That Time I Kissed My Beachfront Boss: Abieville Love Stories, Book 3

by Julie Christianson, Andy Harrington (Narrator), Amanda Friday (Narrator)

My dream job just got snapped up by the one man who rejected me…

That’s right. I’m an unemployed twenty-something stuck sleeping on my grandmother’s old futon while Hudson Blaine, the guy who shot me down, gets to manage The Beachfront Inn.

Talk about life being unfair.

I’m about to flee town with what’s left of my pride when Mr. Rejection begs me to stay. Apparently, he needs my help resuscitating the inn’s reputation before the grand reopening.

But I’m not sure I can bear Hudson being my new boss, or survive sharing an office with him and his wife-me-up eyes.

So I tell myself it’s just for one month. One month to prove myself and what I’m capable of …

Or go down on the shores of The Beachfront Inn in a blaze of humiliation.

That Time I Kissed My Beachfront Boss is a closed-door romantic comedy in the Abieville Love Stories series with all the sizzling chemistry you love, but no explicit scenes or language.

Tropes in the

Sworn off relationships Forced proximity Workplace romance Found family Small town

Audible Audio

Published June 4, 2025

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author with this name on GR

Reviews

[Cassondra Perea · Rating 4 out of 5]

ALC REVIEW:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

With summer on the way out, I wanted to squeeze in some last minute beach reads. Hoping to savor the good weather I dove into Julie Christianson’s audiobook, That Time I kissed My Beachfront Boss.

This is a workplace romance that follows Olivia and Hudson as they find love while revamping an inn. The small-town setting and forced proximity trope were perfect for a burgeoning romance. While their first impressions of one another was less than ideal, the tender and lighthearted moments more than made up for it.

I had the pleasure of listening to this as an audiobook. Due to the story being told in dual POVs, it was narrated by two phenomenal voice actors, Andy Harrington and Amanda Friday. This dynamic duo has been paired to narrate RomComs in the past and once again contributed to a stellar production!

Special thanks to Netgalley, Dreamscape Select, and Julie Christianson for allowing me to listen to this book in exchange for my honest review.

* If there was one thing I could have done differently, it would have been to read the first two books in the series. There were a handful of character crossovers that would have been more enjoyable had I fully grasped the reference. For that reason, I hope to go back and read the series in chronological order for optimal enjoyment.

[caffeine reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so cute and cosy I listened to this arc on a 3 hour road trip then back again.
It kept me awake and smiling it was an easy listen the narrators did a great job.

Olivia, was fired from her job and has no where left to go apart from home to her mums and big mamas house. The small town where everyone knows eachother and everyone is related and family.

Hudson broke up with his girlfriend and decides to leave an unfulfilled job with his dad. His found a job and the beach side inn.

Together they go back for similar reasons but both want the same job.
After a few years ago Olivia kisses Hudson on a date and has been mortified about the situation when Hudson abruptly tells her no.

So how awkward can the next meeting be!

It was great the plot was great, the character on point!
Big mama is defo my fave!

If you want small town romance, an intrusive family, close door romance, lighthearted and not complicated this is for you!

Thank you netgalley and dreamscape select for the arc in exchange for an honest review

[Julie Carpenter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook of this and I loved it! I was busy working and cleaning at home and listened to it all in one day. It was adorable and fantastic!

The opening gives us an idea of who Olivia is. She's a triplet and she considers herself to be the least of the three because of how amazing her sisters are, and because of her failed attempts at dating and life in general. There's a pretty silly meet-cute moment...and quite a bit awkward as well. But Olivia holds her head high with dignity and moves on. Then a year later she's met with a hard decision. Stay doing what she's doing or make a change. She opts for making a change, but it ends up to kind of backfire. Until she gets back home and living with her grandma and mom and finds herself in that awkward meet-cute moment take 2! Hahaha! Poor Olivia. But this girl has some serious heart and spunk and I just loved her character. She's creative and thoughtful and has a very big heart. You're going to love her and her adventures.

This is a perfect summer time read, beach read, just because read...all the types of happy ever after, comedy and fun reads! Pick it up anytime and enjoy!

Content: Clean. Some kissing but nothing further.

I purchased my own copy of the ebook and I received an audiobook copy from Dreamscape Select via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Happy Reading & Listening!!!

[Camille Dayton Fostering.literacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahh I loved this book! It’s a girl comes back to her family’s small town kinda book with a lot of family support built in. Don’t let the title of the book fool you, the Beachfront isn’t an ocean beach, it’s a hotel on a lake in the Adirondack mountains, and I loved the quirky small town!

