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Maplecrest #1
Forced Proximity
Not yet published
Expected 13 Nov 26“It should have been you from the beginning.”
Rebecca Sorrenson has lived her life by one simple rule, keep to routine. No conflict, no surprises, and definitely no interaction with her grumpy boss. She certainly wasn’t expecting to be the backup plan to attend a conference in Maplecrest, PA after a colleague's unfortunate accident.. Now she’s spending four days out of town, alone, with him.
The solution? Stay as invisible as possible until the conference is over.
From the moment he saw his new sunshine employee Graham Wicks’ world turned upside down. He wants to know her better, but Rebecca won’t look at him, she doesn’t speak to him, she downright refuses to give him anything.
But now? She’ll finally have to acknowledge his existence.
Between travel disasters, adversarial elevators, and one hotel mix-up (because of course), Graham is determined to figure out why Rebecca evades him.
When Rebecca’s past unexpectedly shows up, it shatters the fragile walls she’s built around her and for the first time Graham sees the truth behind her avoidance. As the lines between professional and personal begin to blur, warding off Graham stops being an option, and the last person Rebecca expected to steady her might be the one she’s been avoiding all along.
Forced Proximity is book one in a series of interconnected standalones. For fans of Grumpy x Sunshine, workplace romances where he falls first and there’s only one bed!
Rebecca Sorrenson has lived her life by one simple rule, keep to routine. No conflict, no surprises, and definitely no interaction with her grumpy boss. She certainly wasn’t expecting to be the backup plan to attend a conference in Maplecrest, PA after a colleague's unfortunate accident.. Now she’s spending four days out of town, alone, with him.
The solution? Stay as invisible as possible until the conference is over.
From the moment he saw his new sunshine employee Graham Wicks’ world turned upside down. He wants to know her better, but Rebecca won’t look at him, she doesn’t speak to him, she downright refuses to give him anything.
But now? She’ll finally have to acknowledge his existence.
Between travel disasters, adversarial elevators, and one hotel mix-up (because of course), Graham is determined to figure out why Rebecca evades him.
When Rebecca’s past unexpectedly shows up, it shatters the fragile walls she’s built around her and for the first time Graham sees the truth behind her avoidance. As the lines between professional and personal begin to blur, warding off Graham stops being an option, and the last person Rebecca expected to steady her might be the one she’s been avoiding all along.
Forced Proximity is book one in a series of interconnected standalones. For fans of Grumpy x Sunshine, workplace romances where he falls first and there’s only one bed!
344 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication November 13, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
September 20, 2026
If your ideal romance includes cozy vibes, workplace drama, dual POV, a little forced proximity, and a healthy dose of spice, this one might be for you. 🍂🌶️
Forced Proximity follows a 35-year-old FMC navigating social anxiety and a boss she’s always considered a little on the grumpy side—until circumstances give them the opportunity to see each other a little differently.
One word that kept coming to mind while I was reading was sensitive. There’s a softness to these characters, both in the things they’re individually working through and in the way they begin to understand and care for one another.
Overall, this one didn’t completely sweep me off my feet, and I found myself wanting a little more from the story by the end. But that’s also the beauty of reading—sometimes a book can have all the right ingredients and simply not be your book.
I can absolutely see this finding its reader, especially if you’re looking for:
🍂 Cozy fall vibes
🌶️ Spice
👀 Dual POV
💼 Workplace drama
🫶 sensitive characters
💕 An FMC in her 30s
Thank you to Arielle Blackthorne for providing me with an ARC of Forced Proximity.
Forced Proximity follows a 35-year-old FMC navigating social anxiety and a boss she’s always considered a little on the grumpy side—until circumstances give them the opportunity to see each other a little differently.
One word that kept coming to mind while I was reading was sensitive. There’s a softness to these characters, both in the things they’re individually working through and in the way they begin to understand and care for one another.
Overall, this one didn’t completely sweep me off my feet, and I found myself wanting a little more from the story by the end. But that’s also the beauty of reading—sometimes a book can have all the right ingredients and simply not be your book.
