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The Frame Up: A Spicy Coworkers-to-Lovers Romantic Comedy
Forever starts with a strong foundation. That’s where meddling septuagenarians come in.
Olivia
When I befriended an older lady with questionable personal style, I never dreamed it would lead to the biggest project of my career. Now I’m working alongside one of the most prestigious home builders in the area—Lucas Alessi. He seems receptive to my ideas and consummately professional. Most of the time. Except his momentary slips, the times where I can tell he feels the indescribable energy between us, quickly become my drug of choice. Right when I think he’s starting to crack, my career takes a new turn and I need to figure out if I can make Lucas part of this new opportunity or if taking it means giving him up.
Lucas
My brothers and I have never enjoyed working with interior designers, let alone before breaking ground on a new project. Then Olivia Dawson enters my life. She brings her skilled designs and thoughtful alterations with her. It’s laughable how long I deny my attraction, but whether my family realized it or not, they need me to stay away from Olivia. Our company can’t afford to lose the project she’s been seamlessly navigating, and it’s clear our client prefers her over us. One wrong move with Olivia could mean everyone who depends on me loses their livelihood. I won’t let that happen.
The Frame Up from Shannon Saunders is a standalone romantic comedy featuring a trio of brothers with plenty of family banter. The Frame Up follows their rule-following oldest as he falls for a flawed, but fabulous, woman. Readers will love it for the crazy side characters, deep connections, sarcasm, steam, and happily ever after! For fans of Claire Kingsley and Lucy Score, this short romance gives you everything you want in a compact package.
Olivia
When I befriended an older lady with questionable personal style, I never dreamed it would lead to the biggest project of my career. Now I’m working alongside one of the most prestigious home builders in the area—Lucas Alessi. He seems receptive to my ideas and consummately professional. Most of the time. Except his momentary slips, the times where I can tell he feels the indescribable energy between us, quickly become my drug of choice. Right when I think he’s starting to crack, my career takes a new turn and I need to figure out if I can make Lucas part of this new opportunity or if taking it means giving him up.
Lucas
My brothers and I have never enjoyed working with interior designers, let alone before breaking ground on a new project. Then Olivia Dawson enters my life. She brings her skilled designs and thoughtful alterations with her. It’s laughable how long I deny my attraction, but whether my family realized it or not, they need me to stay away from Olivia. Our company can’t afford to lose the project she’s been seamlessly navigating, and it’s clear our client prefers her over us. One wrong move with Olivia could mean everyone who depends on me loses their livelihood. I won’t let that happen.
The Frame Up from Shannon Saunders is a standalone romantic comedy featuring a trio of brothers with plenty of family banter. The Frame Up follows their rule-following oldest as he falls for a flawed, but fabulous, woman. Readers will love it for the crazy side characters, deep connections, sarcasm, steam, and happily ever after! For fans of Claire Kingsley and Lucy Score, this short romance gives you everything you want in a compact package.
262 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 12, 2025
8 people are currently reading
34 people want to read
About the author
Shannon Saunders
3 books2 followersShannon Saunders writes spicy, bingeable romantic comedies with characters that are navigating the complexities that life often serves us. Her books reflect what we all experience—laughter, heartbreak, and triumph. All topped with a heavy dollop of banter.
Shannon has been a romance reader since she was a little ten-year-old. Problematic? Maybe. The Tyler series circa early 90s really made an impact. Now she writes the same stories that shaped her.
If you are a fan of Lucy Score, Claire Kingsley, or Sloane St. James, you’ll love her compact stories that are perfect for a vacation read, a palette cleanser, or to drag you out of a reading rut.
She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and two sons. When she's not wrangling small children, she's probably in her garden. Possibly gardening, possibly making someone else look at everything while she says "Look!" repeatedly.
Shannon has been a romance reader since she was a little ten-year-old. Problematic? Maybe. The Tyler series circa early 90s really made an impact. Now she writes the same stories that shaped her.
If you are a fan of Lucy Score, Claire Kingsley, or Sloane St. James, you’ll love her compact stories that are perfect for a vacation read, a palette cleanser, or to drag you out of a reading rut.
