t do it anymore.

This is smut before plot which is fine, but the plot surrounding Scout and Hudson’s romance wasn’t well developed. Scout is portrayed as the usual Woman in STEM without an attempt to show how that can be a harmful stereotype. Hudson is…he’s a people-pleaser with a great ass who doesn’t open up even with it being brought up multiple times on page and something is fishy there. I don’t like it and I don’t care to find out exactly what he’s hiding.

Also if we’re being honest, for a book that opens with Scout riding a dildo and using a vibrator, the actual copulation was nothing to write home about. Those scenes were the most detailed part of the book, but that doesn’t make them interesting.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the eArc!

[Stacee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, that cover coupled with a unique to me synopsis made me pick up this book.

I liked Scout and Hudson. She's super smart, but lacking social niceties. He's sweet, but lacking the ability to stand up for himself. Together they have instant chemistry and an interesting agreement turned into more. There are a few other characters, but this is firmly Scout's story.

Plot wise, it's okay. My main complaint is that it was mostly telling instead of showing. Every scene that wasn't a sex scene read as superficial and a stepping stone to just get the two of them naked again. I will say, there's a lot of sex positivity and character growth and I loved it.

Overall, I was invested in the characters; however I would have liked more in depth conversations between them.

**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**

[Chrys Champ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I saw Navessa Allen recommend this book & I added it to my “want to read” and the saw it on NetGalley & instantly went for it ! And boy am I glad I did ! Hudson and Scout were amazing . Their banter and their ability to see through eachother was fun to read. I loved Hudson helping Scout discover what was keeping her from going after more, settling, & not standing up for herself . And in turn I loved Scout helping Hudson discover that he too was holding back from discovering love. The girls in this book were all girls girls and I loved them Clara, Addie & Leelah & how they always showed up for Scout even when she didn’t know she needed them .

I came for the spice and stayed for the plot.

I highly recommend giving this book a read
Also Fuck Lloyd Exeter!

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is your warning that this book may not be for you!

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Romance for this eArc in exchange for my honest opinion.

The premise alone will let you know if it’s something you would want to read or not.

Overall though it was a fun read with a bonkers premise and I only read at home/on the weekends cause it is truly not safe for work.

This is probably at the top of my threshold for spice but if you like that in books this was a fun stem spin on the “lessons” trope.

Not a book I will just recommend to just anyone but overall a fun time.

[Alicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Abbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Scout is an intelligent engineer who works making sex toys and Hudson is helping develop the software for the company's newest device. Hudson is woefully inexperienced with sex toys and Scout is inexperienced with sex. The pair agree to to an exchange of Scout's virginity for sex toy education and soon the unlikely pair is developing actual feelings for each other.

This was a quick, easy read that never dove too deep. It had a lot of spice, which took away from plot and character development. The spice never really helped move the plot along and too much focus was spent on Scout's virginity. Scout and Hudson certainly had a lot of on page encounters together, but it was difficult to feel the actual chemistry between them. Even their dialogue felt a bit awkward at times. I kept rooting for Scout to recognize her own worth and was glad when she finally stood up to her parents and her ex. Hudson was endearing at times, but was a really difficult character to get to know. Overall, this was a fine read, but wasn't the sex positive romance I was hoping for.

Many thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for the advance copy!

[d]

I was really intrigued by the premise of this book and figured it was right up my alley. The FMC works at a sex-toy company but is inexperienced and enlists her coworker for sex lessons. Sounds like it has the potential to be an interesting story. Unfortunately, I couldn’t connect with the writing style or the main character at all.

I tried to stick it out, but the combination of not enjoying the writing style, disliking the main character, and not feeling any chemistry between the FMC and MMC, I just couldn’t do it.

I found the FMC’s fixation on her virginity way too much. Your coworkers truly won’t care whether you’re a virgin or sleeping with your colleague. The sex scenes were a lot and didn’t really do anything to drive the plot forwards

The spice overwhelmed the story and left me feeling unsatisfied. I love a spicy romance just as much as the next person, but this just didn’t deliver.

Thank you so much to Berkley and NetGalley for the digital review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

[bonreviewsbooks · Rating 2 out of 5]

Off the bat, I wasn’t connecting with the writing style, but I wanted to stick it out because I thought the premise was unique and I was intrigued.

But overall, I just didn’t enjoy the writing or the FMC. I found it odd that what seemed like it was attempting to be a sex positive story had a virgin FMC who was mortified of being a virgin. Sex positivity to me feels like being open to the spectrum of sexuality and experiences, including not having sex.

“I couldn’t be a crier and a virgin in front of my colleagues. One of those was bad enough. Both of them? Beyond humiliating.”