I can absolutely see this finding its reader, especially if you’re looking for:
🍂 Cozy fall vibes
🌶️ Spice
👀 Dual POV
💼 Workplace drama
🫶 sensitive characters
💕 An FMC in her 30s
Thank you to Arielle Blackthorne for providing me with an ARC of Forced Proximity.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This was such a cozy read. I loved the realism applied to the characters trauma. MMC was everything a person needs who is handling trauma. FMC was so sweet and understanding. I love that this is the start of a series and cannot wait to read more!
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC review: I absolutely loved this book! My heart raced with every single one of Rebecca’s (Bex) internal thoughts. I understood her so deeply and felt everything right along with her: the panic, the uncertainty, the emotions. Her perspective really pulled me into the story and made it easy to connect with her and want to know more about her at the same time.
And getting to know Graham? Absolutely heart-fluttering. Once they were alone and able to really let their guards down, he was the epitome of “if he wanted to, he would”. Watching his character unfold and understanding more of him as the story progressed made me fall for him right along with Bex. I felt like I was right there with them through it all and didn’t want it to end.
Even the side characters had me invested. I hope Celia, Benji and Westley all get their own stories!
** I received this book as an ARC by the author in exchange for an honest review. This is my honest review.
And getting to know Graham? Absolutely heart-fluttering. Once they were alone and able to really let their guards down, he was the epitome of “if he wanted to, he would”. Watching his character unfold and understanding more of him as the story progressed made me fall for him right along with Bex. I felt like I was right there with them through it all and didn’t want it to end.
Even the side characters had me invested. I hope Celia, Benji and Westley all get their own stories!
** I received this book as an ARC by the author in exchange for an honest review. This is my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received an advanced reader copy from the author. This is my honest review.
I haven't read a non-fantasy romance vook i have cared for in a while so when I got to read this and absolutely LOVE IT?!?! I was pretty jazzed. Graham and Rebecca are such well written FMC and MMC and all of the side characters are so loveable and relatable. You know those moments where you read something particularly romantic and cute and you go "eeeee!!" And kick your feet like a child? Yeah, there were a couple of those in here :) I would have no problems recommending this book to others!
I haven't read a non-fantasy romance vook i have cared for in a while so when I got to read this and absolutely LOVE IT?!?! I was pretty jazzed. Graham and Rebecca are such well written FMC and MMC and all of the side characters are so loveable and relatable. You know those moments where you read something particularly romantic and cute and you go "eeeee!!" And kick your feet like a child? Yeah, there were a couple of those in here :) I would have no problems recommending this book to others!
September 16, 2026
So good! I love a workplace romance! Graham and Rebecca make such a sweet pair. Graham’s level of devotion is absolute perfection, as is Rebecca’s once she figures it all out. It’s easy to let our past dictate our future, but Graham isn’t willing to let that happen. He is such a strong supporter, and I love to see that come to life on the page.
Review of advance copy received from Author
***Advance readers copy***
This book was a great office romance. Honestly, this book had an amazing story line! There was yearning, and self-healing! It took about 3-4 hours to read in one sitting! 1000/10 recommend!!
This book was a great office romance. Honestly, this book had an amazing story line! There was yearning, and self-healing! It took about 3-4 hours to read in one sitting! 1000/10 recommend!!
September 19, 2026
I couldn't put this book down, it was so delightful! Mind the trigger warnings at the beginning but in my opinion, the way the book covered those subject matters was realistic but also delicate! I need more of Bex x Graham in my life and i just finished this lol.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This was a good book. It’s a workplace romance. I enjoyed it and would recommend it!
