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Fresh out of college and back on his older sister's couch, Kit expected his days to return to the way they'd always been. He anticipated spending his days perusing Netflix with one hand on the remote and the other in a box of pizza, but when he's given the opportunity for a job at one of New York City's newest advertising agencies, there's no way he can turn the offer down. Unfortunately for Kit, this job might be more than he bargained for.

Not only does Roman - his handsome yet ruthless new boss - let his wandering eye linger just a little too long, Kit can't seem to shake the feeling that the glitzy personal assistant gig he just landed might be a bit shadier than he imagined. Before he's even able to make a reservation for Roman's dinner at Le Bernardin, Kit's professional and personal life become one, and he finds himself forced to somehow separate business from pleasure.

Easier said than done, especially when it’s his job to take care of Roman’s every need.

307 pages, ebook

First published May 20, 2019

37 people are currently reading
177 people want to read

About the author

Jack Harbon

23 books408 followers
Jack Harbon (she/they) is a nonbinary transfem author writing everything from romance to erotica to horror—or sometimes a mix of all three. If she’s not scribbling down notes on one of her thousands of book ideas, she’s shopping for yet another doll to add to her collection, crocheting, or watching scary movies. Follow her on all socials @JackHarbonBooks!

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5 stars
29 (24%)
4 stars
40 (33%)
3 stars
33 (27%)
2 stars
9 (7%)
1 star
7 (5%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
Profile Image for Cyril.
180 reviews
dnf
May 24, 2019
DNF @69% (lol, nice)
I actually pre-ordered this book and I’m glad to support the author but this book wasn’t for me. It felt very .… young and shallow in writing & plot. I really couldn’t get into the characters, though I did enjoy some of the interactions. After a bit more experience I might check out this author again.
Profile Image for Leelah🍁♋️ Orion.
1,463 reviews55 followers
Read
May 29, 2019
Dang. Dang dang dang. I was really really really wanting to like this. I wanted to so bad!!! We don’t get many books with a black male main characters so it’s disappointing when the book goes to crap. I checked back multiple times to see if this was a young adult book just from the way the characters acted. Between that and how things were preceding, I just couldn’t do it. Sorry. Gonna have to do some research It just feels like this was written by a young adult
Profile Image for H. Bentham.
Author 9 books27 followers
Read
May 20, 2019
I...finished this in three days! ❤️ And I’m honestly super impressed w this debut novel bec I’ve been following Jack Harbon since WP and this read like some of my fave romances while also kept that unique voice I loved from JH in his free serials.⁣⁣
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The selling point for me was the “Devil Wears Prada but Gay” pitch and it certainly delivered, AND THEN gave me so much more! 😍🥰. ⁣⁣
•⁣⁣
Kit is fresh out of college, desperate for a job so he can help out his sister who’s taken him under her wing for the meantime. Roman is desperate for an assistant who will not only keep his schedule in order, but also not crumble w the pressure since apparently he’s one of those “Bad Bosses”. Kit gets the job and proves to be the perfect b*tch to keep Roman in check, and well, in love. 🥰⁣⁣
•⁣⁣
The writing is sharp and I esp loved the delicious banter Kit served everyone throughout the book. Kit is brilliantly crass and I love how confident he is most of the time, when needed, but still deeply insecure bec of past trauma. I loved the self-awareness of the power imbalance between Kit & Roman and how it was faced and handled so well towards the end. I liked that while there was a mix of other things (money mystery, LGBT issues, family drama) the romance was fully developed and remained the central focus. It is peppered with pop cult references that I appreciate and huhu, that call back to “Daddy” made me feel things! 🥺💕⁣⁣
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There were parts that felt too much for me, tho (i.e. Kit’s first assignment on the job, Kit’s salary, etc.) but it didn’t disrupt my suspension of disbelief. I also thought the romantic conflict should’ve been resolved a little later but that’s just me nitpicking bec I LOVE this a lot!⁣⁣
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I HIGHLY recommend this and I have MOAR to say so read it and DM me! :)⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
•⁣⁣
*I received a free ARC for an honest review⁣⁣
*This review also appears as a bookstagram on my IG: @bentchbites
⁣⁣
Profile Image for Eboni.
Author 6 books68 followers
May 12, 2019
I enjoyed this novel quite a bit. It is melodramatic (soap opera vibes all up and through), funny, young and sweet. It's got a bit of age difference (Roman and Kit aren't crazy far apart in age but its there) and while there is some sex, this is more about Roman and Kit's sweet relationship.

Almost as much, if not even more than Kit and Roman's relationship, I loved Kit's relationship with his sister, Bria, and also his best friend, Chad. Now maybe I love this because as a queer kid I love the idea of these relationships being so central to him and Harbon's realistic portrayal of black families but mostly I think it's because Kit has the kind of relationships I wish I had and loved seeing all of the inside jokes and care between the characters.

Now that being said, I'll say: if you don't love drama, or if Gen Y lingo is going to throw you way off, then this may not be the novel for you. It's high emotion and drama which to me was fun but might feel a little one-note for some. There are also a lot of subplots in this story, they are easy to follow but if you're looking for something simple, this isn't it.

If you want to see the rest of my thoughts check out my review here: https://ebonidunbar.com/?p=50
Profile Image for Shawna (endemictoearth).
2,354 reviews33 followers
July 30, 2020
My favorite from this author so far. Great snarky dialogue, interesting character dynamics, fun soap opera-y vibes, and a twist near the end. Really enjoyed this one.
166 reviews5 followers
January 4, 2020
OK, but could have been much better

This book is ok, but frustrating. It has the potential to be great.  It took me way longer to read it than usual because of the issues I have with it. However, at the same time, I became invested in the MCs and the story and I did finish it. The following details contain spoilers.

This book is in need of a good editor.

Plot bunnies that go nowhere, missed opportunities, and inconsistencies throughout.  For example, when Kit first gets the job, the author makes a point of having the character make himself a note on his phone to learn the receptionist’s name.  We later read that Kit finally asked the boss for the receptionist’s name THREE months later.  With a few tweaks that receptionist could have been really helpful to the secondary plot.  There is a whole scene with Kit and the landlord that serves no purpose. I expected some drama about how Kit had been living there under the radar or something.    

I am in no way a stickler for strict grammar rules in fiction, but at one point I thought about counting the number of sentences that ended with prepositions that were unnecessary.  There are other incorrect uses of prepositions, too, and commas by the ton, but in odd places and then missing in some standard places.  

Main character inconsistencies – Kit.  Who is Kit? He’s a college grad, so I assume he is at least 21 years old. This is apparently his first job. His actions are incredibly inconsistent regardless of who he is interacting with. He’s a brat. He’s a smart, organized assistant. He’s a hard-partying college guy.  What he did to get the job was impressive (even though the character later refers to it as passive-aggressive), but then he purposely does not complete a task he is asked to complete. He purposely incorrectly doctors a co-worker’s coffee.  He blurs the professional lines and whines when he doesn’t get a response.  He shows some Dom/alpha-like qualities that Roman apparently likes, but there is no follow-up to this throughout the rest of the story.  Kit thinks he is in love with Roman but jokes to himself about hooking up with a hot guy.  (That’s a hard no for me. Noticing that someone else is attractive? OK. Noticing and practically planning to ditch his date to hook up with this other guy?  No. Not halfway through the book, and not on their first real date.) Kit’s self-reflection narrative and Roman’s praise do not match what the reader sees.  Perhaps there were scenes still in the author’s head. 

Main character attraction – Roman.  There are no signs at the beginning of the book that Roman is into Kit.  It would have been so easy to fix this and create the attraction – Roman’s hands clench on his desk, Kit catches Roman starting at him across the office, Kit glimpses the outline of Roman’s erection, especially during the scenes when Kit is standing up for himself.  Given the secondary plot (no spoiler), a good edit would have made Roman’s evident-to-the-reader attraction to Kit and Roman’s obvious attempts to deny his attraction very powerful.

Regarding the secondary plot (no spoiler):  Ick.  How can I say this without it being a spoiler?  If the female character would have been one thing or the other, it would have been good.  Serving in both roles was too much and came very, very close to making me not finish this book.

I finished it and there are positives!  There are some funny lines. I laughed out loud when Kit says that he watches a lot of Shondaland shows, so he knows how to be shady.  Kit translating some slang for Roman.  Kit’s mature decision near the end.  Kit’s relationship with his sister, and his friend Chad (although not to the same extent).  No typos in words. I love this!  The clues in the mystery secondary plot were skillful.

Do I believe there is a happily ever after for the MCs?  Possibly.

Will I read another book by this author?  Maybe. I do hope he keeps writing. This story had great potential!
Profile Image for SoCalBookReviews.
602 reviews20 followers
Read
June 11, 2019
DNF at 53% - No Rating at this time...

I might come back to this one at some point, but don't care to finish it at this time..

Personal Feelings Ahead (non-review)....
Profile Image for Alice.
273 reviews85 followers
June 8, 2020
I really liked this!

Look, I’m generally not into boss/employee romances, especially “domineering boss”/“feisty employee” romances. But I actually really liked the romance in KITTEN. Roman comes off as a jerk at first but softens up and admits when he’s wrong. Kit is energetic and stands up for himself but also vulnerable, and he’s just so lovable. I thought his dialogue was totally fitting given he’s a fresh college grad (I get the feeling some people forget how young 21/22 year olds really are). The secondary characters, Kit’s friends, were also standouts. The mystery subplot wound throughout gave the story an extra layer of tension apart from the progression of Roman and Kit’s relationship, and I thought the Chekhov’s guns throughout were set up well, for the most part. All in all, a satisfying read.

(Rep: Black gay MC (ownvoices), Taiwanese American bi love interest, Black sapphic side characters, bi side character)
Profile Image for Sara.
2,366 reviews40 followers
May 25, 2019
Engaging

Unexpectedly lovely. Engaging cast of characters with a subplot I didn’t expect at all. I liked how everyone was diverse without any unnecessary explanations.
Profile Image for Alyssa (Cozy.Soul.Reads).
369 reviews14 followers
June 29, 2024
Oh my gosh this was such a spicy and intense novel! I couldn't have asked for a better read for pride!
Profile Image for Limecello.
2,559 reviews46 followers
Read
September 22, 2019
Gosh.

Ok so ... the tone of this book was totally different from what I'm used to? It was almost more ... I don't know. Not diary ... not stream of consciousness but like ... stark? Stripped down? But not erotica...

I DNF'd this though because it was a RED FLAGS office romance.
There's no rapport, not connection, just all of a sudden - his boss who he thinks is a RAGING ASSHOLE is kissing him.
And I DNF'd it right there.

I really wanted to try since this book was recommended to me but ... it's just not for me.
I'm not the target audience.

I did like the characterizations - especially the hero's best friend.
But I just ... everything is TOO MUCH.

Also the hero is so YOUNG not just literally but in everything. Or maybe my work is just THAT SHITTY but I felt his attitude of "everyone should be nice to me and appreciate me" was ... a lot.
This book kinda made me think "yeah THIS is why everyone hates millennials." And I'd like to note I myself am one. Which should kinda underline the "yeeeaahhh..."

Also I had a REALLY hard time believing some ~random/whatever/run of the mill NY[C] ad agency would be hiring some star of [HGTV] to redesign a floor - the cost alone - and not just that but to give the responsibility of an assistant who was HIRED LESS THAN A WEEK AGO AND HAS NO EXPERIENCE.
Like if it was "assistant" but more "right hand of the CEO" - which we see more in HPs blessedly and elsewhere, etc... but no.

It just wasn't believable for me and wasn't something I was into.
Profile Image for Leigh Kramer.
Author 1 book1,410 followers
dnf
June 15, 2020
DNF at 41%

Sometimes I can handle reading about 22 year olds and sometimes I can’t. I know 22 year olds are figuring out life and they’re going to make mistakes but right now, Kit’s lack of professionalism (making sex toy jokes to his boss, sarcastic asides, insulting coworkers) is too much for me to handle. I’m also concerned about the power dynamics in that so far they haven’t been addressed at all and this is imperative for boss-employee relationships. I’m also a little confused as to why he wants to hook up with his boss when Roman has been such a jerk? But the MM Devil Wears Prada vibes certainly make for an interesting premise.

I did really like Kit’s sister Bria and her relationship with her girlfriend, as well as his best friend.

CW: past infidelity (closeted boyfriend cheated on Kit), homophobic and emotionally abusive parents, marijuana, microaggressions

Profile Image for Malachi.
183 reviews
August 1, 2020
Really not sure what this book’s deal was. Anyway, I hated the evil ex girlfriend plot, it felt completely fucking out of nowhere, and was just a really unsatisfying conclusion to a plot line that didn’t feel especially useful in the first place?

Also, this is so so so petty, but this book said it was set in New York? How? Make it make sense. Where did anyone live? Why does EVERYONE DRIVE? How does Roman have a backyard? How does an assistant afford his own apartment???

I mean that’s not the main complaint, the main issue is that without giving Roman any interiority it’s kind of confusing why these two are In Love Forever. The all one sided narration gives it a really YA vibe, but the set up for the book sounded like erotica, but then it was mostly fade to black? I guess my main feeling is ??? Choices were made, whatever.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Rachel.
190 reviews20 followers
May 14, 2019
A sweet and sassy romance about discovering your true self and your worth. Kit is full of this great snarky personality but only truly harnesses his inner self when challenged in and out of the office by his new boss, Roman. Both men struggle to show their true selves because of cultural, familial and societal "norms" but as they get closer, they allow and encourage each other to bloom into more... as individuals and as a couple.

Throw in an office mystery, hilarious dialogue and some uncomfortable "growing up" moments, I thought this book was great work!!

(I received an ARC of 'Kitten' 🐯)
Profile Image for chris.
471 reviews
February 3, 2020
DNF at 30%.
didn’t like: employee-boss romantic relationships are not sexy (to me), they're inappropriate and can lead to abuses in power, sexual harassment/assault, etc.
a boss who doesn't understand or respect boundaries or balance (like having a day off and then be expected/demanded to work). it’s quite disturbing. and what's more disturbing is that it's okay within the story...so far (did not read far enough to see if this changes).
narration instead of dialogue.
liked: the dialogue, lots of description to pull you into the scenes.
2,859 reviews14 followers
May 14, 2019
Oh so beautifully written. I didn't want this to end and it was so hard to put down. I loved Roman and his straight laced behavior. It was so much fun to watch him lose control. All the characters were brilliant. I was so happy for the ending of Chad. It was perfect.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for august.
361 reviews9 followers
May 16, 2019
Okay so I really wasn't expecting that big of a twist but boy was I in for a surprise! There were so many different aspects to this book that made it wonderful. The romance, the family relationships, the friendships, the whole mystery thing. Ugh I just really loved it.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Stephanie Laurenza.
900 reviews8 followers
June 21, 2020
Whew, another quick, fun and sexy read by Jack Harbon. I will say that sometimes things feel a little sloppy or overlooked, but I'm honestly so engrossed by these stories that I don't particularly care. I loved Kit and Roman and the intrigue and office drama. I wish this series were, like, a dozen deep - I could easily keep reading.
Profile Image for Alicia.
1,124 reviews3 followers
May 3, 2020
I'm glad we have queer men of colour writing romance but I really have to stop reading office romances because they infuriate me. I also couldn't see anything in Kit and Roman's relationship that felt like genuine attraction and the denouement felt rushed and underdeveloped.
Profile Image for Faith.
490 reviews18 followers
July 31, 2020

LOOOOOL. What is this??

I think this book should have remained a manuscript.

Zero chemistry, the characters are childish af, the writing was... I don't know how to say it nicely but it was horrible. This author should be banned from writing black characters.

71 reviews1 follower
August 4, 2020
Not good.

Not good. Not emotional depth. It tried but didn’t succeed. It was really weird because I think the characters were black but the book was so washed out it fell flat. I read so far and couldn’t read anymore.
23 reviews
August 12, 2020
A must read!!!

I really loved this story. I like that kitten is a strong man that knows his Worth and learns more about his self along the way. He doesn’t need someone to make him happy.
1,057 reviews8 followers
January 31, 2024
Well written and composed story. Good work place Romance. Interesting characters and relationships among them. The plot is more complex than expected. The background adds to the story. Pleasurable read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
3,265 reviews6 followers
May 27, 2019
Possibly the character was a little mature for the age presented, but I probably like that more, anyway.
Profile Image for Valentine Wheeler.
Author 15 books33 followers
August 17, 2019
This was super fun, with great characters - building characters with clear and consistent voices seems to be one of the author’s specialties. Sweet with just the right amount of heat and soapiness!
4 reviews
February 7, 2020
Wonderful book you will enjoy the romance, the suspense and the thrill, also the hate red. Also have a book called daddy that’s the first read it.
Profile Image for lilyyyy .
41 reviews
May 23, 2020
i loved this book much more than the first book. i loved kit so much he is one of my favourite fictional character, i connected with him a lot.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews

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