Like?? Is it, really?

She tried to make it seem like their new product would flop because she was a virgin…like…what?! Even after her ex said something 1. there is no way the general public would care that some random engineer who worked at the sex toy company had never had sex and 2. Losing your virginity would never be necessary or something you’d be talking to your boss about. Honestly this was just so insane. It felt like a runaway train of a plot.

“So you haven’t heard that we had sex this weekend at the conference?” “No, is that what the rumor mill is saying?” “Yes, and it’s not true.”

This conversation happens mere moments after the MMC asks the FMC if she has his sweatshirt that she borrowed, a conversation that happens in front of teammates. The FMC then panics because OBVIOUSLY her having his sweatshirt means everyone will think they slept together, right? No. I don’t know why anyone would think that, like are we 12? Rumor mill? Three colleagues heard you borrowed his sweatshirt…Call the priest because we have a whore who needs confession!!

There was something very forced about the dialogue and the FMCs thoughts.

Hudson was an endearing character, but I felt zero chemistry between these characters.

[Miz P. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Berkley and Netgalley for an ARC of this book !

3.25 ⭐️

This was a fun read ! I liked the fact that adult toys were really important to the story. It’s something I haven’t read often.

I liked that the characters were complex and I loved to see both of their growth. I gotta admit some dialogue made me cringe and some plot points were predictable. I also thought the parents were a bit unrealistic and one dimensional which didn’t fit with the rest of the characters. In the end I thought the spice was taking a bit too much space for me instead of the relationship development. I did enjoy this book but it is not a favourite for me.

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5. Review to come.

[maisy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ⭐️
3 🌶️

Wow, this was so fun and SO HOT! This book follows Scout, a sex-toy engineer who is quite rigid when we first meet her but damn, did she come out of her shell. I really loved her character growth and her inner monologue was funny and refreshing!! And Hudson, the sweet, sweet man that he is 🥹 These two were perfect for each other and really had great chemistry.

This book is extremely sex positive, very educational (in my honest opinion), and hot as hell. I really don’t think I’ve read something that educated one paragraph and then could turn you on in the same chapter 🥵🔥

Thanks NetGalley and Berkley for an ARC!

[Kristina Nichole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alys Murray’s “A Little Buzzed” is a spicy romance novel that follows a sex toy engineer and a software developer as they mix business with pleasure in this NSFW story.

Twenty-six-year-old Scout Porter was a child genius. Her parents dragged her to every academic competition imaginable, and she finished college with her PhD before turning twenty-four. She was hired by GalacticSolutions to help design a rocket, but when it explodes on launch day, Scout is forced to sign an NDA and accept a severance package. To make matters worse, her boyfriend and boss, Lloyd Exeter, breaks up with her and has her blacklisted from the space engineering community.

Afterward, Scout finds herself working at BuzzCorp, a new and up-and-coming sex toy company owned by Clara Mason. Scout becomes the head engineer, and the company’s latest toy, The Fantasy, is set to launch in six weeks.

Hudson Bailey is a contractor who moves from company to company, never putting down roots. After starting a company with his ex-girlfriend, who later forced him to sell it before they parted ways, Hudson has developed a habit of people-pleasing while keeping everyone at arm’s length. He is hired to develop the software for The Fantasy, but Hudson has never used a sex toy in his life. In order to understand the mechanics of the product, he needs someone experienced with the technology to guide him.

When Scout drunkenly shouts at a bar that she is a virgin, her coworkers are aghast, especially after her ex-boyfriend publicly tells an interviewer that she was bad in bed. Scout and Hudson strike a deal to help one another: Scout will teach Hudson about sex toys, and in exchange, Hudson will take Scout’s virginity. What is meant to be a one-time arrangement quickly turns into something more. The sex is too good, and Scout finds herself unable to say no. With Hudson’s contract ending in six months, Scout must stay focused on the launch while both of them question whether what they feel is lust or something deeper, and whether they can make The Fantasy the best product on the market by O-Fest.

Murray’s novel is filled with one sexual scene after another, most involving a different sex toy. While Hudson is described as a people pleaser, his characterization often feels less like a confident lead and more like a whiny puppy following Scout around and begging to help. He does not read as a dominant romantic lead, but rather as immature and overly dependent.

The looming contract deadline is repeatedly emphasized throughout the novel, making the third-act breakup predictable. The breakup occurs in the final twelve percent of the book and is resolved within the last three percent, creating a rushed and uneven pacing. Much of the tension relies on constant miscommunication between Scout and Hudson, which becomes frustrating rather than compelling. Additionally, the subplot involving Scout’s parents feels overly exaggerated. They are written as caricatures of self-absorbed parents who drain the energy from their child, and some of their dialogue feels unrealistic for a parent to say.

