The Spreadsheet Situation

by Dawn Banks

Evie Watson loves being a librarian. Is Sapling Grove a little too small town for her? Sure. Is she bad at setting boundaries when it comes to "other duties as assigned"? Maybe. Is her anxiety through the roof because of short staffing and a condescending English professor? Definitely. But put her in charge of a complicated spreadsheet, and she shines. She can analyze all kinds of statistics, including how likely a net-positive outcome is when dating a zero percent chance. A big city job opportunity may be the perfect solution to her personal and professional frustrations.

But now the history professor she's crushing on needs some serious help with Excel. Andrew Brandt loves nerdy books and cooking for people, plus he respects her intellect. If her calculations are correct, their time together is adding up to more than just friendship. Could Evie's strict approach to workplace romance actually be a formula error?

Genres: Romance, Rom Com

322 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 19, 2025

Reviews

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

A charming friends-to-lovers contemporary romance with characters I immediately liked and wanted to be friends with. Full disclosure: I am a librarian (although public rather than academic) so I was inclined to approve of Evie from the start. But even if I wasn't a librarian, I would have found her to be a smart, capable, and winsome protagonist. Andrew was definitely my type of guy, with his interest in history and science fiction and his personality: a man who listens, asks questions to get to know a woman better, is kind, and has a great sense of humor. I also loved Evie's friends Kylie and Jaclyn, who very often gave Evie the exact same advice I would have given her.

I was delighted with Evie and Andrew's growing friendship (and their initial sweet obliviousness that the other person liked them romantically.) Friends-to-lovers is my absolute favorite trope and author Banks built a strong foundation of friendship between her main characters while still writing delightful scenes where they are obviously hot and bothered for each other but don't act on it because they are "just friends." The sexual tension in these scenes was absolutely delicious.

Like any good romance novel, the main character must have obstacles to overcome. Evie's challenges aren't frivolous but very understandable and make her a sympathetic character. Andrew must also learn how to do some things differently if he and Evie are going to have their happily ever after. But it's not exactly a spoiler to say that they get there in the end. 

Thanks to Dawn Banks for providing an ARC of this book.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars -- For the most part, I enjoyed this almost closed-door romance. I felt that it didn't really hit its stride until toward the end, though. Then, the writing and the story flowed. The plot revolves around Evie, a librarian, & Andrew, a history professor, at Cooke University, a small campus in Sapling Grove, TN. A relationship is sparked between them when Evie offers to help Andrew with his spreadsheets. (Sorry. For some reason, this just makes me giggle.) Her expertise earns her an invitation to serve on a committee with him, which then leads to a number of plot elements, including unwanted sexual advances & the suffering of panic attacks. Both of these were handled well by the author, in my opinion, and I look forward to reading her next book when it is published.

[Kristine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a quick read, which I might’ve completed over two days if not for real world things keeping me from doing so. I dinged a star because in this age of beta readers, editing, and proofreading it baffles me how there could be multiple obvious errors in a book. There are a few occurrences of an extra, out of place, word, and a use of “breath” that should be “breathe. Typos are possibly forgivable, but two different times there were awkward sentences or thoughts which could have benefited from being grammatically reworked. These things may not matter to everyone, but my eyes and brain get pulled out of a story, so I thought it important to note them.
Overall, the plot was solid. I enjoyed the characters. The author explored anxiety and how it can affect a person, in general and in the workplace. There were hints as to the characters featured in another book (published June 2026, after this one), which I look forward to reading.

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a librarian myself who also loves romances, this book was truly delightful in so many ways, like the realistic but not too heavy glimpse into the life of a librarian, the small ecosystem of a private college, and the relationships between both. It was immediately likeable, immersive, and felt grounded but also dealt with some difficult topics without feeling weighty. I particularly enjoyed how there was a Mr Darcy-in-the-fountain moment and an escalating scenario that felt evocative of the submissions in Ask A Manager. Feel like this book could definitely get picked up by a bigger publisher and sell or be adapted to a better version of a Hallmark movie!

(For a next book, I want to see what Evie’s colleagues get up to!)

[Tracie Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Spreadsheet Situation by Dawn Banks
This was a fun whimsical romance. I really enjoyed it.
The characters were fun and well developed. What is better than a story with a librarian and library?
Evie enjoys life as a librarian. She has a problem saying “no”. Her anxiety has become an issue but she’s managed it, until she joins a new committee. She is the star of the show organizing the data – spreadsheets are a hidden talent.
Her anxiety ramps up, there’s extra work, an obnoxious English teacher, a new crush, and a tragedy in the library.
Andrew, a history professor, invites Evie to his committee with a secret of his own, she gets an opportunity in a big city, and things are heating up. Andrew is cute, he likes books, and he can cook. She isn’t sure she can trust him with more than friendship.
Evie was a fun, intelligent protagonist. I enjoyed the characters. The story was well done with the dynamic relationship of friends to lovers.
It was nice to just dive into the story – so smooth, relatable, and charming! 4/5⭐

[Teddy · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a cute story, but it was just okay.

I only gave it 3 stars because there wasn’t really anything riveting about the plot. The main character is oblivious about the male interest being into her to an almost ridiculous degree. I think part of the reason it bothered me was that she would acknowledge his reactions, and then refuse to acknowledge any possible implications of said reaction.