Thank you for the ARC
Thank you for the ARC
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC gifted in exchange for honest review
Please pay attention to the trigger warnings
I love grumpy x sunshine, and I loved this story so much that I tore through it. On her first day of work, Bex met a woman crying in the bathroom who warned her about the CEO of the company and how cruel he was. She has never looked him in the eye since, and avoided him at all costs. With everyone else, she is sunshine personified, but tries to make her self invisible in his presence. She also has severe social anxiety and hates confrontation after a past relationship left her so emotionally scarred and traumatized. Graham saw Bex the day she interviewed for the job and he was a goner ever since. Here’s the problem, she never smiles at him , talks to him or even looks him in the eye and he hasn’t a clue what he did to upset her so much. After Bex’s boss Kevin has a fall and breaks his hip trying to keep up with his grandkids, Graham selects Bex, the best person for the job in his eyes based on her work and contributions alone, to accompany him to the MedTech conference where they will be presenting this new app. Bex thinks this is the worst thing that could ever happen. Between flight delays, and hotel mixups, they end up in something straight out of a rom com, in a single hotel room with one bed, could it possibly get any worse?
Bex is such a great character. She is so kind, sunshine personified and brave beyond measure despite what she thinks of herself. Yes, she never stays in one place long because she runs before people can hurt her but once you learn about her past, you understand why. My criticism of her is that she was too trusting with certain people, and let certain people determine her opinion of Graham before she even ever met him. One of my favorite things about her was how kind she always was to anyone in the service or customer facing industry despite any frustrations that she had. She always led with kindness and that’s something that we should all aim to do.
Graham is a bit grumpy yes, and he looks intimidating but he’s actually such a cinnamon roll. He’s intense but it’s because this app and this project mean so much to him. He is kind without being showy about it. He is clever and brilliant and so emotionally intelligent. I was rooting for him so hard from the first time we got his POV. The way he cared for her every step of the way, slowly built her trust and was honest with her about everything warmed my heart. I loved how he never gave up, how he turned something awful into something that could help so many people. That man truly has a heart of gold. His patience and constant reassurance after Bex shared what happened in her past relationship was the greenest of green flags. When someone tried to destroy their relationship, he did everything he could to make it right. It’s impossible not to love this character.
This book will make you laugh, it will make you swoon, it will make you cry and it will make you so angry on their behalf. The story grips you from the first page and won’t let you go. These characters will worm their way into your heart and you will be all the better for it.
Please pay attention to the trigger warnings
I love grumpy x sunshine, and I loved this story so much that I tore through it. On her first day of work, Bex met a woman crying in the bathroom who warned her about the CEO of the company and how cruel he was. She has never looked him in the eye since, and avoided him at all costs. With everyone else, she is sunshine personified, but tries to make her self invisible in his presence. She also has severe social anxiety and hates confrontation after a past relationship left her so emotionally scarred and traumatized. Graham saw Bex the day she interviewed for the job and he was a goner ever since. Here’s the problem, she never smiles at him , talks to him or even looks him in the eye and he hasn’t a clue what he did to upset her so much. After Bex’s boss Kevin has a fall and breaks his hip trying to keep up with his grandkids, Graham selects Bex, the best person for the job in his eyes based on her work and contributions alone, to accompany him to the MedTech conference where they will be presenting this new app. Bex thinks this is the worst thing that could ever happen. Between flight delays, and hotel mixups, they end up in something straight out of a rom com, in a single hotel room with one bed, could it possibly get any worse?
Bex is such a great character. She is so kind, sunshine personified and brave beyond measure despite what she thinks of herself. Yes, she never stays in one place long because she runs before people can hurt her but once you learn about her past, you understand why. My criticism of her is that she was too trusting with certain people, and let certain people determine her opinion of Graham before she even ever met him. One of my favorite things about her was how kind she always was to anyone in the service or customer facing industry despite any frustrations that she had. She always led with kindness and that’s something that we should all aim to do.
Graham is a bit grumpy yes, and he looks intimidating but he’s actually such a cinnamon roll. He’s intense but it’s because this app and this project mean so much to him. He is kind without being showy about it. He is clever and brilliant and so emotionally intelligent. I was rooting for him so hard from the first time we got his POV. The way he cared for her every step of the way, slowly built her trust and was honest with her about everything warmed my heart. I loved how he never gave up, how he turned something awful into something that could help so many people. That man truly has a heart of gold. His patience and constant reassurance after Bex shared what happened in her past relationship was the greenest of green flags. When someone tried to destroy their relationship, he did everything he could to make it right. It’s impossible not to love this character.