Fans of Ali Hazelwood’s STEM-focused romance novels may enjoy “A Little Buzzed,” but readers sensitive to formulaic pacing and exaggerated drama may find it lacking.

I received an ARC through Edelweiss via Berkley and PRH in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Stephanie (stephreadsallthebooks) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you @berkleyromance for the advanced copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

ARC Review: A Little Buzzed by Alys Murray
Pub Date: February 17 2026

Scout is an engineer who, after a professional disaster, finds herself working for a sex toy company. She actually loves her job but the new contractor working for the company is throwing her for a loop. After her whole team finds out that Scout is a virgin, she decides that losing her virginity is the best way forward to keep her team focused on their new prototype. Hudson is new to the team and inexperienced with sex toys and agrees to a quid-pro-quo in that Scout will teach him about toys, and he will help her lose her virginity.

Here's the thing - number 1, I really didn't read the premise of this before I started so I had no idea she was a virgin until that was revealed. So I was really enjoying the book initially and thought the set up was super fun and was exactly what I was looking for. And then that got revealed and.... well. in the year of our lord 2026, I'm just not really into a virginity storyline. Scout's focus on her virginity was very heteronormative and focused on p-in-v sex and that frankly just doesn't do it for me. Also quite a few of the sex scenes felt very...clinical. And yes I do understand she's an engineer but when you get a mix of sex scenes that were good and then the ones that were clinical, I just didn't get it. And really, it was her own focus on her virginity that really bothered me

I think Hudson was a fine MMC - I would have loved to see his POV. I feel like he would have been more swoony had we been able to have his thoughts.

All that being said...I didn't hate it? It just wasn't what I was expecting and I do think there was a way to write this book with significant less focus on her virginity that would have been more successful for me. This is a rare instance where I do think the book needed the third act breakup for Scout to do some self reflection in order to continue the relationship with Hudson.

[Haley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a digital copy from NetGalley and Berkley and exchange for an honest review.

3.5⭐️ & 4/5🌶️

Warning: some golf clubs were harmed in the making of this book.

This book started off very strong, you can feel the chemistry between the two MCs. After Scout loses her virginity to Hudson, the novel goes all out with the sex between the two which almost always involves a new sex toy for Hudson to get some job related experience. Overall, it was a fun read and I was entertained throughout the book waiting to see what the couple was going to try next.

I think the biggest drawback for me was that even though these two were having sex a lot throughout the book, after the initial couple times, their chemistry started to fizzle out for me. There was no more build up or anticipation, rather a focus on shocking the reader with what sex toy or kink the couple was trying next. I feel like in these scenes, the tension is often what’s most important and this wasn’t always delivered. So, by the end I can’t say I was fully convinced the two were in love like I was meant to believe.

Scout goes through a lot of character development throughout the book. It was great to see her gain confidence and believe in herself as time went on. Hudson on the other hand, was often reserved (a key aspect of his character), and since people pleasing was his main character trait, I can’t say that I know really anything about his character as a whole (except that he likes to get p*gged).

[Nat Top · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had no idea what I was getting into with this book and I'm glad because it was a fun ride.
Scout is a socially awkward engineer who works with Hudson, a people pleasing tech guy. Oh, and they happen to work at a sex toy company. Long story short they come up with an agreement for sexual gratification that lasts until the next big product release and the end of Hudson's contract. And Scout will not catch feelings because that would be bad news!
This book was equally spicy as it was mentally deep. There was plenty of sexual experimentation and exploration in this book between the two, finding out what each of them like. But there's also the added layer of their previous partners that keep haunting them. Plus Scout's academic and professional background, along with her parents, that have stilted her socially. It may be hard for Scout in the beginning but she works hard to overcome her mental barriers to be more approachable and enjoy her life. Hudson also overcomes his own challenges to be a better partner and a stronger individual. For some spicy fun, serious STEM vibes, and silly friends, you should read A Little Buzzed.

[callistoscalling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher for a gifted copy; all thoughts are my own!

📖 Book Review 📖 I am coming in with a big heck yes to women in engineering because their brains and skills should be represented in all areas where it counts, especially when it comes to sex toys (imagine the creative marketing and branding of products created for women by women). Scout is really good at her job, she’s just easily distracted by handsome new co-worker Hudson, whose arrival has shaken things up. But perhaps an unlikely alliance will benefit the two in many ways when it comes to work…and some fun.