She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and two sons. When she's not wrangling small children, she's probably in her garden. Possibly gardening, possibly making someone else look at everything while she says "Look!" repeatedly.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
July 28, 2025
Thanks to BookSirens & DGD Press LLC for the arc!
**3 stars** A short, feel-good read that doesn’t require any brainpower. A palette cleanser, if you will.
Olivia Dawson, an interior designer, is hired by a quirky older woman to decorate her house–but there’s a catch: she has to work alongside Lucas Alessi, one of the most prestigious home builders in the area and one of three Alessi brothers. Lucas, the hard-headed, broody type, is notoriously reluctant to work with interior designers, but he finds himself drawn to Olivia. Together, they work to build the perfect home, all while trying to keep their growing attraction from interfering with the job.
I enjoyed this! A perfect small-town romance with low stakes that was fast paced and a good length. I really liked the two main characters and I rooted for their relationship from the beginning. This is the first installment of a new standalone series featuring a trio of brothers. I’m excited to see the other two get their own books. I also appreciated the writing—it had just the right amount of humor without being overly cheesy.
That said, I do think this book was too short. The ending felt rushed and the “conflict” came across as forced and short-lived. The characters could have used more complex backstories to deepen the drama, as things started to fall flat around the 60% mark. The epilogue also felt brief and somewhat unnecessary. It would have been nice to get a sneak peek at the next brother’s story.
Regardless, this was a cute, fluffy, small town romance that I’m sure a lot of readers will enjoy. I am definitely looking forward to the next two books!
(I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.)
**3 stars** A short, feel-good read that doesn’t require any brainpower. A palette cleanser, if you will.
Olivia Dawson, an interior designer, is hired by a quirky older woman to decorate her house–but there’s a catch: she has to work alongside Lucas Alessi, one of the most prestigious home builders in the area and one of three Alessi brothers. Lucas, the hard-headed, broody type, is notoriously reluctant to work with interior designers, but he finds himself drawn to Olivia. Together, they work to build the perfect home, all while trying to keep their growing attraction from interfering with the job.
I enjoyed this! A perfect small-town romance with low stakes that was fast paced and a good length. I really liked the two main characters and I rooted for their relationship from the beginning. This is the first installment of a new standalone series featuring a trio of brothers. I’m excited to see the other two get their own books. I also appreciated the writing—it had just the right amount of humor without being overly cheesy.
That said, I do think this book was too short. The ending felt rushed and the “conflict” came across as forced and short-lived. The characters could have used more complex backstories to deepen the drama, as things started to fall flat around the 60% mark. The epilogue also felt brief and somewhat unnecessary. It would have been nice to get a sneak peek at the next brother’s story.
Regardless, this was a cute, fluffy, small town romance that I’m sure a lot of readers will enjoy. I am definitely looking forward to the next two books!
(I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.)
October 9, 2025
When I started reading The Frame Up (I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily), I was looking for something light and fluffy, and this fit the brief. A romance fit for HGTV nerds like me dreaming about the perfect custom home. I'm a total writing snob, but the prose was accessible and clever, the world felt real and lived-in, and the characters had flaws and emotional depth. I liked the relationship between the brothers, the way they hassle each other, and I've always liked the "shipper on deck" trope which this has in spades. I think the only criticism I could offer is that the reasons they couldn't be together right from the start felt a little bit thin, and even the other characters agreed, but it was still a fun light romance for summer.
In all honesty, though, the real romance was between me and that house they built. Just saying. I want it.
In all honesty, though, the real romance was between me and that house they built. Just saying. I want it.
October 14, 2025
✧ ᴡᴏʀᴋᴘʟᴀᴄᴇ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ
✧ ꜱʟᴏᴡ ʙᴜʀɴ
✧ ʙʀᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ʙᴀɴᴛᴇʀ
✧ ꜰᴏᴜɴᴅ ꜰᴀᴍɪʟʏ
✧ ᴏɴᴇ ʙᴇᴅ
✧ ᴘʀᴏᴛᴇᴄᴛɪᴠᴇ ᴍᴍᴄ
𝐋𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐬 𝐀𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢 & 𝐎𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐚 𝐃𝐚𝐰𝐬𝐨𝐧.
