Josie Spencer is determined to make the most of her fresh start in New York City. Love? That’s not a priority.
Grayson Harlow is gorgeous, brilliant, and trapped under the iron grip of his family’s legacy. When he meets Josie in a chance encounter in Las Vegas, he’s left breathless—she’s fiery, passionate, and completely off-limits.
Their chemistry is instant… and impossible to forget.
But months later, when Josie finds out Grayson is her new billionaire boss, the attraction between them becomes dangerous. His powerful family sees her as a threat and will stop at nothing to tear her down.
Now, Josie must fight for the career she’s built or risk it all for the one man she can’t resist. Because falling for Grayson Harlow doesn’t just risk her heart… it might cost her everything.
Ann Penny is a contemporary romance author from Melbourne, Australia, known for her emotionally rich storytelling that resonate with readers drawn to tales of passion, resilience, and hope. A two-time finalist for the prestigious Romance Writers of Australia (RWA) Romance Book of the Year Award, Ann Penny is quickly gaining recognition in the romance genre for the exceptional depth and heart in her stories.
When Ann Penny isn’t writing, she enjoys having a laugh with her husband and sons, cuddling her fur babies, and immersing herself in anything creative. Penny is always striving to craft something beautiful and unexpected while endeavouring to harness her hyperactive mind.
I received this arc in exchange for my honest review.
Capturing Love is the second book written by Ann Penny and my first one read. I'm glad that I received this arc. I completely enjoyed the story and plot, which exceed my expectations. I laughed, had fun, it excited me, surprised me and make me felt in love of Grayson and Josie.
Josie met Grayson in a restaurant when she was in Las Vegas covering an event for her job. The connection and spontaneity between them was immediate and absolutely amazing. The kind that makes you think about the encounter of soulmates. Or two people who complement each other in a wonderful level of understanding. This one was one of the things that I loved most.
One of the secondary characters that I loved was Grayson's grandpa. Without him and his help, things would have been worse between his family and Josie's relationship. With capricious and imposing parents, Grayson has had to "adjust his pants" and fight to find their happy ending.
The story was refreshing with a touch of humor, mild steamy scenes, drama, with the perfect balance for a memorable love story. And you know how much you liked it when you still remember it as the days went by. Is the kind of book you want to read again.
Clearly in the minority here, but I did not like this.
The entire book was full of fabricated reasons that they couldn’t be together. First it’s because they’re both in relationship, then it’s because he’s her new boss, then it’s because his family would never approve, and then it’s because he’s ENGAGED AGAIN. I loathe other woman drama, and this one was 75% OW drama. And technically the fmc is the other woman and the mmc never stands up for her or their relationship. He’s weak af and I hated the whole thing.
Capturing Love, book 1, features Grayson Harlow and Josie Spencer who first meet in Las Vegas (love a Vegas set romance) who then end up back together when Josie starts working at the business Grayson runs. There were times I was frustrated with Grayson's behaviour but overall this was an enjoyable story.
Capturing Love is narrated by Sofia Lette and I feel she did a great job with this audiobook
So, Ann Penny has done it again! She sucked me into her story, and didn’t let me out until I finished that book last night!
Josie is in Las Vegas, taking pictures for a hen party for the magazine she works for. She has her own column in said magazine, called Capturing Love, which gathers some attention.
During her stay (only one night) in Vegas she meets Grayson. They instantly connect, and he shows her the city before she needs to leave the next day. They have a lot of fun together, even tho both are in a committed relationship. And when they part, they don’t think they will see each other again.
Ann Penny has a way with words, it’s fantastic! I still can’t believe this is ‘only’ her second book. Her writing style is so fluent and captivating, I couldn’t put the book down. There’s a lot of fun in this book, but also a lot of drama. Some twists and turns that had me shaking my head, yelling, even shedding a tear or two. I really loved this book and can totally recommend this book 💜
I received an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.
I really loved listening to the audiobook for this book. Even went for a 5km run whilst listening and it flashed in a second.
honestly, the story gripped me so much from the very beginning and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it, although I have to admit I was not impressed with Grayson a couple of times for not being honest with Josie and only admitting to things after she finds out and raises them with him.
Full review to come, but would definitely recommend and I am very much excited to read the other two books in the series!
i think the premise was cute! unfortunately i found that because we were going in circles, this book was not really for me.
i’ll give melanie some grace because that girl is fighting 10 demons at once and seems to have nobody in her corner. but at some point it became more about her than josie or grayson and that’s not what i was here for. josie became the other woman in this story even though she got the man in the end. i just didn’t think it was necessary to insert melanie everywhere.
josie and grayson went in circle after circle after circle. they’d be fine and doing great then ugh oh no work policies forbid relationships with coworkers and then they’re like eh whatever fuck them policies and then oh no melanie is spiraling and grayson needs to go help her. i found it repetitive and that docked some points for me :/
Josie is a photographer for a magazine and is in Vegas covering the Bachelorette party of a wealthy future bride. After finishing her job she runs into Grayson and they spend the rest of the night just hanging out together but she never learns his last name. They have instant chemistry but Josie has a boyfriend and Grayson is engaged. Neither feel a spark with their significant other and they both end the relationships. Josie is convinced she won’t ever see Grayson and goes back to business as usual. Of course that’s not the case at all.
Josie is fun and strong she’s a great FMC and I loved everything about her. She doesn’t take any crap from anyone and she doesn’t make it easy for Grayson who was smitten the moment they met. Grayson is amazing but flawed, he’s desperate to prove himself to his family even at the cost of his relationship. He’s all business at work even with Josie and that causes a lot of conflict. He’s really a great guy he just needs to get his priorities straight. Their story is sweet and I love them together once they work through all of the obstacles keeping them apart.
I listened to an ALC of this book narrated by Sofia Lette with epilogue by Sean Masters. I enjoyed her narration and found it very easy to listen to. Thank you, Arndell and Ann Penny, for providing this audiobook for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
Capturing Love, Book one in Ann Penny’s Love, Beauty and Soul series was an enticing billionaire romance with plenty of emotion and spice.
Josie Spencer is ready for a fresh start in NYC. She wants a simple life with time for her photography and falling in love is certainly not part of her plan. However a chance meeting with a gorgeous stranger, sees her sharing an innocent night with him in Vegas. Their chemistry is undeniable and something she won’t soon forget. Months later, when he turns out to be her billionaire boss, Grayson Harlow, their attraction becomes dangerous. Seen as a threat by his powerful family, they will stop at nothing to tear her down. Will she fight for the career she has built, or risk everything for the man she can’t resist?
I absolutely loved this book! The characters were so authentic and the story was full of emotion. The attraction between Grayson and Josie was electric and there was plenty of heat to their interactions. I loved that Josie was so driven and determined and didn’t want to risk everything she had worked so hard for on a man. However, I also loved that Grayson was conflicted and torn between his family expectations, his loyalty to a friend and his love for Josie. There were so many obstacles to them being together and they were all very believable and difficult to overcome. The tension that this provided was absolutely palpable and I really could not see how things would work out.
As well as being captivated by Josie and Grayson, I loved Josie’s work colleague Amy. She was so much fun and a wonderful friend to Josie. Grayson’s parents were absolutely appalling people, but his Grandpa was such a heartwarming and loveable character, full of wisdom and wonderful advice.
The story was all told from Josie’s POV, but I was thrilled that the epilogue was Grayson’s. It really added that something extra to the novel.
Capturing Love was a wonderfully engaging and feel good read and I’m so glad that it’s the first in a series.
This book started off so well and quickly fell off the rails. Grayson may be one of rhe most infuriating MMCs I've read in a romance. His inability to communicate things, frequent lies and half-truths, and audacity of this man just honestly pissed me off the whole time. He acted like a stand-up guy to everyone in his life except Josie. The grand gesture at the end in my opinion was too little too late.
And Josie was an incredibly frustrating character. First, have some self respect. She let's herself be the other woman over and over. She has no backbone. She works for a freaking magazine and had no idea who Grayson or his family was (media moguls) FFS. Her multiple chances she gave to Grayson and the ease with which she forgave him was disappointing.
Honestly these two nitwits deserve each other.
I was gifted an ALC from Arndell, but the review is my own.
Tags: Boss × Employee Workplace Romance Billionaire Secret relationship Cheating
Grayson and Josie meet while she is covering an event in Las Vegas. They are both in committed relationships so they end up staying the night together without any sex. The two never thought they would meet again but they do at a "singles" table during a wedding. The two are attracted to each other but Grayson lives a complicated life. His family wants him to do what they want and not what he wants for himself. Josie isn't what his family would choose for him. Grayson isn't willing to let Josie go so he will have to make a choice. A wonderful story with so much heartbreak and love.
The MMC was too weak for me to give this a higher rating. 🙄 AND the OW drama pissed me offfff and I'm even more annoyed because the next book is about that same ow and suddenly I'm supposed to have some empathy for her. ✋️
Capturing Love begins the Love Beauty and Soul series with a story that is emotional, messy, and incredibly compelling. Josie and Greyson meet under unexpected circumstances, and the instant spark between them sets the tone for a romance filled with longing and tension. Their connection is undeniable, yet everything around them seems designed to keep them apart.
