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Bad Billionaire Bosses #1
Jak poskromić diabła
Niczego nie żałuję…
Okej, może kilku rzeczy jednak tak.
Na swoją obronę powiem, że byłam pewna, że nikt mnie nie przyłapie.
A poza tym skąd miałam wiedzieć, że tamten „incydent” stanie się viralem?
Ale najgorsze w tym wszystkim jest to, że wkurzyłam Adriena Cloutiera – najbardziej bezwzględnego miliardera w Toronto. Faceta, który nie zna pojęcia „wyrozumiałość” i zdecydowanie nie chce słuchać moich wymówek.
Zwłaszcza że przez mój wybryk stracił największy kontrakt w swojej karierze.
On nie chce przeprosin. Chce zemsty.
I tak właśnie trafiam w sam środek układu z diabłem o zielonych oczach.
Muszę być na każde jego skinienie – dwadzieścia cztery godziny na dobę mam spełniać każde jego polecenie, każdą zachciankę.
Tyle że im częściej Adrien daje mi się we znaki, tym bardziej mam ochotę się odgryźć. Bo kobiety takie jak ja nie boją się diabła, a piekło może być całkiem przyjemne.
Okej, może kilku rzeczy jednak tak.
Na swoją obronę powiem, że byłam pewna, że nikt mnie nie przyłapie.
A poza tym skąd miałam wiedzieć, że tamten „incydent” stanie się viralem?
Ale najgorsze w tym wszystkim jest to, że wkurzyłam Adriena Cloutiera – najbardziej bezwzględnego miliardera w Toronto. Faceta, który nie zna pojęcia „wyrozumiałość” i zdecydowanie nie chce słuchać moich wymówek.
Zwłaszcza że przez mój wybryk stracił największy kontrakt w swojej karierze.
On nie chce przeprosin. Chce zemsty.
I tak właśnie trafiam w sam środek układu z diabłem o zielonych oczach.
Muszę być na każde jego skinienie – dwadzieścia cztery godziny na dobę mam spełniać każde jego polecenie, każdą zachciankę.
Tyle że im częściej Adrien daje mi się we znaki, tym bardziej mam ochotę się odgryźć. Bo kobiety takie jak ja nie boją się diabła, a piekło może być całkiem przyjemne.
504 pages, Paperback
Published October 15, 2025
1927 people are currently reading
18519 people want to read
About the author
Kyra Parsi
11 books1,909 followersKyra Parsi is a Canadian author of contemporary rom-com books.
She's also a closeted romantic with a minor (read: major) book hoarding problem. But don't worry, it's under control. She pinky promises.
Keeping up with Kyra's writing shenanigans:
Website -> https://kyraparsi.com/
FREE for newsletter subscribers!
She's also a closeted romantic with a minor (read: major) book hoarding problem. But don't worry, it's under control. She pinky promises.
Keeping up with Kyra's writing shenanigans:
Website -> https://kyraparsi.com/
FREE for newsletter subscribers!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,494 reviews
January 2, 2025
This has to be some massive brainwashing because how are you'll loving this. The promise is so ridiculous, just like the title of this book. That man isn't a CEO. Ria is also written so juvenile that man fired your sister and makes your living hell, but he has dimple, so it's okay. The switch from him blackmailing her to them being in lust is just chapter change. The smut is so cringe and never-ending, basically second half of the book, and it's just him calling her good girl. Cartoon evil guy from past was just there, so the main guy can look in comparison to him. Mind you, same guy that saw her picture of her on her sister deck( the same one he fired) and he was immediately obsessed. Like, I'm sorry, but even if you want to turn off brain, this is bad in everything.
March 22, 2024
I'm thinking between 3 (only cuz im pissed) and 4 as my rating, but then decided on the latter. Honestly, this would've been a solid 5 had it not been for the freaking conflict. Seriously, though, it's amazing and also annoying how these conflicts can ruin a really good story. And this one, at least to me, was ruined by the freaking revelation. I wish I could say it made me feel a whole lot better, but the thing is, I was so mad by it (still atm) that everything and all the apologies afterwards only appeased me marginally.
Adrien (??) and Ria (28) had an incident at their company's Halloween party when she mistook him for someone who groped her. She then proceeded to retaliate by hitting his junk, and unfortunately for Adrien, she didn't miss. To make matters worse, Ria hit him in front of the investors he's trying to woo, and that interaction went viral. Adrien lost the potential investors—actually, he lost 700 million dollars because of Ria's stunt.
If she were a regular person, she'd probably feel remorseful for her actions, even after finding out that she hit the wrong person. But Ria has her own reason why she couldn't find it in herself to apologize to him. You see, Ria's sister is Adrien's assistant; she's been working for him for the last four years, and he's been an awful and demanding boss ever since. Ria's mad that he overworked her sister and that he made her miss a lot of birthdays, holidays, and special occasions. So being the stubborn person that she is, she didn't apologize and held her ground that he deserved it.
But Adrien was furious about losing the deal and a huge amount of money, so he fired Alba and Ria from his company. Which made Ria plead for him to give back the job that her sister had worked hard for for the last four years. And Adrien agreed by basically ordering Ria to be at his beck and call 24/7.
They spent, I think, two weeks together working until he had to go visit his parents and attend their wedding anniversary celebration. He told Ria to come with him anddemanded
asked her to be his fiancee during their stay there. He said it was to stop his mom from setting up dates for him, and he wants to have a peaceful visit with them.
But then the conflict happened, which made me so mad. The thing is, Adrien's ex-fiancée cheated on him with his cousin, who happens to be Ria's ex-boyfriend. He's not in love anymore, but he's still angry about what they did. So he thought his brilliant plan would've hit three birds with one stone. He can get back at Ria for losing his business deal, he can piss off his cheating ex, and he can gloat to his cousin that Ria is now his fiancee. Like I said, hurting these three people was his goal in the beginning.
However, after spending time with Ria and eventually developing real feelings for her, he realized he didn't want to go through with his original plan yet made no attempt to stop it from happening. Oh wait—he did; he told her about his grand plan 36 hours before the party and when both of their exes were already at his parents house.
The chump thought that he could still fix what he did after apologizing to her. For a successful CEO, he really is dumb for thinking Ria would understand him if he explainedand gave all the lame excuses
why he planned that in the first place. He said he realized he didn't want to do it anymore after the second day of their stay. Even still, days had gone by, and he never once considered telling her the truth—until it was too late.
His stupid plan ruined my 5-star rating for this book, and I hated it so much. I had so much fun with the story up until that point—the banter, chemistry, sexual tension, sweet moments—and don't get me started with the smut. These are all sooo good, and I was laughing like a maniac with every interaction and bickering with them.