Lucas co-owns Alessi Construction with his brothers, and Olivia is the designer collaborating with him on a project. It was Adrian, the youngest Alessi brother, who introduced Olivia to Lucas, calling her "Angel"—a nickname that stuck. Dressed entirely in white and radiating warmth, Olivia had an approachable charm, while Lucas carried a hint of mischief. Neither of them expected the immediate spark that passed between them.
As Lucas and Olivia spent more time together, they gradually opened up about their pasts. Lucas shared that his mother had passed away seven years ago. Despite the loss, the Alessi brothers and their father remained close, regularly coming together and supporting one another. Olivia, on the other hand, had grown up with an absent mother, leaving her dad as the steady presence in her life. While she couldn’t fully grasp the pain of losing a nurturing mother, she could empathize with Lucas. Olivia’s own father had passed away, and that loss gave her a deep understanding of grief.
Despite their growing connection, Olivia was determined not to get involved with Lucas romantically. She didn’t want to risk jeopardizing the project, or her shot at landing a Netflix show. But after meeting with Callie, her Netflix contact, she learned that the original terms of their interest in her wouldn’t change if she pursued a relationship. So when the inevitable “screw it” moment finally hit around the 68% mark, it was like 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲!
The third-act conflict, however, felt a bit forced. That said, the book was okay overall: short, decent, and a nice little reset read.
ᴛʜᴇ ꜰʀᴀᴍᴇ ᴜᴘ: ᴀ ꜱᴘɪᴄʏ ᴄᴏᴡᴏʀᴋᴇʀꜱ-ᴛᴏ-ʟᴏᴠᴇʀꜱ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴛɪᴄ ᴄᴏᴍᴇᴅʏ【ᴀʟᴇꜱꜱɪ ʙʀᴏᴛʜᴇʀꜱ ʙᴏᴏᴋ 1】★★☆☆☆
ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏ-ᴘʀᴏᴅᴜᴄᴇʀꜱ: ᴀ ꜱᴘɪᴄʏ, ᴏᴘᴘᴏꜱɪᴛᴇꜱ ᴀᴛᴛʀᴀᴄᴛ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴛɪᴄ ᴄᴏᴍᴇᴅʏ【ᴀʟᴇꜱꜱɪ ʙʀᴏᴛʜᴇʀꜱ ʙᴏᴏᴋ 2】ᴇxᴘᴇᴄᴛᴇᴅ 5 ɴᴏᴠ 25
✧ ꜱʟᴏᴡ ʙᴜʀɴ
✧ ʙʀᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ʙᴀɴᴛᴇʀ
✧ ꜰᴏᴜɴᴅ ꜰᴀᴍɪʟʏ
✧ ᴏɴᴇ ʙᴇᴅ
✧ ᴘʀᴏᴛᴇᴄᴛɪᴠᴇ ᴍᴍᴄ
𝐋𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐬 𝐀𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢 & 𝐎𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐚 𝐃𝐚𝐰𝐬𝐨𝐧.
Lucas co-owns Alessi Construction with his brothers, and Olivia is the designer collaborating with him on a project. It was Adrian, the youngest Alessi brother, who introduced Olivia to Lucas, calling her "Angel"—a nickname that stuck. Dressed entirely in white and radiating warmth, Olivia had an approachable charm, while Lucas carried a hint of mischief. Neither of them expected the immediate spark that passed between them.
As Lucas and Olivia spent more time together, they gradually opened up about their pasts. Lucas shared that his mother had passed away seven years ago. Despite the loss, the Alessi brothers and their father remained close, regularly coming together and supporting one another. Olivia, on the other hand, had grown up with an absent mother, leaving her dad as the steady presence in her life. While she couldn’t fully grasp the pain of losing a nurturing mother, she could empathize with Lucas. Olivia’s own father had passed away, and that loss gave her a deep understanding of grief.
Despite their growing connection, Olivia was determined not to get involved with Lucas romantically. She didn’t want to risk jeopardizing the project, or her shot at landing a Netflix show. But after meeting with Callie, her Netflix contact, she learned that the original terms of their interest in her wouldn’t change if she pursued a relationship. So when the inevitable “screw it” moment finally hit around the 68% mark, it was like 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲!
The third-act conflict, however, felt a bit forced. That said, the book was okay overall: short, decent, and a nice little reset read.
