Devilish Bully

Steamy Latte Reads Collection #3

by Whitney G.

Employee Satisfaction Survey Response

0/10 stars. If I could give this a**hole CEO a negative rating, I would. He’s never been wrong a day in his life, turns our meetings into hostage situations, and I swear he cuts people off mid-sentence just to hear himself talk.

I thought employee surveys were supposed to be anonymous.

I also thought it was a great idea to fill one out after half a bottle of cheap tequila… instead of finishing the quarterly project he’s been hounding me about for weeks.

Turns out, I was wrong.

One week later, our CEO is in the middle of a boardroom speech about “transparency” when he pulls my survey up on the big screen—and reads it aloud, word for word.

Including my name.

I’m so effin screwed…

Firing me would’ve been the merciful option.

Instead, he decides to “make an example out of me.”

Now I’m his shadow—dragged into every meeting, roped into client dinners, and shoved onto impossible deadlines that mysteriously appear on my desk after midnight.

He says it’s a “lesson in professionalism.”

I say it’s punishment from a devilish bully with a very long memory.

And if hell hath no fury like a scorned boss, mine is about to make me believe it…

Genres: Enemies To Lovers, Novella, Romance, Workplace Romance, Contemporary, Workplace

118 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 5, 2025

About the author

Whitney G. is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling author. Her books are currently published in over a dozen languages.

She lives deep in the Tennessee woods and spends most of her time drinking coffee while penning dirty-talking alpha males.

Find out more about her next project at www.whitneygbooks.com

(Be sure to sign up for "The F.L.Y. List" as that's the best way to receive new release updates. Link: eepurl.com/hbhVOf )

You can also connect with Whitney on Instagram and Facebook.

Reviews

[Sonia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m disappointed

After enjoying the previous book in the series more so than the first one, I thought this would be a hit as well.

But it wasn’t 😐

Things moved too fast and not enough was developed For me at least 🤷🏻‍♀️.

This is my least favorite of the three. It’s not a full three stars, but it’s way better than a two star. So I just went for the middle

Kendall works for Lucian. You can read the blurb to get a better idea of the “plot”.

i liked:
—that there’s some 🔥
—that Kendall backed up Lucian towards the end
—that he wasn’t a man hooooar 😅
—that there’s a jealousy scene 😈 I love OMD
—Kendall is into numbers
—she basically adopts her niece 🫶🏻
—it has at least a semblance of an epilogue

What I didn’t like/wanted more of:
—a lot more length 😐
—although we get a few spicy scenes, most are pretty rushed (and we only get one short FULL 🔥 scene). We get told that they make out and do lots of sexy scenes
—no buildup to the tension 😒. I wish we had seen more banter (it’s MISSING WG’s normal banter), that way, I can see why Lucian kisses her when he does
—why don’t we find out more about their future because the epilogue gives off HFN vibes 😒
—a true epilogue 😭

Overall, I wanted more 🤷🏻‍♀️

⚠️safety squad⚠️
-no cheating/sharing/owd/or real OMD
-mild OMD- the H gets jealous of OM
-no condoms/no virgins/no safety talk
-HEA/“epilogue”/months later

[Carvanz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Whitney G’s writing, and Devilish Bully was such a fun, addictive read. I especially liked the whole “anonymous survey gone wrong” setup. It hooked me right away and made me laugh. The banter was sharp, the chemistry was sizzling, and I loved watching the relationship develop. It had the perfect mix of sass, steam, and laugh-out-loud moments that kept me turning the pages.

Dual POV
Safe no ow/om drama; h not a virgin; H not made out to be a player IMO
Triggers no apparent triggers
Steam 5 /5; explicit

[Jen ♥]

What happened to having a definite ending? This just looks like the first one and also ends in HFN; they're in a relationship, so… 🤷‍♀️

Anyway, out of the three novellas, this is probably my least favorite. These two didn't make sense, unlike the couples from the previous books. Not convinced by the romance altogether. 🫠

[Ioana Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 boss stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
3.5🌶

[Amanda Kintner · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun quick and easy read! I love to see a man grovel. And who doesnt like a man that admits when hes wrong? Perfection. I really enjoyed the characters. This novella was perfect to break up what I normally read. And an office romance always snags my attention. Eat that forbidden fruit!

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Devilish Bully

Absolutely loved this story ❤️. Full of fun back and forth banter. Seriously
a boss who only sees dollar signs, not the people who help get him there. The road to riches can be a bumpy one, great story.

[Cheryl Carpenter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third and final book in the Steamy Latte Reads collection.