A Little Buzzed has its share of real world dilemmas but is filled to the brim with pure joy, complete with characters that are easy to vibe with from the start. And so while readers are rooting for Scout to embrace life beyond work and come out of her shell, it’s an absolute breeze to fall right in love with Hudson and root for these two to make it work beyond just a one-night stand for research purposes. Murray brings a smart, edgy, and fierce rom com that balances perfect with flavors of sass and sweetness. A Little Buzzed delivers a whole bustle of heart in this unexpected wild ride.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 rounded up to 4 stars!

This was the romance book that was literally MADE for us spicy girlies! A woman in STEM, with a friends with benefits workplace romance, and did I mention she creates sex toy’s… so the spice in this one was absolutely off the charts. I have just one word for you, and you’re not ready. (PEGGING).

Although this book was super spicy I love that it dived into deeper topics. Like self worth, struggling to find work life balance, self confidence, navigating the real world to make friends and make connections with people. Scout absolutely came out of her shell and just blossomed into who she was always supposed to be with Hudson by her side. He loved her loudly, even when he was quiet. It was so rewarding getting to see Scout stand up for herself, and demand the respect she deserved professionally and with her family. And yes her and Hudson had spice off the charts, but they were also unbelievably wholesome together. (But also I will never look at a mini golf club the same ever again 😂)

I listened to the audiobook (huge thanks to PRH Audio) and the narrator did a fantastic job keeping me engaged, and wanting to pick this story back up!

[Mya · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75 ⭐️

Both erotic and heartfelt, this was a nonstop roll in the hay that was as funny and sexy as it was romantic. From the out-of-pocket chapter titles to the turn of events that will make your jaw drop, A Little Buzzed explores sex and relationships in a way that merges romantic fantasies with the realism of modern dating.

Scout and Hudson are the kind of romantic leads that feel made for each each other. Hudson had the sort of nerdy charm and panty-dropping confidence that we love to see in a male lead, all sewed together by the persistent thread of his unyielding kindness and optimism. And Scout, while being the former child genius savant that we see so often in media and rarely in real life, still managed to be relatable in her fear of emotional vulnerability and personal insecurities.

If you want to read an explosive, sexually explorative book that’s as hot and earnest as it is fast paced then I HIGHLY recommend picking this one up. There’s never a dull moment in this one.

Thank you to PRH Audio for access to the ALC!

[Marissa | goingonbookcation · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5⭐️ 3.5/5🌶️ 0/5😢

“My first reaction? I carry sex toys in my purse; I’m not an animal. My second reaction? Oh right. That’s not normal. You’re the weird one in this scenario.”

^^^this was a ridiculous(ly sexy) and fun premise, with an equally delightful and hilarious execution! Raunchy and tender-hearted in all the right places 💛

Full RTC!

[Megan Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Devoured in one day

[lucialeelibros · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn't expected this book were so F GOOD and too SPICY!!!?????? My goodness!!!! omg

thank you so much to netgalley and Berkley for the ARC of this book! it was a really an adventure.

[hannah ⊹ ࣪ ˖ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Update: it’s been almost a month since I finished this book, and I have thought about it almost every day since. Because of that, and with some more thought, I’m bumping up my rating to 5 stars!

I loved every single moment of this! I’m not gonna lie, I requested this ARC solely because of Navessa Allen and a quick judgement of the title and cover (I love both so much). Navessa did NOT let me down. This was hilarious, perfectly spicy, and the banter and relationship between our two main characters was so much fun to see unfold. I love workplace romances, and this was the best NSFW workplace romcom I’ve read in a long time!

I’m not sure if it’s because I went into this almost completely blind or if it was the goal of the author to have a little bit of shock value in some of the sentences they wrote (in a good way), but the first sentence being “Hudson Bailey was as useless as my vibrator” had me cackling out loud. I am begging to work somewhere I can walk in on a Monday morning and know that the day starts with a fun little thing called “fuck reports”. Are there any sex toy companies hiring right now? If so, hmu because this book made it seem like it’d be the time of my life.

The characters were wonderful, the cover is beautiful, the chapter titles were so creative, and honestly, this was such an enjoyable read. It was bold, sharp, and woven between all the shock and sarcasm, it was surprisingly heartfelt. I was rooting for these characters, their success, and their love lives. If you enjoy detailed (and I mean DETAILED) sex scenes in your romance books, this is definitely for you. If you enjoy golden retriever MMCs, blunt, determined STEM FMCs, or you’re just looking for a fun, entertaining romance, you will love this.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for this eARC!

[Jessica · Rating 1 out of 5]

Holy moly. I like spice as much as anyone else but this was way too over the top. Scout was such an annoying character and I couldn’t find myself rooting for her at any point in the book. Hudson was too much from the beginning and it got annoying. I had to force myself to get 40% in, and after that I couldn’t do it. It wasn’t for me at all.

And the scene with the mini golf club? 🤢 I wish I could rewind to a time I didn’t read that.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC.

[Romancereadingaddict · Rating 3 out of 5]

Scout is a brilliant sex toy engineer, but her personal life is non-existent. She's a workaholic prodigy who has never experienced love, friendship, or sex. When her company hires a new tech guy, Hudson—a computer nerd who knows nothing about pleasure products—she's initially annoyed, then reluctantly takes him under her wing.

But their top-secret project gets a new rival: a company helmed by her ex-boyfriend, Lloyd Exeter. The competition forces Scout to re-evaluate her life. She decides to lose her virginity, and a night with Hudson blurs the lines between professional and personal. As she navigates this new world of intimacy, she must also confront her feelings for the one person who challenges her to finally experience life beyond her work.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75⭐️ rtc!

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where have all the contemporary romances that have something to say about our modern society gone? That’s a question I’ve been asking myself for a while. Most of the contemporaries I’ve read recently have been lackluster—lacking conflict, stakes, or an opinion. That was not the case with A Little Buzzed by Alys Murray. I had no expectations going into this book but had heard good things from some friends, and I ended up really enjoying myself.

Thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for the complimentary ARC.

Scout Porter has spent the last two years hunkered down as the head of engineering at BuzzCorp, a sex toy company, after her dream career at an aerospace company literally exploded. BuzzCorp is about to launch a brand-new toy on the market—something that will revolutionize the industry—and she needs to stay focused on what matters and not get distracted by personal nonsense. But that becomes impossible when her former boss (and messed-up situationship) makes an announcement on Joe Rogan’s podcast that he’s getting into the sex toy industry and all but names Scout in his interview. Add into the mix that now all her coworkers know she’s a virgin, and Scout is having a very bad time.

She turns to Hudson Bailey, the contract software developer who was brought onboard to work on the new product. Hudson doesn’t know anything about sex toys but is clearly attracted to Scout. And Scout knows plenty about their products but nothing about the actual act. So they make a deal: she’ll give him lessons on their toys in exchange for one night together. It should be simple enough, as long as the boundaries stay in place.

I have really been disappointed with most of the new contemporary romances I’ve read in the last few months. They’ve been playing it safe with low-conflict plots that don’t have anything to say about this moment in time. There is a place for cozy reads, but it’s not on my bookshelf. I want high stakes, I want commentary on this moment in time, and I want drama. We get all of that and more in A Little Buzzed.

You can’t write a book about a sex toy company without saying something about the way our current society treats sex and bodily autonomy. We’re living in a moment of backsliding for women, LGBTQ people, and anyone who doesn’t conform to the white, straight, cis, male norm espoused by the right wing in this country. In this book, we get nuanced commentary about desire and shame via the relationship between Scout and Hudson. They both have desires they haven’t given voice to. Hers are more emotional, his are more physical, but they both hold them in because they feel some kind of shame about verbalizing them. I was particularly struck by the way Alys navigated the shame men feel around “unconventional” sexual desire. It’s not something we see on the page all that often in MF romance, and let me tell you, I wish we saw more of it.

Scout reads as a person with undiagnosed autism who was never given the chance to learn how to be a grown up in the world. Her parents are terrible, her first real foray into the adult world left her scarred, and now she’s trying again but is terrified of repeating mistakes. It’s never actually said on the page, but I read her as a neurodivergent person who has spent her whole life believing what others say about her because she would never consider lying to someone or exaggerating for her own benefit. I loved how her story was one of building community and finding herself not just through a romantic relationship, but also through friendships.

I can’t wrap this review without talking about the sex, because this is a book about people who make sex toys. I don’t know why contemporary MF romance as a genre is scared of vibrators and lube, but there are so few books out there that actually show these products on the page when they are mainstays of the modern woman’s bedroom. For that matter, I’m also concerned about the lack of strap-ons in FF romance, but that’s a conversation for another day. If you’re looking for toys on the page and for a healthy discussion of how the characters want to use them, this is your book. Scout is much more comfortable with them despite the fact that she is the less experienced partner, but Hudson gets into them as well. And just a heads up: there is a lot of sex on the page in this book. Like, so much. And it’s good. So if you’re looking for your next very spicy read, pick this one up.

Overall, this was really great. I don’t know what Romance Gods I pleased to have finally started finding great new contemporary romances again, but I’ll take it. Five stars.