ᴛʜᴇ ꜰʀᴀᴍᴇ ᴜᴘ: ᴀ ꜱᴘɪᴄʏ ᴄᴏᴡᴏʀᴋᴇʀꜱ-ᴛᴏ-ʟᴏᴠᴇʀꜱ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴛɪᴄ ᴄᴏᴍᴇᴅʏ【ᴀʟᴇꜱꜱɪ ʙʀᴏᴛʜᴇʀꜱ ʙᴏᴏᴋ 1】★★☆☆☆
ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏ-ᴘʀᴏᴅᴜᴄᴇʀꜱ: ᴀ ꜱᴘɪᴄʏ, ᴏᴘᴘᴏꜱɪᴛᴇꜱ ᴀᴛᴛʀᴀᴄᴛ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴛɪᴄ ᴄᴏᴍᴇᴅʏ【ᴀʟᴇꜱꜱɪ ʙʀᴏᴛʜᴇʀꜱ ʙᴏᴏᴋ 2】ᴇxᴘᴇᴄᴛᴇᴅ 5 ɴᴏᴠ 25
July 25, 2025
The Frame Up: Alessia Brothers Series Book 1 by new author Shannon Sanders is a hit! It's a brilliantly written debut novel and the storyline and character development is unreal! Truly she has knocked it out of the park with this novel. And the chemistry between the characters is amazing!
The story follows Lucas, the eldest Alessia brother and one of the owners of the families construction company. He is not a fan of interior designers but his newest client loves the interior designer they have hired and Lucas might as well .
Olivia is a brilliant and talented designer whom appreciates Lucas and the chemistry between them. She also is business focused but doesn't mind some flirting until it threatens her job/business. Are these two able to balance their feelings for one another with running successful businesses or will everything come crashing down?
This book isn't even published yet and I am eagerly awaiting books 2 and 3 with the other Alessia Brothers.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The story follows Lucas, the eldest Alessia brother and one of the owners of the families construction company. He is not a fan of interior designers but his newest client loves the interior designer they have hired and Lucas might as well .
Olivia is a brilliant and talented designer whom appreciates Lucas and the chemistry between them. She also is business focused but doesn't mind some flirting until it threatens her job/business. Are these two able to balance their feelings for one another with running successful businesses or will everything come crashing down?
This book isn't even published yet and I am eagerly awaiting books 2 and 3 with the other Alessia Brothers.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 20, 2025
Hot new series by a new author. And what a debut! Great characters. They are well matched and the chemistry is off the charts. Lucas is the oldest of the Alessi brothers. He heads up their construction company on the business side. Olivia is brought in by a on their current project by the client and he’s not sure how to feel about that. On the plus side she is brilliant, knows her design profession well and has a great eye. Bad side is he’s having troubles remembering she’s a coworker. Olivia is equally affected and is not sure what a relationship would do to her single status and her latest job offer. Can they balance both work and private lives? Can they have it all? I really enjoyed finding out and you will too. Definitely a keeper and will be waiting not so patiently for the other brothers stories. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 30, 2025
In this story, we meet Olivia, an incredibly talented interior designer with a huge career opportunity ahead of her, and Lucas, the owner of a prestigious luxury property restoration company. They’re brought together to work on the same project, and from the moment they meet, the attraction between them is undeniable. But fears surface — he doesn’t want to hold her back from reaching her professional goals, while she’s searching for a family where she truly belongs.
This book kept me completely hooked — it made me laugh out loud, and at times, it also tugged at my heartstrings. It’s one of those stories that blends humor, emotional depth, and lovable characters in the best way. And yes, I’m already anxiously waiting for the next book in the series because I NEED to know more about the Alessi brothers.
This book kept me completely hooked — it made me laugh out loud, and at times, it also tugged at my heartstrings. It’s one of those stories that blends humor, emotional depth, and lovable characters in the best way. And yes, I’m already anxiously waiting for the next book in the series because I NEED to know more about the Alessi brothers.
July 25, 2025
Fun Foray Into The World of Home Design, Building and Romance
I enjoyed this book by a new-to-me author. I liked both Lucas and Olivia and thought they were well written and interesting characters who were perfect for each other despite how hard they were fighting it. I appreciated that they were both trying to keep their relationship professional to build their businesses and not disappoint their client and also their backgrounds as well as the importance of family. The background characters - especially Lucas' brothers were well developed and fun as was the banter between them, and I look forward to reading their stories in the subsequent books - Enjoy!