Favorite moments:
- Recurring underwear problems
- Olivia’s willingness to take risks and dream big
- The storm
- Post crash recovery
- Forced Proximity
- Second Chance

Overall this was a fantastic book. I listened on audio and really enjoyed the narrators and how they brought the story alive. I would categorize this as a clean romance and would recommend this to teenagers and older who want a romance with kissing only. Thank you to NetGalley for the advance listener copy of this book. A review was not required.

[Heidi Lengenfelder · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're seeking a heartwarming, closed-door romantic comedy with a coastal flair, this audiobook delivers on all fronts. Julie Christianson's storytelling shines through the voices of Amanda Friday and Andy Harrington, who bring Olivia and Hudson's journey to life with charm and authenticity.

Narration:
Amanda Friday captures Olivia's spirited and introspective nature, while Andy Harrington conveys Hudson's reserved yet endearing demeanor. Their performances enhance the chemistry between the characters, making their evolving relationship feel genuine and engaging.

Storyline:
The narrative centers on Olivia, who returns to her hometown only to find her dream job taken by Hudson, the man who once rejected her. Circumstances lead them to work together to rejuvenate The Beachfront Inn. Their shared history and the forced proximity set the stage for a delightful exploration of second chances and personal growth.

Highlights:
Tropes: Sworn-off relationships, forced proximity, workplace romance, found family, small-town setting
Tone: Lighthearted with moments of depth, focusing on character development and emotional resonance
Content: Clean romance with no explicit scenes or language, making it suitable for a wide audience

Final Thoughts:
This audiobook is a delightful escape into a world of endearing characters and heartfelt moments. The combination of engaging narration and a well-crafted story makes it a standout in the romantic comedy genre.

Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Audio for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Melissa Foster · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Julie Christianson for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 STARS⭐⭐⭐⭐

That Time I Kissed My Beachfront Boss was my first Julie Christianson book and will not be my last. This romance is the perfect beach read or book to listen to by the pool! From the moment you meet Liv and Hudson, you will love these characters. Their charming personalities and undeniable chemistry make it impossible not to root for them. Their story unfolds with a playful spirit, proving that sometimes the most unexpected paths lead to the greatest discoveries...and that sometimes dares are worth taking!

I listened to the audiobook and must say the narration by Andy Harrington and Amanda Friday was excellent!

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this sweet and clean romance. I liked Olivia and Hudson's stories and the narrators did a great job of narrating the male and female lead's points of view. I didn't realize this was book 3 in a series and feel this can be read as a standalone romance. This book makes me think of a Hallmark movie and I could see it made into one. For readers that like Hallmark type books, this one set at a resort on a lake in the Adirondacks will be one they'll want to pick up. It's not a book I'd likely read over again but I enjoyed it for what it was and know many other fans of closed door romances will like this one too.

Thank you to Dreamscape Select and Netgalley for an opportunity to listen to an ARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Leslie Books and Socks Rock · Rating 4 out of 5]

I need to read more of Julie Christianson’s books because this was delightful. This had second chance romance, forced proximity, work romance, small town, lake/beach read with a minor car accident at the end.

This was sweet and cozy and a perfect summer read. Knowing this is #3 in a series, it can be read as a stand alone, but the other characters mentioned have their own books and make appearances.

This book released last year but the audio is out now as of this month. Thanks to the author and Net Galley for the audio arc. These are my own thoughts and opinions.

[Kim Garrow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this audiobook for an honest review.

I have read other Julie Christianson books, but did not realize this was part of a series (which I have not read the others yet!) This could however be done as a standalone.

This is a cute, fun, clean romance! Our heroine, Olivia, is a triplet! And she feels she is less than her siblings. Besides the romance with Hudson, we have a focus of personal growth for both of our couple. Dual point of view with male and female narrators truly captured the characters and they felt genuine in their portrayal.

4 stars

[Natscleanreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is well-written and fun to read with great Characters. Both main characters go through growth in relationships and in loving who they are. This book contains no swears, light alcohol consumption in 2 or 3 scenes, and kissing only. Dual POV. Bth Male and Female narrators are wonderful and easy to listen to.

[Shaylin Maxwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable read. Lots of fun to listen to while driving. I loved the narrators- it’s always fun when there is a male AND female narrator on an audiobook.
This is part of a series- it can be read alone but it was fun to see characters from previous books make appearances.
This is a hallmark type of book- sweet and fun.

[Lindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute, fun audiobook. The narration was very good. At first, I was a little annoyed by the female main character, but she grew on me pretty quickly. I was entertained the entire time. I will likely check out the other Abieville Love Stories books, because this one was so enjoyable! This is a closed door romance.

I was able to listen to this thanks to NetGalley as an Advanced Listener Copy. This is my honest review.