The Deskmate Dilemma

by Waverly O'Brian

Love was never on their to-do list, but it’s the one deadline they can’t ignore.Katie and Ryan have always been the dream team. Sharing everything from office desks to inside jokes, they survive the monotony of corporate life with witty banter, office DM's, and their weekly post-work pub nights. They’ve mastered the art of making the 9-to-5 grind bearable, until Katie’s world is flipped upside down.

With her life suddenly in chaos, Katie finds herself questioning everything, including her perfectly platonic friendship with Ryan. As unexpected feelings begin to surface, the lines between colleagues, friends, and something more start to blur. Is she imagining the lingering looks and charged moments, or has Ryan been hiding feelings of his own?

As they confront their deepest fears and desires, they’ll have to decide if love is worth risking everything, even the job and friendship that have kept them steady for so long.

347 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication April 28, 2026

Reviews

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Life is busy and filled with challenges. In the midst of that, there is no better feeling than to sit down with a light read that guarantees a happy ending. The Deskmate Dilemma had me invested from the very beginning. Waverly begins with a letter to her readers which I adored. It gives insight into who she is and why she writes. I also loved that the main characters, Katie and Ryan, had been friends for years when we meet them. This helps set up a true slow burn. Waverly also handles a serious workplace topic thoughtfully and respectfully. And of course, there is the expected happy ending which contained a twist that I didn’t see coming! I have read a lot of romance books and perhaps the highest praise I can give is that this did not feel like a debut novel from an unknown author. Congratulations Waverly on a wonderful debut novel! I’m looking forward to what comes next!

[❁ Ashton ❀ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Release Date - 28th April

First of all , Waverly, congratulations on writing your DEBUT NOVEL! I am so proud of you! I really appreciate that you’ve trusted me with your first book baby , so thank you for this arc !

This was such a cute and sweet read ! I finished this book way too quick - a good sign because I was invested in Katie and Ryan’s story but not great cos it ended too quickly !

Waverley captured their mutual attraction , yearning and chemistry perfectly ! I liked the gradual pacing of friendship to a relationship. Katie and Ryan both developed feelings beyond friendship but I liked how unsure they were. They both knew what they wanted but both unsure if it was safe to cross that line not knowing if the other person felt the same way. Both had a fear of rejection and this was a rejection that would hurt the most. But taking a risk had never felt so daunting yet rewarding .

You know what I love ? Surprises ! I loved every surprise Ryan had in store but surprise #5 is my favourite !! This was the sweetest read ! I would definitely recommend this book to anyone that enjoys a contemporary romance with low angst.

✨ Thank you Waverly for this arc in return for an honest review ✨

[Meesh Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was honestly so cutie!

I'm not typically one for the miscommunication trope, but Waverly wrote this one in such a way that was honestly so cute. Her characters were relatable and fun, and the story was easy to follow.

I really loved the "secrets" Ryan did for Katie, that was such a cute idea.

As a debut novel, I think Waverly is on the right track and I can't wait to see where she goes from here!

[Emma Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

🩷 Blurb-
Love was never on their to-do list, but it’s the one deadline they can’t ignore.Katie and Ryan have always been the dream team. Sharing everything from office desks to inside jokes, they survive the monotony of corporate life with witty banter, office DM's, and their weekly post-work pub nights. They’ve mastered the art of making the 9-to-5 grind bearable, until Katie’s world is flipped upside down.
With her life suddenly in chaos, Katie finds herself questioning everything, including her perfectly platonic friendship with Ryan. As unexpected feelings begin to surface, the lines between colleagues, friends, and something more start to blur. Is she imagining the lingering looks and charged moments, or has Ryan been hiding feelings of his own?
As they confront their deepest fears and desires, they’ll have to decide if love is worth risking everything, even the job and friendship that have kept them steady for so long.
🩵 Review -
This was such a cute and fluffy read. I love the work place romance troupe and Waverly did this so well. I was invested in Katie and Ryan's relationship all the way through and I wanted them to have the happy ending that they deserved. The story was cute and easy to follow and had a great cast of background characters. I loved the author's writing style and the pacing was just right. Overall, a brilliant novel that I highly recommend to other readers. I look forward to reading more by the author.
💝 Thank you to the author Waverly O'Brian for my arc ebook copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

[Southern Lady Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Deskmate Dilemma by Waverly O’Brian is so much more than your typical funny office romance. While there are definitely plenty of workplace mishaps, awkward moments, and laugh-out-loud interactions, the real charm of this indie romance is the slow-burning, friends-to-lovers connection that develops between the main characters.

The dynamic instantly gave me major The Office vibes! Think of Jim and Pam's energy with that mix of quiet longing, playful teasing, and those small, everyday moments that slowly turn into something bigger. If you love a workplace romance where the chemistry builds through shared glances, desk-side conversations, and inside jokes, this one absolutely delivers.