But the annoyance I felt because of his lie made it a bit hard to get me back to the mood I was in before the revelation happened. Sure, he pulled some strings to help her achieve her dreams, and he left her alone to respect her wishes. Yet, I'm still testy with what he did. Luckily for him, Ria's a mess without him, and she really missed the crap out of him. Obviously, she forgave him, and they got back together.
Overall, I did love this for the most part. I was so ready to give this a 5⭐ rating, but alas, Adrien's masterplan had wrecked it. Yeah, he apologized, made a grand gesture, and promised he'd worked hard to earn her trust and forgiveness, but I'm still pissed atm, so it's not going through my head. Nevertheless, I'll still stand by my rating, as this was really good (I'll eventually get over my irritation in a few minutes). It was sweet, heartwarming, and had me laughing so much that my cheeks ached from doing it. This is still a worthwhile read. 💖
Book info:
- Single POV (h)
- Billionaire romance
- Workplace romance
- Fake dating
- Revenge plan
- Enemies-to-Lovers
- Great banter
- Slowburn (spice started at 60%)
- No cheating
- OPD (not really, their exes are engaged and only appeared at the 85%)
- Non-virgin MCs (no info on their past)
- Death of a loved one (past)
- Third act breakup (11 days)
- HEA (six years later, married)
Adrien (??) and Ria (28) had an incident at their company's Halloween party when she mistook him for someone who groped her. She then proceeded to retaliate by hitting his junk, and unfortunately for Adrien, she didn't miss. To make matters worse, Ria hit him in front of the investors he's trying to woo, and that interaction went viral. Adrien lost the potential investors—actually, he lost 700 million dollars because of Ria's stunt.
If she were a regular person, she'd probably feel remorseful for her actions, even after finding out that she hit the wrong person. But Ria has her own reason why she couldn't find it in herself to apologize to him. You see, Ria's sister is Adrien's assistant; she's been working for him for the last four years, and he's been an awful and demanding boss ever since. Ria's mad that he overworked her sister and that he made her miss a lot of birthdays, holidays, and special occasions. So being the stubborn person that she is, she didn't apologize and held her ground that he deserved it.
But Adrien was furious about losing the deal and a huge amount of money, so he fired Alba and Ria from his company. Which made Ria plead for him to give back the job that her sister had worked hard for for the last four years. And Adrien agreed by basically ordering Ria to be at his beck and call 24/7.
They spent, I think, two weeks together working until he had to go visit his parents and attend their wedding anniversary celebration. He told Ria to come with him and
But then the conflict happened, which made me so mad. The thing is, Adrien's ex-fiancée cheated on him with his cousin, who happens to be Ria's ex-boyfriend. He's not in love anymore, but he's still angry about what they did. So he thought his brilliant plan would've hit three birds with one stone. He can get back at Ria for losing his business deal, he can piss off his cheating ex, and he can gloat to his cousin that Ria is now his fiancee. Like I said, hurting these three people was his goal in the beginning.
However, after spending time with Ria and eventually developing real feelings for her, he realized he didn't want to go through with his original plan yet made no attempt to stop it from happening. Oh wait—he did; he told her about his grand plan 36 hours before the party and when both of their exes were already at his parents house.
The chump thought that he could still fix what he did after apologizing to her. For a successful CEO, he really is dumb for thinking Ria would understand him if he explained
His stupid plan ruined my 5-star rating for this book, and I hated it so much. I had so much fun with the story up until that point—the banter, chemistry, sexual tension, sweet moments—and don't get me started with the smut. These are all sooo good, and I was laughing like a maniac with every interaction and bickering with them.
But the annoyance I felt because of his lie made it a bit hard to get me back to the mood I was in before the revelation happened. Sure, he pulled some strings to help her achieve her dreams, and he left her alone to respect her wishes. Yet, I'm still testy with what he did. Luckily for him, Ria's a mess without him, and she really missed the crap out of him. Obviously, she forgave him, and they got back together.
Overall, I did love this for the most part. I was so ready to give this a 5⭐ rating, but alas, Adrien's masterplan had wrecked it. Yeah, he apologized, made a grand gesture, and promised he'd worked hard to earn her trust and forgiveness, but I'm still pissed atm, so it's not going through my head. Nevertheless, I'll still stand by my rating, as this was really good (I'll eventually get over my irritation in a few minutes). It was sweet, heartwarming, and had me laughing so much that my cheeks ached from doing it. This is still a worthwhile read. 💖
Book info:
- Single POV (h)
- Billionaire romance
- Workplace romance
- Fake dating
- Revenge plan
- Enemies-to-Lovers
- Great banter
- Slowburn (spice started at 60%)
- No cheating
- OPD (not really, their exes are engaged and only appeared at the 85%)
- Non-virgin MCs (no info on their past)
- Death of a loved one (past)
- Third act breakup (11 days)
- HEA (six years later, married)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 9, 2024
-ˋˏ 4.25 stars
Oh my god, a romcom that actually has GOOD comedy?!?! WILDDD I know!! This was SO funny, deserved 5 stars just for the humor alone. I loved loved loved our heroine, Ria, especially her relationship with her best friend, Jamie. Their SBS (small brain syndrome) moments were the highlight of the book! I'm so excited to read Jamie's story next!
THE PLOT
Our hero, Adrien, who was the CEO of the company Ria and her sister worked for, was GRUMPYYY. And rightfully so. Because Ria did something to him (might or might not be on accident) that caused him to lose a 700 million dollar deal that he'd worked on for half a year. He was PISSED and on a warpath, nothing but revenge on his mind.
But Ria also had her own reasons for hating him, and she didn't really care that much when he fired her, ready to never think about Adrien ever again... except her sister had to pay for her mistake and Ria wasn't having it. Adrien saw an opportunity to get his revenge on Ria when she came into his office demanding him to punish her instead of her sister. And Ria had no choice but to strike a deal with the devil boss himself.
Adrien made it his mission to make Ria's life harder, and not even a giant tornado would stop Ria from proving him wrong. It was hilarious, they bickered a lot, insults flying left and right. I think it's tricky to create a believable enemies-to-lovers arc in a contemporary romance (because it's never that serious), but they both had solid reasons to resent each other so the hatred made sense!
THOUGHTS
The banter in this book was amazing! Honestly not even just the banter between Ria and Adrien. But also the side characters, like Jamie and Adrien's family. This book was an all-around good time. There was a moment when I thought it would get boring, but conflict kicked in and my angst-deprived soul was fed. It went on for a reasonable amount of time and ended in a perfect conclusion. My drama loving ass even wished it was more angsty and lasted longer.
Smut was good. But I've read so many books in my lifetime and smut doesn't excite me anymore lol so I skimmed some of it in this book because honestly nowadays one chapter of smut is enough for me. I don't need three. I prefer drama over spice. But it's not a dealbreaker, just a personal preference.