Accountant Kendall is director of auditing at Pearson Industries while also being a single parent to her niece, Myra. Like her colleagues, she doesn't like the CEO.

"“Miss Clarke is very well- liked and doesn’t have any infractions on her record.” Brian rattles off the deep- dive research I requested. “And, uh, it looks like she was handling the previous auditor’s work and running things whenever he slacked off on deadlines.”
“In that case, she should’ve been fired with him, correct?”
He shoots me a pointed look."

Lucian Pearson is the CEO of Pearson Industries, he rules with an iron fist and to say the least is not very well liked by his employees. He's going public with his company so it's all hands on deck in preparation for the IPO. His father is against this.

"Somehow, he’s forgotten that he begged me to take over his company when he was bleeding money, when his “family” employees were taking his kindness for weakness and stealing millions right in front of his eyes. Within five years of me taking over—after putting a lot of distance between me and the growing staff and taking a far more ruthless approach to “business”—Pearson Industries grew from a small upstate paper supplier to the top supplier in the country."

There are fireworks when Lucian and Kendall meet, and not necessarily the good kind. Their banter is entertaining and if Lucian hadn't read Kendall right he would have risked crossing into "Me too" territory with his treatment of her.

Also a shout out to Myra, Kendall's eleven year old niece. It's not always clear who looks after who.

On the whole this is a quick and light read, perfect for the beach or anywhere with a hammock.

[Babel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This cracked me up. I devoured this novella and relished it from start to finish.

I needed to laugh out loud and this gave me plenty of that. Kendall and Lucien are as exasperating as they're funny. From page one, it's a string of quirky characters, witty and hilarious dialogues, surreal situations and a heated tension that can only explode in naughty behaviour.

Admittedly, some preliminaries would have been nice before they went at it like wild animals, but there's no much complaining from me about the explosive heat between them :-D

I loved every second of the crazy plot. Kendall copes with her enslaving work with an attitude worthy of a firing squad, whereas Lucien is the most unapproachable CEO ever. Handsome though. Brian is my favourite man. I love him and his winning comebacks.

It's a short romcom with a scared staff, a deadline that brings them all together, and an ending that was pretty romantic after all. Total fun!

[Alison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Does the series have to over?

Ugh! Whitney G, you’ve got to keep this series going. Each of these books has been great in their own way.

This book might have been the shortest of the bunch and I do wish it was a little longer so the relationship could have been fleshed out a little more.

However, I loved how Lucien increasingly became more unhinged about Kendall. You knew he had lost it when he asked his assistant what time she was coming into the office that day. Brian helpfully reminded him that she had quit weeks ago and that he signed off on her resignation. “I was just calling her bluff.”

I love that she didn’t just give into him the next day and Lucien had to do an honest to goodness grovel in front of rivals. Perfect!

Whitney, give us more!

[thebeespot72 · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Devilish Bully is the next installment in Whitney G’s short novella series. And when I say short, we’re talking around 100ish pages. The story is just enough of a steamy morsel that one might be looking for, no elaborate plot lines. Readers will find banter, romance, and some spice when an alpha MMC gets hold of an employee survey that is supposed to be anonymous.

Whitney G.’s short novellas are just that—novellas. And though I would love for them to continue after they end, as mentioned earlier, I have to remind myself that they are just a morsel to keep me satisfied until the next one.

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘈𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳 𝘞𝘩𝘪𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘺 𝘎 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘦-𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺. 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘺.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a quick, cute, insta-love office romance novella that had me chuckling throughout!

Lucian is the quintessential controlling, intense, billionaire boss, while Kendall is devoted, driven, and compassionate (and such a wonderful aunt!). I loved the instant attraction between them—and how it simmered under the surface until it finally couldn’t anymore!

My only wish? An extended epilogue! I would have loved to see a glimpse of their future together.

Thank you to the author for providing an advanced ebook copy in exchange for my honest review!

[MissPetiteBrunetteBookBlog · Rating 5 out of 5]

When you cannot stand you a h0le CEO/Boss what should you do? Kendall Clarke’s Boss, Lucian Pearson is a real piece of work so she decides to write an anonymous survey about him. Too bad it didn’t stay anonymous! Now, she has to shadow his every move. Kendall will either change her mind about her boss of do something that would get her fired…could go either way! LOL what a fun workplace enemies to Lovers. Their banter is spot on! Told I first person and dual POV.

[Writer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute

I can't really say much but "cute." It seems they are all pretty much the same, all 3 Steamy Latte collections. It's just a different place and different names, but it's pretty much the same. I enjoyed reading them all, though.

[Angela]

Needed a short and easy pallet cleanser to break up some of the heavy stuff I’ve been reading. This was cute. Short and sweet.

[Caroline F · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick, amusing, hot read. Lucian and Kendall were fire! I loved the conflict, the sizzling attraction, the dialogue between them, and the way that he wanted to be a better man for her. Loved it!

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-re...?

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review and I honestly LOVED this book!
I have read literally thousands of books, so it’s hard to impress me these days but I vibe with Whitney G’s humor and writing style!

[Kim Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

This had a different vibe compared to the last one. Lucian was more ruthless and harder to please, plus he ran his business with an iron fist and you felt the tension and anger he exuded as the CEO. I think it was more of a way to protect himself and the company because he didn’t trust any one after what happened when his dad was running things. At first I didn’t like him, but then he grows on you and you see that he is actually a completely different person when he trusts you and his actions start to make sense. At the same time, you wish he toned it back a notch. There’s a such thing as running a business but also keeping distant due to trust issues and at least make the business tolerable to work in. When results start getting toyed with to make him more liked then you know the issue is himself. He didn’t accept that and kept wanting things done a certain way, causing extra stress. I did like Kendall, but I think in some cases she was too outspoken which gets her in trouble and one thing after another happens and she finds herself getting more than she bargained for. However, I think it was because Lucian liked messing with her and in some ways it was his kind of foreplay. I liked the last book better because I felt like there was more stolen glances, looks and desire shown in the last story. Plus, there was a bit more sexual action. With this one, more time was spent with banter and fighting between Kendall and Lucian with less intimate moments. Sure you get bursts of loss of control with him but nothing that felt as natural like the last book. In this case, I think the arguing turned Lucian on because once he accepts he’s attracted to her he pretty much jumps on her after every argument later on in the story when she starts working directly with him. I didn’t feel like there was enough emotions shown in this story. There wasn’t any passionate declarations or enough tender lovemaking. I would have wanted more of this in the book and personal touches, meaning being more open about who Lucian and Kendall are. The only thing that made me swoon was when Lucian expresses how he finally feels about Kendall, and the way he goes about it. It wasn’t ideal, but it was such a move that he would do based on his personality. You do get closure as well in this book which I also appreciated and it wasn’t cliche, it was actually different and made sense. Overall, I enjoyed the content, but would have liked more emotion and passion in this book instead of the constant bantering in the story. I felt like that was more the focus in this compared to the last one, something did come out of it but I felt like it went on for too long, ultimately resulting in a 4 for the storyline and content.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Devilish Bully is a wickedly addicting journey that is both heartbreaking and intoxicating at the same time. Your first step will lead you into a journey of a lifetime that will leave you changed and forever grateful. Nothing is ever as it appears, and just when you think you know what is happening, the rug gets pulled out from underneath you. Don't take anything for granted as you walk this path. Just keep your eyes open and your heart available.

Kendall is trying to do well at her job, but those before her did everything they could to make it harder on her then it should be. Her work ethic is lost to the chaos that she must tame and control. so nothing she does appears to show just how hard of a worker she really is. Lucian only knows that his requests for reports from Kendall are going unanswered. He doesn't have time for incompetence. He has plans to complete, and she is wrecking them.

When these two meet, sparks just don't fly, but they threaten to catch the very building on fire. Nothing with these two are in half measures, so you can imagine how lethal these two are together. Friction would be a cute description if it wasn't laced with a aerated edge of sarcasm and threats. These two will have to figure out how to work together in order to resolve their biggest issues and move forward.

Whitney G has once again left me speechless with her amazing whit and incredible heart. She never fails to showcase our humanness while gently reminding us that we can become better if we have a reason to change. Love can overcome a myriad of faults and shortcomings, but only if we open ourselves to it and its healing and transformative power.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Devilish Bully is another comedic office romance by Whitney G. The leading man, Lucian is a self-made billionaire CEO. He has an obsessive need to control things and hundreds (thousands?) of employees who all think he is Lucifer because he demands they work for their paychecks. Jerk. (**sarcasm**). Anywho, Lucian plans on taking his company from the private sector to the public, to make even more money, but he needs the financial reports from his financial department….and guess what, Kendall is an amazing accountant that can’t make sense of the reports. Millions are missing but she can’t tell her CEO that she can’t figure it out. So what’s a girl to do? So she misses her deadline (again) and is rightfully fired. Not a funny or romantic storyline huh? Well she is immediately hired at triple the salary to work as Lucian’s assistant or vice CEO? I don’t know if there is a title for the position. And within a week, the sparks are flying! Their unlikely meet-up is full of witty dialogue and illustrates their sizzling chemistry. But the dialogue was some kind of non-existent. The sex scenes seem more important in this installment, which is too bad since the banter is usually the best part of her books. However, their love/hate relationship brings a perfect mix of humor and tension, keeping you engaged from start to finish.