I was sent an ARC by the author and I am voluntarily leaving my honest review.
I enjoyed this book by a new-to-me author. I liked both Lucas and Olivia and thought they were well written and interesting characters who were perfect for each other despite how hard they were fighting it. I appreciated that they were both trying to keep their relationship professional to build their businesses and not disappoint their client and also their backgrounds as well as the importance of family. The background characters - especially Lucas' brothers were well developed and fun as was the banter between them, and I look forward to reading their stories in the subsequent books - Enjoy!
I was sent an ARC by the author and I am voluntarily leaving my honest review.
January 15, 2026
Full disclosure, I read the second book first (oops) so was the big surprise twist in this book spoiled for me? Yeah. BUT DID THAT KEEP IT FROM WRECKING ME EMOTIONALLY TO THE POINT WHERE I LITERALLY CRIED?? NOT A CHANCE!!!!!
Shannon Saunders has perfected the shorter, spicy rom-com game with this series, I am standing 10 toes down on business and saying that with my whole chest. If you're in a slump, this will fix you. If you're wanting a sweet story that will make you believe in true love, this is what you need to read next. After this, make sure to read the second book (which follows a different Alessi brother, hinted at in this book!) and then read everything that Shannon writes ever. You'll thank me later.
Shannon Saunders has perfected the shorter, spicy rom-com game with this series, I am standing 10 toes down on business and saying that with my whole chest. If you're in a slump, this will fix you. If you're wanting a sweet story that will make you believe in true love, this is what you need to read next. After this, make sure to read the second book (which follows a different Alessi brother, hinted at in this book!) and then read everything that Shannon writes ever. You'll thank me later.
July 16, 2025
Thank you to the author for sending me a copy. This is my honest review.
I really enjoyed this story. It was very quick and a lot of fun. However some of the plot seemed quite rushed and there were a number of typos so some editing would have benefited the book. Overall I loved it and I’ll be looking forward to reading more about this family.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I really enjoyed this story. It was very quick and a lot of fun. However some of the plot seemed quite rushed and there were a number of typos so some editing would have benefited the book. Overall I loved it and I’ll be looking forward to reading more about this family.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 22, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ 4.5 Stars
The Frame Up by Shannon Sanders is a fun, heartfelt slow-burn romance full of family banter, meddling matchmakers, and undeniable chemistry. Olivia and Lucas are both strong, relatable characters, and their push-pull dynamic kept me hooked from start to finish. The Alessi brothers add humor and warmth, while the romance delivers both steam and swoon. A delightful standalone that left me smiling and eager for more!
Thank you Booksirens for this eARC! 💕
The Frame Up by Shannon Sanders is a fun, heartfelt slow-burn romance full of family banter, meddling matchmakers, and undeniable chemistry. Olivia and Lucas are both strong, relatable characters, and their push-pull dynamic kept me hooked from start to finish. The Alessi brothers add humor and warmth, while the romance delivers both steam and swoon. A delightful standalone that left me smiling and eager for more!
Thank you Booksirens for this eARC! 💕
July 31, 2025
Loved this story. Well written two person point of view. Olivia and Lucas struggle with their instant attraction while trying to be professional as they work together. The supporting characters were well formed and interesting. I hope I get to read more about the Alessi brothers!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 22, 2025
This was a quick read that quickly catches the readers attention. The characters are well written and relatable. While some aspects of the plot were predictable the ending was not. I truly want to know what happens next.
November 25, 2025
This was a delight to read! I'm hooked on the Alessi family and can't wait to read the next two books!
January 12, 2026
This book was such a nice quick read - in the sense that it had me hooked wanting to keep reading. I love the dual pov and the fast paced. Both olivia and lucas were very relatable and enjoyable as MC. I love the work romance, forced proximity, found family, slow burn romance. I actually think the book could have been longer as it sometimes jumps from one scene to the next and Shannon is a great author who can easily keep readers engaged for longer.
I am super exited to read the next book in the series!
I am super exited to read the next book in the series!
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews