Rumors: Emerson & Ryder

Rumors #1

by Rachael Brownell

“Like wildfire, rumors are easy to spread… and hard to extinguish.”

Flat broke and down on her luck, Emerson Hastings is handed the perfect opportunity. Executive assistant to the head of Creative Marketing at Dixon Advertising. It’s a chance to prove herself, move up with the company, and land her dream job in media advertising. What Emerson doesn’t know is that her boss should come with a warning label. He’s hotheaded, demanding, and sexy as sin.

When long days turn into late nights with her boss, rumors about Emerson and Ryder begin to spread. By the time they circle back to her, they’re difficult to ignore, making her attraction to her boss hard to deny. Everyone has an opinion and no one cares if the rumors are true. No one except Emerson.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary

226 pages, ebook

First published March 22, 2018

About the author

I'm a Michigan girl, born and raised. My addictions include: coffee, chocolate, coffee, avoiding adulting, coffee, and coffee.
My favorite season is fall. My favorite color is teal. And my favorite genre to read and write is romance.
I refuse to 'stay in my lane' when it comes to my books. You'll find I write everything from young-adult to sweet contemporary to steamy new adult.
#noregrets
Looking for a place to start with my books? Check out A Moment Too Late (small-town second chance romance) or The Lake State University series (new adult, steamy college romance).
Thanks for being here and happy reading!

Reviews

[Paula Phillips · Rating 3 out of 5]

Emerson Hastings studied her way through college and left with a degree in Advertising, but unlike her college boyfriend Ian, she wasn't offered a job straight out of college. In fact, Emerson has struggled to find a position in Advertising where she can shine. That is until she takes a starting position as an EA to Ryder Dixon for his family's advertising and marketing company Dixon Advertising. Ryder Dixon is in charge of Creative Marketing section. Emerson sees this job as a foot in the door to prove her worth to the company. However, it may be bad timing for Emerson as she has arrived the week, when her boss is announced to be getting divorced from his cheating wife, Megan. During her next few weeks at Dixon, there will be rumors flying around that she is sleeping with her boss Ryder. Rumors that will reach her current boyfriend Ian and be the final notch in their relationship as Emerson finally gets the guts to leave Ian and his negative backside behind. This part made me feel proud of Emerson's character as she was able to muster the guts to leave Ian and venture out on her own per se, which is something she should have done. Despite the rumors flying, we see sparks fly between Emerson and Ryder and eventually will the pair get their HEA and will Emerson finally get the job she deserves and knows very well she can handle? If you are used to working in an office and with women, then you will know what it's like being filled with rumors. This series is for anyone who has ever worked in Gossip central.

[Sheela Kean · Rating 4 out of 5]

a quick read about the ups and downs of romance and rumors with a sweet ending. I enjoyed the characters and their chemistry and the writing was engaging and well done I pretty much couldn't stop reading.

[Archer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed this light read. And there are more in the series it seems.

[April Symes · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Rumors” by Rachel Brownell is book 1 in a new series which is exciting and fresh. Emerson is out of college after graduating and starting a new job. She starts a job at a different company from her boyfriend’s and finds out that this company she is working for is a competitor marketing firm. This causes serious trouble in her relationship. She sees how her boyfriend is very controlling and nasty to her when she wouldn’t do things he asked, like quit her job. She ends up having to break up with him and make changes in her life in order to be happy. This is in order to take a chance on herself, to prove her worth and if that meant breaking up with her boyfriend, so be it. What Emerson didn’t expect to happen was falling for her hot and sexy boss, Ryder Dixon.
Ryder Dixon is going thru a mess in his personal life. He is going thru a divorce. It is one messy divorce and it is affecting every aspect of his life. Then into his life comes a breath of freshness in the form of his new assistant, Emerson. Emerson is bright, energetic, sweet, outgoing , beautiful and caring. Thing is, Ryder is going thru this bitter divorce and he cant afford to start anything with Emerson because someone will end up getting hurt so he distances himself.
Suddenly rumors are popping up about the two of them. Rumors that aren’t true but hey, that’s what happens when you work in an office full of people, there are some that thrive on spreading gossip. Those rumors regarding Ryder and Emerson spread and spread and pick up speed like wildfire. No one but Emerson seem worried if those rumors are true. It takes Emerson’s best friend to remind her that the best way to stop a rumor is to make it true. Will Emerson take the bulls by the horns and let her boss know she is in love with him and wants to see if they can make the rumors reality ? Or will she sit back and let the rumors spin out of control without doing anything about it?
I loved this forbidden office romance story. It had all the angst, heat, tension, passion, witty humor and tenderness that I love in my romance stories. I loved the secondary characters that popped up in this story. The story between Emerson and Ryder seems HFN, not HEA so I hope there will be another book featuring them. It looks like the next book in this series is Justine and Devon ( they are Emerson and Ryder’s friends) . I can’t wait to read this story and read more by Ms. Brownell.


