How to Resist Your Boss: A Grumpy Sunshine Fake Engagement Romance

by Leslie North

The Hating Game meets Crazy Rich Asians—but he’s a grumpy hotel mogul, she’s the chaos-taming wedding planner who can’t stand him, and one viral scandal turns their feud into a fake engagement with sparks they definitely can’t fake.

From the moment I bumped into Drew Ashford I knew one I’d rather lick a subway pole than deal with him again.

Sure, he’s sexy as hell—in a hot movie-villain kind of way. Too bad he’s also obnoxious, arrogant, and worst of all, a dog hater.

Not my problem…if he didn’t own the hotel where the biggest wedding of my career is taking place.

Landing the wedding of a mega-famous reality star couple could make my career. All I need is everything to run no scandals, no drama, no Drew.

But when a very compromising, very viral video catches him with the bride, Drew decides to drag me into his mess. Announcing—to millions of the couple’s rabid fans—that we’re engaged!

we are not.

Now to protect the wedding (and our own reputations), Drew convinces me to play along. The ring? Fake. The backstory? Fabricated. The chemistry?

…Unfortunately, very real.

And somewhere between the forced smiles and infuriatingly hot kisses, I start to wonder… what if I hate him a little less than I should?

Kindle Edition

Expected publication February 19, 2026

About the author

New to Leslie? Readers suggest starting with 'The Bossy One' (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C6BP3BBF) —Imagine a sunny Minnesotan Mary Poppins, employed by a grumpy Irish billionaire. The story is a blend of humor, revenge, passion, heartbreak, hope, and witty banter. As one reader put it, ‘This story had me squealing at the romantic moments and silly moments.’

Leslie North is the USA Today Bestselling pseudonym for a critically-acclaimed author of romantic comedies and contemporary romance. The anonymity allows her to fully express her creativity, especially in the romantic and fun sexy scenes!

In fact, she confesses to loving her fictional persona, Leslie North, more than her everyday self! Her bestselling books are known for their strong characters, particularly women who aren’t afraid to challenge an alpha bosshole. And the humor? So infectious, you’ll be laughing out loud in public!

Leslie’s love for romance began when she picked up a worn-out romance book from her local library. She started writing soon after, and as they say, the rest was history. She now resides in a cozy cottage on the British coast, enjoying long walks with her two Dalmatians, George and Fergie.

She LOVES reader feedback, and if you have any comments, don’t hesitate to contact her!

I'm Social Too:
Website: www.leslienorthbooks.com
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Reviews

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably contains spoilers…

Another gem from Leslie North! Drew runs a resort and Emilia is a wedding planner. They both need this celebrity couple to get married. Him so his result isn’t considered cursed (his last event planner ran off with the groom and ruined the wedding), and her so she can pick up more clients for her business.

Funny thing: Drew used to date the fiancee. When he is caught comforting her, the producer of her fiancé’s reality show makes it seem…not so innocent (it totally was). To keep the peace, Drew tells everyone that Emilia is his fiancée so there is no need to worry. He has no interest in Kristen because he has his love. Boom! Fake engagement story line.

Obviously, this is a romance…they “fake” it, but develop real feelings. If they didn’t, well, what would be the point of this book?
My favorite parts about the “fake” without giving too much away: -Drew’s conversation with Harrison 😍
-his mom’s first ring
-Winston
-spice that isn’t disgustingly descriptive
-the way Drew fake proposed
-Poppy

Unfortunately, there is the dreaded 3rd act break up (I really hate those) when Carter (Kristen’s idiot finance) acts like an idiot and thinks Drew and Kristen have been cheating. They haven’t. *eye roll*

That leads to the entire overreaction on Emilia’s part because she didn’t have the decency to actually communicate her feelings. They break up, which is stupid, and they’re both sad about it. Good. They deserve to be sad. They should have grown up and talked. I mean, they’re what - 30?

Grovel, grovel, grovel…HEA. The end.

Did I mention I hate the 3rd act breakup trope? Hate. Seriously.

Also…curmudgeon is overused.

[Abbygaily · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a quick read packed with feelings. If you are familiar with the Lockhart universe, there are some cute Easter eggs to that series.
We have Drew a resort manager and Emilia a wedding planner whose worlds collide on a shared event.
I connected more with Drew than Harrison from the first book and at times felt like we might avoid the classic third act break up followed by a grand gesture because he seemed to be more in tune with the FMC emotions and needs. But… alas as with all her novels, they are the same plot points with different characters and subplots. I truly do eat these novels up because they are quick and fun but I would love a diversion. Maybe the FMC makes the grand gesture. Maybe the MMC ugly cries and realizes his errors instead of stewing alone for months. Idk. Just something a little different would be nice from this author.

This is my 6th book from this author (again, love them!) but the FMCs are always very similar, the same plot formula is used and it’s become a little mundane for me. I will read the next one! But after that idk. There are ways to evoke the heartbreak feeling without doing the same thing each time.

Regardless of that rant, what she does she does well! I did like the subplots being just the right amount of tension and entertainment. Excited for the next installment to the Ashford dynasty!

[Rebecca Dowling · Rating 4 out of 5]

How to resist your boss is part 2 of the Ashford brother series but can definitely be read as a standalone book. However, if you have read the first book it was good to see what has happened since it ended.
This was a quick read that was difficult to put down from the first chapter when the Emilia and Drew first meet each other. There was a great instant chemistry between the two. The main thing that I didn’t like was how quickly Emilia went from being super independent to kind of needy, however this does turn itself around again.
I really liked the inclusion of Winston and how he was able to bring people together and open up communication.
I enjoyed the subplot of the reality tv show and big wedding. It brought some fun to the book.
Overall, this book will be enjoyed by people who like a straightforward romance novel that follows the usual structure. I’m looking forward to book 3 in this series to learn more about Logan.
I received a free copy of this book from Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! It was a fantastic read from the first page to the last. It left me wanting more of Drew and Emilia’s love story. It elicited some strong emotions, both with laughter and with tears. Their love/hate relationship took on a life of itself. So very glad I read the first book in the series, although it isn’t necessary to thoroughly enjoy this one. I can’t wait for the next book to be released. The Ashford brothers are indeed quite special, as are the people they love and Winston added his own uniqueness to this book. I highly recommend reading it for yourself!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Dani Readsalot · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book captivated me from the start, before I’d even started page one, with the line, “I’d rather lick a subway pole than deal with him again.” Still smiling!
The story was really enjoyable, and I adored Emilia’s straightforward attitude. The chemistry between the two characters was fantastic, even with their love/hate relationship.
The writing flowed seamlessly, and I found myself smiling a lot while reading.
I’m looking forward Logan’s book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Adelynn Becca · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was charming; I loved the banters, the chemistry between character, although half the time i wanted to smac the MMC, but its all good lol. I cried, cause some parts pf the book left me emotional.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[JD · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read - well written and I loved the chemistry between the characters and the will they won't they!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.