I do relate to the depiction of anxiety within a relationship, so I do appreciate the representation in that aspect. Overall though, I felt all of the conflicts and resolutions to be very predictable.

I did get to the end and read the authors note to find out she did essentially write herself as the FMC, which does reflect the lack of creativity and inspiration I felt reading the book.

[Shannon Binegar-Foster · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where do I start? As someone with anxiety I totally relate to Evie. I adore this book. I love how she mistakes his flirtation as just a coincidence. She is just so sure she is not worthy of his attention. Andrew is the string silent type. He has been keeping his true feelings at bay for far too long. They are brought together by his team needing her help fixing the data on their project. He helps her many times through anxiety attacks. I absolutely loved their dynamic and how their story unfolded. I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book provided by bookfunnel.

[Alicia Polachek · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

I definitely enjoyed this one! The characters were all so well done, and the dynamics between them drew me in right away. Despite some ups and downs, Evie and Andrew are clearly meant to be together. Just look at the way Andrew takes care of Evie.

It’s a slow-burn low-spice romance full of heartwarming moments, tension, and all the feel good vibes. I’m curious if they ever got around to testing out the library shelves haha.

A big thank you to Dawn for the advance review copy. I can’t wait to see what story you tell next!

[Annaka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not my preferred genre but I do delve every now and then. Predictable plot, which isn’t a bad thing. Was a nice “break” between thrillers or fantasy or “romantacy” for me.

Evie enjoys her small college library job, but she dreams of expanding her career. She applies for a “dream job” that will take her to a bigger city, but then she strikes up a working friendship with a colleague. As they work together their friendship grows and she begins to wonder, (especially after a series of unfortunate events with the interview process,) if the “dream job” is TRULY her dream.

[Amber Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full disclosure: I know the author, from going to a small liberal arts college. Authors write what they know, and I kept going "oh, I know that reference!" Down to the Shakespeare-inspired cat name and a subtle shout out to a professor. I see you, girl. Nicely done.

At first I thought the premise was silly. Spreadsheets and data didn't really strike me as romantic fodder. Once Andrew's flimsy excuse for talking to his crush was overtaken by lunch and coffee and one bed conferences, I enjoyed watching the story unfold. It was very cute.

[Marisa Cianciarulo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the perfect small-town, slow-burn romance: a quiet university setting, just the right amount of ex drama, and two main characters you're rooting for from the outset. I couldn't stop turning the pages. The main characters are obviously very decent humans, but they also have flaws that make them endearing and relatable. Somehow those flaws complement each other while also causing the friction that makes this book impossible to put down. I enjoyed every minute of it. Highly recommend!

[Allyson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oof! The slow burn is REAL in this book. It was cute that the MMC was SO into the FMC and she was just so clueless! I loved how he was there whenever she needed him. My only issue with the book was the FMC second guessing everything over and over. It was so frustrating. But still a great story and a cute romance.

Thank you Dawn Banks for providing an advanced copy of the book.

[Naomi · Rating 4 out of 5]

You'll understand this story best of you work in higher education. Evie is smart and ambitious and totally crushing on the hot History professor, Andrew. Working on a project together seems like a good idea but Evie has some anxiety management issues that complicate their friendship. I wanted to slap her at the end but everything worked out.

[Victoria Liiv · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute story perfect for when you've grown tired of all the alpha men and just need an Andrew. You know a man who cooks for you, is gentle, doesn't push, slightly awkward and gets flushed when you mention bra's but who knows exactly what he wants and is willing to wait for it. I loved how supportive he was.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

For me, a characteristic of a good book is if I think about how the characters are doing once I’ve finished it. I’ve been thinking about Evie and Andrew and wondering what they’re up to and how things are going. I found this book enjoyable and look forward to future reads by Banks.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a cute workplace romance! Evie and Andrew work at a university together, and of course end up on a project together. So many good scenes in this book that will have you smiling and/or laughing out loud. Can’t wait to read more from this author.

[Hannah R Weaver · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book kept me hooked. It has a real stage that seems like the author experienced so it was cool reading about these two characters. This book is so cute. The charm and character of Andrew just kept me reading. I highly reccomend reading this its such a cute book. 10/10.

[TWKS · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really cute romance with likable characters. Loved following Evie's journey as she realizes what she wants in life. Andrew made for the perfect match for her. He was perfect and definitely book boyfriend worthy. :)

[Shelley A · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a fun book! I loved Sapling Grove and enjoyed the MMC and FMC. This is definitely a slow burn that also encompasses some other fun tropes!

Thanks to Dawn Banks for the ARC!

[☆Laura☆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entretenido.

[April Bunch · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️

[Claudia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Local academic librarian author. Sweet romance. Every now and then it's nice to go to fantasyland lol.

[Nathan Ensley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet friends to lover novel; however, both sides seemed to ignore some very obvious signs of affection that made the friends arc feel too prolonged. I did appreciate the compassionate mention of panic attacks and how caring the guy was in calming her down. It ended with a sweet grand gesture and kept me in suspense throughout on what job she would entirely choose, which was a great engaging and career driven side story that supplemented the love story well

[Taylor Stewart · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a nice read with refreshing and competent characters. It was the best kind of friends to lovers and felt natural and fun.

Thank you to Dawn Banks for the ARC copy.