My Rating: 4.6 stars *****
“I received an advanced copy of this book from the author at no cost to me."

my amazon review link---https://www.amazon.com/review/R3NU30C...

[Deborah G. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very enjoyable story with very little angst & drama & by the way, Ryder is my new book boyfriend. Emerson has a degree in advertising & due to the lack of job opportunities she is forced to accept a position as an executive assistant. She is grateful for her position & plans to work hard, show her value in hopes of a promotion in the near future. Currently living with her controlling boyfriend Ian, Emerson slowly comes to the realization that he is blind to her thoughts & feelings & selfishly only considers what is in his own best interest.
Ryder...just let me catch my breath for a moment while I drool. After working with Ryder for a week, Emerson sees him as an angry, moody ass & wonders if she can continue working for someone with such a bad temperament. Soon she discovers that his ill temper stems from his upcoming divorce from a vile woman that used to hold her post in the company. As Ryder & Emerson work more closely together & become friendlier towards each other, the rumors begin.
Ryder was the best part of this book for me. He was the polar opposite of Ian, always encouraging Emerson to express her thoughts & opinions, always thinking of her before himself & dead gorgeous to boot! I love his character.
Emerson is bright, strong-willed but over thought everything. Decisive at work but very wishy washy when making decisions relating to Ryder. I think she cared far too much about what was being said by the gossip girls in the office & this fueled her doubts. Too bad because for the most part she is a very likable character.
In spite of a very driven attraction between Ryder & Emerson, their relationship went from friendly to the odd dinner date & didn't blossom into a full romance until we neared the end of the book. This was well written (with a few spelling errors) but very enjoyable. This has a HEA and I can't praise Ryder enough! No cliffhanger but there are more books in the series relating to other couples.

[Amazeballs Book Addicts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emerson thought everything so good in her life then she realizes it's not the way she wants to be. She's a strong character. She gets a new job working as an executive assistant for Ryder at Dixon Advertising. She also comes to terms that her relationship with her long term boyfriend is not what she wants. Ryder is her boss but that doesn't take away the fact that he is sexy. Ryder is going through a divorce and the rumors swirl around the office about. There a couple of girls at work that like to gossip. There office is like a typical office. As rumors fly about Ryder and Emerson, they actually start to hit it off as more than friends. I was hooked on their story and couldn't turn the pages fast enough. I really liked this one and I will definitely be picking up the next book in this series when it comes out.

[ItaPixie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rumors was a good story.

Emerson is at her first job after she graduate and she is not ready to face the rumors about the attraction between her and her boss spreading around the office at lightning speed.
I've really enjoyed to read about Emerson and Ryder journey from two toxic relationship that bring them down to a new scaring but at the same time charming experience.

This was my first Rachael Brownell's book but it won't be the last because I'm already waiting for the next novel in this series.

I recommend it to those who wants to read about a sexy Boss but they not expect a scorching hot story.

Copy kindly provided by the Publisher/Author.

[Inflight Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emerson & Ryder’s love story is the first in a new series of office romances. He’s a soon to be single dad. She’s his new assistant. Can the rumors help or hurt their forbidden romance?
Emerson just landed a great job working for Ryder and it could not have come at a better time. However, with a great job comes false accusations of an affair with her new boss. Of course its not true but who could blame the rumor mill. He’s sexy, arrogant and a pain in the butt and she tries to keep her distance.
RUMORS is the perfect feel good romance about finding yourself – and love – when you least expect it. It’s dreamy and perfect for a cozy late night bedtime read. Simply stated, behind every rumor is some truth and Emerson & Ryder don’t let the false rumors smolder their passion. Instead as Ryder suggest, they ignite them despite a crazy ex.
This book was wonderfully written and full of surprisingly tender and touching romance. Prepare to lose sleep with this new series.

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (3/18/2019)! 🎁

Blurb:
Office gossip, jaw-dropping gorgeous men, and romance in the air. What could possibly go wrong?

My new boss should come with a warning label. He’s hotheaded, demanding, and sexy as sin. A recipe for trouble when your current relationship is on the rocks.

Determined to ignore my growing attraction to him, I keep my head down and attempt to focus on my work. Until one steamy moment in the elevator makes me reconsider everything I believe in.

When long days start turning into late nights, rumors begin to spread about our sudden romantic relationship. Everyone loves to hear the latest office gossip but no one cares if the rumors are true.

