One Mad Night

by Julia London

A delightful new contemporary romance novella from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Julia London.

One winter's night a blizzard sweeps across the country, demonstrating that fate can change the course of lives in an instant…and fate has got a sense of humor.

Chelsea Crawford and Ian Rafferty are high profile ad execs in cutthroat competition for a client. When a major winter storm puts New York City on lockdown, the two rivals have to make it through the night together—oh, the many ways in which opposites attract...

Praise for Julia

"London knows how to keep pages turning...winningly fresh and funny." —Publishers Weekly, on RITA Award nominee The Bridesmaid

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Novella, Enemies To Lovers, Forced Proximity, M F Romance

108 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 6, 2015

About the author

Julia London is the New York Times and USA Today best selling author of more than two dozen romantic fiction novels. She is the author of the popular historical romance series, the Cabot Sisters, including The Trouble with Honor, The Devil Takes a Bride, and The Scoundrel and the Debutante. She is also the author of several contemporary romances, including Homecoming Ranch, Return to Homecoming Ranch, and The Perfect Homecoming.

Julia is the recipient of the RT Bookclub Award for Best Historical Romance and a six-time finalist for the prestigious RITA award for excellence in romantic fiction. To keep up with all the Julia London news, please visit http://www.julialondon.com. Follow her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/julialondon

Reviews

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute, fast moving short story about two ad execs (Chelsea Crawford, Ian Rafferty) that are battling for the same account. When a blizzard hits New York City they find themselves stranded in their office building which is also experiencing a power outage. Forced to spend some time together they get to know each other better and discover they are very attracted to each other.

This was an enjoyable novella. Chelsea and Ian have great chemistry, and I enjoyed their lively banter. I also liked the NYC location. This is the first Julia London book I've read and I look forward to reading more from this author.

[♥Rachel♥ · Rating 3 out of 5]

One Mad Night was a short romance filled with fun, snarky banter and a satisfying conclusion.

Chelsea and Ian are top ad executives pitted against each other to win a prime account. The cutthroat nature of advertising makes it so they both are at odds, with the higher ups not necessarily leveling with either of them. Without the competition inherent with their positions Chelsea and Ian would naturally be attracted, they have combustible chemistry, so when the “snowpocalypse” rains down on New York and they’re inadvertently stranded in the office their attraction ignites and it’s impossible for either one to resist the pull. As they get to know each other, the competition for their major account becomes more secondary to their developing feelings.

Sometimes I want a short story, something I can read and enjoy without committing to a large page count. It’s tough to pull off a satisfying story in a short amount of pages, but I’ve read novellas that have blown me away. One Mad Night was cute and started off really strong: funny snarky banter, great sexual chemistry. I really enjoyed the overall story. It was a quick, fun read, but as with a lot of novellas some of the depth of feeling was a little lacking. I did absolutely adore the way things ended; it was everything I could’ve wished for Ian and Chelsea!

A copy was kindly provided by Sourcebooks in exchange for an honest review.

This review is also posted at The Readers Den.

[[Aengell] · Rating 3 out of 5]

This isn't a spectacular read, and due to the format (novella) it's very fast paced and the crucial plot happens in one night (hence the title).

Still, the main characters were presented as believable as they can be in such a short story, and Julia London succeeded in building in enough tension to not make it boring.

Recommended to anyone in the mood for a really quick CR with the preference of the theme "enemies-to-lovers".

[Nefise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though Ms London is quite a good writer, usually I don't read her historical romance books because of big misunderstanding theme.
This is the first time, I tried her contemporary romances and I really liked it. I'll check her other works too.
If you like rival couplse, opposite attraction like me, you should give it a try.

[Courtney · Rating 2 out of 5]

The characters are frustrating but kind of entertaining. I wasn’t totally convinced about their affection for one another and the ending was too tied up, too “perfect.” The story also could've used an editor or two.

[Kelsie · Rating 3 out of 5]

More like 2.5 stars. Although I dislike having to deal with snow on the roads, I'm all about snowstorm stories, especially from the comfort of a sunny October day. As an office worker and a fan of Mad Men, the New York City ad agency setting was right up my alley, too. The premise itself was a great one. What didn't work for me was the ending of this novella. It was just so typical, I had to roll my eyes and drop its rating a bit.

[Kris (My Novelesque Life) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 STARS

(I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review).

"One winter's night a blizzard sweeps across the country, demonstrating that fate can change the course of lives in an instant...and fate has got a sense of humor.

Chelsea Crawford and Ian Rafferty are high profile ad execs in cutthroat competition for a client. When a major winter storm puts New York City on lockdown, the two rivals have to make it through the night together-oh, the many ways in which opposites attract..." (From Amazon)

A fun contemporary romance with humour and heart. It is predictable but in a good way - you get exactly what you want.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this to fill a gap while wating for the next in a series set I'm reading.... and I've found a new interest!! NOVELLAS😍 When you want to get into a story and to all the good parts without all the in between drama! Don't get me wrong I love getting pulled into a book and really getting to know the characters, but this was fun too! Story flowed well and the characters were likable, fun, and strong confident woman lead. I thought it had a very well defined beginning middle and end for such a quick read. I reccomend this book.

[Kiera Beddes · Rating 2 out of 5]

A major blizzard forces two competing ad execs to share one crazy night together. You can imagine how it goes. I was surprised by the unfairness of the girl getting passed over for a deserved promotion but I didn't really care for either character, so I wasn't really invested in her plight.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a delightful little story by Julia London 0 a sweet cupcake of a story that turns competitors into lovers when they are caught in a massive snow storm. Julia knows how to write sweet characters while still bringing the heat and providing a wonderful Happily Ever After.

[Dhaverma · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not very interesting;

[Ashley Davies · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really cute story that also comments on the injustices that women continue to face in the workplace.

[Tiffany Kummer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very quick read with a cute fun story and a lot of banter.

[Marilyn Getts · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was looking for a quick read, and the word Tesla came up. Tesla advertises? It was worth a go, but not worth remembering.

[Topaz_Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

📖 Read via ebook - 3⭐ - 🌶

Rivals? Check. Forced proximity? Check.

This novella is a quick read with a HEA. Like most novellas, the relationship building is overly fast and the transition from competitors to lovers is unrealistic, but it was a nice couple hour escape and it mostly worked for me.

Chelsea has been working for her company for 6 years with some accolades, but few chances to break through to become partner. In comes hot shot Ian Rafferty who was wined, dined and offered a fast track to partner status. With both of them fighting for the best campaigns they've developed an adversarial relationship. However, on the eve of their biggest presentation they have to shelter in place at the office and find they have much more in common than they ever guessed.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a short people. Don't expect anything deep. it's a cute superficial read. Perfect for when you need a quick in between read.

[Swanangel15's Book Review · Rating 5 out of 5]

One mad night was one fun book. The characters were fun and lovable and I wished for of these type of books from Ms London.

Chelsea has worked and worked and worked her butt off for the company she works for, only to be kept down. But not anymore, the Telsa account, which is the biggest account to manage in the business, is finally within her grasp, as well as a promotion, but hotshot Ian Rafferty gets in her way.

Not wanting the smoking hot new guy to come and take what is rightfully her's, Chelsea works even harder to come up with a campaign to blow Ian's out of the water.

She had her idea down, all she had to do was rest up at home for the presentation tomorrow. Things were going as planned when a blizzard has Chelsea stranded at the office with none other than her rival.

Ian Rafferty was paid big bucks in order to leave his old company. Excited and motivated, Ian knows that landing the Telsa account would make people know that he is serious and not just another pretty face.

The only person standing in his way, is the overbearing but smoking hot, Chelsea who does not seem to be taken in by his charm. All that is about to change when they are snowed in together at the office.

Now that they only have each other for company, they find out things about each other that has the heat they suppressed for too long, explode. Would the passion they uncovered for each other be enough to get over their differences? Or would it further complicate things between the two?

Find out in the thrilling tale of One Mad Night!

+Julia London thank you for this fun and amazing tale. This book got me mad, all I wanted to do was give the partners in that company a good speech off and make them feel horrible about how they treat their workers.

Chelsea was a b***h in the beginning. I did not like how she treated Ian. It was not his fault the board members paid him so much money to join their team, and he only got those other accounts because his ideas were good. For those of you who were wondering, the company is an advertising company.

Ian was nice to Chelsea but she judged a book by it's cover and look what happen! Nothing bad, it's just that they could have gotten naked together so much sooner.

Usually, when multiple events happen in a short period of time, the story feels short and rushed, not this book. I think it's a novella, I'm now being introduced to this type of novel, and I like the placement of the events and the wording.

It's not everyday that you get to know and fall in love with characters in such a short story. Lover of romance and conflict would enjoy this very much. I have no complains about this book, I can't even complain about it being to short. I got everything that I was suppose to get in a romance novel and then some.

Look out for the release of this book, well today! So go and grab a copy or click away to your favorite e-reader.


HAPPY READING!

[Maura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chelsea and Ian work for the same advertising firm and both are competing for the big Tesla account. Chelsea is a workaholic struggling to break through the glass ceiling, while Ian is a hot shot who seems to have no problem in the "boys club" advertising world. It starts out with tension and dislike as the two compete, but they get trapped in the office overnight because of a blizzard and are forced to reconsider their opinions of one another.