The relationship that forms between them is not straightforward. Both characters are dealing with complicated personal situations, demanding families, and a workplace environment that creates even more friction. Their path circles through miscommunication, timing issues, and obligations that refuse to loosen their grip. While the obstacles are frustrating at times, they make the eventual payoff feel well earned, and the emotional depth of the story grows from each challenge they face.
Josie is a heroine you root for...and boy did we root for her. She is confident in her work, quick witted, and unwilling to let anyone walk over her. Greyson is charming and sincere, although deeply caught up in the expectations of his family, which influences many of his early decisions. Watching him try to balance ambition with a love he does not want to lose creates a compelling push and pull. Even if it is at time frustrating that he just won't have more spine. Once they begin choosing each other with intention, their relationship becomes tender and deeply satisfying.
The writing blends drama, romance, and personal growth in a way that keeps the story engaging from beginning to end. There are moments that feel chaotic, especially when past relationships intrude, yet the emotional core of the story remains strong. The romance is passionate, the twists keep you curious, and the characters feel fully formed with both strengths and flaws. But the narrative does feel cyclical at times. Same pattern, new obstacle, same cycle. Definitely kind of hand some of that old school new adult type angst feeling in terms of narrative structure.
The audiobook is great, though it's mostly one narrator given the structure. Sofia Lette brings warmth, clarity, and personality to every scene, and Sean Masters adds a smooth, heartfelt touch in the epilogue. I love him so, I wish we had more of male POVS for him to voice. Their performances highlight the emotional layers of the story and make it easy to stay immersed.
I ate this book up guys! I finished it in like 2 days!! I went into the story completely blind so I was quite surprised when it turned into a workplace romance. But this was done so perfectly. You could feel the yearning and angst coming from the MMC Grant. It was def he fell first and harder. My man was done bad for Josie, it was honestly so cute.
I liked Josie a lot though I don’t she is the best dog owner lol. I swear that woman is never home to take care of her dog 😂.
I wouldn’t say the book is very spicey but it doesn’t need to be. The romance is great and there is plenty of angst and groveling and jealousy! Check this book out if you are looking for a fun little office place billionaire romance
It was cute. it was easy and just what I needed to get me back into reading. A billionaire/boss romance where he’s not a dick all the time. it was wholesome at times and sweet at times. Pallet cleanse read for sure. May not be everyone’s vibe but I enjoyed it.
Thank you @arndellbooks & @annpenny.author for this ALC of Capturing Love!
•Release Date: November 11th •Main narration by Sofia Lette & epilogue narrated by Sean Masters 🎤
This is such a fun audiobook. I love the narration by Sofia Lette. Her voice is so relaxing and she does an ✨️amazing✨️ job with the characters and accents.
I love a good "surprise" workplace romance book and this one was so well done 🥰
I enjoyed the drama, particularly in the first few chapters. It was witty and funny and you could feel the emotion.
Capturing Love has a lot of great banter, spice, and family drama. I recommend it if you enjoy a good workplace romance and lots of pizza! 😂
Capturing Love is the kind of book that I think everyone would enjoy. It is a very well written and griping story about what happens when you meet your soulmate but you are already in a relationship. There is instant connection between Josie and Grayson but they are plagued by not quite right relationships with other people, professional workplace rules, family interference and an ex that won’t go away. This story tells how they navigate life in order to find a way be together. You will quickly realize that you are completely engrossed in this story and invested in Grayson and Josie. I was equally rooting for them and furious with Grayson for being ruled by family obligation, power and status. He made me so mad at times. While he might have redeemed himself, he was weak at times and let Josie down so badly. Josie was everything that everyone in the book thought she was...simply amazing. I love heroines who are smart, genuinely good, and so strong. I was glad she had a backbone and demanded that she be treated how she should be. Sometimes love just isn’t enough. Will Grayson find a way to protect and love Josie, will he cave to family pressure or will he be just too late to decide for Josie? I highly recommend this book. It had enough angst without going overboard with it or overshadowing the love story. Capturing Love had love, passion, sex and drama. It tells the story of two people destined to be together despite all the odds. Capturing Love releases on 9/18. I was given an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Josie and Grayson meet one night in Vegas. These two spend the best night of their life together just doing fun stuff minus sex. They're both in committed relationships, so its easy to just have fun. Its imprinted in their minds forever. They both do not think their paths will ever cross again. But fate steps in, Gray and Josie meet again.
I love the chemistry between these two. His life is super complicated but he wants life with Josie so badly. He's going to figure it out, fight for her because he's knows he's found the one. I loved this story, this is my first read by Ann and I just couldn't put it down. I can't wait for the next books with the supporting characters. This is going to be torture waiting!!! Definitely recommend!!!!
First time author for me and I really liked how she told Josie and Grayson's love story. It's well written and engaging. Josie and Gray's meet-cute was, for me, totally cute.
But the main reason why I can't give this story a higher rating is because there were a lot of times where Grayson's resulting interactions/reactions/decisions with his family were oh-so-frustrating. He was too beta for my taste.
Absolutely loved Capturing Love! Loved Josie & Grayson journey how they came together to part and come back together by accident! We had bumps in the road along the way! Perfect ending! l received an ARC in return for an honest review!
Deliciously engrossing from beginning to end, Capturing Love was full of drama, passion, difficulties, love and hope. Destiny whilst overcoming lifes struggles and obstacles never read so good. I LOVE, LOVED IT. 4.5 Stars
*ARC kindly given in exchange for an honest review, thank you so much*
Oh my Lord, this book was definitely my meant-to-be because I just realized the author actually reached out to me back in 2021 when it was first released as an indie book and I vaguely remembered enjoying it then. Anyways, now that I'd thoroughly devoured Capturing Love, all I could say was: PLEASE GO READ THIS!!!!!!!
Capturing Love featured Grayson Harlow, a billionaire heir to a media company called Harlow Corp., who had no intention to run the business after being manipulated by his parents compared to his older brother, Adam, and Josie, an Australian photographer for a small indie magazine firm. Although Grayson and Josie were both taken when they first met in Las Vegas, I appreciated that there was no cheating here. A few months later, they bumped into each other again at a wedding and sparks flew, which was the beginning of a long pursuit from Gray to Josie, despite the huge difference between their upbringing and social hierarchy.
My favorite part about this entire book was the author's writing style. It was easy to indulge myself in the characters' experience and it was even easier to fall in love with all of them. I also found myself constantly thinking about these characters after eating up the book and wished I could be friends with them in real life. The ending was also beyond satisfying as I couldn't be happier for Gray and Josie for carving out their own path to the HEA they more than deserved. :")
All in all, please go pick this book up!! No words could describe my love for it and I couldn't wait to binge read the next two installments in this series. Book 2 would be about Grayson's childhood friend, Melanie, and her star-crossed lover, Scott, and book 3 would be the happily ever after for Adam and Cassidy. Happy reading!
***Massive thanks to the author and Arndell for generously providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.***
4.5⭐️ Capturing Love by Ann Penny 📸 Book one in the Love, Beauty & Soul series. Thank you to Ann Penny and Arndell for providing me with the ARC and ALC to read/listen to and review.
📸Blurb:📸 Josie Spencer is determined to make the most of her fresh start in New York City. She lives for the simple things; pizza, good tunes, bad movies and watching the world go by through the lens of her camera. Love? That’s not a priority.
Grayson Harlow is anything but simple. He’s gorgeous, brilliant, and trapped under the iron grip of his family’s legacy. When he meets Josie in a chance encounter in Las Vegas, he’s left breathless—she’s fiery, passionate, and completely off-limits.
Their chemistry is instant… and impossible to forget.
But months later, when Josie finds out Grayson is her new billionaire boss, the attraction between them becomes dangerous. His powerful family sees her as a threat and will stop at nothing to tear her down.
Now, Josie must decide: fight for the career she’s built or risk it all for the one man she can’t resist. Because falling for Grayson Harlow doesn’t just risk her heart… it might cost her everything.
📸Tropes:📸 Workplace Romance Billionaire Romance Forbidden Love Friends x Enemies x Lovers He Falls First
🎧Audiobook performed by Sofia Lette with Sean Masters narrating the epilogue. Sofia did a great job carrying the load of this audiobook. She kept me engaged as a listener the entire time. Sean’s epilogue performance was wonderful. I always enjoy listening to his audiobooks.
✨Thoughts:✨
Ann Penny is a new to me author and I’m officially a fan! This book kept me completely guessing. With the story being told in Josie’s POV solely, it left the reader feeling all the emotions right along with her. Grayson was a lovable and yet flawed MMC, even though his intentions were always pure. His heart of gold left him in situations where he was left in a lose/lose position. Josie’s ambition and loyalty to those around her made her such an interesting FMC to cheer for. I truly enjoyed how Ann wrote such strong supporting characters. I loved reading about them almost as much as the main characters. Great book one in this trilogy.