Until they’re at the center of them.

[Rachael Brownell]

The Rumors Series
6 stand-alone novels
Cover Reveal 3/15/18

Gossip in the break room.
Whispers in the hallway.
Rumors spread like wildfire through Dixon Advertising. Who’s sleeping with who? Who’s getting divorced? Who’s expecting?

Find out which rumors are fact and which are pure speculation.

6 rumors
5 engagements
4 weddings
3 babies
2 cheaters
1 source

And they all live happily ever after… or do they?

Episode 2 releases 4/26/18
Episode 3 releases 5/31/18
Episode 4 releases 7/12/18
Episode 5 releases 8/16/18
Episode 6 releases 9/20/18

[Tabi Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb Story

This is actually the first story that I have read from Rachael and I have to admit I have fallen in love with her writing. She wrote a perfect book that didn't rush into the romance and it pulled you in to see what was going to happen.

Of course I didn't have any tears this time, but I could feel the emotions that were running. She wrote out their stories to where you understand what they were going thru in their heads. I just loved it and can't wait for more of their story and another Rachael book.

Until Next Time.... Tabi

[Laurie · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 Stars.

Not bad - although the MC's tendencies to over-analyze EVERYTHING was a bit annoying. Most times, I liked her train of thoughts, but did we really needed 2 pages of over-questionning everything - pretending to not care about the gossips and what everyone thought of her while it was clearly all the book was about. Literally.

[Janine - The World Was Hers for the Reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emerson Hastings thought she had a good relationship . . . for the most part. It wasn’t until she took a job at a marketing firm that’s a competitor to the company her live in boyfriend works for that she realizes just how limiting and controlling he really is. She’s ready to take this chance to prove herself, however, even if that means walking away from a relationship that no longer seems to be working for her. What she didn’t expect was to find herself extremely attracted to her sex on a stick new boss.

Ryder Dixon is going through a nasty divorce. The last thing he should have on his mind is another woman. But, he can’t seem to keep his thoughts away from his new assistant, Emerson. She’s gorgeous, smart and caring. While he knows he should keep his distance, he can’t seem too.

Working in an office means dealing with rumors, and those rumors are spreading about Emerson and Ryder. They’re hard to ignore, and each new rumor seems to make their attraction to one another grow. No one but Emerson seems to be worried about whether or not the rumors are true as long as there is gossip to spread. Emerson’s best friend reminds her that the best way to stop a rumor is to make it true. Now it’s just up to Emerson to see if she has the courage to ignore the rumor mill and go after what she wants . . . . her boss!

I love a plot that has two people who aren’t looking for love have it fall directly into their laps at the worst possible time, and Rumors did just that! Both Emerson and Ryder have been living with rotten relationships for years. Neither wants something new, they just want space and happiness, yet they are so drawn to one another that they soon realize they are one another’s happy place.

I really enjoyed the characters in this book. I loved watching Emerson re-find herself after realizing she wasn’t happy with her ex and why she wasn’t happy. I also liked that even though Ryder was finalizing a divorce, he knew he didn’t want to pass up what could be a great thing between him and Emerson, but was willing to take it as slow as she needed to go.

Rumors was a fun, relaxing and enjoyable read. No high stress plotlines, but plenty of warm and fuzzies as Ryder and Emerson got to know one another as well as some laughs courtesy of Emerson’s best friend Angie. 4 stars!

[Kathy Rouchelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't say how much I enjoyed this book! Rumors...oh yea, we've all heard them, maybe even help spread some, saw what they can do to people. Inside these pages is all of that along with how some rumors are handled. There is also the wonderfully written characters, Emerson, Angela, Justine and a cast of characters that will make you feel like you are sitting at a table with them, listening to their conversations.

But this story is also about Emerson and Ryder. Emerson is leaving her boyfriend and starting a new life with a new job. Ryder is her boss who's divorce is playing havoc with his life. What these two do not need is exactly what they get...an attraction to each other forms from working long hours together and you know what happens next....RUMORS! They spread like wildfire and it's hard to ignore what others are saying.

This is a wonderful read and I really hope you give this book a try ,I swear you will not regret it. Highly recommend this book!

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the authors writing style in Rumors. She took a topic that everyone can relate to and made the storyline all her own with a fun flirty plot. We have all dealt with Rumors, especially in the workplace but it’s how we handle them that make the difference. Rider and Emerson are no different.

Emerson and Rider are two character that You can’t help but root for. Emerson is leaving her boyfriend and starting over with a new job/career. Rider is Emerson’s sexy new boss who going through a rough divorce. The last thing either of these two want or need is being attracted to someone new. Yet, as they work long hours together and the Office Rumors spread it gets harder and harder to ignore what people are saying.

Are they or aren’t they? Do they make the rumors reality? All I can say is I Highly Recommend Reading the book to find out. You won’t be sorry you did. 2 Thumbs Up!

[Chrissy · Rating 4 out of 5]

My true rating for this book would be 3.5 stars, but I rounded up to 4.0 since I can't do 1/2 stars and I liked the book. The story was good, the writing was good, I liked the characters. Overall, I enjoyed the book. The reason for my rating is that there wasn't anything about the book that stood out to me. It was enjoyable and I was interested in the story, but it was so much like many other stories I've read. There wasn't really anything extremely exciting, or emotional. It was good, but not really unique in any way. I will probably even buy some other books in the series. I would recommend it if you're looking for something not overly dramatic or emotional. The story was interesting enough, fun to read and I feel like most romance readers would enjoy it.

[Cristie Alleman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this story!!
Rachel Brownell's writing keeps getting better and better!!
We all know how rumors start... Well Emerson just got a job where rumors tend to run wild. Her co-worker are spreading them about her and her boss Ryder..
If you want to see if those rumors become reality this is a must read then..
The chemistry between Emerson & Ryder is outstanding..
I can't wait for the next book!!

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good!

Emerson & Ryder’s story was a great read. Unlike your typical steamy office romance, Rumors was slower paced and had a good deal of character development. Though the initial meeting between the two main characters had chemistry, their relationship was much more of a slow burn.

I also really enjoyed the secondary character and can’t wait for the rest of the books in this series!

[Cindy Fong · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an entertaining story. Both Emerson and Ryder are in transitional relationships but they have instant attraction with each other immediately, which started "rumors" about their relationship. Sometimes you have to get through the ugly to get to the beautiful. As they explore their feelings as individuals and as a possible couple, we are given glimpses of the people they are meant to be. I really liked them as a couple.

[Brenda K · Rating 5 out of 5]

wow! I love watching Rachael grow as a writer. This book is so good! It is not her normal clean YA she writes and I enjoyed it. Emerson was a fun character and I loved reading her and Ryder's story. Ryder.. oh how I loved him. I am really excited to read the next book and continue this series.
Rumors.. they spread but will they become real or just stay that, rumors. You have to read it to see for yourself.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing story! This book is a page turner that pulled me in from the first page. Emerson thought everything in her life was going well until she realized it is not the way she wants it. She gets a new job and things change for her. Ryder is her new boss. Rumors spread all around. I received an advanced reader copy for an honest review.
*Magic Beyond The Covers Book Blog*

[Donna Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an interesting book but felt like other books I read.

Girl gets job, has a boyfriend something happens and then she falls for her boss.

Don't get me wrong. As much as I felt it repeated other books I've read I still enjoyed it.

Ryder and Emerson just had a strong connection from the start and it kept building.

[Vanessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh!

I wanted to love this book so much - I was really disappointed... there was too many conflicting emotions on Em’s side. I did not like that she did not spend time with his daughter either. Their love was neither love at first sight or a friendship that developed slowly - there was so much chemistry missing!!!! :(

[a collective of books · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't care for Emerson at all. I couldn't relate to her and actually found her annoying and dense. Her friends tell her like it is and she just doesn't see it when it comes to Ian. Ryder, I didn't care for. I thought he was clingy and needy. There's hardly any character development, it was all very shallow. The ending wasn't much of an ending, it was abrupt.

[Kim Gauger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb

Not your typical office romance! Loved this story and all that it entailed. From back stories to small suspense to love. I adored it and can't wait to read the next obe! Great read

[Tiffany Levin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rumors

First book I have read from this author and I am hooked! I feel there is more than meets the eye with these stories and am very intrigued to find out who the source of the rumors is! Can’t wait for the next in the series!

[Nikkita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfection!

This story is an absolute perfect book. Emotional, intriguing, romantic, the taboo office relationship, just everything. Ryder and Emerson are the perfect characters, you can relate and empathize with them both on their journey to finding their happy ever after.

[Shannon Davison · Rating 5 out of 5]

I truly loved this story. Emerson and Ryder are both going through relationship issues, but they're so attracted to one another. Gossip in the workplace isn't helping matters either. I voluntarily reviewed a copy via QBDB.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good Book

This is the first Rachael Brownell book that I've read. I really liked it. It flowed well, the writing was good, and I really liked Emerson and Ryder. I'll be reading more of her work.

[Laura Jackson · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice easy to read book with likeable characters. I found it to lack a bit of oomph and if I'm being very picky there were slight flaws in the editing which are forgivable but do bug me and distracted from the story.