This had a lot of potential - could have been a 4 star review for sure. There's enough angst, plenty of passion and humor and it was a fun, enjoyable read. I had to take it back to 3 stars for two primary reasons. First of all, the competition between the two of them made me like them less. Both Ian and Chelsea were arrogant with one another and somewhat childish in their rivalry. It did not endear them to me...they do seem to change later on, but that impression stuck with me. Finally, Ian finds out that he has the account before they even pitch, which he recognizes is unfair to Chelsea. But, rather than be upfront, he keeps it a secret while they're trapped together, allowing her to believe she still has a shot. Then, AFTER they've had sex in the office, he admits it. Slightly shady behavior, but the surprising thing was that Chelsea never once called him for lying. She didn't blame him at all and I found that very hard to believe, especially given their history together thus far. But I did like how Ian was easy prey to his feelings - he just sort of went with them and became a teddy bear. Oh and the ending was very satisfying.

[Kerry Croucier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chelsea Crawford has been a successful account executive with the same agency for years, but can't seem to catch that one big account to move her up. When the partners lure Ian Rafferty away from a rival agency, things get that much tougher for Chelsea. She sees him as full-of-himself and reliant on sex-appeal, he see her as uptight and stuffy. Unfortunately, they become rivals for the same accounts. When a big one comes up, Chelsea is told it is hers to lose, until the partners decide to change the rules and have both Chelsea and Ian pitch for it.
The day before the big pitch, both are working so hard they don't realize the little snow storm has turned into a blizzard, and everyone but them went home.
Stuck together, both realize that their beliefs about the other are wrong and actually find themselves liking the other as a person. Of course, some of the earlier sniping at each other was due to fighting their attraction, so what can happen when two people are alone, together, and seriously attracted to one another?
This was a fast-paced, quick read. The characters were realistic with believable qualities and interactions. Chelsea was a strong heroine who worked hard. Ian was handsome and self-confident, who also worked hard.
I love how they came together and how things were wrapped up. Though a novella, I felt it was well-paced and developed with an ending that was completely satisfying.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Review: 4 Stars. A great short story with heart

I adored the story of Chelsea and Ian. I have a soft spot for the advertising world, so that drew me in, and seeing Chelsea trying to make it in the boy's world of advertising was very entertaining. I had no trouble relating to her and her plight. We've all been at a job where the bosses take you for granted, use your ideas for their own, or just don't give credit where credit is due. Her rivalry with Ian is amusing. They reminded me of magnets flipped backwards; they repelled each other, but all they had to do was readjust to find they were really attracted to each other. Their banter is witty, and even the childish phrases they throw at each other are amusing. Seeing them trapped in the office during "snowpocalypse" and how they break down each other's defenses was a great read. This was easy to get through in one sitting, as I wanted to see what would happen. There was definitely potential here for a full novel, but the story that is crafted is satisfying and succinctly written. I could easily picture the scene, feel what the characters were feeling, and I was happy with the way the story ended. I would definitely recommend this book to any contemporary romance lover and would read other works by this writer.

I received a copy of this book via Netgalley for an honest review.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chelsea was a top ad executive on an upwardly mobile path to partner when her bosses lure Ian from another agency.

Chelsea feels threatened by Ian's competition. She thinks he is getting campaigns that should be hers. Well, he's not getting the Tesla car campaign. Chelsea has worked hard and her supervisor as much as told her the job was hers. She decides to head home for some much needed rest, only to discover Snowpocalypse has descended upon the city.

Ian doesn't understand why Chelsea is so prickly towards him. Yeah, he gives her a hard time every now and again, but it's good clean fun. It's not his fault his pitches are better than hers. After getting the news from a partner that the Tesla campaign is his, Ian decides to head home.

Ian runs into Chelsea in the reception area. She's just finished climbing 31 flights of stairs because the elevators are not working. They soon find themselves locked in, together, in the dark for the night. How will they keep themselves occupied?

Julia London has a real flair for the novella. She's able to give us enough insight into each character to make us care about them and what happens to them.

This book sucked me right in. I read it in one sitting. It would be a great book on a flight, on the beach or in a long line at the DMV.

[Rachael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chelsea and Ian are in fierce competition for a partner position at their high-profile ad agency. The last thing either of them wants is to spend any time together. But that's exactly what happens when a huge snowstorm traps the two of them in the office overnight. Sparks soon fly as they begin to let down their guards.

I borrowed this from my library's ebook collection and didn't realize that it was a novella instead of a full book. Imagine my surprise at how quickly events progressed and how the percentage marker on my kindle took huge jumps forward with just a few swipes. Once I figured out it was a novella, I had to adjust my thinking.

What I liked about the book is the premise. Two people who are attracted to one another but in direct competition is always a good place to work from. But add in the trope of the two being stuck together alone in lessened circumstances and it becomes great.

What I didn't like was Chelsea. Her personality was all over the place. I think she was supposed to transform from uptight and closed-off to funny and charming. It just didn't work for me. Her personality and actions seemed to change depending on how the situation dictated she act. There was no core character but rather plot-based personality traits to check off as the story progressed.

It was an okay read but not anything that I would ever be interested in reading again.

[Rosemary K · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chelsea Crawford and Ian Rafferty are competing to manage the ad campaign for a prestigious auto maker. They both want to win. Neither will back down. This is war. Mother nature and the snowpocalypse bring things to a head when they are forced to spend the night together. Their love-hate relationship turns into passion. I enjoyed their verbal sparing. Chelsea and Ian are attracted to each other but neither will admit it. What happens when they are alone together is pure romance. Both characters are stubborn and determined to succeed. I loved when Ian realized that winning is not everything. I sighed when they realize that they care for each other. The snappy dialogue and the passionate romance had me hooked. Julia London knows how to write characters that you care about . The story was fast paced and humorous. I loved One Mad Night.

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short and sweet! Enemies to lovers is a favorite troupe of mine, and this one was nicely done with witty banter and undeniable chemistry. Chelsea and Ian are a fun couple to root for...once they're a couple, that is. ;)

The ending is simply adorable.

What keeps this from being 100% satisfying is the major drawback of a novella--it's just so short! In this instance, plot is sacrificed somewhat--everything is solved relatively quickly and easily. I'd have liked a bit more drama and angst involved. If you're looking for a quick and romantic read, though, this could be the novella for you.

If you're being snowed in for the long haul, on the other hand, you're going to need a meatier story. (Can you tell it's snowing here? AGAIN?? Sigh...)

Rating: 3 stars / B-

I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Jessi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an okay story which is a surprise given the fact that I didn't particularly like either of the characters.
Chelsea is an ad exec who is certain she's going to nail the new Tesla presentation and get the account. As long as she can overcome the new wonderboy, Ian, who was lured in from another company and has snagged more than one of the accounts that she should have gotten. Now they're going head-to-head for the latest account. Only, she's been trapped inside the office because of a Snowpocalypse and she's there with... guess who? Sexy times follow.
I had quite a few issues with the story why wouldn't Ian just ttell her that he'd gotten the account? If he really likes her, That's just bullshit but it was overall okay and a fast read.

[Beverly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book. I was sick in bed and needed a pick me up and this did it for me.Chelsea and Ian had this pragmatic relation ship that I just loved! I really wanted to smack their boss and using one to boost the other just irked me some. How ever that's part of what I liked about it was it felt real. In everyday work environments there are some people who pit others against each other. I have to say Julia made me want to get caught in a blizzard with my own hot guy. I hope that we can see some of these characters again .


*** ARC Provided by NetGalley in Exchange for an Honest Review. ***

[Christina · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story was sort of "Love at First Sight" mixed in with the two MCs having sexual frustration towards each other leading to the "Bickering Couple". The book focuses mainly on one night stuck together at the company due to a snow storm. This night changes their perspective towards their company and themselves.
I personally liked it but the author did not touch on how they came to love each other, get married, etc. As the reader, I had to believe their relationship worked out in which led to marriage and the baby she carries at the end. -.- Sorry, but clearly I did not see that coming at all given what I read on that beautiful "one night". Overall it was a good read so Read Away!

[Senator · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very short, compact little romantic novella that does have two great characters. I personally loved Chelsea and Ian for their straightforward nature once it got to the good bits. Unfortunately, the perfect meat of the story is squished between two successful, grown adults acting like their fighting on a playground, and a very rushed ending. Overall, "One Mad Night" is a decent read, but don't expect the sizzle and charm of a usual Julia London romance.

Thank you to Sourcebooks & NetGalley for providing me a galley to be used for honest review/ bookseller purposes.

[Gina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful romance about how two rival co-workers ended up strandad at the office in the middle of snowstorm together. Classic story of how you can't judge a book by it's cover. After being strandad together Ian and Chelsea learned alot about each other and the company they worked for. Quick and enjoyable read!

[Dao · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so happy to have stumbled upon this book! I think I just found another rare gem in this author! Though the story was short, its development in every aspect, from plot to characters, dialogue (such delightful dialogue! ) to their relationship, was deep and complete and brought utter satisfaction! I could not put it down! Thank you, Julia London!