Tropes: Enemies to lovers 💔
Workplace forbidden love 💕
Power imbalance romance 💛

Forced proximity 💜

[Reelina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the absolute joy of receiving an ARC of Devilish Bully—and let me tell you, I devoured it in one sitting and loved every second!

Whitney has this magical ability to turn the most chaotic workplace situations into the sexiest, most hilarious romances. The premise? An “anonymous” tequila-fueled survey that lands front and center in a boardroom meeting. The fallout? Endless sparring, forced proximity, late nights, and a CEO who is equal parts devil, bully, and dangerously irresistible.

Kendall’s sass and quick wit made me laugh out loud more than once, while Lucian’s broody, controlling, “I’m always right” persona made me want to shake him and swoon over him at the same time. The banter is sharp, the chemistry is electric, and the steam? Off the charts Whitney G. levels of 🔥🔥🔥🔥.

This novella is short, but exquisite; it’s packed with everything I adore in a Whitney story—sharp writing, addictive pacing, humor, and heat. Honestly, it’s the kind of read that reminds me why I’ll always 1-click anything she publishes.

Mark your calendars—Devilish Bully is a sexy, hilarious, can’t-miss ride that proves Whitney just keeps getting better over and above her usual excellence!

[Cindy Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Devilish Bully is another amazing story from this very talented author. It was funny and a quick read. I absolutely loved it and couldn't stop reading.

Kendall is an accountant at her company and like her coworkers she can't stand the CEO. He is very demanding. Kendall has been tasked to raise her niece Myra after her sister dies.

Lucien is the CEO of his company. He is not liked by his employees. He wants to go public with the company which his father opposes.

Lucien finds that the reports he is supposed to be receiving from Kendall are not coming in. He is very angry and doesn't understand the incompetence at work. Once he finds her and tries to see what is going on sparks fly between them. He is captivated by her beauty and admires her strength. Lucien doesn't mix business with pleasure so these two have to find a way to work alongside each other.

I loved how Kendall stood up to Lucien and did her best with her tasks. She is a wonderful role model to Myra. I loved the chemistry between Lucien and Kendall. They were so enjoyable to read when they bantered also. Highly recommended.

Thank you to the author for an advanced copy for an honest review.

[Jennifer Cooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hot office romance!
Domineering CEO billionaire and Smart Financial Executive meet their match!

Kendall Clarke is a very smart woman. Working at a good company but for a terrible boss! The company is trying to go public and the CEO is unbearable.

The company is always releasing employee satisfaction surveys but the CEO is manipulating the data!

Kendall loves the numbers game and finds herself trying to find a $3 million error or missing funds.

One night while working too late, drinking one too many Kendall responds to an employee survey and signs her name which gets her a front row seat next to the Devil himself, Lucian Pearson! Since he is a terrible boss he is going to give Kendall an opportunity to walk in his shoes for 6 weeks!

This lesson for Kendall is going to end up being miserable for Lucian who of course cannot keep his eyes off of her!

Angst, office sex, oh and a niece that is as feisty as her aunt!

Finding a match seems impossible and now is hiding in plain sight!

I absolutely loved the banter, the hate, the sex, and finding a partner where you least expect it!

[Janet Taggart Baldwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE DEVIL MEETS THE ANGEL!

Lucian Pearson was the Devil incarnate and everyone knew it. However, Kendall Clark was the only brave soul bold enough to put it in the employee survey and then sign her name to it! No matter she was drunk. Now she has to pay by working side by side with Lucian for the next six weeks for the IPO launch off his company.

Lucian was such a horrible person. He seemed to have no compassion for any of his employees at all, and then finally started having some for Kendall. She was the one who was working hard to help her fellow employees any chance she got. As the ice finally started to break between her and Lucian, she did have his ear to make some small changes. Lucian was so wildly attracted to Kendall from the first time he saw her but it took a long time for him to act on it and even after to ever acknowledge what it was.

This was probably one of my least favorite book by Whitney G. The H just didn't have a lot of redeeming qualities and it took him forever to act like he had any goodness in him. Kendall was a sweetheart and such an overall good person. I enjoyed the ending and the Epilogue was perfect!

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

“It’s terrifying, realizing I might understand him. And it’s worse knowing I might even like him.”

Devilish Bully is a fast-paced novella in the Steamy Latte Reads Collection that delivers a deliciously steamy and wildly entertaining ride. Lucian Pearson is Kendall Clarke’s infuriating boss—cold, commanding, and utterly detestable. But when Kendall vents her frustrations in an employee satisfaction survey, the sparks ignite and the verbal jabs fly. Forced into closer proximity, Kendall begins to glimpse a different side of the enigmatic man behind the iron-fisted reputation. As their attraction intensifies, resisting temptation becomes a losing battle.

I adored the snarky banter and electric chemistry between Lucian and Kendall. Their dynamic was sharp, sexy, and endlessly fun. This workplace romance had me grinning, gasping, and flipping pages at lightning speed.

[Wendy Livingstone · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third book in this impressive series, and this is Lucian and Kendall’s story.
Lucian is the CEO of his company, and Kendall is the new head of auditing, and fed up with her bosses demanding ways, she completes an anonymous survey, which turns into not so anonymous, when Lucian read it out during a meeting, as well as naming her. Kendall is tasked with being Lucian’s shadow, attending every meeting, client dinners, and shoved into impossible deadlines.
This is a well written easy to read story, with family, friendships, emotions, close proximity, enemies / lovers, humour, witty banter, workplace romance, undeniable chemistry, and love, which leads to an entertaining, and fun, addictive page turner.
I look forward to reading more from this talented author whose work I highly recommend.

[Vera Blaz · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Kendall Clarke fills out the survey about her boss, she fully expects it to remain anonymous. But, CEO Lucian Pearson decides to make an example out of her she realizes her mistake. She filled it out while tipsy and signed her name. Oh no! Lucian takes it a step farther and has her working alongside him so she can see just how tough it is to be the boss. They're working against a deadline to the company's IPO. Lucian can admit that Kendall is good at her job, and she's relentless in trying to figure out where millions of dollars have gone. They work long hours and drop the walls they've erected to discover what they both really want. From enemies to lovers, these characters had the banter and angst down pat.

I received an advance copy of this book at my request and voluntarily left this review.

[Erika Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely devoured this book in one sitting. This is an enemies to lovers romance story. Kendall is smart, sweet, beautiful and a little sassy. She is getting annoyed with her boss that continuously emailing her about the report. After a night of drinking she does the employee survey and the next morning her survey is discussed in a work meeting. What will happen next? Lucian is intelligent, grumpy, handsome and cold. He is dealing with taking his company public. Now Lucian is trying to not think about a certain employee. This story was funny and good. Whitney G is amazing with her writing and stories. This is her eighth book this year and it gets better and better. Amazing work again Whitney G!🥰❤️😍💐💐💐

[mikaela · Rating 5 out of 5]

given this arc for an honest review:

this is the best novella in the steamy latte collection. i loved the chemistry between lucian & kendall. i love the mean boss trope but this time around kendall was an established accountant so she had to attend meetings etc ....
i loved how she was able to argue w/him toe-to-toe even tho she started crushing on him. lucian remained "mean" throughout the story w/c i truly love (he forced her to work in his office as well as fly to meetings w/him). until .... the close quarters made him realize he had feelings for her.
i won't give anything else away since it is such a good story & as usual i wish this was longer.
wg really knows how to write character that i care for.

[Ez · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was another quick, satisfying read from this author. Kendall is a long-suffering employee of Lucian, the billionaire CEO of a family-focussed business about to go public on the share market. When her scathing survey of her boss is displayed in an office meeting, he makes her work under him for a few weeks in the lead up to his big marketing campaign. The tension is thick and hot as they try to juggle work commitments and their growing attraction.

This was lots of fun with just the right amount of steam and banter. I didn't find Lucian that much of a bully and their relationship problems weren't that major as they tried to be but it was a great, quick read with a happily ever after and two likeable characters. I've really enjoyed this series and Lucian was another winner.

[Bm]

DNF 23%

I couldn’t continue this book because the FMC annoyed me so much. Your boss is the devil himself, but you couldn’t respond to his - your boss’s!! - emails for six months about the problems with the accounting reports, instead just leaving his emails unanswered. She even used his face as target practice in her office. You wonder why your boss is annoyed with you? Lol.
The FMC can’t even be bothered to tell the CEO that the report he requested cannot be completed in time, calling him names for daring to request it again by email. I would have fired her for sure.

PS I love the author, this is just a small thing that annoyed me as someone who works in accounting.