What makes this book especially enjoyable is how light and comforting it feels. While there is definitely an element of mysongeny and inappropriate workplace behavior our heroine has to deal with - the story balances that out with humor with genuinely sweet moments. Nothing overly dramatic - just an easy & sweet romance.

**Thank you to Waverly O'Brian for the advanced reader copy. I received this book for free, but all thoughts are my own. – SLR🖤

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[Her Reading Place · Rating 4 out of 5]

The workplace best friends trope is quite well executed here. The romance isn't just about the grand gestures, I like how it depicts it from the beginning in small things like him bringing cookies for her, their secret codes , and glances. The way they interact as the story progresses warms my heart, their care and love for each other is so evident. I loved it how he is such a supporter and cheerleader for her and plans thoughtful dates.
So many moments of Katie are so relatable that you can feel her emotions. Seeing her finally take a stand for herself was the highlight of the book for me. I like how she gradually transforms into a confident, creative individual. It is such an empowering arc that makes the ending so much more satisfying.
The depiction of struggles women face in the workplace is so well done. It is shown quite realistically how it impacts the women in the office space.
The relationship between sisters is portrayed with such warmth and support. It felt like such a good representation of how sisters are with each other generally. It brought a smile to my face reading their conversations.
It is a smiling heartwarming romance perfect for a spring read.

[Antonietta · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐.5 stars

Thank you Wavery O'Brian and Wicked Ink Publishing for the opportunity to read an advance copy of The Deskmate Dilemma.

I ended up enjoying this more than I expected, especially since I’m just getting back into reading romance. The friendship to romance dynamic between the FMC and MMC was fun to watch develop, and I liked how easy their connection felt. The present day setting also made it more relatable and grounded.

There were a few moments where things felt a little more idealized than real life, but it also gave the story a light, feel-good vibe that works well for this type of romance. If you enjoy sweeter, easy reads, that aspect will probably appeal to you.

Overall, it had a good storyline and solid supporting characters. It wasn’t a standout favorite for me, but I still enjoyed my time with it. This one leans toward a “maybe to yes” recommendation, especially if you’re looking for something light and relatable.

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[Marissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great debut novel! Katie and Ryan are desk mates and endure the mundane day to day of office life together. The meetings, annoying coworkers and you can’t forget about the misogynistic boss! When Ryan lands a new opportunity, he realizes how different things will be without Katie by his side in the office.
I loved watching these two navigate their feelings and grow to trust their gut and listen to their hearts. Ryan had me swooning with his list of surprises. Katie showed what a strong woman she was and stood up for what was best for her. Thank you for letting me read and review this book!

[abbiscosycorner · Rating 4 out of 5]

A slow burn worth the wait. This sweetest & cutest book, the book was very relatable which made me more invested.

Ryan is the sweetest MMC, the way he looks out for Katie & the small things he does for her, he had my heart! Katie was so relatable, I was so happy to see her become strong and believe in herself again!

The story had a great mix of different emotions, fun, laughter, hurt, love. This book has it in! I adored Jim & Katie’s family, a really feel good book and nice read! You won’t regret picking this up.

✨ friends to lovers
✨ workplace romance
✨ forced proximity
✨ he falls first

Thank you Waverly for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Lindsay E · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC Read✨

I really loved the storyline of this one. It’s such a strong, unique concept and it genuinely kept me wanting to know what would happen next.

There were a few moments where the pacing felt a little slow or slightly repetitive for me, which took me out of the story here and there.

That said, this being a debut novel is so impressive. You can really see the creativity and potential in the writing, and that made me appreciate it even more.

I can’t wait to see how this author grows. I’ll definitely be reading what she writes next 🤍

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this as an ARC. I’ve been hoping to have the opportunity to get an advance reader copy, so I accepted a book that is outside my preferred genres. I am glad that I did. I rarely rate a romance above 2. This book had a fun vibe, an interesting story and compelling characters.i think the character development was the strongest element of the story. Both main characters grew and evolved throughout the story, without sudden unexplained jumps out of character (which is a common occurrence among romance novels). One of the things that I think the author had a strong command of, was the language of anxiety. The only negative that I experienced was that Ryan was kind of an overthinking goof, who frequently sabotaged himself and his agenda. To be fair, that’s what made the story move.

[Nat · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're looking for The Office vibes of Jim and Pam. This book is for you.

A sweet office romance, friends to lovers where fmc Katie secretly crushes on her bestfriend and "deskmate" Ryan. Set with realistic challenges, mysoginy in the workplace, a staff fun day and lots more.

If you're looking for a cozy romance to curl on the couch with. Definitely give The Deskmate Dilemma a go!