This book will make you laugh, it will make you swoon, it will make you cry and it will make you so angry on their behalf. The story grips you from the first page and won’t let you go. These characters will worm their way into your heart and you will be all the better for it.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
A roadtrip to remember🚗
📖Overview📖
After a colleague’s accident leaves him unable to attend an out-of-town conference, Rebecca is chosen for the gig and reluctantly steps into the spotlight. She soon discovers she’ll be attending with the one person she's tried to avoid at all costs - her grumpy boss, Graham.
Ever since Graham first laid eyes on Rebecca, he wanted to know more.
Will Graham finally get a chance to know Rebecca, or will she keep her walls up?
👩⚖️The Verdict👩⚖️
Forced Proximity was a joy to read and drew me in right from the first sentence. It was well written, felt like a warm hug and kept me turning pages late into the night.
I loved the ‘he falls first’ aspect. It was written perfectly. The yearning was fantastic, and the way he remembers the mundane parts of Rebecca’s life was something every ‘book boyfriend’ needs to have. 🥵
There is mention of grief in this book. Without ruining anything, I felt like this initially came out of nowhere. It would have been nice if it was set up better, rather than dropping the first mention to create intrigue and moving on. As it is currently, I felt like I had missed something and had a ‘what?!’ moment (and not in a cute way).
The chemistry between Graham and Rebecca is fantastic, and the spicy open-door scenes were perfection.🌶️ Unfortunately, there just wasn’t any aftercare after they got down and nasty, which made me sad.🥲
The panic attack scene? 😍😍 - Now, you might think the *loveheart eyes* might be inappropriate; trust me, they’re not. All I’m going to say is… Graham is everything. That being said, it felt like a missed opportunity not to expand on Rebecca’s past. It could have been a real juicy plot to dig deeper and give Graham even more opportunity to shine. Instead, we were left with a less satisfying plot pitting two women against each other, focusing on jealousy instead of empowerment.
As someone in the 30’s club, it was great to see that the main characters were, too. It was so refreshing to see people established in their careers and mostly knowing who they are as people.
The introduction to Graham’s best friend was great, and I’m really hoping we get more of him. I honestly can't wait to see what Arielle writes next!
This was read and reviewed as an Advanced Reader Copy.
Tropes to Expect
- Workplace romance
- Only one bed
- He falls first and hard
- Grumpy x Sunshine
- Slow burn
- MCs in their 30s
⭐ Rating: 4/5
🌶️ Spice: 3/5
Consumed via: Ebook - ARC
POV: Dual - FMC and MMC
Series: Maplecrest - Book 1
📖Overview📖
After a colleague’s accident leaves him unable to attend an out-of-town conference, Rebecca is chosen for the gig and reluctantly steps into the spotlight. She soon discovers she’ll be attending with the one person she's tried to avoid at all costs - her grumpy boss, Graham.
Ever since Graham first laid eyes on Rebecca, he wanted to know more.
Will Graham finally get a chance to know Rebecca, or will she keep her walls up?
👩⚖️The Verdict👩⚖️
Forced Proximity was a joy to read and drew me in right from the first sentence. It was well written, felt like a warm hug and kept me turning pages late into the night.
I loved the ‘he falls first’ aspect. It was written perfectly. The yearning was fantastic, and the way he remembers the mundane parts of Rebecca’s life was something every ‘book boyfriend’ needs to have. 🥵
There is mention of grief in this book. Without ruining anything, I felt like this initially came out of nowhere. It would have been nice if it was set up better, rather than dropping the first mention to create intrigue and moving on. As it is currently, I felt like I had missed something and had a ‘what?!’ moment (and not in a cute way).
The chemistry between Graham and Rebecca is fantastic, and the spicy open-door scenes were perfection.🌶️ Unfortunately, there just wasn’t any aftercare after they got down and nasty, which made me sad.🥲
The panic attack scene? 😍😍 - Now, you might think the *loveheart eyes* might be inappropriate; trust me, they’re not. All I’m going to say is… Graham is everything. That being said, it felt like a missed opportunity not to expand on Rebecca’s past. It could have been a real juicy plot to dig deeper and give Graham even more opportunity to shine. Instead, we were left with a less satisfying plot pitting two women against each other, focusing on jealousy instead of empowerment.
As someone in the 30’s club, it was great to see that the main characters were, too. It was so refreshing to see people established in their careers and mostly knowing who they are as people.
The introduction to Graham’s best friend was great, and I’m really hoping we get more of him. I honestly can't wait to see what Arielle writes next!
This was read and reviewed as an Advanced Reader Copy.
Tropes to Expect
- Workplace romance
- Only one bed
- He falls first and hard
- Grumpy x Sunshine
- Slow burn
- MCs in their 30s
⭐ Rating: 4/5
🌶️ Spice: 3/5
Consumed via: Ebook - ARC
POV: Dual - FMC and MMC
Series: Maplecrest - Book 1
Review of advance copy received from Author
This is an honest review of a free advanced copy from the author.
Quick and dirty: I loved this book. Rebecca and Graham are *chef’s kiss*.
Green flags all around for Graham, which is so refreshing to read.
Rebecca is real and relatable. Her growth after a previous unhealthy relationship is beautiful and I loved getting to walk alongside her as she opened herself up again.
Maplecrest, PA, sounds like the most adorable little town and I would love to move there, so if anyone has any real-life Maplecrest leads, send them my way! The writing made me feel like I was strolling through the fall foliage, sipping an apple cider, all while being swept off my feet.
The supporting cast is wonderful and so funny and I hope to see more of them one day!
If you love enemies-ish to lovers, grumpy/sunshine, office romance, and of course: forced proximity - you will love this story!
Quick and dirty: I loved this book. Rebecca and Graham are *chef’s kiss*.
Green flags all around for Graham, which is so refreshing to read.
Rebecca is real and relatable. Her growth after a previous unhealthy relationship is beautiful and I loved getting to walk alongside her as she opened herself up again.
Maplecrest, PA, sounds like the most adorable little town and I would love to move there, so if anyone has any real-life Maplecrest leads, send them my way! The writing made me feel like I was strolling through the fall foliage, sipping an apple cider, all while being swept off my feet.
The supporting cast is wonderful and so funny and I hope to see more of them one day!
If you love enemies-ish to lovers, grumpy/sunshine, office romance, and of course: forced proximity - you will love this story!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Forced Proximity is a five star story that you WILL NOT put down. I couldn’t. I couldn’t get enough of these two. Characters who are written with so much depth and so much emotion and will have you giggling. I really loved Graham and Rebecca. This story will live rent free in my head for a long time. Highly recommended.
Will extend review later but just know you need to read this book.
Thank you to the author for my copy of this book.
Will extend review later but just know you need to read this book.
Thank you to the author for my copy of this book.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I really enjoyed the main characters’ initial attraction and the tension that the author sets right from the start. Blackthorne also does an insightful job of representing anxiety and some of its manifestations. There were some moments that felt glossed over I would have liked to explore more with the main characters to see why they felt a certain way or handled a situation the way they did. I look forward to reading more from her!
October 1, 2026
So charming, witty, and funny! There were quite a few clever one liners that had me chuckling. You can’t help but root for Graham and Rebecca. I loved their banter, their chemistry, and how they faced their pasts together. The cozy fall atmosphere was the perfect backdrop. The supporting cast was so fun too. There was also a moment in the book that had me literally gasp. This was so much fun and I can’t wait for the rest of the series!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Received as an arc copy- and I couldn’t put it down!
Such a cozy read!
I throughly enjoyed how real the characters feel and how relatable the actions are! The story follows Bex & Graham through an office romance, and ooooohhhh the longing!🔥
Major plot twist, who did this to you?, and you see me for the real me. Gosh, I couldn’t get enough!
I would recommend any romance reader to have this on their shelves.
Such a cozy read!
I throughly enjoyed how real the characters feel and how relatable the actions are! The story follows Bex & Graham through an office romance, and ooooohhhh the longing!🔥
Major plot twist, who did this to you?, and you see me for the real me. Gosh, I couldn’t get enough!
I would recommend any romance reader to have this on their shelves.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews