The Workaholic Down the Hall

Catalpa Creek #2

by Katharine Sadler

One night. One night to forget all the reasons why not and give in to an attraction that had been brewing for years between Aubrey Fletcher and her best friend and boss, Noah Reynolds.
One night that Noah doesn't even remember. A drunken encounter that Aubrey can never forget, and she couldn't go to work every day and face Noah. So, she cut herself out of his life, found a new job, and built a new life without him in it.
Except that after she left, she found out she was pregnant with Noah's child.
Noah refuses to talk to his former best friend, because she disappeared without a word of explanation, and Aubrey reveals her secret to his mother, Nora.
Nora wants to be a part of her grandbaby's life, but she also wants Noah and Aubrey to admit what she's seen all along - that they'd be perfect for each other. Nora will go to any lengths, no matter how potentially illegal, to see Aubrey and Noah parenting her grandbaby as a couple.

This book is the second book in the Catalpa Creek Series, but can be read as a stand-alone. It is a complete, full-length novel with an HEA and no cliffhanger.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Friends To Lovers, Amazon, Ebooks, Contemporary Romance, Fiction

232 pages, ebook

Published April 15, 2018

About the author

Katharine Sadler lives with her husband in North Carolina. She’s been writing since she was ten and has wanted to be a writer even longer. When she’s not writing or otherwise gainfully occupied, she reads like it’s an addiction, exercises, skis whenever she gets the chance, and adds more books to her Amazon wish list.

Reviews

[Carola · Rating 2 out of 5]

I intensely disliked Aubrey. She needed to get off her high horse and think about others for once.

[Wendy Livingstone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story!!

This is the second book in this fascinating series and this is Noah and Aubrey's story.
This is a well written story which has engaging and realistic characters, family, friendships, drama, emotions,intrigue, humour, witty banter, romance, challenges, and love which all leads to an entertaining, and steamy captivating page turner.
I look forward to reading more from this talented author whose work I highly recommend.

[Rose Grabowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the 2nd offering in the Catalpa Creek series and we got the opportunity to revisit characters and plot lines. I usually don't care for the secret baby trope but in this story, it made sense. After a one-night stand with her best friend/boss Aubrey finds out she is pregnant with his child. He has been avoiding her because of hard feelings after she quit working for him and refuses to take her calls. She enlists the help of his mother who is delighted about the grandchild on the way. Can two stubborn people work things out?

[PLP · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book!

This book was even better than the first one in this series. The author had an unusual take on the one night stand/pregnancy plot and it was really interesting. As in the last book, I enjoyed the author's character development of both the H/h and the whole family.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Noah is/was the CEO of his father's company. Aubrey was his assistant and best friend, until they spent the night together and she left him and ignored all of his texts. She found out months later that she was pregnant and when she tried to tell him he ignored her. Having been tossed from family member to family member after her parents passed away when she was six, she never truly felt wanted by anyone before and though she was in love with Noah he tossed her away like the expendable person she felt she was. She longed for a family and for someone to want her for her because they loved her so, she got ahold of Nora (Noah's mother) to see if she could help in letting Noah know of her circumstances. Nora took her in as if Aubrey was her own and wanted to giver her the security of their family. Noah has a deep seeded need to be a caregiver to those he cares about regardless of his own personal feelings or needs, which he learned early on in his life to put aside. Noah was tricked into being stuck (as Aubrey was) in close proximity with each other and not allowed to leave until they worked things out. With both of them guarding their hearts everything seemed impossible.

This one was a bit depressing to read and really was not a favorite for me. They fought their feelings throughout this whole book and it was extremely annoying with the lies they told. I get the whole guarding heart thing, but this was a lot. I almost DNF'd this one but stuck it out. The hole dug for these two was deep and they barely made it to the HEA which I'd have liked a whole lot sooner.

[Jazzysmum · Rating 3 out of 5]

More of a 2.5 for me. I felt the book was overlong and dwelt too much on Aubrey and her childhood. Even though she has felt unwanted and she had made a secure life for herself, her letting it define her constantly was too, too much and it dominated what was a good story.
We all have things that affect us from childhood or early adult life but most of us just get over it, put it away visit it once and a while and live, especially when you have your own children.
The kidnapping by Nora was silly and she began to irritate me too.
Poor Noah typical 30 something male, driven by what he felt was obligation and he was clueless, but believeable and readable.
Enjoyed finding out more about May and I hope she gets her own story.

The book started well, big, slow, long middle slump and ended a little quickly. May have been nice to read about Aubrey and Noah working things out, rather than the long Aubrey angst we had (almost gave up) to endure.

I also thought Nora bough the house for Aubrey AND Noah- not according to Aubrey - my house Mine, mine mine

[Kyle Hakim · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wow Noah was so dense and acted like a goddamn fool. No wonder Aubrey had issue in trusting him. He pretended to not remember the night they had sex. Accused her of leaving him. Didnt gave her a chance to explain herself when she came back. What a dick. His mother was the one forcing him and Aubrey to discuss their relationship. Aubrey not wanting to put her heart on the line, kept her feeling hidden and stressed on co-parenting and being friends. He then sold his father’s company and went back to be with Aubrey and Sophie their newborn daughter. She still put walls between them and rejected his proposal. But at the end, they both admitted their feelings and get married. Huh

[Rhane · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fine entry in the love is hard category

This is a love story about real life. It talks honestly about how we are shaped by all the events in our lives and often don’t even begin to know what the damage is. Aubrey and Noah are both living with expectations and burdens they aren’t really aware of. Friends and family try to help but aren’t really aware of all that’s going on inside. That they are able to fight for their happily ever after makes this a satisfying read.

[Tina A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

The audio narration of The Workaholic Down the Hall is the second book of The Catalpa Creek series that I’ve listened to by Katharine Sandler. After listening to the first one titled The Deadbeat Next Door, I wanted to continue with this second one. I really like the entire cast of characters. This story seemed to drag on a bit, and I would have enjoyed it if it was maybe wrapped up 3/4 of the way through. I will definitely want to continue with book 3.

[PollyAnna Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aubrey and Noah

No matter how many books I read with the theme, it continues to amaze me just how clueless men (and women) can be regarding their own feelings for someone. Noah is clueless when it comes to his feelings for Aubrey as well as to what he wants to be when he grows up. Sometimes, it takes losing everything to find out you've had exactly what you wanted all along. :)

[Gloriana · Rating 2 out of 5]

It started out good but drug on for way too long

I really wanted to finish this book. The first half was just interesting enough to drag me along but eventually I had to give up. I can normally read a book of this length in a single day….. this one has taken me over a week to get to the halfway point. It could be a great read if the story wasn’t so drug out.

[Richa Upraity · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too stubborn

A story that could have gotten over in a hundred pages stretched beyond 200. Could not understand the stubbornness of Noah and Aubrey. No depth in other characters too. Nora was too unreal.

[W.A. Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely story
A will they wont they romance with a secret baby added to the mix.
Both main characters blind to what was right in front of them and too scared to make a move,
Great book I look forward to Dilly and Oscars story

[Baby Girl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Frustrating, but Sweet

Aubrey and Noah are complicated and have so much emotional baggage. The story was good, but it did make me cringe at times with Aubrey's behavior. Again, there is a lot of emotional baggage, but in the end, it all turned out well.

[CJ Upchurch · Rating 1 out of 5]

Poor title choice reflecting nothing of the book. The story was mediocre at best. Intensely disliked the two main characters and the mother-in-law character. No decent conversations happened between the two main characters to warrant an HEA.

[Lauren · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mostly frustratingly stupid. The fact they didn’t just communicate.
Blurt out, “I’m pregnant” or “I love you” could’ve saved us the annoyance of reading all of their miscommunications and misunderstandings.
I did root for them to be together. And their HEA was very sweet. But I am not going to invest more time into this series.

[Tommie Isom · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing story with so many twists & unexpected turns!

I cannot imagine how one can write such a splendid story with such flow that the reader cannot stop. Thanks for such talent.

[Diana M. Caruthers · Rating 5 out of 5]

The boss slept with his employee and claimed to not remember. She left and it took the whole book for those two to realize they were destined to be together. Enjoyed the story on both audible and kindle

[Angel Graham · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good read. I preferred it over the first book in the series.

[Coco.V]

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[Mai · Rating 3 out of 5]

3++ Very enjoyable cozy.

[Judy Stockwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great, just great

Another awesome read from Katharine Sadler! Quickly becoming one of my favorite authors! Right amount of humor, romance, steam and sass!

[Emily P · Rating 2 out of 5]

First 25% a good 4⭐ then it was just a decline for the rest of the book until I was wishing for it to end because they were insufferable...but then the ending was SO abrupt I laughed out loud

[Marsha Stearns · Rating 4 out of 5]

I couldn't put this book down. I just had to find out how everything would turn out.

[Catherine · Rating 2 out of 5]

A quick easy feel good book

[Emily M · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a solid book. I’d like the first half the book a lot more than the back half of it. The banter was really good between the two main characters and I loved all the side characters as well. I can definitely tell that this is a well built universe. Once the baby was born, it seemed like they were having the same argument for maybe the 20th time and it got a bit much towards the end. I’m glad they worked everything out though. Definitely a fun little read..

[Haumana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Will Aubrey get over her insecurities? Will Noah get over his anger? Will a baby change all of that? Come along for the ride while Aubrey and Noah figure out whether they are coming or going, and trying to figure out their lives. This is definitely a plot driven story with a little side of steam.

[Katharine Sadler]

Noah and Aubrey's story was one of the most difficult stories for me to write. I love to read friends to lovers stories, but I wasn't sure I could write one. I struggled to figure out why Aubrey had never told Noah how she felt and why Noah had never seen Aubrey as a potential girlfriend. I actually had to rewrite the book two times before it felt right and, when it did, I fell completely in love with Noah and Aubrey. They both have their baggage, but they are also incredibly loyal and loving. I hope you enjoy reading Noah and Aubrey's story, and I hope you fall in love with them as completely as I did.