And some things happened in this book that were a little too unrealistic, and would never happen in real life unless you were living your own romcom movie, but I didn't mind them that much because they were necessary for the plot. This book is peak cheesy romcom and I loved every second of it.
And last, if nothing I've said has convinced you to give this book a try, please know that Adrien, who was hellbent on hating our heroine, and also allergic to cats, bought Ria and her roommate's cat, Toebeans Maguire, a luxurious, giant ass cat tree. That's it and thank you.
“You’re in my head, you’re under my skin, you’re fucking everywhere, Ria.”
Oh my god, a romcom that actually has GOOD comedy?!?! WILDDD I know!! This was SO funny, deserved 5 stars just for the humor alone. I loved loved loved our heroine, Ria, especially her relationship with her best friend, Jamie. Their SBS (small brain syndrome) moments were the highlight of the book! I'm so excited to read Jamie's story next!
THE PLOT
Our hero, Adrien, who was the CEO of the company Ria and her sister worked for, was GRUMPYYY. And rightfully so. Because Ria did something to him (might or might not be on accident) that caused him to lose a 700 million dollar deal that he'd worked on for half a year. He was PISSED and on a warpath, nothing but revenge on his mind.
But Ria also had her own reasons for hating him, and she didn't really care that much when he fired her, ready to never think about Adrien ever again... except her sister had to pay for her mistake and Ria wasn't having it. Adrien saw an opportunity to get his revenge on Ria when she came into his office demanding him to punish her instead of her sister. And Ria had no choice but to strike a deal with the devil boss himself.
Adrien made it his mission to make Ria's life harder, and not even a giant tornado would stop Ria from proving him wrong. It was hilarious, they bickered a lot, insults flying left and right. I think it's tricky to create a believable enemies-to-lovers arc in a contemporary romance (because it's never that serious), but they both had solid reasons to resent each other so the hatred made sense!
THOUGHTS
The banter in this book was amazing! Honestly not even just the banter between Ria and Adrien. But also the side characters, like Jamie and Adrien's family. This book was an all-around good time. There was a moment when I thought it would get boring, but conflict kicked in and my angst-deprived soul was fed. It went on for a reasonable amount of time and ended in a perfect conclusion. My drama loving ass even wished it was more angsty and lasted longer.
Smut was good. But I've read so many books in my lifetime and smut doesn't excite me anymore lol so I skimmed some of it in this book because honestly nowadays one chapter of smut is enough for me. I don't need three. I prefer drama over spice. But it's not a dealbreaker, just a personal preference.
And some things happened in this book that were a little too unrealistic, and would never happen in real life unless you were living your own romcom movie, but I didn't mind them that much because they were necessary for the plot. This book is peak cheesy romcom and I loved every second of it.
And last, if nothing I've said has convinced you to give this book a try, please know that Adrien, who was hellbent on hating our heroine, and also allergic to cats, bought Ria and her roommate's cat, Toebeans Maguire, a luxurious, giant ass cat tree. That's it and thank you.
“I hate how much I love looking at you. I hate it, Sanchez.”
March 27, 2026
5⭐️
⤷ i mean, you already knew🤭🫶 (book #3 was better than book 1, nevertheless cant deny a well deserved 5⭐️ x)
it's decided. im gng to adopt a pet parrot, name it maxwell, and curse at it all day.
📍Summary: I'm too tired to do a full review, BUT this book (and series) remains one of the best romance books of all time. It was funny, steamy, and the plot never strays too! Truly everything I love combined in a romance novel. Will do a reread when my physical copies arrive. Kyra Parsi's truly such a hidden gem. On to Jackson's book next!
Note: I have to admit, after reading book #3 and then this, Adrien is the best as a human, not just as a MMC. he truly deserved so much better than how everyone treated/judged him. Love you Adrien💏
----
My review for this series:
1. A Deal with the Bossy Devil #1
2. Failure to Match #2
3.♕ Hate Me Like You Mean It #3
----
pre-read:
do i need to say anything? yall know how much i loved book #3, and this is adrien's book, so even better. he was so hot in book #3
⤷ i mean, you already knew🤭🫶 (book #3 was better than book 1, nevertheless cant deny a well deserved 5⭐️ x)
it's decided. im gng to adopt a pet parrot, name it maxwell, and curse at it all day.
"We're not playing Rap God at dinner," Alice told him. "It's not your music time."im cryingg😭😭
"You shut up."
📍Summary: I'm too tired to do a full review, BUT this book (and series) remains one of the best romance books of all time. It was funny, steamy, and the plot never strays too! Truly everything I love combined in a romance novel. Will do a reread when my physical copies arrive. Kyra Parsi's truly such a hidden gem. On to Jackson's book next!
Note: I have to admit, after reading book #3 and then this, Adrien is the best as a human, not just as a MMC. he truly deserved so much better than how everyone treated/judged him. Love you Adrien💏
----
My review for this series:
1. A Deal with the Bossy Devil #1
2. Failure to Match #2
3.♕ Hate Me Like You Mean It #3
----
pre-read:
do i need to say anything? yall know how much i loved book #3, and this is adrien's book, so even better. he was so hot in book #3
November 23, 2025
ria and adrien - you will retain your original 5 stars because this was just tew much fun again and i ate it UP, again! a romantic comedy delicacy, if you will. i know a good amount of people like or think that the second book is better, but for me? naaaaah. ria x adrien >>>>>> jamie x jackson, and i’ll die on that hill. i mean - i still enjoyed j-squared a ton, but ria and adrien just hit different for me.
there’s just something about the shenanigans and hijincks and games and chemistry and TENSION and banter (and spice!!!) and and and between these two that’s catnip to me! they are grumpy alpha-hole billionaire x sassy brat perfection.
you’d be hard pressed to find a fake relationship trope that doesn’t work for me, and the fake engagement in here was *chef’s kiss*.
the pace was so good - it’s not insta but it’s not necessarily slow - it’s the right kind of medium. i liked how the enemies part of the enemies-to-lovers dynamic actually lasts for enough time and is mutual, because that’s where a lot of enemies-to-lovers contemporary romances flop for me - either the beef is one-sided (past-me used to be accepting of this but now-me finds this device painfully boring), the reasons for dislike make no sense or it’s unbelievable / evaporates after like 10 pages because the whole thing is riddled with insta lust. but ria and adrien’s dynamic is so tea and doesn’t succumb to any of my usual grievances.
another thing that makes this book work EXCEPTIONALLY well is that it’s single pov. no cringy male thoughts, just picking up on how down bad he is from what he says and does around the fmc. this is really refreshing right now because dual pov hasn’t worked out the best for me in some recent reads, so i’m feeling extra praise-y about single pov romance right this second.
i laughed my ass off, and was giggling and kicking my feet (and sweating 🫦) to no end! yeah…imma need that ice cube as well, because wheeeew 😮💨. this book also has some A-grade comedy. the side characters (yes, including tobes the kitty) were so fun! adrien’s family was so hilarious and endearing lmao.
even the third act breakup in here couldn’t piss me off - i didn’t mind it back on my first read either, and that’s saying something because oftentimes they can grate on me when i think they’re asinine and nonsensical, simply there for formulaic reasons, but i didn’t feel that way at all in here. the conflict / reasons for resentment were legitimate (and a little heartbreaking actually 🥺).
more than anything, this is just vibes and fun(ny) x spicy times, and sometimes that’s all i want and i’m not mad at it AT ALL. quite the opposite, clearly (channeling my inner ria 😋). and adrien? good lawd. i would lose all my self-respect for that man. expeditiously.
*side note: it took me reading the epilogue on this second read to remember the hint about alice’s hea and now i feel silly that i didn’t even think about the author possibly cooking something up for her and adding to the series, because the segue was RIGHT there lol. i really thought there was nothing more coming after failure to match because it’s been so long, but i’m really excited for alice’s book now!
there’s just something about the shenanigans and hijincks and games and chemistry and TENSION and banter (and spice!!!) and and and between these two that’s catnip to me! they are grumpy alpha-hole billionaire x sassy brat perfection.
you’d be hard pressed to find a fake relationship trope that doesn’t work for me, and the fake engagement in here was *chef’s kiss*.
the pace was so good - it’s not insta but it’s not necessarily slow - it’s the right kind of medium. i liked how the enemies part of the enemies-to-lovers dynamic actually lasts for enough time and is mutual, because that’s where a lot of enemies-to-lovers contemporary romances flop for me - either the beef is one-sided (past-me used to be accepting of this but now-me finds this device painfully boring), the reasons for dislike make no sense or it’s unbelievable / evaporates after like 10 pages because the whole thing is riddled with insta lust. but ria and adrien’s dynamic is so tea and doesn’t succumb to any of my usual grievances.
another thing that makes this book work EXCEPTIONALLY well is that it’s single pov. no cringy male thoughts, just picking up on how down bad he is from what he says and does around the fmc. this is really refreshing right now because dual pov hasn’t worked out the best for me in some recent reads, so i’m feeling extra praise-y about single pov romance right this second.
i laughed my ass off, and was giggling and kicking my feet (and sweating 🫦) to no end! yeah…imma need that ice cube as well, because wheeeew 😮💨. this book also has some A-grade comedy. the side characters (yes, including tobes the kitty) were so fun! adrien’s family was so hilarious and endearing lmao.
even the third act breakup in here couldn’t piss me off - i didn’t mind it back on my first read either, and that’s saying something because oftentimes they can grate on me when i think they’re asinine and nonsensical, simply there for formulaic reasons, but i didn’t feel that way at all in here. the conflict / reasons for resentment were legitimate (and a little heartbreaking actually 🥺).
more than anything, this is just vibes and fun(ny) x spicy times, and sometimes that’s all i want and i’m not mad at it AT ALL. quite the opposite, clearly (channeling my inner ria 😋). and adrien? good lawd. i would lose all my self-respect for that man. expeditiously.
*side note: it took me reading the epilogue on this second read to remember the hint about alice’s hea and now i feel silly that i didn’t even think about the author possibly cooking something up for her and adding to the series, because the segue was RIGHT there lol. i really thought there was nothing more coming after failure to match because it’s been so long, but i’m really excited for alice’s book now!
April 17, 2026
WHEN IS IT MY TURNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!
i love it, ihad so much fun. THIS is the perf romcom. not insufferable and vanilla - just right. i love the slutty cat and adrien and ria is so real and she talks to the cactus i love it, and adriens family.....UGHHHH i love it even the parrot that barks. and ofc everyone should have a Jaime in their life, love that girl!
i love it, ihad so much fun. THIS is the perf romcom. not insufferable and vanilla - just right. i love the slutty cat and adrien and ria is so real and she talks to the cactus i love it, and adriens family.....UGHHHH i love it even the parrot that barks. and ofc everyone should have a Jaime in their life, love that girl!
June 3, 2024
⋆｡𖦹°‧★finished :.. 3/6/24
✦ ⠂⠂୨୧ -> 3.0 stars!
its a 'good girl' romance. i thought it meant she was just nice and chill. apparently it means that he calls her a good girl every time the have sex. interesting.
at first, i really liked Ria Sanchez! She was relatable, her thoughts felt normal and she reacted like any real human should when a super hot CEO tells her that she's in love with him.
but why was there so much repetitive conflict? so many issues would have been solved if our hot Canadian CEO just said things rather than trying to stay rizzy.
the whole Canadian based thing was cool, but i genuinely hate when Toronto and Victoria BC are the only cities in a country with other provinces.
i really enjoyed their bantering, it felt natural and when they talked, they talked like they were real people, not tryna drop crazy lines every sentence. it felt like i was a long FaceTime call and I was definitely constantly interested.
anyways, yes it has spice and its def FREAKY 😭 but yeah, im gonna leave it at that!
also... can anyone please tell me how old this Adrien guy is?? he's young for a CEO, but old enough for Ria, a 28 year old, to not bring it up 😞😞
“Where did you propose?”
“You proposed.”
“No, I didn’t.”
- shes like nahhh im not gonna do all the hard work im the Princess 💪🏾💓
“Has it occurred to you even once over the last couple of weeks that I’m an actual human being, Ria? With real feelings and all the other bullshit that comes with it?”
“I’m more than just a piece of meat, Sanchez.”
- i think the lot of these women forget that the mmc has feelings, so i love that he's standing up for himself after being treated like shite multiple times 💀 like PREACH BROTHA ✊🏾✊🏾😔
"and I’m allergic to cats.”
My brows leaped at the last one. “Are you really?”
“Yeah. My throat, eyes, and nose all start to itch. It’s kind of a nightmare.”
That didn’t make any sense. “You were nuzzling the hell out of Toebeans when you met him.”
Adrien smiled again, dimples and all. “I paid the price for it, believe me. It was worth it, though. He’s pretty cute.”
he's sooo sweet stop it, like im gushing over his dimples and the way he treats her, STOP HELP 😔😭
⋆｡𖦹°‧★pre read :.. 31/5/24
sigh, another book to my cr shelf!! im scared im overloading!!!
the good girl tag in this instills fear, i hope she doesn't get put down 😭
br with our ceo of office romance: freakymalu
✦ ⠂⠂୨୧ -> 3.0 stars!
its a 'good girl' romance. i thought it meant she was just nice and chill. apparently it means that he calls her a good girl every time the have sex. interesting.
at first, i really liked Ria Sanchez! She was relatable, her thoughts felt normal and she reacted like any real human should when a super hot CEO tells her that she's in love with him.
but why was there so much repetitive conflict? so many issues would have been solved if our hot Canadian CEO just said things rather than trying to stay rizzy.
the whole Canadian based thing was cool, but i genuinely hate when Toronto and Victoria BC are the only cities in a country with other provinces.
i really enjoyed their bantering, it felt natural and when they talked, they talked like they were real people, not tryna drop crazy lines every sentence. it felt like i was a long FaceTime call and I was definitely constantly interested.
anyways, yes it has spice and its def FREAKY 😭 but yeah, im gonna leave it at that!
also... can anyone please tell me how old this Adrien guy is?? he's young for a CEO, but old enough for Ria, a 28 year old, to not bring it up 😞😞
“Where did you propose?”
“You proposed.”
“No, I didn’t.”
- shes like nahhh im not gonna do all the hard work im the Princess 💪🏾💓
“Has it occurred to you even once over the last couple of weeks that I’m an actual human being, Ria? With real feelings and all the other bullshit that comes with it?”
“I’m more than just a piece of meat, Sanchez.”
- i think the lot of these women forget that the mmc has feelings, so i love that he's standing up for himself after being treated like shite multiple times 💀 like PREACH BROTHA ✊🏾✊🏾😔
"and I’m allergic to cats.”
My brows leaped at the last one. “Are you really?”
“Yeah. My throat, eyes, and nose all start to itch. It’s kind of a nightmare.”
That didn’t make any sense. “You were nuzzling the hell out of Toebeans when you met him.”
Adrien smiled again, dimples and all. “I paid the price for it, believe me. It was worth it, though. He’s pretty cute.”
he's sooo sweet stop it, like im gushing over his dimples and the way he treats her, STOP HELP 😔😭
⋆｡𖦹°‧★pre read :.. 31/5/24
sigh, another book to my cr shelf!! im scared im overloading!!!
the good girl tag in this instills fear, i hope she doesn't get put down 😭
br with our ceo of office romance: freakymalu
February 4, 2025
now THIS is what you call a good palate cleanser romance
Read
July 22, 2023While it was an interesting rom com story, it just wasn’t for me.
The storyline and the romance had a very slow pace and development.
The single pov tired me after a while and the heroine seemed immature for her 28 years of age.
However, the banter between the mcs was great and the boss was a devil indeed! 😉
Dnf @ 46%
The storyline and the romance had a very slow pace and development.
The single pov tired me after a while and the heroine seemed immature for her 28 years of age.
However, the banter between the mcs was great and the boss was a devil indeed! 😉
Dnf @ 46%
August 5, 2025
3,5/5⭐️ (dodaje dodatkowe 0,5 za nawiązania do Barbarzyńców z Lodowej Planety co mnie okrutnie rozśmieszyło XD)
Lekki, luźny, trochę cringowy (ale w ten śmieszny sposób) romans. Nie udaję że jest czymś poważniejszym niż romcom i super. Świetnie się bawiłam.
Szkoda że ten początek trwał dość krótko i zaraz wylecieli do jego rodziców, liczyłam na jakieś uprzykrzanie sobie życia w biurze.
Ale tak to na plus, na lato do odstresowania się, bohaterowie dają się lubić, nawet jak wyszła na jaw jej przeszłość to zrobiło mi się przykro.
Ma jakieś 500 stron, a przeczytałam to w niecały dzień i nie żałuję spędzonego z nią czasu.
Lekki, luźny, trochę cringowy (ale w ten śmieszny sposób) romans. Nie udaję że jest czymś poważniejszym niż romcom i super. Świetnie się bawiłam.
Szkoda że ten początek trwał dość krótko i zaraz wylecieli do jego rodziców, liczyłam na jakieś uprzykrzanie sobie życia w biurze.
Ale tak to na plus, na lato do odstresowania się, bohaterowie dają się lubić, nawet jak wyszła na jaw jej przeszłość to zrobiło mi się przykro.
Ma jakieś 500 stron, a przeczytałam to w niecały dzień i nie żałuję spędzonego z nią czasu.
August 10, 2024
I know 3rd act breakups are unpopular, but I’m a hoe for them. Top it off with immaculate groveling and I will EAT IT UPPPP. This romcom is my new favorite romcom hands down. Ria and Adrien had me kicking my feet and squealing like a teenage girl. Their banter and their chemistry - oh my god?! How do you come up with that stuff?? This was crack and I couldn’t read fast enough. All the characters were amazing down to the cat, Toebeans Maguire. I’m gonna need Ms. Parsi to keep me in this universe because I’m HOOKED!!!
December 28, 2024
file under: shit i read because booktwt wouldn’t stop hyping it up, that i ultimately always end up regretting.
June 26, 2024
I’ve read so many great indie romances lately—how is this happening? Story, sex, characters, humor, all done well and without the usual boost (from agents, editors, etc.) you’re supposed to get from traditional publishing. Such a nice surprise after being so underwhelmed by Not in Love.
First chapter is a little jumbled, but the rest of it is pretty much a funny, flirty dream.
First chapter is a little jumbled, but the rest of it is pretty much a funny, flirty dream.
January 12, 2025
3.5/5 stars!
it was fun but kinda childish at times
it was fun but kinda childish at times
October 10, 2024
4.5 🌟 A bundle of wholehearted happiness, banter, bickering, and fun.
Their dialogues were very entertaining, and they were very amusing to read both of them.
The pets in the story (Mr Toebeans and Maxwell) were an incredible addition, and their respective families made it feel like such a match.
The bonus epilogue from Adrien's POV was so wholesome.
I maybe would have liked to see Ria grow more (but then again it was only 1-2 months, she got past major issues by the end of it so that should be more than fine for that timespan).
One itty bitty annoying thing was lack of information about the characters: I still don't know Adrien's age, and up till at least 35% of the book we had zero clues about what Ria looked like (other than her height). We did find some more things as we went on, but I would have appreciated better it earlier.
Their dialogues were very entertaining, and they were very amusing to read both of them.
The pets in the story (Mr Toebeans and Maxwell) were an incredible addition, and their respective families made it feel like such a match.
The bonus epilogue from Adrien's POV was so wholesome.
I maybe would have liked to see Ria grow more (but then again it was only 1-2 months, she got past major issues by the end of it so that should be more than fine for that timespan).
One itty bitty annoying thing was lack of information about the characters: I still don't know Adrien's age, and up till at least 35% of the book we had zero clues about what Ria looked like (other than her height). We did find some more things as we went on, but I would have appreciated better it earlier.
Did Not Finish
March 1, 2024DNF at 2%.
Immature, stupid premise.
Immature, stupid premise.
