In Every Other Way

by Clementine Hart

Elsie Morgan has two problems, and she's fairly sure they're unrelated. The first is her boss. Joshua Larsen is meticulous, maddening, and impossibly self-contained — the one man Elsie has spent two years being scrupulously, exhaustingly normal about. The second is @plaintext: the anonymous true-crime obsessive she's been arguing with online for eight months, who somewhere along the way became the person she tells everything. Including, lately, far too much about the boss. They are the same man. Elsie has no idea. Joshua finds out by accident, and it stops him cold: the woman he stays up talking to every night is the colleague he's been so carefully keeping at arm's length. And now he's the only one who knows. So he says nothing — and has no idea how long he can keep it that way. A slow-burn, dual-POV workplace romance for readers of Beth O'Leary and Emily Henry.

348 pages, Paperback

Published August 11, 2026

Reviews

[Jodie Saunders · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW

I looooved Nora omg such a cutie an old soul before her time! I loved the banter between Elsie and Joshua, so good. This was a slooow burn when you think oooh this is it this is the moment, nope pulls you right back to the anticipation of it. The relationship that built between them was deep and they knew each other inside out mannerisms and all. Just one look and they knew how the other was feeling/ thinking if only ay lol. All in all solid read

[Tasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Every Other Way by Clementine Hart is a sweet and engaging romance filled with emotional moments, witty interactions, and characters who feel genuine. Hart created a story about connection, trust, and the challenges of opening yourself up to someone else. The chemistry between the characters was one of the highlights of the book, and their journey kept me invested from beginning to end. I enjoyed the way the story balanced lighter, fun moments with deeper themes about identity and vulnerability. While some elements of the plot may be familiar to romance readers, the strong character development and heartfelt writing made it feel fresh and enjoyable. Overall, In Every Other Way is a charming read for anyone who loves romances about unexpected connections, complicated feelings, and finding someone who truly understands you.

I received an ARC copy from Pen Pinery. Thank you for giving me the chance to read this novel and share my honest review of the novel!

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

What happens when you discover that the online friend you’ve been talking to for months is actually the boss you have a crush on? That’s what happens to Elsie when she mistakenly sends a message destined to Online Friend to Boss instead and later discovers they are one and the same.
The premise of this book is a good one but there was something that just didn’t quite deliver. The characters felt fairly one-dimensional and the relationship between them lacked the banter you would expect from a rom-com. Indeed, most of the book was written more like a self-reflection journal, with little dialogue throughout - perhaps it was a conscious decision on the part of the author as a way to break genre conventions but it does cause some cognitive dissonance in the reader. That said, you can tell the author put a lot of effort into it and the writing is solid. But I do believe you’ll enjoy it more if you don’t walk into it expecting your traditional romance novel.

[Lindsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️

• I reviewed this ARC through Pen Pinery •

After seeing Clementine Hart post that her romance novel is for readers of Emily Henry, I was excited to become an ARC. However, after reading this novel, I was extremely disappointed.

There’s a lot to love about this novel, including the mature characters, including Nora & Iris, the break in thought within the chapters, as well as the AIM communication. However, I did not enjoy how the writing was written in a manner of self reflection, as in a journal, which lacked emotion. I enjoy connecting with my characters as I read and unfortunately this novel did not have that.

I read this book in 24 hours, as the small break in chapters allowed for easy reading. It was a very cute concept, unfortunately it just lacked in certain aspects that I enjoy while I read.

[Sayli Arte · Rating 4 out of 5]

**ARC Review**

I really quite liked this book! Elsie and Joshua felt so real, attainable, and I really enjoyed reading their journey as they found their way to each other! It wasn't your regular romance novel, this one was deep and very refreshing. Real people, super relatable and just organic chemistry between the main characters! 100% recommend this if you're looking for something sweet and light, but also want to be emotionally touched!

P.s. I loved Nora! She was such a sweet kid, but not overbearing, and that's a hard balance to strike!
I also absolutely loved Iris! <3 I hope everyone is either Iris or has a friend like her, she needs to be protected at all costs!

[Vievie2 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a warm, thoughtful workplace romance and I enjoyed the slow-burn connection between Elsie and Joshua, particularly the contrast between their carefully guarded office personas and the openness they share online. The story feels mature and realistic, with characters who communicate like adults and none of the unnecessary clichés or frustrating misunderstandings often found in this genre. Elsie’s love of crocheting was also a lovely personal touch that made her feel relatable. This is a gentle, believable and heartfelt love story which is just wonderful.

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

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one. It took me a bit to get used to the author’s writing style, but I liked that it was different from the styles I usually read. Elsie and Joshua were both such great characters, and easily relatable. I could completely understand why Elsie didn’t want to meet the man she’d been flirting with and falling for. The plot wasn’t that original, but the way it was written was, and that made it more appealing for me. I’m looking forward to reading more from this author.

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

[Johanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 1 of The Thorough Route. And a wonderful start it is! Look forward to more from this world.

'And now he's the only one who knows.
So he says nothing — and has no idea how long he can keep it that way.'

The characters were very appealing and likeable and complicated and absolutely perfect together. Plot was intriguing and exciting and well paced. World building was excellent and expertly drawn. Thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend.

Grab a copy, kick back and enjoy!.

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

[Dua Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this! 💛
Such a warm, mature love story that gave me You've Got Mail vibes right from the start.
As someone who enjoys crocheting myself, I loved that the FMC shared the same hobby. It made me smile.
My favorite thing about this book was how realistic it felt. No unnecessary clichés, no frustrating miscommunication, and characters who actually acted like adults. Everything felt natural, believable, and age-appropriate.
Such a cozy, heartwarming romance. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

[Karen Hunter · Rating 3 out of 5]

What if 2 people you have a connection with ended up being the same person? That’s what happens to Elsie. A friend online and her manager are the same person. Could they be the perfect partner?

This story is sweet and slow burn but did feel a little repetitive at times for me. I nice story about find yourself as well as finding love.

ARC provided via Pen Pinery
https://penpinery.com

[Jana Lind · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was over all a great read and I really loved both MCs. Their story played out slow but it was worth the wait. 

The book was emotional and the language, as well as the characters themselves ,reflective. This was almost taken a tad too far. After a while I felt like most of the communication between the characters lied in what was not said instead of the other way around. 

[Zelda fan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, Elsie and Joshua are such good characters and I loved their discussions on and offline, the progression of the book is great, I found some of the tech talk a bit distracting but it made more sense as the book went on.
A super cute read with added spice and fab characters, perfect to escape into.

[Steve Canada · Rating 5 out of 5]

📖❤️ In Every Other Way ❤️📖

Friends to Lovers, Slow Burn, Workplace Romance

Elsie and Joshua chat online, unaware that he’s her manager at work.
New author for me, will definitely check out more of her work.

[brynn · Rating 1 out of 5]

i feel like there was a lot of stuff missing. the time jumps in itself are fine, but it kept jumping from month to month every two pages (if that makes sense).