March 21, 2025
i need this book injected in my veins
December 15, 2024
so i was not expecting to give this 5 stars. it’s very rare i give a romance above 3 stars (unless it is an ashley poston book) but this book was everything i needed. it was like the movie “The Proposal” but with more depth and REALLYYYY good smut. this was the best smut i’ve ever read i fear. it wasn’t too much but just enough.
the writing was also surprisingly very well done. her descriptions were great, the narrator’s voice was strong, and the characters were well written. i feel like this author has to have been in a creative writing program because it’s so easy for these types of books to fall into formulaic tropes but this author ups the ante. it’s enemies to lovers which is hard to pull off in a non-fantasy but i can buy it in this book because time was taken to really develop a history between Ria and Adrien. fake dating—one of my least favorite tropes because there’s almost never a good enough reason for me to buy it, but the author pulls it off because she builds it up from the beginning.
this was just a really well done romance. don’t let the stupid title fool you. yes it is smutty but there is a lot of character work here. the smut is good don’t get me wrong, but there is so much depth to the characters.
the writing was also surprisingly very well done. her descriptions were great, the narrator’s voice was strong, and the characters were well written. i feel like this author has to have been in a creative writing program because it’s so easy for these types of books to fall into formulaic tropes but this author ups the ante. it’s enemies to lovers which is hard to pull off in a non-fantasy but i can buy it in this book because time was taken to really develop a history between Ria and Adrien. fake dating—one of my least favorite tropes because there’s almost never a good enough reason for me to buy it, but the author pulls it off because she builds it up from the beginning.
this was just a really well done romance. don’t let the stupid title fool you. yes it is smutty but there is a lot of character work here. the smut is good don’t get me wrong, but there is so much depth to the characters.
January 4, 2025
4.25/5
I loved this book so much omg, the enemies to lovers, the back story, the tension, and the family moments were done so so well. We have the fmc who hates her sister's boss and causes him to lose a business deal. Because of that, the boss fires the FMC's sister in this revenge plot to get the fmc to work for him to get back her sister's job. At first, the mmc annoyed me cause I thought he went too far with some of the revenge but then the fake dating/engagement plot made me love him lol. There was so much chemistry between the main characters and the BANTER was so so good. I ate the banter up and didn't ever want it to stop. I liked the way they bantered during spicy scenes and in front of their family. I can't believe im saying this but I loved the third-act breakup and how they made up. Overall I can't wait to read more of this author's books, this was so fun!
Read for:
- Office romance
- Revenge plot
- Diverse fmc
- Boss x assistant
- Steamy scenes
- Banter
I loved this book so much omg, the enemies to lovers, the back story, the tension, and the family moments were done so so well. We have the fmc who hates her sister's boss and causes him to lose a business deal. Because of that, the boss fires the FMC's sister in this revenge plot to get the fmc to work for him to get back her sister's job. At first, the mmc annoyed me cause I thought he went too far with some of the revenge but then the fake dating/engagement plot made me love him lol. There was so much chemistry between the main characters and the BANTER was so so good. I ate the banter up and didn't ever want it to stop. I liked the way they bantered during spicy scenes and in front of their family. I can't believe im saying this but I loved the third-act breakup and how they made up. Overall I can't wait to read more of this author's books, this was so fun!
Read for:
- Office romance
- Revenge plot
- Diverse fmc
- Boss x assistant
- Steamy scenes
- Banter
January 2, 2025
—4★
ROMANCE BOOKS ARE SO BACK. this was hands down one of the most "toe curling, gasping for air" kinda romance books I've ever read. this did not disappoint for a second. kyra parsi i wasn't familiar with your game but you've earned a fan!!
billionaire romance books will never fail to serve for me.
—adrien went from hating her to being obsessed with her and the way he praised her every single time had me swooning!!! it was written so well *chef's kiss*. their banter was so adorable. he called her pretty like 50-60 times in this book!!! he knows how to talk. he knows how to do aftercare. god he was so perfect .
i couldn't put this book down and finished it in a day. every romance book lover who love fictional men being obsessed with their girl and praising her every chance they get need to read this asap.
—the only thing that i wished was better in this book was the third act bc i just needed a little more groveling.
ROMANCE BOOKS ARE SO BACK. this was hands down one of the most "toe curling, gasping for air" kinda romance books I've ever read. this did not disappoint for a second. kyra parsi i wasn't familiar with your game but you've earned a fan!!
billionaire romance books will never fail to serve for me.
—adrien went from hating her to being obsessed with her and the way he praised her every single time had me swooning!!! it was written so well *chef's kiss*. their banter was so adorable. he called her pretty like 50-60 times in this book!!! he knows how to talk. he knows how to do aftercare. god he was so perfect .
i couldn't put this book down and finished it in a day. every romance book lover who love fictional men being obsessed with their girl and praising her every chance they get need to read this asap.
—the only thing that i wished was better in this book was the third act bc i just needed a little more groveling.
March 28, 2026
changing my rating because I cannot stop thinking about them. literally no complaints so I think I should give it 5 instead of 4.5/4.75 ✰
[27.03]
—————
➼ 4.5 ✰ soo freaking hot and funny and sad. I’m obsessed.
need to reread so I can give this 4.75 instead [23.01]
[27.03]
—————
➼ 4.5 ✰ soo freaking hot and funny and sad. I’m obsessed.
need to reread so I can give this 4.75 instead [23.01]
November 22, 2025
2.5 ⭐️ I honestly didn’t like this because I didn’t like either MC or their dynamic. They were SO mean to each other and even when they started catching feelings, the FMC was so defensive and hurtful. Go to therapy.
Bummer bc I LOVE the next book. It’s a 5-star read for me and one of my favorite books I read last year. So I’d suggest just skipping this one and reading the next.
Bummer bc I LOVE the next book. It’s a 5-star read for me and one of my favorite books I read last year. So I’d suggest just skipping this one and reading the next.
May 3, 2026
4/5
Początek był dla mnie trochę oklepany i nie potrafiłam się wkręcić ale jak już razem wyjechali to piszczałam jak głupa na wszystkich. Lekka, zabawna i sexy - miło spędzony czas
Początek był dla mnie trochę oklepany i nie potrafiłam się wkręcić ale jak już razem wyjechali to piszczałam jak głupa na wszystkich. Lekka, zabawna i sexy - miło spędzony czas
February 15, 2025
A Deal with the Bossy Devil is not my usual type of read. The story itself is so unbelievable, the bantering was a little OTT and the heroine’s inner thoughts started to get on my nerves. So, why did I stay up until 3 in the morning to finish the book. Sometimes you just have to throw your hands in the air and go with it. I may have giggled a little and I know I definitely may have swooned.
I guess it is my type of book because I’m rating 4 stars and already added the second book in the series to my TBR.
I guess it is my type of book because I’m rating 4 stars and already added the second book in the series to my TBR.
June 15, 2024
Siz çok tatlı değilde nesiniz? 😍
Adrien ve Ria, bayıldım size 😁
Adrien Cloutier, çok önemli bir iş anlaşmasının ortasında, en hassas yerinden vurulur.Tüm o kalabalık insan grubu ve potansiyel müşterilerinin önünde.Söylemeye gerek yok.İşi kaybetti ve devasa bir sinir küpü halinde.Tüm korumaları, güvenliği seferber eder ve o kadını bulmayı kendine görev edinir.
Ria tüm enerjisi, neşesiyle tam bir bomba.Altta kalmıyor, kendini savunuyor.Aslında tüm olay hafif bir yanlış anlaşılmadan ibaret.Biraz sarhoştu canım...Yanlış kişiye saldırdığını nerden bilsin?Kostümlü bir cadılar bayramı partisinde herkes birbirine benzer.Gayet doğal 😅
Kitabın ilk başlarında ciddi anlamda bir nefret söz konusuydu.Sürekli zıtlaşmalar, birbirlerinin ayağını kaydırma çabaları...Saf bir sinir etme harbi içindelerdi.Ve inanın bana...bu konuda oldukça ileri gittiler.Cımbızla sim tanelerini toplamak zorunda kaldı kızımız diyelim.Bir sürü sim, çok fazla sim.
Adrien ilk etapta gerçek bir pislikti ama ne zaman ki aralarında bir kıvılcım oluşmaya başladı...Dünyanın en tatlı insanına dönüştü diyebilirim.Kibar ve çok sevimliydi.Hikaye ilerledikçe sinir bozucu olan şey Ria'nın aşırı inatçı tavrıydı.Ve sebeplerini öğrenince hak vermemekte zordu.
Yazarın kalemini sevdim.İlgimi çeken tropelar mevcuttu.Keyifle okuttu kendini.
Adrien ve Ria, bayıldım size 😁
Adrien Cloutier, çok önemli bir iş anlaşmasının ortasında, en hassas yerinden vurulur.Tüm o kalabalık insan grubu ve potansiyel müşterilerinin önünde.Söylemeye gerek yok.İşi kaybetti ve devasa bir sinir küpü halinde.Tüm korumaları, güvenliği seferber eder ve o kadını bulmayı kendine görev edinir.
Ria tüm enerjisi, neşesiyle tam bir bomba.Altta kalmıyor, kendini savunuyor.Aslında tüm olay hafif bir yanlış anlaşılmadan ibaret.Biraz sarhoştu canım...Yanlış kişiye saldırdığını nerden bilsin?Kostümlü bir cadılar bayramı partisinde herkes birbirine benzer.Gayet doğal 😅
Kitabın ilk başlarında ciddi anlamda bir nefret söz konusuydu.Sürekli zıtlaşmalar, birbirlerinin ayağını kaydırma çabaları...Saf bir sinir etme harbi içindelerdi.Ve inanın bana...bu konuda oldukça ileri gittiler.Cımbızla sim tanelerini toplamak zorunda kaldı kızımız diyelim.Bir sürü sim, çok fazla sim.
Adrien ilk etapta gerçek bir pislikti ama ne zaman ki aralarında bir kıvılcım oluşmaya başladı...Dünyanın en tatlı insanına dönüştü diyebilirim.Kibar ve çok sevimliydi.Hikaye ilerledikçe sinir bozucu olan şey Ria'nın aşırı inatçı tavrıydı.Ve sebeplerini öğrenince hak vermemekte zordu.
Yazarın kalemini sevdim.İlgimi çeken tropelar mevcuttu.Keyifle okuttu kendini.
June 22, 2025
I kept seeing this book all over booktwt, and with all the hype, I was excited to read it. I expected an out ofbody experience you know?? the kind that has you feral and kicking your feet? But tbh… it was just hmm okay.
It wasn’t a bad read. The chemistry, sexual tension, and banter were solid. Adrien is sweet and totally obsessed with Ria, and I love an obsessed, lovesick hero - that’s my kryptonite. Some emotional scenes even made me tear up.
But the push & pull dragged too much, and the banter? Sometimes borderline excessive. Like please, just get on with each other already. I also wanted more scenes of Ria and Adrien beyond the endless fucking. It felt like all they did was bicker, hang out a few times, and then jump into bed. I needed more moments of them actually getting to know each other, having deep convos, and going on real dates.
If you love fake dating, a brooding but secretly soft hero, and a strong-willed heroine, then give it a try!
It wasn’t a bad read. The chemistry, sexual tension, and banter were solid. Adrien is sweet and totally obsessed with Ria, and I love an obsessed, lovesick hero - that’s my kryptonite. Some emotional scenes even made me tear up.
But the push & pull dragged too much, and the banter? Sometimes borderline excessive. Like please, just get on with each other already. I also wanted more scenes of Ria and Adrien beyond the endless fucking. It felt like all they did was bicker, hang out a few times, and then jump into bed. I needed more moments of them actually getting to know each other, having deep convos, and going on real dates.
If you love fake dating, a brooding but secretly soft hero, and a strong-willed heroine, then give it a try!
July 9, 2025
4.25 stars
this author surprised me in the best way possible🥹 this book, like its sequel, is so soo good!! if you want an adorable, feel-good, slightly emotional, and spicy read this is it. I giggled and kicked my feet the whole way through. the BANTER is unlike anything I’ve read in a long time. the CHEMISTRY is *chef’s kiss* emanating off the page (or in my case kindle screen). Ria and Adrien will be on my mind constantly!! 🩵
this author surprised me in the best way possible🥹 this book, like its sequel, is so soo good!! if you want an adorable, feel-good, slightly emotional, and spicy read this is it. I giggled and kicked my feet the whole way through. the BANTER is unlike anything I’ve read in a long time. the CHEMISTRY is *chef’s kiss* emanating off the page (or in my case kindle screen). Ria and Adrien will be on my mind constantly!! 🩵
February 22, 2025
well. i have VERY mixed feelings about this one.
i loved the second book in the series so i was very excited to go back and read the first one as well. however since the beginning, there were little things that were bothering me a lot and i could not get past them even after the relationship between the characters improved.
i hate when people humiliate each other - ESPECIALLY if it’s a man embarrassing a woman that’s supposed to be his love interest and when he’s in the position of power. it was very difficult to get through the first couple of chapters and i’m honestly still not sure why i kept going. i don’t care that he had reasons to be angry at her; in my opinion, he crossed a line and his behaviour was disgusting. i could not forget about it for the rest of the book.
it did get better at some point and i do have to give it to the author that she knows how to write good banter and entertaining dialogues. i had some fun. but then, there was another thing: a little secret that he kept from her that was not really so little, because it undermined all of his interactions with her and his real intentions. he intentionally avoided telling her a few things because he knew what her reaction would be and i fucking hated every moment of his deception.
so although i did enjoy some parts of this book, overall there were some critical points that were just impossible for me to overlook. i could not fully like the story because all of those things just kept bothering me and this did not really feel like a cute, funny romance that i wanted it to be. thus my rating.
i loved the second book in the series so i was very excited to go back and read the first one as well. however since the beginning, there were little things that were bothering me a lot and i could not get past them even after the relationship between the characters improved.
i hate when people humiliate each other - ESPECIALLY if it’s a man embarrassing a woman that’s supposed to be his love interest and when he’s in the position of power. it was very difficult to get through the first couple of chapters and i’m honestly still not sure why i kept going. i don’t care that he had reasons to be angry at her; in my opinion, he crossed a line and his behaviour was disgusting. i could not forget about it for the rest of the book.
it did get better at some point and i do have to give it to the author that she knows how to write good banter and entertaining dialogues. i had some fun. but then, there was another thing: a little secret that he kept from her that was not really so little, because it undermined all of his interactions with her and his real intentions. he intentionally avoided telling her a few things because he knew what her reaction would be and i fucking hated every moment of his deception.
so although i did enjoy some parts of this book, overall there were some critical points that were just impossible for me to overlook. i could not fully like the story because all of those things just kept bothering me and this did not really feel like a cute, funny romance that i wanted it to be. thus my rating.
April 21, 2026
reread
sorry adrienria, y’all getting demoted this time around and it’s 100% because of my forever man jackson sinclair 🫶🏼 jackson i love you 🫶🏼 jackson i’m speaking you into existence 🫶🏼 JACKSONNnNnNnnN
sorry adrienria, y’all getting demoted this time around and it’s 100% because of my forever man jackson sinclair 🫶🏼 jackson i love you 🫶🏼 jackson i’m speaking you into existence 🫶🏼 JACKSONNnNnNnnN
April 24, 2024
I’m annoyed by how much I liked this book.
MAIN CHARACTER NAMES AND AGES
Ariana “Ria” Sanchez (28) | Adrien Cloutier (?)
FEATURES
∘ boss-employee-ish
∘ revenge
∘ fake engagement
∘ contempt to lovers
∘ eccentric family members (and a pet bird)
∘ oddly quirky and generous billionairethankfully in fiction there IS such a thing as an ethical billionaire
REVIEW
I’m not exactly sure what happened, but one minute it was 10:45 pm and the next thing I knew, it was 1:13 am. I literally lost over two hours of time thinking I read maybe 50 pages when, in fact, it was nearly 250.
The banter was cute, somewhat-corny, and so out of left field at points I felt like I missed a paragraph while reading. That being said, the dialogue was the most engrossing part and a huge reason why I’m missing a chunk of time.
The first part of this novel shined. Adrien was having Ria do annoying and menial tasks, torturing her with slight diva demands, and then suddenly he was taking her on a trip to be his fake fiancée in front of his family. I would’ve liked to see the previous dynamic play out a little longer before they were “forced” to be flirty and have physical contact. Even though their relationship progressed more rapidly during their trip, the pacing felt so much slower than it had previously.
Ria’s past was so intriguing, and while I understood why it was kept from the reader, I was OVER IT. The more it was mentioned, the more frustrated it got. Ria could wax poetics about a fireplace in her inner monologue but wouldn’t give us a CRUMB? Just a little bit of insider information? That’s nothing against the book of course—just me being impatient because I truly do understand why it revealed so late.
I appreciated how quickly Adrien dropped the farce on his stoicism and was blunt with his feelings relatively early on. Even though we weren’t privy to his POV, we could see he was genuine in his attraction to and care for Ria. He undoubtedly did some shady shit, and yet, it was clear his intentions had changed. Kyra Parsi also toed the fine line of being able to sympathize with both characters simultaneously, even though one was clearly in the wrong. Masterfully done.
Overall, this book was an irritatingly enjoyable novel that I hate to love but will do so without shame. Yes, it was wacky, zany, unrealistic, and tropey, yet it was charming, funny, and bingeable. While it may not be for everyone, those it is for will adore it just as much as I did.
OW/OM DRAMA past/very brief OM & OW —
CHEATING none
THIRD ACT BREAKUP yes — reconciliation about 10 days later
ENDING HEA — six years later epilogue
POV singular (Ria’s) / first person
SPICE LEVEL 4 / 5
RATING 4.5 / 5
SPOILERS
Ria’s Past
If you want to know the situation that derailed Ria’s life it’s
Adrien’s Revenge
The Reconciliation
MAIN CHARACTER NAMES AND AGES
Ariana “Ria” Sanchez (28) | Adrien Cloutier (?)
FEATURES
∘ boss-employee-ish
∘ revenge
∘ fake engagement
∘ contempt to lovers
∘ eccentric family members (and a pet bird)
∘ oddly quirky and generous billionaire
REVIEW
I’m not exactly sure what happened, but one minute it was 10:45 pm and the next thing I knew, it was 1:13 am. I literally lost over two hours of time thinking I read maybe 50 pages when, in fact, it was nearly 250.
The banter was cute, somewhat-corny, and so out of left field at points I felt like I missed a paragraph while reading. That being said, the dialogue was the most engrossing part and a huge reason why I’m missing a chunk of time.
The first part of this novel shined. Adrien was having Ria do annoying and menial tasks, torturing her with slight diva demands, and then suddenly he was taking her on a trip to be his fake fiancée in front of his family. I would’ve liked to see the previous dynamic play out a little longer before they were “forced” to be flirty and have physical contact. Even though their relationship progressed more rapidly during their trip, the pacing felt so much slower than it had previously.
Ria’s past was so intriguing, and while I understood why it was kept from the reader, I was OVER IT. The more it was mentioned, the more frustrated it got. Ria could wax poetics about a fireplace in her inner monologue but wouldn’t give us a CRUMB? Just a little bit of insider information? That’s nothing against the book of course—just me being impatient because I truly do understand why it revealed so late.
I appreciated how quickly Adrien dropped the farce on his stoicism and was blunt with his feelings relatively early on. Even though we weren’t privy to his POV, we could see he was genuine in his attraction to and care for Ria. He undoubtedly did some shady shit, and yet, it was clear his intentions had changed. Kyra Parsi also toed the fine line of being able to sympathize with both characters simultaneously, even though one was clearly in the wrong. Masterfully done.
Overall, this book was an irritatingly enjoyable novel that I hate to love but will do so without shame. Yes, it was wacky, zany, unrealistic, and tropey, yet it was charming, funny, and bingeable. While it may not be for everyone, those it is for will adore it just as much as I did.
OW/OM DRAMA past/very brief OM & OW —
CHEATING none
THIRD ACT BREAKUP yes — reconciliation about 10 days later
ENDING HEA — six years later epilogue
POV singular (Ria’s) / first person
SPICE LEVEL 4 / 5
RATING 4.5 / 5
SPOILERS
Ria’s Past
If you want to know the situation that derailed Ria’s life it’s
Adrien’s Revenge
The Reconciliation
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